CHAPTER 416: CHAPTER 416; HONEYMOON PHASE 3 (B)

His hand came up to cup her face with surprising gentleness, his thumb brushing slowly across her cheek. "How do you feel?" The question carried genuine concern, weighted with unspoken worry. "Did I... are you okay?"

Tang Fei considered the question honestly, taking an internal inventory. Her body was definitely sore, there was no denying that reality. Her hips ached, her thighs protested movement, and the area between her legs was tender in a way that reminded her of his size and intensity with every small shift.

But it was a pleasant soreness, the satisfying kind that came from being thoroughly loved and completely satisfied. Whatever ministrations he’d performed while she was unconscious, the bath, the massage, the medicinal cream, had clearly worked wonders in preventing worse discomfort.

"I’m okay," she said truthfully, meeting his concerned gaze. "A bit sore, but... okay. Good, actually."

Relief flickered visibly across his features, tension she hadn’t realized he was carrying releasing from his shoulders. "I lost control last night," he admitted quietly, something almost like guilt coloring his tone. "Multiple times. I didn’t mean to be so... intense."

"Yes, you did," she countered gently, but there was no accusation in her voice, just gentle amusement and acceptance. Men were like this, if a man truly loves, won’t get enough with your body, "You meant every second of it. And I..." she paused, feeling her cheeks warm with the admission, "I wanted it too. All of it."

It’s not like she is an angel, she had also yearned for it. This... This was a good service body for her two lifetimes.

Something heated and possessive flared in his dark eyes at her words, but he visibly tamped it down with effort. "We should get up," he said, though he made absolutely no move to release her from his embrace. "It’s already nine. We’ve slept half the morning away."

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked, deliberately snuggling closer to his warmth rather than making any attempt to move. "I thought this was a honeymoon. Aren’t we supposed to be lazy and indulgent? Aren’t we supposed to lie lazy?"

A genuine smile crossed his face, rare and precious and transformative. "I suppose you’re right." He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, the gesture sweet rather than sexual. "But you should eat something. And drink water. You need to rehydrate properly after last night."

"Always so practical," she teased, but there was deep affection in her voice.

"Someone has to be," he replied with a slight smile. "Especially when you make me lose all sense of reason and control."

They remained like that for several more moments, neither quite ready to break the spell of the morning or disturb the intimacy of being tangled together in the aftermath of their passionate night.

Finally, Tang Fei shifted slightly, attempting to sit up. Immediately, she felt the soreness more acutely, her hips protesting, her thighs aching, and especially the tender sensitivity between her legs. A small, involuntary wince crossed her face before she could suppress it.

Huo Ting Cheng caught it instantly, his observant eyes missing nothing. In one smooth, effortless motion, he sat up and lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his bare chest as if she weighed nothing at all.

"What are you doing?" she protested weakly, though she made no real attempt to struggle or escape.

"Taking care of you," he replied simply, standing with her still in his arms. "You’re sore because of me, because of my loss of control. The least I can do is carry you and make sure you’re comfortable."

"I can walk," she insisted, but her tone lacked any real conviction.

"I know you can," he agreed easily, already moving toward the bathroom. "But you don’t have to. Not today. Today, you let me take care of you properly."

There was something in his voice, a quiet determination, an almost desperate need to care for her after the intensity of how he’d claimed her, that made her relent completely.

She relaxed in his arms, letting her head rest against his shoulder, and allowed herself to be carried and cared for like something precious and cherished.

For someone who had spent two lifetimes taking care of herself, being independent and self-sufficient, this kind of tender attention felt both foreign and surprisingly wonderful.

And as he carried her into the bathroom, morning sunlight streaming through the windows and the sound of the ocean a soothing backdrop, Tang Fei realized she could get used to this, to being protected, cherished, and cared for by this complicated, intense, surprisingly tender man who had somehow claimed not just her body but, impossibly, her heart as well.

"Okay," she said softly, relaxing fully in his strong arms and allowing herself to be carried. "But just for today."

His smile was small but deeply satisfied as he carried her into the bathroom with careful steps. "We’ll see about that."

The honeymoon had only just begun, but already something fundamental had shifted between them. The carefully constructed walls had crumbled, protective barriers had been shattered, and in their place emerged something raw and real and potentially beautiful, something neither of them had quite expected.

The question lingering unspoken between them was: what would they build from these ruins of their old defenses?

Only time would reveal the answer.

But for now, bathed in golden morning light with the ocean singing its ancient, eternal song beyond the windows, they had each other. They had this moment of tender vulnerability, this rare glimpse behind the masks they both wore for the world.

And for this moment, that was enough.

After carrying Tang Fei to the bathroom, Huo Ting Cheng set her down with exquisite gentleness on the closed toilet seat. She winced slightly at the movement despite his care, and concern immediately creased his brow.

"I’m fine," she assured him quickly, catching his worried expression. "Just... sore. Very sore."

"I’ll draw you a bath," he said decisively, already turning toward the large soaking tub. "The warm water will help ease the...."