The large Hua Fang slowly drifted toward the center of Lianxin Lake, the water shimmering with ripples.
Lin Ting stood on the deck, feeling the gentle lake breeze, holding a freshly picked lotus seed pod, her cheeks puffed out as she stuffed her mouth with lotus seeds.
Duan Ling stood beside her, leaning against the railing, gazing into the distance, his slender, fair fingers deftly peeling lotus seeds.
Every time he peeled one, she would lean over and snatch it, popping it into her mouth.
Today wasn’t the Lotus Viewing Festival, so Lianxin Lake was quiet and sparse with few Hua Fangs or small boats.
Lin Ting turned sideways, her back to the water, facing Duan Ling.
“I thought you were on duty today, and your day off isn’t for a few more days?”
The implication was clear—why did he have time to take her out on the lake today?
Duan Ling replied, “I swapped shifts with someone else.”
Of course, as the Imperial Guard’s Deputy Commander, changing shifts was easy for him.
She nodded knowingly, handing him the lotus seed pod she hadn’t touched yet.
“Peel more, I haven’t eaten enough.”
Sometimes, Lin Ting thought the Imperial Guard was omnipotent.
Take Duan Ling for example—he picked up everything quickly, even peeling lotus seed pods more efficiently than her… born to work.
Fortunately, she didn’t want to work unless it involved money.
The railing of the Hua Fang was adorned with many small lanterns.
Lin Ting poked at them with her finger, tilting her head to look at Duan Ling.
“Do Hua Fangs have Lotus Lanterns?”
“I heard that when the boat stops at the center of the lake, releasing a Lotus Lantern and making a wish is very effective. I want to try it too.”
Lin Ting had eaten so many lotus seeds that she smelled faintly sweet and fresh, like the lotus itself.
Duan Ling, standing close, could clearly smell it.
“Yes, I instructed someone to buy them. The Lotus Lanterns are in the cabin—whenever you want to release one, just go get it.”
She immediately went into the cabin to take a look and was surprised.
“You bought too many. It’s just the two of us; we won’t be able to release them all.”
Duan Ling glanced over calmly and said, “No matter. Release as many as you can.”
Lin Ting picked up a Lotus Lantern, examining it for a few seconds.
“What will you wish for?”Â
She had known Duan Ling for a long time but had never seen him make a wish.
Li Jingqiu and Madam Feng were close friends, and over the years, they often visited temples to pray for blessings, sometimes bringing along their children.
Whenever Lin Ting went with them, she inevitably knelt to wish for sudden wealth.
Duan Ling, however, had no reverence for gods or Buddha; if he knelt, it was only out of “politeness.”
Duan Ling adjusted the slightly crooked golden hairpin in Lin Ting’s hair.
“I haven’t decided yet.”
Lin Ting thought ahead mischievously, “If you still haven’t thought of a wish by the time we release the Lotus Lanterns, just write: ‘Faithful man wishes for Lin Ting’s fortune.'”
He smiled faintly.
She put the Lotus Lantern back in place.
“What are you smiling at? You haven’t answered me.”
“Alright, I promise.”
Just then, the sky darkened abruptly.
The entire lake was plunged into gloom, and rain came down without warning, pelting the Hua Fang with a sharp patter.
Lin Ting hurried into the cabin to avoid the rain, but the rain fell faster than she could run, soaking her hair and Qiyao Ruqun.
Duan Ling followed closely behind, also getting drenched, rainwater trickling down his face.
The Boatman saw they were soaked and quickly led them to a room inside the cabin, calling the Boatwoman to prepare bathing water and fresh clothes.
The Boss of the Pleasure Boat had anticipated that guests might accidentally get their clothes wet from splashing water or might whimsically want to swim in the lake, so fresh clothes were kept on board.
Lin Ting walked in with the Boatman, noticing that only one room door had been opened for them.
She touched her nose and said, “We’re not married.”
Although they’d been quite close on the edge of impropriety, they hadn’t bathed together yet.
Duan Ling said nothing.
The Boatman, seeing their intimate behavior and matching appearances, had assumed they were newlyweds.
Upon realizing his mistake, he hurriedly apologized and opened the door to the neighboring room.
Lin Ting didn’t mind, “It’s fine.”
With that, she stepped into the room on the left, leaving the one on the right for Duan Ling.
The Boatwoman followed, placing a red Qiyao Ruqun on the bed and carrying in the bathwater to pour into a clean tub.
Once the bathwater was nearly full, the Boatwoman quietly left, thoughtfully closing the door behind her. Lin Ting locked the door, then undressed to bathe.
The weather was warm, so the bathwater didn’t cool easily.
Lin Ting soaked for two quarters of an hour before getting out to dress.
Since it was raining, it was inconvenient to enjoy the lake view from the deck or to release the Lotus Lanterns.
They’d have to wait until the rain stopped.
She collapsed onto the soft Luohan Couch covered with bedding, wanting to sleep a bit.
For some reason, Lin Ting wasn’t sleepy and tossed and turned restlessly.
Time passed slowly when you couldn’t sleep, and bored, she went out to ask the Boatman for a chessboard and pieces, then went to find Duan Ling in the next room.
Boating guests’ water was being boiled, so the Boatwoman had just brought Lin Ting’s bathwater a quarter hour earlier and delivered Duan Ling’s bathwater shortly before she arrived.
When Lin Ting found him, Duan Ling had just finished bathing.
His collar was slightly loose, and his long hair hadn’t been tied up yet, hanging down his back.
She was used to this look and didn’t think anything of it, shaking the chessboard in her hand.
“Let’s play chess.”
The rain looked like it would last at least another half hour, so what better way to pass the time?
Duan Ling put down the cloth he had used to dry his hair, took the slightly heavy chessboard from her hand, and walked over to the Luohan Couch.
Lin Ting locked the door behind her, removed her shoes, and sat cross-legged opposite him naturally.
“Want to bet something?”
His eyes lingered on her slender feet for a moment.
“What do you want to bet?”
Lin Ting considered, “One tael of silver per game. As they say, ‘masters come from among the people.’ I’ve been watching the elders play chess in the alleys lately, and my skills have improved a lot. I might be able to win some of your silver.”
Duan Ling took the white pieces, “Alright.”
In the first game, Lin Ting lost and lost one tael of silver.
In the second game, she lost again, another tael gone.
The third game ended the same, and she lost yet another tael—for a total loss of three taels.
Logic told Lin Ting to stop while she was behind, but she wanted to win back the three taels she lost before quitting.
“One more round.”
Half a quarter later.
Lin Ting was ready to give up, not giving Duan Ling any silver, but instead kicking him.
“If you secretly let me win a game, will you die?”
He grabbed her foot with one hand and took out the few taels she lost today with the other.
“I’m giving this back to you.”
“What do you mean? You think I’m the kind of person who can’t accept losing and has to cheat?” Lin Ting said as she took the silver back.
Duan Ling looked into her eyes and replied, “Of course not. I want to give this silver back to you; it’s not because you forced me to. You’re not the type to lose and then cheat.”
“You said that.”
She put away the silver and motioned for him to come closer.
“Come here.”
Duan Ling leaned in.
Lin Ting quickly kissed him on the lips, a light brush like a dragonfly’s touch.
Duan Ling wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back deeply, their wet kisses briefly drowning out the rain outside.
The candlelight flickered dimly in the room, their overlapping shadows cast on the wall.
Lin Ting straddled Duan Ling, her long skirt covering his clothing, while her hands rested on his shoulders, fingers lazily twining through his long hair.
This kissing posture pressed their waists tightly together, and even through their clothes, they could feel each other’s warmth.
After kissing for an unknown length of time, Lin Ting lifted her neck, pulling away to cool down.
He lowered his head, kissing her cheek and neck.
His lips were soft, warm, and trembling, making Lin Ting feel both comfortable and on the verge of losing control.
She instinctively tightened her legs and hands around his waist.
Duan Ling raised his head and slowly licked her sensitive earlobe, watching it blush.
Lin Ting tugged at his long hair.
He didn’t stop.
Suddenly, Lin Ting felt something and looked down, lightly squeezing Duan Ling, whispering something at his ear, then deliberately biting his rolling Adam’s apple.
Duan Ling’s breathing immediately grew heavier, whether from what she said or the bite on his throat was unclear.
Lin Ting wanted to undo his belt.
She had reincarnated into this story’s world, retaining modern memories, and acted according to her own will, unconstrained by ancient rules.
If she truly disliked Duan Ling, even if they were married, she would find ways to avoid intimacy.
But if she was sure she liked him, she would follow her heart, even if they weren’t yet married.
Duan Ling grabbed her hand and buried his face in the hollow of her neck, breathing softly.
He didn’t want to make love before marriage, fearing he couldn’t control himself and that she’d find out about his strange “condition.”
Duan Ling harbored dark, vile thoughts and worried Lin Ting wouldn’t love him enough to accept his “condition.”
He planned to tell her only after they married.
“We’re not married yet.”
Just as he spoke, Lin Ting unfastened his belt with a “click” and casually tossed it to the floor.
Soon, the new clothes he had just put on followed suit.
Seeing this, he lifted Lin Ting onto the Luohan Couch’s table, kissing his way down her neck.
The table still held the chessboard and pieces; when Lin Ting moved slightly, the black and white pieces tumbled one after another, settling on her flowing skirt.
Duan Ling’s hand slipped beneath the red skirt.
The rain outside grew heavier.
Lin Ting placed her hands on the table, silently listening to the sound of rain.
After a moment, she raised her leg, nudged his shoulder, and took deep breaths repeatedly.
All the chess pieces had fallen off the table, leaving a small puddle of water on its smooth surface.
It seemed the room was leaking, or maybe not.
Lin Ting tilted her head to look closely at the tightly sealed window.
Gradually, they lay down on the Luohan Couch, Duan Ling leaning over to kiss Lin Ting, licking and nibbling.
Duan Ling moved gently, closing the distance between them until there was none.
His kisses were dense and soft, as if trying to kiss away the sweat on Lin Ting’s face, swallowing it into his own body.
The heavy scent of agarwood lingered at her nose, growing more appealing and she called, “Duan Ziyu.”
Duan Ling’s voice changed slightly.
“Mm.”
Lin Ting lay on the bed, her hairpin pressing uncomfortably, wanting to untie the silk ribbon holding her hair, but she was too weak and asked him to help.
His fingers were nimble; in no time, he had undone all the silk ribbons in her hair.
Instantly, her jet-black hair cascaded over the rose-colored bedding, some strands falling over her chest, hiding the heart wrapped in fair skin.
Duan Ling brushed aside the strands and stroked her heart before slowly kissing it.
Her heart beat under his lips and teeth.
Lin Ting lifted her hand, fingers threading through Duan Ling’s hair, his shadow intertwining with hers, overlapping and separating repeatedly.
Duan Ling’s kisses on her heart came sporadically before gently kissing her lips.
The rain pattered softly, and in less than a quarter hour, it eased.
Duan Ling and Lin Ting exchanged a glance; she silently patted his shoulder and took the initiative to kiss him.
They lay quietly on the Luohan Couch for a while.
He turned to her.
“I…”
She seemed to guess what he wanted to say.
“You don’t need to say it. It’s normal.”
Duan Ling was speechless.
Lin Ting turned over, “It’s hot.”
Hearing her say hot, Duan Ling lifted her and carried her to the window, opening it to let in the cool, rain-soaked breeze to dispel the stuffiness.
The window faced the lake.
There were no other boats nearby, so no one would pass by outside.
Lin Ting stood at the window, instinctively stretching her hand outside to feel the raindrops.
The rain pelted her palm with a “pat-pat” sound, while Duan Ling supported her hand.
The water broke into white foam, and droplets trembled as they slipped through her fingers.
An hour later, the rain stopped.
They closed the window and returned to the Luohan Couch.
Lin Ting lay down and soon fell into a deep, unconscious sleep.
Just before losing consciousness, a thought flashed through her mind: ‘Duan Ling was definitely not human.’