Shen Zhiyi's face suddenly flushed red.

"I...I don't know...it was my second aunt who dressed me..." She turned her head and stared down at the mandarin duck pattern on the quilt.

This dress is elaborate.

At that time, she felt like a lump of dough, being turned and shaped by her stepmother into the shape of a bride.

"Then I don't understand." Duan Xingzhi leaned down, his deep breath enveloping her.

He kissed her lips gently and patiently.

But his large hand unleashed internal force.

With a "whoosh" sound.

All obstacles were reduced to fragments and swept away by him.

Shen Zhiyi let out a cry, almost fainting from embarrassment.

His kiss, filled with endless tenderness and exploration, lingered heavily on her lips and teeth.

Shen Zhiyi's originally tense body gradually softened under his gentle advances.

She instinctively climbed onto his neck and began to respond to him.

...

The flickering candlelight weaves a beautiful dream.

Duan Xingzhi recalled the days when he first came to Yun Shen Village.

Back then, he often went with Shen Zhiyi to collect herbs in Fuling Valley. The mountain path was winding and full of scenery he had never visited before, so he often got lost.

Over time, he learned to:

If you see the same tree twice in a forest, it means you are lost.

Now, he wanders back and forth through completely unfamiliar landscapes.

I've seen the same tree countless times.

He knew he was lost.

Yet, a strange feeling still lingered in my heart.

Even though it was his first time arriving, and the sounds he heard were murmurs he had never heard before, for some reason, he had the illusion that he had finally returned home.

Could it be...?

Is home wherever she is?

If that's the case, Duan Xingzhi thought—

He's willing to get lost.

"Ayi, my wife." He called out to her passionately in the darkness, sweating profusely.

Shen Zhiyi groaned softly in her drowsy state, which could be considered a response.

Duan Xingzhi then affectionately touched her nose, brushed aside her sweaty bangs, and planted countless tender kisses on her cheeks.

He felt her joy, and he also felt her trembling.

The connection of empathy, like an inseparable bond, tightly binds them together, laying bare all their reactions to each other.

Several times.

...

The wedding candles burned all night.

The sunlight took over the candlelight, illuminating the two people embracing each other in their deep sleep.

Duan Xingzhi was the first to open his eyes.

Looking at Shen Zhiyi, who was still unconscious in his arms, he smiled slightly.

He lowered his head and planted a kiss on her hair.

I called her name softly in my heart again and again, afraid of waking her.

My wife.

My wife.

My wife.

Her thin lips curved slightly upward, the curve growing wider and wider.

Shen Zhiyi mumbled something and opened her misty eyes.

"Hmm... Duan Xingzhi..."

"What did you call me?" He extended his index finger and pressed it against her lips.

Shen Zhiyi blinked blankly, then came to her senses. She felt the force binding her waist gradually increase, and blushed as she gently pushed against his chest.

"My husband."

She feared that if she didn't respond to him again, he would do many outrageous things.

"Good girl." Duan Xingzhi gently stroked her lips, his eyes darkening unconsciously. "Ayi, I feel like my heart is beating a little fast."

"Are you nervous?" He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers.

The possessiveness in his eyes was almost overflowing.

Shen Zhiyi couldn't help but think of last night.

He was so gentle at first...

As it progressed, it became more and more like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

They're nothing but wild beasts...

No, that's not right!

Shen Zhiyi suddenly woke up with a start, clutching her chest.

Why does she feel...somewhat excited?

She looked up in disbelief at Duan Xingzhi, and sure enough, she met his wolfish gaze.

She quickly reached out and pinched his forearm.

A distinct pain came from the same spot on my arm.

"What's going on?" she asked incredulously. "The empathy hasn't been resolved; in fact, it's getting stronger!"

She seems to be able to feel more than just his pain now.

It can even sense your mood!

She was shocked and raised her hand again, wanting to pinch him again. As soon as she twisted, a soft gasp escaped her lips.

"Don't try it." Duan Xingzhi grasped her wrist, stopping her from indirectly harming herself. His brows furrowed as he said with a mix of heartache and helplessness, "The empathy issue remains unresolved."

"It has indeed been strengthened."

A brief silence fell between the two.

“How could this be…” Shen Zhiyi lifted the blanket and saw the bloodstains on the silk handkerchief. Her watery eyes became even more confused, and she murmured to herself in a daze, “How could even this blood not be… Could the ancient records be wrong?”

"No...that's a unique copy left by my master, there's no way it could be wrong."

"Could it be that there is some mystery we haven't figured out yet?"

She frowned in thought.

I mentally rehearsed the possibilities over and over again.

Looking at her serious and focused expression, Duan Xingzhi felt a complex emotion that was hard to describe.

He was worried about her.

He worried that she would still be bound by this empathy and would still be implicated by him when danger came.

He also felt disappointed for her.

Disappointed that after so much research, she not only failed to break free from this bondage, but also became even more deeply entangled with him. She suffered both a setback in her medical skills and a loss of freedom.

But... besides that, he also felt a secret sense of relief.

A sense of relief that cannot be shown to others.

I'm grateful that I still have such a deep connection with her, one that cannot be severed and is so direct.

This means that he will always be a special person to her.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!