Ye Chu took Tan Miaotong wandering around Cold Lake. He even poled a small flatboat, drifting through the misty rain over the hazy waters. The boat swayed gently on the lake. Looking far into the distance, the thin veil of mist shimmered faintly under the sunlight. The surrounding mountains were wrapped in fog, the vapour curling lovingly up their slopes.
Tan Miaotong sat on the boat. Her delicate body rocked with the gentle motion. From time to time, she scooped up a handful of water with her hand. The ripples spread outward in soft circles.
Her jade-like hand trailed lightly through the lake water. Ye Chu gazed at her fair skin and could not help recalling the scene he had glimpsed when he slipped into the room — those legs as smooth as mutton-fat jade, the perfect round curves of her snowy, full breasts, even the two faint peaks standing proud and the fragrant patch of grass barely concealed by fabric as scant as a thong. Ye Chu felt his blood surge faster.
Looking at the peerlessly beautiful woman before him, so perfectly blended with the misty beauty of Cold Lake, Ye Chu felt a rush of heat stir within him.
Even with two lifetimes of experience — wandering through nightclubs in his previous life, indulging in wine, women, and song, sharing countless nights with beauties — few women had truly shaken his soul. Ye Chu had always prided himself on his resistance to feminine charms. Yet right now, his heart and spirit trembled uncontrollably.
“Why do you keep staring at me?” Tan Miaotong noticed Ye Chu’s fixed gaze. Her smile was charming and questioning as she looked at him.
“I was wondering if there might be some lecherous fish that would jump up and kiss your hand.” Ye Chu grinned at Tan Miaotong.
“Nonsense… how could there possibly be… ah!” Tan Miaotong had barely started to reply when she let out a startled cry and quickly pulled her hand back. Out of nowhere, a crucian carp had leapt from the water and bumped right into her hand.
“Hahaha…” Ye Chu burst into laughter. In a flash, he reached out and caught the fish in his hand. “Sure enough, it’s a lecherous fish. I haven’t even had the chance to kiss you yet, and it got there first.”
Tan Miaotong’s face burned hot. She never imagined that right after Ye Chu finished speaking, a fish would actually collide with her hand. Especially with his teasing words, she did not dare lift her head to look at him.
“Ye Chu! Miaotong! What are you two doing here?”
Just as Ye Chu was about to tease Tan Miaotong a little more, Qing Wenting’s voice suddenly rang out. Not far away, a large boat was sailing towards them.
Ye Chu had been so focused on Tan Miaotong earlier that he had not noticed them approaching. Seeing Qing Wenting lower the gangplank for them to board, Ye Chu led Tan Miaotong — her face still faintly flushed — onto the ship.
“Giggle… Ye Chu, I didn’t expect you to move so quickly. How long have you known our Miaotong? Already moonlit boat rides, whispering sweet nothings. Flatboat, Cold Lake, playing in the water — very poetic and romantic, isn’t it?” Qing Wenting giggled, then turned her gaze to Tan Miaotong. “And you — too easy, aren’t you? Only met him a few times and already you’ve fallen?”
“Ah…” Tan Miaotong flushed deeply in embarrassment. She hurriedly explained in a fluster, “Ye Chu was just taking me to see Cold Lake. It’s not what you’re saying.”
“I understand…” Qing Wenting laughed. Her bright, beautiful eyes swept over Tan Miaotong. With a sly grin, she added, “Sorry for interrupting you two just now. My apologies.”
“…” Tan Miaotong said nothing. She stood there blushing, soft and enchanting. She knew the more she spoke, the more Qing Wenting would tease her.
Ye Chu’s skin was thick enough not to care about Qing Wenting’s teasing. He walked naturally over to little Wei, tossed her the crucian carp, and said, “Make sure you slaughter this one today. It absolutely cannot live past tonight.”
Little Wei blinked in confusion. Seeing Ye Chu holding a grudge against a fish, she asked curiously, “Young Master Ye Chu! Even a fish can offend you?”
“I’m jealous of it!” Ye Chu waved her off, telling her to go fry the fish. Little Wei stuck out her tongue, completely baffled as to how a fish could possibly provoke Ye Chu.
Only Tan Miaotong stood there, not daring to meet Ye Chu’s eyes. Even her earlobes had turned red.
Ye Jingyun stood to one side. Her dark eyes glanced at Ye Chu, then shifted to Tan Miaotong. Naturally, she did not truly believe anything had happened between Tan Miaotong and Ye Chu. But she could see that Tan Miaotong did not dislike him. That astonished Ye Jingyun.
This man, once the public enemy of Yao City, could actually win the favour of a heaven-blessed daughter like Tan Miaotong.
“Ye Chu! Look at your torn clothes. You didn’t try anything with our Miaotong, did you? And got beaten for it?” Ye Jingyun stood there, her long, shapely legs casually together yet still drawing the eye.
Ye Chu’s gaze slid unobtrusively over Ye Jingyun’s long legs before he shrugged and walked naturally to the tea set on the boat. He brewed himself a cup and drank. He ignored the teasing from Qing Wenting and Ye Jingyun entirely. Only Tan Miaotong’s blush remained, refusing to fade.
…
Qing Wenting and Ye Jingyun teased Tan Miaotong for a while, making her protest coquettishly again and again, her soft, alluring charm on full display. Only after Tan Miaotong could no longer keep up and surrendered with pleas for mercy did the two finally stop.
Ye Chu watched the three women play from the side. With such beautiful scenery before him, he sipped his tea contentedly. When the three approached, he brewed a cup and handed it to Tan Miaotong.
“Giggle! And you still say nothing’s going on? Why does Ye Chu only pour tea for you, while the rest of us get ignored? And Ye Chu, aren’t you being a little unfair? We’ve known each other far longer.” Qing Wenting’s lovely face was full of mischievous smiles.
“Do you really think I should brew tea for people who’ve been mocking and digging at me all this time?” Ye Chu rolled his eyes and ignored Qing Wenting.
Tan Miaotong accepted the tea Ye Chu brewed for her. Her cheeks flushed as red as blood, like the glow of sunset in a clear sky.
Qing Wenting knew her teasing worked on Tan Miaotong, but against someone as thick-skinned as Ye Chu, her fire could not even ripple the surface.
“You really reached the Innate Realm?” Qing Wenting’s beautiful eyes turned to Ye Chu in genuine surprise. She had just heard Tan Miaotong’s explanation — that Ye Chu had fought off three Innate Realm experts and broken through to the Innate Realm himself. It sounded far too unbelievable.
“Yes, just recently.” Ye Chu nodded at Qing Wenting.
“Didn’t you say you needed the Extreme Intent Jade to break through? How did you manage it so suddenly? Did you find one?” Qing Wenting asked curiously.
Ye Chu replied, “I got one today out of the blue, so I broke through!”
He glanced at Tan Miaotong and clearly saw her breathe a quiet sigh of relief. Obviously, she was afraid he would mention that she had been the one to give it to him — otherwise, Qing Wenting would tease her endlessly.
Qing Wenting did not suspect anything. She studied Ye Chu for a moment and said, “You’ve finally reached the Innate Realm. Does that mean you’re going back there now?”
Qing Wenting had always wanted to see Qingmi Mountain — that mysterious place. She longed to set foot there and discover what it was truly like.
Ye Chu smiled. He was about to reply when he suddenly jerked his foot back. He reached out and caught the cup Ye Jingyun had “accidentally” let slip towards his foot. “You don’t have to be so ruthless, do you? That’s hot water!”
Seeing that Ye Chu had seen through her intention, Ye Jingyun’s face flushed slightly. But she refused to back down and glared at him. Still, inside she was astonished by the conversation between Qing Wenting and Ye Chu. “Ye Chu reaching the Innate Realm? This can’t be a joke, can it?”