Fu Jingrong went silent after hearing her question. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The truth was simple — but the weight of it pressed against his chest. Ever since the day they met, there had been something about her that drew him in. Back then, he had already been a star whose name filled billboards and award lists. She, on the other hand, was just a rookie in the same company, still carving her path.

Their first meeting had been unexpected. A few artists had been whispering rumors about him, sharp little knives meant to wound his reputation. She had stepped in without hesitation, defending him in a way that was both fierce and unapologetic. He’d been stunned — not because someone had stood up for him, but because she had. That one act had piqued his curiosity, igniting a quiet fascination he couldn’t quite shake.

From that moment, they edged closer. Their first film together came soon after — he as the leading man, she as the second female lead. They didn’t share many scenes, but their professionalism shone, and the project ended up being a turning point in her career.

Then came the incident that changed everything. She had overheard a conversation between him and the film’s female lead. The actress had been jealous of how much time he spent with Hua Jing, and he’d responded vaguely, trying to diffuse the situation. Unfortunately, his words sounded far from innocent.

That same day, he’d planned to confess to her. Instead, she’d looked at him with a cold, cutting hatred — and he had no idea why. It was only much later that he pieced it together: she had only heard part of the conversation, missing the words that could have erased the misunderstanding.

He’d tried to explain, but the chance never came. Then came the accident — right before his eyes — and all thoughts of explanations had been swallowed by fear. Watching her life hang by a thread, he’d made himself a vow: if fate ever gave them another chance, he wouldn’t waste a single moment.

And now... here they were. He hadn’t left her side since. And deep down, he knew the truth. He had fallen for her the very first time their eyes had met.

He didn’t say it aloud, but Hua Jing read it in his silence, in the softness of his gaze.

"Since the first time you saw me," she murmured.

His lips curved, and though he didn’t confirm it with words, the answer was written all over his face.

Fu Jingrong’s question came with that familiar glint in his eyes.

"What about you?" he asked, his voice dipping into a teasing lilt. "When did Mrs. Fu fall in love with me?"

For Hua Jing, the answer didn’t require much thought. She met his gaze and said honestly, "Back then... during the filming of our first project together. We spent a lot of time together then."

Fu Jingrong laughed, low and warm. "Since that long? And you never told me?"

She arched a brow. "You know what happened later." Her tone softened. "I’m glad the misunderstanding was cleared, but still..."

He understood. What she had overheard back then must have cut deeply. That one careless moment had built the wall between them — a wall that lasted far too long. In his mind, he cursed that misunderstanding for stealing years they could have spent together.

If not for the accident, if not for the strange twist of fate that sent them to another world, maybe they would still be apart. But maybe that was destiny’s way — forcing them into life-and-death circumstances so they could truly find each other. Still, he lamented that it had to happen like that.

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as his lips pressed feather-light kisses across her face. "Mrs. Fu shouldn’t have kept her love hidden. If we’d been together back then... everything could have been different."

She clicked her tongue. "I wonder whose fault that was."

He didn’t hesitate. "Yes, I know. It was my fault."

The warmth between them wrapped around like a cocoon — a love old and deep, almost unfathomable. They were each other’s missing halves, and though no one else knew the depth of their bond, to them it was the most precious thing in the world.

Hua Jing’s arms tightened around him. She didn’t know why, but Fu Jingrong felt softer now, gentler. Before she realized it, she was on her tiptoes, brushing a soft, fleeting kiss against his lips.

Fu Jingrong didn’t waste a second.

The moment her lips touched his, he caught her gently but firmly, deepening the kiss with a rush of pent-up emotion that seemed to spill from the years they had lost. It was not hurried, yet it carried an intensity that made her heart race and her knees weaken.

It had been so long — not since they had met again, not since that other world — that they had shared something like this. Every unspoken feeling, every longing glance, every brush of hands they’d endured without acting on it, seemed to find its voice now.

Hua Jing’s breath quickened, her chest rising and falling as if she were trying to keep up with the tide of emotions flooding her. The heat in his gaze, the steadiness of his hold, the faint tremor in his fingers — all of it overwhelmed her senses.

But she had just woken from a year-long coma. Her body, still fragile, was unused to such closeness, such a pull on her strength. The air between them grew hot, too heavy, until her breathing grew shallow.

Fu Jingrong felt it instantly. As if burned, he drew back, his hands still cradling her but his lips leaving hers. His dark eyes searched her face with concern.

"Tired?" he asked softly.

Hua Jing nodded softly and it earned a chuckle from the man who immediately bent down and scooped her up in a bridal carry.

Hua Jing was not ready and was caught off guard by the man.

She gasped loudly, "Aaah!"

Fu Jing Rong laughed heartily and sped towards the house amidst giggles coming from Hua Jing.

The scene was quite beautiful but unbeknownst to them, two people were standing at the side staring at this scene in utter shock!

A small fruit basket fell down with a soft thud as one of the people’s face quickly became pale!