Chapter 68: A Tender Kiss

"What are you talking about?" Lu Wenwen saw the excitement on her face and was thoroughly confused about her intentions.

"Didn't you read the letter I gave you?" Hearing this, Feng Qiuji immediately grew anxious.

"I did read it. That's why I came today—to make things clear with you, Miss Feng."

"Make what clear?"

"I have only ever admired you out of respect, because I honor Prime Minister Feng and because you're a woman who is so eager to learn and so knowledgeable. I've always held you in high regard. But as for feelings between a man and a woman—there is not the slightest bit." Lu Wenwen paused, deciding that it was best to refuse her plainly; after all, the more ambiguous one is in such matters, the more likely misunderstandings will arise.

As Feng Qiuji listened to these words, she felt her heart turn cold. She stood there dumbly, unable to say a word.

All her life, this was the first time she had liked someone, the first time she had confessed her feelings, the first time she had dared to reveal her heart, the first time she had planned to elope with someone. And for all these firsts, what she received in return was nothing but a joke—it had all been wishful thinking on her part. He had never had any interest in her.

"You are the Prime Minister’s esteemed daughter, while I am just the son of a humble family. We are not of equal status; you should not have liked me, and I am not your match. I can only thank you for your favor, but I cannot love you, much less elope with you. Please forgive me, Miss Feng, for being unable to do as you wish."

"It's because of the disparity in our status that you feel pressured, isn't it?" Hearing his words, Feng Qiuji thought he was afraid he was not worthy of her, and so dared not love her.

"No." Seeing a glimmer of hope in her eyes, Lu Wenwen decided he needed to be absolutely clear. "I already have someone I care for. I cannot return your feelings, Miss Feng."

"Someone you care for?" Feng Qiuji suddenly felt as if her heart had shattered. So the one she had admired all along already had someone else in his heart. And to think she believed Lu Wenwen liked her, that he harbored affection for her too. That was why she had set aside her pride, written that letter to confess, and even planned to elope with him. Only now did she realize how foolish she had been—ridiculously so.

She had always been well-behaved since childhood; her parents doted on her, everyone in the household respected her, and even the other wives urged their daughters to learn from her. She had always thought herself quite good-looking and more accomplished than those other silly noble girls. This time, to be with Lu Wenwen, she had even been willing to flee from the Prime Minister’s residence, packing her things for an elopement, only for it all to end like this.

Feng Qiuji felt she had never been so humiliated in her life—this was the height of disgrace.

As these thoughts overwhelmed her, tears rolled down her cheeks. She screamed at Lu Wenwen, "I hate you!" and then, amidst the astonished stares of passersby, she ran away at full speed.

At that moment, she wanted only to find a place where no one was around, to see no one, to speak to no one.

When Xiao Hui and the people from the Prime Minister’s residence finally found her, Feng Qiuji was sitting alone atop a stone bridge, staring blankly at the bustling crowd and the street vendors below.

"Miss, we finally found you. Do you know how worried Master and Madam are? They're nearly sick with anxiety, terrified something might have happened to you."

As soon as Feng Qiuji saw Xiao Hui, she burst into tears and threw herself into her arms without a word.

After returning home, she locked herself in her room and refused to see anyone. Only after three days did she gradually recover.

During this time, Prime Minister Feng, determined to cut off her feelings for Lu Wenwen, found a pretext to petition the Emperor and have him exiled to a remote region. With that, Feng Qiuji would never see Lu Wenwen again.

Later, by chance, Feng Qiuji found a name scribbled in a book Lu Wenwen had lent her: "Qin Ruyan."

At a glance, she could tell it was a woman's name. Although her feelings for Lu Wenwen had somewhat faded by then, she remained curious about this "Qin Ruyan." She guessed that this must be the woman Lu Wenwen liked. She wanted to see what kind of woman could surpass her, so she sent someone to inquire.

After learning more, she discovered that Qin Ruyan was merely a concubine-born daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites, and her mother had once been a courtesan. She was not favored in the Qin household and was often bullied.

Feng Qiuji, proud as she was, could not accept having lost to such a person, so she remembered Qin Ruyan’s name, determined that if ever they met, she would compete with her.

One day, while returning from burning incense at a temple, she was caught in a downpour and decided to find shelter in the city. Just as she reached the gate of a residence, she saw a little maid hurrying out, and from within came the cries of a child. Curiosity piqued, she quietly approached the doorway and peeked inside. There, she saw a young woman cradling an infant, coaxing him gently with a face full of tenderness. Something about the woman seemed familiar, as if she had seen her before. Thinking for a moment, she realized she had seen the woman's portrait on her father’s desk.

This was none other than Qin Rushui, who had recently given birth to Ling Shunuo. Because Ling Shunuo had a fever, she had sent her maid to fetch a doctor, never expecting to be discovered by Feng Qiuji.

The scandal involving Yan Wuying’s family had rocked the entire capital, so even Feng Qiuji, always confined to the inner chambers, knew a bit of it. She knew Qin Rushui was Qin Ruyan’s elder sister and, moved by selfish motives, reported what she had seen to Prime Minister Feng. As a result, Qin Rushui was arrested and died tragically in prison.

Upon learning of this, Qin Ruyan vowed to make Feng Qiuji pay with blood, which led to all that happened afterward.

The waves crashed relentlessly against the hull. When Feng Qiuji awoke, the moon had already climbed to the center of the sky. She touched her face and found it was wet, as if she had just been crying.

She sat up abruptly and began recalling the dream she’d just had. Every scene, every fragment, was crystal clear. She was stunned. Ever since she had entered this body, she had lived as herself, never interested in Feng Qiuji’s past, never bothered to learn about it. Xiao Hui simply assumed she had forgotten what had happened before and never mentioned it, but why was she now suddenly supplementing the past with her own imagination—and in the form of a dream? Wasn’t that far too strange?

Awake and unable to sleep, Feng Qiuji got up and decided to walk to the prow of the ship to feel the sea breeze.

To her surprise, as soon as she stepped out of the cabin, she saw a shadowy figure sitting at the bow and nearly jumped in fright. Looking closely, she realized it was Ling Zetian.

"It’s the middle of the night—why aren’t you sleeping?" Feng Qiuji thought for a moment, then sat down beside him.

"You’re up too?" Ling Zetian was surprised to see her.

"I just woke up. What about you?"

"I can’t sleep," Ling Zetian answered simply. The two fell into silence.

Feng Qiuji gazed at the twinkling stars in the sky and couldn’t help but sigh at how pure the air must be in ancient times to reveal so many stars. She murmured, "Ling Zetian, do you know what stars in the sky really are?"

"What are they?" Ling Zetian looked at her profile, puzzled by her sudden question.

"They’re all spheres, just like the sun, only so far away that their light seems faint to us. And do you know? We’re actually living on a big sphere too." Feng Qiuji smiled and kept talking to herself.

Ling Zetian listened quietly, looking up at the stars, but said nothing.

"Don’t you think I’m talking nonsense? Don’t you think I’m crazy?" Feng Qiuji was surprised—she was speaking of things unimaginable to someone from this era, yet he accepted it without protest. It was truly astonishing.

"I don’t."

"Why?"

"Because someone else has said such things before."

"What? Who?" Feng Qiuji didn’t believe anyone in this era could be so clever or foresee the future.

"Ah Nuo."

"Pfft." Feng Qiuji burst out laughing. "So it was him. He’s just a four-year-old child—do you really believe him?" She began to think that little rascal might really be a genius; how else could he know things like this at four years old?

"I didn’t believe him, but now that you’ve said it too, I do."

Hearing his certainty, Feng Qiuji was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "Actually, I was just fooling you. I didn’t think you’d be so easily tricked."

"How long do you intend to keep playing this game?" Ling Zetian turned and looked into her eyes.

His gaze was deep and compelling, and as Feng Qiuji stared at him, she realized she hadn’t looked at him like this in a long time—perhaps she’d never really looked at him so intently before.

"I’m not playing."

"Then why did you leave? Why did you become a bandit?" Ling Zetian pressed. "Is it to escape reality? Or to escape me? Or both?"

Seeing the seriousness in his expression, Feng Qiuji felt a twinge of guilt and turned her face toward the boundless sea. "I’m not running from anything."

"Then why can’t you look at me?"

"Who says I can’t?" she mumbled in protest, but then her tone grew somber. "Knowing that you’re well is enough for me."

"What makes you think I’m well?"

"Aren’t you?!" At his question, Feng Qiuji grew annoyed and retorted, "You have food, drink, clothes, people to serve you—what more could you want? One should be content with what one has; greed brings retribution, don’t you know?!"

Just as she finished, catching her breath, Ling Zetian suddenly pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips softly and warmly to hers, leaving her incredulous.

"How could I be content without you?" he whispered hoarsely by her ear, his voice gentle and full of emotion, making her heart tremble.

—Extra—

Another late update—dear readers, please forgive me.

This book is first published by Xiaoxiang Academy. Please do not repost!