Xue Dongting took the oiled paper. There were three meat buns inside. She took one and handed the rest back. Song Yuming shook his head. “I"m not hungry.”

“I can only eat one,” she said.

“Mm,” the fisherman said. He took the other two and finished them off in a few bites. Dongting was nibbling hers slowly, so he went and filled the kettle with water and set it on the brazier to boil.

It was agony waiting on her to finish eating, then drink some water. Her seductive eyes watched the water. “The water"s boiling, why don"t you take it off?”

Song Yuming seemed not to hear her. He lay down again and held her. “You"ve had enough to eat and drink, so we can continue where we left off,” he whispered.

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. She wanted to avoid it, but how could she cast off the fisherman? She had to let him kiss her.

Song Yuming was gentle. He kissed her cheek, then he began kissing her brows and eyes, kissed that tall, elegant nose, finally kissing her soft, beautiful lips. Xue Dongting went limp, letting him have his way.

He took off her gown and let her dark tresses down and her jade-white body was laid out before him. He couldn"t wait to have her pressed close to him.

She sensed the change in his body and her voice quavered, “Get… the white handkerchief… It"s in my pouch…”　　

Song Yuming frowned. Then he realized what she meant. He panted into her ear, “We don"t need that, I know.”

“No… We have to use it!”

Song Yuming smiled helplessly. He rummaged around under the covers for a while until he felt the pouch. He took out the silk handkerchief.

He nibbled on her neck by her ear. In a daze, Xue Dongting felt like a fish in the water. A sudden sharp pain caused her eyes to tear up She whimpered and sobbed and beat the fisherman"s hard shoulder.

Song Yuming called her name softly, coaxing her, telling her he was almost finished, but he didn"t stop. She didn"t know how long it was, but she trembled all over, cried out, and Song Yuming finally gave himself over to her.

He held her, panting. He got up and poured water and helped her clean up, then held her tightly, letting his little wife sleep against his chest.

Xue Dongting had been tormented until she lost her mind, in a daze, letting him have his way with her. Finally she felt him embrace her, tightly, softly calling out, “Dongting, Dongting…” She heard that and felt the fisherman really loved her, so she slept peacefully in his arms.

The next morning, as soon as she opened her eyes she saw Song Yuming sitting with his back to her on a little bench in front of the bed, stoking the coals in the brazier with a pair of tongs.

Once the coals were glowing he spread the spent ashes over the blazing coals to reduce the heat. There was a water kettle on the brazier, steaming roiling out of it, making his powerful back look all hazy.

Xue Dongting watched him blankly, her eyes for some reason tearing up and spilling over. She had become his woman. Not like in her previous life, not floating about aimlessly in the turbulent whirlpool of the capital. From now on she would be with him, would grow old with him among the beautiful scenery. This kind of life was really wonderful!

This was what she was thinking as she wiped her tears.

Song Yuming turned around. “Awake?” He was calm, as if he had totally forgotten about what they had done last night.

Xue Dongting nodded. There was one thing still nagging her. “The handkerchief?”

He stood and went to the bed and pulled the handkerchief out from under the pillow. He laughed. “You really care that much about the handkerchief?”

She took it and opened it to look. There were a few drops of red like plum blossoms on the white silk. She smiled and folded it back and looked at Song Yuming. She grumbled in a low voice, “Because of you…” When she took the handkerchief her whole shoulder was exposed. There were red and bluish marks all over.

Song Yuming gulped. He held her hand and put it under the covers and tucked her in good. Then he nodded. “It"s my fault, it"s all my fault.”

She hmphed, thinking of course it"s your fault!

Song Yuming whispered into her ear, “Does it still hurt?”