Borrowing an Umbrella

The little black-canopied boat swayed and drifted.

It passed beneath stone arch bridges carved by the years and overgrown with moss, glided past homes of white walls and dark tiles. The old, mottled canopy boat moved through emerald waters to the creak of oars. The old boatman did not belt out "hey-ha-heyo" songs at the top of his lungs. Perhaps he had rowed for too long and was too tired to sing nonsense.

The boat drifted leisurely, rocking Bai Yujun sleepy.

The rain outside grew heavier and heavier, raindrops drumming against the canopy with loud thumps. Bai Yujun worried that the old man rowing the boat might catch a cold and die. In these times, getting soaked in the rain could easily cost one's life.

Xu Xian sat in restless discomfort, neither able to sit still nor move, yet he had to keep his back straight to maintain his appearance.

Bai Yujun wanted to kill Xu Xian outright, but whenever she tried to act, she sensed three faint yet discernible auras locking onto her. They seemed to be warning her not to act recklessly. They were very powerful; she was not confident she could kill Xu Xian before they intervened.

They were guarding him quite closely. She had no chance to strike.

Perhaps some time had passed, perhaps a long while. The old boatman's call finally pulled Xu Xian's soul back.

"Young Doctor, Stone Well Alley is here~"

"Ah? This... the rain is so heavy~"

The downpour outside made travel difficult. Xu Xian did not know whether to leave the boat and run home or what to do. He was merely a frail scholar, unable to endure the chill of spring rain. Just as he hesitated, an exquisite paper umbrella suddenly appeared before him.

"Use it. Once the boat reaches