Love is as vast as the Milky Way, impossible to cross.

Chapter 259 I know you still love me, right? Actually, I do too.

Faced with Huo Muchen's sudden approach, Liu Shiyin involuntarily took a few steps back until she leaned against the door, finally stopping. She pressed herself tightly against the door, as if only then could she find a sense of security.

Liu Shiyin remained silent. She looked at Huo Muchen, her eyes flickering with unease. She didn't know how to answer his question or how to face him.

She dared not and did not want to speak, afraid of hearing those hurtful words from Huo Muchen again. She bit her lip tightly, trying to keep herself calm.

She knew she was vulnerable right now, and could easily fall back into the shadows of the past. She didn't want to get hurt again, and she didn't want to appear so helpless in front of Huo Muchen.

Seeing Liu Shiyin's silence, Huo Muchen understood somewhat. He knew that his past actions had hurt Liu Shiyin.

He sighed softly, walked up to Liu Shiyin, bent down, gently stroked her face, and slowly said:

"Don't be afraid of me, okay? You know I won't hurt you,"

As he spoke, the image of him throwing Liu Shiyin to the ground flashed through his mind again, filling him with both self-reproach and heartache.

"I was wrong last time. I shouldn't have treated you like that. Please forgive me, okay? Or you can hit me to vent your anger, okay?"

As he spoke, he grabbed Liu Shiyin's hand and slapped himself across the face, then prepared to slap her a second time.

"don't want,"

Liu Shiyin was startled by Huo Muchen's actions. She quickly withdrew her hand, but almost simultaneously she reached out and touched Huo Muchen's cheek, anxiously checking if he was injured.

Her fingers gently traced his cheek, touching his slightly warm skin. Her heart trembled, and tears streamed down her face like a burst dam.

Seeing how much Liu Shiyin cared for him, Huo Muchen felt an indescribable joy well up inside him. He took Liu Shiyin's small hand that was resting on his face, kissed it, and said gently,

"Don't cry, it doesn't hurt at all, really,"

His words only made Liu Shiyin's tears flow even more fiercely, leaving Huo Muchen somewhat at a loss. He frantically tried to wipe away Liu Shiyin's tears, but the more he wiped, the more tears seemed to flow.

Huo Muchen looked at Liu Shiyin, whose once bright eyes were now glistening with tears, like shattered stars trembling in the darkness.

A surge of inexplicable tenderness welled up in his heart; it was his deep love for Liu Shiyin and his endless pity for her vulnerable state at this moment.

He gently pulled Liu Shiyin into his arms and held her tightly. He lowered his head, rested his chin on the top of Liu Shiyin's head, and gently stroked her hair. At this moment, all he could do was offer her some comfort with his embrace.

Liu Shiyin sobbed in Huo Muchen's arms, enveloped by that familiar scent, feeling, warmth, and sense of security once again.

This feeling had been so long ago that she had almost forgotten it. Now, being held in Huo Muchen's arms again stirred up strong emotions deep within her heart.

Her body trembled slightly, not from the cold, but from the release of pent-up anxiety and fear. In Huo Muchen's embrace, she felt as if she had found a safe haven where she could freely express her emotions.

"why?"

Gradually, Liu Shiyin's sobs subsided, and her body stopped trembling. She nestled in Huo Muchen's arms and whispered,

Huo Muchen released Liu Shiyin, looked down into her sorrowful and deep eyes, and said with deep affection and firmness,

"Adult relationships are not empty vows and promises, but rather entanglements and unspoken understandings. Many people separate and then it's over forever. I've thought about that too. I even wondered if you were already married and had children, but we met again, which means our fate wasn't over and we were destined to be entangled together again. I know you still love me, right? Actually, I love you too."