Undercurrents

In his dream, Gu Heng felt as if he had returned to that swaying carriage.

The carriage was cramped, but the charcoal brazier was burning brightly, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. The air was filled with the delicate and refreshing fragrance of plum blossoms, which was even more intense and captivating than the scent during the day.

Pei Qingwu was right beside him.

But she was no longer drunk and unconscious; instead, her eyes sparkled with a languid charm he had never seen before, her cheeks were flushed, her cherry lips were slightly parted, and her breath was sweet as orchids.

The rouge-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) had become somewhat loose at some point, with the neckline slightly open, revealing a small patch of delicate, snow-white skin and a refined collarbone, which shimmered with a lustrous, ambiguous glow in the dim light.

She didn't lean on his shoulder, but instead tilted her head up slightly, her hazy, drunken eyes staring straight at him.

It seemed to be filled with shimmering autumn water, or like tiny flames leaping within.

"Aheng..." Her voice was no longer a muffled murmur, but a soft, captivating tone: "You're so cool...it feels so good..."

As she spoke, her fingertips, radiating an astonishing heat, gently touched his equally burning Adam's apple.

That slight touch was like lighting a fuse.

Gu Heng's mind went blank. All the restraint, panic, and suppressed emotions that had accumulated during the day burst forth at this moment.

In his dream, he forgot etiquette, his status, and all the necessary considerations.

He seemed to be drawn by those fingertips, and bent down.

Instead of pushing her away, he reached out and, with an almost reverent tremor, gently brushed away a few strands of sweat-dampened hair from her forehead.

His fingers traced along her temples, slowly sliding down to the face that haunted his dreams. The delicate, soft touch was so real that it made his heart tremble.

Pei Qingwu let out a satisfied sigh under his touch, like a cat seeking comfort.

Instead of flinching, she turned her face slightly to the side and buried her burning cheeks deeper into his cool palms, caressing them and absorbing the comforting coolness.

This almost reliant action completely destroyed his defenses.

Gu Heng felt a powerful urge driving him to lower his head as the distance between them grew closer and closer.

I was so close I could clearly see the tiny droplets of moisture on her long eyelashes, so close I could feel her warm, rapid breath brushing against my lips.

The faint fragrance of plum blossoms seemed to transform into tangible vines, tightly binding and dragging him along.

His lips, trembling tentatively, finally pressed gently against her smooth, full forehead.

It has an incredibly delicate texture and an intoxicating fragrance.

The person in his arms flinched slightly and let out a muffled whimper, but offered no resistance.

This subtle reaction, like a spark that ignites a wildfire, instantly set off a torrent of emotions that had been suppressed in the boy's heart for a long time.

In his dream, he seemed to be endowed with boundless courage.

His kisses were no longer tentative; they began to slowly move down her smooth forehead, burning hot, carefully touching her trembling eyelids, and then the tip of her delicate, upturned nose…

Each gentle touch sent a subtle shiver through the person beneath him, prompting them to snuggle even closer.

Finally, his lips reached the edge of those two cherry-like lips. They were so close, exuding a deadly allure.

Gu Heng's heart pounded wildly, almost bursting out of his chest.

He held his breath, and with a mixture of longing and fear, gently pressed down on it.

The moment their lips touched, an indescribable softness and warmth instantly overwhelmed all his senses.

The feeling was so wonderful, so overwhelming, like tasting forbidden fruit for the first time, it was intoxicating.

At first, it was just an awkward fit, but then, as if following some kind of instinct, he began to clumsily and awkwardly suck and grind, greedily absorbing the sweet fragrance that belonged only to her.

Pei Qingwu seemed to be lost as well. She let out a muffled moan and unconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck, responding awkwardly.

Her response was like a feather's gentle touch, yet it was enough to make Gu Heng's blood boil instantly.

He instinctively deepened the kiss, his tongue trembling tentatively as he carefully tried to pry open her lips and teeth to explore more of her hidden sweetness and fragrance...

Just as their lips were about to intertwine, and the dream was about to slide deeper into that suffocating, intoxicating vortex—

"Creak—"

Shi Dayong, who was sleeping on the next bed, turned over. It was an ordinary sound, but at this moment, it was like a thunderclap that pierced through the layers of dream mist and suddenly pulled Gu Heng back to reality from the abyss of despair.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his heart pounding as if it would jump out of his throat, his whole body burning hot, sweat already soaking through his thin undergarment, sticking stickily to his skin, bringing waves of shameful coolness.

He unconsciously kicked the thin blanket to his feet.

The room was pitch black, while outside the window, the sky was already showing a faint, hazy dawn.

Gu Heng lay stiffly on the bed, staring blankly at the roof beam, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently.

The lingering, unreal softness and intoxicating fragrance of the dream seemed to remain on my lips and teeth, and the smooth, warm touch of that skin still lingered on my fingertips...

However, the remaining fragments of his dream clashed violently with the cold reality, instantly igniting an overwhelming sense of shame and intense guilt in him.

Good heavens! What did he dream about?!

Pei Qingwu had done him a great favor, yet he had actually, actually, made such a disgusting fantasy about her in his dream!

The entanglement inside the carriage, the caress between their lips...

Every detail was so clear that it made his scalp tingle and his whole body burn, yet he was also filled with shame and embarrassment.

He didn't even dare to relive that final moment in his dream, the suffocating desire as their lips and tongues were about to intertwine...

Thinking this, Gu Heng suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face.

The crisp sound was especially clear in the quiet morning. My cheeks burned, but it did nothing to dispel the heat and turmoil in my heart.

Like a child caught doing something wrong, he buried his face deeply in the pillow.

Shi Dayong, a veteran of the battlefield, was an exceptionally alert sleeper. Upon hearing the noise, he sprang to his feet with a start.

Seeing Gu Heng like this, she was a little puzzled: "Brother Heng, what's wrong with you?"

"N-nothing..."

He didn't mean it, but Gu Heng had something to hide, so he stammered his answer, and his face turned as red as a pig's liver from embarrassment.

Shi Dayong was getting old and had been in the army for a long time. The barracks were full of roughnecks who spoke without restraint, and when life was dull and boring, they would tell jokes to lighten the mood.

Therefore, although he had never married, he vaguely guessed why Gu Heng was in such a predicament.

Come to think of it, it makes sense. After all, the kid is only sixteen, a young age full of vigor, and he doesn't have any homosexual tendencies, so it's normal.

As he spoke, a hint of teasing crept in: "So, Brother Aheng, which young lady have you taken a fancy to? Our host is kind-hearted; if you tell her, she'll definitely come to propose marriage on your behalf."

"N-nothing..."

Gu Heng felt even more ashamed.

"Oh, don't be shy. I'm so much older than you, I've seen more of the world than you've ever had. Why are you being so coy in front of me?"

Shi Dayong continued to joke.

Gu Heng became even more shy. He suddenly threw off the covers and prepared to get up. When he looked down, his face instantly turned as red as if it were about to bleed.

Mingyi woke up early and started crying incessantly. Jinniang then carried him out to the courtyard, patted his back to soothe him, and paced around while doing so.

But at that moment, they saw Gu Heng squatting by the well, his face flushed, vigorously washing the bed sheets.

"Aheng, why are you up so early? Also, why did you wash these sheets yourself?" Jinniang asked, holding the child. "Just leave them there. Anyway, I have a bunch of clothes that need to be washed."

"No, no... I won't trouble you, Sister Jinniang..."

Jinniang saw that Gu Heng looked guilty and was about to ask him more questions when Shi Dayong, who was dressed neatly, also came out.

Strangely enough, Mingyi, who had been crying incessantly, grinned the moment he saw Shi Dayong.

Shi Dayong took the child and clumsily held and soothed him.

Before long, it was time for breakfast.

Yin Lan got up and busied herself in the kitchen. She quickly and skillfully rekindled the fire in the stove and then expertly kneaded the dough that had already risen.

The dough is rolled out, brushed with a layer of clear sesame oil, sprinkled with a thick layer of sesame seeds and a layer of crushed pepper, and then covered with several thinly sliced ​​lamb pies.

After she finished, she stuck several dough pieces onto the inner wall of the preheated ceramic oven.

Before long, the rich aroma of wheat, the savory scent of mutton fat, and the spicy fragrance of sesame and pepper filled the air, making one's mouth water.

On the other side of the small stove, a pot of thick almond porridge was simmering. It was made with the finest japonica rice, slow-cooked, with crushed almond milk and a little maltose added. The rice grains were soft and fluffy, and the sweet aroma filled the air.

She also strained out a basin of creamy cheese, which she placed in a large celadon bowl, accompanied by a small dish of crystal-clear acacia honey and a few slices of fresh pear.

The morning sunlight had just climbed onto the window frame, bathing the courtyard in a light golden hue.

The group of people from Sushan Xiaoji sat around the square table in the main room. The golden and crispy Gulouzi flatbread was cut open, revealing the tempting layers of mutton; the white cheese was drizzled with amber honey and garnished with slices of snow pear; the almond porridge was steaming hot, exuding the warm aroma of grains and almonds.

The simple breakfast seemed exceptionally abundant and tempting thanks to Yinlan's culinary skills.

Gu Heng was almost the last to sit down, deliberately choosing the seat furthest from Pei Qingwu, keeping his head down the whole time, as if he wanted to bury his face in the bowl of porridge in front of him.

He mechanically tore at the flatbread; what used to be an incredibly fragrant delicacy now tasted like nothing at all.

The faint red marks on her cheeks had not completely faded, and her ears were still flushed with an unnatural redness.

Seeing this, Pei Qingwu picked up a crispy piece of flatbread and placed it on the plate in front of him, asking with concern, "Aheng, you don't look well. Your face was flushed this morning. Did you catch a chill last night? Or are you feeling unwell?"

Her voice was as gentle as ever, carrying genuine concern.

But the sound was like a thunderclap to Gu Heng's ears.

He jerked violently, and the spoon in his hand fell into the porridge bowl with a clatter, splashing porridge onto the table.

"No, no! Boss, I'm fine!"

He hurriedly picked up the spoon, his head hanging even lower, his eyes darting away, not daring to look at Pei Qingwu at all, his neck turning completely red.

The atmosphere became somewhat tense and awkward for a moment.

Jinniang held Mingyi in her arms, her gaze shifting between Gu Heng and Pei Qingwu with a hint of confusion.

Yinlan also stopped chewing.

"Hahaha!" Shi Dayong broke the silence with a hearty laugh.

He patted Gu Heng's shoulder hard, so hard that Gu Heng stumbled.

"Don't worry, boss, this kid isn't sick! He's just hot-blooded, young people have a lot of energy! He still has to take a cold shower and wash the sheets early in the morning, he'll be fine once he cools down!"

He winked and made a pointed gesture, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

Although Pei Qingwu didn't know what was going on, he was relieved to hear Shi Dayong's confident words and to see that Gu Heng was only embarrassed and not sick. He thought it was just a strange thing that happened to a young man and said gently, "It's good that you're alright... Eat quickly, the pancake will get hard when it gets cold."

Gu Heng breathed a sigh of relief and silently ate his porridge, feeling both grateful and embarrassed for Shi Dayong's help.

As breakfast was almost finished, an old woman came in to announce, "Master Pei, my wife has arrived."

Pei Qingwu recognized Wu Mama from Li Biejia's residence and hurriedly got up to greet her.

In the front yard, Li Yinzhu walked in with a smile, carrying a small, exquisite sandalwood box.

Today she wore a pale yellow dress, looking like a lively nightingale.

"Yinzhu, please sit down. Have you had breakfast yet?"

"I've already used it."

Li Yinzhu carefully placed the box on the table, opened the lid, and a faint, mixed woody fragrance wafted out, overpowering the lingering aroma of the food.

Several dark-colored sesame cakes were neatly arranged inside the box.

"The incense you asked me to make the other day, I've finished it, it took quite a bit of effort."

Her tone carried a hint of smugness.

"According to your suggestion, I think the flavor of flower cakes is the best to make, so I used agarwood as the base, added styrax and benzoin, and specially selected high-quality dried rose petals and osmanthus stamens, ground them into fine powder and incorporated them, then added a little spikenard and cloves, and finally used high-quality honey and jujube honey to mix and shape it."

After the introduction, Li Yinzhu took out a small piece of incense cake, placed it in a small incense burner on the table, gently lit it with fire tongs, then placed the incense cake on the charcoal fire and covered the burner with the lid.

A wisp of smoke rose up.

At first, there is the calm sweetness of agarwood mixed with honey. Soon, the warm, caramelized aroma of roasted grains spreads, as if you are next to a giant oven.

Then, fueled by the heat of the charcoal fire, a rich rose fragrance and a sweet osmanthus aroma burst forth, blending perfectly together, with a touch of honey sweetness and a hint of creamy, pastry-like scent.

The smell alone is enough to make your mouth water.

"Wow!" Qiantao exclaimed in surprise, "This tastes just like our freshly baked flower cakes! It's so similar! It's amazing!"

Pei Qingwu exclaimed in admiration, "A master craftsman! This is exactly the flavor I've been looking for!"

Speaking of flower cakes, it reminded Gu Heng of his first meeting with Pei Qingwu.

She used a flower cake to keep herself...