Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  “Zhuge Yue!” Chu Qiao pushed him angrily, “You are bullying me!” He then proceeded to hug her. So suddenly and with such strength, the blanket and towel on her head were completely pushed aside by the sudden momentum. He twisted her face and kissed her with all his strength, and completely held her down, as though he wanted to merge their bodies together. With deep breathing, his hands held her waist, as their touching bodies seemed to be able to feel each other’s heart beating with vigor.

  Once, twice, thrice……

  “Chu Qiao.” Looking at her, he suddenly called her name. In his eyes, there seemed to be an inferno. Without blinking, he firmly declared, “Marry me.”


  Chu Qiao was stunned. As the flames shone on his face from one side, one could only see half of his face, with the other half hidden in the shadows, looking almost like a dream. She felt like she was hallucinating, and was rather lost as to what to do. Opening her mouth, no sound came out as she did not know how to reply.

  “Xing’er,” Looking at her quietly, he continued.

  She was already rather dazed, as she replied, “Yes?”


  “I love you.”


  As he dropped the bombshell, Chu Qiao felt as though her entire face was burning up, with her body temperature rising rapidly, along with her mind which was quickly freezing up. Looking at him in a daze, there was a sense of happiness rising in her heart, along with confusion. Chu Qiao cupped her chest with her hands, as though if she did not hold her heart down, it would jump out and escape.

  “I have loved you for a very long time. Did you know?” he asked her casually as though they were discussing something else that was irrelevant to them, without a single tinge of hurriedness.

  Chu Qiao nodded, “I know.”


  “What about you?” His eyes seemed so clear that focused that Chu Qiao felt as though she was about to suffocate.

  After gathering her courage, Chu Qiao replied softly, “It is the same for me.”


  Yet he refused to accept such a vague answer, and pestered her while smiling, “What is the same?”


  Suddenly, Chu Qiao felt that the boat was too small. Why was the room so small, so hot that she could barely breathe now?

  “Speak.” He leaned over and lifted her chin deftly. “What is the same for you?”


  “I also……” Chu Qiao gripped her fist in resolve, as countless scenes flashed past her mind. “I also love you.”


  I also love you……

  Her voice was rather soft, yet it pierced through the night and lighted up his face. He lightly kissed on her forehead and asked, “When did that start?”


  When? She did not know. Perhaps it was from their reunion at Sunset Mountains. Perhaps it was that moment when they met each other at the lantern festival in Xian Yang. Perhaps it was when she heard the voice from the icy lake, telling her to live on.

  Or perhaps, it was long ago, from that hug in the Imperial Tomb in Mei Mountain, or the chance encounter in Wupeng City, along with their cooperation and fighting together. Perhaps, it was when he saved her from Zhao Chun’er’s pursuit.

  Or even perhaps, it was in that room, when the stubborn teenager wiped away her tears again and again with his pure white handkerchief without even asking for permission. Just like that, he had rudely, stubbornly, and forcefully barged into her heart. Without asking for her permission, and without questioning if she liked it.

  “I don’t know.” Chu Qiao stretched out her hand and caressed his brow which had furrowed together, before continuing, “Perhaps it was from long ago. So long ago that even I cannot remember, and it is difficult to pinpoint the exact moment.” Leaning in his embrace, she lightly whispered, “Or perhaps everything accumulated bit by bit, such that I can no longer remember.”


  “You are so dumb.” Hugging her, he suddenly smiled. “Actually, I do not remember either.”


  Yes, perhaps life was really like this. No one could tell when, but love seemed to suddenly appear and follow in your shadow. By the time you noticed it, it already became deep-rooted within you.

  He lowered his head and kissed her lips, face, ears, neck, and slowly, he crept onto her collarbone. Chu Qiao’s body turned soft as she gave up all resistance, and collapsed on him. Zhuge Yue’s body turned warmer than usual, as the hand on her waist started to move up. His temperature was like a burning inferno, engulfing what was left of Chu Qiao’s senses.

  “Kya!” Chu Qiao suddenly yelped as she felt as though the heavens had suddenly flipped. She was lifted up by someone and pressed down on the bed. Even though she was still wearing clothes, her clothes were mostly wet and were as good as being stark naked.

  He looked on at her, with his brow slightly furrowed, as though he was thinking of something. Yet, his gaze was overwhelmed with passion. A deep voice sounded from the side of her ear, and a pair of wet lips kissed her earlobes, sending waves of numbness down her spine. The cloth belt was deftly taken off by someone, revealing the white colored inner clothes that were embroidered with a yellow canary.

  Her tender shoulders were exposed, and as his lanky fingers caressed her skin, one could see goosebumps as she trembled in a paralyzing numbness. As his hand moved to her neck, with a quick flick of his fingers, the knot on her neck was undone as the clothes dropped. Chu Qiao was slightly taken aback, as she quickly grabbed her clothes in an attempt to cover her body, only to be faced with a wave of laughter.

  “Embarrassed?”


  Chu Qiao struggled to leave his embrace, as she pointed at the candle by the bed, and squeezed out the words, “Blow out the lights……”


  Zhuge Yue suddenly started to smile happily, and he was his usual self as he turned around without making any sounds. Yet, one could see his lips curling upwards. There were no sounds except the occasion flapping of the birds that flew past the ship.

  Grabbing her waist, he pacified her lips, “Don’t be scared.” The moment his lips touched hers, she felt as though she was about to suffocate. Her body turned warm. With her clothes being peeled off layer by layer, she was left in her most natural state. Tender, pristine white, she was like a jade statue that was made by a master craftsman. This was a territory that no one had set foot upon, filled with life and vigor. He softly leaned over. With their skins touching, it was as though an inferno was burning.

  Her breath was completely stopped. As her face was so close to his shoulder, she could see the vivid scar, as she suddenly shivered. He felt her sudden change and quickly covered her eyes. He told her, “Don’t look.” Yet, she pulled aside his hand as she stretched out her trembling hand and hugged him, with her tender skin touching his wound, tears came out, wetting that maroon wound.

  Zhuge Yue quietly returned the soft embrace, and merely looked on as she cried.

  On the day Li Ce had been buried, she swore not to cry ever again. Yet, after looking at his wound, at the places that she had stabbed, she could not help but cry. She hugged him tightly in fear that he would disappear. Just like in that icy lake, after she released her hand, he disappeared.

  “Zhuge Yue, I am sorry,” she spoke as she cried.

  “Idiot.” Zhuge Yue kissed her silky hair and softly laughed. “I have been made ugly by you. You must take responsibility.”


  Chu Qiao knew that he was joking. She retorted while sobbing, “The wound is on the shoulder, it doesn’t count.”


  Zhuge Yue chuckled, and his dark eyes seemed so deep as he focused on her shadow. Gently, he kissed her tear-stained face and muttered, “I don’t care. I will still make you take responsibility.”


  His arms were so forceful that she felt a bit of pain. Yet in the pain, she felt such joy, as though she was overwhelmed by a sea of euphoria. It was great to be alive. She had once thought that all would be lost as he was buried in the icy cold lake with no chance to redo anything.

  As their bodies grew more entangled, sweat started to seep out from their forehead. They were surrounded by the soft splashing of the river, without any one’s sound. Even time seemed to have stopped, with only them still indulging in each other……

  Chu Qiao could not help but to give a stifled yelp, her body arching in pain as a bright crimson liquid flowed out from between her legs. His motion suddenly stopped as his eyes were filled with disbelief. Yet, he looked deep into her, as though asking her what to do. Her face was so red, and even her lips seemed to be swollen. She stretched out for her clothes to cover her chest, as she was lost for words knowing that he had seen.

  He suddenly laughed. Chu Qiao had never seen him laugh like such before. Initially, he was merely smiled, but eventually, he started laughing out loud, so loud that Chu Qiao attempted to shut him up by stretching out her hand. Yet he suddenly buried his face next to her, and quietly, he said, “Xing’er, I am so happy.” Her tender limbs embraced his body. His figure was so good that it rivaled even models on TVs.

  In the darkness, she smiled. The pair of red candles had gradually burnt out. As she smiled, she thought, I guess this will be my first time……

  After being separated by so many people, so many incidents, so much time, they still walked together even though they were originally from different worlds and different countries. Leaning on his shoulder, she freely let her tears flow.

  In the middle of the night, rain started to fall. One could hear the pitter-patter of the raindrops on the boat. As the boat sailed on the river, one could vaguely hear the sounds of the wind mixing into the silence of the night.

  In the night, Chu Qiao wakes up, her hair scattered by her side. Her face was still red even though she was still in a daze, and her pristine white skin was like white silk hidden in the layers of blanket. She stretched out her hand to the side to feel to him, yet she only felt coldness. She was utterly stunned as her sleepiness vanished and sat up, only to see that the entire room was empty. It was then she noticed the rain outside.

  She suddenly felt a sense of fear. She flipped off the bed. Yet, the moment she touched the ground, her knees buckled as the pain in her lower half reminded her of how last night was not a dream, and that everything had changed.

  Chu Qiao put on an aqua blue one piece dress, and along with a fluffy cape, she picked up a bamboo umbrella and walked out.

  It was rather chilly outside as the drizzle was fueled by the winds. Even as she held an umbrella, raindrops fell on her dress. She hurriedly rushed across the deck as darkness seemed to consume everything. She could still hear the occasional sound of apes crying in the mountains.

  There he was, standing at the front of the deck, and it seemed like he had been standing there for quite a long time. In his white shirt, he seemed ever so cool. There was a tinge of gloom as he stood in the shadow. Hearing her footsteps, he turned around. Even as he saw her, he did not feel surprised, and merely stretched out his hand and called out, “Come here.”


  Chu Qiao went over and lifted the umbrella to cover him as well. The rain might have been just a drizzle, but even then he would still get wet if he stood in it for too long. His clothes had already been drenched, and Chu Qiao could not help but comment, “Couldn’t you tell that it was raining?”


  The wind blew on them. Their sleeves waved along with the passing winds. Grabbing her hand, his fingers were lanky yet strengthful. He suddenly pulled her into an embrace without making any sound. Just like that, he hugged her. He had not used much strength, but there seemed to be a mysterious force that petrified her, causing her to not want to make any movement.