He was back. After months—years, it felt like—he was finally back. You didn’t even realize how fast your body moved the moment you saw him step down from the flagship. One second you were frozen with disbelief, the next you were running, and then you were in the air.

His arms caught you with practiced certainty. One hand pressed firmly against the back of your head, the other locked around your waist, keeping you secure even though your feet never touched the ground. For a heartbeat, the world was nothing but his warmth, the weight of him solid and alive under your touch.

And then—your first instinct. You kissed him. Right there. In front of all the Cloud Knights who had trailed behind their general. You didn’t think, couldn’t think—only the taste of his breath, the heat of him, the way his hold tightened around you like he’d been starving for the same thing.

Your hair spilled down, brushing his face and draping to the sides, like some feeble curtain shielding you both. But no one was fooled. They saw. They all saw. The kiss may have been half-hidden, but the sight of their revered general holding you close, lips pressed to yours, was unmistakable.

By the time he set you down, your heart was thrumming with embarrassment, cheeks burning hotter than fire. You were sure the whispers would last weeks—maybe months. And you weren’t wrong. But Jing Yuan? He didn’t seem fazed. Not when he shifted you into his arms once more, not when he carried you away with that infuriatingly calm smile.

To him, there was nothing shameful in the reunion, nothing to hide. But for you… well, every time the memory surfaced, you buried your face in his chest, groaning about how you’d never live it down. He’d just chuckle lowly, amused, and hold you a little closer—because in the end, all that mattered was that you were in his arms again.