The world spun, with the galaxy reflected in his eyes.

Yue Lin’s words echoed in his ears, every single one clear and sharp.

The smile on Yue Lin’s face when he lowered his gaze was radiant and eye-catching.

As Chu Hanjin loosened his fingers from the silk lantern, a faintly glowing firefly escaped from the gap and flew away in spirals.

Yue Lin reached out, trying to catch it, “Ah—”

Chu Hanjin gently grabbed his sleeve and whispered, “It’s fine, let it fly away.”

He shook the small, glowing lantern in his hand, looked into Yue Lin’s eyes, and pressed his lips together. 

“I really like this.”

Yue Lin, surprised by the compliment, smiled and said, “Glad you like it.”

They played with the firefly-lit silk lantern until late into the night. Yue Lin eventually said, “The dew is heavy, we should head inside.”

Chu Hanjin returned to his room.

Yue Lin set up the bed curtains and said, “Keep watering it for a while longer. After the last half-month, we won’t need to anymore. I’ll be extra careful.”

Chu Hanjin nodded, “Okay.”

His response was as straightforward as it had been for some time. Then, naturally, he lay on the bed, waiting for Yue Lin to gently lull him into unconsciousness.

Yue Lin walked out the door.

In the beginning, Chu Hanjin couldn’t always fall asleep easily, anxiously waiting for Yue Lin to return. But after getting used to it, it felt as normal as sleeping, and he would wake up the next morning, feeling like nothing had happened, with ease.

This time, lying in bed, Chu Hanjin opened his eyes, staring intently at the silk canopy of the dragon-and-phoenix bed.

The image of catching fireflies kept swirling in his mind, and he couldn’t fall asleep again.

After a while, he heard Yue Lin’s light footsteps.

He could sense whether Chu Hanjin had fallen asleep. This time, realizing he hadn’t, Yue Lin softly asked, “Should I start now?”

Chu Hanjin kept his eyes closed.

Yue Lin placed his hand on the back of his neck, gently pressing. Feeling the tension in his body ease, he relaxed into the soft bedding.

Chu Hanjin fell asleep.

Yue Lin exhaled softly.

As part of his routine, he untied the sash of Chu Hanjin’s clothing. A beautifully knotted bow was pulled loose, and the layers of his inner garments, wrapped around him like a rose in full bloom, began to fall away, revealing clean skin underneath, like the soft petals opening to reveal the flower’s core.

Yue Lin lowered his eyes, gazing at the body beneath him. His gaze was deep, like still water with hidden currents.

He really was… no matter how he looked, so beautiful, his little Bodhisattva.

He lowered his head, cradling Chu Hanjin’s hair, breathing in the softness hidden deep within the flower.

In the vast room, one person played out a restless monologue, warmth rising inside the red canopy, the air thick with incense.

•

No one knew how late into the night it was.

Suddenly, Chu Hanjin, who had been in deep sleep, fluttered his eyelids.

He woke up, but instead of feeling refreshed like usual, there was an indescribable tension.

Chu Hanjin’s chest felt like it was being tightly gripped by a pair of hands, suspended heavily.

Thump—

Thump thump—

Thump thump thump—

He raised his long neck and could hear his heartbeat mixed with his breathing.

He was awake.

For the first time, he could clearly and tangibly sense Yue Lin while Yue Lin was still midway through his routine.

Chu Hanjin’s hair had fallen completely, his long black locks spreading across the pillow like flowing water. His neck arched high, the light falling on his face, a mix of pale white and flushed pink, making him look like a fish freshly pulled from water, glistening and wet.

His eyes shifted briefly before meeting Yue Lin’s gaze.

Yue Lin’s hand stopped abruptly, swallowing the slight tremor in his teeth, struggling to control himself. His deep golden eyes locked onto Chu Hanjin.

“Why are you awake?” he asked.

Chu Hanjin, still breathing like a fish out of water, stayed silent.

His lips, having lost their color, were now a delicate pinkish-white, and marks were faintly visible on his skin under the strands of hair. His legs curled slightly.

Just as he was about to turn his head, as if burned by a hot iron, he clamped his eyes shut, his long lashes trembling slightly. He said, “Yue… Yue Lin…”

Realizing what had happened, Yue Lin quickly withdrew the metaphorical branch from the flowerbed.

But things didn’t improve.

Chu Hanjin seemed out of control, turning his head even further, stifling a groan.

Yue Lin, flustered, hurriedly apologized, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

The moonlight flickered outside, the breeze blew gently, and inside the room, chaos reigned.

After a long while, Chu Hanjin finally sat at the tea table, draping a robe over his shoulders, feet resting in cloud-patterned shoes, his hair neatly brushed, and silently drank tea.

Yue Lin stood beside him, head lowered, waiting to be scolded, “Before you fell asleep, I pressed your acupoint to ensure a deep sleep. It should have kept you asleep, even through thunder. I’ve always done it this way. I don’t know why you woke up halfway through today…”

Chu Hanjin remained silent, his hand absently brushing his abdomen.

Yue Lin’s voice softened, “Please don’t be mad. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Chu Hanjin shook his head, “I’m not mad.”

Yue Lin couldn’t tell if he was really angry or not, rubbing his brow in frustration, “I really didn’t expect this. You said before we made the three promises, I’ve always kept them in mind. I’ve never wanted to go against your wishes—”

He kept rambling, and Chu Hanjin finally couldn’t hold back, “It’s not your fault.”

Yue Lin, “Huh?”

Chu Hanjin repeated, “It’s not your fault.”

After saying that, he finished the tea in his cup and placed it back on the table. His voice remained steady and meticulous, “I woke up on my own.”

Yue Lin’s gaze dropped, “Why—”

As if realizing something, his voice trailed off.

Yue Lin crouched down slightly, gently holding Chu Hanjin’s hand, “Is there somewhere that feels uncomfortable?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Yue Lin asked, “Did you sense danger? Is the baby coming?”

Chu Hanjin, “…No, that’s not it.”

In his heart, he silently thought.

He just didn’t know how long he could keep deceiving himself.

Yue Lin always said he loved him, and Chu Hanjin could always use the excuse that Yue Lin was the Demon Lord, avoiding direct responses. Yue Lin’s kindness could be dismissed as care for the child inside him. And their intimacy—he could chalk it up to being for the sake of the child, forced against his will…

Everything Yue Lin had done for him, Chu Hanjin could find an excuse for.

An excuse to ignore.

An excuse not to take responsibility.

Even the thought that it would eventually end.

It was this mindset that let him feel so secure in Yue Lin’s affection.

This was the inner demon he had been avoiding and refusing to confront.

…

But now…

He began to realize that Yue Lin’s affection was something precious, something that warmed him too.

Chu Hanjin rubbed the tea cup, remaining silent.

Yue Lin stared at him for a long time, still unable to figure out the cause, and inched closer to study his expression, his eyes bright, “Don’t want to tell me?”

Chu Hanjin set down the cup with a crisp “pop!”

Finally, he said, “Just now…”

Yue Lin, thinking he was about to explain why he woke up, responded, “Hm?”

To his surprise, Chu Hanjin closed his eyes and said seriously, “Just now, you went too deep. Will that hurt the baby?”