096. Beautiful Blessings, Deep Affection

Jing’s mother walked over to the small sofa and sat down, placing several carved rosewood brocade boxes she’d been holding onto the tea table. She beckoned Jing Qingxin to come closer.

“Mom, what’s this?” Jing Qingxin asked in puzzlement.

“These are for you. Open them and take a look,” her mother replied with a gentle smile, her expression warm and soft.

Jing Qingxin first opened the smallest brocade box on top, and inside were some jewelry ornaments. She already had many similar accessories in her “Luminous Brocade” collection. She couldn’t understand why her mother was giving her this, but she kept her curiosity in check and went on to open the second, slightly larger box. This time, her confusion deepened: inside was a pair of red embroidered shoes, with two white double lotus flowers stitched onto the toes.

A vague understanding dawned on her. She opened the largest box at the bottom, and as expected, it was a set of red embroidered wedding attire.

“This is the wedding dress I wore when I married your father. I’ve kept it all these years. You should take it—it’s your parents’ blessing to you,” her mother said softly, smiling.

“Mom, I can’t accept this! It means so much to you!” Jing Qingxin immediately shook her head, refusing.

Her mother smiled gently, reaching out to stroke her daughter’s hair. “Silly child, your father is the most important thing in my life. Now, I’m content, because my precious girl has found someone she wants to spend her life with. This wedding dress is simply my blessing for you.”

Jing Qingxin sniffled, holding back her tears. She gathered the brocade boxes from the tea table. If she could get married wearing her mother’s dress, it would be another kind of comfort and joy.

Her mother smiled with satisfaction, then continued, “Yuanyuan, remember, your father and I only have one wish and one request: that you’ll be happy and live a peaceful, fulfilling life. If—just if—something unexpected happens, don’t let it break your heart. Live well, don’t worry about us! Your brother will be there for us. You, on the other hand, living far from home, must take good care of yourself, understand?”

“Mom…” Jing Qingxin threw herself into her mother’s arms, her eyes already brimming with tears.

Her mother gently patted her back and said softly, “Yuanyuan, do you know who holds the highest place in your mother’s heart?”

Jing Qingxin pursed her lips. “It’s Dad, isn’t it?”

“Yes, nothing is more important to me than your father. Wherever he is, I’ll be there—even if it means parting from you and your brother. It’s not that you’re unimportant, but I know what I need most. As the saying goes, every child has their own fate. Your lives and futures are yours to create. When you reach a certain age, you’ll build your own family, have your own spouse and children,” her mother said gently.

Then she helped her daughter up, holding her hand, and spoke earnestly, “So, Yuanyuan, since you’ve chosen that man, you must live well with him. Remember, the one who will accompany you to old age is not your parents nor your children, but the partner who holds your hand. We must be devoted to our parents, care for our children, but for our beloved, we must trust, love, care for, understand, and believe in him with all our heart. In a relationship, both must stand as equals, seeing and thinking together. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you, Mom,” Jing Qingxin replied, her tears drying, her face resolute.

“That’s good. Prepare yourself well, and take care. I’ll go back to my room,” her mother said, giving her one last embrace before leaving.

Jing Qingxin quickly composed herself; now was not the time for sorrow. She’d left so suddenly this time—Gao Shen was surely worried sick. Not daring to delay, she packed up briefly, then grasped the “Fate Pendant,” seeking a connection.

Gao Shen, Gao Shen... she called him silently in her heart.

The last time she had crossed over, it happened because both she and Gao Shen had unknowingly held the “Fate Pendant” and called out to each other, breaking the usual rules of the time tunnel and enabling her to traverse to his side when their hearts aligned.

This time, she had no idea when their hearts would connect again, when the time tunnel might open. All she could do was hold the jade pendant, call out in her heart, and wait for Gao Shen’s response.

Unexpectedly, not even two minutes had passed before Jing Qingxin felt a wave of dizziness. That familiar sense of weightlessness engulfed her once more, and in the blink of an eye, she found herself in a warm embrace she knew by heart.

“It’s wonderful… you’ve come back,” Gao Shen murmured, his voice hoarse and full of tender affection.

Jing Qingxin immediately wrapped her arms around his lean waist, breathing in his scent. It brought her a deep sense of security.

The two, reunited, simply held each other in silence. Even without words, they could feel each other’s emotions in this moment—it was as if the world had faded away, leaving only the two of them, attuned to each other’s heartbeat and breath.

“Gao Shen, my legs have gone numb,” Jing Qingxin mumbled.

She heard a low chuckle above her head, and then, with a swift turn, instinctively clung to Gao Shen’s neck.

With his long legs, Gao Shen carried her in a few strides to the wooden bed in the inner room.

He gently placed her on the bed, his fingers tenderly brushing the wisps of hair by her ear.

Looking into Gao Shen’s eyes, so full of heat and gentle affection, Jing Qingxin felt her heart tighten and her cheeks flush.

Their gazes met, and Jing Qingxin found his eyes unusually deep and alluring—like a bottomless whirlpool, drawing her in, making her heart sink little by little.

Suddenly, her breathing grew rapid. This feeling was unfamiliar, mainly because in Gao Shen’s passionate gaze, an enigmatic emotion suddenly appeared, making her heart flutter, the air around them seeming to grow warmer, almost feverish.

Her hands, resting at her sides, twisted nervously at her clothes as she tried to dispel the discomfort. Her lips parted, “Gao Shen, you…”

Before she could finish, a shadow fell over her, and Gao Shen’s kiss silenced her words.

The feeling of regaining what was lost—no one could understand it better than he did. An embrace wasn’t enough to calm his anxious heart. Only the intimacy of skin against skin could reassure him that she was truly there.

Gao Shen precisely captured her luscious lips, kissing them softly, savoring their sweetness, lingering and gentle.

Jing Qingxin was enveloped by his springlike warmth; their breaths tangled together, her mind growing hazy, her body weak, her senses steadily overtaken. Instinctively seeking security, she reached out and clung tightly to his neck.

Feeling the softness against his throat, Gao Shen’s heart blazed as if a fire burned within, desperate to consume everything. His gentle kisses deepened, lips and teeth pressed together, tongues entwined, passion unrestrained...

—Extra—

Dinner time~ Tonight is meat soup~ Hehe~

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