“You…” Zhao Ling stared at Fu Tingyun in shock.

He had never imagined that the clever, beautiful, confident, cheerful, lively, and gracious Miss Fu would be jealous, would envy, even to the point where she couldn’t control herself!

Was it because of him?

Suddenly, an inexplicable emotion surged in the depths of his heart, as if it would burst forth at any moment and overwhelm him.

He couldn’t help but step forward.

The sound of water splashed around his feet.

Zhao Ling shivered.

Was she standing in the river simply because of the hot weather, an inadvertent act to cool off? Or was it because of the determined attitude expressed in the poem: “When the waters of the Canglang are clear, I can wash my hat strings; when the waters of the Canglang are muddy, I can wash my feet”?

If it was the former, why was there not a hint of sweetness or shyness in her heartfelt words? If it was the latter…

Despite the hot day, having traveled over a hundred li, cold sweat now chilled his back.

Was this why she could open her heart to him without reservation?

She had decided to put the past behind her, and thus, whether it was shyness or sweetness, she could speak of it calmly, as if at a moment of farewell… With no future to worry about, no need to care about the other’s likes or dislikes, she had more courage.

What had he missed?

What had he overlooked?

Zhao Ling’s mind was in chaos, his thoughts spinning like a lantern wheel, yet he could not find a clue.

But years of decisive action told him that at this moment, the most important thing was not to figure out right from wrong or understand the reasons, but to keep her from leaving and to eliminate the insecurity in her heart.

“You misunderstand!” he said urgently, revealing undisguised anxiety. “When Miss Tang came to find me, I was in Minhe with several hundred households, discussing this winter’s arrangements. I only returned yesterday. After learning Miss Tang’s intentions, I immediately refused her. However, Master Tang once helped me in the past, and now that he has passed away, Miss Tang has no one to rely on—I cannot simply ignore her. I promised Miss Tang that I would help her find an intermediary whom the Feng family would respect. Since I promised you I would join the military, I will completely cut ties with past matters and will never interfere in them again…”

Zhao Ling had never changed.

Once he made a promise, he would always keep it.

A drop of kindness received would be repaid with a gushing spring.

The one who had changed was she.

Fu Tingyun felt her eyes stinging, as if tears were about to fall.

“No, no, no,” she turned away, unable to bear his sincere expression. “I’m not talking about Miss Tang, I’m talking about myself… Today it’s Miss Tang, tomorrow it might be Miss Li, the day after, perhaps Miss Wang… I have no way to suppress the unease in my heart…”

“You…” Zhao Ling’s eyes widened.

Fu Tingyun bit her lip, gazing at the brilliant sunset on the horizon.

A brief silence fell between them.

“If, I say if,” Zhao Ling slowly began, his eyes flickering, as if something flashed and quickly returned to clarity, “that person was not me, would you still feel this way?”

Fu Tingyun looked up, gazing at Zhao Ling in surprise.

Zhao Ling’s expression was serious, but his gaze was profoundly earnest, as if this were a matter of life and death to him.

Her heart couldn’t help but race.

What, what did he mean?

Her heart inexplicably began to flutter.

“Of course, no, I wouldn’t!” She spoke with a stutter. “Among my former dowry maids, there were also those who would become concubines…”

Before she could finish, Fu Tingyun fell into a burning embrace.

The scent, both strange and familiar, the hard chest so different from her softness—after a moment of blankness, she immediately realized: Zhao Ling was holding her.

“You…” Fu Tingyun’s face instantly burned like fire. She frantically tried to push Zhao Ling away, but his arms were like walls of bronze and iron, preventing her from moving.

“You, let go quickly!” Fu Tingyun, flustered and angry, pushed hard against his chest.

Because it was him, she couldn’t bear it—did this mean that he was unique and irreplaceable to her?

Fu Tingyun’s answer made Zhao Ling feel as if he were walking on clouds, his heart filled with joy.

Even face-to-face distance became unbearable, and he pulled Fu Tingyun into his arms.

That incredibly soft body, the warm breath carrying a subtle fragrance—all so unfamiliar yet so captivating. He couldn’t help but hold her tightly, tightly… like they were part of each other… In his ears came her urgent and angry scolding. Only then did he suddenly realize his rudeness. In his panic, he abruptly released his arms.

Fu Tingyun had pushed twice without moving Zhao Ling. How could she have expected that a single sharp rebuke would make him let go?

One pushed forcefully, the other hastily released.

Fu Tingyun’s foot slipped, and with a splash, she fell into the river, sending water flying.

Zhao Ling froze.

“Help, help!” Fu Tingyun was caught off guard. Her clothes became soaked, her body increasingly heavy. Having swallowed some water and panicking, she began thrashing about in the river.

Zhao Ling came to his senses and lunged forward, grabbing Fu Tingyun’s arm.

The river water quickly soaked through his clothes.

Fu Tingyun, as if grasping a lifeline, desperately clutched Zhao Ling’s arm.

Taken by surprise, seeing how tightly Fu Tingyun held on and not daring to force her hand open, Zhao Ling was pulled into the water…

Fortunately, the river was not deep. After swimming a few strokes, he found footing on the riverbed and half-carried, half-dragged Fu Tingyun to the shore.

Fu Tingyun had swallowed several mouthfuls of water. Sitting on the grassy bank, she coughed for quite some time before asking Zhao Ling anxiously: “Will I get diarrhea?”

Although it was summer, the sun was already westering. With their bodies soaking wet, the evening breeze felt quite cold.

Zhao Ling, wringing out his clothes, said: “I’ll find a doctor for you when we get back!”

Fu Tingyun nodded.

As the wind blew, she couldn’t help but wrap her arms around herself.

“Take off your clothes, I’ll wring them dry for you…” Zhao Ling approached her, his gaze fixed upon her as if glued, his voice growing smaller and slower.

Fu Tingyun, puzzled, followed his gaze and looked down.

She saw that her moon-white Hangzhou silk shirt, now completely soaked, clung tightly to her body… and because of her crossed arms, her fullness appeared even more prominent…

“You scoundrel!” Fu Tingyun quickly turned away, her face burning hot. Yet strangely, she didn’t feel much anger in her heart—rather, she felt more shy than anything else.

“I, I didn’t see anything, I didn’t see anything!” Zhao Ling’s face turned as red as crimson cloth as he explained incoherently. Yet the alluring sight he had just witnessed became increasingly clear in his mind. “I was just afraid you might catch a cold. Summer colds are harder to cure than winter ones…”

Fu Tingyun remembered she had spare clothes in the carriage and darted inside.

Taking off her clothes in the dimly lit carriage, her bare skin appeared even more fair and delicate, glowing like jade.

She couldn’t help but look down at herself.

Was she truly beautiful?

Fu Tingyun recalled Zhao Ling’s somewhat dazed gaze… and bit her lip as her face flushed.

…

Zhao Ling felt somewhat regretful.

Miss Tang’s matter was still unresolved, and he had impulsively acted like a scoundrel. Now, Fu Tingyun’s determination to sever ties with him would likely be even stronger.

He needed to resolve Fu Tingyun’s inner conflict quickly.

Dispiritedly, he put on his wet clothes.

From the carriage came Fu Tingyun’s hesitant voice: “Wearing wet clothes will make you catch a cold. I have a cloth used for wrapping clothes that’s about three feet when unfolded. You, you can use it to cover yourself for now!” The carriage curtain lifted, and a jade-white hand extended, holding a piece of bright blue coarse cloth.

Zhao Ling’s heart leaped with joy.

As long as she was still willing to speak to him, he would find a way to make her change her mind.

He took the coarse cloth, thanked her, but did not wrap it around himself—as long as he wasn’t wearing wet clothes, he wouldn’t catch a cold or feel cold. Earlier, he was only afraid of offending Fu Tingyun. It would be better to find a way to dry his clothes; he certainly couldn’t return to the Grinding Mill Garrison wrapped in this piece of coarse cloth!

Zhao Ling found a windy spot and laid his clothes on the grass.

Fu Tingyun lifted the carriage curtain slightly to peek outside. From a distance, she saw his tall figure.

He wore only trousers, bare-chested, revealing broad shoulders, a sturdy chest, and long yet strong legs…

Fu Tingyun quickly lowered the carriage curtain.

This fellow!

It was good that she had taken a peek beforehand to check if he was properly dressed, otherwise…

Thinking of this, her cheeks grew even hotter.

What should they do next?

…

Zhao Ling was also wondering what to do next.

It was already dusk. They were more than a hundred li away from Ledu, the location of the Grinding Mill Garrison office. With no villages ahead or inns behind, no food or place to stay, and his clothes wet… The only option was to head to Minhe Town, which was somewhat closer.

Minhe was also under the jurisdiction of the Grinding Mill Garrison. The hundred-household in charge there, Si Da, was generous and a good man.

With this in mind, he walked to the carriage and told Fu Tingyun of his plan.

If they went to Minhe Town looking like this, and Minhe was under Zhao Ling’s jurisdiction, what would the people of Minhe say?

Fu Tingyun didn’t want to go.

But considering that Zhao Ling’s clothes were completely wet, she hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

Zhao Ling hitched up the carriage again, tied his horse to the back of the carriage, and drove toward Minhe Town.

Along the way, neither of them spoke. They could only hear the rumbling sound of the wheels crushing small stones on the ground.

Upon reaching Minhe Town, Hundred-Household Si warmly received them—his eldest son personally went to the wine cellar to bring out wine, his second son led the horse to the stable, and Mrs. Si prepared hot water and ginger soup for Fu Tingyun.

“How did you fall into the river?” Hundred-Household Si’s eldest daughter-in-law, taking her changed clothes for washing, couldn’t help but ask curiously.

“The horse was startled,” Fu Tingyun said, wringing her wet hair with a towel, feeling embarrassed. “I’m sorry to disturb you all. Today we’ll have to squeeze in with you.”

Hundred-Household Si’s home was the same size and layout as her home in Zhangye, but housed the hundred-household and his wife, his widowed mother, eldest son, eldest daughter-in-law, and second son—it was somewhat cramped. Fu Tingyun had to share a room with the eldest daughter-in-law, who had only been married this spring.

“Not at all!” Hundred-Household Si’s eldest daughter-in-law, fifteen years old and a year younger than Fu Tingyun, blushed slightly. “You’re Hundred-Household Zhao’s fiancée. Usually, we couldn’t even dream of inviting you!”

Fu Tingyun was stunned: “You say, I am Hundred-Household Zhao’s fiancée?”