Lin Yuchan turned her body slightly to avoid that scorching breath, answering quietly and evasively: “Just… no moving around randomly, no kissing randomly.”

She didn’t know what standards would be acceptable to ancient people. She just hadn’t quite processed it herself. Just ten minutes ago, she thought she was having an innocent first romance, but how had things suddenly escalated to this point, with a man in her bed?

…She wanted to escape.

It was all her own doing. If she’d taken a foreign steamship, none of this would have happened.

She mumbled for a long time, then added a patch: “And you’re not allowed to squeeze me. In short, you’re not allowed to get too close.”

A string of “not allowed”s fell like summer dewdrops into one’s heart, bringing threads of coolness yet also some unbearable longing.

The corner of Su Minguan’s mouth lifted slightly.

Such innocent adorableness made one unable to resist wanting to test just how much she shouldn’t know was hidden in that cunning little head of hers.

When they first became acquainted, Su Minguan had vaguely suspected that a little girl sold back and forth, unable to control her fate or make her own decisions about anything, being bullied was probably inevitable. Otherwise, why would she risk everything to escape?

The filthy marketplace life was a great dyeing vat, filled with dirty, trivial matters. The seemingly glamorous households with their bells and cauldrons were even more filthy, hiding so much accumulated grime beneath their dignified facades.

That she could crawl out of such an abyss in such a sorry state yet retain a pair of clean eyes was already quite remarkable.

However, as their relationship grew closer later, judging from her righteously declaring herself “underage” and her series of innocent behaviors, she hadn’t seen much of the world either.

Probably all hearsay. Things she’d figured out on her own.

Yet she dared invite a man to share her bed. Just foolishly bold.

Nothing to be proud of about that.

Her prohibitions had quite a few loopholes. As soon as Su Minguan closed his eyes, he could think of countless vulnerabilities to take advantage of. He employed his rich imagination, running through various scenarios in his mind, savoring all sorts of face-flushing, heart-racing plots, finally concluding that she probably wouldn’t let him succeed so easily.

Then he wouldn’t even have a bed to sleep in.

The little girl appeared nonchalant on the surface, but her heartbeat was short and rapid-thump thump thump like a terrified little rabbit that had mistakenly entered someone’s home. The muscles in her thin arms were taut, as if ready to fight at any moment.

Su Minguan turned and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, drawing her little head into his embrace.

With this slight overlap, the bed finally wasn’t so cramped, and when moving any body parts, they wouldn’t suddenly bump into each other.

“What are you doing?”

This degree of invasion didn’t arouse her disgust. She protested half-heartedly, then obediently curled into his arms.

She easily found a comfortable angle, not knowing why it went so smoothly – perhaps it was the instinctive nature of opposite-sex attraction?

She remembered their first meeting in Guangzhou – that bewildered youth who hid a soft corner in his heart yet was cold and distant, unwilling to open his heart to anyone. Back then, he probably never imagined that someday he would let his guard down for an unrelated little girl, letting her rest against his heart.

Lin Yuchan forgot about the camp lights outside the ship, forgot about the life-risking adventure moments before, even temporarily forgot what era she was in. She was simply a sentimental young girl nestled in the arms of someone she liked.

Throughout history, across all lands, how many young, passionate souls had quietly drawn close together like this? In childhood sweetheart study rooms, in small boats under West Lake’s Broken Bridge, in wealthy family orchards, on estates shrouded by war clouds, on luxurious cruise ships in drunken revelry…

He carried the same soap fragrance as hers. Perhaps because he’d just soaked in hot water, his throat and shoulders that usually looked sturdy and solid had a surprisingly soft and delicate touch. That chest that had withstood bullets and cannon fire was slightly compressed by her cheek, then rose with his deep, long breaths. This made her mind wander, thinking this person must have excellent lung capacity…

His body was warm and solid. Nestled in his arms, she didn’t have to press her back against the cold wall – it was truly a divine tool for keeping warm.

Her hair tips weren’t completely dry yet. They brushed coolly across his throat and collarbone. He held his breath for a moment, then rather roughly brushed them away with his hand.

A strand of hair was pressed under his shoulder, tugging at Lin Yuchan, so she let out a soft “tss.”

Su Minguan quickly released his grip, somewhat flustered as he found those trapped strands and carefully extracted them one by one.

“Sorry… does it hurt?”

This was true intimate closeness, with his voice transmitted directly to her heart.

Lin Yuchan shook her head, immediately realizing that this way of sleeping… he probably still couldn’t rest.

She suggested softly: “Why don’t I get down… anyway, I can catch up on sleep during the day tomorrow…”

“No talking.” His voice inexplicably carried anger. “And no moving around.”

Lin Yuchan fell silent.

She only felt his chest rising and falling even more obviously. His fingers gently caressed her shoulder, the pressure growing heavier. Those seemingly pampered, slender, pale hands had developed thin calluses from gripping guns and ropes, and even through a layer of clothing, she could vaguely feel that hardness.

The gilded peace would eventually shatter; the drums of Yuyang would shake the earth, breaking the false tranquility.

“A’Mei,” Su Minguan suddenly said, “let’s chat.”

She deliberately laughed coldly and didn’t respond. He’d just forbidden her from talking, then immediately wanted to chat – she wasn’t a phone that could be silenced on command.

“There’s nothing to chat about. I want to sleep.”

He suddenly turned over, positioning himself entirely above her. By the faint moonlight, he could see her porcelain-like face flushed pink, her ink-black eyes full of astonishment and some unease.

He slowly turned her face back toward him, caressing that smooth chin tip.

Her body still carried warm moisture, wearing his undergarment while hot all over, with nothing underneath inside. Yet she still dared to let him into her bed…

He hid the wildfire of passionate love in his heart, controlling and controlling again, leaving only a little warmth to make his girl feel comforted and soothed.

He didn’t want to burn her. Didn’t want to scorch her. Didn’t want to make her feel dazzled.

So whenever she showed even a little shyness or unwillingness, he would considerately retreat. Even though he knew that with just a little more forcefulness, he could succeed in many things…

In business, at negotiating tables, wasn’t he always forceful? While others were still hesitating, he had already advanced like a blade, step by step eroding their bottom lines.

“A’Mei,” he finally couldn’t contain that fire, pleading with her in a small voice, “don’t move.”

He leaned down to capture those pale red, fluttering lips.

Lin Yuchan struggled slightly in his palm, “Not now…”

Her ancestors from tens of thousands of years ago still had correct instincts. Once this opening was made, there was no way to control it!

At least not in bed!

He suppressed his short, rapid breathing and lowered his face with unquestionable determination.

“Just once. You can slap me afterward.”

It was too late for regrets now. She couldn’t bear to slap him either, only looking at him pitifully, hoping the invader would show great mercy – the weakness and compromising nature of the national bourgeoisie was fully displayed.

But Su Minguan didn’t manage to touch her. Bright lamplight suddenly swept through the door crack. A series of shuffling footsteps approached from far to near.

“…What’s that sound?”

The ship had crew members on night watch every day. Today’s situation was special, so Su Minguan had arranged two extra people, instructing them to stay alert.

Lin Yuchan hastily fell silent, covering her mouth.

Though she couldn’t see Su Minguan’s expression, from his tense breathing, she could tell that if the commotion in this cabin were discovered, this great helmsman’s prestige would be ruined, and Yixing Shipping would have a year’s worth of jokes.

Su Minguan also held his breath, his face flushed red.

Thank heavens, the night watch brothers were mainly keeping an eye on the refugees. They could be heard talking in the distance, the lamplight moving back and forth for a moment, then several people split up and walked away.

As they walked, they were still puzzled: “The boss said he was having a night talk with a friend in first class. But I heard pretty loud snoring from in there. Should we send a blanket over?… Forget it, let’s not meddle.”

Lin Yuchan made a snap decision, rolling and crawling to escape his restraint, feeling for the kerosene lamp on the desk and frantically lighting it.

Only dregs of kerosene remained, producing a dying light, but enough to see clearly within three feet. Like a splash of cold water, it temporarily extinguished the nearly boiling desire in the cabin.

She lowered her head, her face red as a peach. That oversized undergarment had been rumpled for so long that its organization and discipline had completely collapsed, exposing large areas of shoulder skin that glowed warm white in the lamplight. The waist sash hadn’t come loose, but the hem below was twisted every which way, her shallow navel faintly visible.

She hastily straightened her clothing while explaining: “No, no, no, I didn’t dress like this on purpose…”

Su Minguan stared at her fixedly, his gaze unscrupulously jumping from one spot to another, then said with a half-smile in a low voice: “Even if it was on purpose, it wouldn’t matter.”

While bantering with her, he kept his ears pricked for sounds outside the door. His eyes held a predatory gleam, waiting for an opportunity.

Even jumping into the Yangtze River couldn’t wash this clean now. She changed the subject, reminding him: “Weren’t you very tired?”

“You’re tired too. Just sleep obediently.”

She had nothing to say, giggled, then suddenly raised her hand to gently ruffle his head.

He’d just had his hair cut; the short stubble was a bit prickly. In his cabin, he didn’t need to pretend, letting her touch him openly.

Her fingertips gently traced across his scalp, arousing unbearable tremors.

He couldn’t help catching her hand and guiding it downward, letting her trace his hairline.

Just like how he usually stroked her hair.

He watched with satisfaction as her face reddened, seriously caressing him.

During the day, he was polite and proper with her, a qualified Qing subject; at night, he revealed his revolutionary nature, releasing all sorts of unruly impulses toward her.

When Su Minguan cut his hair at eighteen to show his resolve, it was to inherit Jin Lanhe’s mantle and give a dying elder a gesture of burning bridges, not a rigid requirement of the Heaven and Earth Society.

Since then, he hadn’t actively rebelled to restore the Ming either, but chose to enter the world and accumulate strength. He could have completely grown his queue back, like Rong Hong, to facilitate dealing with ordinary people.

It was all because of the little oddball he’d casually rescued. Her aesthetic sense was extremely skewed – the first time she saw his true short-haired appearance, her eyes showed no shock or disgust, but rather, in Su Minguan’s view, a hint of amazement.

So he simply didn’t change it. She could look as long as she wanted.

The footsteps could no longer be heard at all. Su Minguan’s eyes gradually brightened as he glanced at the moon outside the window.

In the deep of night, when all was quiet, there was still plenty of time to play with her.

However, Lin Yuchan moved faster. She pulled the kerosene lamp closer, got up to search through the bookshelf, thinking herself very clever as she suggested: “Shall we find a book to read?”

The bookshelf was small, and her random fumbling caused several books to tumble down with a clatter. She quickly sat down to pick them up.

The cover that first caught her eye made her wish she could disappear. It was an English Western novel with a scantily clad woman being pressed onto a bed by a villain with an evil smile…

A book left behind by an American sailor.

“Oh,” Su Minguan couldn’t help laughing, wrapping his arm around her waist, “you like this kind of book? Perfect – there are too many words I don’t recognize; I couldn’t read it alone.”

Lin Yuchan glared at him and quickly put away this awful book. Then she rapidly discarded cowboy couples on horseback, milkmaids with their bottoms in the air, naked nobles strolling through Versailles…

Those foreign sailors who crossed the oceans, often going months without touching shore, relied on these things to pass time – it was unavoidable.

Finally, she proudly extracted a relatively proper book from the pile, sat back on the bed, automatically leaning into his embrace with the quilt pulled up to cover both their chests.

The book was missing its cover, which she had filled in with handwritten text.

“An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations” (The Wealth of Nations)

By Adam Smith

“Comrade Xiao Bai, the night is long – let’s read and improve ourselves together!”