CHAPTER 541: CHAPTER 541: BROTHER XI, YUAN LOVES YOU...

With a trembling voice full of tender confession, the words spilled from Yan Xinxin’s lips.

She reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her tear-streaked face burying itself against him, her sobs quickly soaking the collar of his shirt.

The unexpected scene left Mo Chuxi momentarily stunned.

Listening to her sobs and smelling the faint fragrance on her, his long-tightly knitted brows suddenly relaxed, and a thin layer of moisture formed at the corner of his eyes.

Mo Chuxi slowly lifted his broad palm and placed it on Yan Xinxin’s head, gently stroking her hair.

In all the vast world, she had always been the only one who could so deeply stir his heart.

Whether it was Mu Qianyuan or Yan Xinxin.

From the beginning to the end, it was just her.

Her secret—that she liked him—he had already known for a long time, had already seen through it.

Yet waiting for her to confess it aloud had never been easy.

Even on their wedding day, she never once admitted her feelings for him.

And now, in this moment, even he didn’t understand why Yan Xinxin suddenly revealed her true feelings to him.

But no matter the reason, this very second, he felt unabashed joy.

"Alright, don’t cry anymore."

He gently stroked her head as his voice, tender to the extreme, coaxed her with patient care.

It was not so different when they were young.

When she fell and cried, her palms scraped and bleeding, he would hold her hand and blow softly on her wounds, soothing her all the while.

"Alright, no more tears. Little Qianyuan is the bravest and would never become a tear-streaked kitten."

With only a word of comfort from him, she would immediately stop crying, even if her tears still sparkled in her wide eyes.

But if she decided not to cry, then she wouldn’t cry.

Yet this time, Yan Xinxin’s tears simply wouldn’t stop.

Mo Chuxi slightly loosened his embrace, gently tilting up Yan Xinxin’s chin to look at her reddened and swollen cat-like eyes once again. His heart clenched with an aching pain.

Stretching out his fingertip, he tenderly wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes.

"No more tears, alright?"

Mo Chuxi comforted her, leaning close to plant a soft kiss at the corner of her eye.

The salty tears against his lips, in that moment, tasted sweet.

Yan Xinxin furrowed her delicate brows deeply, still full of sorrow.

"I’m sorry. I’ve always ignored your feelings. Losing the baby—truthfully, you were just as hurt as me."

She apologized, deeply recognizing how stubborn and cold she had been during this time.

Upon hearing her apology, Mo Chuxi felt his heart seize tightly.

"Foolish girl, there’s no need to apologize."

His thumb tenderly brushed her tear-streaked face, his lips moving as his warm gaze radiated profound adoration.

"Five years ago, I hurt you. You and Xi had such a difficult time because of me all these years. If you hate me, blame me, hit me—whatever you want—I don’t mind."

"The wedding I wanted to give you was ruined because of what happened five years ago. We lost the baby. If you hate me, it’s only natural."

He took all the blame upon himself.

Yan Xinxin gazed at him through tear-filled eyes and gently shook her head.

Mo Chuxi’s eyes grew even softer as he looked at her, leaning down to kiss the corner of her lips deeply.

"Xinxin, I promise you, I will give you a perfect wedding. No matter what, I must hear you say in front of everyone, ’I do.’ I want you to tell me you’re willing—to be my wife."

Yan Xinxin nodded repeatedly, her tear-filled eyes red and swollen.

"I’m willing! I’m willing!"

Mo Chuxi smiled knowingly, though his eyes too unconsciously grew damp.

"Yuan."

He called her by her real name.

"Brother Xi owes you. If you hadn’t saved me back then, you wouldn’t have ended up in that situation, and we wouldn’t have been apart for so many years."

Moved but also bewildered by his words of gratitude and regret, Yan Xinxin glanced at him.

She still didn’t have all her memories back.

"If you hadn’t left, Brother Xi would have held your hand and grown up with you. Yuan, Brother Xi is truly sorry."

"From the moment your heart stirred for Yan Xinxin—this woman—there was no need for apology."

She interrupted tearfully, her hands gently touching his handsome face.

"Brother Xi, Little Qianyuan may not remember you, but Little Qianyuan can feel it! Brother Xi, Little Qianyuan loves you..."