Chapter 3528: Seize the Moment

Ye Chen took a shower, then as usual, he lay on one side of the bed, covered himself with a blanket alone, and habitually picked up his phone to deal with some leftover WeChat messages.

When Xiao Churan came out of the bathroom after her shower, Ye Chen noticed that she was wearing a light pink camisole nightgown made of silk, its glossy surface shimmering with a soft glow, and her skin, flushed from drinking earlier, appeared fair with a rosy tint, making the sight even more mesmerizing under the mutual contrast.

Although Xiao Churan was tall and slender, her figure was well-proportioned, her breasts full and upright, and the low, wide neckline of the camisole nightgown made them seem as if about to burst free; as they trembled slightly with her movements inside the nightgown, the shimmering fabric became even more alluring.

The waistline of the nightgown tapered inward on both sides, perfectly outlining Xiao Churan's slender waist—this woman who usually wore professional attire actually possessed an S-curve so perfect that even top models would envy it, whether viewed from the front or the side.

Xiao Churan had bought this nightgown a long time ago but had never worn it.

The reason she had never worn it was because she always felt it was too revealing.

Actually, nightgowns are meant to be comfortable, so they naturally don't cover the body too much; besides, they're worn only at home, in the bedroom—a private setting—so no one would wear them outside, making the question of exposure irrelevant.

Xiao Churan's situation was different from others'.

Other single women, in their own bedrooms, could wear whatever sleepwear they liked, even go without if they wished.

Married women, in their own bedrooms with their husbands, were naturally unrestrained and faced no such concerns.

Xiao Churan was neither a single woman nor a normally married woman; although she shared a room with Ye Chen, because they had never crossed that final threshold, there remained an indescribable awkwardness between them.

So, although she had bought the nightgown, she had never dared to wear it at home.

But today was different—she had prepared herself mentally for a long time for today, so she had specially brought this nightgown out.

Ye Chen stared in a daze; young and full of vigor, his heart naturally fluttered, but out of respect for Xiao Churan, he didn't dare stare directly at her, so he suppressed his urge and shifted his gaze to his phone.

Xiao Churan saw through his thoughts; she knew Ye Chen was just as nervous as she was.

She reached out and turned off the main bedroom light, leaving only the two dim bedside lamps on.

Then she slipped into her side of the blanket, lay flat, and stared unblinking at the ceiling with her beautiful eyes.

A few minutes later, Ye Chen suddenly felt Xiao Churan lift a corner of his blanket from her side; before he could react, she had already slipped into his blanket.

Xiao Churan's silk nightgown felt icy cool to the touch, but her bare skin burned hot—this dual sensation made Ye Chen's body instantly stiffen.

In his life, he had been this intimate with a woman only twice: once when Lin Wanyer pulled him from the hot springs while he was dying, and another when Helena held him tightly after he lost consciousness.

Because of the special circumstances, he actually had no clear memory of either time, but now, with Xiao Churan beside him, he felt every inch of his skin's sensation—so clear, so real, so deeply imprinted.

He didn't know Xiao Churan's motive for doing this, but he instinctively asked, "Honey, you……you how……"

The words were on his lips, but Ye Chen still couldn't bring himself to ask so directly.

It was a legitimate marital relationship; if he suddenly asked his wife why she had crawled into his blanket, it would sound awkward, and asking it would feel even more awkward.

Xiao Churan also understood his meaning, gathered her courage, and said, "Ye Chen, we've been married this long—it's time to take the next step. What do you say?"

Ye Chen was both startled and delighted, yet still somewhat uncertain as he said, "Honey, didn't you say before that you wanted to take things step by step?"

Xiao Churan said, blushing and ashamed, "Actually, since I promised to marry you, I ought to have been intimate with you, but back then I was young and naive; although I didn't resist Grandfather's arrangement, I had a subconscious soft resistance in my heart, so we've maintained this abnormal relationship all these years……"

Saying this, she sighed, then looked seriously at Ye Chen and said, "Actually, I've wanted to change this for a long time, and I've thought about changing this situation, but at first I set the tone there, and suddenly wanting to reverse it, I still had some reservations in my heart; yet no matter how reserved, one must eventually take this step, so I've made up my mind—I want to give myself to you today, as my birthday gift to you."

Ye Chen fell silent for a moment, took no action, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions.

He naturally loved Xiao Churan deeply.

But he had always felt that Xiao Churan might not truly love him.

It was just that after so many years of living together, they had developed familial feelings, but although familial feelings had developed, they had not simultaneously developed love.

However, he had never pressed the issue.

Because when he first married Xiao Churan, he felt he didn't deserve her—back then, Xiao Churan didn't love him but was willing to marry a penniless man like him, which already made him deeply grateful; their continued respectful coexistence afterward had only reinforced this habit.

Later, although his own strength kept improving, he still dared not hope that Xiao Churan would fall in love with him, because he knew that if one doesn't love someone from the start, even if the other is excellent, it's hard to cultivate love—just like his feelings for Gu Qiuyi: he treated her as family, as a sister, even willing to bear any risk for her, including death, but truly marrying her and having children? He probably couldn't cross that mental barrier.

Precisely because of this experience, in his heart, Xiao Churan's feelings toward him should be the same as his feelings toward Gu Qiuyi.

But he never imagined that on the sixth anniversary of their marriage, on the night of his 29th birthday, Xiao Churan would actually take the initiative to be intimate with him.

Seeing Ye Chen make no move, Xiao Churan, feeling a little guilty, asked him, "Ye Chen, have you always just treated me as family?"

"No!" Ye Chen immediately said, "From the moment you married me, no matter how you positioned me in your heart, in my heart I have always positioned you as my wife."

Xiao Churan felt a little wronged and asked him, "Then why aren't you moving? If you keep delaying, it'll be past twelve……"

Ye Chen didn't want to think it was impossible, but he was somewhat worried that Xiao Churan wasn't acting purely out of emotion, so he instinctively asked, "Honey, you drank quite a bit tonight—is it the alcohol's effect?"

"No!" Xiao Churan denied firmly, blurting out, "I made this decision before I came; otherwise I wouldn't have brought this nightgown. We've been married this long—have you ever seen me wear something this revealing in front of you?"

Ye Chen thought for a moment, then smiled foolishly and said, "Indeed, I haven't."

Xiao Churan, embarrassed beyond endurance, blurted out, "I've been this proactive, and you're still hesitating, asking long and short—if I'd known it would be like this, I wouldn't have spoken up!"

Ye Chen realized, quickly embraced her, and said softly, "Sorry, honey, it's all my fault—I was just afraid you hadn't thought it through clearly, made a hasty decision, and would regret it later."

Xiao Churan looked at him, her voice soft yet very firm, and said, "Giving myself to you—I have no regrets; if I truly said I regretted it, it would only be that I regretted making this decision too late……"

Saying this, she and Ye Chen locked eyes, emotionally saying, "Honey, the past is the past—no matter what we missed before, what we should do is seize the present, right?"

At this moment, Ye Chen finally understood that Xiao Churan's decision had been made after deep thought.

Besides being moved, his heart was also filled with longing for her.

After all, they had been married for six years—this should be a completely normal thing between husband and wife, yet for various reasons, they had delayed it for six years.

Today was his birthday; if he took this long-overdue step tonight, it would seem like the best outcome.

People often say, the best time to plant a tree was ten years ago; the next best time is now. Feelings are the same.

No matter what the reason for the delay before, it has already been substantially delayed—looking back now, it's impossible to make substantial amends.

And the true way to make substantial amends is to seize the present.

So Ye Chen hesitated no more, rolled over, and gently pressed Xiao Churan beneath him, kissing her lips.

At that moment, Xiao Churan's body trembled slightly, responding awkwardly yet passionately.

After six years of marriage, this was the first time they had kissed so deeply.

Ye Chen's heart was full of love for Xiao Churan, while Xiao Churan's heart, besides love, also held the pain of an impending farewell.

But at this moment, that pain transformed into even stronger love, like a tide engulfing her.

Everything that followed proceeded as naturally as water finding its channel.

Xiao Churan's body was tense, her brow slightly furrowed, her fingertips gripping Ye Chen's back, and in the sixth year after their marriage, she truly became his wife in every sense.

And in the final few hours before she was about to leave Ye Chen, she gave him her most precious thing.

No matter how Ye Chen had deceived her before, at this moment she had completely forgiven him.

Giving herself to him at the moment of parting was also Xiao Churan's decision after deep consideration.

First, she had already deeply fallen in love with Ye Chen, and even if she had to leave him, she felt she would never again develop affection for any other man in this life.

Second, she felt that over the past six years of marriage, she owed Ye Chen too much, and the gap between her and Ye Chen was so vast that the only thing she could possibly repay him with was this wholehearted love.

Ye Chen, too, only at this moment transformed into a true adult man in the fullest sense.

After several storms came and went, he held Xiao Churan tightly, a strong sense of unreality surging in his heart, even accompanied by an inexplicable unease.

Yet Xiao Churan in his embrace was so real that it dispelled all his anxiety, and he held her tightly.

This night was the first time in twenty years since his parents' death that he slept as peacefully as an infant……