The evening breeze carried the dampness of Sea God Lake, brushing gently over their shoulders. Jiang Che drew his wandering thoughts back and turned to look at Ma Xiaotao beside him. The tenderness in his eyes could no longer be concealed.
Before, he had devoted himself entirely to cultivation. It wasn't that he hadn't understood the girl's feelings; he simply hadn't dared accept them. He couldn't.
Having crossed into this perilous continent with no one to rely on, he had known that only by fighting to grow stronger could he find a firm foothold in the chaotic times to come.
Back then, he couldn't even be certain of his own safety, much less make promises lightly. And the girl before him was only nineteen. He didn't want to put her in the slightest predicament, so he had deliberately kept his feelings in check, burying them deep in his heart and protecting her only as an elder.
But things were different now. At twenty-two, he was a Titled Douluo. The system had finally bound itself to him, and he wielded two Ultimate Martial Souls. At last, he had the confidence to stop keeping his nerves taut every moment. He had the power to protect those he cared about and could face the feelings he had hidden for so long without reservation.
Seeing him remain silent as he gazed at her without blinking, Ma Xiaotao felt her cheeks grow hotter and hotter. She couldn't help clutching the hem of her clothes, then looked up and glared at him. Yet there was none of her usual reproach in her expression, only a flustered shyness. "Y-you keep staring at me for what? Are you going to make fun of me for something I did as a child?"
The hand hanging at her side tightened slightly, and her heartbeat quickened beyond her control. In the darkness, the young man's gaze was deep and gentle. It no longer held the reserved composure he usually wore; instead, it brimmed with a tenderness she understood, leaving her flustered in an instant.
Jiang Che gave a soft laugh and stepped closer. He bent slightly until their eyes were level, his voice low and especially gentle in the evening breeze. "I'm not making fun of you. I was just thinking that I used to care only about cultivation and overlooked so much. I made you wait all this time, too."
His words were like a pebble dropped into the center of a lake, sending a storm surging through Ma Xiaotao's heart. She looked up sharply, astonishment filling her fiery-red eyes. Then, in its place, came an incredulous joy. The tips of her ears and her cheeks turned crimson, and even her breathing grew hurried.
She had waited for those words for so, so long.
From their first meeting, when her Evil Fire had erupted, to the innocent dependence that followed, and then to the clarity of her feelings as she grew older, she had always hidden her thoughts carefully. She might have been stubborn with her words, but in her heart, she had longed to be just a little closer to him.
She had been afraid he would see through her feelings, and even more afraid that Jiang Che saw her only as a junior, a little girl who needed looking after. But now, she clearly saw in his eyes the same affection she felt for him.
"Jiang Che..." Ma Xiaotao parted her lips. Her voice trembled so faintly it was almost imperceptible. For a moment, she couldn't find anything to say and could only stare at him in a daze.
Seeing how flustered she was, Jiang Che's heart melted. Without thinking, he raised a hand and gently brushed the strands of hair from her brow. The warmth of his fingertip passed through her skin, carrying the unique, faint chill of Ultimate Ice. Ma Xiaotao stiffened all over and couldn't look away.
That touch of coolness rested against her brow, yet it was like a spark that instantly kindled the burning affection she had accumulated in her heart over the years. Even the Evil Fire that had long been docile within her turned soft and tame, winding slowly along her meridians without a trace of its former restlessness.
Ma Xiaotao's lashes trembled uncontrollably. A thin sheen of moisture clouded her fiery-red eyes, and joy and hurt mingled as the bridge of her nose began to sting. She had imagined this moment countless times, but never thought it would come so suddenly, toppling all her disguises and defenses beneath his gentle gaze.
"Jiang Che..." At last, she called his name. Her voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of tears. The sharpness of the Fire Phoenix was gone, leaving only a young woman's bashfulness and dependence. "Do you know what you're saying?"
Jiang Che's fingertips lingered beside her cheek, unwilling to move away. The tenderness in his eyes became unmistakable affection. He nodded solemnly, his voice firm and heartfelt, each word striking the deepest part of Ma Xiaotao's heart. "I know exactly what I'm saying. Before, I protected you because it was my duty as your elder. From now on, I'll protect you as Jiang Che—as the man protecting the woman he loves."
"I won't make you wait anymore. I won't deliberately keep my distance, and I won't let you suffer the slightest grievance."
The night deepened, and ripples shimmered across Sea God Lake beneath the moonlight, which outlined their figures in a gentle glow. Ma Xiaotao could no longer hold back her feelings. She took a small step forward and leaned into his arms, wrapping both arms around his waist and burying her face against his chest. She felt his steady heartbeat and breathed in the crisp, cool scent that belonged only to Ultimate Ice.
Her body trembled slightly, and joyful tears slipped down, dampening Jiang Che's clothes. Her voice was muffled, but full of relief. "I knew it... I knew you didn't not care about me..."
Jiang Che stiffened for a moment, then gently raised a hand and wrapped it around her shoulders, holding her securely in his arms with the tenderness of someone cradling a priceless treasure. The chill of Ultimate Ice wound together with the warmth of the Ultimate Fire in her body. Water and fire blended in striking harmony, just like the two of them: after all their twists and turns, they had finally found their way to each other.
He lowered his head, resting his chin lightly on the crown of her head. Breathing in the faint gardenia scent in her hair, he spoke in a low, gentle voice that drifted through the evening breeze. "I'm the one at fault for making you wait all these years. From now on, I'll stay by your side for the rest of my life. We'll never be apart again."
Ma Xiaotao clung to him tightly and buried her face even deeper against his chest. A happy smile tugged at her lips, while the tears in her eyes swelled all the more. All those years of waiting, unease, and careful restraint had found their perfect ending in this moment.
The evening breeze continued to brush past, carrying the dampness and tenderness of Sea God Lake. It swept away all their distance and regrets, leaving only the two of them embracing beneath the moonlight, cherishing this sincere affection that had come so late. They quietly felt each other's heartbeats, as if time itself had stopped, leaving nothing but joy and peace in their hearts.
Jiang Che looked down at the girl in his arms, at the tips of her ears still flushed red, and gently stroked her hair. His heart was full of certainty. From now on, he would not only establish himself on the Douluo Continent; he would also protect the girl before him, keep her free from worry for the rest of her life, and accompany her as she saw every beautiful sight the world had to offer. He would never let her suffer the slightest grievance again, and would make up for all the tenderness he owed her.
Their embracing figures stretched long beneath the moonlight. The waves of Sea God Lake gently lapped at the shore with a faint, scattered sound, as if softly singing of the affection that had come so late.
After an unknown length of time, Ma Xiaotao finally lifted her head from Jiang Che's arms. The tears still glimmered in her eyes, but so did a bright smile. She wiped at the corners of her reddened eyes and chided him with a shy pout. "It's all your fault for making me cry like this. If those little guys from the Outer Court see me, who knows how much they'll tease me?"
Jiang Che chuckled and raised a hand to wipe away the last tears on her cheek. The faint chill of his fingertips touched her warm skin, making Ma Xiaotao shiver again. His gaze fell on the corners of her red eyes, and his voice was full of indulgence. "Anyone who dares tease you, I'll make them practice holding their breath at the bottom of Sea God Lake until they never dare say another word out of turn."
Before you continue