The Ever-Burning Golden Eyes

This long, gentle kiss seemed to possess some magical power, gradually soothing the fright brought on by the midnight hour.

When Lu Yan's lips reluctantly parted, Aemeath's previously pale cheeks finally regained their familiar rosy hue.

She buried her face in Lu Yan's broad, warm chest, listening to his strong heartbeat and feeling his real presence, and her tense shoulders finally relaxed completely.

Lu Yan whispered in Aemeath's ear, "I will never let you be alone again."

Aemeath reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, her voice still carrying a heavy nasal tone:

Don't make me worry. I'm most afraid... afraid something might happen to you.

The usually strong Aemeath is now just a girl still shaken by the near loss of her lover.

Lu Yan gently stroked her slender back, saying solemnly, "I promise, this will never happen again."

"I'll be fine, I'll always stay with you, and we'll plant all the flowers in our yard until they bloom, okay?"

"Mmm," Aemeath responded obediently, tilting her head slightly.

Aemeath's gaze naturally fell on Lu Yan's face.

She had only wanted to take another good look at the face that she cared about, but the next second, the expression on her face suddenly froze.

"A-Yan..." Aemeath's voice suddenly stopped, her bright starry eyes widened slightly, her gaze filled with disbelief.

"What's wrong?" Lu Yan chuckled as he looked at her dazed expression. "Did you realize your husband has become even more handsome after surviving this ordeal?"

Aemeath ignored his teasing.

She subconsciously reached out and cupped Lu Yan's cheeks, turning his face slightly towards the wall lamp.

As the light shifted, Aemeath finally became certain that she hadn't misjudged the situation.

"Your eyes..." Aemeath's voice trembled slightly with extreme shock.

Lu Yan's eyes, which were originally as deep as obsidian, have now undergone a dramatic change.

The pure black has disappeared, replaced by a dazzling and ancient gold.

It's not your average amber or light brown, but a pure, bright gold, just like Aemeath's, that seems to shimmer with starlight!

"My eyes?" Lu Yan looked at Aemeath's shocked expression and was also somewhat bewildered.

He blinked, and apart from feeling an unprecedented clarity in his vision, even able to see the fine dust particles in the air, he did not feel any discomfort.

"What's wrong with my eyes? Did I have a fever earlier and they're bloodshot? Or did my dark circles scare you?" Lu Yan muttered to himself, releasing Aemeath.

He walked to the full-length mirror in the corner of the bedroom and casually turned on the fill light on the edge of the mirror.

The white light illuminated the area around the mirror.

Lu Yan bent down slightly and brought his face close to the mirror.

He even went so far as to stretch out his fingers and somewhat comically pry open his upper and lower eyelids, staring wide-eyed as he carefully examined himself in the mirror.

"Hiss..." When he saw the change in his eyes, Lu Yan couldn't help but gasp, and the fingers that were prying open his eyelids froze.

The man in the mirror still had that cool and handsome appearance, but his eyes had become golden.

Lu Yan stared at himself in the mirror for a full half minute.

He tried blinking, rolling his eyes, and even rubbing them with his hands, but the brilliant gold not only didn't disappear, it shone even brighter under the light.

"A-Yan..." Aemeath walked up behind him at this moment.

Looking into the mirror at the pair of golden eyes that were so similar to her own and his past self, she felt a surge of indescribable turmoil within her.

Is A-Yan about to regain his memories?

Aemeath's heart was pounding as she nervously watched Lu Yan's retreating figure.

Lu Yan released his grip on his eyelids.

He straightened up, slowly stepped back half a step from the mirror, then looked at himself in the mirror and smiled.

Lu Yan turned his head, looking at the stunned Aemeath with his gleaming golden eyes, and teased:

"Have I awakened the eternally burning golden eyes?"

These words shattered the somewhat somber, even suspenseful atmosphere that had filled the bedroom.

Aemeath was stunned for two seconds before she reacted, then she was both amused and exasperated. "What golden eyes?! You're still in the mood for jokes! Do you even know what happened to you?!"

She strode forward angrily, extended her fair finger, and gently poked Lu Yan's chest, her eyes filled with undisguised joy and affection.

Lu Yan chuckled, grabbing her mischievous little hand and pulling her into his arms. His golden eyes shone brightly under the wall lamp.

"Those with golden eyes are usually dragon-slaying warriors or high-blooded hybrids. However..."

He lowered his head and affectionately rubbed his nose against Aemeath's, their faces meeting at an extremely close distance.

At this distance, two pairs of equally dazzling golden eyes reflected each other's images, like unique puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly.

"However, I prefer to interpret it as... couple eye colors, right? This is your exclusive mark on me in this world, isn't it?" Lu Yan's voice carried a sense of satisfaction, as if the dust had settled.

Aemeath's heart skipped a beat, and seeing the unreserved love in his eyes, her own eyes welled up with tears again.

He didn't care about his own situation; he only cared that this change would bring him closer to her.

"Mmm." Aemeath nodded emphatically, wrapped her arms around his neck, and gently kissed each of his mesmerizing golden eyes.