Ye An chatted with Zhuang Yinian for a while before the door to the balcony opened.
Ye An thought that they were going to talk for longer than that, so she was a little surprised. She got up to help Xie Shuo make his way back to their room.
When they returned, Ye An asked curiously, “What did you guys talk about?”
The development case project had failed so long ago. Was there any way to still save it?
Xie Shuo didn’t answer and frowned instead, as if he was thinking about something complicated.
Since he refused to say anything, Ye An didn’t push it. She brought the food they brought to the balcony table. “Let’s hurry and eat, or else the food will get cold.”
The setting sun gradually sank behind the mountains. The sky was filled with clouds but did not distract from the splendor of the sunset or prevent the rays of color from setting on their balcony.
Ye An picked a few pieces of each dish for Xie Shuo and sat by his side. She opened the bottle of rice wine and took a sip before she smiled, saying, “The innkeeper gave me a bottle of their home-brewed rice wine. It’s really fragrant, but you probably can’t have it since you’re on medication.”
The wind gently blew, and Xie Shuo was able to smell the rich aroma of the wine wafting over. He frowned and didn’t show much interest.
Ye An poured some into a small cup and began to enjoy the wine by herself.
The evening sunlight framed her face and made her glow, giving her an ethereal effect.
The rice wine was sweet and masked the wine’s potency, so Ye An drank a few more glasses.
However, the wine was unexpectedly very strong. At first, she was only a little dizzy, but after taking a shower, the effects of the alcohol coursed through her body.
This time, she was even more intoxicated than she was at the studio dinner. She sat directly on Xie Shuo’s lap and brought her arms around his neck, clinging to him and refusing to get down.
“Hubby…”
A soft voice sounded in his ears, and her breath smelled of alcohol.
In the darkness, his senses were amplified, and every move of hers provoked him. Ye An’s antics made his head spin, so he caught her hand and frowned.
Just when he was about to tell her to go to sleep, he suddenly heard her whisper, “Do you really not remember me?”
Xie Shuo paused, thinking that her words were a bit strange.
Ye An laid in his arms, looking up at him with a sullen gaze and a complicated expression.
Suddenly, she laughed. “I’m a fairy from the heavens!”
Xie Shuo: “…”
Ye An hugged him again and looped her arms around his neck. She smiled, saying ambiguously, “I’m a fairy from the heavens here to repay a favor…”
Feeling her breaths across his neck, Xie Shuo was helpless. He embraced her and said quietly, “Don’t fuss; go sleep.”
Ye An shook her head. “We haven’t seen the moon yet! The view of the moon is supposed to be really pretty…”
She raised a hand to trace his eyebrows. Her voice softened and became serious again, “Don’t frown too much. The doctor said that you have to go out more and stay positive. Only then can your eyes heal…”
Xie Shuo’s hand that was on her back froze.
After a while, he asked, “How do you know that I’m going to get better?”
“Because…I’m here.” Ye An’s eyes curved as she cupped his face, and it was as if there was an endless amount of moonlight reflected in her eyes. “If it comes down to it, I’ll be your eyes. Whatever you can’t see, I’ll help you see. I’ll describe it, and you can listen.”
Xie Shuo was somewhat surprised, and it felt as if something touched his heart.
Before he could say anything, Ye An had already let go of him and staggered to her feet before walking to a window-side and sitting down.
The white curtains blew in the wind. As she looked out of the window, she leaned against it with her skirt swaying in the breeze.
In the vast night sky, the moon glowed and was reflected in the rippling lake.
“The moon is so pretty!”
The view before Ye An’s eyes was stunning. She wanted to describe it to him, but her vocabulary was too elementary to capture the scenery. Aside from the word “pretty,” she couldn’t think of any other words.
After racking her brains for a while, an idea suddenly came across her mind.
“Do you want to hear me recite a poem?”
Xie Shuo: “…”
Soon after, a soft voice sounded, carrying a trace of drunken intention–
“Tides of the spring river washes into the leveled ocean, and with the tide, a luminous moon is born above sea surface. Shimmering with the waves for thousands of li, where is there no moonlight gracing this spring river? The river snakes around the lush green fields and the moon shines upon the flower-filled forest, making all appear like sleet…”*
*this from the 36-line Tang dynasty poem 春江花月夜, or “Blossoms on a Moonlight River in Spring” composed by Zhang Ruo Xu.
Xie Shuo’s originally indifferent expression softened.
It must have been hard for her to remember such a long poem.
After some time, her voice gradually quietened down, and the room resumed its silence.
Ye An laid her head on her knees and closed her eyes, her black hair fanned out over her shoulders.
The night breeze entered through the windows, bringing in the cool air.
When he hadn’t heard Ye An’s voice for a while, he estimated the distance and walked over. Worried that she had fallen asleep, he called out, frowning, “Ye An?”
A few seconds later, Ye An opened her eyes and looked up. In a cold and arrogant tone, she said, “Why are you calling my name, stupid mortal?”
Xie Shuo: “…”
After speaking, she closed her eyes again.
Since Xie Shuo couldn’t see, he thought she was still awake and said, “It’s late; go to bed.”
He waited for a while, but she didn’t respond.
Xie Shuo was now sure that she was extremely drunk and stood there, wondering if he should help her inside. He took a few steps forwards and reached out to feel for where she was and touched her hair.
He slowly moved his hand down her hair to her back and around her ribs. His other hand went down her arm, over her waist, and finally stopped at her knees.
His movements were cumbersome and awkward, so Ye An was woken up by his movements.
She opened her eyes, looked at him with a confused gaze, and rested her head on his shoulder.
Under the lights, the man looked as handsome as he did in the past.
Xie Shuo carried her princess-style and turned to walk over to the bed. Because he wasn’t familiar with his surroundings, he went slowly.
When he reached the bed and crouched to set her down, a hand suddenly stroked his cheek.
Her slender fingers were a bit cold from staying near the window for too long.
Afterward, her soft lips met his, unlike when she kissed his throat the last time.
It was as if a drop of the moon fell into the water, causing ripples to form.
Xie Shuo’s actions paused.
Ye An hooked her arms around his neck and kissed him twice before releasing her hold and snuggling into his chest.
She rubbed her face against his body with her eyelids drooping and whispered softly–
“You will definitely get better…”
Author’s Note: That’s a wrap for the honeymoon; they’ll be going home in the next chapter~
