The water gurgles and the sunlight shines all over the ground.
Various tea sets are placed on the lacquered wooden tea table, and the tea stove is bubbling with hot steam and white mist.
Song Lingzhi sat next to He Ming on the couch in the waterside pavilion.
After paddling for a long time, He Ming got blisters on his hands. As the old ones healed, new ones appeared.
Scarred.
His face was sunburned red, beads of sweat were oozing out of his forehead, and drops of water were hanging from the corners of his eyes.
Song Lingzhi held a silk handkerchief and wiped it off carefully for He Ming, and ordered Bai Zhi to bring the medicine box.
The brown powder fell on He Ming's palm, and it felt like a knife was cutting his throat. He Ming's eyebrows moved.
“…Does it hurt?”
Song Lingzhi looked up nervously, her long eyelashes fluttering like cicada wings, and her light-colored eyes were filled with worry.
She still can't do the job of serving others.
Song Lingzhi was worried and put down the medicine bottle in his hand. "How about I call Bai Zhi? She is always meticulous in her work."
“No need.”
He Ming's eyebrows and eyes were gentle, like the finest white jade, "I don't like others to get close to me."
Song Lingzhi didn't understand: "But I am also..."
He Ming lowered his eyes and looked at Song Lingzhi with a smile.
The tips of her ears turned slightly red, Song Lingzhi turned her eyes away, and embarrassment spread from the tips of her ears to her neck.
He pretended to be calm and picked up the medicine bottle on the table. His hand shook and nearly half of the bottle of medicine powder spilled into He Ming's palm.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Song Lingzhi was in a panic, and the medicine powder that was brushed away by the silk handkerchief flew into the air like thousands of butterflies spreading their wings.
Song Lingzhi was choked and coughed repeatedly.
There was chaos in the waterside pavilion, and then there was laughter.
The willows are golden, and the shadows of the trees are uneven.
The colorful rope on Song Lingzhi's wrist was dazzling, and he and He Ming were laughing and joking together.
Shen Yan stood in the shadows, his eyes deep and dark, like the dark sky with dark clouds rolling.
Little by little, he tightened the jade ring in his hand.
Yue Xu stood with his hands hanging down, dressed in a casual robe, standing quietly behind Shen Yan.
The river bank was crowded with people, the people were cheering and shouting, everyone was smiling, but they were the only ones standing in the dark.
The light and shadow deviated inch by inch, and after a long time, the tall and slender figure finally moved.
Shen Yan raised his eyes slightly, and his gaze had never left Song Lingzhi's face since the beginning.
"Yue Xu, I treat her well... isn't it?"
He has never cared about others.
Yue Xu lowered his head, staring at his toes without blinking, and shuddered.
He said boldly: "Your Majesty, perhaps what Miss Song wants is... not this."
What Song Lingzhi wanted was to be with someone for the rest of his life, to be in harmony with each other, and to have mutual respect.
Shen Yan turned his head, his black eyes were deep, his brows were gradually furrowed. He fiddled with the jade ring in his hand, and did not speak for a long time.
His eyes passed lightly across Yue Xu's face.
Yue Xu buried his head even lower.
…
In the waterside pavilion, a dragon boat race came to an end in the bright sunshine.
The mess on the table was cleaned up early by the servants.
After reapplying the medicine, He Ming's hand no longer felt as uncomfortable as before. Song Lingzhi waved his hand and ordered Baizhi to bring the lacquered wooden storage box.
She smiled and said, "Grandma said you like sweet food, so she asked someone to leave some red bean and candied date fillings."
She raised her slender hand slightly, and the wide sleeves slipped down from her wrist, revealing a wrist as white as cream.