The little episode at noon did not affect Qin Miao's plan to further warm up her relationship with her husband, Xie Yun, by taking a boat ride on the lake. After dinner, when the sky was still not completely dark, Qin Miao took the initiative to invite Xie Yun to accompany herself to the small garden in the mansion for a stroll.

  In the garden on a summer evening, all kinds of flowers were in full bloom, and their fragrance floated gently. Qin Miao walked side by side with Xie Yan along the flower path, taking a leisurely stroll.

  "Husband, the lotus flowers in the lake have bloomed exceptionally well recently. Would you like to accompany me to take a look?" The two of them had already strolled to the lakeside, where the gentle breeze carried the sweet fragrance of the lotus flowers, and Qin Miao no longer hesitated.

  Xie Xuan raised her eyes and gazed into the lake at her feet, where several wind lanterns had been added to the shore, casting a soft, hazy glow that illuminated the lotus fields on the other side of the lake, where the elegant lotus flowers stood tall in the water, swaying gently.

  A small boat was moored by the lake shore, and a young servant was already waiting there with a lantern. Xie Yan smiled softly, "It turns out that Madam had made preparations." With that, he also curiously boarded the small boat first, reaching out to help Qin Miao down as well.

  Qin Miao whispered to the young servant, and took the lantern from his hand. The young servant cleverly got ashore, leaving the small boat for the two masters.

  "Can you row a boat?" The small boat was very small, Qin Miao could only lift up her knees and rearrange her skirt again.

  "Naturally." As he spoke, Xie Yun had already gently pushed the boat away from the shore and was drifting towards the lotus pond.

  They say that romance should be in the present, with one's own beautiful lover, and the fleeting beauty of life; such a lovely scene cannot be without good wine to enhance the mood!

  Qin Miaoru produced two small jugs from her side as if by magic, and shook them at Xie Yan across the way. "In this atmosphere, how can we not have wine?"

  Xie Xuan was good at elegance and refinement, but he had never been fond of wine. In his younger years on the battlefield, he didn't have the habit of drinking heavily like the other men in the army, nor did he develop a taste for eating large quantities of meat from big bowls. But now, as he watched the woman in front of him holding a wine jug and tilting her head back freely in the dim light of night, surrounded by the fragrance of flowers, wine, and women, Xie Xuan couldn't help but feel an overwhelming urge to join in on this elegant pleasure.

  After taking a big sip, the woman in front of him was quite excited: "This is really good wine! Husband, do you know that this is the 'One-Piece Red' that my father buried under the peach blossom tree for me since I was a child. This time when we came to Beijing, I brought it all to the Hou Mansion, and normally I wouldn't dare to drink it, but today is the first time I've opened it." After finishing speaking, she took another sip.

  "Do you like to drink?" Xie Yun also took a small sip, the southern girl's red fruit was indeed fragrant and sweet, just like the gentle elegance of southern women. Unlike the northern highland barley wine, hot and spicy, just like the boldness of northern men.

  Qin Miao smiled and said, "I love drinking a few mouthfuls when I'm happy."

  "Oh~ So you're very happy now?"

  "That's natural. With the bright moon above, the fragrance of lotus below, and having you by my side, how can I not be delighted?" Today's Xie Yan was still extraordinary and handsome. His face in the hazy night seemed to have a bit more warmth than during the day, and less coldness. Such a Xie Yan made Qin Miao deeply infatuated. Faced with such straightforward admiration, Xie Yan just smiled and didn't say anything else.

  Qin Miao would occasionally talk to Xie Yan, who would sometimes respond with a few words, but mostly just listened quietly. The small boat drifted gently into the depths of the lotus field, and everything around became quiet and peaceful. Xie Yan put down the oars in his hands, letting the small boat wander freely among the lotus leaves, while he leaned back, closed his eyes, and rested.

  "Husband, may I ask you a question?" Qin Miao propped up her cheek with one hand, staring at the wine jug in her hand, without looking at Xie Yan.

  Xie Yan's nose made a soft "hmm" sound, somewhat lazy. Qin Miao didn't bother with him, just thinking he was talking to himself. Some things she had been hesitant about for a long time, and it really wasn't easy to get them out. Tonight she had mustered up enough courage, otherwise she wouldn't have used the daughter red from her dowry to boost her confidence.

  "I don't know if you still remember, but the first time we met after growing up was at Moonful Building. At that time, you were standing in front of me with a stern expression, making me apologize to that girl. Hehe..." Qin Miao couldn't help but laugh softly, her eyes filled with memories. "At that time, I was already stunned, having never seen anyone like you before - someone who could be so angry yet still look so good while being angry."

  "Later, by a twist of fate, I ended up marrying you and becoming your wife. Do you know that the night before you came to my house to pick me up for our wedding, I couldn't sleep all night? I kept thinking how lucky I was. Actually, you don't know, even now, at this moment, I still have a hard-to-express feeling of unreality in my heart, thinking that everything is too wonderful, and wondering if it's just a fleeting dream." She paused for a moment, then poured herself another glass of wine.

  Qin Miao continued to speak intermittently to the lotus leaves, gradually hearing the even breathing sound from the bow of the boat.

  Xie Xian fell asleep...

  It's all right, Qin Miao smiled wryly.

  "Every time I see you, I'm very happy. But also very helpless, because in your eyes, I don't see myself. Big sister said that if a man likes a woman, he will take care of her, put her first in everything, and most importantly, she will be in his eyes and heart." As she spoke, Qin Miao turned her gaze to Xie Yan at the bow of the boat, with a melancholy look in her eyes.

  "How can I get into your heart?" she whispered, and then tilted her head back and downed the drink.

  The lotus leaves nearby were tickling and irritating Qin Miao, while the distant frog croaks were also humming monotonously. Qin Miao's heart sank a little, and her eyes slowly became moist. Under the dim candlelight, it was impossible to see the helplessness and despair on her face, but the crystal clear tears, like dew drops on lotus leaves, fell down with a slight touch.

  When the moon hid behind the dark clouds, Xie Yun showed signs of waking up. She quietly wiped her face with her sleeve and softly asked: "Husband, are you awake?"

  The small boat swayed again, only this time Qin Miao took the helm. Before long, they emerged from the lotus fields. After disembarking, Qin Miao walked ahead in silence, carrying a lantern.

  Xie Xuan also quietly followed her, but his face was no longer cold as usual, revealing a hint of inexplicable melancholy and helplessness.

  Back in the Choroin, it was already late at night. The two of them parted ways to wash up separately and lay down on their futons without incident.

  Perhaps due to the wine, Qin Miao soon fell into a dreamland. She slept on her side, leaving only her back to Xie Lin. The summer nightgown was thin, and her small, round shoulders were faintly visible, with a strand of black hair scattered on the pillow, as if still carrying the lingering fragrance of the lotus from their boat ride.

  Xie Xuan subconsciously wanted to touch her hair, and even more so, comfort her slightly thin shoulders. However, he stretched out his hand for a moment before withdrawing it. He turned over and lay flat on his back, staring blankly at the bed curtains.

  Xie Xuan, do you really want to spend the rest of your life with her like this, without intimacy or affection, leaving no mark? He was also somewhat at a loss, and slept very uneasily.

  Summer days are always unpredictable. The tranquility of the first half of the night cannot predict the turmoil of the second half. Just after the hour of the Ox, a white flash of lightning cut through the black night, like a ghost, and burst into the room, startling people who were asleep. Before the panic in their hearts had passed, they heard a series of rumbling sounds coming from afar, shaking the sky and earth.

  Qin Miao was startled and curled up on the bed, tightly covering her head with the quilt, shivering. Xie Yan had been sleeping lightly and was awakened by the thunder outside. He turned his head to see a ball of quilt beside him shaking.

  "What's wrong with you?"

  The words had just fallen when the sound of footsteps was heard, and today's night watch, Purple Fragrance, came running in from outside, standing by the bedside curtains and anxiously asking: "Miss, are you okay?" Knowing that Qin Miao had been afraid of thunder since childhood, in her anxiety, Purple Fragrance even forgot to call her Madame.

  Xie Xuan lifted the bed curtains and asked directly: "What's going on?"

  "Returning to the young master, the madam has been afraid of thunderstorm days since she was a child, so in the past it was always the servant girls accompanying her. Now..." Zi Xuan looked anxiously into the bed curtains. She only saw Xie Yan waving his hand for her to retreat, saying he would take care of Qin Miao himself. Zi Xuan still didn't feel at ease and kept looking back as she walked away.

  Qin Miao still wrapped herself in the quilt, although the summer quilt was quite thin, but covering her head like this, she had already found it hard to breathe, and her whole body was soaked. But she didn't dare to show her head, even if Xie Yan wanted to lift the quilt to let her get some air, she tightly pulled it back in and wouldn't let him move it.

  It wasn't until Xie Xuan exerted great effort that he finally pulled Qin Miao out from under the covers, and by this time her hair was disheveled and stuck to her forehead and neck with sweat. Her almond-shaped eyes, filled with fear and innocence, stared at him, resembling a wounded deer in the northwest forest, trembling with fear.

  Perhaps it was this appearance that made people feel pity and love, Xie Yun took her into his arms without hesitation, pressing her face deeply against his chest. And Qin Miao also had no intention of leaving the majestic figure of the beautiful young master, as if she had found a sense of security, and buried herself wholeheartedly in that harbor.

  The summer thunderstorm came and went quickly, and in the midst of their intimate embrace, Qin Miao soon fell asleep again, sleeping until dawn...