Chapter 31.1

Half an hour later, Qin Qingman saw Wei Ling again.

She had lingered in the lake for quite a while, embarrassed by her earlier mishap, before finally deciding to come ashore.

She had been soaking so long that she’d begun to sweat; if she stayed in any longer, she might have fainted.

With her limbs feeling weak, Qin Qingman sensed something was off, so she quickly dressed and left the hot spring.

As she turned past a rock, she noticed the light hanging from the small shelter stretched Wei Ling’s shadow long and thin across the ground, so long that it reached her feet and she was almost stepping on it.

“Qingman, I’ve boiled some water. Hurry back so you can rinse your hair with clean water.” Wei Ling called out, his concern for her overriding any lingering awkwardness.

After saying this, he instinctively wanted to step back, aware that Qin Qingman, who was sensitive by nature, might feel uncomfortable after their previous encounter.

“Ah Ling.”

Qin Qingman’s voice stopped Wei Ling in his tracks.

“Qingman?” Wei Ling felt a bit uneasy, not understanding why she would call out to him.

While lingering by the lake, Qin Qingman had been thinking about how they would get along in the future.

Since they were destined to be married, moments like this were inevitable. She had mentally prepared herself before emerging from the water.

Seeing that Wei Ling was about to retreat, Qin Qingman’s blush had not yet faded, but she mustered the courage to speak up, “Ah Ling, would you help me rinse my hair?”

In the modest little shelter, they had no basin. The only way to rinse her hair was to use a pot, but she couldn’t just dip her hair into it. The only solution was for Wei Ling to lift the pot and slowly pour the melted snow, now warm, over her head to rinse out the remnants of lake water from her hair.

For a thorough wash, she would need to return home and use tea seed oil for a proper cleanse.

Wei Ling was overjoyed at Qin Qingman’s request. He nodded enthusiastically, but then remembered that Qin Qingman’s vision wasn’t as sharp as his. In the dim light, she probably couldn’t see his nod, so he quickly responded aloud, “Alright.”

And so, the two of them, both a little awkward, did their best to ignore the earlier embarrassment.

Inside the shelter, the fire burned warmly, raising the temperature, making it perfect for Qin Qingman to dry her hair after washing it.

Having rinsed her hair with clean water, Qin Qingman sat beside the hearth, her fingers running slowly through her hair that she had spread over her shoulder. She could feel her hair gradually drying.

Yet, compared to the blow dryers of modern times, the process was painfully slow, so slow that her eyes were beginning to droop.

She was getting sleepy.

Wei Ling noticed the change in her.

After a moment’s thought, he moved closer and said softly, “Qingman, lean against me. I’ll comb your hair; it should dry faster that way.”

“Alright.” Qin Qingman’s eyes brightened.

She remembered the ways in which Wei Ling was different from others, and obediently leaned her head onto his shoulder.

Wei Ling was overjoyed by Qin Qingman’s trust, a slight smile lifting the corners of his mouth.

His long, slender fingers acted as a comb, gently threading through Qin Qingman’s hair. Each stroke was applied with perfect pressure, so comfortable that Qin Qingman gradually closed her eyes, feeling completely at ease.

As her breathing became steady, Wei Ling’s movements slowed, his fingers weaving through her long strands at an unhurried pace.

With time, her hair, now drying under his steady touch, began to show a soft gleam in its rich blackness—a sign of proper nourishment.

Wei Ling could even detect a faint scent of tea seed oil, a subtle fragrance that clung naturally to her hair from years of use.

The smooth, silky strands, now dry, were hard for Wei Ling to stop touching, but he knew sitting upright all night wouldn’t be as restful as lying down.

Tomorrow, they would need to continue their journey, and though Qin Qingman might not wake with a stiff neck from sitting, her neck would likely feel sore if she stayed this way.

“Qingman, Qingman.”

Wei Ling called softly by her ear, his voice carrying a warmth and tenderness he himself hadn’t noticed.

It took five calls for Qin Qingman to stir, blinking at the handsome face so close to hers, momentarily dazed.

“Qingman, your hair’s dry now. Go lie down and get some sleep.” Wei Ling said gently, supporting her neck with his hand.

“Oh.” Qin Qingman, following Wei Ling’s gentle guidance, lay down on the simple bed.

As she settled onto the makeshift bed, she realized exactly where they were, her face slowly turning red. She decided not to overthink it, though, and tugged lightly on Wei Ling’s arm, saying quietly, “You should sleep too.”

It was an invitation for him to join her.

After all, they’d already shared a night together—what difference did one more make?

Overjoyed, Wei Ling lay down beside her.

The bed was rudimentary, only lined with his thick cotton coat, which served as an outer layer to keep him warm during the day and doubled as a mat for both of them at night.

Yet, the coat, however long, couldn’t cover Wei Ling’s full height. As he lay down, a large portion of his long legs rested directly on the bare wooden logs underneath.

To make more room for Qin Qingman, he left part of his side uncovered by the coat, leaving her with the warmer space.

But even so, Wei Ling felt deeply content.

The quiet of the night surrounded him, and the soft presence of Qin Qingman nearby filled him with a mix of calm and a touch of nervousness.

The night before, Qin Qingman hadn’t noticed that the bed was really too narrow for them both to lie side by side. Only upon waking to find herself entirely within Wei Ling’s embrace had she realized the bed’s limitations.

Her body, in fact, seemed to have accepted Wei Ling’s presence even before her thoughts had.

Knowing that Wei Ling had given up most of the bed for her, Qin Qingman couldn’t remain indifferent. Blushing, her fingers trembling slightly, she gently took hold of Wei Ling’s arm, placing it under her head like a pillow.

Then, naturally, she turned on her side and nestled into Wei Ling’s embrace.

Just like how they had awoken that morning, close and snug.

Wei Ling’s senses were instantly overwhelmed, his scalp tingling at the feeling of her softness and warmth in his arms.

Lying on his side, he suddenly felt unsure of what to do with his free hand, completely at a loss for where to place it.

But Qin Qingman solved that for him.

Given their close position, the safest place for Wei Ling’s hand was on Qin Qingman’s waist.

As he wrapped his arm around her, Wei Ling felt every pore in his body open, and his palm, resting lightly on her waist, grew damp with sweat. His face flushed, his breathing grew shallow and quick.

They were so close, almost too close. He could feel the warmth of Qin Qingman’s breath against him, scented with a faint sweetness, and her subtle fragrance filled the air around him, a mixture that was utterly intoxicating.

The steady composure that Wei Ling, the seasoned general, had always prided himself on, unraveled. His palm grew moist, his breathing ragged, and even his Adam’s apple trembled slightly.

“Ah Ling, sleep.”

Qin Qingman, pressed so close to him, could naturally sense his reactions. Blushing, she felt tense herself, mindful of the unspoken distance they had always maintained between them until now.

“Mm.”

Heeding her gentle reminder, Wei Ling worked hard to calm his racing emotions.

To control his response to her presence, he forced himself to recall the battle in which he had died.

Enemies had surged against the city walls, soldiers fighting valiantly at his side.

Flames blazed, smoke rose to the heavens, and enemies swarmed around him—renowned generals from the opposing side, as well as countless common soldiers, each with their weapons drawn, aimed directly at him.

Like a mighty tiger fallen to the mercy of wolves, Wei Ling had fought courageously through wave after wave of assaults, his strength gradually waning.

He was exhausted.

All his energy drained from him, his body grew weaker by the moment.

Yet he had stood tall and resolute, using his very form to symbolize unwavering resilience for his troops, pouring out every last bit of his strength and blood as he held the line.

At last, they had seen their reinforcements arrive.

The crown prince himself had led a grand army to their aid.

With the last of his strength, Wei Ling had hurled his spear from his horse, sending it soaring through the throngs of enemies. Amid the deafening gasps of the opposing army, his spear found its mark, piercing the enemy’s general as both leaders fell simultaneously.

And in that fall, he had opened his eyes to a new life.

A life in a world entirely unlike his own.

In this new era, the weapons were firearms—guns of every kind; artillery of countless varieties; planes, tanks, and many other things he had never seen before.

These things were infinitely more advanced than anything in the time he had once known.

Fortunately, Wei Ling possessed the original owner’s memories, and luckily, the body’s innate reflexes remained intact—otherwise, he would have given himself away on his first day.

To avoid suspicion, Wei Ling had secretly practiced with the new-era weapons of this world until he had fully mastered them, finally earning his place as a true replacement for the original.

Recalling his past, Wei Ling’s thoughts drifted further and further away, calming him until he finally fell into a deep sleep, holding Qin Qingman.

—o—o—o—