If only you were a woman

Xia Qinghe saw in Lin Fengmian's eyes why he had covered his mouth. For some reason, that only made him angrier. He yanked his hand away. "Lin. Feng. Mian."

Lin Fengmian raised an eyebrow. Fuck, he was even using my full name. He must really be angry. He composed his expression and addressed Fan Jing, who had been watching them calmly. "Miss Fan, we're going to have a chat over there. I'll ask the butler to keep you company."

Fan Jing nodded lightly. "Go ahead. There are other riding instructors here. I can learn from one of them."

Lin Fengmian tugged the reins and squeezed the horse's sides, urging it into a trot. When Lin Fengmian's horse saw her husband leaving, she followed.

Only once they were far away did Lin Fengmian pull on the reins, and the horse clopped to a stop.

"Get off. I'm roasting."

Xia Qinghe was like a furnace burning against his back, making it slick with sweat.

Reluctantly, Xia Qinghe released the slender waist he could span with his hands and swung down from the horse. Lin Fengmian followed. They stood amid the scent of fresh grass, letting the two horses graze nearby.

Lin Fengmian earnestly tried to persuade him. "Actually, Fan Jing is pretty great. She's emotionally stable and mentally strong, very suited to being the mistress of the Xia Family. She'd be a tremendous support to you in the future, and you wouldn't have to wear yourself out looking after things at home after dealing with everything outside."

"I think..." Seeing the hurt on Xia Qinghe's face, Lin Fengmian struggled to continue. "Well, I only meant it for your own good."

Xia Qinghe pulled Lin Fengmian into his arms and pressed his hand over his heart. Hunching his back, he forced his head into the crook of Lin Fengmian's neck like a wounded large dog.

"Why are you just like them, forcing me to do things I don't like under the pretense of doing it for my own good? You're my best buddy, and even you won't stand firmly on my side. You make me feel like I'm being unreasonable. I just want to find someone I want. Is even that wrong?"

Lin Fengmian felt wetness on his neck, and his heart clenched. It seemed the advice he had just given, thinking it was for Xia Qinghe's own good, really had hurt him.

But from what he knew of Xia Qinghe, it shouldn't have been that simple. Lin Fengmian strained to look sideways, trying to confirm whether the guy was actually shedding tears, only to discover that he was licking his neck.

"?!"

"Holy fuck, Xia Qinghe!"

Lin Fengmian shoved him to the ground and pounced, straddling him as his fists rained down mercilessly.

"Hahaha-I was wrong, I was wrong! Spare me, mighty warrior!"

"It's your fault for being so easy to fool."

"Hahaha-ow, ow, ow-"

Before long, Lin Fengmian tired himself out. He rolled off and lay on the grass beside Xia Qinghe, draping an arm over his eyes. "You really won't consider it?"

Xia Qinghe turned his head and looked at Lin Fengmian's exquisite profile. His skin was more supple and fair than warm jade, with a healthy glow. He was beautiful, so beautiful that one couldn't help falling under his spell.

"If only you were a woman."

Lin Fengmian clicked his tongue. "Looks like you're not just itching for a beating. You want me to loosen up your bones some more."

Xia Qinghe waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no. Your punches really hurt. Seriously, I'm not lying at all."

"Hmph. You've long since become a habitual liar. You have zero credibility with me." Seeing him clown around like this, Lin Fengmian could tell he truly had no interest in Fan Jing.

He stopped trying to persuade him.

People came and went; whether their bonds ran deep or shallow was all destined.

Xia Qinghe suddenly rolled over, planting his hands on either side of Lin Fengmian and hovering above him. "I mean it. The more blind dates I go on, the deeper that regret gets."

Xia Qinghe's gaze settled on Lin Fengmian's handsome face. He wasn't androgynous; anyone could tell at a glance that he was male. Yet Xia Qinghe still thought his face was the most beautiful, most perfect one in the world.

Every single feature was exactly to his liking.

Lin Fengmian moved his arm away and met Xia Qinghe's eyes. "Don't tell me you've fallen for me."

Xia Qinghe didn't deny it. "I've been completely besotted with you since we were kids. It's not like you don't know."

Lin Fengmian saw his tiny reflection in Xia Qinghe's eyes. Sure enough, he was outrageously handsome.

A gust of wind blew past, and Lin Fengmian shivered. He reached up and yanked Xia Qinghe down, letting him cover his body. He blocked the wind and generated his own heat. So warm.

Lying on top of him, Xia Qinghe was distracted. "I'll crush you to death," he said fiercely.

Lin Fengmian chuckled. "Then you'd really be something."

Xia Qinghe laughed along with him.

They lay on the grass like that for a long time, with the breeze brushing gently past. Lin Fengmian wriggled like a fish out of water. "You're a little heavy."

Reluctantly, Xia Qinghe rolled off and lay on his side beside him. "I heard your stomach growl. Come on, let's go back and eat."

No matter how unwilling Xia Qinghe was to go back and face Fan Jing, he would still choose to return for the sake of Lin Fengmian's stomach.

The two horses hadn't wandered far. Xia Qinghe whistled, and they came running back, trailing their reins.

Xia Qinghe swung into the saddle and held out a hand to Lin Fengmian.

Lin Fengmian slapped it hard, swung onto his own horse, and tugged the reins, making his escape and leaving a trail of laughter behind.

Xia Qinghe squeezed his horse's sides and chased after him.

Fan Jing had already changed out of her riding clothes. Dressed in a cheongsam, she sat in the tea room, sampling tea with the butler for company.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she watched two distant figures gallop past the front of the estate, one behind the other. The low laughter and the slightly brighter, clearer voice complemented each other, making for a rather delightful scene.

In the blink of an eye, they vanished from the window.

The butler rubbed his nose awkwardly. Couldn't the young master show a little restraint?

Those who knew would think you were close as brothers. Those who didn't would think you were seizing the chance to carry on an affair.

"Qinghe and Fourth Young Master Lin..." After struggling with it for a long time, Fan Jing finally asked, but then felt it was rather impolite and didn't finish.

The butler's hands paused in the middle of his skillful display, and he nearly scalded himself with boiling water. "Miss Fan, is the tea to your liking?"

Fan Jing dropped the subject and followed his lead, chatting about tea.

The butler couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief. He also felt sorry for Fan Jing. Such a lovely young woman-had horse manure blinded the young master? How could he fail to see it?

When Xia Qinghe and Lin Fengmian entered the villa, the butler came over to ask when the meal should be served.

"Serve it now," Xia Qinghe said. "We'll go upstairs for a shower and come right down."

After changing out of their riding clothes, the two came downstairs together, and Fan Jing quietly admired them the whole way.

Earlier, Lin Fengmian's riding outfit had been the same style as Xia Qinghe's, but in different colors. Lin Fengmian had worn a white shirt and black trousers, while Xia Qinghe had worn all black. Sitting on their horses, they had looked just like royal sons out hunting in the imperial grounds.

Like a beautiful oil painting.

Now they had changed into casual clothes of the same style and color, yet there was a different kind of handsomeness to them.

As though they had strolled gracefully out of a painting and come to stand before her, they filled Fan Jing with inspiration. She wanted to leave.

As they took their seats, Xia Qinghe took Lin Fengmian by the hand and had him sit on his right.

Fan Jing pressed her lips together in a smile. No wonder the butler had seated her on the left.

The right was the place of honor.

It seemed Lin Fengmian held an honored place in Xia Qinghe's eyes, which was why the butler had deliberately left the seat on Xia Qinghe's right empty for him.

Fan Jing's gaze drifted to Lin Fengmian from time to time. Honestly, his table manners were more proper than Xia Qinghe's, as though they were an upbringing he had absorbed from childhood, etched into his bones.

His every movement was like that of a true aristocrat.

That interested her even more.

Before she could speak, Xia Qinghe cast her a casual glance.

His eyes were thick with displeasure and warning.

Fan Jing was speechless. What had I done?