[To Become a River of Stars] Dong Xiange - Chapter 101

Li Xuanci had originally intended to head straight for the capital, but the incident with the living corpse demon had added complications. Now, the group decided to first visit the village where Yaniang was born to see if they could find any clues.

Along the way, aside from speaking less, Shiliu showed no obvious signs of emotional distress. However, the journey was arduous, with little chance for proper rest. Soon after they entered the first mountain, the cold, frosty nights took their toll. After a night spent camping in the open, Shiliu finally fell ill.

It wasn’t serious—just a common cold. After taking her pulse, He Chong said it was pent-up frustration in her chest, and now that it was surfacing through the illness, it was actually a good thing. Once it passed, she would recover fully.

They were rather fortunate. The damp and cold of the mountains typically worsen such ailments, but this particular mountain happened to have hot springs. Soaking in them was the perfect remedy for a cold.

The hot springs here were somewhat famous, and a wealthy family had built a villa beside them. As the weather hadn’t yet turned cold, only an elderly servant was minding the villa. Confronted with the intimidating presence of Li Xuanci, the old man could only tremble and open the gate for them.

He Chong initially felt a bit guilty, unaccustomed to such high-handed methods. But after seeing the size of the silver ingot Jin Zhan handed over as payment, his guilt turned to envy for the old servant.

Throughout it all, Shiliu was in a daze. She was carried into the villa and immediately collapsed into a deep sleep, unable to be roused. She slept straight through for a full day and night before finally waking up somewhat clearer-headed.

When she awoke, everything was quiet. Moonlight filtered through the tree branches, casting faint, dappled shadows on the window paper—pale and cool as water, shimmering and rippling. The gentle chirping of insects drifted in through the cracks in the wood.

Shiliu got out of bed. The floor was icy, as if a layer of night mist had condensed upon it. She had sweated in her sleep, and her thin, soft underrobe clung stickily to her skin, stirring a nameless restlessness. She vaguely remembered the old servant mentioning that the villa enclosed a hot spring, so she decided to go bathe and refresh herself.

Her head was muddled, and she had slept for so long that she felt dull and groggy. She even forgot to put on her shoes, padding barefoot out of the room. By some luck, she actually managed to find the hot spring within the villa. She bolted the entrance door securely.

The spring was cleverly incorporated. Instead of channeling water from elsewhere, the villa had been built following the original terrain. Thus, the hot spring, mist curling off its surface, was surrounded by naturally piled rocks. In the distance, a lush bamboo grove enclosed the area, naturally forming a secluded little world.

Below, the milky-white water of the hot spring bubbled and surged. Around it, rugged rocks rose in layers, occasionally revealing glimpses of shimmering water. Farther off, the bamboo rustled softly. It was entirely natural, unadorned, possessing the charm of a true wild spring.

Shiliu had initially intended just a quick wash, but the wild scenery, combined with the chill and damp she had picked up on the way, genuinely piqued her interest. Before entering the water, she hesitated for a moment. Although she had bolted the entrance, this was still someone else’s property. After a moment’s thought, she only removed her outer robe and entered the water in her underrobe.

A small, pale foot dipped lightly into the water, its rounded toes delicate and lovely, quickly submerging beneath the surface. In the faintly milky waves, the pink shells of her toes could be glimpsed moving playfully.

But this picture of a beauty sporting in the water didn’t last long. Shiliu pinched her nose and plunged in with a splash, sending water flying everywhere. The hem of her underrobe, buoyed by the water, floated to the surface.

Finding this amusing, Shiliu grabbed the floating hem and pushed it down under the water, gurgling and bubbling, scooping water toward her belly, playing with great delight.

After a while, having had her fill of fun, Shiliu leaned back against the cool rock behind her and looked up at the star-filled sky.

Perhaps because there were no lights in the mountains and they were at a higher elevation, the night seemed particularly deep—the sky like spilled ink, stars sparkling, a perfectly round moon hanging low as if within reach.

Shiliu gazed for a while. Her eyes took in the vast, distant horizon; her ears filled with the rustling of wind through the bamboo. All around was utter stillness, accompanied only by the low murmurs of nature. She couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh. The tangled knots of sorrow that had been vaguely constricting her chest finally dissolved into nothingness.

After resting a bit, her restless nature resurfaced. Having grown up in the mountains, she wasn’t a strong swimmer, knowing only a clumsy dog paddle. Now, finding the hot spring just the right depth, she felt inspired to try her long-unused secret technique.

Thus, amidst the elegant scene of moonlight, bamboo, rocks, and white spring water, a small figure began thrashing about in the water in an extremely ungainly manner. The splashing was tremendous, the water churning as if the Monkey King had just taken up residence in a new Water Curtain Cave.

After flailing for a while, she slowly managed to cover some distance. As she approached a bend, Shiliu felt quite proud of herself. She could swim this far now? She was truly amazing, truly terrific!

Buoyed by this self-satisfaction, Shiliu slowly paddled past a corner formed by a large, protruding rock. The huge splashes she created blocked her view, but just as she rounded the corner, her flailing hand bumped into something—something both somewhat hard and somewhat soft.

Shiliu was scared half to death. She lost her composure completely. Even in such shallow water, her feet scrambled wildly but couldn’t find the bottom. She nearly drowned right there in that shallow pool.

Struggling and flailing, a hand suddenly seized her elbow. The grip was firm, not gentle, and it dragged her straight up out of the water. Fresh air rushed into her lungs. Coughing and gasping, her mind in a fog, she was pulled into someone’s embrace without even realizing it.

When she finally came to her senses a bit, she discovered she was being held against a bare chest. Burning skin pressed directly against her cheek, the person’s body heat transferring into her with no buffer. Underwater, the arm that had saved her was clamped tightly around her waist, locking her firmly against him.

Glistening water droplets clung to his thick, dark lashes. She blinked hard, finally clearing her vision enough to see what was before her.

The moonlight cast a cool sheen over Li Xuanci’s body, yet he was also bathed in the moist, white steam, giving him a jade-like warmth. His beautifully sharp eyes were veiled by the curling mist, creating a fleeting illusion of tenderness that tricked her senses.

Shiliu finally reacted belatedly. But her mind was still foggy, and she couldn’t immediately recall how an ordinary maiden should act in such a situation—whether to scream or resist vehemently.

But her bones had gone soft from soaking, and she was still panting heavily. All the vigilance in her mind had been melted away by the hot spring. Instead, she simply stayed foolishly docile in his embrace, her small, soft hands clinging to Li Xuanci. She even instinctively gave the firm muscle a little squeeze.

Quite hard, unlike her own soft belly.

Then, the recklessly daring Shiliu felt the arm around her waist tighten abruptly, squeezing so hard she had to arch back slightly, offering her soft, tender bre*sts like a sacrifice to a predator that had long been waiting.

Li Xuanci lowered his head, a seemingly humble posture, but then he sank his teeth fiercely into the vulnerable skin of Shiliu’s throat, marking her with a possessive bite.

“I’ve had enough of holding back.”