Chapter 117 (End of Chapter 117)

The flickering candlelight, framed by red silk, swayed gently as the door closed softly, stirring the warm, shimmering light and shadow in the room like rippling water.

The noise and blessings were shut out, the world suddenly shrank, leaving only the gradually clear breathing of each other and the heartbeat that could not be ignored, like a drumbeat.

The wine I drank earlier, with its subtle sweet osmanthus fragrance, seemed to be quietly fermenting in my blood, emitting a hazy warmth that lingered throughout my body.

Lin Yan felt his cheeks burning, and his gaze involuntarily drifted to the pair of burning red candles with dragon and phoenix motifs. The flames flickered, casting a deep and gentle outline of Xiao Che's figure in his eyes.

Xiao Che did not move immediately. He simply stood quietly in front of him, his deep gaze like a dark pool under the moonlight, carefully tracing his features from head to toe. His gaze was warm as it swept over his slightly reddened earlobes and trembling eyelashes, finally settling on his slightly pursed lips due to nervousness.

The air was filled with a sweet fragrance, the smell of alcohol, and a silent undercurrent called "anticipation."

"Hanzhang." Xiao Che called him softly, his voice a few decibels lower than usual, like aged wine sliding down the throat, carrying a slightly intoxicating magnetism and an unmistakable sense of preciousness.

Lin Yan looked up at him, her gaze plunging into that deep ocean, where the flickering candlelight and her own somewhat bewildered shadow were clearly reflected.

He wanted to say something, but his throat was a little dry, and in the end he just gave a soft "hmm", the last syllable of which trembled slightly without him even realizing it.

Xiao Che reached out, but his fingertips did not touch him directly. Instead, they hovered beside the red tassel on his crown, which symbolized his single status.

His movements were slow, with an almost ritualistic solemnity.

Lin Yan held her breath, watching as his slender fingers deftly and gently untied the last restraint.

The ribbon slipped off and he gently placed it on a mahogany tray beside him, lying side by side with the one he had previously taken from Lin Yan's crown.

Next was the hairpin on Lin Yantou's head.

When the last ties were gone, Xiao Che carefully removed the heavy crimson-gold crown and placed it on the table. Lin Yan immediately felt a lightness around her neck, as if some invisible shackle had also dissipated, leaving only the soft touch of her loose hair.

It was Lin Yan's turn to untie the ribbon for him.

His fingertips, slightly cool, touched Xiao Che's warm neck, and both of them paused almost imperceptibly.

Lin Yan tried to calm himself down and, mimicking Xiao Che's earlier actions, carefully untied the black tassel.

When it is placed on the tray alongside the red one, a sense of fulfillment quietly arises.

Having shed all the heavy accessories that symbolized their status, the two wore only bright red wedding undergarments, their dark hair flowing freely. They lacked some of the solemnity and splendor of the daytime, but gained a sense of privacy and intimacy that belonged to the night.

Xiao Che took his hand and led him to the bed covered with a bright red brocade quilt with mandarin ducks. Their footsteps fell silently on the soft carpet, yet it seemed as if each step touched the strings of their hearts.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Xiao Che looked up slightly at Lin Yan, who was still standing. The candlelight flickered in his deep eyes, like starlight in the dark night.

"Are you scared?" he asked, his voice extremely soft, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the moment.

Lin Yan looked at his face, which appeared exceptionally gentle and handsome in the candlelight, shook her head, then nodded honestly, and finally whispered, "A little... but more than anything, I miss you."

These words were like a pebble thrown into a still lake, rippling across Xiao Che's eyes. Without further hesitation, he reached out and embraced Lin Yan, pulling him into his arms as they tumbled together into the soft, fragrant brocade.

The curtains were silently lowered, creating a space that belonged only to them.

The light suddenly dimmed, with only candlelight filtering through the light gauze curtains, casting a hazy, dappled glow that rendered everything ambiguous and indistinct.

Their breaths mingled, warm and moist.

The first kiss was gentle, tentative and comforting, like butterfly wings brushing against flower petals.

Their lips pressed together, lingering and caressing each other, savoring the lingering sweet fragrance of osmanthus and the unique scent that belonged only to each other.

But soon, this gentle probing turned into a wildfire, transforming into deeper demands and entanglements.

Xiao Che's hand, through the soft inner garment, rested on Lin Yan's back, carrying a scorching heat, moving slowly and firmly, igniting clusters of subtle shivers wherever it touched.

Lin Yan couldn't help but let out a soft moan, wrapping her arms around Xiao Che's neck, awkwardly yet proactively responding to the deepening kiss, as if she wanted to completely merge herself into the other's bones and blood.

My clothes had loosened considerably in the darkness of night, and the cool air seeped in quietly, yet was gently kept at bay by the warmth of the temperature.

The two seemed to pause for a moment, then silently moved closer together.

Lin Yan could feel Xiao Che's breath so close to his neck, warm and gentle. Xiao Che's arm wrapped around him, and through the thin fabric, he felt a steady and firm strength.

The dim light from outside the window outlined the contours of the other person's shoulders and back before disappearing into the darkness.

All the other senses became exceptionally clear.

Lin Yan caught a whiff of the familiar scent of agarwood from Xiao Che's collar, which mingled subtly with the faint fragrance of osmanthus from her own hair, lingering around her nose and refusing to dissipate.

As night deepened, all the unspoken words and the tension of the day slowly settled down in this tranquil and warm place.

Xiao Che's movements were slow to the point of torture. He paid close attention to Lin Yan's reaction, soothing his momentary tension with delicate kisses and low murmurs.

"Hanzhang...look at me." Xiao Che's voice was hoarse and sweat dripped from his forehead onto Lin Yan's neck, carrying a burning heat.

Lin Yan opened her hazy eyes as instructed, meeting those eyes burning with intense emotions yet struggling to maintain the last shred of clarity in the dim light.

It contains my own reflection, an undisguised longing, and an unfathomable depth of cherishing and affection.

It was as if a crack had been gently pried open in my soul, allowing another soul to cautiously inhabit it.

...

The red candle had burned out sometime earlier, its last flickering light disappearing into the darkness, leaving only the cool moonlight streaming in from the window, faintly outlining the silhouettes of the figures embracing on the bed.

Their rapid breathing gradually subsided, and sweat soaked their hair, sticky yet unwilling to separate.

Lin Yan collapsed weakly in Xiao Che's arms, her fingertips too lazy to move. She felt as if she had been completely dismantled and then gently reassembled. Every bone in her body felt languid and sore, but her soul felt so light that it seemed to float away.

Xiao Che's arms were still tightly wrapped around him, gently stroking his sweaty back as if soothing a satisfied cat.

He placed a gentle kiss on Lin Yan's head, carrying with him the tenderness and satisfaction of the aftermath.

In the darkness, no one could see anyone else's expression, but the sound of their heartbeats could be clearly heard, gradually merging into the same frequency.

Lin Yan buried her burning cheeks in Xiao Che's neck, inhaling the familiar, cool fragrance mixed with the scent of passion. After a long while, she mumbled something in a hoarse, soft voice with a heavy nasal tone:

"Xiao Zhaolin".

"Hmm?" Xiao Che responded, his voice equally low and hoarse.

"Next time, be gentle."

His response was a deep vibration from his chest, followed by a light kiss on his hair, filled with endless tenderness and a smile.

The moonlight, silent and gentle, seeped through the window lattice, softly enveloping the space, mingling with the breaths that had returned to tranquility within the tent, yet were now different.

The long night is not over, and the deep affection will not end.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Remember to check out the bonus chapters! [heart emoji]