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Ye Xiaohan suddenly hugged him, feeling a bit impatient as she struggled to break free.
"Let go, I’m not in the mood to play with you today!" However, Gu Bei held on tightly and showed no intention of releasing her.
Inside Gu Bei's heart was a jar filled to the brim with jealousy, now shaken by Murong Jing, teetering on the edge of spilling over.
"Xiao Han, about my question before, can you give me an answer now?" Gu Bei was stirred up, feeling restless.
He had always known that Ye Xiaohan was exceptional, but she had never shown much interest in romance, which he had accepted without complaint.
Now that another man was trying to woo her right in front of him, Gu Bei felt a sudden sense of crisis.
He needed Ye Xiaohan's affirmative answer to feel at ease.
"What answer?" Ye Xiaohan was a bit confused. They had been together so many times that she couldn't pinpoint which question Gu Bei was referring to.
Gu Bei prompted, "Earlier, in the woods, I told you I liked you and asked if you liked me too. You said you would consider it; is it time for your answer now?"
As he spoke, Ye Xiaohan finally recalled that moment and couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation.
So much time had passed since then, and many things had happened. Her feelings for Gu Bei had progressed significantly since that day; she thought they had already clarified their relationship.
It seemed she hadn’t made her feelings clear enough; Gu Bei hadn’t sensed the shift in their relationship, which had already advanced further.
Perhaps for Gu Bei, everyday expressions of affection weren’t enough. Only a direct and concrete promise could reassure him.
Faced with such an earnest yet somewhat foolish Gu Bei, Ye Xiaohan suddenly felt like teasing him.
"You also said you would give me enough time to think," Ye Xiaohan replied coldly. "I still haven't made up my mind; it might take me a long time to consider."
Gu Bei instinctively tightened his grip around Ye Xiaohan. He didn’t mind waiting as long as it took, but what if someone like Cheng Yaojin appeared out of nowhere? That would be infuriating.
Without Ye Xiaohan’s explicit acknowledgment, he couldn’t adjust his own identity. He wanted to be able to assertively demand other men to back off when they approached Ye Xiaohan with ill intentions.
"How much longer do you need?" Gu Bei asked cautiously, afraid of adding fuel to the fire and provoking her further when she was already in a bad mood.
This attitude was indeed correct; Ye Xiaohan felt clearly cherished, as if she were valued by someone.
The panic from Murong Jing's sudden confession faded away, and it seemed there was nothing to fear. She was not alone; Gu Bei would always be by her side.
Since Gu Bei was feeling uneasy here just because of her words, why couldn't she dispel this unnecessary worry?
If the person she was meant to spend her life with was Gu Bei, then there was nothing wrong with that.
"Do you want to know?" Ye Xiaohan leaned against Gu Bei's embrace and said, "If you accompany me to watch the stars and the moon, discussing poetry and philosophy of life, then I will tell you the answer."
Although Gu Bei wanted to ask what 'philosophy' was, years of battlefield experience held him back. So he refrained from asking this mood-breaking question and simply agreed without hesitation.
"I'll accompany you!" Gu Bei said with utmost certainty. "From now on, I will be with you every step of the way. You can go wherever you want!"
Ye Xiaohan raised an eyebrow and looked at Gu Bei, her tone filled with skepticism. "Really?"
"Of course!" Gu Bei immediately pledged his loyalty. If he could dig out his heart to show Ye Xiaohan, he would have done it right then and there.
"Well then," Ye Xiaohan stopped teasing him. "Let's go release lanterns by the river first."
She had been waiting for Gu Bei earlier and hadn’t relaxed enough to enjoy herself.
"Just like that?" Gu Bei was taken aback, somewhat incredulous. He thought Ye Xiaohan would suggest something more whimsical or challenging.
Ye Xiaohan looked at him disapprovingly. This fool!
"So are you going or not?"
Gu Bei snapped back to reality and quickly replied, "I'm going! Right now!"
Even if he were slow-witted, such a great opportunity lay before him; if he couldn't seize it, he had no one to blame but himself.
They didn't return to the original street but quietly bought two lanterns before changing direction toward a secluded lake.
"Before releasing the lantern, you have to make a wish!" Seeing Gu Bei about to toss the lit lantern into the water, Ye Xiaohan reminded him from the side.
Gu Bei came to his senses and said, "Oh right, I almost forgot."
Ye Xiaohan curiously asked, "Haven't you ever released a lantern before?" It was strange; this was a traditional festival in Dongchuan, and Gu Bei wasn't like her, having come from somewhere else. How could he not know such a basic thing?
Once Gu Bei explained the reason, Ye Xiaohan understood. Looking at the man before her, it was indeed clear that he didn't seem to have such interests.
On the surface, Ye Xiaohan appeared indifferent, but inside she felt a bit happy. She was the first person to release a lantern with Gu Bei, which sounded particularly pleasing.
Hand in hand, they watched the lantern drift away. Gone was the bustling riverside filled with countless lanterns; only two remained, flickering softly like distant stars, unwavering in their companionship.
"Xiao Han, from now on we will be like them, always together, facing all the storms of the future," Gu Bei whispered as he gently held Ye Xiaohan's hand, his voice low yet firm.
This time, Ye Xiaohan did not refuse; instead, she squeezed his hand back with determination.
"Xiao Han!" Gu Bei exclaimed in surprise. "Does this mean... you've agreed?"
Ye Xiaohan felt both shy and annoyed, but more than that was an undeniable joy. The feeling of sharing life's joys and sorrows with someone made her feel fresh and fulfilled.
"As long as I know in my heart, do I really need to shout it out loud?" Ye Xiaohan shot Gu Bei a glare. "Yes, I agreed! Remember this: if you ask me again next time, I might just give you a different answer!"
Gu Bei suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. Feeling it wasn't enough, he spun around with Ye Xiaohan in his arms.
"That's wonderful! Xiao Han, I promise I'll treat you well from now on!"
There were no sweet words exchanged—only heartfelt sincerity.
The two nestled together and talked about many things: various embarrassing and funny stories from their pasts and dreams and aspirations for the future.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, surrounded by twinkling stars. By the tranquil lakeside stood only a pair of lovers sharing their heartfelt joy with each other.
Meanwhile, after finding an excuse to leave, Liu Yang strolled around for a bit. After seeing everything new and exciting, he felt that the Lantern Festival in the capital was not much different from that in the countryside. So he decided to head home.
When he returned home, Ye Xiaohan had not yet come back. Gu Yang secretly rejoiced, as this meant his plan had succeeded; his brother and sister-in-law were enjoying a pleasant evening together.
After Gu Yang fell asleep, a long time passed before Gu Bei and Ye Xiaohan finally returned.
To be precise, Gu Bei was carrying Ye Xiaohan back. After chatting until midnight, Ye Xiaohan had fallen asleep against Gu Bei. To prevent her from catching a chill, Gu Bei wrapped his outer robe around her and carried her home.
This was something that had never happened before. Although Ye Xiaohan had an outgoing personality, she was actually very guarded around others. For instance, even though she had acknowledged Gu Bei's presence in her heart, she would never casually fall asleep in front of him.
Only in a state of complete relaxation could she truly drift off.
After placing Ye Xiaohan on the bed and covering her with a blanket, Gu Bei still did not want to leave. He had just shared heartfelt communication with Ye Xiaohan and knew that they both felt the same way about each other, which left him with an excitement that was hard to contain.
Even now, Gu Bei could not shake off this feeling. Moreover, it seemed likely that it would linger for a long time.
Just looking at Ye Xiaohan's peaceful sleeping face filled Gu Bei with happiness and satisfaction. Unbeknownst to him, he watched over her throughout the night.
So when morning came, the first thing Ye Xiaohan saw upon waking was Gu Bei, who was soundly asleep beside her bed.
Even in sleep, Gu Bei exuded an undeniable presence; his deep-seated aura was difficult to conceal.
This was the life experience accumulated through countless trials and tribulations.
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