"Therefore, I want to work with you to make it the way we both like."
Xiao Che's voice rang out in the cool night wind, deep and solemn, like a most sincere invitation.
This is no longer a simple inquiry, but an invitation from a king to his only and most important partner to build a future together.
Lin Wanwan's heart was instantly enveloped by a huge warm current.
She looked at the man before her, at the astonishing light in his eyes, a light devoid of the scheming and aloofness of an emperor, only a pure expectation and enthusiasm for finding a kindred spirit.
She knew he wasn't just inviting her to help transform the capital. He was inviting her to jointly envision the future of this new empire.
Lin Wanwan felt a warmth in her heart, and a smile brighter than the starry sky bloomed on her lips. She nodded emphatically, her eyes also sparkling with excitement and anticipation: "Okay."
A single "yes" was her most resolute answer.
Having received her response, Xiao Che's tense shoulders seemed to finally relax completely. He smiled with relief, a smile that carried a childlike satisfaction and joy.
He slowly walked forward and gently embraced her from behind.
His arms were wrapped around her waist, his chin resting habitually on her shoulder, encircling her petite body in his embrace. The two stood together by the railing, gazing once more at the vast sea of lights below.
A night breeze swept by, ruffling Lin Wanwan's hair and gently brushing against Xiao Che's cheek, bringing a slight tickle and her unique fragrance.
On the observatory, all was quiet. Neither of them spoke, they simply embraced, feeling each other's heartbeats and this rare moment of peace.
After a long while, Xiao Che finally spoke.
His voice was soft, carrying an infinite sense of emotion that seemed to come from the depths of a distant time and space, whispering in her ear.
“Wanwan,” he paused, as if organizing his thoughts, “before, when I stood here, I looked upon this entire empire.”
Lin Wanwan could feel that when he said those words, the arm around her tightened slightly.
She listened quietly without interrupting him.
“Back then,” his voice carried a hint of desolation, “this land was a responsibility, a shackle for me. It was beautiful, magnificent, but also cold. I had to protect it, to devote myself to it, to shed blood and sacrifice for it. It was the destiny I was born to bear, suffocating me.”
Lin Wanwan felt a slight pang in her heart. She could imagine the sickly young emperor, who had been feigning survival under the shadows, standing here alone, looking at this land that did not belong to him, and how lonely and heavy his heart must have felt.
"But now..."
Xiao Che's voice suddenly became incredibly gentle, the desolation vanished, replaced by an unprecedented, almost overflowing sense of satisfaction and tenderness.
He gently pressed his cheek against her temple and, in an almost sighing tone, uttered those words of love that made Lin Wanwan's entire heart tremble.
"Now, what I desire is the empire that belongs to you."
boom!
Lin Wanwan's mind went completely blank for a moment.
These words, like the warmest lightning bolt, carrying billions of volts of love, struck the deepest part of her soul with perfect precision.
It is more powerful, more affectionate, and more moving than any other "I love you".
The term "empire," a cold symbol filled with power and political implications, is instantly imbued with the most fervent and personal emotional warmth by being prefixed with "yours."
It is no longer a responsibility, no longer a shackle.
It is home, a place of belonging, and the place where the heart longs for.
“Before you came into my life,” Xiao Che seemed to be pouring out all his emotions. His voice was deep and magnetic, with a deadly allure, “I guard this empire as if I were guarding a magnificent prison. I am the emperor, but also the loneliest prisoner in this cage.”
“But after I had you,” he held her even tighter, as if trying to meld her into his very bones, “everything was different.”
"Only then did the land become our home."
"Only with these myriad lights can there be warmth."
"It is this responsibility that transforms into a future worth fighting for."
He spoke each word carefully, each one a profound confession of his innermost feelings. He placed her on a position equal to, or even higher than, the entire empire. He wasn't speaking sweet nothings; he was simply stating a fact—it was her presence that gave meaning to everything he possessed.
Lin Wanwan could no longer suppress the excitement in her heart. She slowly turned around, looked up at Xiao Che in his arms.
Under the moonlight, his phoenix eyes were as deep as the sea, devoid of their usual sharpness and calculation, filled only with undisguised affection and longing, as if they could suck one's soul into them.
This profound and emotionally resonant love quote brought tears to Lin Wanwan's eyes instantly.
She knew that this man had given her everything—his empire, his future, and the heart of an emperor that had been lonely for more than twenty years—without reservation.
What else could she possibly say in response?
At this moment, any words seem pale and powerless.
So, Lin Wanwan tiptoed and took the initiative to kiss his lips.
This kiss lacked the usual tentativeness and awkwardness, and it also lacked the passion and lingering tenderness of previous kisses. It carried an unprecedented solemnity and devotion; it was her response to all her deep affection for him, and a promise to him of all her sacrifices.
Xiao Che's body trembled slightly, then he took the initiative and deepened the kiss.
Under a sky full of stars, witnessed by the entire capital, the Emperor and Empress, at the highest point of the palace, shared a kiss, making an eternal vow for their shared empire.
After the kiss ended, Lin Wanwan's cheeks were already flushed. She leaned against his chest, breathing slightly heavily, and habitually looked up to see the emoji above his head.
However, she was slightly taken aback when she saw the area on the top of his head.
There were no longer any funny or scheming patterns, nor any sarcastic or arrogant words.
Instead, there was a huge, warm word that radiated a soft glow—
【Home】.
This character, as if written with the warmest light, floats there quietly, dispelling all darkness and loneliness, and exuding a comforting, home-like aura.
It's not a dynamic GIF; it just sits there quietly, yet it seems to possess an eternal vitality.
Lin Wanwan looked at the word, then at the man holding her tightly in his arms, and smiled.
But tears of happiness welled up in her eyes and silently streamed down her face.
She knew that from this moment on, they finally had a real home together.
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