Today is the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the coldest day of the year. Flurries of snow are drifting down from the sky.
Long Lin walks alone in the pristine white snow until he reaches the red - flowered tree where he first met Lan Lan.
It's winter now. The tree stands bare, its branches bowed under the weight of the snow, looking rather desolate.
Long Lin stands beneath the tree, lost in thought for a long while. As if recalling Lan Lan's flustered look that day, he suddenly can't help but smile, showing a charming grin.
He steps forward and gently places his hand on the trunk of the tree.
A golden halo spreads out from Long Lin's palm, driving away the cold from the tree.
The snow on the tree melts into icy rain and rustles down. The tree comes back to life once again, bursting into full bloom with flowers.
The red flowers are romantic, but only Long Lin stands under the tree, enjoying this magnificent sight.
No one knows how long he has been standing there. Suddenly, a little fairy attendant in silver attire appears beside Long Lin and whispers something to him.
After the report, the attendant leaves.
Long Lin folds his hands behind his back, turns around, and takes one last look at the red - flowered tree.
The north wind howls. Long Lin's white robe flutters in the wind. With a flick of his long sleeves, he transforms into a golden light and shoots up into the clouds.
Without the magic power, the petals of the tree all fall off, and it returns to its former desolate state.
Suddenly, Long Lin turns back. He taps his feet on the ground, and the red flowers mixed with the snow on the ground turn into a river of petals that follows his steps and flies into the Southern Heavenly Gate.
When the soldiers at the Southern Heavenly Gate see the Heavenly Emperor coming back and kneel down to pay their respects, a rain of petals has already started falling from the sky.
The red flowers are like a red carpet, stretching all the way from the Southern Heavenly Gate to the entrance of the Purple Star Palace, adding a touch of festivity to the originally solemn silver palace.
Many inexperienced little fairy attendants are simply stunned by this beautiful sight.
They start whispering to each other not far from the Southern Heavenly Gate.
"What is our Heavenly Emperor doing? Is he going to marry a celestial consort? Why is he laying a path of petals?" one little fairy attendant asks curiously.
Another little fairy attendant beside her gossips in a low voice, "You don't know this. I heard that before the Heavenly Emperor became the ruler of the heavens, he met a girl in the mortal world. Later, that girl died because of the eldest prince, so he has been thinking about her for many years."
"You're wrong. I heard that the prince met a girl and even gave her a tree full of red flowers. But that girl had a two - life love affair with the eldest prince. So our Heavenly Emperor had no choice but to suppress his feelings."
"Is it that tragic? Our Heavenly Emperor, in terms of both looks and power, is truly outstanding among the immortals. That girl was really blind."
The little fairy attendants are chattering away when a dragon - brocaded attendant in gorgeous clothes comes over. He glares at them fiercely and says, "Is it your place to discuss the Heavenly Emperor's affairs? Watch your heads."
One of the little fairy attendants sticks out her tongue and says, "If it were the former Heavenly Emperor, we definitely wouldn't dare to say a word. But the current Heavenly Emperor is kind - hearted. He surely won't chop off people's heads at will."
The dragon - brocaded attendant sighs helplessly and says, "It's true that the current Heavenly Emperor is magnanimous, and he has managed the Celestial Realm in an orderly manner. But his past is not something you can discuss casually. Do you understand?"
The little fairy attendants nod slightly at the dragon - brocaded attendant.
At the same time, the gates of the Southern Heavenly Gate open, and Lan Lan enters. Looking down at the petals on the ground, she suddenly finds it very novel.
"I didn't expect to see petals in the Celestial Realm in the middle of winter. Only Long Lin could do this."
Gu Yuan follows Lan Lan onto the petal - covered path. Looking ahead, the path extends all the way to the Purple Star Palace.
The two of them walk along the petal path to the Purple Star Palace. Then the petals gather again on the huge old tree in front of the palace.
Lan Lan tilts her head and looks at the tree. Memories of her first meeting with Long Lin flood back. This tree is so familiar.
Curiosity gets the better of her, and she runs under the old tree. Looking down at it, she realizes that this is exactly the tree where they first met.
There is still the bark that she scratched off nervously when Long Lin pinned her under the tree that day. The bark hasn't fully grown back yet.
Seeing Lan Lan so engrossed, Gu Yuan asks softly, "Is there something wrong?"
Lan Lan comes back to her senses and gives Gu Yuan a sweet smile. "It's okay."
Gu Yuan reaches out and rubs Lan Lan's head. "You can stay here for a while. I'll go in and see Long Lin."
With a wave of his arm, Gu Yuan pulls out a swing under the tree.
Lan Lan sits under the tree. Gu Yuan gently sways the ropes of the swing and then walks towards the Purple Star Palace.
"Brother, it's been a long time... I've been waiting for you for a while," Long Lin says as he quickly gets up from his chair to greet Gu Yuan when he sees him enter.
Gu Yuan is naturally delighted to see Long Lin. They haven't seen each other since they planned that scheme.
"Come, come, brother. Let's play a game of chess," Long Lin says, inviting Gu Yuan to sit at the chessboard table beside them.
"You're really nostalgic. Isn't this the same chessboard we used to play on?" Gu Yuan asks.
"Yes, and the game is still the same. I wonder if brother can solve this chess game now," Long Lin replies.
Gu Yuan sits in front of the chessboard, pinching a chess piece in his hand. He thinks for a long time but still can't find a good place to place it.
"What are you hesitating about, brother?"
Gu Yuan slightly raises his eyes and sees Long Lin's serious eyes fixed on the chessboard. It seems that he is very worried about where Gu Yuan will place the chess piece.
Gu Yuan pinches the chess piece in his hand and already understands Long Lin's concern.
Long Lin is worried that after bringing Gu Yuan back to life, Gu Yuan might try to seize his position as the Heavenly Emperor.
But Gu Yuan has never been interested in the position of the Heavenly Emperor.
"It's really a headache. I don't know where to place it. In terms of strategy, you've always been one step ahead of me. So this position of the Heavenly Emperor belongs to you," Gu Yuan says.
"Hahaha... That's because you gave it up for Lan Lan. Otherwise, how could this position fall to me?"
Gu Yuan smiles faintly and says to Long Lin, "It's not just for Lan Lan. It's also for myself."
"Come to think of it, the position of the Heavenly Emperor means a lifetime of loneliness and having to restrain one's true nature. Sometimes, I think it would have been more exciting to fight with you for it back then."
"Then if you had to choose again, what would you choose?" Gu Yuan's sharp eyes meet Long Lin's.
Long Lin hesitates for a few seconds but doesn't answer.
Gu Yuan's face also turns serious. "I still say the same thing. I can give up anything, but not Lan Lan."
Long Lin lowers his eyes, wanting to say something but holding back.
"Since you've chosen this path, you have to be responsible for your choice."
Gu Yuan places the chess piece on the same position as he did back then. Then he stands up from the stone bench and says, "Let's stop here today. Lan Lan is pregnant, and it's not good for her to stay outside in the wind for too long. We'll meet again another day."
Gu Yuan steps out of the Purple Star Palace. Long Jin comes out from behind the curtain and sighs deeply.
"Don't worry, the eldest prince has never coveted the position of the Heavenly Emperor," Long Jin says.
Long Lin turns to him and asks, "How do you know?"
"Your Majesty, on the surface, it seems that the eldest prince lost this chess game, but if you think about it carefully," Long Jin says, pointing at the chessboard.
Gu Yuan's move of retreating to advance seems like a complete defeat, but in fact, it's a game - changing strategy.
"According to his strategy, if he wanted the position of the Heavenly Emperor, he might have become the Heavenly Emperor a thousand years ago. The eldest prince is telling you that as long as you don't take what's his, he won't fight for it. So as long as Your Majesty doesn't touch his weakness, your position as the Heavenly Emperor is secure," Long Jin explains.
Long Lin sighs deeply and says, "Lan Lan, our fate is over. Let this tree of flowers bless you and Gu Yuan with a happy and long - lasting marriage."
Outside the Purple Star Palace, when Gu Yuan and Lan Lan pass by the tree of red flowers, the red flowers on the tree surround them all the way until they reach the mortal world.
The tree that belongs only to Long Lin and Lan Lan withers forever beside the Purple Star Palace.