Victors' Rights

The lake shimmered beneath the sunlight like a colossal mirror, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and the green trees and red flowers along the shore. A breeze swept past, sending ripples across the water as its glints flashed, as though countless diamonds were leaping. The fish in the lake seemed infected by the bright weather as well, swimming merrily to and fro, sometimes leaping above the surface and sometimes diving to the bottom. They splashed up tiny flowers of water that glittered with silver beneath the sun. By the lakeside, the weeping willows swayed gracefully, their slender branches drooping over the water and moving gently in the breeze, as though young maidens were dressing their hair before a mirror.

The sunlight poured down from the horizon without reservation, gilding all creation with a dreamy golden edge. The breeze brushed past, carrying wisps of warmth and comfort, teasing everything in the world—and tugging at people's hearts as well. Beneath this sun-drenched sky, Su Yao and Lin Wan'er were like two dazzling stars, radiating a beauty that left people dazzled and entranced.

Su Yao stood not far from Li Yang. She wore a white chiffon dress, its cut perfectly fitted and outlining her slender waist and long legs with just the right touch. The chiffon was soft and airy, stirring gently in the breeze like a cloud lifted by the wind, light and nimble. At the neckline, delicate lace curled slightly like blooming flowers, softly encircling her fair neck and adding a touch of elegance and allure. The cuffs were trimmed with equally fine lace. When she raised her arms, the lace slid gently down, revealing her slender wrists in glimpses, like an exquisite work of art.

Her hair fell behind her like a waterfall, glossy and black, its enchanting sheen