Chapter 44: Encountering a Scoundrel (2)

After about half an hour, the hunter finished his bath and came back. He was wearing nothing more than an undergarment—its sash loosely tied, the ends hanging freely at his waist. As he walked, the fabric fluttered around him, lending him a certain heroic air.

Wen Lan peeked out from the firewood room and, seeing the hunter enter his room, quickly picked up the tray of chicken soup and rice and walked over.

“Big Brother Hunter!” she called outside his door.

The hunter opened the door. He had now tied his undergarment properly and was wearing a dark outer robe.

“Dinner is ready,” Wen Lan said.

The hunter gave a quiet “Mm” and stepped aside to let her in.

Wen Lan set the food on the table and took the chance to glance around his room. The clothes he had just changed out of were folded and set on a stool next to the bed.

“Big Brother, you’ve bathed already?”

“Mm,” the hunter said, sitting down and picking up his chopsticks.

Wen Lan smacked her tongue, half tempted to ask if she could go bathe where he had just been. But remembering what he’d said to her earlier at her place, she swallowed the question back down.

She was a maid, after all. How could a maid share a hot spring with her master?

Forget it.

“Big Brother Hunter, I’ll take your clothes and wash them tomorrow,” Wen Lan said sweetly, already stepping forward to gather the garments.

“No need,” the hunter replied. “I’ll wash them myself.”

“How could I let you do that? I’m here to serve you. These rough chores are my job.” Wen Lan cheerfully balled up the clothes and hugged them to her chest, smiling as she darted out of the room.

Xuan Yue had more to say, but she had already disappeared through the door.

Well, fine. He told himself that back at the Commander’s Estate, it was the washerwomen who did his laundry every day. It wasn’t that big of a deal to let a little village girl handle it now.

Still, something about it made him feel… uneasy. He couldn’t say why.

Wen Lan returned to the firewood room with Xuan Yue’s clothes. She dumped them into a wooden basin and began observing the main house.

The main room was dimly lit and quiet. The hunter was probably enjoying the dinner she’d prepared.

Considering how slowly he usually ate, Wen Lan estimated it would take him about half an hour to finish that big bowl of chicken soup.

Maybe… maybe she could take his dirty clothes and sneak off to that hot spring. If he caught her, she could always claim she was just trying to wash them.

As she scrubbed at her neck, Wen Lan thought this over.

She really was filthy. Her hair was practically matted.

She hated being unkempt more than anything. She firmly believed that even if a woman wasn’t beautiful, she should at least be clean and presentable. Compared to heavily made-up women who looked like walking peacocks, she preferred those with natural scent and no makeup.

After a fierce internal debate, Wen Lan finally decided to take the risk and go bathe.

So, she gathered her own change of clothes and carried the basin of the hunter’s laundry, tiptoeing toward the side door like a character from a shadow play.

Her sneaky movements caught the attention of Commander Tie, who was lying in front of the hunter’s door. The dog gave a low woof.

Wen Lan quickly made silly faces and shushed it with frantic hand gestures.

The dog tilted its head, confused, and wagged its tail as it stood up.

Worried it might bark again, Wen Lan beckoned.

This time, Commander Tie understood. It ran over to her excitedly.

“Commander Tie,” Wen Lan whispered, crouching, “don’t make a sound. I’m taking you for a bath.”

The dog gave a happy little whine.

Wen Lan shushed it again and carefully opened the side door, sneaking out with the dog.

As soon as they stepped outside, she bolted like a prisoner escaping from jail, and the dog—just as excited—raced even faster than her.

Soon, they reached the hot spring.

Wen Lan set down her things and studied the place under the moonlight.

She recalled that Yunzhong Mountain had hot springs. In Lin Furong’s memories, the village elders had mentioned this before. That was likely why the mountain was shrouded in mist year-round.

But since most of the springs were higher up the mountain, Lin Furong had only ever heard of them—never seen one.

She never imagined that there would be such a large hot spring right next to the hunter’s home!

It seemed the hunter had deliberately chosen this location to settle down.

After inspecting the pool, Wen Lan took off her shoes and dipped her toes in.

Naturally formed hot springs tended to be warmer than those at resort spas, something made clear by the yellowish tinge of the surrounding rocks from the mineral deposits.

But in the cold of this season, this temperature was just right.

Unable to resist, Wen Lan quickly undressed and slipped into the water.

The moment her body was submerged, she sighed in pure bliss. So comfortable.

Her enjoyment drew an envious bark from Commander Tie, still sitting on the shore.

Only then did Wen Lan remember she had brought the dog along.

But bathing with a dog? She wasn’t keen on the idea.

“Commander Tie, wait a bit. I’ll wash you after I’m done.” The spring had flowing water anyway. By the time the hunter came tomorrow, it’d be clean again.

Wen Lan luxuriated in her bath and even washed her hair. Afterward, she stood up and used a cloth to tie up her wet hair. Since she still planned to bathe Commander Tie, she didn’t put on full clothing—just a short undergarment—and stepped onto the shore.

After all, it was the dead of night in the mountains. No one was around to peep.

Now it was Commander Tie’s turn.

Before Wen Lan could even call him in, the dog jumped straight into the spring, paddling with practiced ease.

Clearly, this wasn’t his first time swimming here.

“Wow, didn’t expect the hunter to treat you so well, bringing you to his private bath,” Wen Lan muttered as she squatted on a stone.

Guess I’m not even as well off as a dog.

She thought of how she’d stayed at the hunter’s house two nights already, and he never once mentioned this spring to her.

Is this what being a maid in Nan Dynasty is like? So pitiful?

Wen Lan remembered what that young man Qingfeng had told her:
“I’ll help you find a rich household where you can serve as a maid.”

No, no, no! She couldn’t be a maid. She’d rather stay in Yushou Village as a peasant girl.

She began contemplating her future. If she didn’t want to be a maid, she had to stay here. But she was now technically the hunter’s wife, and he would leave eventually.

Once he left, he would never return. She’d be left as a woman whose husband had vanished.

Practically a widow.

Wen Lan refused to be a widow!

As for selling mountain goods… she thought about the wild boar she encountered that day.

“I was too naive,” she muttered, shaking her head. She needed a way out.

I wonder if becoming a dancer would lead to success in a place like Nan Dynasty…

Wen Lan had dancing skills, after all.

Back in her world, she started dancing at three, playing piano at five, painting at seven, calligraphy at nine. Her mom had signed her up for every extracurricular possible.

From elementary through middle school, her weekends were either spent practicing or competing. In high school, her dad got her a martial arts coach because he worried she was too pretty and might attract bad people.

It wasn’t until college that Wen Lan found her true passion—cooking.

Still, there was no denying she was multi-talented.

“Commander Tie,” Wen Lan said, determined to embrace all her skills again, “do you want to see me dance?”

The dog didn’t respond, but it splashed harder in the water.

Wen Lan took that as a yes.

She picked a larger rock and, under the silvery moonlight, began to dance.

…

Xuan Yue finished dinner and got up to take some chicken bones to the yard—he planned to give them to Commander Tie.

But the dog was nowhere to be seen.

“Commander Tie,” he called. No response.

Strange. The dog was a stray he’d picked up when he arrived here. Usually, it lay obediently at his door whenever he was inside.

Maybe it had gone to the kitchen?

Since the kitchen was now Wen Lan’s temporary lodging, Xuan Yue didn’t barge in. He stood at the door and called again.

Still no sound.

Frowning, he scattered the chicken bones, then looked around.

That’s when he noticed the side door—leading to the back mountain and hot spring—was open.

Suspicious, he approached and stepped out.

When Xuan Yue arrived near the hot spring, Wen Lan was in the middle of her dance.

Even though the body she inhabited wasn’t her own, motor skills were deeply tied to memory. Apart from some complex moves she couldn’t pull off, her dance remained as graceful and fluid as ever.

She wore only a short undergarment on top and thin underpants below. Under the moonlight, her bare, slender arms and delicate waist shimmered as she moved, imbuing the performance with a sprite-like spirit.

Hidden in the mountain’s shadow, Xuan Yue found himself momentarily entranced.

Once again, the question rose in his heart: Who exactly is this woman?

He’d seen many dancers at royal banquets over the years—gifted from neighboring kingdoms—most of whom had trained since childhood. But none of them had one-tenth the charm of this “village girl.”

How could a mere village girl dance like this?

Xuan Yue’s frown deepened. This had already crossed the line from curious to suspicious. He felt he had to ask.

“Commander Tie.”

Wen Lan was fully immersed in her performance when she suddenly heard someone calling the dog from behind. She didn’t need to look—she already knew it was the hunter.

I’m doomed!

She froze mid-step atop the rock, not daring to move or turn around.

Commander Tie, hearing his master’s voice, shot out of the water and shook himself dry before bounding over.

But Wen Lan remained stiff and unmoving, even as water splashed all over her. She wished she could vanish—or better yet, fall into a crevice in the ground.

Why is my luck this terrible? Caught again…

Xuan Yue bent down to pat Commander Tie’s head, then turned to look at the petrified Wen Lan on the rock.

“Lin Furong?”

“I—I can explain,” Wen Lan said mechanically, raising one hand in a gesture of innocence.

She’d forgotten she was only wearing an undergarment, which to her was like a bikini. But to Xuan Yue, it was basically being half-naked.

“Put on your clothes first. Then explain.” Xuan Yue turned his back, his face flushing slightly.

Why is this village girl so bold?!

Hearing that, Wen Lan quickly looked down at herself. Crap. She’d forgotten she was in her underclothes!

“This—I can explain this too!” she stammered while scrambling to dress.

But ancient clothing was complicated, and Wen Lan’s panic only made her hands clumsy.

The more anxious she got, the worse it became. As she tried to put on her skirt, she slipped—arms flailing—and fell straight into the hot spring with a loud splash.

Xuan Yue had his back turned but whipped around at the sound. There she was, flailing in the spring.

Now what kind of stunt is this? he thought with a frown.

After watching a moment and confirming she was really struggling, he stepped forward and pulled her out.

Poor Wen Lan—her hair was loose, her clothes were soaked. She looked like a drowned rat and felt utterly humiliated.

“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry!” She was on the verge of tears.

“You… really are full of surprises,” Xuan Yue said coldly—clearly not amused.

Wen Lan muttered another apology, then wrapped herself tightly in her clothes and tried to explain what she had prepared earlier.

“I just wanted to wash your clothes. When I saw the hot spring, I thought I might as well take a bath.”

“Might as well?” Xuan Yue glanced at the basin filled with what he recognized as the clothes she had worn that day.

This wasn’t “by the way.” It was clearly intentional.

Wen Lan followed his gaze and knew her lie had been exposed.

Fine. Since she’d been caught red-handed, she might as well come clean.

“It wasn’t ‘by the way.’ I saw you come here to bathe and followed. But this is flowing water—by tomorrow, the pool will be clean again. And I wasn’t that dirty…”

“If you wanted to bathe, why didn’t you just say so?” he asked. Sneaking around only made it more suspicious.

“I didn’t dare. You’re the master; I’m just a maid. How could a maid share the master’s bath? I was afraid you’d get angry.”

Xuan Yue gave a faint smile. He didn’t buy her excuses.

But that wasn’t what truly concerned him.

“You can dance?”

“A little. I learned when I was young.” Wen Lan instantly regretted saying that—she suddenly remembered she wasn’t Wen Lan now, but Lin Furong.

And Lin Furong was practically illiterate. Where would she have had time to learn dance?

But how could she explain this?

“Big Brother Hunter, I know you probably don’t believe me, but I haven’t lied to you.” Wen Lan raised one hand again. “I’m not a bad person, or a bad woman. I just want a better life.”

“What do you mean by a better life?” If she knew who he really was and was trying to climb her way up… then he’d have to make her leave.

He despised scheming women more than anything.

Wen Lan wasn’t thinking that far. She spoke from the heart: “I just want to live comfortably. A place to bathe with hot water, a little money to spend, clothes to wear, and flowers and tea to enjoy after dinner.”

That truly was her ultimate dream. But here at the hunter’s place, even the bed was made of stone. She was still far from that cozy, peaceful life.