Chapter 29

Though reluctant, Xue Miaoyun knew she couldn’t stay in the water for too long. With some unwillingness, she finally climbed ashore.

Cang Ling quickly grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her. “Why were you in the water for so long?”

“I got carried away and lost track of time,” Xue Miaoyun said, feeling completely relaxed. The fatigue she had accumulated over the past few days seemed to vanish, leaving her feeling refreshed.

Cang Ling, feeling the smooth, flawless skin beneath his hands, couldn’t help but feel a moment of contemplation.

“If you like, I can come back with you next time,” Cang Ling said as he picked up his wife and started heading toward the jeep to help her change. “But if you’re alone, it’s better not to swim in the sea. It’s too dangerous.”

“I know, don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” Xue Miaoyun replied, unconcerned. She felt that dying by drowning was something that would never happen to her in this lifetime.

As for other dangers in the sea, as long as she didn’t encounter humans, Xue Miaoyun felt virtually invincible. After all, mermaids were known as the rulers of the ocean in legends.

After swimming a lap, Xue Miaoyun felt completely at ease, her body languid as she allowed Cang Ling to assist her in changing out of her wet clothes into fresh ones.

“…Hmm, you…” As she felt his increasingly bold hands, Xue Miaoyun opened her mouth to protest, but before she could say anything, her lips were silenced by his kiss.

The honeymoon phase was taking a toll on her waist. Every morning—no, more accurately, every time she woke up in the afternoon—she often thought about going back in time to give her past, love-struck self a good talking-to.

Thankfully, this phase was soon coming to an end. Cang Ling’s leave was about to end.

“Yun’er,” Cang Ling murmured, holding her close. He felt like a well-fed, lazy leopard, pulling his prey into his embrace.

“Mm,” Xue Miaoyun replied, drowsy and worn out from exhaustion, dozing off comfortably in his arms.

“When are you joining the military?” Cang Ling’s voice carried a hint of reluctance and grievance. He was already married—did he still have to live like a single man? The thought of not being able to hold his wife every day made his heart ache.

“Probably after I get my high school diploma,” Xue Miaoyun answered. Originally, marriage wasn’t even part of her plan. But life rarely went as expected. She had failed to resist either his charm or the pull of reality—and so, she got married.

Marriage was fine with her. She had already discussed it with Cang Ling, and for the next few years, they didn’t plan on having children. She wasn’t in a hurry; after all, she was still young.

Her plan was to stay in Shuize Village, save money, get her high school diploma, and continue taking care of the elders Zhao and Xun, without any change.

Still, her heart wasn’t made of stone. Though it hadn’t been long since they met, she could clearly feel how much Cang Ling cared for her. A part of her didn’t want to be apart from him either. Tch, men really did slow down her metaphorical blade.

“Really?” Cang Ling’s gaze grew intense. With a swift motion, he flipped her over, pinning her beneath him. If he remembered correctly, she would be getting her diploma in September. That meant in just over five months, they could finally begin their married life properly.

Looking at the handsome face just inches away—those sharp brows and bright eyes—Xue Miaoyun clicked her tongue softly.

“Really. I want to be with you too,” Xue Miaoyun said, reaching up to gently touch the corner of Cang Ling’s eye and the side of his face. A man as handsome as him deserved to be admired properly.

Cang Ling felt a deep happiness, something he had never felt before.

At last, he saw love in the eyes of the one he cherished.

“Yun’er.”

“Mm…”

…

At the train station, Cang Ling was dressed in a white shirt and trousers, not his usual military uniform. This outfit had been made by Xue Miaoyun herself. She had once enjoyed designing and sewing, and her family had even bought her a small sewing machine.

Her husband had a perfect figure, making him a fantastic model for her designs. The inspiration had poured out, and she couldn’t resist—she had taken some fabric and designed several outfits for him.

The shirt and trousers fit him perfectly, making Xue Miaoyun want to cry with envy.

Feeling the attention of those around them, Xue Miaoyun couldn’t help but feel proud. Her man was, of course, the most outstanding and handsome one there.

Cang Ling looked at his wife’s proud expression with amusement, but he couldn’t help but feel displeased at the curious gazes from around them. He casually scanned the area, and soon, most of the gazes shifted away.

“Yun’er, take good care of yourself. If anything happens, contact me,” Cang Ling said gently, his eyes always filled with tenderness when looking at her.

“I know. You’ve already installed a phone in the village. Don’t worry,” Xue Miaoyun replied. Back then, installing a phone wasn’t something anyone could easily do.

After Cang Ling had installed the phone in the village, the villagers’ attitudes toward her had changed. Even the gossiping women had stopped talking behind her back.

“I really wish time would pass faster,” Cang Ling murmured, reluctance lacing his voice.

The thought of the long months ahead without her weighed heavily on him. He had endured such solitude for years, but now, it felt different—more unbearable.

Xue Miaoyun felt a quiet ache rise in her chest at his words. She had always believed herself to be independent, strong, and clear-headed. But now, she found herself shaken—again and again—by this man in front of her.

She had always disliked the idea of being “love-brained.”

But in this lifetime, she had met someone like him, who had shaken her resolve multiple times.

Xue Miaoyun moved a little closer. “Wait for me to come find you.”

She sighed inwardly, knowing that in this era, even married couples couldn’t freely embrace or show affection in public. Otherwise, she would have already thrown herself into Cang Ling’s arms.

Despite the difficulty of parting, the time came for the train to depart.

Xue Miaoyun waved goodbye to her husband, feeling an emptiness in her heart.

When she got home, she didn’t even have the energy to cook. She ate some steamed buns from her space and went straight to bed.

The next morning, she woke up refreshed, full of energy once again.

Time to save money. Save, save, save.

Her sea expedition plan was still unfinished. What was originally supposed to take two years had now been shortened to five months. She couldn’t afford to waste another moment—if she did, how would she manage the days ahead?

From then on, Xue Miaoyun began heading out to sea more frequently. To make things more convenient, she rented a small courtyard house in the county under the pretext of needing a quiet place to study. The rent was three yuan a month. Most of the neighbors worked at the nearby cotton mill, information she had gathered from Liu Yuehua. Just next door was the county public security bureau.

With a private courtyard and unfamiliar neighbors, Xue Miaoyun felt much more at ease.

Her plan to search for a sunken ship officially began. According to her plan, she would need to stay at sea for at least three to four days, so she needed to prepare food, clothing, and a small boat. No matter how much she loved the sea, she couldn’t spend several days and nights in the water without rest.

This boat would be her place to rest.

However, finding such a boat was no easy task. With the scarcity of resources, there were no abandoned ships lying around.

So, she would have to buy one. Fortunately, Xue Miaoyun had some connections.

She had met quite a few fishermen through the middlemen who had traded marine products with her.

Buying a fishing boat wasn’t a small deal. When she approached one of them, he was surprised. He couldn’t understand why a young girl would want to buy a fishing boat. However, as a businessman, he knew what was appropriate to ask and what wasn’t. He worked in a shady industry and knew too much about things that could be dangerous for his life.

“I can ask around for you. There should be some unregistered boats available. Do you have any size requirements?”