Chapter 30: Almost Kissed

Hearing his call, Du Wanchun turned her head to look behind her.

The night was beautiful. The silver moonlight fell like a thin mist, gently illuminating Zhou Ruiyuan. Under its glow, his fair skin appeared almost translucent, like smooth jade.

“Husband, you haven’t gone to sleep yet?” Du Wanchun slowly stood up and walked to his side.

Zhou Ruiyuan draped his long outer robe over her shoulders and said gently, “The night air is chilly. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Though his robe was a simple gray linen garment, it carried a faint, refreshing fragrance. The fabric was soft and warm in her hands.

Du Wanchun pulled the robe closer around her shoulders. Noticing the book resting on his lap, she quickly asked, “Husband, are you staying outside to read again tonight?”

Zhou Ruiyuan tightened his grip on the book, raised his head to look at the stars scattered across the sky, and nodded. “Mm. You should rest first. I’ll come in later.”

But Du Wanchun didn’t leave. She curved her brows into a smile and sat down beside him, resting her chin in her hands as she gazed up at the starry sky. “I’ll keep you company while you read.”

Zhou Ruiyuan turned his head to look at her. Under the moonlight, her face was bright and clear, her smile as pure as spring water. His gaze softened as he asked, “Do you know how to read?”

Du Wanchun nodded. “My mother taught me when I was little, but it’s been so long since I’ve written that I don’t remember much.”

Zhou Ruiyuan reached for a brush on the nearby table and poured a small cup of water. “I’ll teach you.”

Du Wanchun looked up at him, her dimples deepening as she beamed. “Really?”

Zhou Ruiyuan pushed his chair toward the stone table in the courtyard and placed the brush and water on the surface. “Come here.”

Du Wanchun quickly got up and sat on the stone stool beside him. “Thank you, husband.”

Zhou Ruiyuan dipped the brush into the water and slowly wrote her name, Du Wanchun, on the stone table.

Ever since his family moved to Changliu Village, they had not been able to afford paper and ink, so he could only practice writing by using an old brush and water on stone.

The stone was a deep gray-black, and under the moonlight, the water-written characters shimmered with a faint glow.

Du Wanchun found it fascinating. She quickly took the brush from Zhou Ruiyuan’s hand and carefully traced out her name, stroke by stroke.

However, since she hadn’t written in a long time, her characters turned out crooked and awkward-looking.

Disheartened, she held the brush and sighed. “My handwriting is so ugly.”

“There’s no rush. Take your time,” Zhou Ruiyuan said as he moved behind her, gently placing his hand over hers to guide her grip on the brush.

His hand was large and warm, completely enveloping her smaller one as they held the brush together.

Du Wanchun stared blankly at their hands, feeling the heat from the back of his hand against hers. Their fingertips brushed against each other from time to time, sending a soft, tingling sensation through her skin.

“Follow my hand and write each stroke carefully,” Zhou Ruiyuan murmured near her ear. His warm breath tickled her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

For a moment, Du Wanchun became dazed, letting him guide her hand as they wrote together. By the time she snapped out of it, the character was already complete.

Zhou Ruiyuan looked at her and asked gently, “Did you get it?”

Du Wanchun quickly regained her composure and nodded. “Yes, I got it.”

Satisfied, Zhou Ruiyuan began to withdraw his hand, but before he could, Du Wanchun quickly asked, “Husband, can you teach me how to write your name?”

“My name?” Zhou Ruiyuan raised an eyebrow.

Du Wanchun nodded eagerly. “Yes, your name.”

“Alright, I’ll teach you.” Zhou Ruiyuan leaned down again, taking her hand once more. Stroke by stroke, he wrote the character ‘Zhou’ (周) on the stone table.

His handwriting was beautiful—elegant and composed, with a refinement that surpassed most scholars.

Du Wanchun focused intently, engraving each stroke into her memory.

As they reached the final character, she couldn’t help but turn her head to look at Zhou Ruiyuan.

They were incredibly close—so close that Du Wanchun could count his long, dark eyelashes.

“Have you learned it?” Zhou Ruiyuan asked, still holding her hand as he turned his head toward her.

Their gazes locked.

Their noses brushed against each other.

They were so close that if either of them moved just a little further, their lips would touch.