Chapter 37

After the Qixi Festival, autumn was near. During the dog days of summer, the weather became increasingly hot. The heat steamed between heaven and earth as if in a steamer. Even in rooms with ice basins, it always felt stuffy.

In such weather, the cool breeze and the misty mountain stream became even more comfortable. Lu Minghua almost wanted to live there.

The lotus flowers in the pond bloomed and withered, then bloomed again. There were always a few flowers in bloom, and the remaining lotus pods gradually grew, with the lotus seeds becoming fuller day by day, which was quite interesting.

At noon, Lu Minghua had already given up on returning for lunch. She planned to stay there until the evening before going back.

The stone was too hard, and she considered moving a soft couch over. She was hesitating when, that morning, she discovered a bamboo bed by the pond. It was entirely green, clearly made from freshly cut bamboo, carefully woven, and obviously newly made. Her first reaction was to look at the big stone, but no one was there.

Where was the person?

Puzzled, Lu Minghua lightly pressed her chin with the fan in her hand and looked around.

“Ji’an?” She called out, but there was no response.

“Yuan Ji’an?”

Recently, Yuan Jian had often been in this mountain stream, and Lu Minghua had gotten used to it, not thinking he would leave. So she called out again.

“I’m here—” a voice echoed.

Lu Minghua couldn’t immediately tell where the voice was coming from. She looked around and then walked downstream.

There was a small cliff there, with water flowing through gaps and occasionally falling from rocks, forming small waterfalls.

“Miss,” a few maids called out worriedly.

Lu Minghua assured them she was okay, carefully standing firm and looking down, but the pool below was completely shaded, and she couldn’t see anything. Just as she wondered if she had mistaken the direction, the branches shook, and Yuan Ji’an parted the leaves, standing on a branch and smiling at her.

Sunlight shone brightly, falling on his face, and he waved at her. “Over here.”

“What are you doing there?” Lu Minghua asked curiously.

“I tied a hammock here. Do you want to see it?” Yan Yuanhua asked.

Lu Minghua had never seen a hammock before and was curious, so she nodded and looked around, asking, “How do I get down?”

Yan Yuanhua had jumped down by stepping on the rocks, but Lu Minghua couldn’t do that. He looked around and pointed to the edge near the mountain wall, where the rocks were more gradual. With some caution, she should be able to get down.

Lu Minghua hesitated, finding it a bit challenging. But she didn’t want to give up. She walked over, and the maids tried to stop her quietly but couldn’t hold her back.

“Miss,” Xiao Chun bravely held her back.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful,” Lu Minghua said, feeling a bit excited about trying something new.

The maids couldn’t stop her and reluctantly prepared to follow her. But Lu Minghua didn’t intend to let them join her. She waved them off to stay put, lifted her skirt with one hand, and held onto the small trees growing on the cliff with the other, carefully making her way down the rocks.

Yan Yuanhua waited below, watching her light green figure gradually approach him.

Lu Minghua breathed lightly, not daring to be careless. After a while, she finally stepped onto the last rock and reached the bottom of the cliff, letting out a sigh of relief.

“Are you okay?” Her face was flushed, her eyes wide and round, and she looked quite cute. Yan Yuanhua couldn’t help but watch her for a moment, a smile spreading on his lips as he handed her a silk handkerchief.

“No problem, I really made it down—” Lu Minghua didn’t notice him, instead looking up at the cliff in front of her, her face full of joy and amazement.

“I was all set to play the hero and save the beauty, but Minghua, you’re so capable that you didn’t give me a chance,” Yan Yuanhua said with a smile.

He always joked like this, and Lu Minghua was somewhat used to it. Hearing this, she just glanced at him and looked away.

She saw a large tree growing on the cliff, the same one that had previously blocked the pool. Its branches were thick, and a bamboo hammock was gently swaying in the breeze between two branches. It was also a fresh green, looking like it had been made along with the bamboo bed above.

“Is this the hammock you mentioned? Can you really sleep on it?” Lu Minghua asked curiously, walking towards it. Seeing the dazzling sunlight in the middle of the mountain stream, she quickened her steps to reach the shade.

Yan Yuanhua was a step behind. When he looked up, he saw her raising her fan to shield herself from the sun. In the quiet mountain stream, she seemed like a spirit born from the mountains, lively, light, and beautiful.

He suddenly thought that such a stunning scene would be unforgettable. His steps halted, and he found himself staring.

“Ji’an?” She called out to him, unable to see his face clearly due to the bright light.

“If there is someone in the mountains, adorned with ivy and trailing vines,” Yan Yuanhua murmured. He had always found Qu Yuan’s “Mountain Ghost” to be beautifully written, but today he understood how captivating the lady described was.

“What?” His voice was very low, and Lu Minghua barely heard it, so she asked again.

“Nothing,” Yan Yuanhua said, striding towards the lady he admired, smiling. “This hammock can definitely hold a person. Would you like to try it, Minghua?”

Lu Minghua’s eyes lowered slightly. She guessed what Yan Yuanhua had said but felt uncertain. She felt a bit unsettled and forgot to respond.

“Minghua?” Yan Yuanhua smiled at her.

He was always smiling, relaxed and carefree, yet somewhat indifferent. But when he looked at her, his gaze seemed very focused, which made Lu Minghua a bit annoyed with herself for overthinking and causing unnecessary trouble.

She suppressed her thoughts, looked up at the so-called hammock, and shook her head, saying, “I can’t do it. I can’t get up there.”

The hammock was tied to the tree, with water below and no support on either side, requiring one to climb the tree. But she really couldn’t do that.

He could carry her up— Yan Yuanhua only thought about it, his gaze lingering on Lu Minghua’s face for a moment before reluctantly looking away.

“Then I’ll just have to show you,” he said with a smile. He swiftly climbed the tree, his figure flashing among the branches, and he was on the hammock in the blink of an eye. Then he lightly and quickly jumped down, lying on the hammock.

With half an arm’s length above the water, the hammock swayed and almost within reach. Yan Yuanhua rested his arm under his head and smiled brightly at Lu Minghua.

Lu Minghua’s eyes widened slightly, suddenly wanting to try it too.

“Do you want to try?”

“But I can’t get up there.” She had said this calmly before, but now, saying it again, Lu Minghua felt a bit regretful. She looked at Yan Yuanhua, her eyes filled with unconscious anticipation.

Yan Yuanhua’s heart pounded a few times. He got up and climbed the tree, moving to another branch.

Lu Minghua watched him approach, instinctively taking a few steps back, continuing to watch.

Then she saw something fall—it was—

“A swing?” she said in surprise, looking at the smooth wooden board wrapped in vines.

Yan Yuanhua smiled. He jumped down from the tree, grabbed the swing hanging over the water, and looked at Lu Minghua. “Do you want to try it?”

“Yes!” Overwhelmed with joy, Lu Minghua hesitated only briefly before answering confidently.

She walked over, intending to hold the swing herself, but Yan Yuanhua didn’t let go.

“Have you ever sat on a swing before?” he asked.

Lu Minghua shook her head.

“Then let me hold it for you first,” Yan Yuanhua said, concerned.

“It should be fine.”

He stood there holding the swing. If Lu Minghua sat on it, it would be like leaning into his arms…

Feeling a bit warm, she wanted to refuse.

“You can’t be careless. If you get hurt, it won’t be good. Someone once fell off a swing the first time they tried it because they weren’t careful,” Yan Yuanhua said seriously. Whether he had ulterior motives, only he knew.

Lu Minghua didn’t know much about swings but trusted Yan Yuanhua and was very curious. She steadied herself, took two steps forward, turned around, and sat on the swing.

Yan Yuanhua looked down, seeing her cloud-like hair, the dark strands hanging behind her, gently swaying in the wind. He only needed to reach out to pull her into his arms.

“Hold tight.” He gripped the rope tightly, his veins standing out, and reminded her in a slightly lower voice than usual.

Even though she couldn’t see him, Lu Minghua could almost feel the tall figure of the man behind her. Her heart couldn’t help but beat faster, and she had to make an effort to calm her nerves.

“Okay.” She did as he said, obediently responding.

“Good.” Yan Yuanhua’s heart softened at her obedient demeanor, and he couldn’t help but laugh as he gently let go.

“Ah—” The swing moved, and caught off guard, Lu Minghua let out a small cry. She felt her calves getting wet but didn’t have time to look.

The cliff opposite drew closer, then quickly receded. Her heart raced, and she instinctively gripped the rope tighter. After a few swings back and forth, she finally managed to calm down.

Yan Yuanhua stood on the shore, his shoulders and back tense, more nervous than Lu Minghua, afraid she might fall.

As the swing gradually slowed, Lu Minghua regained some composure. She noticed that her embroidered shoes had dipped into the pond water.

With another swing, she lifted her legs slightly to avoid the water, but she saw that her shoes and stockings were already soaked, and even her skirt was covered in water stains. Normally, she would have felt uncomfortable, but now she found it amusing.

With another swing, she lowered her feet, watching the water splash as she moved, and couldn’t help but laugh.

Again and again.

As the swing slowed, she felt reluctant but didn’t know how to keep it going.

“I’ll push you. Be careful,” Yan Yuanhua suddenly said.

“Hmm?” She didn’t react in time and instinctively gripped the rope tighter.

His warm hand briefly touched her shoulder, and the swing gained momentum again.

Water splashed, then fell back, creating ripples on the surface.

Lu Minghua couldn’t stop laughing, feeling the push from behind again and again, gradually going from uneasy to enjoying it.

After playing for a while, her head started to feel dizzy. When Yan Yuanhua pushed her again, she laughed and said, “Okay, okay, stop pushing. I’m dizzy. I need to get down.”

As she spoke, she prepared to get off when the swing stopped, but suddenly felt the rope tighten, and Yan Yuanhua pulled her back.

“Why are you dizzy? Are you okay? Come down quickly,” Yan Yuanhua asked, a bit nervous, as he had never sat on a swing before and hadn’t noticed anyone getting dizzy.

“No, no, it’s fine.” Seeing him nervous, which was rare, Lu Minghua instinctively smiled to reassure him. “I’m just not used to it. It’s nothing serious. I’ll be fine in a moment.”

Hearing this, Yan Yuanhua finally relaxed.

Indeed, Lu Minghua had always been graceful and composed. She had never done such an intense activity before, so it was understandable. He hadn’t thought of that earlier.

“Then don’t rush to move. Sit for a while before getting down,” Yan Yuanhua said, seeing her about to get up, and gently pressed her shoulder. If she got up too quickly, she might feel even dizzier and unsteady.

Lu Minghua did as he said—she had no choice. She barely moved and already felt dizzier. If she stood up, she might have felt like the world was spinning.

After resting for a moment, the dizziness subsided, and Lu Minghua let out a long breath, feeling a bit tired. She hadn’t noticed it while playing, but now that she was relaxed, she felt exhausted.

Slowly standing up, Yan Yuanhua didn’t stop her this time. She carefully walked a few steps away from the shore, and as she looked back, she saw Yan Yuanhua retracting his hand.

“Were you holding the rope the whole time?” she asked in surprise, not realizing it earlier due to her dizziness.

“Are you still dizzy?” Yan Yuanhua didn’t answer, smiling as he asked her.

She wanted to shake her head but found that even a slight movement made her dizzy again, so she swayed slightly.

“Don’t move.” Yan Yuanhua quickly approached, reaching out to support her.

With his hand on her shoulder, Lu Minghua didn’t dare move again.

“Sit down first, over here.” Yan Yuanhua found a large stone, casually wiped it with his sleeve, and looked at Lu Minghua.

Seeing him wipe the stone with his sleeve, Lu Minghua couldn’t help but smile and feel a bit helpless.

“Just use a handkerchief to wipe it. Why do you always use your clothes?” This wasn’t the time to refuse, so she walked over slowly and sat down, looking at Yan Yuanhua.

“It’s just clothes,” Yan Yuanhua replied, as usual. In fact, he hadn’t even thought of the handkerchief.

“Alright, don’t talk for now. Just rest for a while,” Yan Yuanhua said, seeing that Lu Minghua was about to speak.

Lu Minghua was indeed dizzy, so she softly hummed in agreement and leaned back against the tree, closing her eyes to rest.

Yan Yuanhua sat beside her, discreetly and restrainedly watching her peaceful and gentle sleeping face.

He watched for a long time until he saw Lu Minghua’s eyelashes flutter. He quickly looked away, then glanced back, pretending to have just noticed, and said, “You’re awake? Feeling better?”

Lu Minghua tried to move and couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, I’m not as dizzy anymore.”

Yan Yuanhua visibly relaxed and joked, “That’s good. If you went back still feeling dizzy, Mama Li might get angry with me.”

“Nonsense, Mama Li wouldn’t,” Lu Minghua defended her maid.

“Are you sure?” Yan Yuanhua asked with a smile.

Lu Minghua smiled lightly and didn’t say anything.

Yan Yuanhua also smiled, feeling a bit jealous of how she defended Mama Li, wondering when he would receive such treatment.

“Why did you set up a hammock here?” Feeling embarrassed about her previous words, Lu Minghua changed the topic.

“I plan to take naps here.”

“That makes sense. The stone isn’t as comfortable as here.”

“Exactly. Did you see that bed? I had it made when I gave the orders, so you don’t have to sleep on the stone anymore.”

“That’s good…” Lu Minghua felt a mix of emotions, realizing the bed was indeed prepared for her.

“You weren’t going to say you don’t need it again, were you?” Yan Yuanhua said quickly. “You already said the stone isn’t as comfortable as the bed, so don’t refuse.”

With his words, Lu Minghua couldn’t refuse and smiled in agreement. Under the shade of the tree, they exchanged light smiles.

Ripples formed, and the wind was gentle.

At night, everything was quiet.

Lu Minghua held a volume of “Chu Ci,” carefully reading the poem “Mountain Ghost,” her thoughts drifting far away.

She thought she might have overthought things. But thinking about Yan Yuanhua’s expressionless face, Lu Minghua suppressed her suspicions, feeling a bit guilty for doubting her friend.

Such an upright gentleman, she shouldn’t think of him that way.

It wasn’t right, really not right.

When she saw Yan Yuanhua the next day, the ripples that had formed the day before dissipated.

So, they spent their time leisurely playing on the swing and resting on the bamboo bed when they were tired. In such hot weather, it didn’t seem so unbearable. A few days passed, and the weather became increasingly stuffy. Dark clouds rolled in from the horizon.

A heavy rain arrived in an instant.