Rebirth: My Reclusive Husband Helps Me Get Revenge!-Chapter 35: Can I kiss you?

Lixue bit her lips, staring at Mo Ran...he had changed so much since her past life, could she really tell him about her mother?

"We have a whole lifetime together, I don’t mind waiting until you’re ready.."

Mo Ran sat down on the sand and egged Lixue to seat down too, he was so busy with work he never really got the chance to go to the beach or have some well deserved leisure time.

Lixue smiled, there was no need to him doubting, the Mo Ran in her past life and the Mo Ran in this one had become two different people.

"My mother...has Alzheimer...she’s been like that for 10 years....the doctors..they say there’s really not much hope left for her.."

A cold wind brushed past Lixue and she shivered, Mo Ran immediately wrapped his arm around her and placed his jacket over her.

"Thank you.." Lixue buried her face inside his chest, feeling her eyes tear up once again. "Being an illegitimate child, I had to bow my head in front of so many people, because I was seen as a disgrace.."

Lixue’s voice quivered, the memories spilling out like water breaking through a fragile dam. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"They never looked at me like I mattered. To them, I was just a reminder of something shameful. My mother was the only one who truly saw me... who cared for me." Her fingers tightened on Mo Ran’s jacket as her voice softened. "And now, she doesn’t even recognize me anymore."

Mo Ran’s arms tightened around her protectively, his chin resting lightly on her head. His silence wasn’t cold or detached—it was solid, grounding. It was his way of telling her: I’m here. Keep going.

"Sometimes... I don’t know who I’m even doing all this for anymore," she admitted in a whisper. "But then I see her, even just sitting there, lost in her own world, and I think... maybe if I keep going, if I do something meaningful, she’ll be proud of me—even if she can’t remember why."

Mo Ran finally spoke, his voice steady but filled with an earnestness that caught her off guard. "She may not remember everything, but love like that—it doesn’t just disappear. She feels it, Lixue. She knows it. And she’d be proud of you, no matter what."

Lixue tilted her head up, staring at him. His words struck something deep within her, a reassurance she hadn’t realized she needed.

"Do you really think so?" she asked, her voice almost inaudible.

Mo Ran nodded firmly, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. "I know so. And if she could, she’d tell you the same thing I’m about to: stop carrying all of this on your own. You have me now. Whether you need someone to carry your burdens or just sit here and listen, I’m not going anywhere."

A shaky laugh escaped her lips as she wiped her face. "You’re not what I expected, Mo Ran."

He smirked faintly, though his eyes remained soft. "What did you expect? A heartless and cruel businessman?"

"Something like that," she admitted, smiling despite how she thought that what he was going to be.

"Guess you’ll just have to deal with this version of me," he teased lightly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Too bad for you—this Mo Ran plans on sticking around for a long time."

The sound of the waves filled the quiet between them, the rhythmic crash against the shore soothing yet electric. Lixue tilted her head back slightly, letting the cool breeze kiss her cheeks, her heartbeat steadying after her emotional release.

Mo Ran studied her, his gaze tender, unwavering. She looked so fragile in the moonlight, yet there was a strength to her—a quiet resilience that drew him in like gravity.

"Lixue," he said softly, his voice barely audible above the waves.

"Hmm?" She turned her head toward him, her eyes shimmering under the stars, curiosity and vulnerability swimming in their depths.

He hesitated for a moment, his thumb brushing the edge of her sleeve as though grounding himself. Then, with a steadiness that betrayed the nervous energy building within him, he spoke,

"Can I kiss you?"

Her eyes widened slightly, her lips parting in surprise. She hadn’t expected the question, hadn’t even thought of it, but the warmth in his gaze made her pulse quicken. There was no pressure in his tone, no demand—only a gentle sincerity that left her breathless.

Lixue looked down for a moment, her fingers fiddling with the edge of his jacket around her shoulders as her cheeks reddened. When she finally met his gaze again, her lips curled into the faintest of smiles.

"You’re asking for permission?" she teased softly, her voice trembling just slightly.

Mo Ran chuckled, low and deep, his confidence returning in the face of her humor. "Of course. What kind of man do you think I am?"

"A very persistent one," she replied, her smile growing.

"Persistent, yes," he admitted, leaning just slightly closer, his movements were careful and measured. "But only when it comes to you."

Her cheeks flushed, the words wrapping around her like a soft embrace. There was no use denying it—her heart had been racing the moment he held her on the beach.

"You can" she whispered finally, the words almost lost in the sound of the ocean.

Mo Ran didn’t waste a single second. His hand cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing against her cheek as he leaned in, their breaths mingling in the cool night air.

The kiss was soft, tentative, and unhurried, as though he were afraid to break her. Yet it carried a quiet intensity, an unspoken promise in the way his lips pressed against hers.

Lixue’s eyes fluttered shut, her fingers clutching the edges of his jacket as she leaned into him. For the first time in what felt like forever, her walls began to crumble.

When they finally pulled apart, Mo Ran rested his forehead against hers, his hand still cradling her face.

"Thank you," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

"For what?" she asked softly, her eyes searching his.

"For trusting me enough to let me in," he said with a smile, making Lixue’s eyes widened in realization.