Chapter 4

He was actually uneasy, unable to tell what Zhou Jinian was thinking. Surely it could not really be as the villagers said-that he, Xie Ning, had been born lucky?

The Xie family courtyard bustled all afternoon, until at last the sun set and the sky turned a pale yellow.

When the auspicious hour arrived, Xie Ning wore an elaborate red wedding robe that brought out the pink in his fair complexion. Madam Xie Sun soon covered his head with a red veil.

Hearing the wedding matron's congratulations, he quickly withdrew his hands into his wide sleeves, afraid of frightening everyone.

"Send off the new husband!"

The wedding matron had barely finished speaking before Zhou Jinian lifted Xie Ning onto his back. Looking down, Xie Ning could see that the man carrying him was also dressed in red. A little closer, he could smell a faint trace of wine.

Xie Ning held himself stiffly, not daring to lie against Zhou Jinian's back. The man's body was scorching hot.

Zhou Jinian only felt how slender the person on his back was; carrying him took almost no effort. Sensing Ninglang's stiffness, he could only quicken his steps. He had already had someone make a large bathtub and fill it with well water, ready for him to carry Xie Ning home.

"Oh my, the groom certainly is in a hurry. What a lucky new husband..."

The teasing from those around them embarrassed Xie Ning. Though the sun had clearly set, the heat still left him dizzy. In his daze, his strength began to fail, and he relaxed against Zhou Jinian's back. Though the heat seared him, lying against that broad back was far more comfortable than holding himself rigid.

Fortunately, the Zhou and Xie families lived in the same village, and the wedding procession soon returned to the Zhou home.

Xie Dashu and Madam Xie Sun were invited to the seats of honor, and the newlyweds bowed to their elders to perform the wedding rites.

Xie Ning could already feel the poison flaring up again. He felt like a fish that had accidentally ended up on shore, its white belly turned upward, and even breathing began to grow difficult.

He could no longer make out the sounds around him. All he could hear was the pounding of his own heart. By the time he finished the last kowtow, his legs had gone weak...

Forcing himself to stand, Xie Ning felt himself fall into a scorching embrace.

"The auspicious hour has arrived! Escort them to the bridal chamber!"

Zhou Jinian hurried back to the room with him in his arms, stopping everyone else outside the door. "Please go ahead and enjoy the food and wine, everyone. I'll be there shortly."

Without looking at their expressions, he shut the door and barred it from inside.

Xie Ning's veil was lifted. His vision was blurry, and by the red candlelight, he could only make out a figure before him. He tugged at his collar, already beyond reason from the heat.

Soon, he felt someone helping him out of his wedding robe. That person lifted him, and Xie Ning said through trembling lips, "Don't..."

Don't touch me. It's burning hot.

Just as Xie Ning passed out from the heat, Zhou Jinian lowered him into the bathtub.

Red candles burned, and red paper cutouts of the character for "double happiness" adorned the bridal chamber.

After so many years, Zhou Jinian finally saw his Ninglang alive again. Looking at Xie Ning's parched, deathly pale lips, he cupped a handful of water and poured it over his face.

The mottling on Xie Ning's body was even worse than when he had served as his study attendant in their previous life. Zhou Jinian did not know how Xie Ning had endured it. He guessed that he must have suffered a great deal.

Before Xie Ning died in their previous life, his skin had become smooth, but beneath it, a dense web of capillaries had formed the shapes of fish scales.

Zhou Jinian reached out to touch the flakes of skin on Ninglang's forehead, but before his fingers touched his skin, he saw him frown.

Clearly, even the heat coming from his fingers was too much. Zhou Jinian could only withdraw his hand.

Someone knocked.

"Jinian, it's Dad. I've brought some food for Ning-ge'er." Lin Jin stood outside the room, knocking.

Zhou Jinian went to open the door and took the bowl himself. "Dad, let him rest on his own for a while. Let's go entertain the guests in the main room."

Without giving Lin Jin a chance to enter, he quickly set the bowl on the table, shut the door, and headed to the main room first.

As soon as he appeared, the people in the main room and courtyard called out, and the men erupted into thunderous laughter.

Xie Yao heard someone say to his father, "You can rest easy now, Brother Xie. From what I can see, Third Zhou's son really does like Ning-ge'er."

Zhou Dashu had watched throughout the wedding procession. Naturally, he felt reassured and became even more approving of Zhou Jinian as a son-in-law.

Chapter 4

So hot... far too hot...

Xie Ning opened his eyes and discovered that he was in a lotus pond. He blinked, squeezing the water from his eyes with his eyelids. His eyes then felt comfortable, as though they had been washed clean. He blinked again and broke into a smile.

Water flowed into his mouth. Xie Ning pushed it out with his tongue, then discovered that he could blow the water away. He puffed out his cheeks and blew, and sure enough, the water left his mouth.

He could actually breathe underwater!

And the cool water brushed over his entire body. He felt wonderfully comfortable. He loved this feeling so much; it had been some time since he had last felt such comfort.

Xie Ning kicked his legs in the water, feeling the gentle ripples stirred by his movements. The water was so gentle, so accepting of him.

And so Xie Ning kicked his legs and waved his arms in the water, beginning to swim...

The sound of splashing woke Zhou Jinian. He got up and lit a red candle, then saw that his Ninglang had splashed quite a lot of water out of the bathtub. His entire body was submerged, with only his jet-black □□ floating on the surface.

Zhou Jinian hurriedly reached in to pull him out, afraid that Ninglang would drown.

"Ninglang, Ninglang..."

Xie Ning was happily playing in the water when someone suddenly caught him around the waist. Startled and frightened, he cried out, "Ah!"

Xie Ning opened his eyes and looked fearfully at the person holding him, unexpectedly meeting a pair of narrow, sharp eyes.

He stared blankly at the man before him, who wore only white underclothes. His face was angular, his features distinct beneath thick, dark, swordlike brows, and he looked strikingly heroic. There was concern in his cold eyes, but no fear...

"Don't be afraid. It's me," Zhou Jinian said softly. "Zhou Jinian, your husband."

Only then did Xie Ning come to his senses. He looked down and realized he was in the bathtub. The lotus pond just now had been a dream.