180: Chapter 180 Moving Forward Bravely

Ye Yun's hand rested on her back, which was still slightly cool and damp from her bath, helping her wipe away the remaining water droplets.

He wiped slowly down from her shoulder blades, past her spine, and over the small of her back, drying every drop of water.

Finally, his hand rested on her aching waist, gently massaging it for her; her waist had become sore from their previous journey.

Fang Hansu's breathing grew lighter and more tense, her chest rising and falling slightly; it was her first time being this close to him, and she felt a bit panicked.

Her forehead, resting against his chest, rubbed gently against his lapel with every breath, showing a hint of dependence.

Her hands moved slowly up from his waist to clasp around his neck, her fingers lightly gathering and clumsily clutching his hair.

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Yun finally released her lips; the kiss just now had been so immersive that they had lost track of time.

Fang Hansu panted, her eyes filled with a shy daze, her lips slightly reddened from the kiss, feeling a bit embarrassed.

She leaned her entire body against him, as soft as spring water warmed by the sun, her whole body devoid of strength.

Ye Yun looked down at her, fearing she couldn't stand steadily, and carefully lifted her out of the wooden tub, cradling her in his arms.

Water splashed onto the floor, carried out as she rose.

Fang Hansu gave a soft cry, feeling shy, and hugged his neck tightly, burying her face in his chest, not daring to look at him.

Ye Yun carried her with light steps, turning toward the bed, careful not to drop her.

Her body was very light; she had lost too much weight from traveling these past days, and he could barely feel any weight in his arms.

Water droplets dripped from the tips of her hair and the hem of her clothes, leaving a wet trail on the floor.

Ye Yun carefully placed her gently on the bed, worried the bedboard might be too hard and hurt her.

Fang Hansu lay quietly on the bed, her face flushed after her bath, her whole body radiating warm steam.

Her body curled up slightly due to shyness and tension, her hands unsure of where to rest.

In the end, she just gripped the bedsheets beneath her, her knuckles turning white from tension.

She turned her face away, not daring to look at him, her long eyelashes trembling slightly like small fans.

Ye Yun stood by the bed, looking down at her, his heart full of heartache.

His gaze fell on her face, watching her flushed cheeks and trembling eyelashes, his heart softening completely.

Thinking about how she had wandered with him and suffered so much during these days, he wished he could give her the best of everything in the world.

Her appearance and her goodness were all etched into his heart; he could never see her enough, nor could he cherish her enough.

Ye Yun reached out and picked up her clean nightgown from the side, intending to help her put it on so she wouldn't catch a cold.

He picked up the plain-colored nightgown and gently unfolded it; the fabric was something he had specifically bought for her, very soft and comfortable to wear.

He remembered back in the Fengyun Mountains when she had taken a blow to block a hidden weapon for him; he still couldn't forget how she looked then.

The faint old scars on her shoulder and forearm were all from helping him.

Fang Hansu's gaze involuntarily fell on the clothes in his hand, and she peeked at him again, her eyes full of shyness and an unhideable heartache.

Ye Yun leaned down, and fearing she would catch a cold, he pulled over the thin quilt from the side, covering her first and shielding her within his shadow.

Fang Hansu looked up at him, her eyes clearly reflecting only his figure.

Her eyes were full of shyness and tension, along with a long-hidden, unspoken affection and expectation.

Ye Yun lowered his head and placed a very light kiss on her forehead.

It was as light as a feather brushing past, as gentle as a spring breeze over a lake.

Then he lightly touched the tip of her nose.

Then a very light kiss on her lips.

Fang Hansu closed her eyes and slowly raised her hands, gently encircling his neck and drawing herself closer to him.

Ye Yun's body also slowly approached, and he sat beside her without pressing down on her.

She could clearly feel the warmth of his body, the faint scent of soap on him, and the steady, powerful heartbeat in his chest.

With the two of them so close, their breaths entwined; she had never experienced such an intimate distance before, and her heart trembled, making her feel a bit unaccustomed for a moment.

Fang Hansu's body couldn't help but stiffen for an instant, then she slowly relaxed and leaned further into his embrace.

Ye Yun's lips were against her ear, his voice low and husky, yet very gentle.

"If you aren't ready yet, it's okay to stop now. I won't force you; I'll wait for you."

Fang Hansu opened her eyes and gazed at him quietly.

A thin mist covered her eyes, but her gaze was exceptionally firm.

"Young Master saved Hansu twice and helped me out of trouble several times; Hansu truly has no way to repay you."

Her voice was very light and soft, but without a hint of hesitation.

"Moreover, being able to accompany Young Master and follow Young Master is something Hansu does willingly."

The last trace of hesitation in Ye Yun's heart, and his fear of being too forward, completely dissipated at her words.

He lowered his head and kissed her lips again, this time without restraint.

It was no longer the restrained, tentative kiss from before, born of the fear of offending her.

It was full of the treasure he had hidden for so long, full of his desire to protect her; it was the deep affection accumulated over so long, finally pouring out completely.

Fang Hansu quietly accepted his kiss, her hands clutching his neck tightly, refusing to let go.

Her fingertips gripped his clothes, leaving faint impressions on the fabric.

Her body trembled slightly in his arms, like a delicate flower bud finally waiting for the spring breeze to slowly bloom.

The two of them held each other like this, talking about their feelings over these days and the little details of the past, their hearts finally merging completely.

Listening to his words, Fang Hansu's body trembled slightly; she was too emotional.

Her hands tightly gripped his clothes, her fingertips lightly pressing against his chest, feeling his heartbeat.

She bit her lip, unable to suppress the surging emotions in her heart; she was so happy.

A faint sob quietly escaped from between her lips.

It was mixed with a bit of shyness and a throb of heart-warming excitement that she had never experienced before.

Ye Yun noticed her emotional state and quickly looked down at her.

A single tear slid from the corner of her eye, tracing down her cheek and slowly disappearing into the hair at her temple.

But as she looked at him, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

It was a very, very small curve.

"Young Master... you don't need to worry about me. I am willing to do anything, as long as I can follow you."

Her voice trembled slightly, yet it remained gentle and firm, every word clear.

Ye Yun lowered his head and gently kissed away the tear tracks at the corners of her eyes, kissing away all her tears.

After that, the two of them snuggled together, talking for a long time and discussing many things, their hearts closely pressed together.

The words hidden for so long were finally spoken, and the emotions she had suppressed for a long time finally unfurled; her shallow, gentle breaths, intermittent like the continuous fine rain of a spring night, tenderly lingered throughout the room.

...

Before they knew it, several hours had passed.

The sky outside the window had turned completely dark.

The cold moonlight spilled in through the gaps in the window paper, casting a few thin silver beams on the floor.

The moonlight happened to fall on the two pieces of clothing scattered before the bed.

His gray robe and her old wedding dress, which had been slashed by villains before, lay overlapping; the fabric was stained with water from the tub, the dust of their journey, and the faint marks of her previous injuries.

The warm water in the tub had long since turned cold, and most of the flower petals on the surface had sunk to the bottom.

Only a few remained, floating lonely on the water, casting a faint pink glow under the moonlight.

The room was quiet, without a single sound.

It was so quiet that one could hear the sound of the night watchman's signal from the distant streets and the faint rustle of the night breeze passing over the eaves.

One could hear the breathing of the two people on the bed, one deep and slow, one light and heavy, intertwined together.

Ye Yun leaned against the headboard, one hand resting lightly on her back, helping her catch her breath.

Fang Hansu snuggled against his chest, her cheek nestled quietly in the crook of his neck.

Like an exhausted, docile kitten, she curled up in his arms and fell into a peaceful sleep.

The thin quilt was lightly draped over her waist, her wrists exposed, her delicate skin glowing with a warm luster under the moonlight.

Her shoulders, back, arms, and waist were covered in various faint marks left by the villains who had grabbed her.

Some were finger marks left by those people when she was being kidnapped, from when she had struggled desperately.

Others were from when she had shielded him from injuries, or from accidental bumps and scrapes during their journey.

Those old and new marks were scattered about, making one's heart ache at the sight.

The pale red marks on her snow-white skin looked like winter plum blossoms dotting the fallen snow.

Particularly on her slender waist, there were two faint marks on either side.

Those were left from when she had struggled desperately while being held by the villains; even now, the faint traces remained.

Fang Hansu's hair was scattered across his chest and the pillow.

A few strands of hair dampened by tears clung to her cheek, making her flushed face appear even more gentle and moving.

Tiny teardrops still clung to her long eyelashes, shed because she had been so moved just now.

The tear tracks were half-dry and sparkling, like morning dew condensed on a flower bud.

Her brow was slightly furrowed; even in sleep, the pain from those injuries made her unconsciously frown.

But the corners of her lips were slightly upturned.

It was a very, very small curve, as if she were having a sweet dream, or perhaps she was intoxicated by the current stability and warmth.

It was an expression blending shyness and peace of mind, a look where the exhaustion of the journey intertwined with the joy of finally having her wishes fulfilled.

Ye Yun's fingertips slowly and gently caressed her back, massaging those injured areas; from her shoulder blades to her spine, and from her spine to the small of her back, he rubbed them for her bit by bit.

His fingertips lightly touched her delicate skin, and whenever they passed over the marks of those injuries,

He would gently rub them a few times, wanting to soothe away all her pain, as if cherishing a treasure lost and found again.

Fang Hansu's eyelashes trembled slightly; she didn't wake up, but simply curled further into his arms, her nose gently rubbing against his neck.