When Wen Zhan becomes stubborn, it's really a headache.
Seeing that he was unwilling to let go, Lu Yunchu just agreed with him: "Okay, I'll wait for you where you can meet me later, okay?"
Wen Zhan nodded and dragged her to the bathtub.
Lu Yunchu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Thinking of Wen Zhan's silly look of getting wet in the rain, his smile gradually faded and turned into a light sigh.
She whispered, "I'm sorry, I've been away for too long."
Wen Zhan was taking off his wet clothes with his back to her. He tilted his head when he heard the words, but did not look at her. His expression was not clear in the dim light.
He draped his clothes over the screen and stepped into the bathtub, the water splashing loudly.
White steam filled the water surface. He looked at Lu Yunchu through a layer of mist and asked slowly, "Go home?"
Lu Yunchu roughly understood what he meant and replied, "Yes, I returned to the world where I was born." Wen Zhan was soaking in the water anyway, and she didn't want to wait here bored, so she simply told him about what happened after she returned. She had to explain the relevant background about her work, her colleagues and friends, and her small rental house, so she kept talking, talking about whatever story she had from childhood to adulthood.
Wen Zhan had been listening in silence. Through the mist, his mood became more and more depressed. Then he slid down little by little, with his entire body buried in the water.
Lu Yunchu thought he was just playing in the water and had no intention of doing anything, but as time passed, he never emerged from the water.
Lu Yunchu frowned: "A Zhan?" He couldn't have fallen asleep, could he have fallen into a coma due to lack of oxygen
She walked towards the tub, which was very large and square, like a water tank. Steam rushed towards her face, and a layer of wet water instantly covered her face.
"Ah Zhan." She called out.
Wen Zhan, who was squatting under the water, suddenly moved, and popped his head out from the edge of the bathtub, with a "splash", splashing water everywhere.
Lu Yunchu was caught off guard and splashed all over. She dodged and said, "What are you doing—"
When I looked up, I saw Wen Zhan's face.
His face was red from the hot water, like the light pink color of plum blossoms when used to make tea, and his long legs were soaked, with transparent drops of water sliding down the edges.
His eyes were also wet, like broken glass. He only needed to glance at Lu Yunchu, and the rest of her words were blocked back in her throat.
He has a cold temperament, so once his eyes are tinged with sadness, that sense of vulnerability cannot be concealed no matter what.
Lu Yunchu felt that he was like a wounded animal begging for help, staring at him intently and stubbornly, with his neck tilted upward. He had a lot to say, but couldn't.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Wen Zhan stood up slowly, water splashing, and wet hair stuck to his snow-white skin, the black and white were bright and the contrast was sharp.
He lowered his head, his eyes confused: "Why... come back?"
This question also confused Lu Yunchu. She tilted her head and said, "Why don't you come back? You should wait for me."
The world that Lu Yunchu described was so free and vast. Only a place like that could raise such a child. Wen Zhan felt that the more she talked, the heavier his heart became. He said sullenly, "Then... is there anyone... waiting for you?"
Lu Yunchu took a moment to realize what he meant, and immediately laughed out of anger: "You mean I'm playing both sides?"
She took half a step back, and Wen Zhan quickly grabbed her arm. Lu Yunchu was pulled by him and lost her balance. She supported herself on the edge of the bathtub, and just as she steadied herself, her body suddenly felt lighter.
Wen Zhan actually lifted her in from outside and threw her into the water!
Hot water rushed in from all around, and Lu Yunchu was stunned. Her clothes became heavy and sticky. Wen Zhan squatted down with her. When their eyes met, she widened her eyes and punched him hard: "What are you doing!"
Wen Zhan didn't dodge. After being hit, he moved along her arm and clung to her like he had no bones. He put his arms around her neck and whispered, "It's just... your hometown is not suitable... for a lover."
Lu Yunchu suddenly felt soft-hearted.
Is it a suitable place to love someone? Not necessarily. But for Wen Zhan, this world has brought him too much pain and coldness, so he feels that the world she talks about sounds warm and vast, like a place where it is easy to fall in love and stay together.
Wen Zhan felt that she had relaxed before he asked, "Then... have you ever had me?"
His question sounded strange, but Lu Yunchu understood it. He wanted to know whether Lu Yunchu had ever been in love in modern times, or whether she had ever liked anyone.
"Well..." Lu Yunchu said, "No." She thought about it carefully. She didn't even know what love was before.
But during the time she was thinking about it, Wen Zhan seemed to be almost hesitant. He suddenly felt his chest tighten, and even breathing was painful, and his whole body felt as cold as if he had been caught in the rain.
He felt uneasy, thinking that the place where he was born was much better than his own.
He gritted his teeth and said word by word: "I am better than them.'"
Lu Yunchu could no longer keep up with his train of thought.
They? Who are they
She stared at Wen Zhan, hoping that he could understand the confusion in her eyes.
But Wen Zhan seemed angry and aggrieved. He leaned his head closer to her, forehead to forehead, and corrected her word by word: "I can be better than them."
He usually spoke slowly, and because of his difficulty in pronouncing words, his voice sounded a bit hoarse and difficult. Now he deliberately pronouncing words, trying to make himself pronounce clearly and speak faster, and he sounded a bit cute and serious.
Lu Yunchu was even more stunned: "What's good? Better than who?"
Wen Zhan's eyes were strange, with a fragile plea and a tyrannical possessiveness. He pressed his forehead against Lu Yunchu's, staring at her with trembling eyelashes.
Just when she was about to be unable to bear it and was soaking in the hot water with her clothes on, Wen Zhan suddenly kissed her, and she was stunned by the kiss.
Seeing that she didn't react, he relaxed a little, and came closer, kissing her gently and softly, from the corner of her mouth to behind her ear. It didn't seem like a kiss, but more like using body language to express unfinished words.
Lu Yunchu couldn't stand his pitiful and foolish appearance, so he relaxed his vigilance for a moment and was soaked in the hot water. He felt dizzy all over, and it was not until he felt an itch on his waist that he realized something was wrong.
She wanted to stand up, but Wen Zhan suddenly changed his attitude. He lifted her up, let her sit on his lap, and held her head to prevent her from leaving.
The windows and doors in the house were tightly closed, with only a small skylight for ventilation. The steam from the hot water made the fresh air in the house thinner and thinner, and Lu Yunchu felt a little breathless.
Only then did she understand what he had just asked.
It turned out that I was just daydreaming. The consequence of daydreaming was not jealousy, but becoming more insecure and more stubborn.
Lu Yunchu wanted to persuade him quickly, but he blocked her and she couldn't say anything. Her brain was deprived of oxygen, and she soon became limp. The hot water, coupled with Wen Zhan's pleading movements, was even softer. Lu Yunchu gave up her body's autonomy and let Wen Zhan play with her.
The hot water can be used as a force, and the body can be soaked in it without much obstruction. The slight sound of water is getting louder and louder. The two of them are facing each other. Lu Yunchu is comfortable with her eyes half closed, but Wen Zhan is always staring at her, not missing the slightest change in her expression.
Just when she felt comfortable and was about to hum, Wen Zhan suddenly lifted her up and asked her to turn her back. She came back to her senses, and the sudden change of action made her heart rise, and she quickly grabbed the edge of the bathtub.
Wen Zhan grabbed her shoulders and approached her from behind. By the time she realized that something was wrong, it was too late.
He was no longer as gentle as before, as if he had become a different person. The water surged violently, and Lu Yunchu felt as if her heart was hanging in the air and then falling heavily. The fresh and unfamiliar feeling made her scared, but she couldn't help but indulge in it.
She clung to the edge of the barrel, her fingers so tense that her knuckles turned white.
Lu Yunchu bit her lower lip tightly, but the embarrassing cry still came out. No matter what she said, Wen Zhan acted as if he couldn't hear her.
Even with her back to Wen Zhan, she could imagine his expression at the moment.
He was serious, tense, and cold, and with this expression it seemed as if he would never feel any emotion in his life, but he always liked to face her with this expression.
The water surface was shaking and hot water was splashing out.
Amid the chaos, she heard his voice.
This was the first time she heard him speak, as if he had revealed his weak spot, with a nasal tone, rapid and suppressed.
Her spine instantly felt numb. It turned out that he would make such sounds after he recovered his voice.
The water surged even louder, trying to cover up the sound. Lu Yunchu couldn't help but fall into it with him...
After everything was over, the house was in such a mess that it was unbearable to look at it any longer. Even a fool could guess what had happened.
Lu Yunchu was limp, and was carried out horizontally by Wen Zhan and wrapped in clothes.
She finally had time to explain to Wen Zhan: "You misunderstood. I have never liked anyone else before, and I will never like anyone else. No one can be better than you."
Wen Zhan uttered a nasal "hmm".
He believed whatever Lu Yunchu said, and after she explained it in just one sentence, he didn't need to ask any more questions and was completely relieved.
After confirming that he was not answering perfunctorily, but listened to his words and put his uneasy heart aside, Lu Yunchu was able to take care of other things.
She looked to the ground and said helplessly: "What should I do..." This was so embarrassing. This was right in my father's side yard. It was raining heavily outside and it felt like there had been a heavy rain inside the house as well.
Wen Zhan first put her on the stool next to him, and then turned around to wrap himself.
Lu Yunchu looked at the puddle on the ground, even the ladle was lifted up, and he was even more speechless.
She felt that she should seriously blame Wen Zhan at this moment, but she actually had no strength or energy. The key point was that it was really enjoyable...
Wen Zhan simply cleaned up the scene, making it look like it was real but not real. Lu Yunchu felt helpless about this: "Is this okay? I still feel it's obvious. It's all your fault..." She covered her forehead and wailed, "This is too embarrassing."
When the rainstorm stopped, she quickly took Wen Zhan back to the yard and hid there, too embarrassed to go out.
As a result, things turned out to be unexpected. When the maids heard Lu Yunchu scolding Wen Zhan, they hid away and trembled with fear. When they went to clean up the house, they saw this scene and thought that the two had a fierce quarrel. According to the hot temper of the young lady, she must have thrown a tantrum, so it was normal for her to look like this.
When Lu Yunchu heard Lu Jing's earnest advice to him, he realized that things were turning out to be so outrageous.
"Don't fight between husband and wife." Lu Jing said, "When I taught you martial arts and whipping when you were young, it was to strengthen your body, not to seduce your husband."
"You are so impatient now, and even he is impatient. What will you do if you have a child in the future?" Lu Jing was so worried that his facial features wrinkled into a ball, "Oh!"
… Lu Yunchu was actually too ashamed to face his worried old father.
But when it comes to children, Lu Yunchu feels that she should seriously consider this issue. It's not that she doesn't want a child, firstly, the medical conditions in ancient times are not good, and secondly, she has decided to travel around the country, so how can she have time to take care of a baby
However, we can only let nature take its course. At most, we can pray to Guanyin, the goddess of fertility, so that she will not be too tired.
When Lu Jing heard her worshipping Guanyin, the Goddess of Childbirth, he thought that his carefree son had finally grown up and become quite feminine. However, not long after, Lu Yunchu dragged Wen Zhannan down to find Liu Zhixu.
They traveled to the mountains and rivers in Liuzhixu under the pretext of summer vacation. They stayed there for four months and did not return until autumn.
Lu was so angry that he chased her and scolded her.
When winter came, she planned to travel eastward, and Lu Jing just asked Wen Zhan to keep an eye on her.
Wen Zhan, who was packing his luggage, looked particularly reliable. He took care of everything in an orderly manner. The weight he had lost in the previous year had finally gained back, and he looked more and more handsome.
His throat had recovered well and he could speak at a normal speed. His voice was clear, like the sound of jade hitting each other or the wind blowing through a bamboo forest.
"Yun Chu likes freedom by nature, so I won't restrict her."
Lu Jing was helpless: "But I can't travel all year round. Looking at her, I want to travel to every corner of the Central Plains." He became more and more angry and helpless. Looking at Wen Zhan, who was in the clear moonlight, he felt that he was being dragged down by his daughter. He gritted his teeth and said, "You too, you indulge her when she runs away, letting her do whatever she wants, following her everywhere, being dragged down by her, what a shame."
Wen Zhan stopped what he was doing and suddenly smiled softly, like a light cloud emerging from a mountain, which made Lu Jing stunned.
"She once told me that if I recovered, she would take me to travel all over the mountains and rivers and taste all kinds of delicious food. Now she is not a burden to me anymore, but she is fulfilling her promise."
After he finished speaking, he lowered his head and continued what he was doing. Lu Jing stood there for a long time before he reacted.
He looked at Wen Zhan's expression and shook his head helplessly. He looked at Wen Zhan's receding back and muttered softly, "She's so gullible. She believed in all those sweet words. She sounded nice. I think she made such promises just because she wanted to play around. She was able to trick you."
Lu Jing's protests were in vain. Lu Yunchu took Wen Zhan to travel all over the place, as if he would never get tired.
He met many new friends on the way, witnessed many things he had never seen before, and also met his old friend Monk Huiji - he still followed Wen Jue, but not as a counselor, but as his old profession, and chose a place with beautiful mountains and rivers to continue being a monk.
When Wen Jue heard Wen Zhan passing by, he immediately put down what he was doing and came to see him. When they met again, he was filled with emotion.
Lu Yunchu and Wen Zhan standing together looked like a pair of immortal lovers. They were well matched in appearance to begin with, and now as they were enjoying themselves among the mountains and rivers, they looked even more free and easy, which made him a little envious.
He joked with Wen Zhan, "What I thought was a pipe dream when I was young has now actually come true."
Wen Zhan also smiled: "I didn't expect it either." He looked at Lu Yunchu's figure, "To meet her, I must have spent several lifetimes of luck and suffered a lot to get this happiness."
They stayed for a few more days and then set off again.
It is spring now, the grass is growing, the birds are singing, and all things are growing.
Wen Jue and Monk Huiji watched them go away, watching them gradually walk into the beautiful spring scenery and blend into the warm light of the flowers.