His rare Dragon-Elephant Constitution allowed him to grow stronger faster than others...but it also demanded more energy.
Every breakthrough required intense focus, constant training, and recovery.
The past ten days of closed-door cultivation had paid off. His strength had grown steadily.....and luckily, his nightly time with Yanran hadn't affected his progress… yet.
Later, after soaking in a warm herbal bath to relax his sore muscles, Ye Chen leaned back with a faint smile.
"She'll come again tonight," he murmured.
---
Under the soft glow of lanterns, the door creaked open.
Nalan Yanran stepped inside quietly. Her cheeks were slightly red, and her robe hung loosely around her shoulders.
Her eyes met Ye Chen's, and the quiet room suddenly felt warmer.
Without speaking, she walked straight into his arms. Their lips met in a long, tender kiss.
They didn't need words.
Time passed in a blur of warm touches and soft gasps.
Their bodies moved together naturally, drawn by affection and longing.
Later, they lay tangled in the sheets, the night quiet except for the sound of their breathing.
Nalan Yanran rested her head on Ye Chen's chest, her fingers tracing small patterns along his collarbone.
Ye Chen gently ran his hand through her hair, thinking deeply.
"Yanran," he said softly, "have you felt… different lately?"
She blinked and looked up at him. "Different? What do you mean?"
He hesitated, then asked, "Have you been feeling dizzy? Tired? Or lost your appetite?"
She frowned slightly, thinking. "Hmm… I didn't feel like eating today.
And I did feel lightheaded this morning when I stood up."
Ye Chen's heart beat a little faster.
He looked her in the eyes and said seriously, "Yanran… you might be pregnant."
For a long moment, silence filled the room.
Nalan Yanran lay under the soft sheets, her body still, her eyes wide in disbelief.
The only sound was the faint rustling of the blanket as she slowly sat up.
Her expression was one of shock, her lips barely moving as she whispered:
"…What did you say?"
Her voice was quiet, trembling, as if she was afraid to hear the answer again.
Ye Chen didn't look away. He held her gaze firmly, his expression calm but serious.
"We've spent almost every night together, Yanran," he said gently. "And over the past few days, I've noticed something different in your aura. It feels warm… gentle… like a new life is forming inside you."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"I believe you might be pregnant."
Nalan Yanran's breath caught in her throat. She pulled the blanket tighter around her body and sat up straighter, her long hair falling around her shoulders like a curtain. Her face had turned pale.
"Pregnant?" she repeated, her voice shaking. "But… we're not even married!"
Panic flashed in her eyes. She looked around the room, as if expecting someone to appear and overhear their conversation.
"If my family finds out… if the sect finds out… what will they say?" Her voice rose with anxiety. "What if they throw me out? What if they shame us both?"
Ye Chen didn't move, but he could feel her fear. She wasn't just scared of being pregnant.....she was scared of everything that came with it. The expectations. The judgment. The consequences.
He reached out and gently took her hand in his. His grip was steady, warm, grounding.
"Don't be afraid," he said softly. "I'll take responsibility for everything. You won't face this alone. I'll speak to your father tomorrow—"
"No!" she interrupted sharply, her eyes wide with alarm.
She shook her head quickly. "You can't. Don't forget...the engagement with the Xiao family still hasn't been canceled!"
Ye Chen's expression darkened.
That old engagement again.
A decision made by their elders when they were still children, a deal signed long before either of them knew what love was.
It was meaningless now. But its shadow still loomed over her.
"I'll go to the Xiao clan myself," Ye Chen said, his voice cold and filled with determination. "I'll end it. That engagement is nothing to me. It's nothing to us."
Nalan Yanran's lips trembled. Her eyes dropped to her stomach, still flat, but now filled with new weight.
"…If I really am pregnant," she said quietly, "I won't be able to cultivate for a long time. Maybe months… maybe even years.
I won't be able to train with you. I'll fall behind, while you keep growing stronger."
She looked up again, and this time, her eyes were full of tears.
"What if one day… you don't want me anymore?"
Her voice was barely audible, but the pain behind it was sharp and real.
It wasn't just fear of the pregnancy—it was fear of being left behind, of becoming useless, of being abandoned by the man she loved.
Ye Chen didn't hesitate.
He moved closer and gently cupped her face in both hands.
His thumbs brushed the tears from her cheeks as he looked into her eyes.
"Yanran," he said, his voice calm but full of emotion, "listen to me."
"You're not just someone I spend time with. You're not a passing feeling or a pretty face. You're my woman—the one I chose."
He paused, voice thickening.
"And if you're carrying my child… then you're also the mother of our future.
That child will carry our blood, our name, our legacy."
He looked at her as if she were the most important thing in the world.
"There's no one else I want by my side."
The tears that had been held back now spilled down Nalan Yanran's cheeks.
She leaned into his chest, her body shaking as she wrapped her arms tightly around him.
She held on as if afraid he might disappear.
Her voice broke as she whispered:
"Promise me… promise you won't leave me to face this alone."
Ye Chen pulled her even closer, resting his chin gently on the top of her head.
"I promise," he said softly but firmly. "No matter what happens, I will be with you. Always."
Outside, the night grew deeper. Stars sparkled in the sky above the quiet mountain peak.
The world around them was silent and still.
But inside that small room, something powerful had changed.
Not just a confession. Not just a possibility.
A bond had been formed...one that neither fear nor time could break.
A bond of love, life, and a future they would now face… together.
---