The heavy rain pattered continuously, washing the mountain path into a muddy mess. The sky grew darker and darker as low clouds covered it densely without a gap.

Having campaigned for many years, Xiao Du knew that given this situation, even if the rain stopped soon, it would be extremely dangerous for them to descend the mountain rashly. The rainwater could very likely cause landslides on the mountain path, and the people at the farm had no idea they were here. Fortunately, there was this cave where they could barely last the night, though this wasn’t how he had originally planned things…

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat dejected. But turning to see Yuanxi’s thin shirt already soaked through by the rain, he dismissed these chaotic thoughts. The cave was damp and cold – he needed to find some branches to start a fire to dry their clothes and let her warm up properly.

Fortunately, his military experience served him well. He quickly used dry grass to make a comfortable seat for Yuanxi in the cave, then braved the rain to run outside. Using his dagger, he cut many branches and also took the opportunity to gather some mountain fruits in his arms. Both had eaten dinner absent-mindedly and now felt quite hungry. He placed all the fruits in Yuanxi’s arms and began arranging branches to start a fire.

Yuanxi sat cross-legged munching on the sweet mountain fruits, watching him carefully use stones and branches to build a fire pit, then strike stones together with dry grass to kindle flames. The warm firelight soon illuminated the entire cave and reddened his face.

Yuanxi smiled with a fruit in her mouth, feeling much less cold now. As long as he was beside her, she needn’t worry about anything.

She gathered her clothes and walked over, stuffing one of the fruits from her arms into his mouth. While Xiao Du arranged branches on the fire, he said, “Quickly take off your wet clothes to dry them, or you’ll catch cold.”

As soon as he said this, he felt it was inappropriate. Turning back, he indeed saw Yuanxi staring at him with puffed cheeks, her face completely red in the firelight. Though they were already married, both were still inexperienced, and suddenly having to bare themselves felt quite awkward.

Xiao Du felt his face burning too, so he coughed lightly and said, “I’ll go prepare a sleeping area over there. You dry your clothes first.”

He turned away guiltily and found a depression to spread dry grass as bedding. Hearing rustling sounds behind him, he felt his heartbeat quicken. Though he couldn’t see, images kept floating in his mind, disturbing his composure. Not knowing what his hands were doing, he cursed himself inwardly for being useless: “She’s your own wife – what’s there to be afraid to look at!”

He simply turned around boldly to see Yuanxi had already removed her outer garment and hung it by the fire. She was now loosening her hair knot, tilting her head as she slowly combed through her wet hair with a comb. Black tresses cascaded down as water droplets slowly slid from the ends onto her fair neck. The firelight made her cheeks rosy as peach blossoms, while her damp undergarment clung to her body, revealing the maiden’s graceful curves completely.

Xiao Du stared with wide eyes, his breathing nearly stopping. With a “clang,” the dagger in his hand dropped to the ground. Yuanxi was startled and quickly turned around, meeting his burning gaze directly. Both their hearts immediately began racing like startled deer. Feeling flustered, she lowered her head and scolded coquettishly, “Why are you peeking?”

Xiao Du also quickly lowered his head, but his mind was full of the scene just witnessed. Flames writhed in his belly, making him feel restless and hot. He fumbled to pick up the dagger but slipped, scattering the carefully laid dry grass everywhere.

Yuanxi rarely saw him so flustered and couldn’t help laughing again. Seeing his hair still dripping with water, she gathered her courage and finally said softly, “You’re all wet too. Come over and warm up together, or it must be uncomfortable having it stick to your body.”

Xiao Du thought: How can I, a grown man, be more bashful than my own wife? So he straightened his chest and walked to the fire as if nothing had happened, quickly stripping off his undergarment and hanging it over the fire to dry. Yuanxi caught a glimpse of him instantly baring his upper body and felt her heart about to fly from her chest. She quickly sat upright facing the fire, not daring to breathe deeply.

Xiao Du suddenly remembered their wedding night and couldn’t help teasing, “Why don’t you dare look this time?”

Yuanxi spat lightly at him, her ears completely red, not knowing what to say for a moment. The air surged with thick ambiguous tension, making both their heartbeats exceptionally loud, accompanied by the crackling fire.

Xiao Du stoked the fire higher and finally decided to break this awkward standoff, saying gently, “Let me help you comb your hair.”

Yuanxi shyly nodded and handed him the comb. Feeling his gaze falling directly on her, she quickly turned away, not daring to look at him. Xiao Du gently gathered her hair and combed downward bit by bit. Seeing the silky black strands collected in his palm, he suddenly felt playful and used his fingers to coil and twist them until… he accidentally created a tight knot.

His face immediately darkened. He secretly glanced at Yuanxi, seeing her still looking bashful with her head lowered, staring blankly at the fire. So he steadied himself and tried to untangle it, but only made it more tangled, finally creating a complete mess.

Yuanxi had been feeling tender and sweet when she suddenly felt her scalp being pulled painfully. Turning back, she saw him sweating profusely while trying to untangle her hair, leaving her dumbfounded.

But the harder he worked to untangle it, the more hopelessly tangled the hair became. Yuanxi finally grew impatient from his tugging and pulled her hair back, saying, “Let me do it myself.”

Xiao Du really didn’t want her to think he couldn’t handle even this small task, so he stubbornly tried to pull her back. In their mutual tugging, Yuanxi pitched forward and fell against him. Xiao Du felt warm fragrant softness fill his arms. Coming to his senses, something soft and round pressed against his chest. The gentle sensation spread outward from his chest, heating his entire body and leaving his mind blank, not knowing where to put his hands and feet.

Yuanxi was both ashamed and anxious. Now only a thin layer of fabric separated them, and she could even feel his burning skin pressed tightly against her chest. She instinctively struggled to get up, but this only made the friction more intense. Xiao Du was inflamed by her movements and finally pressed her into his arms, kissing her lips fiercely.

He threaded his hands through her hair, his tongue gently prying open her pearly teeth, obsessively licking every part of her mouth, carefully nibbling and turning, their breaths intertwining. At this moment, he felt his whole body burning painfully, and she was his clear spring – only by drinking from her could he quench his thirst.

Finally no longer satisfied with lingering only at her lips, he reached into her garment and grasped the softness he had long craved. Both trembled at their cores. Yuanxi felt her whole body shaking and gasped, instinctively reaching to push him away, but he caught her hand and said hoarsely in her ear, “Don’t be afraid.”

Under his seductive voice, Yuanxi gradually relaxed. Yes, he was her husband, the person she willingly wanted to entrust her life to – so what was there to fear?

But she still felt somewhat awkward, so she bit her lip and said carefully, “But I’m still wet… I’ll get you wet too…”

Xiao Du was amused by her and pressed his face to her nose, saying gently, “Then take it off.” Yuanxi closed her eyes tightly, feeling her heart couldn’t bear it, as she felt him gently remove her last garment. His burning lips meandered down along her curves, causing tremors wherever they touched. The soft, silky sensation made him sigh with satisfaction. Reason had long been cast to the winds, leaving only instinct to lead them into intoxicated entanglement.

“Achoo!” A crisp sneeze suddenly shattered the romantic atmosphere weaving through the cave. Xiao Du looked up with a dark expression, saying incredulously, “Even like this… you’re still cold?”

Yuanxi shamefully covered her face. She didn’t want to make such a sound at this moment either, but she… was just cold.

She held back and held back, but finally couldn’t help sniffling again. This sound was particularly clear in the empty cave. Now Xiao Du, despite having thousands of tender feelings, couldn’t continue. He helplessly straightened up and handed her the outer garment that had finished drying, saying, “Put this on quickly, don’t catch cold.”

Seeing Yuanxi hunching her shoulders like a child who had done something wrong as she put on the outer garment, he couldn’t help feeling much tenderness. He thought he had been too impulsive just now – he had planned everything to give her the most beautiful memory. How could he let her future recollections of her first time be in this damp, cold, broken cave?

So he frowned, grateful he hadn’t continued just now. He coughed lightly and forced himself not to think about those romantic scenes, trying to use a normal tone: “The dry grass is all laid out. Go sleep over there first.”

Yuanxi softly said “oh” and walked a few steps, then turned back, her voice like a mosquito’s buzz: “Aren’t you coming to sleep?”

Xiao Du looked up and was about to speak when he suddenly froze. She wasn’t wearing undergarments, and the loose outer robe made the curves within seem visible yet hidden. Her face still bore a rosy flush, and her fair neck was covered with marks from their recent passion. Seeing this made his blood surge, and he quickly lowered his head, desperately telling himself that he, the mighty Marquis Xuanyuan, who didn’t fear facing enemies in battle, must be able to endure this moment to be considered a real man.

Yuanxi didn’t know of his inner struggle. Seeing him lower his head without responding, she thought he was angry about what had happened earlier. Feeling somewhat wronged, she gathered her garment and slowly walked to the prepared depression to lie down. Suddenly feeling empty beside her, she felt both cold and somewhat bitter, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Hearing occasional sneezes and sniffling from over there, Xiao Du finally couldn’t help but turn to look, discovering she was lying there hugging her shoulders and silently shedding tears.

He immediately felt heartbroken and quickly walked over, asking, “What’s wrong?”

Yuanxi pitifully lifted her small face and said softly, “I’m cold.”

Xiao Du sighed and had to lie down beside her fully clothed. Seeing her shoulders still trembling, he reached out to hold her, but didn’t dare get too close.

Yuanxi felt his warmth gradually flowing into her body and contentedly turned around, resting her head on his warm chest and closing her eyes very comfortably.

But Xiao Du couldn’t calm down at all. He lay rigid, his nose filled with her fragrant scent, her soft body pressed against him, making every inch of his skin cry out and yearn.

Yuanxi drowsily hugged his waist, then suddenly frowned and murmured, “Your jade is poking me again.” She impatiently reached to push the thing away, but as soon as she touched it, her whole body shivered and she suddenly became fully awake.

Not having eaten pork but having seen pigs run, having read the “Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine” many times, she naturally understood what it was. Her face flushed red as she tried to pull away like she’d been electrocuted, but he pressed her back firmly. Looking up, she saw those eyes full of restraint and desire as he said hoarsely, his voice carrying some pleading, “This time’s interest – could I collect a little more?”

The next day, sunlight slowly penetrated the cave entrance, shining on the pile of extinguished firewood. Xiao Du and Yuanxi emerged from the cave with their clothes arranged, both looking somewhat awkward. Xiao Du hovered around her and finally gathered courage to ask, “Your hand – is it still sore?”

Yuanxi immediately turned completely red and glared at him fiercely, walking forward in a huff. But she was suddenly caught from behind and found herself on his back. Xiao Du turned his head and smiled, “I said I’d carry you down the mountain. A real man’s word is his bond.”

Yuanxi pressed her face against his back, feeling the cicadas’ calls in the forest seemed to strike her heart, making it tremble and feel confused, yet faintly stirring with a trace of sweetness.