…
As dawn broke, Ju Yue woke up.
She remained dazed for a long while, opening her eyes to unfamiliar crimson bed curtains and antique furniture.
And the Dragon and Phoenix Wedding Candles still burning fiercely.
It took her a long time to remember that she had now traveled back to ancient times.
And in a single day, she had divorced and remarried, carried by a man who ran three laps around the city with her on his back.
She had accomplished what others might not achieve in decades.
At night, because there was no face wash, she had a hysterical crying fit, forcing the man to personally make face wash for her before she finally stopped.
It seemed she had also done something rather extraordinary, but her memory was hazy, and she couldn’t recall it clearly.
Ju Yue covered her face and groaned.
It couldn’t get more mortifying than this.
She glanced toward her bedmate.
Lou Buqi was pitifully and precariously hanging on the edge of the bed, almost about to fall off.
Ju Yue felt utterly ashamed.
Back in college, her roommate had said she slept poorly, but she never expected that traveling through time wouldn’t change much—if anything, it seemed to have worsened, becoming even more ferocious.
Actually, thinking about it this way, Lou Buqi was really quite decent, knowing to accommodate her like that.
He also hadn’t forced her to perform the Rites of Zhou Gong.
Ju Yue quietly slipped out of bed from beside Lou Buqi’s feet.
She wanted to go out and find a place to practice.
Practicing early in the morning was her unshakable daily habit.
Her position as the lead dancer hadn’t come easily, and maintaining it was even harder.
It was built on years and days of relentless hard work and sweat.
The body she now inhabited had an excellent figure, even better than her previous one, and it seemed to have practiced dance before, with decent flexibility and suppleness.
But it had never undergone systematic training or exercise, lacking core strength.
To restore herself to her previous modern state, she would have to train relentlessly.
Ju Yue had thought about it last night—she didn’t want to give up her dancing.
Even in this time and space.
Dance was the most beautiful gift heaven gave to girls, the most silent display of pride nurtured by sweat.
One year to grasp the form, three years to capture the style, five years to master the technique, ten years to embody the spirit—training the body while cultivating the heart.
Yun Feiyang didn’t want her to be beautiful, didn’t want her to shine, desperately trying to suppress her.
But she refused!
Why should she let a rotten person dictate her life?
She would be beautiful every day, striking back at every unfriendly gaze in this world.
Even if there was no stage to showcase herself, it didn’t matter—she herself was her own stage!
She wanted to look beautiful, but even more, she wanted to live beautifully!
Besides, dance was the only thing connecting Ju Yue to the modern world, and she didn’t want to give it up.
So she wanted to find a place to start practicing.
Ju Yue quietly opened the door.
Unexpectedly, there was a little boy outside!
The child was crouching, placing something by the door, and was about to leave after finishing.
Ju Yue’s sudden opening of the door startled both herself and the boy.
The boy wore a dark blue robe embroidered with small bats in silver thread, exuding understated luxury.
His eyes widened as he looked over, startled, looking exactly like a kitten with its fur standing on end.
Lou Yi, the youngest son of Prince Su and Princess Su, Lou Buqi’s biological younger brother.
It was said the two brothers were complete opposites.
Lou Buqi was flamboyant and unrestrained, while Lou Yi was calm and aloof, even at a young age displaying more composure than someone eighty or ninety years old.
Ju Yue quickly glanced at what Lou Yi had placed by the door.
It was on a tray, covered with a red cloth.
Startled by Ju Yue, the red cloth was tugged slightly askew, revealing the object beneath.
A pair of coral-carved pomegranate fruits.
From Lou Yi's actions, it wasn't hard to guess: the socially anxious Yi wanted to give a congratulatory gift to his brother and sister-in-law but didn't want to meet them in person.
So, before dawn while everyone was still asleep, he came intending to leave the gift and slip away.
Unexpectedly, he was caught red-handed by Ju Yue.
Ju Yue raised an eyebrow, glancing at the plate of pomegranate fruits, then at Lou Yi.
She looked once, then again, before squatting down to pick up the tray for a closer inspection.
Ju Yue came from a well-off family—her father was a logistics tycoon with millions in assets—so she was naturally familiar with fine things.
One look at the craftsmanship and she understood: "Did you carve these yourself, little brother?"
Lou Yi stood rigidly in place, small fists clenched tightly, lips pressed into a thin line.
Stubbornly turning his head away, he said, "No! I bought them!"
How could he possibly make a gift for his brother with his own hands? How could he do something so sentimental?
Absolutely not him!
A warm, soft hand rested on the back of his head, rubbing it firmly like petting a cat.
Ju Yue's voice was gentle: "Thank you, I really like them."
Lou Yi's tone remained fierce, but the tips of his ears quietly turned red.
What was up with his new sister-in-law? She actually rubbed his head!
By nature, he was aloof and kept his distance from everyone.
Not only did his wet nurses and maids dare not approach him, even his own parents didn't touch him casually. Only this new sister-in-law had the audacity to rub his head as soon as she arrived, treating him like a small animal. It was just…
Did she think he had no temper or what?!
Lou Yi said in a displeased tone, "They're just a pair of pomegranates! What's there to like?"
Ju Yue grinned, unfazed.
Proud and tsundere kids were the most fun!
She wanted to find a place to practice martial arts and had no one else to ask. Her hand, which had been rubbing the child's head, slid down and grabbed Lou Yi by the scruff of his neck.
Lou Yi was startled. Once he realized what was happening, he tried to struggle, but it was useless.
Ju Yue placed the two red pomegranates on the windowsill, knowing the maids would naturally put them away when they came by.
She dragged Lou Yi out, only letting go once they were far from the bedroom and wouldn't disturb Lou Buqi's sleep.
She asked, "Does your brother have a training room?"
Considering Lou Buqi's martial arts skills were quite good—he could carry her, a full-grown person, for three laps and still have energy to spare—he probably had his own training room. Borrowing it for a while shouldn't be a problem.
Lou Yi was slimmer than other children his age. With his hair standing on end, he glared at Ju Yue warily and guardedly.
He blurted out, "What do you want with my brother's training room?"
Ju Yue: …
What kind of question was that!
What could she possibly do to a mere training room?!
But since the kid asked, she had to give an answer.
So, Ju Yue sneered and stepped closer to Lou Yi, one step at a time, enveloping the child in her shadow.
"What do you think I could do to your brother's training room? Of course…"
Her tone was sinister, especially eerie in the faint morning light.
"Of course, trample its dignity, torment its body, crush its self-respect, extinguish its will, deny its aspirations, and utterly shatter its pride! What else could I possibly do to it?!"
The child's face grew increasingly terrified, finally breaking down.
His eyes reddened: "You…"
After stammering "you" for a while, he finally managed to blurt out: "Why must you be so vicious?!"
Ju Yue nearly died laughing.
This sentence was probably the most vulgar among all the swear words a kid could know.
Ju Yue coughed: "Ahem, just kidding. Your brother is so capable, I wouldn’t dare do anything."
Ju Yue added: "Has anyone ever told you that your voice is really pleasant? Like a mountain spring, clear and crisp."
"You must sing really well. I have a tune I can teach you. Once you learn it, sing it for me, okay?"
The country encouraged dancing to be accompanied by music… so she’d just coax Lou Yi into being her backup singer!
Hearing Ju Yue praise his voice, Lou Yi was completely stunned.
A blush slowly spread across his face.
"My… my voice is really pleasant?"
Ju Yue nodded vigorously, showering him with a stream of compliments, each one heartfelt and sincere.
No child could resist praise from their sister-in-law, and Young Master Lou gradually lost himself in it.
He was easily coaxed by Ju Yue into becoming her accompanist.