CHAPTER 648: CHAPTER 648: CONFESSION

Long Yifan looked at Gu Jin with slight sadness. His eyes softened, but the pain behind them was clear.

Still, he did not move closer. Instead, he stepped back and asked in a quiet voice,

"Gu Jin, how long are you going to keep me away from you?"

His voice trembled a little, but he forced himself to stay calm.

This time, it was not an act. There was true sadness in his eyes.

His gaze was full of longing, the kind that came from holding back for too long.

Gu Jin frowned and crossed her arms. Her voice was cold, but her eyes flickered with emotion.

"So that’s what you are thinking about?" she asked sharply. "You only care about that?"

Long Yifan stared at her for a long time before letting out a small, tired smile.

"No," he said softly. "It’s not like that. I don’t always think about it."

He paused and looked down. "I’m just insecure, Gu Jin," he whispered.

"While we were acting in front of everyone, I started to believe it for real. I started to fear that one day, you might truly lose your feelings for me. That maybe you would stop caring, stop looking at me the same way."

He looked up at her again, his voice trembling.

"If that day comes, if you truly forget how you once felt about me, then I will have nothing left. No proof that you ever loved me."

Hearing those words, Gu Jin froze. Her heart gave a small ache.

She looked into his eyes and saw the reflection of her own face in them.

His eyes were shining like a mirror because of the tears that had gathered there.

She could see that he was truly hurt this time. There was no act, no trick, no disguise. Only pain and fear.

Her cold mask slowly cracked. Without thinking, she reached out and held his hand gently.

Her voice became softer. "Yifan," she said quietly, "I do want to be with you. But not like this. Not under the influence of whatever this is."

Long Yifan blinked and slowly nodded. "I understand," he said.

"You are right." He took a deep breath and stepped back slightly. In his mind, he knew she was correct.

This strange heat in their bodies was unnatural. It made their hearts race and clouded their minds.

He looked away and sighed deeply.

’If I let this continue, if I touch her now and take away her first time when she is not herself... that would be a disgrace,’ he thought to himself.

He clenched his fists quietly. "You are right, Gu Jin," he said aloud. "I will not do something we will both regret."

Just then, he felt something warm wrap around him.

Gu Jin had stepped forward and placed her arms around his waist.

Her voice was soft, almost trembling. "Yifan," she whispered, "I really do like you. I won’t take back what I said before."

Long Yifan’s eyes widened slightly. For a moment, he could not breathe.

Then he slowly closed his eyes. A single tear slid down from the corner of his eye and fell on her shoulder.

He hugged her tightly and whispered, "I was so afraid."

Gu Jin nodded against his chest. She could feel his heart beating fast.

"I understand," she said softly.

For some reason, when she saw Long Yifan showing his vulnerable side, her chest ached deeply.

She felt something break inside her, something that had been frozen for years.

Maybe she had finally moved on from the pain he once caused her. Maybe she had already forgiven him long ago but never said it aloud.

’Let him find out on his own... maybe years from now,’ she thought. ’He deserves to wait, just like I did.’

She gently patted his back, her eyes soft but calm. Long Yifan, on the other hand, hugged her even tighter.

His arms trembled slightly. He could hardly believe this moment was real.

There had been a time when Gu Jin would not even look at him. She had pushed him away, insulted him, and refused to speak to him. And now, she was here, in his arms, holding him on her own.

He whispered, his voice filled with emotion, "Gu Jin... I love you."

Gu Jin paused for a moment. Her body stiffened slightly, then relaxed. She smiled faintly and whispered back, "I love you too."

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Long Yifan blinked. His heart almost stopped.

’Did she just say... what I think she said?’ He looked at her, almost afraid to believe it.

"What... what did you say?" he asked in disbelief.

Gu Jin did not answer. She looked away, pretending not to hear him.

Long Yifan blinked again. He grabbed her shoulders lightly. "Gu Jin, what did you just say? Say it again."

Gu Jin looked at him quietly, her eyes shining with a rare warmth.

Then she reached up and cupped his face in her hands. "I said," she whispered, "I love you."

Long Yifan froze. His eyes filled with tears again, but this time they overflowed.

He hugged her suddenly, holding her as if he would never let her go. A soft sob escaped his throat.

Gu Jin was surprised. She blinked and patted his back awkwardly.

"Why are you crying?" she asked softly. "I just told you something good."

But Long Yifan could not stop crying. His body shook slightly as he buried his face in her shoulder.

Years of guilt, longing, and fear poured out all at once. He had waited so long for these three words. To finally hear them... it broke him completely.

Gu Jin stayed still for a moment, then sighed softly. She had never seen him cry before.

Not even when she pushed him away or hurt him with cruel words. He never showed weakness.

He only smiled, tried to win her forgiveness, and when he failed, he quietly stayed by her side without complaint.

Now, seeing him like this made something inside her melt completely.

She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. The warmth of his arms felt comforting. For the first time in years, her heart felt light.

They stayed like that for a long time. The night passed slowly, and by the time dawn arrived, Long Yifan finally loosened his hold on her.

He sighed softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "I want this to end soon," he said in a low voice.

Gu Jin nodded. She knew what he meant. He wanted this endless act, this cursed situation, this dangerous plan to be over.

She felt the same. But she did not say it out loud. She only smiled faintly and pushed him away gently. "I should go back to my room," she said.

Long Yifan nodded, though his eyes were full of longing. He watched her leave the room, her figure slowly disappearing behind the door.

When she was gone, he fell backward onto the bed and rolled around like a happy fool.

He could still smell her soft scent on his clothes and pillow. He pressed his face into the blanket and whispered, "I can’t believe she said she loves me."

Meanwhile, Gu Jin returned to her room and lay on her bed.

She stared at the ceiling quietly, then slowly closed her eyes.

Her mind replayed every soft word, every smile, every tear from the night.

She sighed softly and whispered, "Idiot." But a small smile appeared on her lips before she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, sunlight filled the room. Gu Jin woke up and stretched her arms.

The light was bright and warm. After washing up, she went downstairs to have breakfast.

The moment the Gu family saw her, they froze in shock. "Jin’er!" her mother cried. "When did you come back?"

Gu Jin looked calm as always. "Last night," she said simply.

Gu Jichun, looked guilty at once. She hurried forward and hugged Gu Jin tightly. "You should have told us! I would have made your favorite dishes."

Gu Jin did not respond. Her face was calm and distant. Seeing her cold expression, the rest of the Gu family became nervous.

The warm air in the room suddenly turned heavy.

Before anyone could ask further, the door opened, and Long Yifan’s family entered. His father raised a hand.

The Gu family went silent immediately. After Gu Jin left the room, they turned toward Long Yifan, their faces filled with confusion.

"What happened?" Gu Jichun asked worriedly.

Long Yifan looked at them without a word. Then he reached into his pocket and took out a small golden ring. He tossed it onto the table.

They stared at it in surprise. Before they could ask, Long Yifan said quietly, "Put it on."

The Gu family hesitated but finally obeyed. The moment they wore the rings, a soft blue light flashed, connecting their minds to Long Yifan’s telepathic link.

Through the link, they heard his voice clearly inside their heads.