"So, you really are quite a flirt." Yun Qian paused, saying seriously.
"Iâll say it again, liking the same person doesnât count as being a flirt." Xu Changâan shook his head. He didnât know if the girl from the dream and the girl in reality were considered the same person, but there was no mistake in that he only liked Yun Qian.
"Having different names doesnât count as being a flirt?" Yun Qian asked.
"Iâll change my name to Gu Changâan right now." Xu Changâan pointed at Yun Qianâs shadow, countering: "Madam Xu or Madam Gu, choose one."
"Madam Gu." Yun Qian replied without hesitation.
"So, names are just codes." Xu Changâan smiled: "According to your logic, then you are a flirt too, abandoning Madam Xuâs title and taking the surname Gu?"
"I see." Yun Qian nodded: "You make a good point. It seems Iâm a flirt too, but Iâve known this for a long time."
Xu Changâan is lustful, she is.
Xu Changâan is flirtatious, she is.
"..." Xu Changâan looked at Yun Qianâs matter-of-course expression, his tone faltered: "Girl, youâre not playing by the rules."
"What rules?" Yun Qian looked at him.
"The way to win a young ladyâs heart is the path youâve walked." Xu Changâan said somewhat proudly: "Qing Nuan casually captured Miss. At that time, the pure Miss Yun probably didnât think that I was actually a bad person who liked wealth and beauty, did she?"
"Really?" Yun Qian gently stepped back, escaping Xu Changâanâs shadow and the torchlightâs illumination, her whole person seemed to blend with the total darkness. Fortunately... fireflies in the forest wandered to one side, reflecting the young ladyâs profile.
This scene was somewhat eerie, but Xu Changâan only found the scenery beautiful. He asked: "Whatâs wrong? Did I say something wrong?"
"No."
In the darkness, Yun Qianâs lips formed an upward arc. She said seriously: "This time, itâs you who has broken into my world."
He floated to the islandâs shore, it had nothing to do with Miss Guan Yun, Miss Guan Yun originally intended to be a mere spectator, occasionally sipping a cup of treasured "wine."
At this moment, the dream he entered was also offered by her first.
Whether from reality or dreams, Xu Changâan was the latecomer.
"I... broke into your world? I donât quite understand." Xu Changâan was puzzled, looking at the fireflies beside Yun Qian, resembling butterflies, he realized: "Still thinking about your Zhuang Zhou dreams of butterflies... Miss, Iâve made it clear, this is my dream, not yours."
He was very aware that he wasnât conjured from the young ladyâs dream; he was just himself.
"But you are my dream." Yun Qian looked at him.
Xu Changâan found this statement somewhat familiar, laughing: "Is this a love confession?"
"Yes." Yun Qian responded without hesitation.
Then Xu Changâanâs smile froze on his face.
Annoyed.
How could he forget, one sentence canât tease the young lady.
"Treating dreams as confidants? I donât need that with you, even without dreams itâs the same." Xu Changâan said.
"Youâve said, life is like a dream." Yun Qian said softly: "Which one is the dream now? Or... maybe both are?"
For Yun Qian, reality is like a fragile dream, with no distinction, shattered by just one thought.
"Does it matter? As long as Iâm with you, reality and dreams have no difference." Xu Changâan said, silently adding in his heart, it must be the real Yun Qian, he couldnât spend his life with a girl born from his imagination.
"Maybe thatâs true." Yun Qian lowered her eyelids, "I mean to say, this time you broke into my world, so... whatever happens, itâs not my fault."
"Then it depends on Missâs skills." Xu Changâan snorted: "A hot spring alone canât capture me."
He thought Yun Qian wanted to capture him in the dream.
"Letâs go."
Yun Qian thought her husband was always a naive person.
She walked out from the darkness and actively stepped into his shadow, and this time, her steps didnât halt, walking up to Xu Changâan side by side, holding onto his arm.
"Why arenât you afraid Iâll run away? Arenât you blocking my escape?" Xu Changâan chuckled.
"Iâm holding you..." Yun Qian tightened her grip on Xu Changâanâs hand, her tone paused, then she calmly said: "If you truly wish to leave, I wouldnât be able to keep you, I know that."
"Leaving you in Beisang City was a last resort, I hope Miss can forgive me." Xu Changâan apologized.
Yun Qian nodded, recalling the scene of stepping from the darkness into Xu Changâanâs shadow, suddenly said: "Now, I have actively walked into your world, so if anything happens, itâs my fault."
"Miss never makes mistakes." Xu Changâan surprisingly couldnât understand Yun Qianâs words; clearly, he understood them before, wasnât this his dream?
Xu Changâan didnât know, that he was never on the same channel as Yun Qian.
"I said, what I do has nothing to do with you." Yun Qian remembered some past, her gaze drifting.
"... I donât understand." Xu Changâan shook his head, but it didnât matter anymore because they had reached their destination.
The two walked through dark ravines, on one side there was a tree hollowed out from the middle, inside were two sets of clothes neatly arranged, beside it was a stack of pure white towels, surrounded by complete screens.
This was the natural mystic passage before entering the hot spring, the area already had steam leaking out, the temperature suddenly rising, using this place as a changing room prevents getting cold.
Yun Qian stopped, having no intention of entering behind the screen to shield herself, casually swept her hair up, letting the hair tassel wrap around from her neck, stopping at her waist, then she opened her arms, saying: "Change clothes."
"Coming, coming."
Xu Changâan walked over, expertly undoing the young ladyâs sash, carefully shielding her from the cold wind, while helping her change into a towel, then smoothly tidying Yun Qianâs long hair which wasnât pinned properly.
Having prepared everything, he then started to change his clothes behind the screen.
Yun Qian: "..."
The girl stood alone outside the screen, looking at the clothes inside the tree hole, listening to the rustling sounds by her ear, not knowing what she was thinking.
"Done." Xu Changâan moved swiftly, after changing into the towel, he impatiently grabbed Yun Qianâs hand.
Very nostalgic.
The islandâs hot spring.
It had been a long time since he had bathed, able to reminisce once in the dream... truly lucky.
At this moment, Xu Changâanâs mind was filled with memories of the hot spring, surprisingly not a trace of amorous intentions arose, his steps becoming more urgent.
Watching Xu Changâanâs enthusiastic mood, Yun Qian couldnât say what she felt, she just suddenly reached out a finger and poked Xu Changâanâs lower back, then spread her palm and gently pat him, leaving a hand print.
"Miss?" Xu Changâan turned around, what he saw was the usual calm young lady.
"Slow down, wait for me." Yun Qian panted slightly.
"Oh, I got a bit too excited." Xu Changâan coughed, re-fixing the buttons on Yun Qianâs somewhat loose towel, then slowed his pace.
As they walked through the path, everything cleared before their eyes.
It was as if a room had been carved out from the rock wall, in the narrow valley, mist was scattered, before them lay a spring with a diameter of about two meters.
Mist wafted.
Look at the mist by the spring, when the clouds disperse, youâll know the light.
When the full view of the hot spring was exposed before Xu Changâan, the happiness on his face became more intense.
"Itâs been a long time. This faint fragrance, I really miss it, only our island had this, outside, they all smelled of sulfur..." Xu Changâan said, turned his head.
"...? "
The happiness on his face vanished completely.
"Miss, you... are not happy?" Xu Changâan asked nervously: "Youâre not feeling unwell, are you?"
"Not happy? Me?" Yun Qian didnât understand, she hadnât noticed at all.
Obviously she also wanted to come to the hot spring with Xu Changâan, how could she not be happy.
"Yes, you seem not to be in high spirits." Xu Changâan confirmed.
Yun Qian felt Xu Changâanâs gaze falling back on her, her heartbeat accelerated, and she also confirmed: "I am not unhappy."