CHAPTER 366: 0231 FIREFLY AT FINGERTIPS (2-IN-1)_2

Despite holding onto Xu Chang’an’s clothing, her body was stiff and she dared not move, as if afraid that the person in front of her would vanish like a bubble with just a bit of force.

"...?"

Xu Chang’an felt a bit strange and suddenly uneasy: "Miss, what’s wrong?"

"It’s nothing." Yun Qian closed her eyes, her cherry lips lightly touching his cheek.

"..." Xu Chang’an felt the lingering moistness on his face, his steps gradually slowed, and finally stopped.

Miss Yun... was very strange.

At this moment, although Xu Chang’an did not look back, he could sense that the lady was unusually soft and tender.

For Yun Qian, the memories scattered like water splashes, flowing through her heart like a wistful thought over a lake.

Her fingernail gently traced a straight line along the cloth of Xu Chang’an’s chest.

Life and death are but two ends of a line; what matters is not life and death themselves, but the space in between, the traces left by living.

Just at this moment, Xu Chang’an seemed to become suddenly emotionally obtuse and asked: "Miss, why did you just... kiss me like that?"

Generally, one wouldn’t ask like this.

But Yun Qian wasn’t an ordinary person.

"Because it’s not fair for me to be the only one moved." Yun Qian said seriously.

The lady, her mind rippling with memories, naturally wanted to move Xu Chang’an’s heart too; that was her logic.

"So, were you moved?" Yun Qian asked.

"... Miss." Xu Chang’an sighed: "No one asks like that."

"Tell me." Yun Qian gripped Xu Chang’an’s collar with slight force.

"Is a fast heartbeat considered being moved?" Xu Chang’an asked.

"Considered?" Yun Qian blinked.

"Then it is." Xu Chang’an said, tilting his head to meet Yun Qian’s gaze.

The young lady’s light-colored eyes didn’t blink, firmly capturing his dark pupils, the watery light quietly flowing, like ripples on a lake under a blue moon.

Time passed slowly like this, it was unclear how much had gone by.

Until a bit of unusual redness appeared on Xu Chang’an’s face, at which point he averted his gaze nonchalantly, and time began to flow again.

"I lost."

Xu Chang’an sighed: "Miss, you won."

Yun Qian: "...?"

She won.

What did she win?

"It seems my feelings can’t compare to the Miss’s." Xu Chang’an thought otherwise he should have been able to maintain eye contact with Yun Qian.

"I don’t quite understand." Yun Qian squinted her eyes, gently tapping Xu Chang’an’s arm: "Want to eat some fruit?"

Eat fruit?

Xu Chang’an couldn’t keep up with Yun Qian’s train of thought, but neither did he refuse.

Thus, Yun Qian reached out into the air and a crystal-like fruit appeared in her hand.

The lady, being carried by him, fed it to him.

"How does it taste?" Yun Qian asked.

"Very good." Xu Chang’an said, his gaze wandering.

In fact, his mind was tense and he didn’t really taste anything.

"There’s even better fruit, I’ll give you some later." Yun Qian kept the fruit pit, then held her hand out before Xu Chang’an.

Xu Chang’an swallowed the sweet taste in his mouth, using a handkerchief to wipe the juice from Yun Qian’s fingers, casually asking: "What kind of fruit?"

Yun Qian, without reservation, calmly said: "Me?"

The lady abandoned the idea of eating fruit, instead wanting to become the fruit to be eaten, which wasn’t a big deal.

"..." Xu Chang’an was stunned upon hearing this, then sighed.

So, Yun Qian still hadn’t given up on this.

And indeed, his heartbeat was more intense than before; as a presence in his dream, how could Yun Qian possibly give up?

Yun Qian seemed oblivious to Xu Chang’an’s resistance, raising her head to look at the sky, "It’s raining."

As her words fell, thick clouds obscured the only light source in the sky, the entire world fell into darkness, and water droplets fell into the creeks and lakes, causing ripples.

"Umbrella." Yun Qian said: "Give it to me."

"Where am I supposed to get an umbrella?" Xu Chang’an asked.

"This is a dream." Yun Qian reminded him.

"Got it." Xu Chang’an conjured a white oil-paper umbrella out of thin air and handed it to the lady on his back. As Yun Qian opened it, and the rain patted on its surface, he said: "The weather has been so unpredictable lately."

Xu Chang’an believed that since the rain unexpectedly arrived in reality, it would be reflected in his dream.

Yun Qian, holding the umbrella to shield him from the rain, asked calmly: "Do you know when it rains?"

"When?" Xu Chang’an, carrying Yun Qian, walked slowly on the path back to the pavilion.

"When I’m happy or unhappy?" Yun Qian said earnestly.

"Miss, that’s as good as not answering."

"Then...mostly when I’m happy?" Yun Qian added.

After all, back on the island, whenever it rained it meant the temperature would drop. During those times, Xu Chang’an, fearing she might catch a cold, would naturally take great care of her, always having a hand warmer and brazier ready, never straying far from her.

So, compared to the sunny days where she could bask freely, Yun Qian naturally liked rainy days more.

"It rains when you’re happy, are you the Little Dragon Girl?" Xu Chang’an laughed.

Yun Qian’s hand holding the umbrella wavered, "I like the Chi Lian Fairy, not the Little Dragon Girl."

"They’re not the same person."

"Mm."

Yun Qian casually talked household matters with Xu Chang’an, feeling Xu Chang’an quietly channeling Spiritual Qi to warm her in the rain, gradually starting to feel at ease.

The benefit of warmth is that you don’t fear the cold; the downside is it’s easy to get drowsy and fall asleep, but sleeping on his back can’t be considered a bad thing.

But today is different; she can’t sleep and waste this good opportunity.

Ms. Yun suddenly realized something.

According to her fondness for rainy days...she could like something even more.

For example, if rainy days were better than sunny days, then snowy days would be even greater than rainy days, because the colder winter weather meant Xu Chang’an would take even better care of her.

In past years, to prevent her from catching cold, her husband would usually stay by her side all night to prevent her from...kicking off the covers?

——

So, the sky grew darker, some icy drops fell with the wind onto Xu Chang’an’s face, making him wonder if the lady had sneaked another kiss on him as he looked up, and was taken aback.

"It’s snowing?"

In the dim sky, at some point, snowflakes began to flutter and fall.

"Yes, it’s snowing." Yun Qian hooked her lips, naturally hanging onto Xu Chang’an.

"I haven’t let it snow in my dream, though the rain was predictable." Xu Chang’an tilted his head.

"So it’s my dream." Yun Qian said: "It’s snowing, you can wear the clothes you like."

She had a long blue veil dress, with a rose-red silk jacket, trimmed with snow-white fur.

Xu Chang’an had praised it more than once, liking it, but since it was winter-exclusive, there were only snowy days when she’d have the chance to wear it for him.

Wearing the clothes he liked was one of Zhao Yun’s "methods" for tempting Xu Chang’an to eat the fruit.

"Rain mixed with snow..." Xu Chang’an suddenly felt worried, concerned that his damn subconscious conjured such severe weather, perhaps intending to make dream Yun Qian sick.

The more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed.

He really wasn’t a good person.

——

Xu Chang’an quickened his pace, swiftly carrying Yun Qian back to the pavilion.

"Miss, wait a moment, I’ll go prepare something warm." Xu Chang’an said urgently.

"This is a dream." Yun Qian looked at him: "You won’t catch cold."

"That won’t do either." Xu Chang’an said, his expression serious.

"...Mm."

Yun Qian looked back at the tightly shut window, just feeling that the rustling sound of falling snow was very pleasing.

Xu Chang’an soon returned, hanging a delicate hand warmer around Yun Qian’s neck, wrapping her in a fur shawl, and finally bringing a brazier into the hall. Only when the room gradually warmed did he let out a sigh of relief.

A dream also had logic, so it’s best to suppress any negative thoughts.

"...Oh, and there’s more." Xu Chang’an remembered something abruptly, leaving hurriedly.

"..."

Yun Qian looked at herself wrapped like a dumpling in layers, suddenly feeling that perhaps the effect was too good.

Being cared for was naturally comforting, but wouldn’t she have lifted a stone only to drop it on her own foot?

In such cold weather, how were they supposed to enjoy tender moments together?

If she wore thin veils, wouldn’t he simply turn around and wrap her in a Xiaohua jacket instead?

"Miss."

Xu Chang’an pushed the door open, spreading out a floral jacket with both hands, saying seriously: "Wear this."