The next day.
The first faint rays of morning light struggled to pierce through the impenetrably thick sea of clouds, bringing a hazy glimmer of dawn to this immortal terrace and rousing Rover from his sleep first.
He didn't move immediately. Instead, he lay quietly, savoring the warmth in his embrace.
At some point, they had left the hot spring and returned inside the cabin, where they now lay intertwined on the soft bed.
Changli was still in a deep sleep, curled up by his side. The hair bun she kept so meticulously tied on ordinary days had long since come undone, her silky red-and-white hair cascading across the pillow. A few stray strands clung to her slightly flushed cheek and sweat-dampened forehead. All her usual aloofness and reserved elegance had melted away, leaving only the delicate, alluring languor of someone who had completely and totally relaxed.
Her breathing was even and deep, carrying a sweet, warm scent that was a mixture of the crisp fragrance of tea leaves and her own unique natural aroma.
She had used his arm as a pillow all night, but he gladly endured it. He didn't want to move a single inch, terrified of disturbing her peaceful slumber.
Everything that happened last night hadn't been a one-sided taking, but rather a perfectly synchronized dance—a dual fusion of both body and soul.
The faint, almost imperceptible barrier that had existed between them was thoroughly evaporated amidst the hot spring's steam and their absolute intimacy.
He remembered the tears that had slipped from her eyes when she was overwhelmed by passion, he remembered her desperate efforts to respond to him, and he remembered how her fingers had unconsciously gripped his arm when she finally fell into a heavy sleep from sheer exhaustion.
It was a silent surrender and a display of absolute trust.
The sunlight gradually shifted, filtering through the window lattice and illuminating Changli's long eyelashes.
She furrowed her brow slightly. Her eyelashes fluttered a few times before she slowly opened her eyes.
Those orange eyes, which usually brimmed with wisdom and calm composure, were initially clouded with hazy sleepiness and total confusion. But the moment they focused on Rover's face, which was mere inches away, she snapped fully awake.
All the memories of last night rushed into her mind like a flood breaking through a dam.
An obvious flash of panic and shyness crossed her face. She instinctively tried to shrink backward, only to realize that she was practically entirely engulfed in his embrace. His arm was still wrapped securely around her; their skin was pressed together, and she could hear his steady breathing.
Her cheeks instantly turned crimson, the captivating flush spreading all the way to the tips of her ears and down her neck.
"...Rover?" Her voice carried the hoarseness of just waking up, along with a trace of incredulous shyness. She seemed like an entirely different person from the calm, collected Counselor she usually was.
"Mm." Rover replied softly, his deep voice brimming with contented tenderness.
"Good morning, Changli."
His gaze rested on her face calmly and intently, as if he were admiring a priceless, long-lost masterpiece he had finally recovered.
This undisguised gaze—heavy with possessiveness and deep affection—made Changli feel even more at a loss. Her eyes darted around shiftily as she instinctively tried to pull up the slipped blanket to cover herself.
"We... last night..." She tried to formulate a sentence, only to find her mind completely blank, leaving nothing but those blush-inducing images.
"Last night," Rover finished for her, a barely detectable hint of a smile in his tone as his fingertips gently brushed aside the messy hair framing her cheek. "Counselor Changli showed me the profound wonders of the hot spring. It was, indeed... unforgettable."
He deliberately phrased it with extreme ambiguity, and was highly satisfied to see her face turn even redder, looking as though she wanted to bury herself completely into the pillow.
"I... must have been possessed..." she muttered softly, trying to find an excuse for her extraordinarily uncharacteristic initiative. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's.
Seeing Changli act with such a starkly contrasting, girlish demeanor, Rover suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu about the scene before him.
"I loved it." Rover chuckled softly, cutting off her frustrated mumbling. He lowered his head, pressing his forehead against hers to force her to look at him. His eyes turned incredibly serious. "Every single moment of it. I loved it all."
Changli gazed into his golden eyes, which were right in front of her. They were filled with her reflection and a scorching heat that felt as though it could melt her entirely.
Her panic gradually subsided, replaced by a slow, rising tide of stable affection. She no longer tried to look away. The complex emotions in her orange eyes slowly settled—shyness, relief, and above all, the profound peace of the dust finally settling.
She let out a soft sigh. However, there was no longer any hesitation in this sigh; instead, it carried a trace of resigned, affectionate languor.
She voluntarily shifted forward, pressing even closer to his warm chest. Burying her cheek back into the crook of his shoulder, she felt the steady beating of his heart.
"...Fine," she said. Her voice was slightly muffled, yet impeccably clear. "As long as it's you... it is fine."
The two of them simply held each other like that, snuggling quietly amidst the lingering mist. Neither spoke another word.
After a long time, Changli finally spoke again. Her voice had regained some of its usual gentleness, though it still carried a rare, clingy softness. "...I am afraid I will be unable to rise early to attend to official matters today."
Hearing this, Rover chuckled softly. The vibration of his chest earned him a light, playful thump from her.
He tightened his embrace, lowering his head to kiss the top of her head.
"It doesn't matter," his voice was brimming with pampering affection. "Today is your day off. Counselor Changli... ought to get a good rest."
"Then how should I address you now? Rover" Her finger traced circles on his chest, trembling ever so slightly, as if she were feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness while waiting for his confirmation.
"According to Huanglong customs, perhaps you should call me..."
"Husband." Before he could finish his sentence, she beat him to it, saying the title she had been yearning to use for so long.
What followed was a pair of rosy lips taking the initiative to press against his, sealing his words.
The sunlight filtered through the clouds and the window lattice, gently illuminating the bed and softening the outlines of their embracing figures.
Yesterday's probing and apprehension had been entirely driven away, leaving only a room full of tender warmth.
This exact scene could be perfectly described by the poem: "Hair like clouds, face like a flower, gold hairpins swaying. Passing the spring night in the warmth of the hibiscus tent. Lamenting the spring night is too short as the sun rises high, from then on, the King no longer held the early morning court."
The morning light gradually strengthened, piercing through the clouds and the window lattice, brightening the interior of the small cabin.
The intimate affection and private whispers on the bed continued for a while longer, but ultimately, they couldn't stay immersed in this gentle paradise forever.
The real world, and the people waiting for them, were right down the mountain.
Changli was, after all, the steady and reliable Counselor of Jinzhou. She took a deep breath, seemingly burying all her previous tenderness and fluttered emotions deep into the bottom of her heart.
She gently pushed against Rover, who was still holding her. Though her voice still carried a hint of languor, it had recovered more than half of its usual calm. "We should get up. Jinhsi and Miss Cartethyia... must be anxious waiting for us."
Thinking of what the situation might be like down at the manor, the two exchanged a glance, both feeling a slight twinge of a guilty conscience.
Sure enough, after the two washed up, changed their clothes, cleaned up the aftermath of their "battle," and returned to the Magistrate's manor down the mountain path, they felt two burning, anxious stares the exact second they stepped through the door.
Jinhsi and Cartethyia were sitting on the living room sofa. Both of them sported faint dark circles under their eyes, clearly having stayed awake the entire night.
"Master Changli! Rover!" Jinhsi was the first to stand up, hurrying over to them. Her silver-gray eyes were filled with worry and a faint trace of grievance. "You're finally back! Where did you go last night? Why didn't anyone answer the terminal comms? Miss Cartethyia and I were worried all night!"
Her words fired off like a string of cannonballs, carrying the pure, unadulterated concern and anxiety of a young girl.
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