In the tranquil setting of the snow-covered landscape, a gentle breeze stirred, carrying with its delicate petals and fluffy flakes into the swirling white mist. Entranced by the scene, Yuanxi felt as though she had stumbled into a mythical paradise. She lightly tapped her cheeks, gradually regaining clarity. However, the snow had already stiffened her legs, and the nearby hot spring beckoned invitingly, tempting her senses. Yet, as a lady of a noble household, even though she was now a wife, she couldn’t bring herself to indulge in such an open display, even with her husband.
At that moment, Xiaodu had already shed his outer robe and was descending the stone steps towards the pool. Extending his hand to her, he said, “Come down quickly, it’s warm inside.”
Yuanxi bit her lip, her face flushed by the mist, and hesitated, “But what about our clothes?”
Xiaodu, now comfortably leaning against the pool wall, had already loosened his wet inner garments, leaving his robust torso exposed to the warm steam. He turned towards Yuanxi with a mischievous grin, “Just take them off. Don’t worry, there’s a secluded pavilion nearby with clothes prepared for changing.”
Yuanxi noticed his playful expression and felt he was teasing her deliberately. She turned away, saying, “Then I won’t bathe. Where’s the pavilion? I’ll go rest there.”
Just as she was about to leave, she heard Xiaodu suddenly exclaim from the pool, “Ah!”
Startled, Yuanxi turned back, only to find Xiaodu’s figure disappearing beneath the water’s surface. Panic surged through her as she anxiously called out, “Adou, Adou!”
Yet, the mist had obscured her vision, and she couldn’t see any trace of him. With a heart full of worry, she hesitated for a moment before tentatively making her way down the stone steps, calling out, “Adou? What happened? Don’t scare me!”
Before she could take more than a few steps, Xiaodu suddenly burst out of the water, grabbing her and pulling her down.
Yuanxi plunged into the warm waters of the spring, feeling dizzy and disoriented. Her body was about to sink when strong hands firmly supported her. Startled, she grabbed onto the person’s neck, almost clinging to him for support. As she finally regained her composure, she saw Xiaodu’s smiling face, drops of water dripping from his hair onto his bronzed, bare chest, giving him a rugged and dazzling appearance. Yuanxi’s heart raced as she turned away, gritting her teeth in frustration, “Xiaodu! You’re too much…”
Before she could finish her sentence, her hand was already caught, and wet lips pressed against hers, followed by the taste of alcohol sliding down her throat. The intoxicating aroma mingled with his gentle kisses, causing her to lose herself completely. With his solid chest pressed against hers and the warm water swirling around them, every inch of her skin felt tantalizingly hot and soft.
It was only when Yuanxi’s whole body went limp that Xiaodu finally released her lips, softly nibbling on her earlobe and murmuring, “This is how you should drink wine, to make it interesting.”
Beads of sweat had formed on Yuanxi’s forehead, her eyes hazy and unfocused as she clung to his arm, gasping for breath. As the water churned around them and the mist enveloped them, her clothes had already come loose, resembling vibrant flowers floating beside her, and her milky-white skin, now tinged with a rosy hue, seemed to glow. Xiaodu’s gaze burned with desire, but no matter how he tried to tempt her, Yuanxi only gave him a warning look, forbidding any further advances. With a resigned sigh, Xiaodu realized the water was getting too hot for comfort and longed to cool off in the snow.
At that moment, he caught sight of the silk scarf draped over the edge of the pool and a mischievous idea formed in his mind. Sneaking up behind Yuanxi, he whispered in her ear, “If you can’t see, does that mean it’s not so indecent after all?”
Yuanxi was momentarily bewildered, not quite grasping the meaning behind his words. Suddenly, everything went dark as a soft silk scarf was gently tied over her eyes by Xiaodu. Then, he picked up the wine jug from the edge of the pool and slowly poured it into her mouth. The fragrant and spicy aroma of the wine splashed all over, flowing down her neck and spreading throughout her body. His lips pressed against hers again, entwining with her tongue, gently savoring the remnants of wine in her mouth. What was given before was now being sought, but it was equally intoxicating.
Yuanxi felt like her mind and body were about to explode, holding onto the last thread of sanity, she muttered, “No…” only to be silenced by Xiaodu pressing on the back of her head, his voice low and husky, “Don’t speak, just feel.” His hands began to roam over her body and legs without pause. Yuanxi, unable to see, became more acutely aware of the sensations coursing through her body. His scorching breath enveloped her skin, causing shivers to run down her spine. Her heart pounded erratically, her body tingling with pleasure and anticipation. Her hands unconsciously reached for his chest, her legs instinctively hooked upwards, until she heard a muffled chuckle in her ear, realizing she was almost hanging onto him.
Yuanxi felt embarrassed and wanted to retreat, but she was held firmly by his waist and pinned against the pool wall. Xiaodu began to passionately explore her, almost devouring her in his fervor.
Amidst the surging hot currents and the splashing water, which mixed with their sweat, Yuanxi’s senses were overwhelmed. At one moment, she felt like she was plummeting into an abyss, and the next, soaring into the clouds, experiencing sensations she had never felt before. She gasped for breath, feeling like she was on the brink of madness.
Finally, as the water gradually calmed, Yuanxi buried herself in Xiaodu’s embrace, resembling a lazy cat. The euphoria slowly faded away, replaced by a wave of intoxication that washed over her, making her too lazy to even speak. She simply leaned against his warm chest, closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.
When she woke up again, it was already dusk, with the splendid hues of the clouds reflecting on the misty water, casting a rosy glow.
Yuanxi squinted, gently scooping up the water beside her, watching as it poured through her fingers. She sighed sincerely, “So beautiful.”
Xiaodu wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his face against her smooth back, chuckling softly. Yuanxi felt ticklish and turned to glare at him, recalling their earlier indulgence. Suddenly, she shifted her thoughts and lightly stroked her abdomen, blushing as she said, “You know, it’s been a while since our wedding night, why haven’t we…”
Xiaodu combed her wet hair with his fingers, laughing, “Why rush? Let’s spend more time together. Who knows, maybe if we try a little harder tonight, we might hear some news.”
Yuanxi swatted away his restless hand, saying, “You’re always so improper! So, what do you think, will our first child be a boy or a girl?”
Xiaodu replied, “It doesn’t matter. If it’s a boy, I’ll teach him archery. If it’s a girl, you’ll teach her literature…” He paused, suddenly remembering a little girl who always clamored to see corpses. The thought made him shudder; if it was a girl, he would have to carefully screen the books in her room first.
Lost in her thoughts, Yuanxi imagined their future child, wondering what they would look like and what their fate would be. Xiaodu gently took her hand and led her to look ahead, saying, “Let’s bring our children here in the future, let them play in the woods, build snowmen, while we sit in the pavilion, drinking and chatting. How does that sound?”
As Yuanxi looked in the direction he pointed, she saw the children frolicking and laughing, while they enjoyed their drinks and called out to their children, making sure they didn’t play too recklessly. The image filled her with sweetness, and she asked, “Have you thought about what names we’ll give them?”
After some thought, Xiaodu replied, “We’ll name the boy Xiaomu and the girl Xiaoyao. What do you think?”
“Xiaomu, Xiaoyao, Xiaomu…” Yuanxi murmured, feeling a certain resonance. Sensing Xiaodu’s lingering worries about the distant border, she nodded and said, “Yes, I like those names.”
Xiaodu hugged her tighter, looking at the petals floating in the pool amidst the white mist. Suddenly, an idea struck him, “Doesn’t this look like the lanterns on the Lantern Festival? How about we make a wish?” He leaned against the pool wall, using his finger to write, “May my lady be safe and healthy, may we have children soon, may I live a long life.”
Yuanxi tilted her head to look at what he had written, laughing, “It’s not proper to wish for your longevity.”
Xiaodu slowly withdrew his finger, his eyes flickering, “Because I always worry that I might not live long. I used to think that as long as I had my father and younger brother to support the family, but now that I have you, how can I bear to leave you and our children alone in this world?” He turned to Yuanxi, his voice tinged with emotion, “Xia’er, if one day something happens to me, will you…”
Yuanxi grabbed his hand, her eyes filled with determination, “As long as you live one more day, I will be one day happier. If you’re truly gone, no matter how difficult it is, I will support the Marquis’ Mansion and raise our children. I will tell them: their father was an extraordinary man.”
Xiaodu was afraid she would say she couldn’t live without him, but hearing her words, he finally felt relieved, his eyes slightly moist as he hugged her tightly. He should have known that Yuanxi, like a reed, appeared fragile but possessed an indomitable resilience, able to thrive in any situation.
Little did they know, some things were even more cruel than death, and the pain they would experience would cut even deeper…