Wang Daxia flushed crimson: "You... hid it there?"
Wei Caiwei said, "Where's the fun if I tell you? Come find it yourself."
Wang Daxia: "You're the one who told me to search... If I really reach in to look, don't regret it later."
Wei Caiwei replied, "It's just a game, what's there to regret? I can handle losing, can't you handle winning?"
Dealing with someone as dense as Wang Daxia required such crude provocation—otherwise, he'd never take the bait. To butcher an ox, one must use a butcher's knife.
Wang Daxia slid his hands into the bathtub, moving like two fish playing among lotus leaves—darting east, west, south, and north through the water.
The fish swam to the center, dipping their heads to touch the lotus seeds, clear as water.
He'd searched everywhere below the neck but found no trace of the rose... Wait, there was only one place left untouched. Could it be...?
If I'm guessing right, you're truly daring with your hiding spots.
Wang Daxia's heart nearly leaped into the bathtub. He knew exactly where it must be but didn't dare proceed, his hands hovering near the rose.
No—we're only engaged today, not yet at our wedding night.
But... she asked me to find it.
Steady! This might be her test of my self-control! I mustn't lose composure at this critical moment, not after three years of waiting.
With that thought, Wang Daxia summoned the determination of his past life's self-castration and withdrew his hands from the warm water. "Whatever tests you have, bring them on. My feelings for you are genuine—born of passion but restrained by propriety."
Wei Caiwei: "..."
Wei Caiwei sank deeper into the water, her mind raging: Aren't you supposed to be a rake? The notorious libertine, the official's son, the nightmare of every young maiden in the capital? How are you more proper than Lu Ying? Truly, proximity to virtue rubs off! Right now, I want you to forget your manners!
Just give up. Wait until the wedding night to teach him properly.
Yet Wei Caiwei couldn't bear to stop. At twenty years old, after three years of suppression, she'd longed for Wang Daxia endlessly. She was a normal young woman with desires, one who frequently dreamed of their past life's intimacies. Those two mischievous little fish had freely roamed, igniting sparks everywhere and pouring oil on the flames.
Wang Daxia had restrained himself—she hadn't. Her willpower was too fragile, like waving perfectly cooked, fragrant, tender, non-greasy meat before someone who'd starved for three years. It was nothing short of torture.
Therefore, Wei Caiwei decided Wang Daxia could still be salvaged.
Wei Caiwei said, "I'm done bathing. Hand me my robe."
Wang Daxia passed her a cotton gown, but instead of taking it, she stepped out of the tub with long strides. As she moved, the rose succumbed to gravity and plopped back into the bathwater.
I was right—it was there all along! She... she actually dared to hide it there!
Wang Daxia's mind went blank as if he'd blacked out from drinking. Everything became instinct. When he regained awareness, they had already moved from the courtyard bathhouse to the second-floor bedroom.
He didn't know how they'd gotten there—it felt like riding clouds and mist. Now, just like Wei Caiwei emerging from her bath, though autumn rain tapped against the window outside, the bed curtains contained a raging fire that consumed all reason."Wait!" Wang Daxia regained a sliver of reason like a final rally before death, "My father won't return to the capital until December to officiate our wedding. If you're showing by then—"
"That won't happen." Wei Caiwei produced the pre-prepared fish swim bladder and fitted it onto Wang Xiaoxia. "Also, please don't mention your father in bed from now on. It's inappropriate and ruins the mood."
In this lifetime, everything had to start from scratch. She had to teach him everything - truly exhausting.
She had once inadvertently measured Wang Xiaoxia's spirited state with her foot. The fish swim bladder was purchased according to her foot length, ensuring a perfect fit.
With the final reservation overcome, Wang Xiaoxia's three years of preparation came to fruition. Like a frost blade unsheathed for the first time, it drew blood upon first contact, determined not to cease until complete surrender was achieved.
The Three Xia combine - Wang Daxia, Wang Xiaoxia, and Banxia finally achieved victorious union.
The autumn rain fell ceaselessly, dripping and drizzling day and night. The west wind rustled the bamboo outside the window, pausing only to resume again. (Note 1)
Sleeping beautifully in the sound of rain, with fragrance warming the quilt, hearts pounding, bodies trembling. How deep was this profound affection? Like the sunset in deep mountains, like the autumn rain in late fall.
By early morning, the autumn rain had finally ceased, leaving crimson leaves covering the steps.
Having maintained the habit of rising early for three years to report to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Wang Daxia never slept in. Though exhausted from Wang Xiaoxia's sword testing the previous night, he still woke at his usual time.
Quietly, Wang Daxia moved aside the dark hair tangled around his neck and shifted the bare leg resting on his abdomen. He rose stealthily, afraid to wake his thoroughly exhausted fiancée. Not even putting on his shoes, he carried them in his hands and padded out in socks.
Reaching the doorway, he suddenly felt something was amiss.
To consummate the marriage at night and disappear by morning didn't seem like proper husband behavior.
Therefore, Wang Daxia went to the adjacent study, wrote a few lines, and placed the note on the dressing table in the bedroom, weighted down beneath the rouge box.
Only after descending the stairs did he put on his shoes. Going outside, he found an eatery on West Drum Tower Street and ordered a bowl of kidney noodles. After testing the sword three times last night, Wang Xiaoxia needed proper nourishment.
Coincidentally, Commander Mu was treating his night patrol team to breakfast after their shift. Seeing Wang Daxia engrossed in eating noodles, he asked, "Why aren't you having breakfast at home?" Coming out here?"
Wang Daxia nearly choked, "Oh, I didn't return home last night. The Embroidered Uniform Guard had urgent business. I just finished and came here to eat since I was hungry."
Commander Mu said, "Can't they give you a couple more days off for your engagement? Your Commander Lu is too strict. Not even letting you off on your engagement night - as if the Embroidered Uniform Guard can't function without you."
Wang Daxia mumbled vaguely, "It's just this case I've been following. They really can't manage without me."
Commander Mu leaned closer, examining Wang Daxia's face closely: "Goodness, you've developed dark circles from staying up. Finish your noodles and go home to catch up on sleep."
Wang Daxia said, "You've been up all night too, sir. You should go rest first. After I finish eating, I'll get some for Doctor Wei - this place makes good noodles."
Understanding that newly engaged Wang Daxia would be thinking of his fiancée, Commander Mu went home first.
When Wang Daxia brought breakfast to Wei Caiwei, she didn't wake until the sun was high in the sky. By then the noodles had clumped together, so Wang Daxia had the household kitchen prepare fresh ones and deliver them.
Rubbing her sore lower back, Wei Caiwei asked, "No duty at the Embroidered Uniform Guard today?"
"Let me massage that for you, lie down." Wang Daxia recounted the lie he'd told Commander Mu that morning. "...Now I have to take the day off whether I want to or not, to maintain the deception."Wei Caiwei chuckled, "So you're free all day today."
Wang Daxia replied, "Yes, let's go out. The maple leaves at Fragrant Hills are at their best right now."
Wei Caiwei asked, "Which is more fun, going out or staying home? Are the red leaves prettier, or am I?"
After last night's "sword unsheathing," a crack had finally formed in Wang Daxia's wooden head. He immediately caught Wei Caiwei's hint and blurted out, "Of course, you're more fun—no, no, I mean you're prettier."
Sigh, still needs polishing. Thus, Wei Caiwei didn't give Wang Daxia a chance to leave the bed all afternoon—practice makes perfect. Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets their mind to it.
In his past life, Wang Daxia had no chopsticks to eat soft rice, so he made his own. Now, he carried his own chopsticks, making the soft rice even easier to swallow. His gloomy expression vanished, no longer appearing as if climbing into bed was like attending a funeral. Instead, his face radiated youth and excitement, his eyes sparkling.
The next day, Wang Daxia returned to the Imperial Guard Office for duty. Though it was autumn, his face glowed with spring-like joy. His comrades congratulated him one after another. Wang Daxia clasped his hands in return, enthusiastically distributing invitations, saying:
"The twenty-seventh of the twelfth month is our auspicious day. Everyone must come to my house for a wedding drink. Just a token gift is fine—no need to go overboard."
Try giving less! Hmph!
Everyone had heard the neighborhood rumors that Doctor Wei was marrying due to pregnancy—Lu Ying's child. But today, seeing Wang Daxia exuding joy from every strand of hair, he didn't seem like someone being made a cheap father.
Moreover, the wedding was scheduled for year-end, just three days before New Year's Eve. If Wei Caiwei were truly pregnant, her belly would be noticeably large by then—wouldn't that become a joke?
So it seemed the rumors were unreliable. If there were really a child, the wedding should have been arranged within two months.
Wu Xiaoqi, relying on his usual closeness with Wang Daxia, boldly asked, "What's the significance of this wedding date? We thought we'd be drinking at your wedding within two months."
Wang Daxia explained, "My father is returning to the capital for the wedding. He's far away in Jiangxi and took leave for my marriage. We left plenty of time so he wouldn't miss the auspicious day."
Hearing this, everyone agreed it made sense. How terrifying rumors can be!
Li Yiren also received an invitation. Noting the date, the twenty-seventh of the twelfth month, she realized it coincided exactly with the end of the three-year mourning period for the Lu family. They could now participate in festive events. Motivated by a sense of compensation toward Wang Daxia, she decided to attend the wedding in person.
Li Yiren asked Lu Ying, "Are you going to the wedding?"
Lu Ying waved her own invitation, "Of course I am. I'm even Wang Daxia's groomsman—responsible for blocking drinks, fetching the bride, preventing others from causing trouble at the bridal chamber, eavesdropping on the wedding night, and so on. It's a tough job."
With Lu Ying, the scar-faced handsome man, present, no one dared to force Wang Daxia to drink or cause any mischief. She was truly a master at keeping order.
Li Yiren hardly knew where to begin, "You... you're a woman. How can you be a groomsman? And you dumped Wang Daxia—why would he ask you to be his groomsman?" Has he lost his mind?Lu Ying lied without batting an eye: "He's just deliberately trying to provoke me, proudly declaring war. I was the one who dumped him, yet he got married before I did and even made me witness his wedding procession, all to make me jealous. If I refuse, it would mean I still have feelings for him. So to show that I truly don't care, that I've completely cut ties with him and moved on, I must accept the invitation to be his groomsman. Don't you agree, Mother?"
Li Yiren: That does make sense. She sighed: "That boy is so terribly petty and narrow-minded. It's fortunate you two didn't end up together. If you had, with both of you being so proud and stubborn, you'd be quarreling every single day."
Author's note: On this joyous occasion, Zhou requests everyone to just use nutrient solutions as symbolic wedding gifts for the Three Xia combine!
Note 1 from "Autumn Rain" by Yan Xuan [Five Dynasties period]:
Autumn rain, autumn rain,
Day and night without cease,
Dripping, drizzling endlessly.
By dim lamp and cool mat I lament our separation,
The enchanting beauty,
Cannot bear the sorrow.
The west wind grows urgent, rustling bamboo by the window,
Stopping then continuing,
A glossy face suspended with twin jades.
How many times I invited, hoping for wild geese to come,
But the appointment was broken,
The geese return,
Yet the person does not.
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