Chapter 63 The Two of Us We held hands under the moonlight.
Shen Mi watched Dan Heng walk less than three meters ahead of him, and deliberately slowed his pace to match her walking rhythm. The wind blew through the gaps in the bamboo, fluttering the hems of their clothes, making them look like a colorful ink painting from afar.
His right hand was carrying the Lin Yuan Ice Spring that she had been carrying all the way. His slender fingers tightened slightly from the force, the joints were distinct, the lines of the metacarpal bones were faintly visible, the veins were particularly prominent on his snow-white skin, and the muscles were slightly tense. Shen Mi seemed to be able to imagine the lean body hidden under his clothes through these fingers.
Hmm… Thinking back to when she first arrived on the desolate planet, she accidentally stumbled upon him taking a bath, and the memory was no different from her imagination. Thinking of this, Shen Mi blushed. Luckily, she was walking behind Dan Heng, otherwise he would have noticed her embarrassing state.
Shen Mi secretly glanced at him, only to see that his expression was normal, his eyes were fixed ahead, as calm as ever. But it was precisely this calm demeanor that stirred ripples in her heart.
"Danheng, how much longer until we arrive?" Shen Mi asked in a low voice.
"It'll be a while longer," Dan Heng replied in a low voice. He pricked up his ears, as if he had heard something coming from the bamboo grove not far away.
"Wait a minute." Dan Heng suddenly stopped and took a few steps back towards Chen Mi.
Shen Mi was taken aback, his heart tightening as he thought something urgent had happened that forced him to call a halt.
"What's wrong?" Shen Mi asked worriedly.
Dan Heng stepped back to her side, turned his head away, and awkwardly said, not daring to look Shen Mi in the eye, "How about we take another route?"
"Oh, what happened?"
At this moment, Shen Mi had clearly forgotten everything Dan Heng had told her, and was still asking questions, completely unaware that Dan Heng's ears had turned red. Dan Heng, on the other hand, was obviously too embarrassed to ask a second time.
As dusk approached, the last rays of the setting sun could not penetrate the tall bamboo forest, casting only dappled shadows on the ground. The two of them disappeared into the shadows of the tall bamboo forest. Tanhu Forest ushered in its golden age, tranquil, ambiguous, and filled with a pink atmosphere.
"What's wrong?" After three consecutive questions, Shen Mi saw Dan Heng pause slightly, his expression tense, but he remained silent for a long time. His tone changed from doubt to a gentle urging, with a hint of caution in the last syllable.
The way Shen Mi looked at Dan Heng didn't seem like she was facing an enemy; rather, it seemed like she was suppressing something she couldn't say. Her curiosity grew, and she took a few more steps forward, bypassing Dan Heng, deciding to investigate on her own.
As dusk fell, it was time to go home. The vast Tanhu Bamboo Forest was quiet and secluded, with only the rustling of the wind through the bamboo leaves. Yet, mixed in with these sounds of nature was a faint, almost imperceptible whisper of romance.
Shen Mi was not familiar with this, and after taking a few more steps forward until the voice clearly reached her ears, she understood why Dan Heng had suddenly called her to stop.
Her cheeks burned in the evening breeze, and Shen Mi unconsciously turned around, only to meet a pair of cool, clear eyes.
"Oh dear... I forgot." Shen Mi chuckled twice to cover up her embarrassment.
"You heard it so early?" Shen Mi leaned close to Dan Heng and asked in a low voice.
Dan Heng nodded slightly, his tone like a friendly complaint: "That's why I suggested taking a different route."
Shen Mi choked on her words, silently retreating behind him, thinking to herself, "I didn't mean to forget."
Just then, her wrist was gently grabbed. The force was light, but at the moment of contact, Chen Mi felt as if she had been struck by a tiny electric current. Her heart raced and panic surged through her.
She froze, then looked up to meet Dan Heng's gaze as he turned to look at her. His eyes shone brightly, seemingly concealing a barely perceptible tension, and his voice trembled slightly as he said, "It's easy to get lost here, let me lead you..."
The fireflies had appeared out of nowhere, and seeing two new "us" here, they all gathered around to create a lively atmosphere.
Danheng's voice remained gentle, but it was a few decibels lower than before, as he intentionally kept his volume down and spoke only to her.
Shen Mi's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously hummed in agreement.
Looking down, she saw a long, warm hand holding her wrist, its well-defined fingertips resting on her throbbing pulse, radiating warmth that was even hotter than the afternoon sun.
Unfortunately, this rare tranquility lasted for less than ten minutes. The two took a different route and encountered the same situation again, forcing them to stop once more.
Listening to the decadent music so close by, Chen Mi looked at Dan Heng as if asking, "Shall we take another route?"
Without saying much, Danheng suddenly gripped Chenmi's wrist and pulled her into the depths of the bamboo forest.
His palms were large and warm, his fingers encircling her wrists and pressing them tightly against her skin. The warmth traveled through his palms to her heart, bringing an indescribable tingling sensation.
In that instant, Shen Mi felt his heart race and his breathing become slightly erratic, as if time itself had slowed down for them.
The bamboo groves watched them, making mocking noises. Moonlight filtered through the dense bamboo leaves, reflecting off them like twinkling stars in the night sky.
Danheng's breathing was deep and powerful, almost echoing in her ears. His warm breath gently brushed against Chen Mi's cheek, bringing a hint of barely concealed excitement.
Shen Mi grasped his hand, feeling the genuine strength within it. Her steps followed his steady strides, and the warmth of his palm spread continuously, as if an invisible bond tightly connected them.
They rushed side by side through the depths of the bamboo forest, the sounds of the wind, the whispers of the leaves, and the tacit melody of their heartbeats intertwined in their ears.
Following Danheng, Chen Mi stepped onto the smooth stone steps and arrived at the rooftop.
She was pleasantly surprised to find that there were two low stools to sit on. It seemed that they had been placed here since the beginning of the construction. Unfortunately, the tiles around the stools had faded from the sun and no one had ever discovered them before.
Dan Heng released Shen Mi's hand, and the two of them, panting heavily, smiled at each other.
Shen Mi looked at the path they had come up from; it was very new and must have just been cleaned.
But now is not the time to worry about that; she saw something even more surprising.
Standing here, you can see the Yanxi Pavilion, Yanle Pavilion, and Qingqiu Terrace below.
You can also see the Fragrant Breeze Pavilion opposite the Resting Hall, and the central stage surrounded by a corridor. The sounds of actors singing and the colorful lights reflecting the hustle and bustle of the place are heard. Many people sit together, with a pot of tea and a plate of snacks on the table, just listening and watching, listening to the characters in the story sing about love, hate, joy, anger, sorrow and happiness...
The bamboo forest beneath my feet and the bright fireflies hidden within it.
Shen Mi was mesmerized by what he saw.
A gentle night breeze blew by, brushing against the fine strands of hair at her temples, carrying the fresh scent of bamboo leaves and a moist aroma, as if the entire Tanhu Forest was immersed in an ancient and gentle atmosphere.
Shen Mi reached out and sat down on the low bluestone stool beside him. His fingers accidentally brushed against the short moss on the inner surface of the stool. It was a little damp, but not unpleasant.
She turned her head to look at Danheng, who was still standing. He stood in the wind, his figure upright, his eyebrows and eyes outlined gently in the moonlight, his eyes reflecting the figures on the stage in the distance, as if he had hidden an entire gentle night.
"Danheng, how did you find this place?" Shen Mi asked curiously.
He slowly walked to her side, sat down on another low stone stool, and turned to look at her: "In my memory, I seem to have some impression of this place. Back then, no one came here. Thinking about the scenery here, I thought you would like it, so I cleaned it up a bit."
Shen Mi nodded, a smile playing on her lips: "Your feeling was right! This place is really beautiful! I love it."
Danheng didn't reply, but simply sat down beside her, gazing quietly at the lights below, seemingly immersed in them, yet also harboring a sorrow he didn't want to express.
Shen Mi turned her head to look at him, and Dan Heng happened to turn his head as well. Their eyes met unintentionally, and she noticed his slightly tightened fingers and the slight blush on his cheeks.
A breeze carries the faint strains of a performer's singing. On the stage, an old play is being performed. It tells the story of a woman who takes her child to live with her husband, who has just become the top scholar in the imperial examination. Unfortunately, her husband is a heartless man who refuses to acknowledge his own wife in order to marry a princess.
"Danheng, look how lively their singing is!" Shen Mi excitedly grabbed his arm and shook it wildly.
Dan Heng glanced at Shen Mi's hands gripping his arm, recalling the feeling of holding her hand and running together—so small, so soft… He slowly hummed in response, his voice low and hoarse, revealing an undisguised emotional fluctuation.
Looking at the unreal scene before him, Shen Mi suddenly felt that this night was like a beautiful dream he had stumbled into. The sound of the wind, the opera singing, and the lamplight were all as if they were shrouded in a hazy ink painting, with the distant liveliness highlighting the quietness here.
Shen Mi was still holding his arm. The firm muscles beneath her palm and the warmth emanating from his clothes felt both unfamiliar and reassuring. She had initially been excited, filled with the joy of seeing him for the first time, playfully refusing to let go like a child. But in that moment of silence, she sensed the deep sorrow hidden within Dan Heng.
"Danheng, have you seen this play?" she suddenly asked softly.
Dan Heng looked down at the scenes of joy and sorrow below, and did not answer immediately. After a long while, he said, "No, this is the first time I've seen this."
Shen Mi felt a slight tightness in her chest, unsure whether it was from the cool wind or the stirring of emotions in the scene. She gently patted Dan Heng's arm and softened her voice, "Then we can come here to see it whenever we have time in the future, there's no rush."
Danheng turned his head to look at her.
Shen Mi was smiling, her eyes shining, much like the ignited crowd below the stage—distant yet within reach.
The wind blew again, this time lifting her hair and letting it brush against his shoulder, as if it were an unintentional touch, yet also a deliberate contact.
Dan Heng didn't dodge or move away. Instead, he gently reached out and brushed away a tangled strand of hair around her neck. His fingertips brushed against her ear, and at that moment, Chen Mi almost froze.
The moment their eyes met, the performance reached its climax.
Dan Heng blinked, and his heart suddenly pounded like a drum on the stage, each beat louder than the last.
He just stared at her, his eyes seemingly losing focus for a moment.
He wanted to say something, but in the end he only raised his hand and took her hand again.
Unlike when he grabbed her wrist in the bamboo forest, this time he wedged his fingers through hers and held her firmly.
"Listen a little longer, then I'll take you home."
Shen Mi blushed and lowered his head, only able to nod and softly say "Mmm".
How does one of the lyrics go again?
Under this moonlight, our ten fingers take root.
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Author's Note: Family, I have a fever [crying][crying][crying] and need to take a few days off! About 4 days! I'll be back on July 4th!!! [crying][crying][crying]
This episode is packed with food, everyone eat and drink their fill! [doge][doge][doge][doge]
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