“You wash first.” Zhao Si averted her eyes, casting her gaze toward the rising tendrils of water vapor, her face burning with a fiery ache.
Zhao Si refused to imagine how Yun Qing, who was merely a step away, would attend to her, yet her hearing was acute and her imagination far too vivid. As a result, whether it was Yun Qing removing her hairpins and letting down her hair, or stepping into the water, it sent Zhao Si’s thoughts racing and accelerated her breathing.
This was not normal.
Zhao Si pressed a hand against her chest, trying to steady herself.
Yet no sooner had Zhao Si guarded her own neck than a jade-like hand rested upon her shoulder.
That hand was dripping wet with pat-pat droplets, and the warm water trickled down along Zhao Si’s collar to pool at her collarbone.
One drop, two drops, three drops…
Zhao Si’s breathing stopped abruptly.
Yun Qing’s flushed, damp cheek pressed against her own.
“Could it be the husband looks down upon Yun Qing?”
“I, I’m simply not used to it.” Zhao Si rasped out an answer that even she herself did not believe.
There were hundreds and thousands of things one could fail to grow accustomed to in this world, but the trials of a beauty’s snare were certainly not among them. She, Zhao Si, a rustic rustic fellow from the mountains, had actually stumbled into such a beauty trap.
Zhao Si’s body was trembling.
Through her garments, Yun Qing embraced Zhao Si from behind, her tone a mix of mockery and persuasion.
“How could you not be used to it? The common saying goes: it takes a hundred years of shared boat rides to sleep under the same boat, and a thousand years of shared fate to share a pillow. The husband and Yun Qing have already cultivated a hundred years of bond; why fear the second half?”
“W-what did you say?” Zhao Si turned her head back in confusion to look at Yun Qing.
With a surge of strength, Yun Qing once more pressed Zhao Si down beneath her, as if driven by fierce impulse or as though spellbound. With four or five quick, seamless motions, she stripped Zhao Si down until she looked like a peeled egg.
Of course, calling her an egg was not entirely accurate either.
Using the reflection in Yun Qing’s surge-filled eyes, Zhao Si saw clearly that she was not only disheveled with loose hair and disordered garments at this moment, but most fatally she was a woman.
A woman, ah. Right now, amidst the overflowing spring of the bathing pool, the two figures seated upon the lotus platform were actually both women one beautiful and one plain, one wealthy and one poor, one whole and one flawed.
“Yun Qing.” Zhao Si swallowed a dry gulp of heavy air, slowly shifting her body to widen the distance between them.
Yun Qing did not give Zhao Si the chance.
Following Zhao Si’s movement with her knees, she advanced and retreated in tandem.
Yun Qing narrowed the distance between them to a mere single finger’s width.
“Does the husband regret it?” As if accustomed to Zhao Si’s avoidance, Yun Qing simply gazed affectionately into Zhao Si’s eyes.
Yun Qing’s eyes were red. The faintly reddened eyes did nothing to detract from Yun Qing’s beauty; instead, they made the beloved person hiding behind those dark tresses all the more heartbreakingly endearing.
Staring into those eyes that seemed on the verge of tears the very next second, Zhao Si surrendered.
“I’ll bathe with you.”
Zhao Si reached out to clasp Yun Qing’s right hand, pulling her up to stand, and intertwined her fingers with hers.
“Husband?”
Led by Zhao Si, Yun Qing slowly walked along the trail of water droplets she had left behind earlier, coming to a halt by the golden lotus.
Zhao Si released Yun Qing’s hand, cast off the remaining bonds wrapped around her, and turning around, she immersed herself into the fragrant waters a step ahead of Yun Qing.
This Yulu Pavilion was truly extravagant.
Zhao Si tested the water temperature, felt it was agreeable, and reached out toward the golden lotus, raising a smile as she greeted Yun Qing: “Yun Qing, come down. I’ll steady you.”
Zhao Si’s greeting was bright and open-hearted. It was like a blazing flame piercing the clouds, or fresh spring grass sprouting anew; that single smile upon her lips caused Yun Qing to stand dazed on the palanquin for a long while.
“What is it, Yun Qing?” Zhao Si sensed Yun Qing’s unusual behavior.
“Nothing. Nothing at all. Yun Qing was merely thinking that if my husband could treat me as tenderly as just now every single day, that would be more than enough.”
Soft as boneless silk, Yun Qing rested her hand upon Zhao Si’s.
Without a second thought, Zhao Si pulled Yun Qing straight into her embrace with a single tug, sweeping her up horizontally into her arms.
“Ah! Husband?” The tips of Yun Qing’s ears turned red.
Zhao Si felt as though it was always meant to be this way between them.
The next second, Zhao Si blurted out, seemingly out of nowhere, “If I am fortunate enough in future years, I will surely take Yun Qing to see ten miles of lotus blossoms.”
“What kind of lotus blossoms?” Yun Qing draped her arms around Zhao Si’s neck, attempting to spare her some effort.
Wading clumsily through the fragrant water with uneven steps, Zhao Si arched her brows and countered, “What kind of lotus flowers does Yun Qing want to see?”
“Yun Qing… Yun Qing doesn’t know what kind of lotus flowers the husband is talking about.”
“They’re just lotus flowers; what different kinds could there be?” Zhao Si thought Yun Qing’s question rather strange.
Yun Qing answered softly.
“Lotus flowers in this world come in white, pink, red, yellow, and multicolored hues according to their color; and single petals, double petals, multi-petals, and dry petals according to their blooms. Yun Qing has heard that some lotus flowers can even be used in meals. I simply do not know which kind the husband is speaking of…”
“I invite Yun Qing to see ten miles of golden lotuses.”
“Golden lotuses?” Yun Qing was startled.
Assuming she had been running wild with her imagination and startled the beauty, Zhao Si declared with grand, sweeping heroism, “Zhao Si knows Yun Qing is accustomed to seeing fine jades, exquisite pearls, and carriages with precious steeds. But Zhao Si believes that only ten miles of golden lotuses could ever be worthy of the great kindness Yun Qing has shown Zhao Si. Just wait, Yun Qing; once Zhao Si makes her fortune, she will surely not fail”
“Husband! There is no need for that.” Yun Qing raised a hand to cover Zhao Si’s mouth. “There are divine beings three feet above our heads. Since the husband is willing to walk hand in hand with Yun Qing, Yun Qing certainly does not require the husband to make a fortune. As for the lotus flowers, Yun Qing truly does love lotus flowers. If my husband is so inclined, you need only paint a thousand scrolls of them alongside me. Compared to ten miles of golden lotuses, Yun Qing much prefers paper lotuses.”
“But I cannot paint.”
“Yun Qing has loved calligraphy and painting since childhood, and has a basic grasp of flowers and birds.” Curling her fingertips, Yun Qing traced the damp vapor on Zhao Si’s shoulder to outline the shape of a lotus blossom.
“Then…” Zhao Si blinked, pausing to hold the person in her arms more securely. “Zhao Si is willing to take Yun Qing as her teacher.”
“Very well.” Yun Qing nodded. “Once we leave Yulu Pavilion, Yun Qing shall teach the husband how to paint.”
“It’s a deal.” Stepping onto the stone steps, Zhao Si lowered Yun Qing into the water and then felt her way down to sit on the ledge.
No sooner had Zhao Si seated herself firmly than Yun Qing climbed onto her lap, meticulously smoothing away the stray bits of straw from her hair before drifting back into the water.
Glancing down at the ends of her hair, Zhao Si could see that her tresses were not only withered and yellow, but had split into numerous frayed ends. Then, looking at Yun Qing’s waterfall of dark, glossy, and smooth hair reflecting the water’s shimmer, she grew flustered lest Yun Qing look down upon her, and hurriedly said, “I’ll do it myself.”
“Let Yun Qing do it. Yun Qing has a wooden comb.” As if performing a magic trick, Yun Qing produced a sandalwood comb from her hair bun, lowered it into the water, and pressed the frayed ends of Zhao Si’s hair beneath the surface.
Gratitude swelled in Zhao Si’s heart.
Yet once she finished combing out the ends of Zhao Si’s hair, Yun Qing looked up with an expression of tender heartache, stroked Zhao Si’s jawline, and murmured in a low voice, “The husband has suffered greatly. Yun Qing entered the pavilion four springs ago and has saved up quite a bit of private wealth. Once we leave Yulu Pavilion, Yun Qing will surely make it up to you properly, my husband.”
“I haven’t really suffered any great hardship.” Zhao Si thought to herself that she had probably just been poor.
Yun Qing did not reply, simply shifting to nestle back into Zhao Si’s embrace, leaning against her chest to listen to the steady thrum of Zhao Si’s heartbeat.
Sitting in the fragrant waters with warm jade held in her arms, Zhao Si wrapped one arm around the person against her chest while her other hand casually churned the ripples of the water.
As the ripples shimmered and danced, Zhao Si noticed that, aside from her hands and feet, her skin was startlingly, brilliantly white. She could not help wondering whether she herself might actually be of fallen aristocratic birth. However, this train of thought did not last long, because from beyond the clouds of mist came Ying’er’s soft call.
“Milady. The wedding garments are prepared.”
Sitting in the fragrant waters and listening to the sound of Ying’er’s footsteps, Zhao Si could not help mocking herself inwardly: what kind of daydreams was she spinning? When she awoke, she had been entirely on her own which scion of a noble house or young master of a clan could ever end up so destitute that they lacked even a single pageboy or maidservant?
Fortunately, she really was going to get married this time.
Zhao Si tightened her embrace around Yun Qing, thinking to herself that she, Zhao Si, had truly struck the fortune of a lifetime!