In the room, only a dim light was on, casting a hazy glow under the moonlight.
Xie Qichen held her in his arms, sitting face-to-face on the soft sheets.
Tan Mo was flushed, her heart pounding like a drum, locked tightly in his embrace. Yet he deliberately slowed down, his lips hovering dangerously close to hers—brushing lightly against them without actually kissing. Instead, he teased her with a question, his voice maddeningly soft.
“Someone just said they didn’t miss me?”
Her face flushed instantly, a mix of embarrassment and irritation. “Xie Qichen, you’re being too much…”
He chuckled lowly. “How am I being too much?”
She pouted. “You… you know I didn’t mean it…”
His smile deepened. “So, do you miss me or not?”
Tan Mo’s mind was already in a haze from his teasing. She clung to his shoulders, leaning into him and making a soft, kitten-like sound. “I do. I really, really do…”
Xie Qichen had been teasing her, but hearing her finally surrender so willingly made him lose control. He gripped the back of her head and kissed her deeply once more.
Tan Mo had never been in a real relationship before. The only two times she’d ever kissed were with Xie Qichen. She responded awkwardly, completely led by him, instinctively following his rhythm. The sweet and cool scent of him wrapped around her like vines, setting her heart ablaze inch by inch.
Between kisses and pauses, Tan Mo could almost hear her own heartbeat. She slowly opened her eyes and saw him staring at her intensely, his gaze never wavering.
She was completely captivated by the love in his eyes. She whispered softly:
“Xie Qichen…”
“Mm.”
She met his gaze, her eyes shining. Unable to help herself, she confessed:
“I really like you.”
Hearing her sincere declaration, Xie Qichen’s eyes darkened. Then, he suddenly shifted his body to the side and rolled over.
Tan Mo felt as though she had fallen into a cloud, only to be met with another wave of kisses.
After an unknown amount of time, his warm, broad hand touched her, so hot that she paused in surprise, her face heating up again. “Xie Qichen, your hands are so hot…”
He looked down at her seriously. “I went to see a traditional Chinese doctor the other day. He said I have excessive internal heat.”
His sudden seriousness startled Tan Mo. She thought he had really gone to see a doctor, even believing he was sick. “Excessive internal heat? Is it serious? Do you need to take herbal medicine?”
He stared at her intently. “Do you think herbal medicine can cure this kind of fire?”
Tan Mo froze for a few seconds before suddenly realizing what he meant. Her entire face turned red.
This guy was teasing her again!
Xie Qichen’s Adam’s apple rolled. His voice was hoarse as he whispered in her ear. “Whoever started the fire has to take responsibility.”
His meaning was clear. Tan Mo could feel his suppressed, intense presence. Her lashes fluttered, and she felt herself spinning.
As if wanting to make her even more flustered, he asked in a deliberately serious tone. “When does Mo Mo plan to help me put it out?”
She hadn’t expected to hear such words from a man who usually appeared so reserved and dignified. Her face turned as red as if it had been dyed crimson. She bit her lip and softly scolded him. “Xie Qichen, you’re such a pervert. I actually used to think…”
“Think what?”
“I thought… I thought you were a gentleman.”
Xie Qichen chuckled softly and kissed her earlobe. “When have I ever looked like a gentleman?”
“…”
His breath tickled her ear. “It’s hard to be a gentleman when you’re in front of the person you like.”
He added, “Besides, someone once made me a pigeon soup and questioned my ability. Now you can personally evaluate it after experiencing it.”
Tan Mo suddenly remembered the time they reunited when she had mocked him. She realized now that some things were like fate—what goes around comes around, just a matter of time.
Waaah… back then she said Xie Qichen was emotionally reserved. Who could have predicted that she would now become the one to test it firsthand…
In the end, the man kissed her earlobe again, calming himself slightly before speaking. “There’s nothing in this guesthouse. Let’s wait a few more days.”
Tan Mo was slightly startled, a strange feeling stirring in her heart. “You didn’t prepare anything…”
“Do you think it was reasonable for me to buy something last night when I heard you were in trouble, then rush over?”
“…”
That’s true…
Xie Qichen looked down at her. “Mainly because I considered how tired you’ve been these days. I didn’t want to exhaust you.”
It wasn’t impossible to buy something in the mountains, but he knew she had been working hard during the day filming. She was already exhausted. If he had gone through with it, she probably wouldn’t have slept well tonight, and would have no energy tomorrow. He wanted to hold back a little longer, wait until after the filming was done, and then finally have her. He wasn’t worried about not having time.
Hearing his words, Tan Mo blushed deeply. Feeling the obvious reaction from him, she blinked her watery eyes and looked at him shyly.
“Then… are you okay now…”
He leaned down, nibbling on her lips gently but intensely. “Do you think I would be okay?”
“Do you know how hard I was already that night when you got drunk?”
Tan Mo suddenly recalled something and softly murmured, her face turning red. Xie Qichen didn’t catch what she said.
“What?”
He leaned closer to her lips. A few seconds later, she softly spoke. “That morning… I saw it in the bathroom.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen stood up, pulling her into his arms and lifting her up.
“You saw it?”
That night, the little girl had been moving around in his arms while sleeping, and he couldn’t help but press her against him for a little while, leaving him in a messy state. Later, he went to the bathroom and took a cold shower, twice, before he could finally fall asleep a little better.
He smirked, his voice hoarse. “I’ve been like this many times recently because of you.”
“Um…”
Her face was burning.
He carried her to close the curtains, then turned on the room lights a bit brighter. His breath was hot against her ear. “Next time, let’s go somewhere else—until I make you feel it all over, okay?”
Upon hearing this, Tan Mo’s mind went blank. She buried her face in his shoulder, completely flustered.
Why had this man’s words become so suggestive all of a sudden…
After a while, both of their emotions calmed down a bit. Xie Qichen gently ruffled her hair. “You’re very tired, right? Let’s take a shower first?”
Tan Mo nodded and got off him. “Where’s my luggage?”
“Over by the window. Go check.”
Tan Mo walked over and opened her suitcase. She found that all the important daily necessities had been brought over. She picked out some clean clothes and turned to look at him. “Do you want to go first?”
He leaned against the wall watching her. “How about we go together?”
“…”
“I’ll go first then…”
Tan Mo quickly rushed into the bathroom. Xie Qichen watched her fleeing figure and silently smiled.
Inside the bathroom, standing in front of the mirror, Tan Mo looked at her own reflection. She raised her hands to cup her flushed cheeks, taking small, shallow breaths.
Amidst her embarrassment, her heart was filled with sweetness.
Perhaps under normal circumstances, Tan Mo would feel the pace was too fast. But for some reason, she didn’t feel the slightest bit of resistance in giving herself completely to Xie Qichen and becoming more intimate with him. Especially since he was the man she had secretly loved for so many years.
Half an hour later, Tan Mo finished her shower.
She changed into her nightgown and walked out, seeing the man sitting on the sofa by the window working on his laptop. His long legs were casually stretched out in his dress pants, and his peach blossom eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses were focused and calm. It reminded her of the image of the boy who used to lazily play games on her couch back in the day.
Who would have thought that the serious and mature man before her had just moments ago been passionately kissing her and holding her in his arms.
Such a contrast was hard to handle.
Feeling a bit flustered, Tan Mo suppressed her thoughts and walked over. Xie Qichen heard her and lifted his gaze, his tone gentle. “Finished?”
“Mm, you can go shower now. Are you still working?”
“No, just checking some reports.”
Xie Qichen closed his laptop and stood up, pulling her in front of him. “Aren’t you cold? Go to bed first, don’t catch a chill.”
“Okay.”
Then Tan Mo got into bed, and Xie Qichen went to the bathroom. She started to handle her work.
Twenty minutes later, she received a message from her father:
[Jiaojiao, how has the filming of your show been these days? How is your marriage with Qichen going? If you really want to cancel the arranged marriage, your mom and I support you. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.]
Now, both Tan Mo’s parents fully supported her decision, not wanting her to be hurt anymore.
But Tan Mo hadn’t told them yet that she and Xie Qichen had reconciled. After hesitating a bit, she decided to wait until she returned and told them in person together with Xie Qichen.
The key point was, she wanted to see how flustered Tan Zhiwan would be.
After finishing her work, Tan Mo put down her phone, and just then the bathroom door opened.
Then she felt the room lights go off, leaving only a dim hallway light. A gust of cold air came in, and she turned her head to notice that the window was still half open. She immediately got up to close it, but just as she shut it, she felt someone wrap their arms around her from behind. A cold voice scolded her.
“You didn’t even wear your slippers.”
“I just ran over to close the window…”
Her body was turned around, and the next moment, Xie Qichen scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.
He lifted her into his arms, covered her with the blanket, and Tan Mo rested her head on his chest.
Her long hair was gently ruffled as Xie Qichen softly asked, “Are you sleepy?”
She shook her head.
He chuckled. “Probably because I’m lying next to you, so you’re not sleepy.”
Tan Mo blushed. “You came so suddenly. I was completely stunned this morning.”
“Mainly because I had to stay here for so long, how could I resist coming to see you?”
“Xie Qichen, did you come here last night after finding out about me and Yu Qiran?”
“Mm.”
She hurried to explain. “There’s nothing between me and Yu Qiran. I didn’t intentionally get close to him. You don’t believe what they’re saying, right?”
Xie Qichen paused for a moment, then smiled. “You thought I came because I suspected something between you two? How silly of you?”
He spoke gently. “I came because I was worried about you, afraid you’d be upset. But the matter is already resolved. No one will dare to spread rumors about you again.”
Tan Mo smiled. “Mm, as long as you’re here, I’m not scared anymore.”
Xie Qichen suddenly brought up a topic. “There’s something I haven’t asked you yet. If you’re really bothered by Song Ranxia’s presence, I’ll stop the collaboration between Aochuang and MQ Tech.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. I just don’t want you to be unhappy.”
Tan Mo was taken aback. “It’s okay, don’t let me affect your business decisions. I’m really not bothered anymore.”
Although she had felt jealous before, she knew that Xie Qichen’s decisions at work would never be influenced by personal feelings. Plus, he had already explained it to her that day. She wouldn’t dwell on it anymore.
This was about the future development of both companies, even affecting the livelihood of the employees underneath. How could such a simple personal emotion affect it? That would be very irrational.
When Tan Mo said she truly wouldn’t be unhappy, Xie Qichen agreed and told her that the negotiations for the collaboration would be handled by professionals, and he wouldn’t have much contact with Song Ranxia. “Mainly because I’m afraid a certain little vinegar jar might get jealous again.”
“Ugh, am I really that petty? Besides, didn’t you already explain everything to me that night? Besides, Ranxia doesn’t even like you, so there’s nothing…”
Before Tan Mo could finish her sentence, she suddenly realized what she had said and stopped abruptly.
Xie Qichen chuckled. “So that night, you weren’t completely drunk?”
“…”
Oops, she had let it slip…
Tan Mo’s face turned completely red. Xie Qichen’s amused voice reached her ears. “So what you said that night was all true, right?”
She smiled slightly, and after a few seconds, she finally admitted with a hint of stubbornness. “Didn’t I just say I liked you? Of course, all those words were sincere.”
From the moment she saw him standing under the camphor tree when she was sixteen, to the night of their reunion when he kept her at his villa and said he had never considered anyone else for an arranged marriage except her, and that night when he held her in his arms and said he had only ever loved her.
All the sweetness and bitterness, the sourness and bitterness they had experienced together, could never erase his presence in her heart.
Tan Mo was held even tighter by him. She leaned against his chest and mumbled casually. “Xie Qichen, if you had never found out that I liked you, would you really have divorced me?”
He was silent for a moment before speaking softly. “No.”
“Ah?”
“I was angry back then. I think once I calmed down, I would have gone directly to you to express my feelings. I would have pursued you openly. I don’t think I could have accepted letting go of your hand like that. I’m glad I found out earlier and didn’t miss my chance.”
Tan Mo smiled at him. “Xie Qichen, let’s never separate again, okay?”
He turned to her, half-leaning over her body, his eyes reflecting only her. His voice was hoarse. “Never again. That means forever.”
Her eyes welled up with tears. Her voice was soft but clear in his ears. “I just want to be with you forever.”
After she spoke, the man’s lips met hers, without any desire, Tan Mo closed her eyes, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck. Her heart overflowed with love, filling every empty space inside her. Finally, she heard his voice, gentle yet firm, in her ear.
“There won’t be any chance for you to take it back.”
The entire night, the two of them poured their hearts out to each other, until the outside night grew deeper, yet they still didn’t feel sleepy.
Although they had confessed their feelings two nights ago, Tan Mo had been drunk that night, and the next day they were forced to part ways. Now, finally having their own little world, they naturally couldn’t help but want to pour their hearts into each other.
Later, when it became too late, Xie Qichen, considering she still had filming to do, tried to coax her to sleep.
But for a couple in the early stages of love, having just tasted the sweetness of romance, it was impossible for them to lie together without any incidents, no matter how hard they tried not to do anything.
In the early morning, the outdoor light was dim, and the mountains were quiet, with all sounds silenced.
Perhaps due to her excitement, Tan Mo hadn’t slept well all night, her entire focus on the man behind her. When she woke up again drowsily, she turned over, snuggling into Xie Qichen’s arms, letting out a soft whimper before feeling the man tighten his embrace around her.
With sweetness in his arms, naturally Xie Qichen also couldn’t sleep well.
They opened their eyes and gazed at each other; neither could tell who initiated it, but in their daze, they kissed again.
Their bodies, no longer sleepy, entwined.
Tan Mo hooked her arms around his neck, responding eagerly.
After a while, he stared at her, his dark eyes burning like flames:
“Really don’t want to sleep?”
“Mm…”
Tan Mo placed both hands on his shoulders, and was soon pressed into a deep kiss.
Soon, clothes fell onto the floor beside them, and the man’s scattered kisses kept falling. Tan Mo unconsciously softly called Xie Qichen’s name repeatedly, unaware that she was gradually intensifying the atmosphere in the room.
The girl who had been lying together with him the entire night couldn’t withstand such teasing. Eventually, with red-rimmed eyes, she urged him to continue.
“Actually, maybe being careful is okay…”
Hearing her invite him so directly, naturally Xie Qichen was overwhelmed with desire, but still, he nibbled at her ear, unwilling to go further:
“Behave, it’s dangerous.”
Of course, he wanted to fully possess her, but Tan Mo hadn’t graduated yet and was still young. He dared not risk her getting pregnant accidentally, nor did he want her to suffer from taking medication out of fear afterward.
Unable to do anything, Xie Qichen resorted to other ways to please her.
How could a shy, inexperienced girl withstand the prowess of a mature man?
In the early morning, Tan Mo dared not disturb the neighbors, biting the quilt to suppress her sounds. But when, for the fourth time in a short while, she flushed red and hurriedly pushed his head away, she couldn’t contain her volume and ended up crying out.
Outside, the fog was hazy, the sky hadn’t yet turned pale with dawn, and the entire Anhui Mountain seemed still immersed in slumber.
Tan Mo never imagined that at around four in the morning, she would be treated like this by Xie Qichen in the guesthouse room.
Like a small fish swept ashore by waves, Tan Mo was stranded, nearly suffocating.
Eventually, Xie Qichen got up, and the shy girl wanting to hide was pulled into his arms, his voice husky with laughter: “Momo, do you want the neighbors to know we’re not sleeping so early in the morning?”
“Waaah…”
She wanted to bury herself underground. Finally, Xie Qichen laughed and said it was a joke, explaining that there were no guests nearby last night.
She finally understood why he had brought her to this isolated guesthouse last night—it was convenient for him to do his mischief. Otherwise, if they had stayed with the staff and other guests next door, given their noise and the poor sound insulation of the mountain guesthouse, Tan Mo felt she wouldn’t be able to show her face the next day.
Xie Qichen whispered how beautiful and tempting she had looked just now, and Tan Mo blushed deeply, crying softly:
“Xie Qichen, did you have a girlfriend overseas a few years ago…”
Otherwise, how could he be so…
“Where other girlfriend?”
Xie Qichen laughed in irritation, hugging her tighter: “Don’t talk like that if you don’t want me to start again.”
“No more…”
Tan Mo instantly caved, obediently kissing his lips sweetly.
The two indulged in further intimacy for a while. Then, Xie Qichen carried her to the bathroom to clean up, and after returning to the bed, the little girl was finally too tired to move, quickly falling asleep on his chest.
But she couldn’t sleep for long.
Their filming was scheduled for ten o’clock in the morning. At eight-thirty, Xie Qichen, fearing she would be late, gently called her to wake up.
Tan Mo was too sleepy to get up, and after another fifteen minutes, he reluctantly coaxed her:
“Momo, we really should get up now. Don’t want to film today?”
Feeling the gentle kisses trailing over her slender shoulder blades, Tan Mo slowly regained consciousness, pouting: “Don’t want to work, just want…”
“Just want to stay with me?”
“Mm…”
Xie Qichen smiled, “After a few days back home, we’ll have plenty of time.”
Actually, Tan Mo had never considered skipping filming. Eventually, Xie Qichen picked her up, wrapped her in his arms, and helped her put on her nightgown. Tan Mo noticed the fresh marks layered over the fading ones on her body, as well as the disarray on the floor and bed.
Noticing her gaze, he chuckled: “Now you know how lively you were this morning?”
Her face burned red, and she darted out of his arms, “Ugh, I’m not talking to you anymore. I’m going to get ready…”
The man watched her back with a deeper smile.
Fifteen minutes later, after Tan Mo finished washing up, her embarrassment eased considerably. Returning to the bedroom, she saw the room had been tidied up by Xie Qichen.
He went to wash up while Tan Mo started applying her makeup.
He was careful this morning not to kiss her neck, but there was no avoiding the dark circles, which required concealer.
Once everything was ready, Xie Qichen said he would drive her to the guesthouse to meet the others.
Xie Qichen went downstairs first, while Tan Mo took her phone and bag, following slowly behind.
When she reached the guesthouse entrance, she saw Xie Qichen on a phone call.
His expression was cold, his tone deep and solemn, intimidating to others: “I’ll be back next Monday. Have a new proposal ready for me then—no excuses.”
Tan Mo rarely saw him in work mode; it was completely different from his usual demeanor around her.
After he finished the call, Tan Mo walked up to him, smiling slightly: “Xie Qichen, you’re so fierce. Who dares to work under you? If it were me, I’d be nervous just standing in front of you.”
Xie Qichen glanced at her with a smile: “When have I ever been fierce with you?”
Indeed, this was true. Thinking back, Tan Mo recalled how he had almost always spoiled her, never showing her a harsh side. She had even told Tan Yuanzhou that she thought Xie Qichen was a gentle older brother. At that time, Tan Yuanzhou had laughed so hard he nearly choked: “Gentle Xie Qichen? Where did you get that illusion?”
Tan Mo retorted proudly: “You dare to be fierce with me?”
The man smirked: “Back in high school, one harsh word from me and you’d start crying. Who would dare?”
She looked at him guiltily: “Who cries a lot? I never did.”
“This morning you cried.”
“…”
Ah! Why can’t this person just stop being so mean!
Xie Qichen laughed and held her hand. She pouted: “I’m not being nice with you anymore…”
In the following days, perhaps because Xie Qichen was around, Tan Mo felt more at ease, and her filming performance visibly improved.
Thankfully, no one treated her specially because of her relationship with Xie Qichen. The several guests became friends, growing increasingly familiar with each other.
Among them, Yu Qiran, who had always been pampered, actually became a bit more restrained, maintaining a distance from Tan Mo. Although everyone didn’t particularly like him, they managed to keep things civil, and the filming progressed steadily.
Meanwhile, Xie Qichen stayed in Anhui Mountain, accompanying Tan Mo while also handling business negotiations—managing both without conflict.
Coincidentally, the day after Xie Qichen arrived, Tan Mo’s period started.
This meant Xie Qichen couldn’t do anything with her.
Taking advantage of these special few days, the “little kitten” deliberately and inadvertently swayed in front of him, teasing him, causing the man to burn with desire every night. He could only press her down and kiss her fiercely, inevitably helping himself relieve some tension.
As filming gradually approached its end, Tan Mo felt she owed someone increasingly more, and she kept feeling anxiously that she would soon face retribution.
Before they knew it, Friday had arrived.
This was the final day.
As dusk fell in the evening, with the ending shot completed, the show finally concluded successfully.
To thank everyone for their hard work, the production team had booked several tables at a local specialty restaurant for a celebratory dinner, inviting all the staff and guests to a warm and lively feast.
After dinner, everyone made their own arrangements, and Xie Qichen took Tan Mo to leave first.
Walking out of the restaurant, holding Tan Mo’s hand, she happily remarked, “Tonight’s dinner was so delicious.”
The man looked at her, “Too full? Want to take a walk to digest?”
“Okay,” these past few days Tan Mo had been quite busy, with little time to stroll alone with him in the mountains, “Where are we going?”
He held her hand, “Let’s go to the mountaintop. There’s a great viewing platform up there.”
“Okay, I went there a few days ago, but didn’t stay long…”
Tan Mo leisurely walked with him, following the mountain path upward.
A gentle breeze brushed their faces, and the distant calls of birds echoed from deep within the forest, faint and far. Along the path up the mountain, warm orange-yellow lights illuminated the way, bringing a sense of warmth and comfort.
At the mountaintop stood a large glass platform. Upon reaching it, Tan Mo stood there, gazing down at the scenery below. In the distance, the city lights sparkled, neon lights refracting into dazzling bands of light. Looking up, the night sky was pitch black, like a dark curtain enveloping the two of them in the vastness of heaven and earth.
Tan Mo looked around, mesmerized by the beauty. Xie Qichen smiled, his gaze fixed on her:
“What do you think?”
She nodded enthusiastically, “The view here is amazing, so beautiful.”
“Later, Aochuang will have a drone light show here. Want to see it?”
Tan Mo was surprised: “A light show here?”
“A few days ago, I just designed a flight plan. I came here to test it.”
“Wow, President Xie is amazing.”
Tan Mo’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she lifted her porcelain-white face to look at him, then was pulled into his arms. He kissed her cheek softly, chuckling, “Why are you so cute?”
She blushed, and he ruffled her hair, “Wait here for a moment. I need to go tell them to start.”
“Okay.”
Xie Qichen walked away, and Tan Mo tugged at her scarf, half-burying her face in it.
As she waited quietly, she suddenly felt her phone vibrating in her pocket.
Taking it out, she saw it was a call from Tan Yuanzhou.
She answered: “Hello, Uncle Tan, good evening.”
Hearing her cheerful voice on the other end, he clearly sensed her good mood and smiled slightly: “Whether I’m good or not isn’t important. Seems like you’re doing well?”
Tan Mo giggled, and Tan Yuanzhou asked: “What are you doing now?”
“I’m on a business trip. I’ve been in Anhui Mountain these past few days. Just finished today.”
“I thought you were in Licheng,” Tan Yuanzhou casually teased, “I heard today that a certain couple officially made up?”
Tan Mo was taken aback: “Did Xie Qichen tell you that?”
“Who else? Shouldn’t the two of you have let me know? I might as well be considered a witness to this whole thing.”
Tan Yuanzhou sighed, “After you two argued at my house that day, I even chased out to comfort the person. Now that you’ve made up, you’ve disappeared. How heartless can you be?”
Tan Mo couldn’t help but laugh: “Sorry, Uncle. It’s just that right after we made up, I came here to film the show, so I hadn’t had time to tell you yet.”
“So, as soon as you made up, you two became long-distance again?”
“No, Xie Qichen came to find me a few days ago…”
“Wow, are you two inseparable or what?”
Tan Mo blushed with happiness, unable to help but share her joy with him: “Uncle, that day, both Xie Qichen and I thought the other didn’t like them, so we both felt heartbroken. But we didn’t expect that we actually liked each other.”
Tan Yuanzhou laughed, “Actually, I’ve known all along that Aochen liked you. I didn’t tell you because that day when you said that, I wasn’t sure whether you really didn’t like him or were just pretending. But it’s good this way. With this opportunity, you two finally opened up.”
“Mm.”
“Also, Momo, there are some things Xie Qichen probably won’t tell you. Actually, he loves you more than you can imagine.”
Tan Mo was surprised, “What do you mean?”
“Actually, even before he went abroad, he had already fallen for you. The reason he didn’t tell you was quite simple. On one hand, he considered that you were still young back then. He was afraid that the age gap between you two would make you suffer, and on the other hand, he wasn’t sure whether he could give you a bright future, fearing he would let you down. You know how his stepmother couldn’t tolerate him, and his birth mother’s family had fallen into poverty. Without relying on himself, Xie Qichen had nothing.”
“So he threw himself into building his career, willing to endure any hardship for you.”
Tan Mo was stunned: “He really liked me that much back then…”
Tan Yuanzhou smiled, “Tan Mo, have you ever thought that if he really wanted to cooperate with Yuntong, with his methods and abilities, there were countless ways to achieve his goals. Why did he have to choose to enter into an arranged marriage with you? Without this marriage arrangement, wouldn’t Aochuang still be able to thrive under his leadership?”
Tan Yuanzhou paused, then spoke slowly and clearly:
“Because his purpose for returning home was never about Aochuang—it was about you.”
Only when Xie Qichen felt he was capable enough to shelter her from the storms of life for a lifetime did he dare to return to her side.
“So you understand now why I didn’t object to your arranged marriage back then? Do you think I would just let any man marry you home? Even if your parents agreed, I wouldn’t have. It’s because I knew how deeply Xie Qichen loved and was obsessed with you.”
Tan Yuanzhou curled his lips, “If he couldn’t marry you, he would never marry anyone else.”
Suddenly, Tan Mo was overwhelmed by these words, her eyes welling up.
All along, she had thought her childhood crush had come to nothing, even harboring resentment toward him for going abroad and vowing never to like him again. But all those years, Xie Qichen had loved her silently overseas without seeking any response.
She had thought the arranged marriage was her secret ploy to stay by his side for two years. She had no idea that everything had been his deliberate approach.
When you keep thinking of someone, eventually there will be a response.
It turned out that the echo had always been there; she just hadn’t heard it until now.
After ending the call, Tan Mo wiped her teary eyes. Suddenly, she felt a glow descending from above. She looked up and saw the dark sky suddenly light up with countless twinkling lights.
One thousand five hundred and twenty drones slowly ascended into the night sky.
Tan Mo was momentarily stunned. Then she watched as the drones began to fly along pre-programmed routes. Their fuselages emitted colorful lights, soaring magnificently through the sky like forming a dazzling galaxy.
At first, they resembled a sea of stars, then transformed into a rainbow.
Gradually, two cartoon figures made of lights appeared in the sky—
One was a little white bear, and the other was a tiny man in a suit.
Tan Mo’s gaze froze instantly.
These were the exact same patterns she had drawn on his birthday cake that day…
Yet unlike the static images on the cake, the white bear and the little man in the suit now moved dynamically, performing various actions mid-air.
The white bear bounced around a bit, then suddenly pulled out a small gun.
It raised the gun and shot at the man in the suit.
The lights resembled “bullets” that instantly pierced through the pitch-black night sky. Then, like exploding stars of orange-yellow light, they scattered across the entire sky, slowly transforming into countless pink little hearts that drifted downward.
Seeing this childish yet adorable scene, Tan Mo’s eyes reddened as she couldn’t help laughing aloud.
So he remembered that day after all—he hadn’t forgotten anything…
Gradually, on the right side of the sky, a hand made of drone lights appeared. Holding a pen, the hand moved left and right, sketching stroke by stroke across the dark night sky, gradually forming two clear words—
Tan Mo.
The name lingered in the air for a few seconds before each stroke disassembled and reassembled into the profile of a young girl’s face.
Meanwhile, the lights of the white bear and the little man regrouped, finally transforming into a bouquet of roses shimmering with tiny sparkles, presented before the figure.
At that moment, the surrounding drones emitted colorful rays of light.
The entire world was bathed in a romantic, hazy glow.
Tan Mo stared in awe. A few seconds later, footsteps approached from behind.
She turned around and saw the composed, refined man walking toward her step by step, holding a bouquet of snow mountain roses in his hands. His eyes reflected the luminous brilliance of the night sky, fixed solely on her.
Finally, Xie Qichen stopped in front of her, handed her the flowers, and leaned down to meet her gaze:
“All of that was tonight’s exclusive drone display, specially designed for Mrs. Xie.”
Tan Mo accepted the bouquet, still dazed and not yet recovered:
“Xie Qichen, when did you prepare all this…”
Xie Qichen’s tone was filled with laughter: “I started designing it a few days ago. Since we rarely come to Anhui Mountain, I wanted to leave you with some unforgettable memories. Do you like it?”
Her nose tingled, and she couldn’t help but throw herself into his arms:
“I like it, I really like it…”
Knowing that on his birthday she hadn’t managed to give him the cake she made had been a shared regret between them, he had chosen to respond to everything she did in this way. It turned out he remembered every little thing about them, paying attention to all her joys and sorrows. He never mentioned the word love, yet every scene, every gesture, overflowed with deep affection.
Thinking of her recent call with Tan Yuanzhou, tears rolled down Tan Mo’s eyes:
“Xie Qichen…”
Hearing her voice tremble with emotion, the man tightened his embrace, chuckling softly: “What’s wrong? You’re so moved?”
Tan Mo looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed:
“Just now, I had a call with Uncle Xiao.”
“Hmm?”
“He told me everything. It turns out you’ve liked me for years already. How could you hide it so well, even lying to me about only wanting a two-year marriage…”
Xie Qichen hesitated briefly, then softly chuckled:
“Sorry, I was afraid you’d refuse, so I had no choice but to trick you into staying by my side with that excuse first.”
“If…” her nose tingled again, “after these two years were up, I still told you I didn’t like you and wanted a divorce, wouldn’t you regret it?”
If the version of this story was that she had never loved him at all, would he really be willing to bet everything on such a slim possibility?
Hearing this, the man smiled faintly:
“Being able to stay by your side openly for another two years, being your husband, loving and caring for you properly—wouldn’t that be quite good?”
Xie Qichen gently wiped away her tears with his hand, gazing into her eyes. His hoarse voice melted into the wind as he spoke:
“I’ve never regretted it, Tan Mo.”
“…Even if you never loved me, these two years would be enough for me to cherish for a lifetime.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage