Chapter 32 He really has an idea!
The sea voyage lasted seven days. Apart from the stormy and turbulent first night, the following days were calm and peaceful.
During the day, the sky was clear and blue, flocks of birds flew over the deck, and a damp, salty smell wafted in the breeze.
With Ning Jue supporting her waist, Bai Hua stepped onto the railing platform. She gripped the railing tightly with one hand and slowly stretched out the other, holding a handful of coarse grain cake crumbs in her palm.
As soon as she stretched out her arm and opened her hand, the seagulls seemed to hear a rallying call and fluttered their wings around her.
Bai Hua shrank her shoulders in fear, worried about being pecked, and her arms trembled slightly.
Ning Jue wrapped his arms around her from behind, his chest providing a sense of security. He supported her arm with his right hand, helping her gain leverage: "Don't worry, they won't bite. Just straighten your arm a little, and they'll take the food and leave. Otherwise, the more scared and trembling you are, the less likely they are to eat."
Bai Hua nodded, mustered her courage, and did as Ning Jue said.
The seagulls scrambled forward, each with its beady black eyes and sharp beak, poised to pounce on their prey. Sunlight streamed down, making their pure white feathers shimmer with a dazzling silver glow.
The ones closest to her devoured the coarse grain biscuit crumbs, and Bai Hua felt an itch in her palms. She turned her head away and nervously closed her eyes.
Her reaction elicited a soft, pleasant chuckle from Ning Jue, a shallow, hoarse sound escaping from his throat.
Bai Hua's cheeks flushed slightly. She mustered her courage and opened her eyes, only to see that the seagulls had already eaten their fill and flown high, disappearing into the azure sea and sky.
She pulled her arm back and stared blankly at her palm, thinking to herself that she had just completed another new experience she had never had before.
Suddenly, her waist was wrapped around her from behind, her feet dangling, and she was caught off guard and fell into a firm, warm embrace.
The familiar scent filled her nostrils, causing Bai Hua's guard to vanish in an instant, and her body to relax.
However, there were many people on the deck, and Bai Hua was worried about being stared at by others, so she subconsciously declined and said, "...Young Master, we are still outside."
“Young Master?” Ning Jue stared at her, noticing her flushed face. His eyes darkened unconsciously. After a pause, he said in a deep voice, “Do you know why the person you mistook for someone else dared to fawn over you in front of me the other day?”
"Young master" refers to the person who delivered the fish skewers the day before yesterday.
Bai Hua thought for a moment and replied in a low voice, "He was frivolous and rude."
Ning Jue shook his head: "Not only that, but also because you address me so casually."
Bai Hua looked over, puzzled.
Ning Jue maintained his loose embrace and answered, "If I'm not mistaken, that person must have specifically sought out the crew after meeting you to find out that we are husband and wife. But when you mistook me for someone else, the way you called out to him gave you away. Tell me, who would politely address their husband as 'Young Master'?"
Bai Hua suddenly realized, blinked, and then felt annoyed.
It turns out that I had indeed made an unintentional oversight.
She didn't want to become a burden to the young master during their journey. Even if she couldn't be his powerful helper, not holding him back was her bottom line.
Bai Hua frowned and pondered for a long time, not knowing how to resolve the matter. She could only say, "From now on, I will try to avoid addressing you as 'Young Master' in public."
Since saying too much will only lead to more mistakes, it's better to say nothing or say less.
Ning Jue suggested, "You can call me by a different identity. It's just an act, only for emergencies. Once we get off the ship, we can go back to normal."
Bai Hua didn't understand: "Change your identity?"
Ning Jue continued to explain, "When you get into character, you use normal terms of address that are appropriate for a married couple, which can avoid a lot of trouble."
Bai Hua pursed her lips, hesitating.
If she wasn't mistaken, the young master meant that she could temporarily pretend to call him her husband...
This is the proper way to address a married couple.
Although she knew it was fake, an act, Bai Hua still felt unbearably ashamed and found it difficult to speak, unable to utter the words.
Ning Jue noticed her hesitation, glanced to the side, leaned forward, and whispered in her ear, his tone becoming much more serious.
"Behind you, to your left, someone is watching us. The leader looks very familiar; his hand is injured and wrapped in gauze. It's not hard to guess who he is. As for the others who look unfamiliar, they should be his men as well. Clearly, they haven't given up on you yet."
Upon hearing this, Bai Hua was taken aback and glanced over discreetly out of the corner of her eye, where she indeed saw several suspicious figures.
They hid behind the mast and platform, seemingly concealing themselves, but their group formation also suggested a degree of provocation.
Bai Hua cautiously withdrew her gaze, her eyes filled with deep worry, and she began to blame herself: "It's all my fault for causing trouble for you, young master."
Ning Jue shook her head, her voice calm: "It's not your fault. If we had been careful in using the term 'husband and wife' from the beginning, that person wouldn't have suspected anything, much less taken a chance and rashly targeted you. Now that they've sent people to observe us secretly, they're probably looking for a loophole to confirm that our marital relationship is fake, so they can continue to harass you. So, to reduce trouble, we'll probably have to put on this act even more convincingly."
This trouble started because of her, and after a moment of thought, Bai Hua felt that she had an obligation to cooperate.
So she nodded decisively and replied, "Please indicate, young master, what should A-Peng do?"
Ning Jue's expression remained unchanged, and his tone was serious: "There's no need to pretend anything special. Just act a little more intimate than usual, and change the way you address each other accordingly."
Bai Hua nodded, feeling less burdened as if the task was completed.
She raised her eyes to face Ning Jue, her voice soft and gentle: "...Husband."
Ning Jue suddenly froze.
He didn't react immediately and hesitated to respond.
Bai Hua thought that her tone was not friendly enough and did not satisfy the young master. After thinking about it, she tried again. This time she deliberately drew out the last syllable, which she thought was gentle enough.
"My husband..."
"Um."
Ning Jue responded stiffly.
If he hadn't made this request, Bai Hua would probably have misunderstood, thinking that the young master wasn't happy to hear her call him that.
Otherwise, why would his face be so solemn and his eyes averted, deliberately avoiding looking at her?
She glanced at the mast again, watching the person keeping watch, then looked away and whispered, "When I call you, young master, you must respond. Make the act more convincing."
Their roles have been reversed, and now it's her reminding him.
Ning Jue's gaze fell, deep and heavy, his eyes seemingly surging with emotions.
At the same time, a strange expression appeared on his face, indescribable, as if he was not used to it, or as if he was encouraging himself.
After a long pause, he finally spoke, his tone indifferent, and said in response to her, "My wife."
The sound was more penetrating than she had imagined, making her ears burn with heat.
Bai Hua lowered her eyes, suppressing her embarrassment, unable to continue looking up to observe his expression.
She responded very softly, "Mmm..."
The two spoke softly, so the person keeping watch probably couldn't hear them. Thus, their feigned intimacy wouldn't have been achieved.
Therefore, this habit of addressing each other should continue until disembarkation. During the process, the two will naturally call out the name while moving around on deck, so it will not be difficult for the other two to hear it.
In addition, Ning Jue came up with another idea to make it easier for the two of them to continue their act and prove their relationship.
In truth, Bai Hua didn't quite understand why the young master cared so much about the person who delivered the fish skewers. The other person was clearly just a stranger with no known identity, and his skills were far inferior to the young master's. Even if all of the other person's members were combined, they probably wouldn't be a match for the young master.
If that's the case, they don't pose a significant threat and aren't clearly enemies, so why bother putting on a show for them?
But then she thought, the young master has been traveling the world for many years and his experience in dealing with people is definitely far greater than hers, who is still inexperienced in the ways of the world. Therefore, listening to the young master in everything is definitely a more comprehensive and correct choice.
So Bai Hua agreed to Ning Jue's suggestion and agreed to go to the deck with him to watch the stars that night. It was a good opportunity to pretend to be lovers and also to use the opportunity to let the person keeping watch know what was going on.
...
During the day, the sky is clear and blue. At night, the sea is deep and dark, with the waves murmuring. The moon and stars are reflected on the surface of the sea. If you look up, you will surely see the most beautiful star map in the world.
To make it easier for passengers to stargaze and enjoy the night view, the crew would place several reclining chairs across the deck in the evening for guests to rent for a fee.
To protect passenger privacy, each viewing area is spaced far apart.
Within the area, thin curtains provided cover on all sides, making it impossible to see the faces of the people inside from the outside, but one could vaguely make out their swaying shadows.
Surrounded on all four sides, leaving only a viewpoint for stargazing, it allows for better focus and a more enjoyable experience.
Ning Jue paid the money but didn't choose the most secluded spot.
The four curtains were lowered and tied to the bamboo poles supporting them, and then the two reclining chairs inside were put together.
After doing all this, Ning Jue glanced at Bai Hua.
Bai Hua understood, walked closer to the young master, and lay down with him, side by side, with a velvet blanket covering them.
Ning Jue bent his left arm and rested it under his neck, while extending his right hand to the side and inserting it under Bai Hua's neck to make her more comfortable.
There was no one at the nearby viewing spots, since paying one tael of silver to rent a reclining chair was too expensive for ordinary people.
Besides, you can see the stars just as well from inside the cabin.
After lying there for a while, even the most beautiful scenery will become tiresome.
Bai Hua rubbed her eyes and glanced at the person next to her. Seeing that he still didn't seem inclined to speak, she sighed inwardly. If the two of them didn't talk soon, she might really get so bored that she would start counting stars.
So, Bai Hua couldn't help but speak first: "Young master, how much longer are we going to lean on each other like this? Do the people tailing us still believe that we are a real couple?"
Ning Jue remained still, his right arm loosely around her: "We still have to keep acting. Maybe they'll believe it once they leave."
Bai Hua was lying in a position where she couldn't see those people; her view was limited. She could only ask Ning Jue, "Young Master, are those people still here?"
Ning Jue replied, "Yes."
Bai Hua sighed: "They still don't believe us."
Ning Jue then suggested, "Therefore, we should probably increase the intensity of the performance."
Bai Hua, puzzled, asked, "Isn't lying flat like this enough...? How can we increase the intensity of the performance so they'll believe it?"
Ning Jue's expression turned slightly serious, as if he was seriously considering something. After hesitating for a moment, he took the initiative to ask, "If we act more realistically, they will believe us. Why don't you try lying on top of me? Don't worry, I won't touch you."
"This..." Bai Hua hesitated, her face flushing with embarrassment.
Lying side by side wasn't too embarrassing, since it was just shoulder to shoulder, not quite physical intimacy. But if she lay on top of him, that position would be obviously too ambiguous. Bai Hua pursed her lips, thinking of the etiquette and rules she had learned in Beijing, and dared not agree casually, lest it seem frivolous.
Ning Jue noticed her hesitation and added, "The temperature difference at sea is large, and the sea breeze is biting at night. We'd better not stay in this stalemate with them for too long, lest you catch a cold. Before we set off, you said you would be my most capable assistant and help me solve any problems around me. I believe I have good judgment in choosing people."
Bai Hua had always tried to demonstrate her value, but she had just inadvertently caused trouble for Ning Jue due to a careless remark, which made her feel ashamed.
Now that there was a way to make amends, and Ning Jue was showing her such trust, Bai Hua's mind was in turmoil. Her resolve to never do it again was slowly wavering.
She couldn't bring herself to refuse him outright.
Since that's the case, she didn't want to be restrained or have too many concerns anymore. She would just forget about what happened at sea once she got off the ship.
Acting, mission, disguise, pretense...
Anyway, none of them are true.
Ning Jue knew she was hesitating, and after a long while, he tried to take her hand.
Seeing that Bai Hua did not show any obvious resistance, he probably understood what was going on. So he grabbed her wrist, turned to the side, put his other hand around her waist, and easily pulled her up to his body.
She pressed down on him, her whole body tense, her breath held.
Having promised not to touch her, Ning Jue withdrew his hand from her slender waist and placed it at his side. However, Bai Hua was afraid of losing her balance, so she had to take the initiative to loosely wrap her arms around his neck.
Ning Jue: "If lying like this is uncomfortable, you can change your position slightly."
Bai Hua nodded silently.
After getting used to the soft cushion beneath her, she began to move her waist and brace herself slightly with her arms. Because the young master's chest was so hard, she felt a bit uncomfortable pressing against it.
It's her own fault; she wasn't slender enough. If only that part of her body were as slender and fleshless as her waist.
Ning Jue dared not exhale deeply.
It was as if the waves of the ocean were pushing him towards him, the impact was so strong, more violent than the raging storm the night before last.
After a long while, Bai Hua's body stiffened, and she moved and rubbed against him.
Ning Jue gasped for breath, his Adam's apple bobbing uncontrollably.
Bai Hua misunderstood and asked, "Am I too heavy and making you uncomfortable, young master? Are you tired from holding me like this for so long?"
Ning Jue opened his mouth, his voice even hoarser than he had imagined: "No, it was very light."
Bai Hua blushed and asked again, "Should we send them away?"
Ning Jue glanced at her and replied, "Halfway there."
Bai Hua breathed a sigh of relief. Her efforts had not been in vain. She and the young master had both worked hard to make their act convincing.
Ning Jue thought for a moment, then taught her how to do it: "Try sitting up. It's no different from lying on me. This will make it easier for them to see you clearly and completely dispel their doubts."
Bai Hua was guided by him and obediently followed his instructions.
It's not comfortable to sit on him; you can only sit with your knees apart, around his waist and abdomen.
Bai Hua couldn't adjust herself, so Ning Jue supported her waist with both hands and helped her adjust.
Finally settled in her seat, Bai Hua looked somewhat lost, unsure of what to do next.
She looked at Ning Jue, wanting to talk to him and ask if the person she was keeping an eye on had left yet.
But Ningjue covered his eyes with his arm, unable to meet her gaze.
His chest rose and fell rhythmically, each breath heavy and deep.
Bai Hua was unaware that Ning Jue was being torn apart by two forces. One side was instigating him to act recklessly and thrust forward, while the other side was disciplining him and warning him that as the direct disciple of the Sword Saint, he must not be greedy and act recklessly, thus losing his integrity.
Finally, he let out a sigh of relief, propped himself up, and put Bai Hua down.
He said to her, "Alright, everyone's gone."
Bai Hua tilted her head and looked at him, slightly puzzled. Just now, the young master had clearly been covering his eyes with his arm and had not looked in any other direction. How could he know clearly that the person who was watching him had left?
Hmm... Perhaps it's because you have exceptional hearing, young master, that you can distinguish them just by the sound of footsteps?
That should be the case.
Bai Hua's logic was consistent, and she did not doubt anything else.
Because of this intimate display of affection, the surroundings became much quieter in the following days, and no more eyes were seen spying on them.
Bai Hua smiled and said, "Young Master is very thoughtful and has a good plan."
However, the young master reacted indifferently to her sincere praise, and even subconsciously frowned.
Bai Hua was very puzzled by this.
Could it be that she praised the wrong person?
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