Chapter 604: Chapter 521: Peach Blossoms

The moment the door closed, they became inseparable, melting into an embrace they refused to break.

Xiao Man buried her head in Gu Shaojun’s chest, listening to his familiar heartbeat, her senses filled with the scent that was uniquely his. She closed her eyes, feeling as if she had returned to her past life. She subconsciously tightened her arms around his waist, a sweet smile spreading across her face.

"You know, I used to love holding you just like this. Every single time, I’d pray, ’Let us be together forever. Never let us be apart!’"

A hot mist welled up in Gu Shaojun’s eyes, and he struggled to suppress the torrent of emotions churning within him.

After a long moment, Gu Shaojun’s deep, hoarse voice sounded from above her head. It held a trace of melancholy, but was filled mostly with doting affection and love. "Me too. I wished time would stand still, wished we could be together forever. I loved the feeling of holding you. It calmed me, made me feel content, and eased the pain... But you silly girl, if you liked it so much, why did you refuse me back then? Why wouldn’t you sleep in the same bed with me?"

"I..." Xiao Man paused. The question felt a little strange, but she answered instinctively. "How could I? Back then, doctors and nurses were coming into your room to check on you at all hours, day or night. Besides, we weren’t married... Our two bedrooms were connected, so we could always hear and see each other. That was good enough, wasn’t it?"

"It wasn’t good enough! I actually really, really wanted you by my side every single moment! But you had to study, so I couldn’t disturb you during the day. You could have at least slept beside me at night, though. That way, when I couldn’t sleep, I could still see you, still smell your scent... We had only skipped the wedding ceremony. Everyone around us knew what you meant to me. But you refused me twice. Do you have any idea how upset I was? And I had to pretend to be understanding, to not care, and never bring it up again. I was afraid you’d pull away because you didn’t understand... You’re a cruel one, you know that?"

Xiao Man lifted her head and stared blankly at Gu Shaojun. "How do you know that? I’m sure I never told you. You... you don’t have memories from our past life too, do you?"

Gu Shaojun smiled and shook his head. "You’re right, you never told me. I wish I had memories of our past life, but I don’t. After we parted at the train station after the Lantern Festival, I missed you so much. During that time, I kept having the same dream. Maybe it’s because you told me bits and pieces before, but I dreamed of that whole scene—our daily life in that seaside villa, the people around us, my injuries... It was supposed to be a dream, but everything felt so real. I even felt that despairing pain, more than once or twice..."

He raised a hand to stroke her smooth forehead, then the soft, rosy skin of her cheek and down to her neck. A flash of fury crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by deep, aching love. "I saw you from back then... And I saw Tang Yaxuan and her parents. They all deserve to die!"

Xiao Man lowered her gaze. "Did my appearance scare you? Back then, Zheng Shaolian said I was disgusting... that I was even uglier than the Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Gu Shaojun gritted his teeth, but then the corner of his mouth curved into a smile. He placed a kiss in her hair, which smelled faintly of flowers. "Zheng Shaolian is a damn moron and an ungrateful bastard. From now on, we’ll just ignore him."

’If only I could let Zheng Shaolian see the past version of Xiao Man. Let him be disgusted. Let him be repulsed. Maybe then he’d finally stop buzzing around my girl like a damn fly. That would certainly save me some trouble!’

"Babe, so what if you were disfigured? Would that make you not you? As long as you’re still Mo Xiaoman, as long as you’re mine, you’ll always be the one and only, the most precious person in my heart and in my eyes! Besides, your wonderful nature can’t be hidden. Haven’t you noticed? The closer people get to you, the more they like you... Of course, you can ignore all of them. All you need is me!"

With tears in her eyes but a smile on her face, Xiao Man nodded and nuzzled her cheek against his hand.

Xiao Man giggled, and her fingers found his waist, giving him a firm pinch.

Gu Shaojun: "..."

’She’s definitely doing that on purpose. A few months apart, and she’s learned to be naughty!’

He pulled her over to the sofa and sat down, gently rubbing her back to soothe her. Suddenly remembering something, he stood up and scanned the room. He spotted the leather suitcase he’d had sent back earlier, opened it, and took out a cloth-wrapped bundle. He presented it to Xiao Man as if it were a priceless treasure.

"I brought you a gift. Come see if you like it."

Xiao Man’s curiosity was piqued the moment she saw the cloth bundle. What kind of treasure could it be, she wondered, that Gu Shaojun had wrapped in a soft, white towel? The towel even had a few large, red words printed on it: "Serve the People."

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