Chapter 215

Ahem…

Mu Shi’an neither dodged nor tried to stop her. He simply endured it. But Song Nianchu was stronger than most people, and after a few blows, Mu Shi’an could no longer take it and began coughing.

The moment Song Nianchu heard him cough, her hands came to an abrupt stop.

With her eyes red from crying, she stared straight at the man before her.

“Even in my dreams, you still know how to make my heart ache…”

“Dream?” Mu Shi’an finally understood why Song Nianchu was acting so strangely despite seeing him.

So she thought she was dreaming.

Mu ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‍Shi’an’s gaze remained fixed on Song Nianchu’s face.

“Was it really that hard for you after I left?”

“I’m not upset. You’re the one who refused to listen to me,” Song Nianchu gritted out.

“If you’re not upset, then why have you cried your eyes red?” Mu Shi’an reached out, intending to touch her swollen eyes.

But Song Nianchu turned her head away.

“Chu, do you… like me very much?” Mu Shi’an asked again.

Song Nianchu’s body stiffened. Tears spilled from her eyes once more, but she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand.

“I don’t like you at all. You married into my family, after all. Now that you’re dead, I’ll just find another live-in husband when I go back. I’ll find someone more handsome, more considerate, and gentler than you.”

Her words sounded quite tough, but the tears kept falling despite her efforts.

She had never been someone who cried easily. Perhaps growing up in her environment had taught her that tears could not solve anything.

No matter how sad she was, she had never allowed her emotions to consume her.

The sadder she felt, the stronger she forced herself to be.

But now, her reason was no match for her emotions.

Mu Shi’an had originally intended to take advantage of Song Nianchu’s belief that she was dreaming and find out what she truly felt.

But seeing how heartbroken she was, he could no longer bear it. He pulled her directly into his arms.

“I’m sorry. I made you worry, but I’m fine. I’m still alive and well,” Mu Shi’an whispered into her ear.

“Fine…?” Song Nianchu’s pupils trembled slightly.

“Yes. Can’t you feel that I’m warm?” Mu Shi’an tightened his embrace.

Only then did Song Nianchu gradually realize that the man before her really was warm.

And his embrace felt far too real. Could a dream truly feel this real?

Song Nianchu pushed Mu Shi’an away and immediately cupped his face in both hands.

He was warm. Alive with heat.

Her fingers moved to his neck, and beneath her palm, she could clearly feel the pulse in his artery.

He was alive.

“You… You didn’t die?” Song Nianchu stared at him in disbelief.

Mu Shi’an nodded.

“Actually, the moment I fell in, I thought I was going to die too. Luckily, the breach in the dam hadn’t been completely blocked. And when the heavy object fell into the water, it created a small whirlpool. The whirlpool swept me out through the other side of the breach.”

“But after I was carried away, I hit my head on a rock and passed out. That’s why I couldn’t return to find you right away.”

“When I woke up and went back to look for you all, I found out that everyone thought I was dead—and that you had exhausted yourself trying to save me and fallen unconscious.” Mu Shi’an looked at Song Nianchu’s pale face, his heart filled with pain.

“So this really isn’t a dream? You’re really all right?” Song Nianchu stared at him greedily, as though afraid he might disappear.

“Yes, I’m fine.” Mu Shi’an took her hand and slowly pressed his face into her palm.

“Chu, I’m fine.”

Song Nianchu’s tears began falling again, pattering down one after another.

“Why are you crying again?” Mu Shi’an reached out to wipe the tears from her face.

But no matter how much he wiped, he couldn’t dry them all.

“I never knew you could cry this much,” Mu Shi’an sighed. Then he pulled her into his arms once more.

In his impression, Song Nianchu had always been incredibly strong.

She was decisive and capable, farsighted, and seemed to be someone nothing could defeat.

Yet now, she was as fragile as a child.

“Mu Shi’an, this is the last time. If you ever risk your life like this again, I won’t want you anymore,” Song Nianchu said, each word clear and deliberate.

Mu Shi’an’s pupils contracted, and then he nodded firmly.

“I promise.”

At the time, he hadn’t thought things through. The dam had only ruptured in one place, yet that alone had destroyed an entire village.

If the whole dam had collapsed, he couldn’t imagine how many more people would have been injured or killed.

At that moment, all he had wanted was to resolve the situation properly. That was why he had broken his promise to Song Nianchu.

When he fell into the water, he had wondered whether Song Nianchu would be devastated if she learned that he had died.

She had once said that she wanted to have children with him.

But he had not yet seen their children come into the world, nor had he walked hand in hand with her into old age.

“…”

Perhaps because Song Nianchu had never been one to cry, once she started, she could not stop.

She cried until her voice grew hoarse and not a single tear remained. Only then did she finally stop.

Fortunately, everyone here knew that Mu Shi’an had narrowly escaped death. They also knew that the young couple must have a great deal to say to each other, so no one came to disturb them.

Song Nianchu was resting in a small tent with only a single camp bed inside.

But that night, the two of them slept on it together.

She clung tightly to Mu Shi’an in his arms and slept more peacefully than she had in a long time.

The next morning.

When Song Nianchu woke up, she instinctively reached toward the space beside her, only to touch empty air.

The drowsiness vanished from her eyes in an instant.

Mu Shi’an was not lying beside her.

Could everything that had happened the night before have been a dream?

Song Nianchu’s heart jolted violently. She threw off the blanket and hurried out of bed, not even bothering to put on her shoes.

But before she could leave, the tent flap was opened from outside.

A familiar, handsome face appeared before her.

It was Mu Shi’an.

“Shi’an!” Song Nianchu practically threw herself at him and hugged him tightly.

“What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?” Mu Shi’an was carrying two steamed corn buns in his hand, so he could only comfort her back with one arm.

“I thought yesterday… was a dream…” Feeling the warmth of his body against hers, Song Nianchu finally believed that Mu Shi’an had not died.

He was still alive and well.

“It wasn’t a dream. You were sleeping so soundly, and you’d cried for so long last night. I knew you’d be hungry when you woke up, so I went to get you some breakfast.” Mu Shi’an sounded somewhat regretful.

He should have waited until Song Nianchu woke up before leaving.

She still hadn’t recovered from what had happened the day before.