The Sommelier

[Top's Perspective]: Feng Hao's life was full of upheaval. He had endured the pain of losing loved ones, tasted wine worth tens of millions, saved someone who shared his suffering, befriended a righteous brother who would stand by him through anything, and witnessed the smoke and fire of cutthroat business battles... His heart had long since become helpless, withdrawn, afraid, and numb. But Xie Zhifan was his salvation. From campus to the business world, from rock bottom to success, from helpless mediocrity to sharing every hardship and joy, body and soul, he belonged only to him, and there was only one person for him... That year, sunlight dappled the ground, and a breeze stirred the wisps of hair on Xie Zhifan's forehead. His handsome profile was lit by the sun, and Feng Hao felt as if the bright moon had illuminated the ends of the earth... From then on, he could never forget him. [Bottom's Perspective]: Xie Zhifan's life was a grand, tumultuous journey. A mother who had passed away, an abusive father, a boy starved of love, a socialite heiress waiting to marry him for an alliance, a family fortune worth tens of billions that he had no desire to inherit... He had stood in a torrential downpour that night, waiting for someone. He had confessed his love to Feng Hao beneath the sun. He had cared for Feng Hao's mother, who couldn't bear to let go of her son. He had embraced Feng Hao as they faced a troublesome fight together. He and Feng Hao had clung to each other, whispering softly. They had promised to build a castle among fields of lavender, a home of their own... That year, during the Lantern Festival, lanterns shone like daylight and trees were decked with blossoms. Feng Hao released a Kongming lantern by the lake. In its light, he was young, bold, and full of spirit... Xie Zhifan had never seen such courage and pride in the more than ten years of gloom that had shadowed his life. From then on, they cherished the fleeting beauty of life together. For him, Xie Zhifan wielded a thunderous hand and showed no mercy. [Notes] [Content warning] Top-focused story, told from the top's perspective. If you only want pristine characters, this may not be for you. Thank you for understanding. [1] 1v1. Top is Feng Hao, a wine taster; bottom is Xie Zhifan, his white moonlight. [2] Ensemble cast, with a secondary couple: Yun Ze (top) x Han Anqiu. [3] Plot-driven. The top focuses on his career in the early chapters, while the bottom makes only fleeting appearances at first, like a game of hide-and-seek. The story follows both of them, with a slow-burn romance. The relationship gets more attention later on. [4] Includes some wine-related professional knowledge, some true and some made up. Take it too seriously and you'll go crazy. This story is fictional, so please don't read too much into it. [5] Most importantly, the plot serves to develop the characters. Their values do not represent the author's, so please don't attribute their values to the author. [6] No personal attacks. They're expensive and supposedly nourishing, but I can't handle that much nourishment. [7] The author may turn dark and kill off all your favorite characters. Well, I think that's all the warnings. A story for readers and author who plan to outlive each other. First posted in 2017. The story will be revised, but the plot won't change. Updates will resume in May. Theme: Redemption and healing. One glance sparks a beginning, and that beginning lasts a lifetime.