"If I cried and begged, if I pretended not to know you always loved her, if I knelt before you begging, oh, could you stay for me?" To see her one last time before leaving was already a grace bestowed upon him by Heaven.

What more could he do? It was he who had pushed happiness away with his own hands, shoving her toward someone else.

Any further plea would likely only plunge her into deeper pain, and he would no longer use self-harm to hurt her.

So, perhaps all he could do was leave.

But why, at the moment Ou Chen took her away, during her final farewell to him, did his world turn eternally dark and cold?

Snowflakes silently tapped against the car window glass. Luo Xi gripped the steering wheel tight. From now on, he could never see her again. Because without him, she would be very happy. I can pretend I don't know you love her. I can cry and beg you. If I kneel before you, can it soften your heart? Or even if I die, you won't let her stay? Her singing voice was quiet, as if drifting from a distant place. Luo Xi drove silently.

The car moved through the empty streets. In the night, the car's white seemed as lonely as snow.

“Ou Chen,” accompanied by the heavy sound of footsteps ascending the indoor stairs, Yin Xia Mo couldn't help but call out his name again.

All the way home, he drove with a stiff posture, jaw tight, silent.

As if hearing nothing, Ou Chen walked silently up to the second floor. Only a dim sconce lit the hallway wall, his silhouette cast upon the carpet, appearing exceptionally solitary and cold.

“Ou Chen,” she bit her lip, quickening her steps to catch up, attempting to make him stop, but he stubbornly paid no heed, continuing to stride forward.

So, she reached out and grabbed his arm, saying urgently, "I just ran into Luo Xi there by chance; it wasn't planned!" Ou Chen stared rigidly ahead.

“I know.”

“Are you angry, then?” The despondency in his tone made her flinch.

“Angry?” Ou Chen pursed his lips, slowly turning to look at her. “Do I have the right to be angry?” Yin Xia Mo froze.

“As the despicable destroyer who separated you and Luo Xi,” a profound darkness lay in the depths of his eyes, “Do I have the right to be angry?” “Why say that!” Yin Xia Mo looked at him in disbelief. “We are married, aren't we? Tonight I just happened to run into Luo Xi; if I had known he would be there, I absolutely wouldn’t have—” “Wouldn’t have what? Wouldn't have hugged him?!” The suppressed pain in his voice echoed hollowly down the second-floor corridor! “Meow—” The black cat downstairs seemed startled awake from its sleep. Yin Xia Mo’s heart trembled, suddenly worrying that her conversation with Ou Chen would wake Yin Cheng.

For a moment, she almost wanted to give up talking to Ou Chen. Her emotions were chaotic right now.

Not yet fully calm from the shock of seeing Luo Xi, she now had to face Ou Chen’s gloom—a pervasive fatigue of powerlessness enveloped her completely.

In that instant, she suddenly wanted to flee, to bury her head deeply in the sand like an ostrich.

But she could not escape.

She could not destroy the hard-won peaceful life, nor could she hurt Ou Chen after already hurting Luo Xi.

“Can we talk for a moment, please?” Yin Xia Mo’s hand slid down his arm; she gently held his cold fingers.

Under her touch, Ou Chen’s palm trembled slightly, yet she seemed entirely unaware, pulling him toward her bedroom like a gentle wife.

The bedroom door closed softly.

This was the first time Ou Chen had stepped into her bedroom.

Their wedding night was at the Swan Castle, where he and she slept in two separate rooms divided by a door.

Because the Swan Castle was too large, they had moved here after she was discharged from the hospital, and he had never entered this room before tonight.

Her bedroom was the blue of the ocean: light blue floral wallpaper, a sapphire blue round bed, and a vase on the nightstand holding a bouquet of pure white lilies. Beside it were two picture frames: one was a photo of her and Yin Cheng, and the other was stacked behind it, the picture inside unclear.

“Luo Xi is leaving for America tomorrow,” gently releasing his hand, Yin Xia Mo turned to gaze at him, her eyes clear as still water. “The hug you saw was just a farewell. I will never see him again.”

Never see Luo Xi again.

That was her explanation, so he shouldn't mind it anymore, right? They were married; everything was settled. Given her personality, she would never associate with Luo Xi again. So, he was the victor, Luo Xi the loser. Why should he care so much? When Yin Cheng handed him the divorce agreement, a faint hope had sprung in his heart—maybe this marriage could still work out, maybe he could be with her forever.

However, the moment he saw her hugging Luo Xi in the snow, all those self-deceiving fantasies were utterly shattered. “Even using such despicable means to break me and her up, will she ever love you? Ou Chen, I’m telling you, Xia Mo will never love you! Not before! Not now! Not even if you forced her to marry you!” “Perhaps,” his throat felt hoarse, “you shouldn't have been the one she saw.” Ou Chen looked at her with gloom. Her gaze was tranquil, but perhaps too tranquil, utterly lacking the vitality her youth should possess.

“Sometimes I feel that maybe I have been too forceful and domineering. If I hadn't been in your life, would you have been happier?” “That’s not true.” She started slightly, shaking her head. “If I hadn't met you when I was eleven, Father Yin might have lost his job, and Xiao Cheng and I might have been sent back to the orphanage, ending up in any unknown family; if I hadn't met you again five years later, Xiao Cheng might never have found a suitable kidney donor.”

She looked at him tenderly. “Ou Chen, without you, I might have already sunk into despair with nowhere to go. So I am grateful to fate for letting me encounter you time and time again.” “But—” Ou Chen’s breath hitched, but reason kept him from completely sinking; he said hoarsely, “You once wished I would die. This time I coerced you, using a kidney to force you to marry me. You must hate me.” “That was all my fault.” She tilted her head, saying apologetically, “If I could have done better, if six years ago I could have made you believe there was truly nothing between Luo Xi and me, perhaps none of those regrettable things would have happened. So what right do I have to condemn you?” “—” Ou Chen was stunned. “Also today, although Luo Xi and I only met by chance, and that hug you saw was just a way of saying goodbye, it must have hurt you who knew nothing about it.”

Her eyes dimmed slightly, then she forced a smile, gazing at him. “I want to apologize to you for what happened tonight. Can—can you forgive me?” This sudden apology stunned Ou Chen! She wasn't angry, nor dissatisfied with his jealousy, but instead reconciled with him so gently. This was not the behavior of the aloof, somewhat proud woman she used to be. “You don't need to apologize to me. You did nothing wrong. It’s me who has been—” He clenched his fingers, his back stiffly erect.

“Because I don't want to cause you pain anymore, and I don't want us to torture each other anymore.” She interrupted him, her smile quiet and beautiful. “Ou Chen, we are married now, we are a family. Let everything in the past stay in the past. Let’s live peacefully from now on, okay?” Can it be? A searing heat rose in his heart. Ou Chen gazed at her deeply. Her smile was so bright and warm, like seawater under the sun, making him uncontrollably want to reach out and embrace her.

Yet her eyes were unnaturally tranquil, as if something was buried deep in the seabed, destined to remain there forever.

“Then, are you happy?” His low, hoarse voice echoed in the bedroom. Ou Chen couldn't believe he had asked, but his suddenly accelerating heartbeat told him how terrified and eager he was to know her answer.

“Very happy.” She answered quickly, as if she had answered this question countless times.

“Why?” “Because I have a home, I can be with my family every day, and life is peaceful and warm—so happy it’s like being in heaven.” She said, smiling, her eyes shining.

“Is that enough?” “Yes.”

“Even married to me, you still feel happy?” “Yes.” Hearing her reply, Ou Chen closed his eyes, unable to name the flavor in his heart—there was a surging heat, a faint bitterness, and a spreading ache.

“Even if I ask you to do things you are unwilling to do—” Opening his eyes, a faint flame burned in Ou Chen’s eyes. He reached out, his fingers stiffly grazing her slightly curled hair, then moving to her pale cheek.

“You still feel happy?” Her eyelashes trembled lightly, but her body remained motionless.

“Why aren't you answering me? Is it that you fundamentally can't accept it?” “No, I can.” Ou Chen’s eyes tightened, his breath growing hot.

“Then what if it’s like this—” Watching her breathing also quicken, he couldn't help but lean closer to her. Their breaths were separated by only a paper-thin distance. Her lips emitted a warm breath, which caused a roaring sound in his heart. The long-suppressed emotion burst forth like a volcano! “If it’s like this—” Slowly, he forced down the raging fire within him and moved to kiss her gently! He could feel her body sharply tremble, then seem to use all her strength to remain calm. But just as he was about to kiss her, she abruptly shut her eyes, and her lips turned cold!

“You said you could!” The raging fire in his heart felt doused by icy water. Deep anger and despair flared in Ou Chen’s eyes! The sharp pain of falling from heaven to hell forced him to kiss her heedlessly! Like a raging inferno, this kiss deepened and deepened. Her body stiffly trembled in his arms; he kissed her frantically! He kissed her desperately! As if trying to pull her into his own body, never to let her go! To merge her into his very being, making her him, and him her, so that even if they both died, even if they turned to dust, they would be together forever!

“Ou Chen—” In that suffocating kiss, Yin Xia Mo struggled to wake him, but held tightly in his iron-like arms, her mouth filled with the frantic, desperate air of his breath. Her struggling, low cries could only break into fragmented sounds.

Until with a "thump," in a dizzying faintness, she heavily fell back onto the bed. He continued to kiss her, a fiery kiss so hot it seemed to burn the air. The ceiling spun around them. She could not break free. On the bed, he kissed her desperately and painfully. The scale of that kiss exceeded what she could bear, and the air crackled like electrical fire!

“Ou Chen—” The dizziness of the world turning upside down, mixed with fear, made her begin to struggle and call out with all her might, but her mind went blank and hazy in waves. Oxygen grew dangerously thin. He kissed more fiercely. She could feel his body burning hot, like an erupting volcano! In her chaotic struggle, her hand brushed against something cold on the nightstand. In her panic, she grabbed it, intending to hit him to wake him up and bring him back to his senses! But he suddenly reached out and grabbed her. Mid-air, her fingers weakly released—and the cold object fell onto the sheets!

The deep blue curtains were slightly lifted by the night breeze.

Snow silently drifted outside.

Eyelids trembling, Yin Xia Mo, with a pale face, gradually gave up struggling. Thinking carefully, what was the point of resisting? What right did she have to refuse? This should have happened on the first night of their marriage; he had already given her ample time.

But Ou Chen stopped.

He looked at the object lying on the light blue cotton sheets. It was a picture frame containing a photograph of him and her.

He was wearing his black groom's tuxedo, and she was in her snow-white wedding dress. Outside the church, on the lawn, he held her horizontally in his arms, lowering his head to gaze at her deeply.

She had—placed this photo on her nightstand.

A sudden warmth bloomed in Ou Chen's heart, like a warm current flowing silently through his cold, despairing blood.

At the same instant, as if emerging from a dream, he was horrified to realize he had pinned her onto the bed, her hair disheveled, her face pale. What was he doing?! Astonishment and shame exploded in his mind!

Yin Xia Mo also stared blankly at the picture frame. In the photo, he and she were the groom and bride. He was her husband, the person she would spend her life with. Moments ago, she had told him repeatedly that even married to him, she felt happy. She knew what, as her husband, he would demand of her. So, how could she hurt him so quickly? Moreover, he was her husband, and she was his wife. Hadn't she willingly accepted it on their wedding day?

“I’m sorry,” Yin Xia Mo reached out to stop him from pulling away, grasping Ou Chen’s arm. Her voice was very low, almost a whisper by his ear.

“I should be the one saying sorry.” He said bitterly and hoarsely, struggling to suppress the chaotic, burning embers still active inside him, pulling her hand away, trying to move off her body.

“I’m sorry, things just happened too fast, I wasn't prepared,” as if not hearing him, her chest rose and fell slightly. She tilted her face up to smile at him, the slight awkwardness at the corners of her lips perfectly concealed. “I’m ready now.”

“You—” Ou Chen stared at her in astonishment, unable to believe what he had heard.

Yin Xia Mo offered no further explanation.

She pulled him down and covered his lips with hers.

His lips were cool when they first touched hers, but the flesh beneath seemed to hold an eternally burning flame.

Her kiss was just the spark that ignited him. She kissed him lightly, slowly, and soon a fierce, widespread fire spread between them!

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Straining to control the surging flames within him, Ou Chen lifted his head from her lips, looking at her with deep, dark eyes.

He was too confused to distinguish his own emotions. He wanted to give her happiness, even watching her leave, yet he so desperately wanted to keep her here, even if only for this moment in the night.

“I know,” her cheeks flushed crimson, but her eyes were as clear as the ocean. “I am your wife.”

A corner of the window was exposed as the night wind billowed the deep blue curtains.

Snow fell in torrents.

Outside, everything was crystal clear—a vast, white snowscape, beautiful dancing flakes. Inside, it was warm as spring—clinging fragrance, intoxicating murmurs. The lilies diffused their quiet fragrance in the night.

She slept peacefully, her seaweed-like hair spread across the pillow, one pale arm exposed from under the covers. She slept soundly, faint blushes coloring her cheeks, her body curled like a child’s, hands held to her chest.

Ou Chen leaned against the headboard, watching her.

He had maintained this posture of gazing at her for a very long time. His eyes were dark green like a midnight forest. He wanted to touch her smooth, white shoulder, wanted to gently pull the blanket over her, yet her innocent sleeping posture made any action feel like sacrilege.

Was it all real? That pleasure that pierced to the bone, that entanglement like heaven—tonight, had she truly become his wife?

For a moment, he thought he would melt away along with the peak of happiness. If time could stop at that instant, they could truly be happy forever. But reality gradually returned to him.

“Even using such despicable means to break me and her up, will she ever love you? Ou Chen, I’m telling you, Xia Mo will never love you! Not before! Not now! Not even if you forced her to marry you!” He had once thought that as long as he could keep her, imprison her by his side, he wouldn't care about any methods or means.

From childhood, to their reunion after five years apart, he had always acted this way.

He believed only he could give her happiness, only he could make her joyful, so when he eliminated every obstacle between them, he never hesitated.

So when did he slowly stop being so sure? When Luo Xi attempted suicide, when Xiao Cheng refused the kidney transplant, when she suffered high fevers for days and nights, unconscious in bed, he realized that his dominance could push her to such agony, perhaps even cause her death.

“Then—” Luo Xi stared directly at him, his eyes deep and pitch-black.

“Is she happy now?” Is she happy now? In the darkness, Ou Chen gazed for a long time at the sleeping woman. She slept deeply, her pale arms crossed over her chest, her brow slightly furrowed, as if caught in a bad dream, her whole body curled up like a tiny shrimp. And around her wrist, tied was that long, slightly faded green lace. Long ago, on the bluestone platform in the courtyard.

In the moonlight, he opened a box. Inside was a long, green lace trim, its ornate pattern fluttering gently when the breeze hit it.

“Tie this on every day from now on.”

“Why?” “Only in front of me are you allowed to wear your hair down three times.”

He took the lace from her hand, leaned down gently, and tied it in her hair. All this time, he had been so domineering toward her, refusing to let anyone but him see her with her hair down, ordering her to keep it tied up.

Looking at the unconscious furrow of her brow in her sleep, the gloom in Ou Chen’s heart deepened. Could the happiness he thought he could give her truly make her happy? What right did he have to force her? When a person loses the right to freely choose their life, how can they truly be happy? He only now truly understood this simple logic, or had he always managed to evade thinking about it?

Snowflakes drifted quietly outside the window.

The sleeping woman shuddered uneasily and her wrist moved in a small struggle.

Ou Chen leaned over, gently reaching out. Without waking her, he gently untied the green lace from her wrist, then softly pulled the blanket up, slowly pressing a kiss onto her brow.

He belonged to her.

And she, was free.

Morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains onto Yin Xia Mo’s face.

She sat up, staring blankly for a moment. A slight soreness in her body let her know that last night had not been a dream.

Ou Chen had already left; she was alone in the room.

Dressing, she stepped to the window and pulled back the curtains. The snow had stopped. Outside was a dazzling white world of ice and snow; the air was exceptionally crisp. She took a deep breath and smiled, a sense of unprecedented peace filling her heart.

Turning around, just as she was about to go downstairs to prepare breakfast for Xiao Cheng and Ou Chen, something near the vase full of lilies on the nightstand made her pause.

She walked over curiously.

She clearly remembered there wasn't any file-like item on the nightstand. Could it be something Ou Chen left for her?

Her fingers picked up the document—the post-snow sunlight reflected off the paper surface, slightly dazzling. The five bold characters, “Divorce Agreement,” seemed to leap off the page! Yin Xia Mo froze dumbly.

A cascade of emotions surged through her heart, lingering for a long moment before she finally lowered her gaze, only to discover that the delicate green lace bracelet she had worn on her wrist was gone. Ou Chen clenched the documents in his hand, and she closed her eyes, taking a decisive step out of the bedroom. She ran down the second-floor corridor!

She raced down the stairs! She had to find Ou Chen! She knew him too well; she understood exactly what was on his mind, and she would make him see that last night was not merely an impulse.

"Young Master Cheng—" "Young Master Cheng—" Suddenly, a chorus of frantic cries from the maids jolted Yin Xia Mo into sharp alarm. She hurried to the top of the stairs and peered down, her breath catching. An easel and brushes were scattered across the floor, and little Cheng lay slumped unconscious in the armchair by the fireplace, his face terribly pale!

Bubble Summer III