The moonlight fell upon Xu Qing’s trembling eyelashes.
Her cheeks still held a lingering blush, like peaches newly bloomed in early spring, a faint pink smudging her fair skin. Her fingertips were still tracing circles, but Jiang Huai across from her reached out his hand again.
“What are you doing…” Xu Qing’s voice was timid.
“Give me your hand.”
Xu Qing hesitantly extended her fair, tender hand to Jiang Huai. He gently took it, his fingers lightly pinching hers. It was strange; no matter how she touched herself, she felt nothing, but with her palm held in his, her heart couldn’t help but tremble.
Jiang Huai began to draw circles on her palm with his fingertip.
She suddenly found herself wondering, if liking someone was a hazy illusion, when would that illusion fade? How would it fade?
“What were you doing with Mu Yao earlier?” Xu Qing looked into his eyes and asked softly, trying to distract herself.
Jiang Huai’s movements froze slightly, then he began to recount what had happened, though he omitted some embarrassing details. He could have spoken them without care, but he still needed to consider Mu Yao’s dignity.
Xu Qing wanted to speak, then stopped herself several times. In the end, she said nothing, but quietly asked again, “You haven’t been exploring secret realms these past few days. What have you been doing during the day?”
“Most of the time, I’ve been fishing with True Person Qingmu.”
“Fishing?”
“Yes, it’s quite interesting.”
Xu Qing looked up, a flicker of anticipation in her eyes, “Then… can you take me tomorrow?”
“How about tonight instead?” Jiang Huai winked at her.
“Then I’ll need to bathe first…” Xu Qing’s voice held a trace of guilt.
***
When Xu Qing emerged after her bath, she had changed into a flowing crimson dress with tassels that reached her ankles. She still wore those pearly white high heels, and her hair, no longer up, was styled in a new way. As she approached Jiang Huai, he caught a faint fragrance from her – the subtle, clean scent of a young girl mingled with the aroma of bath dew.
The two walked along the moonlit path to the lakeside. The evening breeze rippled the surface of the lake. Jiang Huai had brought extra fishing rods, and Xu Qing didn’t know how to fish, so he patiently taught her how to bait the hook and cast the line, telling her about the habits and types of fish. Xu Qing sat obediently by his side. Moonlight poured down around them, and they chatted in low voices about trivial matters.
Jiang Huai envied Xu Qing’s parents. They had treated her so well, and since childhood, she had possessed almost everything an ordinary person could wish for, yet she wasn’t spoiled. This was clearly a result of her parents’ upbringing. When he thought of Mu Yao, who came from a similarly good family, Jiang Huai felt her personality was rather unpleasant.
They talked for a very long time. Xu Qing was often amused by his jokes. Occasionally, ripples disturbed the lake’s surface, and a fish would bite, but Jiang Huai released them. He had eaten so much fish lately, prepared in every way imaginable, and he had even made many fish cakes and put them in his System Backpack, enough to last him another month.
The breeze by the lake felt cool on his skin. Jiang Huai didn’t know why, but the distance between him and Xu Qing seemed to be shrinking unconsciously. They had been some distance apart before, but now Xu Qing’s body was leaning against his. She seemed a little sleepy, resting her head on his shoulder. He didn’t mind and remained silent, the world slowly growing quiet.
Until footsteps sounded from behind. As soon as he heard them, sweat beaded on Jiang Huai’s forehead. After a moment, he slowly turned his head. Wen Wanwan, clad in a white silk nightgown, was gazing at him with gentle eyes.
“Finally, I found Senior Brother Jiang Huai,” Wen Wanwan said, sitting down on the bluestone beside Jiang Huai. Her voice was soft and clear, without a hint of blame. Jiang Huai’s hand, holding the fishing rod, trembled inexplicably.
Even though he hadn’t kissed, hugged, or cuddled with Xu Qing, he felt incredibly guilty. Xu Qing was leaning on his shoulder. The moment Wen Wanwan arrived, she had lifted her head, her drowsiness vanishing instantly. Perhaps her guilt was no less than Jiang Huai’s.
“Why are you here, Wanwan?” Jiang Huai asked softly.
“Mmm, I just put Qingyu to sleep. Then I couldn’t sleep myself. I wanted to come find Senior Brother Jiang Huai for a midnight snack, but when I knocked, there was no answer, so I just wandered around and happened to find you.” Wen Wanwan leaned her head on Jiang Huai’s shoulder, “How was the fishing haul?”
“Caught a few, then let them go.”
“Wanwan wants grilled fish.”
“Then I won’t let the next one go.”
Wen Wanwan’s body naturally pressed against Jiang Huai’s. She didn’t say much more, quiet as a porcelain doll, her soft body emitting a faint fragrance. Now, with Wen Wanwan on his left and Xu Qing on his right, he felt tightly enclosed. If Xu Qing had been Qingyu, he would have been completely unfazed, but at this moment, he felt a strange sense of being caught red-handed.
But Wanwan didn’t ask a single question.
Jiang Huai earnestly focused his gaze on the lake, but after a short while, he felt a tickle on his neck. Looking down, he realized Wen Wanwan’s lips had lightly brushed against his neck. Once discovered, she immediately pulled away, her bright eyes playfully glancing at him.
Jiang Huai leaned down and pecked her cheek.
Wanwan turned her face, gesturing for the other side as well, so he pecked that side too. Satisfied, Wen Wanwan embraced Jiang Huai’s arm and obediently stayed close to him.
Not long after, Xu Qing’s fishing float bobbed. She reeled in a Spirit Fish. With something to do, Xu Qing finally felt less guilty. She removed the Spirit Fish, brought it to Jiang Huai, who took it, went to a nearby stream to gut the fish, threaded it onto a wooden skewer, and started a bonfire.
Grilling fish was a skill, honed by thousands of past attempts. He always carried fruitwood charcoal, which gave the fish a subtle fragrance. The Spirit Fish in autumn were plump and rich with oil. The skin grilled to a crisp, sprinkled with a handful of aromatic, secret spices. After it was done, Jiang Huai handed it to Wen Wanwan, who sat obediently and began eating the grilled fish.
Xu Qing watched with longing, suddenly feeling a little hungry.
“Do you want to eat?” Jiang Huai winked at her.
Xu Qing nodded, but at the same time, felt a sense of inexplicable guilt. Wen Wanwan was sitting right there, carefully tearing pieces off the grilled fish with her wooden skewer, traces of oil smudged on her delicate pink lips.
Soon after, another fish was hooked. Jiang Huai followed the same procedure, grilled it, and handed it to Xu Qing, who took a small bite. The darkness in her pupils brightened considerably.
“We can’t finish this,” Wanwan said, holding up the remaining half of her grilled fish. She brought it to Jiang Huai’s lips, and he bit off each piece. After he finished eating it all, Wanwan took a handkerchief and gently wiped his lips.
When Xu Qing finished her grilled fish, Wanwan folded a new handkerchief and handed it to Xu Qing, who accepted it with slight flustration. After wiping her lips, she returned it to Wen Wanwan and quietly said thank you.
“It’s alright,” Wanwan smiled especially gently.
The moon was full, the evening breeze perfect. The three sat by the lake for a while longer until Xu Qing spoke, softly saying, “Then I’ll be heading back now?”
“Mm, okay.”
Xu Qing stood up, a hint of reluctance in her eyes, yet also a subtle sigh of relief. She gradually walked away, disappearing from their sight. Jiang Huai looked down at Wen Wanwan, who moved closer, embracing his arm, her soft chest pressing against his right hand.
Jiang Huai winked at her.
Wen Wanwan winked back at him.
“Doesn’t Wanwan want to ask anything?”
“Even if Wanwan doesn’t ask, Senior Brother Jiang Huai will probably tell me.”
“And what if I don’t?”
“Then Wanwan won’t ask,” Wen Wanwan chuckled, her gaze meeting his, “As long as Senior Brother Jiang Huai likes it.”
“Wanwan might have a slight misunderstanding right now.”
“And later, it won’t be a misunderstanding?” Wen Wanwan playfully winked at Jiang Huai again.
Jiang Huai pinched Wen Wanwan’s face, a mix of amusement and exasperation. Her skin was delicate pink. After pinching it a few times, he released his hand. Wen Wanwan nestled even closer to him, “Wanwan knows Senior Brother Jiang Huai will tell me what he wants to say when the time comes.”
“Is Wanwan angry?”
“No,” Wen Wanwan replied softly, “Why does Senior Brother Jiang Huai think Wanwan would be angry?”
Jiang Huai scratched his head. “It’s just… I always feel like I should ask. Sometimes there are just little thoughts hidden in the heart that one doesn’t want to express.”
“No,” Wen Wanwan shook her head. “If Wanwan is angry, or unhappy, she will tell Senior Brother Jiang Huai directly.”
Jiang Huai looked into her eyes. Being gazed at by such earnest, gentle eyes, he felt his own petty, guilty thoughts exposed. He chuckled helplessly, but Wen Wanwan had already wrapped her arms around his neck, “On the contrary, Senior Brother Jiang Huai seems quite uneasy.”
“It seems so.”
“Then I’ll punish Senior Brother Jiang Huai by carrying me back?”
Jiang Huai lifted Wen Wanwan’s slender, soft body. She was truly light and squishy. Wen Wanwan nestled obediently in his arms. Upon returning to the courtyard, as she had just eaten grilled fish, Wanwan wanted to bathe again. Jiang Huai accompanied her to the bathhouse. This time, Wanwan sat to the side while Jiang Huai applied flower dew to her.
After he had rubbed bubbles all over her body, Jiang Huai withdrew his hands with satisfaction. Wanwan’s fair skin had turned rosy, appearing seductive and hazy in the moonlight. After bathing, Wanwan no longer wore her nightgown, but instead took Jiang Huai’s hand and returned to the room. Wen Wanwan sat on the edge of the bed and began to carefully put on her thigh-high white stockings, the thin, sheer silk gradually covering her snow-white calves. The lace trim at the hem of the stockings tightened around her thighs, indenting slightly.
“Wanwan seems to have gained a little weight recently,” Wen Wanwan lamented, looking at Jiang Huai.
“No, you were just too thin before. Now it’s just right, a little softer.”
Wanwan’s aura was increasingly shifting from that of a young girl to an older sister. After putting on her white stockings, she gently patted the bed, signaling Jiang Huai to lie down obediently. Then she leaned closer, cupping his face in her hands. Their noses drew closer, and she whispered, “Wanwan will be very patient tonight…”
“Patient with what?”
“Patient… with being with Senior Brother Jiang Huai…”
“This is probably the fourth or fifth time Wanwan has said that, but you haven’t managed it each time.”
“T-tonight, I definitely can…” Wen Wanwan hummed softly, her slender hands gripping his shoulders. “Tonight
