203: River crabs saved Yaoyue

Before he could react, she didn't give Mo Yuhan any chance to respond. With the awkwardness of a young girl and a reckless courage, she clumsily yet firmly kissed him on the lips.

At the same time, her small hands eagerly and frantically fumbled with the ties of his robe.

Boom!

Mo Yuhan's mind went blank for a moment.

Even with his rock-solid will and extensive experience, he had never encountered such a direct, such 'brutal' a confession and… action.

The soft, sweet-smelling lips of the young girl, her clumsy yet fervent kiss, and that awkward yet exceptionally resolute touch, were like the fiercest electric current, instantly piercing through all his defenses.

He was no saint.

The young girl in his arms was vibrant with youth, passionate like fire, and despite her noble status, was willing to 'devote herself' in such a way. That pure and ardent affection, like the strongest wine, was enough to make any man's heart waver.

For a moment, he could even feel the Xuan Huang Purple Flame within him stirring restlessly, his blood seemingly accelerating its flow.

“Mmm…”

Princess Yao Yue let out a tiny whimper, tinged with shyness and urgency.

Her actions were disorganized, yet carried a brute force that could destroy reason.

Just as her soft little hand was about to delve deeper into his robe, Mo Yuhan's eyes flashed with purple, gold, and green light.

A powerful Soul Power, like an invisible tide, surged out instantly. It was not an attack, but rather gently yet irresistibly 'fixed' Princess Yao Yue in mid-air, preventing her from moving any further.

“Princess Yao Yue!”

Mo Yuhan's voice was low and hoarse, carrying a rare sternness, and an almost imperceptible hint of helplessness.

He sat up, tidied his robe which Princess Yao Yue had disheveled, and looked at the young girl suspended in mid-air by Soul Power, as if held by an invisible hand, her small face filled with shock, indignation, and confusion.

“Nonsense!” he reprimanded in a low voice, his eyes complex as he looked at her, “Do you know what you are doing?”

Princess Yao Yue was fixed in the air, unable to move. Tears instantly welled up in her purple eyes, and she accused him aggrievedly:

“I… I know! I just like you! I don’t want you to be troubled by political marriages, I don’t want you to be plotted against by them. I’ll give myself to you, then you won’t have to be in a difficult position. What’s wrong with that?!”

She bit her lip stubbornly, but tears streamed down uncontrollably.

Seeing her like this, tear-streaked, stubborn, and wronged, Mo Yuhan's faint anger at being offended instantly dissipated, replaced by a deep sense of helplessness and… a hint of pity.

This little princess, her thoughts truly were… simple yet domineering.

His thoughts stirred slightly, and the Soul Power binding Princess Yao Yue quietly dispersed.

Princess Yao Yue gasped, her body losing support, about to fall.

Mo Yuhan was quick, wrapping an arm around her and steadily catching her light body, holding her in his embrace. This time, it wasn't a sudden pounce, but rather carried a sense of protection.

Princess Yao Yue fell into his warm embrace, feeling his strong arm and smelling his fresh, pleasant scent. She stiffened at first, then all her grievances erupted. She buried her small face in his chest.

She burst into tears with a 'wah,' clutching his robe tightly, crying like a lost child.

“Waaah… You scolded me… I just like you… I don’t want to see you forced to marry my sister… I don’t want you to leave… Waaah…”

Mo Yuhan gently patted her back, letting her vent her emotions.

When her crying gradually subsided, leaving only soft sobs, he sighed. His voice returned to its usual gentleness, but with an undeniable firmness:

“Silly girl. Feelings are not a transaction, much less a sacrifice.

When have I, Mo Yuhan, ever needed you to resolve my difficulties in such a way? I understand your intentions. But precisely because I understand, I cannot allow such rashness.”

He lifted Princess Yao Yue’s tear-stained little face and gently wiped away her tears with his thumb, his movements soft.

Under the moonlight, the young girl's skin was as smooth as jade, and with the tear stains, she looked even more pitiful.

“You are a noble princess of the Empire, a golden branch and jade leaf.

Your intentions, your feelings, should be the most precious, most flawless pearls in this world, worthy of being treated with solemnity, cherished in the palm of one's hand, and not rashly given away in this dark night, like a moth flying into a flame.”

Mo Yuhan's voice was low and serious, his deep eyes looking into Princess Yao Yue's misty, tear-filled eyes, “You are still young, with infinite possibilities in the future. This feeling, perhaps, is just a moment of stunning infatuation and impulse.

If your feelings change someday, wouldn't this act today become a shackles binding you and me? Making you regret it deeply?”

Princess Yao Yue stared at him blankly, seeing the genuine concern and unfeigned respect in his eyes. The grievances and unwillingness in her heart gradually gave way to a more complex, warmer emotion.

She had never heard such words.

In the imperial palace, she had seen too many marriages formed for power and profit.

She thought her 'sacrifice' was brave, that it was helping him escape, but she had never considered that what he considered was her preciousness, her future, and her lack of regret.

“But… but I really like you so much…”

Princess Yao Yue sobbed, her voice thick with a nasal tone, but with less of the previous stubbornness.

Mo Yuhan smiled slightly, rubbing her soft hair with a doting gesture: “There are many ways to like someone. It doesn’t have to be like this.”

He gently placed Princess Yao Yue back on the soft couch, tidied her somewhat disheveled clothes, and covered her with the thin quilt, as if looking after a willful younger sister—even though he was actually younger in age.

He himself got up and walked to the window, standing with his hands behind his back, gazing at the bright moon outside the window.

“Sleep soundly. Let what happened tonight be just a dream for Yue’er. When you wake up tomorrow, you will still be the most beloved and carefree little princess of the Gama Empire.”

His silhouette stretched long under the moonlight, his voice calm and gentle, “As for my path, I have my own judgment. No one can force me, nor do I need to sacrifice anyone. This Empire cannot trap me, but it also won't become my enemy. Rest assured.”

Princess Yao Yue lay on the couch, wrapped in the thin quilt imbued with his scent, looking at the tall figure by the window, bathed in the clear moonlight, as if he could ascend with the wind at any moment.

The fervent flame in her heart gradually subsided, yet it did not extinguish. Instead, it settled, transforming into a deeper, more steadfast warm current flowing through her heart.

“Mo Yuhan…”

She called out softly, with an unprecedented dependence.

“Hmm?”

“…Thank you.”

Princess Yao Yue buried her small face in the soft, sun-scented quilt, her voice muffled but conveying a sense of relief and peace, “I understand… I will be fine… You must be fine too.”

Moonlight, like water, flowed silently. Within the Listening Wave Pavilion, the restless emotions gradually settled into tranquility.

A thrilling night raid ultimately transformed into gentle ripples in the young girl's heart.

And the man by the window, gazing at the boundless night sky, his deep eyes reflecting the stars and the sea.

His brief stay in the Gama Empire seemed to have been tinged with a different kind of tenderness due to this bright moon and the clumsy young girl's feelings. The road ahead was still very long.