C4 A Night of Pleasure

"Why are you blushing?" Changshun was visibly embarrassed, his eyes darting away as he turned his face aside and muttered in a barely audible hum, "I thought last night was just a dream..."

"You actually believed that meeting me last night was nothing but a dream?" she asked, her surprise evident as she gazed at Changshun.

Her tone may have been calm, but to Changshun, who was already on edge, it sounded almost like an accusation. He felt even more out of his depth, unsure of how to respond.

Noticing Changshun's reluctance to speak, the girl grew bored. Shaking her head, she turned to leave, her footsteps accompanied by the continuous, clear jingle of a bell.

Realizing what was happening, Changshun hurriedly intercepted her, desperate to prevent her from vanishing as she had the night before. Clenching his jaw, he blurted out, "Don't go. I'm willing to take responsibility for you! Since my grandfather arranged our betrothal, I'm willing to marry you!"

"Responsibility?" Her voice rose, laced with skepticism.

"Yes, responsibility!" Changshun declared, his expression one of unwavering determination, his tone decisive and without a trace of doubt.

The girl, observing Changshun's earnestness, couldn't help but laugh. Crossing her arms, she scrutinized him and teased, "You want to take responsibility for me, yet you just told that other girl you had someone else, didn't you?"

Her exquisite face was close, her subtle scent dizzying, as she locked eyes with Changshun.

Changshun awkwardly averted his gaze, his voice tinged with anxiety, "No, there's no one else. That was a misunderstanding. I just didn't know how to respond to Xiuxiu. I mean, I'm penniless and homeless, just a poor man. There's no way I could support her; she's the village chief's daughter."

"Oh, now I get it," the girl said, her smile enchanting. She fixed her gaze on Changshun and challenged, "So how do you plan to take care of me? How will you be responsible for me?"

After a moment of contemplation, Changshun looked up earnestly and proclaimed, "Even though I have nothing now, I will do everything in my power to make a promise to you. Because my grandfather arranged our betrothal, it's my duty to take responsibility for you."

"Just because of this?" She gazed at Changshun, her face still etched with curiosity.

"And, and because last night, I hugged you. You're the first," Changshun's face flushed with heat as he stuttered out another sentence.

For the first time in many years, a woman had willingly embraced him in the night.

After his confession, a prolonged silence ensued.

As Changshun's heart brimmed with unease, fearing she would find him childish, a soft chuckle reached his ears, followed by the word "fool."

"Fool?"

Changshun looked up, pondering the significance of the simple word, while the girl had already stepped back, her expression returning to one of calm detachment.

"Nothing happened between us. It was merely an arranged betrothal by your grandfather. In the future, you'll embrace many women. Surely, you don't expect to take responsibility for each one?" she said.

Her words weighed heavily on Changshun, like a stone pressing against his chest. She was the first woman to stir his heart in years. He quickly retorted, "It's not like that..."

But before he could finish, she cut him off, pointing to Xiuxiu lying on the ground, "You should tend to her first. If you don't look after this young woman, she might not survive much longer."

With her reminder, Changshun was jolted into action, having nearly forgotten Xiuxiu, who had fallen into the river.

As he looked down, Xiuxiu coughed up water on the ground. Kneeling to assist her, the crisp sound of a bell signaled the girl's departure without a trace.

A wave of disappointment washed over Changshun. He longed to follow her, but with the unconscious Xiuxiu behind him, he resolutely shouldered her and carried her back.

He resolved then and there to avoid other women, trusting that over time, she would recognize his true feelings.

Without a hospital in the village, Changshun had no choice but to take Xiuxiu home himself.

Changshun hadn't expected that after only a short walk, as he reached the wild fields at the village's edge, a chilling aura would hit him. The weeds, towering nearly waist-high, rustled ominously in the breeze, stirring a sense of unease within him.

Beyond the village lay vast mountains, home to numerous venomous snakes and fierce predators. It wasn't unheard of for one of these creatures to venture out and claim a human life.

With this in mind, Changshun set Xiuxiu down from his back to look for something to defend themselves with, just in case they encountered a wild animal. He wanted to be prepared to protect them both.

But as soon as he put Xiuxiu down, the eerie chill that had gripped his heart vanished. He was just beginning to breathe a sigh of relief when suddenly, something leaped out from the underbrush. It wasn't a beast or serpent, though; it was a man.

The man before him was disheveled and wild-eyed, resembling a cold, venomous snake, and not someone you'd approach without caution.

Changshun was taken aback, not even getting a good look at the man's face.

Once he regained his composure and took a closer look, he recognized the man. It was Wang Mo from the east end of the village.

Seeing Wang Mo, Changshun suddenly recalled what Liu San had told him the day after his return: Wang Mo, with nothing better to do, had tried to seize someone's ancestral grave.

Such a grave was not to be disturbed lightly, and the family had resisted, but Wang Mo had not backed down. Instead, he had forcibly excavated the grave, causing an uproar.

Changshun had thought the incident was over, but strangely, the very next day, Wang Mo had started to act insane, biting everyone in his household indiscriminately.

"Could he have contracted rabies?" Changshun wondered, observing Wang Mo, who was now salivating with a deranged look in his eyes.

Given his condition, Changshun was convinced that the man was indeed afflicted with the disease.

The path at the entrance to the village was already narrow, and with Wang Mo's sudden appearance, he occupied most of it. It was impossible for Changshun to pass with Xiuxiu.

Moreover, Wang Mo's demeanor was unsettling. Mouth agape, he fixed his gaze on Changshun, swaying from side to side, looking as though he might lunge at any moment.

Now that he had Xiuxiu with him, it wasn't wise to just head over there recklessly.

Changshun swallowed hard and stepped back twice, shielding Xiuxiu, who was lying behind him. With caution, he ventured to ask, "Second Master Wang, it's me, Changshun. Could you please step aside and let us pass?"