A thin, steady stream of fragrant smoke rose from the incense burner, curling into the air. The room was saturated with a sweet, tranquil aroma that seemed to dissolve the world outside.

  Nearby sat a clay pot filled with wine. Yu Sui picked it up, took a long swig, and set it back down. For a long time, he remained lost in thought, staring at the leaf-shaped talisman. When he finally turned his head toward Mo Yan, he found Mo Yan watching him with shimmering eyes. His face was a mask of serenity, save for his eyes, which burned with an unspoken intensity.

  Feeling the weight of that gaze, Yu Sui averted his eyes and spoke in a weary, hollow voice:

  "I am going out to drink more wine. You should rest."

  But Mo Yan glanced at the wine pot near the incense; he understood the lie instantly.

  As Yu Sui rose to leave, he suddenly froze. His breath hitched in surprise. Looking back, he saw that Mo Yan had seized his wrist, gripping him with a desperate, searching look. Yu Sui tried to pull away gently, but Mo Yan’s grasp was unyielding. Yu Sui turned his face away again, attempting to stand, but Mo Yan pulled him back with such force that Yu Sui tumbled onto the floor beside him.

  Before Yu Sui could recover, Mo Yan hovered over him, pinning him down with his presence.

  Yu Sui’s breath grew ragged, finding Mo Yan so close above him. Mo Yan’s eyes were now overflowing with an agonizing impatience a hunger that had been suppressed for years. Then, in a voice that was low, soft, yet heavy with emotion, Mo Yan leaned down toward Yu Sui’s face and whispered:

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  "I do. I trust you."

  In an instant, the moment they had both spent a lifetime waiting for... finally arrived.

  The flute that Yu Sui had been holding was laid gently on the floor. The moment it left his hand, it vanished in a golden aura its purpose in this moment was fulfilled. Mo Yan’s hand found Yu Sui’s, intertwining their fingers in a tender, firm lock.

  The restlessness that had plagued Mo Yan’s soul for years finally broke. He leaned in further, and in that singular moment, his lips pressed against Yu Sui’s with a soft, firm pressure. It was as if cold ice had finally caught fire.

  Nearby on the floor lay the talisman the porcelain leaf he had crafted for Mo Yan so long ago.

  Slowly, Mo Yan and Yu Sui dissolved into each other's embrace. Their breaths mingled, and their souls set their eternal seals upon one another. Mo Yan’s touch lingered softly on Yu Sui’s shoulder before he leaned toward the curve of his neck like a bough of a tree offering its fruit with quiet grace.

  Their eyes drifted shut...

  And then, the first deep kiss. The touch of soft lips.

  Like a drop of dew touching a petal... and melting into it.

  In that first complete union, their hearts merged. And as their hearts met, so did their souls. As their spirits embraced, they allowed their bodies to follow. Like water finally allowing the moon’s reflection to touch its surface, their breaths became one like fragrances blending in the wind. Their fingers remained entwined, like fire trapped within ice, burning slow and deep.

  There was no veil between them.

  No shame.

  Just two souls wrapped around each other,

  Like a flower to its stem,

  Like clouds to the sky.

  Every second pulled them closer, until even an inch of distance felt impossible. Despite his lost spiritual energy and his physical wounds, Mo Yan felt a profound sense of relief not just in his body, but in every shattered fragment of his soul... which now, finally, felt whole again.