In the mountains, there are not only muddy swamps but also streams. The water is clean and cool, flowing gently.
Yun Qian sat by the stream, and Xu Chang’an crouched beside her, carefully washing her wound.
Xu Chang’an gazed at her cut foot, his heart full of pity. It’s that spontaneous emotion everyone feels when they see perfection marred.
With Xu Chang’an’s movements, the blood and dirt gradually washed away into the stream and disappeared.
Xu Chang’an asked, "Does it hurt?"
"It hurts," Yun Qian frowned.
Xu Chang’an tore off a piece of his shirt and said, "I’ll treat it a bit, bear with it."
Yun Qian softly responded.
Xu Chang’an’s movements were not gentle. After simply bandaging Yun Qian’s foot, he turned his head and accidentally touched Yun Qian’s cheek, only to find her meticulously observing him.
"Miss?" Xu Chang’an was puzzled.
"Once we leave the island, you will no longer be my steward." Yun Qian squinted her eyes.
"Haven’t I always called you that?" Xu Chang’an thought he’d heard this before and wiped his hands. "Besides, we’re on the island right now."
"It’s just a dream," Yun Qian suddenly said.
Xu Chang’an was taken aback.
For someone in a dream to say it is a dream truly caught him off guard.
"Why do you still call me Miss?" Yun Qian asked calmly.
Xu Chang’an’s blinking frequency increased; he felt that the one questioning him wasn’t Yun Qian but rather his own heart.
"I am Miss’s steward," Xu Chang’an said.
"That was before." Yun Qian thought for a moment, then wrapped her arms around Xu Chang’an’s neck and said earnestly, "I want to hear something more intimate."
"Like what?" Xu Chang’an leaned back, avoiding Yun Qian’s breath.
"You can choose between ’Darling’ or ’Wife,’ whichever you prefer." Yun Qian thought for a moment and said, "Books say that women can have courtesy names too. If they don’t have one after the coming-of-age ceremony, their husband can help create one... You can make one for me, just for us to know."
"..." Xu Chang’an’s eye twitched slightly.
Indeed, in his dream, he had thought carefully about everything Yun Qian mentioned.
Calling her ’Wife,’ ’Darling,’ ’Ah Qian,’ or even creating a name only he knew.
"It’s not the right time yet," Xu Chang’an said.
"You’re not ready?" Yun Qian combed her long hair.
"Kind of, and I still owe Miss a wedding."
"Don’t like being called Miss?" Xu Chang’an couldn’t help but ask.
"It’s not that I don’t like it," Yun Qian shook her head. "It’s just that I think ’Wife’ sounds nice too."
"Actually, I still quite like the term ’Miss.’ How many husbands in the world call their wives that?" Xu Chang’an chuckled and said, "It’s quite romantic."
"I don’t feel it," Yun Qian touched her face and leaned against Xu Chang’an. "You are my husband, yet you call me Miss... In others’ eyes, it might seem we’re distant."
"Miss cares about others’ views?" Xu Chang’an was shocked, then realized his foolishness. He almost forgot this Yun Qian was a fake, only now feeling a sense of dissonance.
But this topic isn’t bad. It’s a chance to practice how he might respond if Miss Yun asks about this in the future.
"I don’t want others to say our relationship is bad," Yun Qian said.
In essence, she only cared about Xu Chang’an.
"Our closeness is what matters to us," Xu Chang’an spread his hands helplessly. "Miss always says I... Haven’t you noticed that I still call you Miss, yet you rarely call me anything?"
"Do I?" Yun Qian was taken aback, thought for a moment, then said, "Husband?"
"I’m here," Xu Chang’an suppressed the flutter in his heart and asked, "Does it feel strange?"
"A little bit," Yun Qian nodded, puzzled. "Why is that?"
"Affection is not something forced," Xu Chang’an shook his head. "Companionship is more important than anything, and titles should follow naturally."
"Letting it be... I’ll follow your lead," Yun Qian nodded, her whole body leaning on Xu Chang’an as she whispered in his ear, "Take me back to the room to freshen up, the dirt is sticky and uncomfortable."
Xu Chang’an curved his lips, picked Yun Qian up from the streamside, and whispered in her ear, "Alright, wife."
"..." Yun Qian was taken aback, gently butted her head against Xu Chang’an’s chin in dissatisfaction, and unknowingly, a blush crept up her ear.
Xu Chang’an said so many unwilling things, yet suddenly caught her off guard; he really was a bad person.
Feeling the warmth around her, Yun Qian thought it wasn’t bad, just like the first time Xu Chang’an called her Miss, she felt a flutter, but now she was used to it.
Occasionally using intimate titles might have a better effect; is this what he calls... romance between husband and wife?
Xu Chang’an carried Yun Qian back to the room, thinking his Miss Yun was cute even in dreams. As expected... he understood his wife too well, so the existence he imagined with his knowledge was no different from the real Yun Qian.
Love, in essence, is mutual reliance, but even in mutual dependence, there’s always a dominant one.
Between him and Yun Qian, who is the dominant one?
On the surface, Yun Qian seems to have the higher status, but in reality, Yun Qian is quite soft with him, a typical outwardly tough but inwardly soft, collapsing at a slight push.
She might even collapse without a push, such is her frailty.
Not far away, Yun Qian was drying her wet hair. At this moment, she was wearing a crimson waist-cincher, a dark fitted tunic, and a wide skirt, appearing tall and graceful.
After bathing, there’s a dewy touch to her brows, adding a measure of delicacy.
Under the lamp’s glow, her facial contours were distinct, her complexion lustrous as jade.
Miss Yun, without effort, exuded endless charm.
This is how Yun Qian looks in his dream, even in dreams she is the epitome of perfection.
At this moment, Yun Qian turned her head, her gaze lingered slightly on Xu Chang’an, and she pointed to the bed saying, "Husband, I still have some energy, should we rest now."
Her voice was much cooler, yet Xu Chang’an almost couldn’t breathe.
Was this an application of inference?
Xu Chang’an thought he should wake up, for continuing this dream would be unfair to Miss Yun.
The false is ultimately false.
It’s just like an avatar, not the person... ultimately not the person, no matter how similar.
Luckily, he felt his spirit and strength had recovered quite a bit.
"Miss Yun, I am off to pursue the Supreme Principle of Heaven and Earth, Impermanence Dao." Xu Chang’an coughed.
Yun Qian tilted her head, she stood up, her foot with the bandaged wound stepped on the ground, lifting her long skirt and asked, "Is the Heavenly Dao more important, or am I?"
This type of jealous phrasing was also learned from Xu Chang’an’s writings.