The rain didn’t stop. By the second day, it hadn’t lessened; instead, it seemed to be intensifying. Yue Qin, being from Nan Yue, said that this kind of weather was common there, so he didn’t feel out of place at all. He spent the entire day wandering from room to room on the boat and often dashed out onto the deck in the rain, like a restless monkey who couldn’t sit still.
However, the boatman's expression grew increasingly grim. He mentioned that they would be passing by Li Tu Beach in the evening, a place known for its treacherous waters, swirling currents, and hidden dangers. Even under normal conditions, navigating the area required utmost caution. With the rain pouring down for a full day and night, the journey would likely be even more perilous. The only solution, he said, was to speed up and try to reach the beach by the afternoon. If they could cross it while there was still daylight, the risks would be somewhat reduced. There wasn’t much anyone else could do to help, so the others decided not to worry about it.
Mei Lin, ever cautious, took action after hearing the news. She went to the boatman and asked for some oil paper. She carefully wrapped the clothes of herself, Qing Yan, and the other two in separate bundles, and tucked a firestarter into each person’s bag just in case. As for Murong Jing He and Muye Luo Mei, she figured it wasn’t her place to worry about them.
Qing Yan, noticing her actions, decided it was better to be safe than sorry and prepared Murong Jing He's important belongings similarly. Murong Jing He, finding this odd, asked about it casually. When he learned that this overly cautious behavior stemmed from Mei Lin, he dismissed his initial impulse to tease her, feeling a sudden mix of softness, pain, and a twinge of unspoken jealousy.
"She’s always been so meticulous..." he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible. His gaze drifted to the rain-streaked window, where memories of the past blurred his vision.
Qing Yan glanced at him but said nothing; there was nothing he could say.
At lunchtime, everyone gathered in one place. It was the most lively it had been since they left Jingbei. Following Murong Jing He's instructions, they all ate together at the same table, with no distinction of rank. Even Muye Luo Mei's two female bodyguards were invited to join.
Muye Luo Mei found this arrangement strange. She was used to eating and sleeping alongside her soldiers during military campaigns, so it wasn’t something she couldn’t endure. But every time she glanced at Mei Lin, a sense of discomfort welled up inside her. She couldn’t understand why this woman bothered her so much. Could it be some innate clash of personalities?
Mei Lin paid no mind to what Muye Luo Mei was thinking. Since Qing Yan had to serve Murong Jing He, she sat next to Qing Yan, which placed her just one person away from Murong Jing He. At first, it seemed insignificant—she thought there was no longer any need to avoid him since they had no connection anymore. However, every time she saw Qing Yan unable to eat much due to his duties and instinctively added food to his bowl, she felt as though a predator was watching her every move, a chilling sense of danger creeping up her spine.
This irritated her immensely. You’re not my master anymore, she thought angrily. I’ll do as I please. So she defiantly ignored the feeling, adding even more food to Qing Yan's bowl, until it was piled high like a small mountain.
"That’s enough, Ah Mei," Qing Yan finally spoke, feeling embarrassed, especially with everyone else staying silent.
Mei Lin looked up just in time to catch Corpse Ghost's downcast gaze. A wave of guilt washed over her. Seeing that he had a chicken leg sitting untouched in his bowl for a long time, she suddenly stood up, leaned over, and placed it into Qing Yan’s bowl. However, Qing Yan's bowl was already full, and the chicken leg had nowhere to go. She froze, unsure of what to do, as her chopsticks were still holding onto food.
Everyone at the table was dumbstruck by her actions. Even Yue Qin, who had dropped his chopsticks in shock, didn’t bother to pick them up right away. He bent over, but it took him a while to stand back up, and the chair beneath him kept trembling. Meanwhile, Corpse Ghost seemed oblivious, his eyes nervously fixed on the chicken leg.
The scene was so bizarre that Murong Jing He couldn’t help but laugh softly. He reached out with his chopsticks and transferred all the food from Qing Yan’s bowl into his own. Finally, Mei Lin found a place to drop the chicken leg, but along with it, everyone else’s jaws practically hit the floor. Yue Qin, who had just gotten up, let out a yelp and slipped back down again.
Qing Yan felt a bit awkward, unable to do anything about Murong Jing He, so he could only glare at Corpse Ghost across the table before lowering his head to start eating the chicken leg. He thought to himself that with so much food in the prince’s bowl, he probably wouldn’t need to serve him any more.
Corpse Ghost, noticing Qing Yan start to eat the chicken leg, finally relaxed and smiled sheepishly.
Since Qing Yan had lowered himself, Murong Jing He’s dignified, calm demeanor and Muye Luo Mei’s icy expression, along with her piercing gaze, were fully visible to Mei Lin. She was stunned, then silently lowered her head and focused on eating, not offering food to anyone else.
The sudden sound of chopsticks slamming onto the table made everyone jump.
"I never knew you had the habit of sharing meals with your servants. You’re quite the approachable prince, aren’t you?" Muye Luo Mei sneered, breaking the tense silence at the table.
Her words were laced with barbs, and not just at Murong Jing He; even Qing Yan’s face darkened. Mei Lin gripped her chopsticks tightly, suppressing the anger and sadness welling up inside. She knew she couldn’t cause trouble for Qing Yan. She had to endure it when she was Murong Jing He's servant, and now, as Qing Yan’s wife, she still had to endure. It seemed like her whole life would be spent enduring...
"Qing Yan has been with me since he was a child. The bond between us is closer than that of brothers. Back when I was trapped and gravely injured, unable to eat, it was he who chewed the hard, stone-like rations with his saliva to save my life." Murong Jing He set down his bowl and spoke with calm authority, a trace of displeasure in his tone. "Now it’s just a matter of eating some food from his bowl—why make a fuss about it?" He paused, then smiled slightly. "Luo Mei, not everyone is entitled to call someone a servant." There was a clear warning in his words.
Everyone, except Qing Yan, who continued to quietly eat his chicken leg without any change in expression, was taken aback by Murong Jing He's response. Corpse Ghost and Yue Qin had never seen this side of him, the side that exuded the true authority of a prince—calm yet intimidating. Mei Lin, who had seen many facets of Murong Jing He, wasn’t particularly affected. However, she hadn’t realized how much he valued Qing Yan. The most surprised of all was Muye Luo Mei.
She was angry that Murong Jing He would publicly embarrass her for the sake of a servant, but at the same time, she was drawn to the rare display of his commanding presence. Her emotions were in turmoil, unsure whether to lash out or hold back.
At that moment, the boat suddenly jolted, the dishes on the table clattering together. Everyone instinctively grabbed the table to avoid falling.
The boatman hurried in.
"We’ve reached Li Tu Beach."
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