The young man's parents died early, and his life was lonely and bitter, receiving little warmth. Like a wild weed growing on the edge of a cliff, weathering wind and rain, he was always entirely alone.
Later on, he picked up a small fish that shared a similar plight to his own, which finally gave him a companion.
He thought that perhaps he wasn't so miserable after all; at least he had relied on himself and still had his life.
He originally thought he should have long grown used to the loneliness.
But ever since he had her, he suddenly realized that being tied to someone was such a sweet yet bitter feeling.
Thus, that little bit of remaining tenderness, that longing he dared not show or hope for, was all carefully offered up to her.
She appeared so suddenly, so he naturally felt that he might just be a plaything to help her pass the time. He had been angry from the bottom of his heart, but later, when he was touched by the little bit of warmth she gave, he couldn't help but sink into it.
He even thought that it didn't matter if he was just a plaything. As long as he had the means to keep her firmly in his grasp, making it impossible for her to leave easily and return to other men, then the victor would still be him.
But he had never imagined that she, carrying a child, had come solely for him.
The black-haired youth's eyes felt sore and his breathing grew increasingly hot. He had to press his forehead against hers, getting closer and closer, so he could carefully trace her features through his blurred vision.
His fingertips gently stroked her cheek.
"You are mine."
His large hand rested on her slightly swollen belly, his Adam's apple bobbing, his breath trembling slightly.
"The child is mine too."
The young man was not one to cry easily, yet at this moment, choking with emotion, he pressed against her lips and softly murmured.
"You must love me very, very much, don't you?"
The sleeping person did not open her eyes to answer his question. Using her powers in a time and space that did not belong to her made her body exceptionally exhausted.
He held his sleeping wife tightly in his arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck, greedily breathing in her scent. His heart felt both fulfilled and achingly sour.
In the past, he had never imagined that one day he would embrace his wife, and his whole heart would become so full and heavy.
Han Yu stayed quietly to the side, looking at the oblivious Mu Ran, and then at its master who was bending over to encircle her. What should have been a heartwarming scene only made it feel exceptionally worried.
People who do not belong to this world will always have to leave.
The young man, who had been all alone for years and grown accustomed to isolation, had finally tasted the feeling of warmth. If he were to lose this warmth again, what awaited him would not be a return to loneliness.
But rather, being cast back into the boundless darkness, doomed eternally.
Mu Ran slept for an exceptionally long time. When she finally regained her energy and opened her eyes, beyond the shimmering waterfall outside the cave, night had already fallen, with only a few scattered stars emitting faint light.
She slowly raised her eyes and met a pool of quiet, deep gaze.
The young man was still holding her, having watched over her like this for who knows how long.
He didn't speak, nor did he move. He just looked at her quietly, his eyes as dark and deep as the night, devoid of unnecessary emotions, yet seemingly hiding a surging, unquelled tide.
That gaze was so calm, and so focused, as if he feared that in the blink of an eye, the person before him would dissipate along with the starlight.
In the moment their eyes met, the air seemed to gently freeze.
He still didn't make a sound, just looking at her, carrying a trace of panic over losing her that even he himself had not noticed.
Feeling this, Mu Ran reached out and cupped his face. Her thumb gently rubbed the still-red corner of his eye, touching the lingering dampness.
"Jinzhi, what's wrong?"
He nuzzled her palm affectionately and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm fine."
Mu Ran clearly didn't believe his words, her eyes still showing concern.
He said softly, "You slept for a long time. I was very worried."
Mu Ran then smiled. "That's how pregnant people are. It's easy to get tired, and I'm very sleepy. It's normal, don't worry."
He nodded slightly, affectionately touching his nose against hers. "Are you hungry? I'll go outside and find some spirit fruits to nourish your body."
Mu Ran nodded, then shook her head.
He asked, "What does that mean?"
She said, "I am hungry, but I don't want to eat fruits."
Every plant and tree in this secret realm was a treasure. Take a fruit growing on a tree, for example; it might look ordinary, but just taking one bite could greatly increase a person's cultivation.
Therefore, without a certain level of skill, one really couldn't snatch a fruit back from under the covetous eyes of the crowd.
But Mu Ran acted as if she didn't know their worth. She had no idea how much effort it took for the young man to seize a fruit, and she actually rejected it with a simple "I don't want to eat."
Shu Qingyi was young, perhaps not understanding the dangers of lust. The usually cautious him unexpectedly abandoned his principles for a moment, simply asking indulgently, "What do you want to eat? I'll go figure something out."
Mu Ran felt that if she playfully asked for the moon and stars in the sky, he would definitely agree without hesitation.
As expected, this was her Jinzhi.
Mu Ran had intended to tease him, but as the words reached her lips, a thin layer of mist first welled up in her eyes.
She simply opened her arms, wrapped them around his neck, and lightly threw herself forward, burying herself completely in his embrace.
With her cheek pressed against his warm chest, listening to the steady, powerful heartbeat thumping against her ear, that inexplicable sourness slowly dissipated, and a soft smile curved her lips once more.
"I want to eat Jinzhi."
The young man lowered his eyes, looking at the top of her head buried in his chest. His whole body stiffened sharply, even his breathing pausing for half a beat, his voice strained and flustered: "Eat... me?"
Mu Ran rubbed against his chest and took several deep breaths.
It was all his faint, clean scent, unique to him, pure and comforting.
She narrowed her eyes, her voice full of enjoyment and satisfaction: "Jinzhi smells so good, I love it. What exactly did Jinzhi grow up eating? Why is every part of you so beautiful and perfect, so lovable?"
Mu Ran raised her head, staring at the young man's burning face, her fingertips gently touching the corner of his eye.
"Your eyes are beautiful."
Her fingertips slid down, landing on the tip of his nose.
"Your nose is beautiful."
Then, her fingertips gently landed on the corner of his lips, carefully tracing the light curve of his mouth, her eyes sparkling with a bright smile.
"The most beautiful part is here. Every time I take an extra look, it will..."
Even the young man's neck was dyed a faint red. His Adam's apple bobbed restlessly, his voice low and trembling: "It will?"
Mu Ran's eyes curved like crescent moons. Word by word, straightforward and candid: "It will tempt me to want to give it a kiss!"
Before she finished speaking, she tilted her head up slightly, leaning in to gently kiss his lips.
Shu Qingyi only stiffened for a moment before, with a bit of clumsy eagerness, he awkwardly parted his lips to gently respond to her.
He had only done such intimate things with her a few times in total. The last time was when his emotions surged, and losing control, he had lost his composure, becoming more aggressive out of pure instinct.
