Lu Hong was startled and exclaimed, “Little sister-in-law, what’s wrong with you?”
Lu Huaihai also noticed that something was off about Xie Miao’er.
She wasn’t a talkative person, but she hadn’t said a single word while he and Lu Hong were speaking.
“Are you feeling unwell?” he asked.
Xie Miao’er felt her blood run cold.
Even though there wasn’t a mirror in front of her, she knew her face must look awful.
She forced the corners of her mouth to lift, pulling out a smile more pitiful than tears, and said, “I guess…”
Lu Huaihai frowned.
What does “I guess I’m unwell” even mean?
Hearing this, Lu Hong added, “It must be because you’ve taken too many of those pills. I told you, who uses themselves to test medicine?”
Xie Miao’er’s hands and feet were icy cold, and her face had completely fallen. Ever since she heard what Lu Huaihai said earlier, her mind had been in chaos, and there was a buzzing in her ears.
She saw Lu Hong’s mouth move a few times, but she couldn’t make out what she was saying.
Maintaining her forced smile, Xie Miao’er struggled to squeeze out a few words: “I want to rest for a bit.”
Lu Hong initially wanted to say more, but upon catching Lu Huaihai’s gaze, she closed her mouth and obediently carried her beloved talking bird back to her own room.
Though concerned, Lu Huaihai didn’t linger. He gave Xie Miao’er a deep look and said, “Rest well.”
As he left, he closed the door behind her.
Once they were gone, the room suddenly grew cold.
Xie Miao’er’s heart felt like it was being crushed under a heavy stone, waves of dull pain spreading through her chest. She took off her house slippers and, just like every other time she felt miserable, curled herself up in the corner of the bed, burying her face in her knees.
This brought her a sense of security.
Xie Miao’er lay in the crook of her arm, staring blankly at the corner of the room.
These days, the faintly ambiguous atmosphere between her and Lu Huaihai had not gone unnoticed by her.
The way her heart stirred during their embrace, the fluttering feelings when they rode a horse together…
She wasn’t oblivious, just slow to process.
Whether it was Lu Huaihai’s possessiveness that he often displayed in front of her or her own growing reliance on him, she was fully aware.
However, the image of Lu Huaihai in her heart was far too lofty. She needed time—time to reconcile her own insignificant existence with his.
Yet, no matter how genuine Lu Huaihai’s words from earlier were, they still woke her up, forcing her to face the reality before the threads of different timelines could intertwine.
Even though he meant no harm to her.
Rebirth or the reversal of time—these absurd notions—he hadn’t said anything wrong.
Every word Lu Huaihai had spoken just now, Xie Miao’er deeply agreed with in her heart.
Yes, it was precisely because she had the advantage of foresight that he felt she was different.
Compared to his pure and simple feelings, her fleeting heartbeat felt so embarrassing.
Everything was built on a castle in the air, founded upon her knowledge of his story.
She was deeply afraid.
If he knew she had come from another world, if he knew she was nothing more than a wandering soul occupying another’s body…
Xu Xian and the White Lady1 were deeply in love, yet he was still terrified and unable to accept her true form when he saw it.
How much less, then, could he and she, with no deep feelings or bonds, be able to withstand such a revelation?
For the first time, Xie Miao’er felt so utterly lost and helpless.
She hadn’t hidden much from him, but this one thing was something she could never, ever tell him.
She could not face him with complete honesty.
More than fearing his disgust toward her, Xie Miao’er feared losing his trust even more. If that happened, wouldn’t this second chance of hers have been wasted?
Years from now, how would she still be able to remind him to avoid danger and seek fortune?
Perhaps she shouldn’t have allowed that faint spark of affection to grow at all.
Xie Miao’er buried her face in her hands, rubbing her stiff cheeks hard in an attempt to wake herself up.
Bang—
It sounded like a pebble had struck the window, snapping Xie Miao’er out of her daze. She jerked her head up sharply.
With caution, she shuffled her feet and, still curled into a ball, turned to face the window.
Outside stood a tall linden tree. This time of year, it had just started to sprout a hint of green. Its gray-brown trunk branched out, with one branch conveniently extending to her window.
Lu Huaihai was perched on one of the branches, one leg propped up, watching her. A gust of wind swept past, making his sleeves flap noisily.
When Xie Miao’er saw him, she instinctively buried her face even deeper, too embarrassed to meet his gaze.
Lu Huaihai, holding a small handful of pebbles in his right hand and resting them on his knee, noticed her reaction and tossed another one at the window frame. It was clear he intended to keep throwing them until she looked at him.
As he threw, he asked, “Were you crying?”
Xie Miao’er raised her flushed face, her voice muffled: “No. Stop throwing them! Be careful, or the innkeeper will kick you out.”
“If he dares, I’ll settle the score with him first,” Lu Huaihai said matter-of-factly.
He sounded so serious that Xie Miao’er, caught off guard, followed his lead and asked, “Settle what score?”
“Your room is unsafe. If a scoundrel wanted to, they could climb this tree and get in,” Lu Huaihai said with a completely straight face.
Xie Miao’er didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You…”
Seeing her finally smile, Lu Huaihai relaxed a little. He asked, “What happened earlier?”
Xie Miao’er exhaled deeply, releasing her pent-up frustration. She sniffled and said, “Nothing. Go back and rest. We’re setting off tomorrow, so get some sleep early, Lu Gongzi.”
“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow. “What did you call me?”
“Lu Gongzi”—his face turned frosty. He aimed a pebble through the narrow gap in the window and hit the foot of Xie Miao’er’s bed with precision.
Lu Huaihai tugged the corners of his mouth into a cold smile and said, “Who are you calling that?”
Xie Miao’er faltered, hurriedly correcting herself, “Shaoye…”
Though this title didn’t please him much either, it was far better than the stiff and distant “Lu Gongzi.”
Seeing her pitiable expression, Lu Huaihai sighed and asked, “Xie Miao, are you angry?”
She was—just a little.
She understood his reasoning, but when he said those words earlier, she really wanted to scratch him.
But she didn’t dare say it; She feared he might jump right in and grab her by the collar.
Xie Miao’er glanced at the window frame, avoiding his gaze. “No.”
The single question Lu Huaihai had asked was already the most he could manage. After a brief pause, he said no more, only adding, “Fine, suit yourself. As long as you’re happy.”
He had gone out of his way to climb the tree and tease her—how could she not feel happy?
But between them, there was more than just a window separating them. Even her happiness carried a tinge of bitterness.
Still, Xie Miao’er smiled and said, “I’m fine. Earlier, it was just… just a slight ache in my chest, but it’s better now.”
Lu Huaihai, unaware of the storm raging in her heart, saw that her expression appeared normal and gave a small nod. Standing on the tree branch, he jumped down in three swift movements.
The next morning.
Everyone woke up early.
The merchant who had come to purchase the batch of Qingyan Luo fabric was surnamed Zhou, called Zhou Qilong, a middle-aged man of about forty. He had a shrewd and calculating appearance.
At first, seeing Xie Miao’er’s youth and low status, he treated her with some disdain. But over the past few days, Xie Miao’er had managed the arrangements skillfully, earning the respect of everyone present. Zhou Qilong, after hitting a few soft nails in her dealings, also retracted his condescending demeanor.
The Lu family had sent six guards for this trip, all skilled fighters. Combined with the four who had come with Lu Huaihai and Xie Miao’er earlier, there were ten guards in total.
Zhou Qilong himself brought along several attendants and a martial escort. Naturally, his purchases weren’t limited to the Xie family’s fabric—traveling from the capital wasn’t easy, so he had also ordered cloth from other suppliers.
Including Lu Hong, Yue Chuang, and Bai Zhou, as well as their cargo, the entire group was so large that they had to take a big merchant ship.
Merchant ships of this size typically set sail at the beginning of each ten-day period, so they had waited a few days.
At present, it was the twenty-first day of the first lunar month.
Xie Miao’er wasn’t worried about the fabric; she was worried about Lu Huaihai. “Shaoye, will you still have time to reach the capital? Won’t you miss the deadline?”
Lu Huaihai replied, “There’s no rush. The deadline is the end of April.”
Xie Miao’er counted on her fingers—there were still more than three months to go. Realizing there was indeed enough time, she finally felt relieved.
After asking, she quietly stepped aside to chat with Lu Hong.
Lu Huaihai, being a man, wasn’t sensitive enough to notice the subtle changes in Xie Miao’er’s behavior.
In the past, whether there was something going on or not, she would always stay close to him. Now, if there was nothing specific, she absolutely wouldn’t stay by his side.
Lu Hong, however, noticed something unusual.
But she was younger than Xie Miao’er, and her father had passed away early, leaving her without parental figures as references. If Xie Miao’er was “six of the seven apertures open,” Lu Hong was the epitome of “completely clueless.” The idea of matters between men and women never even crossed her mind.
She merely pointed into the distance and exclaimed, “Wow, Miao’er, look!”
—
As they neared the dock, the long, winding canal stretched out before them like a silver ribbon descending from the heavens, unfurling majestically before their eyes.
Xie Miao’er’s gaze froze, staring unblinkingly at the Grand Canal before her.
She had thought that after seeing the sea, the sight of a canal wouldn’t stir her heart.
But she was wrong.
The vast and murky canal was entirely different from the sea. As far as her eyes could see, the opposite bank was nearly invisible. The river surface was crowded with sails that swayed in the wind, like giant war drums beating relentlessly, making her heart race.
Lu Huaihai stopped in front of her at the right moment and said, “Let’s go.”
Xie Miao’er finally snapped back to reality. She clutched the hem of her sleeve and lowered her head. “Okay.”
A treasure ship as tall as a multi-story building docked at the port .
Traveling merchants and wayfarers bustled about, hurrying onto the ship under the guidance of the ship’s crew.
The ship, excluding its crew, could carry over a hundred passengers.
Xie Miao’er and Lu Huaihai’s group represented a significant transaction, so the crew eagerly escorted them to the deck. “Please watch your step. Yes, this way. The bow is bumpy, so we’ve specially reserved quarters at the stern for you…”
This preferential treatment drew a sneer from a passing merchant. “Money-grubbing scoundrels. Hah!”
The crew member shot back, “The day you’ve got money to stay somewhere better than a common bunk, I’ll roll out the red carpet for you!”
The two broke into an argument, hurling curses at each other.
The chaos aboard the ship far exceeded anything seen on land, a scene Xie Miao’er was entirely unaccustomed to.
Lu Huaihai, however, was used to such crudeness from his time in the military. To him, this kind of coarse language was nothing compared to the barracks. Still, mindful that Xie Miao’er and his cousin were women, he intervened to stop the quarrel.
The crew member quickly composed himself and focused on leading the group upstairs.
Once everyone had settled in, the large vessel finally began its journey. As the anchor was lifted, the crew shouted rhythmically in unison, and the ship, loaded with people and cargo, gradually pulled away from the shore.
It wasn’t until then that Xie Miao’er began to feel a mix of both trepidation and excitement about being out at sea.
However, her excitement didn’t last half a day before it evaporated.
Despite mentally preparing herself, life aboard the ship remained uncomfortable.
Xie Miao’er could barely imagine how those crowded into the lower deck bunks were managing to live.
Her seasickness was severe, and she relied on medicine and menthol oil to get by. Each day, she marked the time, counting down to the next port stop.
—
One day, Lu Huaihai unexpectedly knocked on her cabin door.
Ever since Xie Miao’er had regained her composure, she had deliberately avoided seeking him out.
Both of them had been busy with their respective tasks.
The ship was a chaotic mix of people from all walks of life. Xie Miao’er conducted three rounds of cargo checks daily, ensuring the humid conditions aboard didn’t damage the fabric. She frequently inspected the goods, rotated the lime in the crates, and stayed vigilant.
Lu Huaihai was equally occupied. At his age, it was rare for someone to inherit a position while their father had already retired. Most men didn’t assume such roles until their thirties or forties, earning their physical prowess through years of experience.
To enter the capital’s commander’s office, one needed to prove themselves through martial skill. Though confident, Lu Huaihai never underestimated his competition and had been diligently practicing.
His sudden visit left Xie Miao’er slightly surprised.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
Lu Huaihai got straight to the point. “Do you still have the whistle I gave you?”
Xie Miao’er nodded and pulled out a red string from her neckline. “I still have it.”
The corridor outside was crowded and noisy. Lu Huaihai glanced over his shoulder, then turned back and locked eyes with Xie Miao’er, his gaze intense. “Let’s go inside and talk.”
His serious tone made Xie Miao’er tense up.
Inside the cabin, Lu Huaihai rested his hands on his knees and asked solemnly, “Do you remember the burly man we encountered on our first night at the inn during our journey here?”
—
Footnotes:
- “Xu Xian and the White Lady” (许仙与白娘子): Refers to the classic Chinese folktale The Legend of the White Snake, in which Xu Xian falls in love with Bai Suzhen (the White Lady), a snake spirit in human form. Their love is tested when Xu Xian discovers her true nature.