Chapter 181 Does Bai Xiuming know the meaning behind sending a bouquet of flowers tonight?
After descending from the altar, Achan removed the feathered crown from her head and placed it on a pillar erected on the west side of the altar. The other three also placed their crowns on the pillars and walked out of the altar together.
As soon as Achan turned around, she saw Shen Huixue waving at her, so she walked over there.
When she came over, Shen Huixue put the flower wreath she had prepared on her head.
Others took advantage of Achan's inattention and placed small flower wreaths on her wrists. Because they looked pretty, Achan accepted them all.
The cheers around them were too noisy, so Shen Huixue called out to Achan, "Let's go, the banquet has begun."
Before Achan could react, Shen Huixue had already pulled her in another direction.
She originally wanted to find Bai Xiuming's whereabouts, but when she turned around, she could only see a dense crowd, and she couldn't distinguish his figure from the crowd at all.
Pulled by Huixue, Achan and the villagers who had gathered around the altar walked together toward the center of the village.
Before she even reached the destination, she could already see the blazing flames rising in the distance.
After walking a few more steps, they saw a huge bonfire in the open space in the center of the village. Flames shot into the sky, radiating heat in all directions, and the leaping firelight reflected on everyone's face.
On the stone slabs surrounding the campfire, there were piles of flowers of various colors, wine jars stacked like small mountains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and roasted meat that was still sizzling and juicy, with a fragrant aroma.
As more and more people gathered, the four dancers participating in the ceremony were surrounded by the crowd and led to the bonfire. They joined hands and danced around the fire.
The drums and music, along with songs that seemed to pierce the night sky, signaled the official start of the banquet.
After the group dance, Achan was led by Shen Huixue to dance, but was then replaced by a stranger who took Huixue away, and continued to revel with a new dance partner.
Everyone's dance moves are different. No one has studied them; they simply express their joy through dance movements based on their current feelings.
In this lively and joyful atmosphere, Achan forgot her troubles and worries, and only joy remained in her heart.
After jumping around a few times, she couldn't keep going any longer and started panting as she searched for Shen Huixue. Before she could see Huixue, she saw Lie Xing standing in the dancing crowd, surrounded by several girls.
The young women were all dressed up for the occasion, each carrying a bouquet of flowers, as if to give to the procession.
Amidst the expectant gazes of several people, Lie Xing accepted the white bouquet from one of them. The others looked disappointed and withdrew from the crowd, while the girl who remained shyly took Lie Xing's hand.
Amid cheers from those around them, the two walked out of the crowd.
After witnessing all of this, Achan felt as if she had witnessed something extraordinary.
After this incident, Achan noticed that several young couples in the vicinity had done the same thing: accepted the flowers from the other person and then left.
Shen Huixue returned to Achan's side at some point and, seeing her engrossed in watching the commotion, handed her a bowl of fruit wine that emitted a faint aroma of alcohol.
"Try the fruit wine made in the village."
After dancing for so long, Achan was thirsty, so she picked up the bowl and drank most of it.
The fruit wine had only a faint aroma of alcohol, but the rest of the taste was a rich and refreshing fruit flavor, and she couldn't help but finish the remaining half bowl.
Returning the empty bowl to Shen Huixue, Achan couldn't contain her curiosity and asked softly, "Where did they all go?"
Shen Huixue smiled, knowing that Achan would inevitably ask, because the last person to be so curious was her.
"They probably went home together."
go home?
Achan opened her eyes wide, blinked a few times, and pointed out the abnormality: "But they don't seem to know each other very well."
Shen Huixue said meaningfully, "They'll be ready after tonight."
In the Wu tribe, matchmaking does not require the involvement of parents. After each sacrificial ceremony, there is a grand banquet, which is the best place for young people in the village to socialize.
If you take a fancy to someone, you can bring them flowers and give them to them. If they accept the flowers, you can continue to develop the relationship.
Achan's mouth opened slightly. Was it what she understood it to mean?
Although she was a well-informed fox spirit, this was the first time she had ever seen such a custom. The witch clan was so free.
Just as the two were talking, another young couple walked away hand in hand in front of them.
"What if they find it's not right after tonight?" Achan turned to look at the young couple walking away and couldn't help but ask.
“Then we’ll choose someone again at the next banquet. We’ll find someone suitable eventually.” Shen Huixue had seen it all before and was no longer surprised. “After each banquet, many people in the village get married.”
If I like it, can I take it home and try it out?
Perhaps because of the alcohol, or perhaps because of the atmosphere, Achan was also getting restless.
She looked at the flowers piled up next to the campfire, and people would come up to take flowers from time to time. She wanted to do the same.
However... it seems that Bai Xiuming hasn't been seen since the start of the ritual.
She turned her head and looked around, and suddenly saw a familiar figure near the flower bed.
He was being stopped by several girls, but because they were too far away, Achan couldn't see the expressions on their faces at all.
Perhaps her gaze was too obvious, Bai Xiuming seemed to notice something, and suddenly turned his head, passing over the dancing crowd, and met A Chan's gaze.
He simply gazed at Achan from afar, seemingly having no intention of approaching her.
"Hui Xue," A Chan suddenly called out to the person beside her.
"What's wrong?"
"I'll go get the flowers."
Shen Huixue was stunned for a moment. She turned her head to look in the direction of the flower bed and then saw Bai Xiuming.
She immediately smiled knowingly: "Go ahead."
Achan adjusted the flower wreath on her head, walked through the crowd, and hurried towards the campfire.
Unfortunately, before they could get close, they were blocked by a group of dancers. By the time the group had sung and danced their way past, Bai Xiuming was no longer there.
She turned around and saw him again outside the crowd.
Following his figure, Ah Chan unknowingly walked out of the crowd and gradually moved away from the noisy and bustling banquet.
Following the figure ahead that seemed to be deliberately out of her reach, through the darkness, along the familiar path, Achan returned to the altar at the end of the village.
The flames in the hearth had gradually died down, leaving only the afterglow of the hearth illuminating the surroundings.
At this moment, Bai Xiuming sat on a step below the altar, gazing at her quietly.
Achan stepped onto the altar, one step at a time, and stopped in front of Bai Xiuming.
The liveliness in the distance made this place seem too quiet. With one person standing and the other sitting, Achan could even look down at Bai Xiuming.
She asked, "Why did you come here?"
Without a doubt, I was lured here.
"I want to see you dance for me here, just for me." Bai Xiuming looked up at A Chan, his prominent Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he spoke.
Despite his vulnerable position, his intense and open gaze made it almost impossible for Achan to refuse.
"Is it good or not?" he murmured in a low, hoarse voice, like a trap with delicious bait.
Achan felt her body heat rising and her heart pounding erratically. She licked her not-so-dry lips: "...Okay."
Under Bai Xiuming's watchful gaze, Achan stepped up a step and stood on the altar.
A soft tapping sound rang out as Bai Xiuming curled his fingers and tapped them on the wooden steps. The tapping sound was not as penetrating as the sound of a drum, but it was exactly the same as the drumbeats during a sacrificial ceremony.
Stepping to the familiar drumbeats, Achan's body began to turn.
The sacrificial dance of the Wu tribe originated from the hunting process of the Wu tribe's ancestors in ancient times. When the men dance, they are fierce and wild, but every movement of the person in front of him is full of temptation in Bai Xiuming's eyes.
Her arched neck, swaying arms, and twisting waist made it impossible for Bai Xiuming to look away. If he were A Chan's prey, he wouldn't choose to run away; he would surrender and let her do whatever she wanted.
From the moment he saw her on the altar, his mind was filled with erotic thoughts, which he could no longer suppress.
The drumbeats stopped abruptly, and Achan turned to look at Bai Xiuming, only to see him stand up and walk towards her.
A bouquet of flowers had appeared in his hand without his noticing; the blue blossoms clustered together like a flower ball.
The bouquet was held up to Achan's eyes: "Do you like it?"
Ah Chan tilted her head, wondering if Bai Xiuming knew the meaning behind sending a bouquet of flowers tonight.
She tried to raise her hand and grasp the bouquet of flowers.
The next moment, Achan felt her body lighten as she was lifted up by the waist. The flower wreath on her head fell to the ground, but Bai Xiuming paid no attention to it and carried her into the depths of darkness.
The door was kicked open with a bang, and two entangled figures stumbled toward the bed, the subtle sounds of their lips and tongues entwining clearer in the darkness.
Once inside the room, Bai Xiuming seemed to lose control.
Ah Chan was entangled by him, and before she knew it, her calves were already against the edge of the bed. Unable to maintain her balance, she fell backward.
Bai Xiuming knelt on one knee on the bed, his burning palm covering her lower back, gently supporting her body to absorb the force and prevent her from falling.
As Achan's back pressed against the soft bedding, his tall, muscular body pressed down on her.
The sudden weight made her let out a soft moan, her small hand sliding from behind Bai Xiuming's neck to his chest, pressing between them.
The muscles under his hands were taut, and even through his clothes, the outlines of his muscles were clearly visible.
Achan tried to push the person on top of her, but she couldn't budge them at all.
His unusually fierce kiss today gradually weakened Achan, and she could only tilt her head back, forced to endure his invasion, until she was almost out of breath before turning her head away.
Bai Xiuming showed no sign of stopping. His warm, moist lips moved down to her delicate chin and then to her slender neck.
Ah Chan lay on her back beneath him, her eyes glazed over, her excessively red lips slightly parted as she breathed in the fresh air.
She felt as if her body was on fire, and she was hot all over.
"It's so hot..." she murmured softly.
"Where is it hot?" Bai Xiuming asked indistinctly, his lips tucked into her earlobe.
Ah Chan ignored him: "It's hot, I need to take a shower..."
"Okay, go take a shower." Bai Xiuming turned over and hugged her from the front.
When Achan was hugged like this for the first time, she was startled and wrapped her legs tightly around his waist.
Bai Xiuming led her to the bathtub, but A Chan refused to let go, so he directly led her into the bathtub.
Achan lay on her back, immersed in the water. Her ceremonial robes were soaked and almost clung to her body. With each heavy breath, the contours of her heaving chest were clearly visible. Bai Xiuming held onto the edge of the bathtub with one hand, his eyes growing darker and darker, a hint of red appearing at the corners.
Under her gaze, he loosened his belt and tore off his soaking wet robe, throwing it aside.
Achan's gaze involuntarily drifted downwards. Below his well-defined, muscular abdomen, a vein bulged slightly, disappearing into his waistband. She swallowed hard, her curled-up legs unconsciously pulling back even further.
Bai Xiuming stared at her intently, like a ravenous beast eyeing its prey, unwilling to miss even the slightest change in her emotions.
His arm went into the water and grabbed her ankle. His large hand cupped her delicate little foot, and Ah Chan couldn't help but tremble.
Release your palms and move them up your calves.
The warm bath water failed to wash away the heat on Achan's body. The water in the bathtub rippled up like ocean waves, splashing onto the ground and leaving clear watermarks.
A pair of jade-like feet swayed with the ripples in the water, their whiteness dazzling.
The night was deep and the dew was heavy. The revelry outside had not yet ended, and in the dark room, the atmosphere of ambiguity was almost thick.
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