"Jiang Chen, stop bustling about, Lin Lin rarely visits, you should go out and take a walk with her!"

After busying herself for a while at home, Shen Xiaoqin glanced at Gong Lin, who was quietly helping on the side, then turned her head and frowned reproachfully at Jiang Chen, taking over the task from his hands.

Jiang Chen blinked, nodded gently, and came over to Gong Lin: "Gong Lin, let's go out and take a walk, this is also my first time back home, let's go see the scenery of the old place together."

"Okay!"

Gong Lin beamed a sweet smile and nodded vigorously.

Jiang Chen and she left the house, making their way to the countryside, enjoying the simple rural scenery as they strolled and played, having a wonderful time.

Whirr...

Suddenly, a downpour started, and the two of them hurriedly found a small cave to take shelter in, already soaked by the time they ran inside.

"Wait here for a second, I'll find some firewood," Jiang Chen said softly.

Gong Lin smiled faintly and nodded her head.

With the firewood gathered, Jiang Chen started a fire, first removing his outer garment, hanging it near the fire with a stick, then he told Gong Lin, "You should take off your coat and dry it as well, don't catch a cold. I'll go to the entrance of the cave."

Saying so, Jiang Chen moved to the entrance of the cave, facing outwards, without looking back at Gong Lin.

Gong Lin took off her coat, propped it up on a stick, looked up at Jiang Chen, and feeling a rush of emotion, quietly went behind him and suddenly hugged him tightly from behind.

Jiang Chen was startled, feeling the warmth against his back, momentarily at a loss.

"Jiang Chen, I truly love you. I know how you feel about Ye Jingyi, and I don't want to compete with her, nor will I."

Gong Lin rested her head against Jiang Chen's back, her eyes brimming with tender affection as she spoke softly:

"All I ask is... to always be by your side, that alone will satisfy me!"

Jiang Chen's heart trembled fiercely, and he turned to look at Gong Lin.

Gong Lin lifted her head to look at Jiang Chen, her eyes full of tenderness.

His heart trembled again, and his eyes instantly moistened.

No one knew who reached out first, but they held each other tightly and began to kiss passionately.

Gradually, their gazes became hazy, and their breathing grew heavy.

Just as they were about to shed more clothing, Jiang Chen suddenly came to his senses, pushing Gong Lin away in a panic, and said urgently, "Gong Lin, I'm sorry, I... we are only in a temporary marriage agreement, I can't do this to you!"

"I don't care!"

Gong Lin, her cheeks flushed, looked at Jiang Chen earnestly: "I really don't mind. Even if I am your wife for just one day, my body and soul are yours. Even if I'm no longer your wife, my heart... can't be taken back!"

Jiang Chen was moved, but thinking of Ye Jingyi, he clenched his teeth and shook his head gently: "No, this isn't right; it would harm you and also be unfair to Jing Yi!"

"Am I that bad? Is even one night's warmth with you too much to hope for? Am I that inferior to Ye Jingyi, so much worse than her?"

Gong Lin said, her eyes shimmering with unending sorrow, and she started to sob quietly.

At a loss, Jiang Chen looked at the heartbroken Gong Lin and could only hold her gently in his arms, unable to utter a word, unsure how to console her.

Gong Lin lay in Jiang Chen's arms, sobbing intermittently, silent.

After a long while, Jiang Chen patted Gong Lin's back gently, sighed, and said softly, "Gong Lin, this isn't a good place, and... let's both think this through, okay?"

Gong Lin didn't speak but blushed and nodded lightly.

Slowly, her sobbing ceased.

Some time later, Jiang Chen sensed something off, looked down and saw Gong Lin with her eyes closed, breathing evenly, fast asleep.

Jiang Chen instantly shook his head with a bitter smile, then a warm current surged in his heart once more.

This feeling only made him sense waves of warmth.

And now, both of them were only wearing their undergarments, almost naked, to be able to sleep so soundly in such a state was also a form of trust in him.

Moved beyond words, Jiang Chen's face flushed as he glanced at the snow-white expanse in front of Gong Lin, daring not to look again. He carried Gong Lin to sit down beside the fire and forced himself to start cultivating.

After a while, the rain stopped.

"Gong Lin,"

Jiang Chen called out softly.

"Hmm?" Gong Lin opened her eyes in a daze, looked at Jiang Chen, noticed their ambiguous position, blushed, and was about to get up when she suddenly leaned into Jiang Chen's embrace again.

Jiang Chen was momentarily startled, then smiled helplessly and stretched out his arms to hold Gong Lin once more.

Gong Lin's lips curled into a faint smile as if thinking of something, and suddenly her gaze softened, closing her eyes to continue enjoying this brief and rare tenderness.

After another while, they got up, dressed, and returned to the village.

"How was it? You two must be drenched, right?" Seeing Jiang Chen and the rest return, Shen Xiaoqin looked them over. Although they had warmed themselves by the fire, the signs of rain were still evident on their hair and clothes.

Jiang Chen chuckled and shook his head, "It's nothing."

"Auntie, we didn't…"

Gong Lin smiled faintly and was about to respond when she suddenly felt dizzy, her body swaying slightly.

Jiang Chen quickly reached out to support Gong Lin, checked her pulse, then touched her forehead, frowning slightly, "Not good, she's caught a chill and has a high fever!"

"Then why not hurry up and help her inside?!" Shen Xiaoqin stared at Jiang Chen reproachfully.

Jiang Chen promptly helped Gong Lin into the house, and Shen Xiaoqin followed with a towel in hand, "You go out. I'll help her change her clothes."

Jiang Chen was stunned for a moment and turned his head to look at Shen Xiaoqin in surprise, he hadn't told his mother about his marriage arrangement with Gong Lin.

"Alright, Mom knows what she's doing. Whether this girl is a virgin or not, I can see clearly," Shen Xiaoqin seemed to know what Jiang Chen was surprised about and explained, then sighed, "I don't know what's going on between you two, but I can tell that this child truly likes you. You should cherish her."

"Mom, there are some things I can't explain to you, but I won't hurt Gong Lin!" Jiang Chen hesitated for a moment before speaking softly.

"That's good to hear."

Shen Xiaoqin nodded, turned to help Gong Lin change her clothes, and Jiang Chen quickly left the room.

Shen Xiaoqin turned to look at Jiang Chen's retreating figure and sighed softly, shaking her head. First Ye Jingyi, now Gong Lin, both were good girls. She really didn't understand what Jiang Chen was thinking, why he was behaving this way.

However, knowing her own son, since Jiang Chen said he wouldn't hurt Gong Lin, Shen Xiaoqin believed him.

"Jiang Chen, why?

What do I lack compared to Ye Jingyi, you tell me, can I try harder?

I just want your love, even a brief moment of tenderness would suffice, very brief is fine, just to have a beautiful memory, and I would be content!

Jiang Chen, I…"

Gong Lin, feverish, suddenly began to speak incoherently, clearly dreaming about something.

Hearing these words, Shen Xiaoqin immediately felt a surge of emotion.

This is called not hurting? Look at how pitiful the girl's words are!

No, she definitely had to have a good talk with her son.

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