The first rays of sunlight gently streamed through the curtains, bathing the room in a soft, golden glow. Ye Mei slowly blinked her eyes open, her surroundings still hazy from sleep. Her first realization was that she wasn't in the same position she had been in last night. Instead of lying on her side, she was curled up against something—no, someone. The warmth radiating from the person next to her was unmistakable.
She shifted slightly, feeling the rise and fall of his chest beneath her. It took her a moment to process everything, but when she did, a rush of realization flooded her mind.
She was in Chen Yixuan's arms.
Her heart skipped a beat as she looked up at him, his face soft in slumber. The sharp features that usually carried such an air of aloofness were now relaxed, and in this moment, he looked almost vulnerable. His dark hair had fallen slightly over his forehead, and his breathing was steady, a quiet reminder that he was alive, here, with her.
Ye Mei couldn't help herself. Her fingers reached out, almost without thinking, and gently ran through his hair. It was soft, yet thick, and she found herself lost in the sensation of touching him so intimately. The moment was so calm, so peaceful, that she couldn't help but let out a breath of relief.
He was warm, and there was something soothing about the way his body surrounded hers. In his arms, she felt safe, protected, and oddly cherished—though she knew nothing about the deep layers of his heart, she felt something real between them.
Her thoughts swirled in a whirlwind of emotions as her fingers continued to stroke through his hair. He was so close, so undeniably hers in this quiet moment, and as she realized that truth, a strange warmth spread through her chest.
He's mine, she thought, her heart racing at the sudden, overwhelming certainty.
The thought was shocking, but at the same time, it felt so natural. She hadn't known him long, but everything had changed the moment they'd met. The way he had protected her, cared for her, and even now, the way he held her so gently—it was more than what a typical arranged marriage might offer.
Her face flushed with heat as her gaze dropped down to his face again. She wasn't sure how long she had been awake, but time seemed to stand still in his presence.
Without realizing it, her fingers had slipped through his hair a little longer, and she found herself staring at his lips, wondering what it might feel like to be kissed by him.
Just as she was lost in her thoughts, she felt a shift beneath her. Yixuan was waking up. His eyes fluttered open, and his gaze locked onto hers with a kind of intensity that made her breath catch in her throat. His dark eyes, usually so cold and unreadable, were now filled with something softer, something almost… tender.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Ye Mei felt her heart pound in her chest as the silence stretched between them. He didn't look away, and neither did she. There was something undeniably magnetic in his gaze, something that made her stomach flutter and her skin tingle.
"Good morning, beautiful," he murmured, his voice low and husky from sleep. The words sent a shiver down her spine, and her breath hitched.
Beautiful? She was still processing the fact that he had said those words to her. The same Chen Yixuan who had built a reputation for being cold, distant, and completely uninterested in affection. No one had ever mentioned that he could be like this.
Her cheeks flushed a deep red as she tried to collect her thoughts. Beautiful? Did he really mean it, or was he just saying it because they were in this intimate moment? Either way, it caught her completely off guard.
Before she could respond, she realized the position they were in. Somehow, in her sleep, she had ended up in his arms, but now she was sitting on top of him, her body resting on his lap. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked down at their position, then back at his face.
Yixuan, still looking at her with that steady intensity, grinned slightly as if he had anticipated her reaction. There was no discomfort in his gaze—only amusement and something else that she couldn't quite place.
"Were you awake all this time?" she asked, trying to mask her own shock with a playful tone. She nudged his chest lightly, her fingers lingering on the soft fabric of his shirt. Her mind was still racing, unsure of how to process everything.
To her surprise, Yixuan chuckled softly, a deep sound that vibrated through his chest. The sound was rich with warmth, and it was the first time she had heard him laugh like this. The familiar aloofness was gone for now, replaced by a softness that seemed to come only when he was with her.
"Yes, I was awake," he replied, his deep voice still filled with the remnants of sleep. "But I didn't want to disturb you. You looked so peaceful."
Ye Mei's heart fluttered again, and she couldn't help but smile. He was definitely different from what she had imagined. The rumors about him—about how cold and detached he was—didn't seem to match the man in front of her. He was tender, thoughtful, and kind in ways she hadn't expected.
His laughter faded into something more intimate as he continued to look at her, his eyes softening. "I like this," he said quietly, almost to himself. "I like having you close."
Ye Mei felt a sudden warmth spread through her chest. His words, though simple, held so much weight, and they made her heart race even faster. She wasn't sure how to respond, so she simply remained where she was, unsure of what this moment meant or where it might lead.
For a few moments, there was just silence between them. Yixuan didn't make any move to break the tension, and neither did Ye Mei. She felt her body flush under his gaze, but there was a sense of comfort in the stillness, too.
Finally, she leaned down a little, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered, "You're full of surprises."
Yixuan's breath caught slightly, and his eyes flickered with something unreadable. He shifted slightly beneath her, his hands slowly reaching up to rest on her waist. His fingers brushed lightly against her skin, and she felt the heat of his touch, the gentle pressure that made her body respond instinctively.
"Maybe I'm not as cold as people think," he murmured, his voice low, his lips close to her ear. "Maybe there's more to me than what they see."
Ye Mei's breath caught in her throat as she met his gaze again. His lips were so close to hers, and for a moment, she almost forgot to breathe. The connection between them was undeniable now—this was not just the husband and wife of an arranged marriage. It was something more, something deeper, something neither of them had expected.
She felt her body reacting to him in ways she hadn't anticipated. Her heart raced faster, her chest tight with emotion, and her palms suddenly felt clammy. She wasn't sure what it all meant, but she was no longer afraid. Not in this moment, not with him.
He reached up, his fingers gently cupping her chin as he lifted her face toward his. His gaze was intense, but there was no coldness in it now—only a depth she hadn't seen before. For a brief moment, he seemed to search her eyes as if he was trying to understand what she was feeling, what she needed from him.
"Ye Mei," he said softly, his voice now serious, the playful tone gone. "Do you ever wonder if we're meant to be?"
She blinked, her heart suddenly leaping into her throat. It was a simple question, but the weight behind it was overwhelming. Did she ever wonder? Of course, she did. From the moment they had been forced into this marriage, from the moment they had spent the night together at the festival, she had felt a connection to him that she couldn't deny.
"I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But maybe… maybe we're starting to understand each other."
Yixuan smiled slightly, a flicker of something tender crossing his features. "Maybe we are," he replied, his hands gently guiding her to sit more comfortably on his lap.
And for a moment, they both simply sat there in silence, the world outside seeming to fade away as they remained locked in each other's gaze. It wasn't a perfect moment, and they both knew their relationship wasn't without complications. But for now, in this quiet morning, there was nothing else but the two of them—together.