Chapter 49 Springtime Revealed

To ensure safe passage through the Shenxia Strait and prevent the pirates from launching a counterattack, the ship proceeded at full speed.

Fortunately, the wind was favorable for more than half of the voyage, and at this speed, the ship was expected to arrive in Guocheng half a day earlier than planned.

After that kiss, Bai Hua and Ning Jue were not as natural when they were alone together as usual. The most obvious difference was that a few days ago when they were dining on the ship, Ning Jue would take Bai Hua to eat alone, and Chen Fu, being perceptive, never interfered.

However, nowadays, when it's time to eat, Bai Hua no longer goes out alone with Ning Jue, but instead knocks on Chen Fu's door and invites him to join her.

Ning Jue saw all this but couldn't say anything to Bai Hua. The more he looked at Chen Fu, the more displeased he became.

The food on the boat was simple, consisting of the same old coarse grain cakes and dried salted fish, which everyone was already tired of. The food that the group had brought in their own bags had also lost its novelty. While resting at the ferry, Bai Hua and Ning Jue went to the painting hall. They were in a hurry and didn't have time to buy anything, while Chen Fu stayed behind to keep watch, and instead of being resourceful enough to stock up on some fresh and delicious food.

Bai Hua inquired, "When your merchant caravan goes out to sea for trade, sailing for many days, do you stock up on a lot of food beforehand?"

Chen Fu replied, "We'll prioritize portability and at most bring a jug of wine. Once on board, we'll eat with the crew. Classic combinations like coarse grain biscuits and dried pickled vegetables are the most satisfying."

Bai Hua hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Won't it get tiring?"

Chen Fu shook his head and replied sincerely, "It's good enough to have something to eat. Sea travel is hard and we often get lost. If we're at sea for a long time, this food can be life-saving. Besides, our caravan consists of rough men who aren't picky about food and drink."

After saying that, realizing something, Chen Fu looked at Bai Hua and asked, "Miss A Peng, is it because you're not used to these foods?"

Not wanting to seem like she was making a fuss, Bai Hua replied, "No, I have no requirements, as long as I can fill my stomach."

Chen Fu was honest and believed whatever others said about him.

The two had just finished their conversation when Ning Jue suddenly stood up, left his seat, and exchanged a few words with the passengers at the table diagonally behind him.

Then, he took out his money bag, pulled out a lot of silver, and exchanged it with the other party for a plate of salted and pickled quail eggs.

Ning Jue took it back and placed it on the table, closest to Bai Hua.

"Eat up, this has some flavor. We've been away from the ferry for over a day, so instead of getting leftovers, we might as well have some pickled food."

Bai Hua looked up at him, but before they could exchange glances, she immediately looked down again.

She didn't take offense and replied in a muffled voice, "Thank you, sir."

Despite saying that, they didn't touch their chopsticks.

Chen Fu was eating a pancake nearby, and he noticed that the atmosphere was getting tense...

Something's strange, but I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong with it.

He opened his mouth and took a bite of the dry, hard crust, chewing it vigorously while his eyes darted between the two men, observing them secretly.

Miss Apeng's expression remained normal as she ate her pancake quietly, though her appetite seemed poor. She held a pancake in both hands and ate for a long time, but couldn't even finish a third of the crust.

As for the plate of savory quail eggs, she didn't touch a single one.

Perhaps it's just not to my taste?

Chen Fu stared at it, unable to resist the urge to pick one up and try it, but after thinking about it, he decided against it.

What's a grown man like you craving?

I glanced at Young Master Ning again and saw that he looked perfectly normal and showed no signs of distress.

Chen Fu couldn't help but wonder if Young Master Ning and Miss A Peng were so worried about the rampant pirate attacks that they had lost their appetite.

Looking at the pancake in my hand, I realized that there was hardly any left, and I had even been thinking about the plate of quail eggs.

Chen Fu immediately reflected on himself, realizing he shouldn't have been so carefree and should have worried more about the itinerary.

...

Ning Jue didn't want the conflict with Bai Hua to continue.

But her avoidance was too obvious. Whenever he tried to get closer or talk to her alone, she would instinctively show her rejection.

Ning Jue felt uncomfortable and utterly helpless.

He was originally arrogant and thought that there was nothing he couldn't do if he wanted to, but now he's still met with setbacks.

We shouldn't make any definitive statements.

He had never interacted with girls before, lacked practical experience, and was unaware of the deeper meaning behind subtle facial expressions, or whether they meant nothing at all.

Unable to figure it out, Ning Jue had a real headache.

At this moment, he thought of Jiuqiu and suddenly realized that having other women traveling with him was not entirely a bad thing.

At this moment, he urgently needs to find another girl to consult.

Without anyone to guide him, Ning Jue couldn't come up with any good ideas. He could only hope that God would send down another storm, which would be the time when Bai Hua needed him the most, and also the time when the two of them were closest to each other.

However, during their previous voyages, they had encountered many storms. But when Ning Jue needed a downpour the most, there were several days of clear skies.

Ning Jue didn't receive this timely rain until they entered the Southern Region and arrived at the port of Guocheng.

Even during those last three days, he opened the door to Bai Hua's cabin.

The only time the two communicated was yesterday at noon. At that time, the boat was unstable and rocking. Bai Hua had an upset stomach and couldn't bite into the dry biscuits. She ate very little and was listless and weak.

Ning Jue borrowed a pot from the crew and painstakingly inquired around the ship before finally managing to buy a handful of rice at a high price.

He cooked a pot of porridge for Bai Hua, simmering it over low heat until fragrant. Then he peeled the savory quail eggs one by one, put them into the pot to simmer as well, and finally served it. The porridge was fragrant with rice, and the smooth quail eggs glistened, making it look appetizing.

Holding a steaming bowl of porridge, he went to the door of Baihua's cabin and knocked.

After a long while, Bai Hua opened the door, and the two looked at each other.

Ning Jue didn't step inside. Standing outside the door, he reached out and handed over the bowl of porridge, saying, "If you don't even appreciate this small token of our appreciation, how can we continue our journey together?"

Bai Hua looked away and said softly, "Why bother with all this trouble for me, young master?"

Ning Jue said, "Even if you don't have an appetite, you should try to eat more, otherwise your body might not be able to handle staying at sea for a day and a night."

In Bai Hua's view, this was the trouble she had brought.

Without her, the young master wouldn't have to beg for pots and rice everywhere, diverting his energy to her.

Bai Hua murmured softly, "Perhaps I should have stayed in Ye City to wait for you, young master."

Ning Jue: "No matter where we stay, we can't go hungry. Eat quickly."

He kept his hand outstretched, but then extended it forward again as he spoke.

Bai Hua sighed softly, having no choice but to accept it.

She finished the whole bowl of porridge. Perhaps it was because she had been eating dry biscuits for too long, but after drinking this bowl, her stomach felt warm and her taste buds were satisfied. She felt that no other bowl of porridge could compare to the aroma of rice and the freshness of eggs she was eating.

But she kept her high praise to herself.

Ning Jue was unaware of this and appeared somewhat forlorn as she left.

From then until they disembarked, the two never met or spoke again, and even their mealtimes were unintentionally different.

As for the remaining two or three eggs in the bottom of the pot, Chen Fu did not want to waste them. After obtaining permission from Young Master Ning, he scraped them clean and finished the job, leaving not a single grain of rice behind.

Therefore, Ning Jue received Chen Fu's high praise.

It's not very important, but... it's better than nothing.

...

The purpose of their trip south was to meet the renowned "Umbrella Fairy" Jiang Shen'er.

However, ever since Jiang Shen'er was promoted by the young emperor of Southern Fujian to become the head of the Tianji Pavilion, which gathers intelligence from all over the world, she has gradually cut off contact with people in the martial arts world and has also raised her status, no longer accepting invitations to compete casually.

Since they were newcomers, they couldn't just openly block the entrance of Tianji Pavilion. If they did, they might not even get to see Jiang Shen'er in person, but it would certainly alert Tianji Pavilion.

This tactic of alerting the enemy by stirring up trouble is a very poor strategy.

Ning Jue and Chen Fu decided to take their time and wait until three days later, when Jiu Qiu arrived in Guocheng on a merchant ship, to confirm whether the Fang family was following them.

Led by Chen Fu, the three of them temporarily rested in a teahouse owned by Duan Yi after entering the city. They were relatives of the teahouse owner and were heading south to visit relatives and friends.

With their identities concealed, they can act much more prudently afterward.

The Southern Fujian Kingdom has no winter; the temperature is hot and humid all year round. Bai Hua had been smelly on the boat for several days, and because she couldn't compete with the other passengers, she hadn't been able to take a proper bath. Now that she was off the shore and off the boat, she could finally have a good bath.

Unexpectedly, the tea shop owner and Chen Fu exchanged the wrong information, mistakenly believing that Bai Hua and Ning Jue were a couple.

So when arranging rooms, the tea shop owner casually gave the two of them a suite with a shared bathroom.

In the suite, the two bedrooms do not affect each other, but the bathroom is sandwiched between the two bedrooms and is connected to both sides.

It's like having a door on the left wall and a door on the right wall; you can come in no matter which side you push open.

Bai Hua's back was wet and sticky; she couldn't wait a moment longer.

She first took off her outer garment in the bedroom, and then took off her undergarments in the bathroom, leaving her completely naked and dazzlingly white.

Noticing a large bronze mirror behind the clothes rack that allowed her to see her whole body clearly, she walked over, glanced at it shyly, and then quickly looked away.

It is winter in the Yan Kingdom. Even though the city of Guo in southern Fujian is warm, one cannot help but feel a chill if one is completely naked.

Bai Hua hunched her shoulders, shivered, and reached out to brace herself on the edge of the wooden tub, preparing to step into the bath.

Her buttocks were facing the right wall, which was bare except for a long white curtain.

Bai Hua stepped into the bucket with her right leg, but instead of immediately stepping in with her other leg, she first tested the temperature with her calf.

It's a bit hot, but you should feel very comfortable soaking in it after you get used to it.

Bai Hua's brows relaxed, and she was about to brace herself and lift her hips when she suddenly heard a creaking sound behind her, like a wooden door being pushed open.

Her bedroom door was already bolted shut, so why was there a sound of the door being pushed open here?

Bai Hua was momentarily stunned, then turned around in confusion, only to see that a corner of the white curtain behind her had been lifted, revealing a black boot underneath, clearly indicating the presence of a man.

She was immediately terrified and cried out. Her raised leg got stuck on the edge of the wooden tub. She didn't know whether to step in or put it down, and she didn't know how to cover herself.

If you're completely naked, how can you cover yourself?

Ning Jue had no idea there was anyone in the bathroom before he pushed open the door.

He thought the same as Bai Hua, that the bathroom could only be accessed from their own bedroom.

Then the white curtain was lifted, and their eyes met.

One was panicked, covering his face and chest; the other was bewildered, dazzled by the spring scenery before him.

Ning Jue's eyes darkened, and he was a step too late. He turned his back, his breathing becoming rapid.

Bai Hua couldn't stand steadily on one leg, slipped, and fell into the bathtub with a muffled splash, accompanied by a groan of pain.

Ning Jue, fearing she might fall hard, disregarded his gentlemanly conduct and rushed forward, throwing himself against the edge of the tub to anxiously check on her condition and safety.

Bai Hua's hair was completely wet, revealing her smooth face, which looked like a lotus emerging from the water, vibrant and beautiful.

Ripples spread across the surface of the bathtub.

Ning Jue lowered his gaze, confirming that Bai Hua was unharmed. He also confirmed that the deep valley and ravine were not merely ripples, but rather the white blush resembled undulating waves.

His Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously.