Chapter 104

The next day, they went home together.

As the car drove into the familiar courtyard of the mansion, Shi Mingyue got out first, but instead of rushing to take Yun Zhan's hand as usual, she paused by the car door.

They entered the bedroom, and Yun Zhan obediently bound himself with chains.

The afternoon sun fell on the thin chain on Yun Zhan's ankle, the metal reflecting light and shimmering, which stirred a strange bitterness in Shi Mingyue's heart.

The two sat side by side on a bench. The butler had already prepared tea, but he tactfully withdrew, leaving only silence.

Shi Mingyue's gaze unconsciously fell on Yun Zhan's ankle. The chain had been with Yun Zhan for some time. It was originally a shackle she used to "feel at ease," but now, seeing it, it seemed to be reminding her of her past obsessions.

She got up and went back to her room. When she came out again, she had a small silver key in her hand.

She knelt down in front of Yun Zhan, and just as her fingertips touched the chains, she heard Yun Zhan's soft voice: "Actually, it can be locked forever if you're not comfortable with that."

Shi Mingyue abruptly stopped and looked up at Yun Zhan.

The other person was looking down at her, with no complaint in their eyes, only gentle indulgence, as if they were talking about a trivial matter.

But it was this indulgence that made Shi Mingyue's heart clench slightly.

She suddenly remembered the image of Yun Zhan, dressed in a formal suit, looking calm and confident in the mirror of the Yuncheng Hotel.

Then she recalled that at the banquet, the wife of her business partner smiled and said to her, "Your wife is very outstanding; her speech and demeanor are rare."

In everyone's eyes, Yun Zhan was her official wife.

Only Shi Mingyue herself felt that it wasn't true.

Because she was afraid.

She feared that it was all an illusion.

She feared that Yun Zhan was like a limited-edition item in a game, who would leave her when his time was up.

He gripped the key with his fingertips, his grip tightening slightly.

Shi Mingyue looked down at the chain, her mind a jumble of thoughts. She remembered the panic she felt when she installed the surveillance cameras, the breakdown she experienced when she discovered Yun Zhan was missing, and the unease she felt wrapped in control.

What she was always afraid of was not that someone would take Yun Zhan away, but that she would not be able to keep this love. That's why she used chains and surveillance to keep him firmly by her side.

But what she did was wrong...

"No."

Shi Mingyue took a deep breath and finally inserted the key into the lock. With a gentle turn, the chain loosened and fell onto the carpet with a soft rustling sound.

She raised her hand and rubbed Yun Zhan's ankle. There was a shallow mark there from wearing chains for a long time, and it felt a little rough to the touch.

"Yun Zhan...you look very handsome when you smile."

Shi Mingyue's voice was soft, but unusually serious: "So I want you to have a more relaxed life; this is too restrictive for you."

After she finished speaking, she slowly sat down on the carpet and looked up at the ceiling.

The chandelier on the ceiling made her vision a little blurry, and the words "Your wife is very outstanding" from the banquet echoed in her ears again, gradually overlapping with Shi Ke's words.

Shi Mingyue suddenly understood—Yun Zhan was her wife, a fact that was established both legally and in her heart.

The fear of loss is nothing more than a self-imposed shackle.

Yun Zhan loves her and is willing to stay by her side. This feeling cannot be locked by chains, nor can it be taken away by anyone else.

As if the pent-up frustration in her heart had been blown away by the wind, Shi Mingyue suddenly felt completely relaxed.

She turned her head to look at Yun Zhan sitting on the sofa, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved into a smile.

True peace of mind is not about having someone by your side, but about knowing that she is there, staying because of love, without needing to be on guard or control.

Yun Zhan reached out and took Shi Mingyue's hand, gently tugging at it: "What are you thinking about, so lost in thought?"

"Thinking..."

Shi Mingyue held her hand, gently stroking it with his fingertips: "I'll take you out more often in the future, so that everyone knows how wonderful my wife is."

Upon hearing Shi Mingyue's words, Yun Zhan's eyes suddenly lit up slightly, as if tiny starlight had fallen into them.

The light wasn't because the chains on her ankles had been removed, nor because she had finally broken free of her restraints, but because she clearly saw that the obsession and unease in Shi Mingyue's eyes had completely dissipated, and her whole being had become clear and transparent.

This realization brought her more joy than any freedom.

She tightened her grip on Shi Mingyue's hand, her fingertips gently brushing against his fingertips, and spoke first, her voice carrying a hint of solemnity.

"Mingyue, I want to explain what happened before, the one where I left you."

Shi Mingyue paused slightly, looked up at Yun Zhan, her eyes no longer wary, but filled with attentive listening.

Do you remember that book?

Yun Zhan softened his tone, as if he were carefully touching past scars.

"That book is actually a key; opening it will allow me to leave this place. But the book records many bad things that happened at school, those dark things that hurt others, and I..."

She paused, a tremor flashing in her eyes: "As a person with a conscience, I simply cannot turn a blind eye to those contents, nor can I deceive myself into thinking that Pei Yanxi can definitely handle it well."

"So, you don't trust Pei Yanxi?"

Shi Mingyue asked softly, her tone devoid of accusation, only pure doubt.

Yun Zhan gently shook his head, then quickly nodded, his eyes filled with a complex honesty: "Yes, and no. I trust her, I trust her methods, I trust her courage, and I know she has the ability to resolve those matters. But I can't get over that hurdle in my own heart. I want to see for myself, I want to know for sure. If she really can't handle it right away, I think I can help in some way, so I impulsively opened that book."

After she finished speaking, she lowered her eyes slightly, her fingertips unconsciously tightening their grip on Shi Mingyue's hand. Her voice held a hint of guilt: "After I really left you, I regretted it every day. When I couldn't sleep at night, I always wondered if we could still be like before, even if we had occasional arguments, still happily together? Going to school together, traveling together, doing all the little things we wanted to do together..."

At this point, Yun Zhan looked up at Shi Mingyue: "It was at that time that I truly understood your importance. Shi Mingyue, you are not someone who is dispensable in my life, you are an indispensable part of my life. Without you, there is no such thing as 'happiness'."

Looking into Yun Zhan's sincere eyes and at the corners of his eyes that were slightly red with guilt, she suddenly reached out and hugged Yun Zhan's waist, pressed her face against her shoulder, and said in a voice as soft as a sigh, "I know... I don't blame you anymore."

"Yun Zhan... I told you, I don't blame you."

All the grievances, panic, and anxiety of the past have turned into heartache at this moment.

Yun Zhan's departure was not due to a lack of love, but rather because it concealed a kindness and concern that she was unaware of.

Now, they are all by each other's side, and the regrets of the past can be gradually made up for.

As night deepened, the hustle and bustle in the courtyard had long since faded away, leaving only the soft rustling of the leaves in the evening breeze.

Suddenly, Yun Zhan glanced out the window and his gaze was instantly drawn to the view.

In the sky above the backyard, a particularly round moon hung, its silvery light pouring down, making the grass, trees, and stone paths in the courtyard glow, and even the air was enveloped in a gentle moonlight.

“Look.”

Yun Zhan gently tugged at Shi Mingyue's sleeve, his tone filled with surprise.

Shi Mingyue followed her gaze and couldn't help but hold her breath. The moon was unbelievably bright, like a piece of finely polished white jade, hanging in the dark blue night sky, making even the surrounding stars appear somewhat dim.

The two exchanged a knowing smile, stood up without saying a word, and walked side by side toward the lake in the backyard.

The lake water shimmered under the moonlight, and a gentle breeze rippled across the surface, turning the moonlight into a shimmering silver glow.

Just then, Shi Mingyue suddenly stopped and took Yun Zhan's hand in hers.

Her fingertips were slightly cool, yet she clenched her fists tightly. She then slowly turned around, glancing back with a smile...

The moonlight fell on Shi Mingyue's face, softening her features, and even her eyes were filled with shimmering moonlight, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

Do you remember the first time we met? The moon was just as beautiful then too.

Shi Mingyue's voice was very soft, mixed with the sound of the wind by the lake.

"The moment I saw you, I was captivated. Your figure was beautiful, and the wind blowing across the bridge lifted the hem of your clothes. I couldn't help but keep looking at you, and I even held my breath."

She clenched her fists, feeling the warmth of Yun Zhan's palms with her fingertips, and a sudden warmth welled up in her heart.

Perhaps the moment she couldn't help but stare at the figure on the bridge, her fate with Yun Zhan was already sealed.

Looking into the tenderness in her eyes, Yun Zhan's heart trembled slightly, and he reached out to hold her hand tightly.

She leaned down slightly and placed a gentle kiss on Shi Mingyue's forehead: "I thought you were so beautiful back then, standing in the moonlight, as aloof and noble as the moon itself, like unattainable moonlight."

"Fool, now the moon is yours too."

Shi Mingyue leaned against her chest, unable to resist covering her lips and laughing. Her voice was mischievous yet sweet, like a piece of candy wrapped in moonlight, so sweet it softened one's heart.

Yun Zhan looked down at the smile in the eyes of the person in his arms, at those eyes filled with moonlight, and suddenly felt that the whole world had quieted down, leaving only their breaths and heartbeats, and the sound of the lake gently swaying, intertwining into a tender song.

She gently cupped Shi Mingyue's face in her hands, her fingertips caressing her cheeks. The skin she touched was cool with the moonlight. Their eyes met in the moonlight, and there were no extra words, only overflowing love that washed over their hearts like a lake.

Yun Zhan slowly leaned down and kissed Shi Mingyue's lips.

The moonlight gently enveloped them, like a transparent veil, covering their figures.

The lake water rippled gently, scattering fragments of moonlight across it like scattered diamonds.

The evening breeze, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees, brushed against my hair, quietly hiding the sweetness and certainty of this kiss into the perfect night.

Shi Mingyue closed her eyes, reached out and wrapped her arms around Yun Zhan's neck, feeling the warmth between his lips and teeth, and the weight of the moonlight falling on her body.

All the anxieties, misunderstandings, and regrets of the past vanished in this moment, leaving only the person before me and the eternal moonlight, forming the most perfect ending in my life.

The cicadas' chirping in the distance gradually faded, and only the moonlight continued to flow quietly, as if to freeze this tenderness forever in the moonlight and lake scenery of this night.

Author's Note:

The main storyline of the timeline has ended. After finishing the Wen and Pei storylines, there will be some short side stories about the three of them.

The next chapter will be about the warm side, which is quite intense... the shameless daily life of Xiao Wen and Xiao Yun.

The two will move in together soon, and something will probably happen anywhere in the house... cough cough.