Holding her, he kissed her over and over again.
Her eyes, her hair...
With a palm, he brushed the messy hair aside from her forehead, Huangfu Jue’s fingers carefully traced her eyebrows, cupping her blushing face.
His voice still carried a husky rasp, like the deep tones of a cello.
She smiled, not bothering to hide it.
The man’s fingers glided over the soft corners of her lips.
So much emotion in a single word.
In the past six years, every morning, noon, and dusk, after every endless long night of work, on every journey though surrounded by people yet still alone...
This damn woman was like a curse cast in his heart, worrying about her, hating her, angry with her... but never able to forget her.
Drawing her closer, he embraced her tightly once again, then said not another word.
She did the same, not making a sound, just reaching her arms out to embrace the man’s sturdy waist, pressing her face against his chest.
Gently kissing his chest, she tightened her arms, and the man holding her arms did the same.
"Where have you been all these years?"
"These past few years, I’ve always been here."
"I’m really stupid for not having found you."
She laughed lightly; she’d been deliberately avoiding him. If it weren’t for the chance of him staying in the hotel where she worked this time, they might not have had such a night.
The man’s voice rose again, with a tone of reproach, but even more, one of heartache and helplessness.
A pang hit her heart, she lifted her face, teasing on purpose.
He chuckled, and his face lowered to bury in her hair, deeply inhaling the long-missed fragrance of her body.
"You don’t, you smell good."
She also laughed, her hand rising to lightly stroke his short hair. The man’s body reacted once more, and she stiffened slightly.
The man drew her in closer, "Don’t be afraid, tonight, I won’t touch you again."
He still had plenty of energy to spare, but with the lesson learned from before, he decided it was best to restrain himself a bit.
The man lifted his face, meeting her eyes, and affectionately pinched her cheek.
"I don’t want you fainting again, sleep now!"
Seeing her eyes wide open and still, he lifted his hand to close her eyelids. She repeated her earlier mischief, playfully blinked in the palm of his hand, and pulled his hand away from her eyes.
"I don’t want to sleep!"
For the past six years, she had been a single mother with a child, independent of anyone, shouldering everything herself.
When the wind came, she stood against it.
When the rain came, she stood against it.
For her son, she remained discreet and endured the warmth and cold of the world, but only in front of him could she finally seize the chance to be a capricious little girl once more.
As their gazes locked, the man’s indulgent smile rose.
"Okay... I’ll stay with you!"