Mo Qi was washing wild vegetables when she suddenly discovered this strange man, startling her. Fearing for her mistress’s safety, she dropped the vegetables and hurriedly ran into the lake.
“Miss, are you alright?”
A calm voice came from behind the water grass: “I’m fine. Go find me a set of clothes.”
Mo Qi sighed with relief, returned to the shore, and took out a pink dress from her bag. She went into the water, approached her mistress’s bathing spot, saw that she was submerged below her shoulders, understood her desire not to be seen, handed over the clothes, and turned away.
Ye Hui dressed in the water, not worried about getting the clothes wet. The desert’s daytime heat was extreme, and they would dry quickly. Returning to the shore, she took the bowl of rice porridge from Mo Qi and ate spoonful by spoonful.
The events just now seemed like a dream. She did not want to think about the stranger’s rude intrusion and subsequent thoughtfulness, hoping never to encounter that person again.
…
In the northern part of the oasis was a small grove of trees.
Qin Yuhang successfully hunted a rabbit and hoped to catch a pheasant. After wandering through the forest for two rounds, he discovered a large black horse leisurely grazing on the ground. The horse’s mane was short, clearly not wild. Upon closer inspection, he was surprised.
“Zufeng, how are you here? Where is my senior brother?” Qin Yuhang walked up to the black horse and gently patted its head.
The black horse recognized him and rubbed its head against his body, seeming quite affectionate.
“I’m here.”
A neutral voice came from outside the forest. A tall, handsome figure approached – the man from the lake earlier, Huangfu Zeduan.
“Senior brother, when did you leave Tianying Gate? How is Master?”
Qin Yuhang’s face showed infinite joy, walking over and giving Huangfu Zeduan a punch on the shoulder.
Huangfu Zeduan ignored his junior brother’s rudeness and took out a horse saddle from his pack, fitting it onto the horse. From the front, a prominent scar on his temple added a touch of coldness to his angular face.
“I just saw that woman you mentioned in your letter, but she’s different from what you described.”
Qin Yuhang had entrusted a letter to the post station before his marriage, mentioning his upcoming wedding. “So senior brother has met my wife. What do you think?” His face showed surprise, then a hint of pride.
“Not bad. Slightly better than the fourth junior sister.”
“Uh, senior brother, are you joking?”
Everyone knew the fourth junior sister was a tomboy, with crude language and impulsive actions who would hit people when displeased. She was infatuated with several men, including this senior brother, but they all kept their distance.
Huangfu Zeduan tightened the reins, secured his pack, mounted the horse, and rode a few steps: “I’m interested in your previous suggestion. We’ll discuss it when we return to the sect. Aren’t you returning to the sect?”
“Ah?” Qin Yuhang was shocked. “You’ve developed feelings? Senior brother, is that possible? Even a stone could develop feelings. How did my wife do that?”
Huangfu Zeduan recalled the graceful figure dancing in the water, a playful smile at the corner of his mouth. An interesting girl indeed! He shook the reins, and Zufeng neighed, galloping westward.
Qin Yuhang watched his senior brother leave, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.
“Even a thousand-year-old cold ice needs a woman’s tenderness to melt. This will be entertaining.”
Recalling the original proposal that his senior brother wanted him to be a secondary husband, he had initially thought it didn’t matter. But after marrying Ye Hui, he realized how foolish that was. Why be a secondary husband? If he were to be anything, he’d be the primary one.
The secondary husband position seemed destined for the senior brother! Qin Yuhang grinned, his mouth almost reaching his ears.
“Before my wife, I’ll always be first, irreplaceable. Even brothers will have to step back.”
Qin Yuhang whistled, carrying the hunted rabbit, returning to find Ye Hui.
But he didn’t know that his senior brother had left a poor impression on his wife, so this matter was far from settled. After all, Huangfu Zeduan was capable – it remained to be seen if he could capture a woman’s heart.
…
Ye Hui took the roasted rabbit leg from Mo Qi and ate silently.
Qin Yuhang didn’t know why his wife had become so quiet. Had the senior brother done something to her? Or was she dissatisfied with the senior brother? The latter would be troublesome.
He believed he had made an excellent arrangement. With a powerful man protecting his wife, she would live a smooth, comfortable life. Unlike himself, watching his medicinal shop being squeezed out with no solution.
If she stood in that supreme position, who would dare to disrespect her?
“My dear, what’s wrong? Are you unhappy?”
Ye Hui finished the meat, took a breath, and smiled: “Just tired from traveling. A rest will help. Husband should eat too.” She handed him the other roasted rabbit leg.
Qin Yuhang felt relieved. His wife was not the type to cry and complain to her husband. Had she had an unpleasant encounter with the senior brother?
He took the fragrant rabbit leg and took a big bite, feeling warm inside.
After the meal, Mo Qi cleared the dishes.
Qin Yuhang and the servant boy led the two horses to the shore and bathed them with brushes.
“Miss, why didn’t you tell the master about the strange man you met in the lake?” Mo Qi glanced at the shore and whispered to her mistress. She knew her mistress must have been wronged, which was why she was in a bad mood.
Ye Hui loosely tied her dried blue hair into a simple bun. A slight smile played at the corners of her mouth, but she remained silent, quietly watching the figure washing a horse by the lakeside. The medicinal ointment from the strange man was remarkably similar to the one her newlywed husband Qin Yuhang had used on her that wedding night, with its pale blue color and a faint, crisp fragrance.
Perhaps she was overthinking it; maybe there was no connection between them.
She recalled the strange man again, his body exuding a wild aura, his powerful restraint, and his rough fingers carefully applying the ointment. The man gave her a dark feeling, as if he had suffered some injustice.
Though unpleasant, he wasn’t despicable – perhaps because of some fatal attraction he inherently possessed.
She told herself she hoped never to see him again. But would that really be the case? The man had confidently stated they would meet again before leaving.
At night, the men set up a small tent, and four of them squeezed together for the night.
The next morning, at first light, they filled their water bags, packed a few belongings, and began their journey.
After another day of travel, they encountered a merchant caravan traveling from the Western Regions to the Yingdang Kingdom. Upon hearing they were from the imperial capital, the merchants were especially warm. Qin Yuhang paid the merchants some silver and exchanged it for a camel, which he and his wife rode together, while Moki and Xiaolu rode horses.
On the fourth day, they finally emerged from the desert. In the distance, a lush green oasis came into view.
Qin Yuhang pointed to the oasis: “That’s the center of Pingzhou. Fortunately, even in such dry weather, Pingzhou remains as verdant as ever.” After entering the desert, they discovered the drought was more severe than expected, with many water sources he remembered having dried up.
He had lived in Pingzhou for many years and had never seen such conditions before.
Ye Hui’s dense eyelashes fluttered, revealing genuine joy: “Husband, is the person you’re looking for in that oasis?”
