Wang Daxia’s face flushed red: “You… where did you hide it?”

Wei Caiwei said, “What’s the point of telling you? Come and find it yourself.”

Wang Daxia: “You’re the one who told me to look… If I really reach in to search, don’t regret it later.”

Wei Caiwei said, “It’s just a game, what’s there to regret? I can afford to lose – can’t you afford to win?”

To deal with someone as thick-headed as Wang Daxia, one needed to use such crude provocation tactics, otherwise there was no way to crack him open. To slaughter an ox, one must use a butcher’s knife.

Wang Daxia put his hands into the bathtub to feel around, like two little fish swimming about – fish playing among lotus leaves, fish playing to the east of lotus leaves, fish playing to the west of lotus leaves, fish playing to the south of lotus leaves, fish playing to the north of lotus leaves.

The fish swam to the center, lowering their heads to play with lotus seeds, lotus seeds clear as water.

He had searched everywhere from the neck down but found no trace of the rose… Wait, there was only one place he hadn’t touched – could it be…

If I’m not mistaken, you really know how to hide things.

Wang Daxia’s heart was ready to leap into the bathtub. He knew there was only one place left, but he just didn’t dare. His hands hovered around the rose petals.

No, today was only the engagement – it wasn’t their wedding night yet.

But she was the one who told me to search.

Steady! This might be her test of me! A test of my self-control! I mustn’t lose control of myself at the most crucial moment and let three years of waiting turn to nothing.

Thinking this, Wang Daxia summoned the willpower he’d used to castrate himself in his previous life and pulled his hands out of the hot water. “Whatever other tests you have, bring them on. My feelings for you are sincere – arising from emotion but stopping at propriety.”

Wei Caiwei: “…”

Wei Caiwei’s face sank into the water as a storm raged in her heart: Aren’t you supposed to be a wastrel? Aren’t you the notorious playboy, the privileged young master, the nightmare of young ladies in the capital? How did you become even more proper than Lu Ying? Birds of a feather truly do flock together! Right now I want you to be improper with me!

Give up, wait for the wedding night to teach him step by step.

But Wei Caiwei was reluctant to give up. She was twenty years old this year and had been suppressed for three years, coveting Wang Daxia for so long. She was a normal, healthy young woman with desires, who often had spring dreams from her previous life. Those two mischievous little fish had just been frolicking freely everywhere, starting fires and adding fuel to the flames.

Wang Daxia had held back, but she hadn’t. Her willpower was too weak – it was like dangling a piece of perfectly cooked meat in front of someone who had been starving for three years, meat that was fragrant, tender, not tough, not greasy. This was torture like death by a thousand cuts.

So Wei Caiwei felt Wang Daxia could still be saved.

Wei Caiwei said, “I’m done bathing. Bring me my robe.”

Wang Daxia picked up a cotton robe and handed it to her. Wei Caiwei didn’t take it, but stepped directly out of the bathtub with her long legs. As she stepped over, that rose couldn’t resist gravity and fell with a plop into the bathtub.

I guessed right – it really was there! She… she really dared to hide it there!

Wang Daxia’s mind went blank like he’d blacked out from drinking, everything running on instinct. When he regained consciousness, he and Wei Caiwei had already moved from the bathhouse in the courtyard to the bedroom on the second floor.

He had no idea how they’d gotten upstairs – it was like riding clouds and mist. Now he was in the same state as Wei Caiwei when she’d just emerged from the bath. Though autumn rain drummed against the windows outside, inside the bed curtains it was like a fire was burning, consuming all reason.

“Wait!” Wang Daxia recovered a trace of rationality like a dying man’s last surge of clarity. “My father won’t return to the capital to host our wedding until the twelfth lunar month. If you’re pregnant by then—”

“I won’t be.” Wei Caiwei took out a fish bladder she’d prepared long ago and put it on little Wang Xia. “Also, please don’t mention your father while we’re in bed in the future. It’s inappropriate and kills the mood.”

In this lifetime, everything had to start from zero – she had to teach everything. It was truly exhausting.

She had once accidentally measured little Wang Xia’s spirited state with her foot, and the fish bladder was bought according to her foot’s length – it would definitely fit perfectly.

With the last concern broken, little Wang Xia had been sharpening his sword for three years, the frosty blade never tested. Today he would show it to his lady – one strike drawing blood, he wouldn’t stop until achieving complete victory.

The union of three summers – Wang Daxia, Wang Daxia, and Banxia finally achieved victorious reunion.

Autumn rain fell without day or night, drop by drop, continuous and fine. The west wind grew slightly urgent, rustling the bamboo by the window, stopping then continuing. (Note 1)

Sleeping beautifully in the sound of rain, warmth added to the cozy bedding. Heart pounding like a pestle, body pounding like a pestle. How deep was this devoted love? As deep as evening light on deep mountains in deep autumn rain.

Until dawn, the autumn rain finally stopped, red leaves covering the steps.

Wang Daxia had developed the habit of getting up early for his duties at the Embroidered Uniform Guard over the past three years, never sleeping in late – it had become ingrained. Last night little Wang Xia had tested his sword and was exhausted from the testing, but he still woke up on time.

Wang Daxia gently moved aside the dark silk hair wrapped around his neck and lifted away the bare leg pressing on his lower abdomen, quietly getting out of bed. Afraid of waking his exhausted fiancée, he didn’t even put on his shoes, carrying them in his socks as he walked out the door.

Reaching the doorway, he suddenly felt something was wrong.

Performing husband and wife duties at night then disappearing without a trace in the morning – that didn’t seem like proper behavior for a gentleman.

So Wang Daxia went to the study next door, picked up a brush to write a few lines, then placed the note on the vanity table in the bedroom, pressing it under a rouge box.

Wang Daxia went downstairs before putting on his shoes and left the house. He found a restaurant on Gulou West Diagonal Street and ordered a bowl of kidney flower noodles – after testing his sword three times last night, he needed to properly nourish little Wang Xia.

Just then, Commander Mu, who’d been on night patrol, was treating everyone to breakfast after ending his shift. Seeing Wang Daxia wolfing down noodles, he asked, “Why aren’t you eating breakfast at home? What are you doing out here?”

Wang Daxia nearly choked on hearing this. “Oh, I didn’t go home last night. The Embroidered Uniform Guard had urgent business. I just finished and came back. I was hungry, so I came in for something to eat.”

Commander Mu said, “Couldn’t they give you a couple days off for your engagement? Your Commander Lu is too strict. He wouldn’t even let you off on your engagement night – it’s not like the Guard can’t function without you.”

Wang Daxia mumbled vaguely, “It’s just a case I’ve been following. They really can’t manage without me.”

Commander Mu leaned over to examine Wang Daxia’s face closely: “Oh my, you’ve got dark circles from staying up all night. Hurry home and get some sleep after you eat.”

Wang Daxia said, “You stayed up all night too, sir. You should go home and sleep first. I’ll bring a portion to Dr. Wei after I eat – the noodles here are good.”

It was understandable that Wang Daxia would be thinking of his fiancée right after the engagement, so Commander Mu went home first.

Wang Daxia brought breakfast for Wei Caiwei, but she didn’t wake up until the sun was high. The noodles had gone soggy, so Wang Daxia had the kitchen make fresh ones and bring them over.

Wei Caiwei rubbed her aching waist: “No Guard duties today?”

“Let me massage that for you – lie down.” Wang Daxia repeated the lie he’d told Commander Mu that morning. “…Now I have to take a day off whether I want to or not, to make the lie believable.”

Wei Caiwei giggled: “So you have the whole day free.”

Wang Daxia said, “Yes, let’s go out and have fun. The red leaves on Fragrant Mountain are at their best right now.”

Wei Caiwei asked, “Is going out more fun than staying home? Are red leaves prettier than me?”

After last night’s sword unsheathing, Wang Daxia’s thick skull had finally cracked open a bit, and he immediately caught Wei Caiwei’s hint. He quickly said, “Of course you’re more fun- no no no, of course you’re prettier.”

Sigh, still needed more practice. And so Wei Caiwei didn’t give Wang Daxia a chance to get out of bed all afternoon – practice makes perfect, after all. There’s nothing difficult in the world if you’re willing to practice.

In his previous life, Wang Daxia had eaten soft rice without chopsticks, so he’d made himself a pair of chopsticks. Now he came with his own chopsticks, eating soft rice even more smoothly. His gloomy expression had disappeared – no longer did he sometimes look like he was going to a funeral when going to bed. What met the eye now was a face radiating youth and excitement, with light in both eyes.

The next day, Wang Daxia returned to the Embroidered Uniform Guard office for duty. Though it was autumn, he was beaming with spring joy. His comrades all congratulated him, and Wang Daxia cupped his hands in return, enthusiastically distributing invitations:

“The twenty-seventh of the twelfth lunar month is our big day. Everyone must come to my house for wedding wine. Just give whatever you feel is appropriate for the gift money – don’t spend too much.”

Try giving too little and see what happens! Hmph!

Everyone had heard the neighborhood rumors that Dr. Wei was pregnant before marriage – with Lu Ying’s child. But seeing Wang Daxia today, even his hair seemed to radiate joy – he didn’t look like someone about to become a cheap stepfather.

Moreover, the wedding was set for the end of the year, just three days before New Year’s Eve. If Wei Caiwei were really pregnant, her belly would be showing by then – wouldn’t that be a joke?

This meant the rumors were unreliable. If there really was a child, they would have held the wedding within two months.

Junior Officer Wu, emboldened by his usual good relationship with Wang Daxia, dared to ask: “Is there any special significance to this wedding date? We all thought we’d be drinking your wedding wine in the next couple months.”

Wang Daxia said, “My father needs to return to the capital for the wedding. He’s far away in Jiangxi and is taking leave to come back to the capital for my marriage. We’re leaving plenty of time so he won’t miss the auspicious day.”

Everyone thought this made perfect sense – rumors really were frightening!

Li Yiren also received an invitation. Looking at the date – the twenty-seventh of the twelfth lunar month – it would be exactly three years of mourning for the Lu family, when they could remove their mourning clothes and participate in joyful occasions. With her compensatory feelings toward Wang Daxia, she would personally attend to drink a cup of wedding wine.

Li Yiren asked Lu Ying: “Will you go drink wedding wine?”

Lu Ying waved her own invitation: “Of course I’m going. I’m Wang Daxia’s best man, responsible for blocking drinks, receiving the bride, preventing others from causing wedding night mischief, eavesdropping, and such. It’s an arduous task.”

With Lu Ying, that scarred handsome gentleman, present, no one would dare force Wang Daxia to drink or cause trouble – he was truly an excellent house-guarding helper.

Li Yiren didn’t know where to begin: “You… you’re a woman, how can you be a best man… And you broke up with Wang Daxia – why would he ask you to be his best man? Has he gone mad?”

Lu Ying lied without hesitation: “He’s just trying to provoke me, declaring war triumphantly. I dumped him, yet he’s getting married before me, and he wants me to personally witness his wedding ceremony to make me jealous. If I refuse, it would show I still have feelings for him. So to demonstrate that I truly don’t care, that I’ve truly made a clean break with him and fallen for someone else, I must accept his invitation to be his best man. Don’t you think so, Mother?”

Li Yiren: That logic does make sense. She sighed: “These children are so stubborn, and petty too. It’s good you two didn’t end up together. If you had become a couple, both so proud and unwilling to yield, wouldn’t you fight every day?”

Author’s Note: On this joyous day, the boat requests that everyone use nutrient solution to give a gift money offering for the union of three summers – just whatever feels appropriate~

Note 1: From “Autumn Rain” by Yan Xuan of the Five Dynasties period:

“Autumn rain, autumn rain, without day or night, drop by drop, fine and continuous.

Dark lamps and cool mats lament separation, the enchanting beauty cannot overcome sorrow.

West wind grows slightly urgent, rustling window bamboo, stopping then continuing, delicate face suspended with twin jades.

How many times inviting appointments when wild geese come, missing the date, geese return, but the person does not return.”