Chapter 396 The word "love" is full of twists and turns, yet it never gives up.
The entire world seemed to freeze at that moment.
Shang Ruyi felt her blood surging through her body, as if a giant wave was crashing against her already stagnant heart.
Then, she listened to her own heartbeat, one beat after another.
It looked as if it was about to burst out of his chest.
She felt a slight pain and was somewhat at a loss. Instinctively, she reached out to press her hand against her chest, but Yuwen Ye firmly held her wrist, preventing her from moving. Her heart pounded wildly again. She wanted to look up at him, but when she met his deep, affectionate eyes, her thoughts became even more chaotic.
She quickly lowered her head.
Seeing her flustered state, Yuwen Ye's previously gritted teeth and even ferocious expression gradually softened, and a soft, almost smiling look appeared in his eyes. He lowered his head, stared at the completely red earlobes of the young woman in his arms, leaned closer, and whispered, "Speak."
"..."
"I need you to speak!"
As he spoke, he pressed his body tightly against hers, causing the door behind her to slam shut with a loud bang.
The sound startled Shang Ruyi so much that she trembled and wished she could shrink into a ball, but Yuwen Ye held her tightly with both hands, not giving her any chance to back down or retreat.
Shang Ruyi could only lower her head and whisper, "What did you say?"
"..."
Yuwen Ye gritted his teeth again.
He leaned in, took her earlobe in his mouth, and gently bit it with the sharpest part of his teeth. Shang Ruyi cried out in pain, like a cat whose ear had been pulled. She couldn't help but glare at him with red eyes.
That one glance was filled with coquettishness, resentment, and even unspeakable grievances from the past few days.
Yuwen Ye felt a tingling sensation in his heart.
His breathing became heavier, but Shang Ruyi lowered her head again, avoiding his gaze. He suddenly felt a sense of crisis, as if he couldn't reach out and grasp this small woman, even though she was clearly in his arms, and if he wanted, he could—
Thinking of this, a fire inexplicably ignited in his heart, but the last bit of reason left in his mind told him that this was absolutely not allowed!
So he let out a heavy sigh.
The scalding breath brushed against Shang Ruyi's already burning red ears, sending a wave of helpless shivers down her spine.
Seeing her like this, Yuwen Ye gritted his teeth, suppressing the heat in his heart, and said in a deep voice, "Aren't you supposed to be so open-minded and magnanimous? Why are you like this now?"
"..."
"Or is it that you just want to be a magnanimous and generous daughter-in-law of the Duke's mansion, and don't really want my feelings?"
At this point, Yuwen Ye's eyes turned cold.
He deliberately released the woman in his arms slowly, glanced down at her again, let out a deep breath, and was almost about to turn and leave.
But just as he was about to turn around, he felt a heaviness in his chest.
When he looked down again, he realized that although Shang Ruyi was still looking down and dared not look at him, she reached out and grabbed his collar, keeping him there.
A glint flashed in Yuwen Ye's eyes.
He leaned close to her ear again, and this time, he could see that not only was her earlobe red and her cheeks flushed, but even from a distance, he could feel the burning heat emanating from her seemingly snow-white skin. It was as if, if she spoke again and met his feelings again, she would burst into flames.
Yuwen Ye chuckled to himself.
He stopped speaking and just stood there quietly, looking down at her with intense gaze, his eyes sweeping over every inch of her skin, like an emperor surveying his territory.
Touched by his gaze, Shang Ruyi trembled slightly, but she still managed to lift her eyes amidst her almost broken trembling, looking at Yuwen Ye again, her eyes flickering as she said, "Feng Chen..."
"...!"
Upon hearing this title, Yuwen Ye's heart skipped a beat.
Because of their relationship from the very beginning, the way she addressed him was very awkward. She used to call him "Second Brother" like Princess Xinyue did. When they shared a room at Banyan Temple, he allowed her to call him "Fengchen," and she had called him that sweetly and tenderly. However, after learning about his feelings for Empress Jiang, she never called him that again.
Now, she calls him Feng Chen.
Almost instinctively, the two recalled the tender moments of that night. Even the sandalwood scent in the air and the burning heat of each other's bodies when their skin touched were the same.
The tenderness in Yuwen Ye's eyes deepened, almost melting into spring water at this moment.
He lowered his head and softly replied, "Mmm."
At this moment, Shang Ruyi's other hand also reached out and grabbed his collar. Not only did he hold her in his arms, but she also seemed to want to keep him by her side. Her slender fingers turned white and trembled slightly.
No one knows how brave a person is to give their heart away again after being hurt several times.
But she was still willing to try again.
She looked into Yuwen Ye's eyes and asked softly, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"..."
Yuwen Ye's breath hitched slightly.
After a long silence, he said in a hoarse voice, "I'm familiar with my feelings for her, but not yet with my feelings for you."
"..."
"You came too fast, everything came too fast."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi couldn't help but purse her lips, but a hint of a smile clearly appeared in her eyes.
She understood that sometimes, the most unreasonable and unrestrained by social norms are the true emotions.
Similarly, emotions are something that cannot be controlled by anyone and are impossible to guard against.
Even someone as shrewd as him can make a mistake, and someone as self-protective as her is unafraid of getting hurt—the word "love" may have many twists and turns, but it never gives up.
Thinking of this, she let down her last bit of defense and looked up at Yuwen Ye again. Her clear and bright eyes held only pure emotions, without a single flaw from the moment she gave them to him.
She said earnestly, "Feng Chen, I still like you."
Yuwen Ye's breathing and heartbeat both slowed down at that moment, but he didn't say anything. He just reached out and hugged the soft, fragrant body in his arms tightly, almost as if he wanted to pull it into his own body.
Shang Ruyi, despite being embraced so tightly that it was almost suffocating, did not struggle.
She only told him, "Don't lie to me, don't hide things from me, and most importantly, don't hurt me."
Yuwen Ye looked solemnly into her eyes.
"good!"
At that moment, as if a lifelong promise had been fulfilled, Shang Ruyi felt as if the huge stone that had been weighing on her heart for so long had vanished into sand. Her soul seemed to have never felt so light. Her hands, which were already gripping Yuwen Ye's clothes, pressed even more urgently against his chest, as if she wished she could press him and herself even closer together.
Yuwen Ye was even more anxious than her.
Just as Shang Ruyi completely surrendered herself to his embrace, he could no longer suppress the surging emotions in his chest. He hugged her tightly, lowered his head, and kissed her lips.
This time, there was no anger or frustration from his previous desires, nor did he vent his emotions on her. Instead, he gently, tenderly, and lingeringly caressed her petal-like lips, as if he wanted to pour all his feelings into this kiss.
Let her know how much he loves her.
How much he wanted her.
However, just as he deepened his kiss, almost making Shang Ruyi weak all over, unable to breathe, and without the strength to respond, she still managed to regain her last bit of rationality and gently pushed him away.
"don't want……"
This is, after all, a sacred Buddhist site.
Looking up again, Shang Ruyi saw the Bodhisattva behind Yuwen Ye, whose eyes were still lowered, as if she had been quietly observing their entanglement. She felt even more embarrassed.
Feeling her suddenly bury her face in his chest, Yuwen Ye reached out and hugged her, whispering, "What's wrong now?"
Shang Ruyi's face was practically burning with anger.
She said softly, "The Bodhisattva is watching."
Yuwen Ye glanced back, but smiled nonchalantly, "Just now, didn't that old monk say that the Bodhisattva grants two requests?"
Shang Ruyi glared at him and said, "I will make two requests: one for a son and one for a daughter."
Yuwen Ye raised an eyebrow and said, "Since you even control having children, how can you not approve of lovers?"
"..."
"If a man and a woman are not in love, how can they ask for children?"
"...!"
Shang Ruyi was speechless for a moment by his "fallacy". She could only glare at him again before saying softly, "It's fine if you don't believe in the Bodhisattva, but you can't be disrespectful to the Bodhisattva. I, I still believe."
"oh……"
Yuwen Ye raised an eyebrow slightly, glanced back at the Bodhisattva, then looked down at Shang Ruyi, whose face was flushed, and said with a half-smile, "Since that's the case, why don't you ask him for help here again?"
"What?"
"Please make a second request."
"..."
"I'll have both children."
"...!"
Upon hearing his words, Shang Ruyi suddenly came to her senses and shrank back in embarrassment, wishing she could disappear into the ground. But Yuwen Ye only smiled and hugged her even tighter.
Just then, they heard a loud "clang" in their ears!
The sound startled both of them, who had been focused on each other. It sounded like the door had slammed against the wall again, but Yuwen Ye had clearly pulled Shang Ruyi into his arms, and her back hadn't touched the door behind her. So how could it make such a sound?
Has someone arrived?!
The thought that this was a sacred Buddhist site, and that the bell had just been rung from the lecture hall signaling the end of the inner altar ceremony, and that Shang Ruyi herself had even heard someone walking this way, even though the footsteps hadn't actually gotten close, made her panic at the thought of being seen or even heard by someone.
Just then, Yuwen Ye raised his head and looked out over her head.
But suddenly, they froze.
Feeling his arms tighten around her, Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat. She turned her head and followed his gaze.
A slender, beautiful figure walked to the entrance of the Buddhist hall and stared at them blankly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com