Xue Dongting coughed lightly, causing Song Yuming to open his eyes and look at her. She really wanted to change out of her damp clothes, but she was bashful to speak up. She dithered and dithered, but it was really annoying to be in damp clothes. Blus.h.i.+ng, she said, “I want… to change.”

Song Yuming looked at her. “You"ll catch cold.”

“Then… Then I can change under the covers…”

He smiled. He was helpless against this stubborn little wife. “Where are your clothes? I"ll get them for you.”

Xue Dongting thought for a moment. Her clothes were in the trunk, but she was embarra.s.sed to have a man rummage around in her underwear. “I"ll get them myself,” she said quickly.

Song Yuming frowned. “No, you must be careful about catching cold!” He saw her eyes flit to the red trunk at the end of the bed so he threw off the covers, slipped on shoes and lit the lamp and went to the red trunk.

Xue Dongting"s whole face was flushed. She watched him rummage around for a bit, then he brought her something and asked if this was what she was after.

She saw it was her undergarments, but her unmentionables were wrapped in a little bundle, so he probably didn"t see them. And she couldn"t very well deny that these were it, so she went “Mm” and reached out to take them.

Song Yuming put them under the quilt. “Get under the covers, it"s cold.”

Whether from her fever or from embarra.s.sment, Xue Dongting"s face was flushed crimson. Her pretty, watery eyes were captivating.

Not to mention the fact they were in a coastal border town far from the capital. Out here, Xue Dongting was a consummate beauty.

A beauty like her coyly stretched out in Song Yuming"s bed was bound to give a fisherman some enchanting ideas, but he remembered his little wife was still weak so he had to smother that kindling fire within. Oh it was not easy!

Xue Dongting noticed the mysterious way he looked at her and she got nervous. “Blow out the lamp” she said softly. “Don"t waste oil…”

Song Yuming shook his head, his eyes faintly smiling. “It doesn"t use regular oil, it"s burning whale oil. It will burn a long time.”

Having failed that attempt, Xue Dongting had to think of another way to distract him. While she was thinking, the fisherman reminded her, “Hurry up and change.”

Her brows furrowed slightly, somewhat embarra.s.sed. She grumbled to herself, this fisherman looks good-natured, but he really isn"t at all.

While she was lost in thought, Song Yuming climbed in under the covers and looked down at her.

She flinched. “I… Go on out for a minute.”

Song Yuming looked blankly toward the door. “Go where?”

Xue Dongting"s whole face was red. “I haven"t changed yet.”

He nodded. “I know,” he said warmly.

She frowned. I know? He was doing this on purpose.

She didn"t know what to do, but she heard the fisherman"s voice gentle in her ear, “Relax, I know you"re sick. I"m not going to do anything.”

She stopped short. She had already married this fisherman, what was she so on guard for? For the rest of her life she was destined to be his. No matter how he treated her, that"s how it was.

She went “Mm” and undid her b.u.t.tons and grabbed the clothes already warmed under the covers and didn"t even wear the little unders.h.i.+rt, but just quickly put on her gown. She did it quickly, but it felt like it took forever.

Song Yuming gulped. Looking at his bashful little wife, he reached out and pulled her to him, letting her rest against his chest.

Xue Dongting didn"t object, she obediently lay there like a meek kitten.

Song Yuming whispered, “Dongting, I know you"re scared of that intimate man-woman stuff, and that"s made you all uneasy. That kind of thing must come willingly, so I won"t force you…”

Her lips curled up into a smile at that. She gently closed her eyes, feeling more at peace than ever. That night she slept soundly.