Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

That night, Xiao Hanxing dreamed of returning to that inn filled with the fragrance of cold plum blossoms.

The warm pool water reached over my shoulders, and my fingertips touched skin as smooth as cream.

The delicate fragrance of plum blossoms, mixed with the woman's unique, crisp scent, overwhelmed all his senses without warning.

Amidst the misty haze, he saw a few strands of Liu Yunshu's dark hair clinging damply to her neck.

A drop of water rolled down her slender chin with a soft "plop," creating ripples on the surface of the water.

Those almond-shaped eyes, which were always smiling, were now veiled with a layer of embarrassment and annoyance, like glass that had been soaked in water, shining brightly.

He instinctively reached out, but grasped at nothing.

Then, a pair of warm lips covered hers.

The sweetness exploded on the tip of the tongue, even more refreshing than the grapes tasted during the day.

The warmth of the pool water and the delicate fragrance of the cold plum blossoms lingered, almost taking our breath away.

He could clearly feel the rise and fall of her chest and the slight trembling of her shoulders, like a startled fawn.

"Miss Liu..."

He called out softly and hoarsely, wanting to pull the person closer.

But the moment her fingertips touched him, the figure vanished, turning into countless fluttering plum blossom petals.

He hurriedly reached out to catch it, but the petal slipped through his fingers, leaving only a cool, refreshing fragrance in the room.

And the soft touch that just won't go away from your lips.

Xiao Hanxing suddenly opened her eyes.

The moonlight outside the window was intense, and its silvery glow filtered through the carved window frame, casting dappled patterns on the bed.

He raised his hand and gently touched the corner of his lips, his fingertips still seeming to retain a trace of warmth.

A faint, cool plum fragrance lingered in my throat, while my heart pounded restlessly.

"Damn it." He looked at the mess, cursed under his breath, and sat up.

But the scenes from my dreams lingered in my mind.

An unexpected kiss in the bathtub, the woman's blushing earlobes when she was embarrassed and annoyed...

A smile involuntarily crept onto his lips, his eyes sparkling with amusement and a hint of heat he himself was unaware of.

This Liu Yunshu is truly... an unforgettable and wonderful person.

The next day, Xiao Hanxing was leisurely enjoying tea in the Zhaixing Pavilion when Xiao Luochen, who had just finished court, strode in with a sullen face.

"Oh! Who has offended His Majesty the Emperor of our Great Han Dynasty? His face is so dark you could wring water out of it."

Xiao Hanxing swirled the teacup in his hand, the delicate fragrance of Biluochun tea wafting through the air.

His eyes still held a hint of amusement, and his tone carried a touch of his usual playful banter.

Xiao Luochen remained silent and sat down directly opposite him.

The hem of the bright yellow dragon robe swept across the rosewood chair, bringing with it an aura of imperial authority.

He picked up the glass of now-cold tea on the table and downed it in one gulp, then glared at him fiercely: "Did you have a wet dream last night?!"

"cough--!"

Xiao Hanxing's hand trembled, and a few drops of tea in the cup splashed out, spreading dark water stains on his dark blue robe.

His ears instantly turned red, but he forced a calm expression and raised an eyebrow. "Now you don't even call me 'brother' anymore?"

"Stop changing the subject!" Xiao Luochen slammed his fingertips heavily on the table.

Xiao Hanxing coughed lightly, pressing his fist to his lips, then adopted a defiant stance despite being in the wrong, and retorted:

"Why do you say I had a wet dream? I suspect you were the one who had it!"

Xiao Luochen choked on his words, his face darkening further. He slammed his hand on the table and said, "I have always been a man of few desires and pure heart. How could I possibly have such a thing as a dream of spring!"

"Is it because you've always been celibate that you occasionally have a sensual dream? Isn't that normal?"

Xiao Hanxing swirled his teacup, his gaze flickering for a moment before he spoke with righteous indignation.

"This means you should take a concubine!"

Xiao Luochen's temples throbbed from his retort. "You're all alone, and you're trying to advise me?"

"What's wrong with being all alone?" Xiao Hanxing put down his teacup, pursed his lips, and a hint of impatience flashed in his eyes. "Those women are such a nuisance..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Yunshu's image suddenly flashed into his mind again.

His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and the second half of the sentence, "It's better to be alone," got stuck in his throat.

He muttered under his breath, "...Not all women are troublesome."

Xiao Luochen only heard the first half. His brows furrowed slightly, and his temples twitched even more as he recalled the memorials in the court that urged the selection of concubines every day.

"Yes, women have always been troublesome. Especially those noble ladies from aristocratic families, whose relationships are so intricate and complex. Marrying them is not just adding a virtuous helpmate, it's practically inviting back the ancestors to check and balance the court."

He rubbed his temples with his fingertips, his voice weary.

"Besides, our long-cherished wish is to unify the world and sweep away all obstacles. How can we have the mind to care about personal feelings at this time?"

His bright yellow robes accentuated the weariness between his brows.

"But those old foxes in the court use the selection of concubines to put pressure on me every day, just to use marriage to install their own power and hinder me."

Xiao Hanxing paused slightly in his toying with the teacup, the playfulness in his eyes fading, replaced by a sharp glint:

"They've got a clever plan, but they've forgotten that we brothers are not puppets to be manipulated."

"By the way, have you been to Master's place recently?" Xiao Luochen changed the subject, stopping his rubbing of his temples.

"No, I was just about to inspect various places when I got injured."

Xiao Hanxing's fingertips traced the rim of the teacup.

"However, Master has always been a loner, and he probably wouldn't like us disturbing him so often."

"Why are you suddenly asking about Master?"

"A few days ago, Master sent me a letter," Xiao Luochen said.

"The letter said that while he was reading ancient books, he discovered that there seemed to be a martial arts manual hidden in a remote valley near the border of the Western Regions, and he wanted us to investigate it."

As he spoke, he coughed lightly, mimicking the tone of the letter, deliberately emphasizing his words:

"The ending also specifically notes—it is said that in that valley there is a silver fish, which is extremely delicious and a rare delicacy."

Xiao Hanxing scoffed and rolled her eyes:

"Master is still the same as ever. His pretense of checking the secret manuals is just a pretense; his real concern is food. Why doesn't he go himself?"

Xiao Luochen lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, a helpless smile flashing across his eyes:

"Don't you understand him? If he could order us around, would he ever bother to move an inch himself?"

"So we're just his personal errand boys?" Xiao Hanxing raised an eyebrow, her tone complaining, but there wasn't much real anger in her eyes.

"Alright, it's inconvenient for me to leave the palace, so I'll trouble you to make this trip, brother." Xiao Luochen picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Oh, Your Majesty calls me 'brother' when you need something, but addresses me by my first name when you don't. Your Majesty's ability to change your expression is such a waste; you should be performing on stage."

Xiao Hanxing scoffed.

Xiao Luochen raised an eyebrow, his bright yellow robe sleeves swaying slightly with the movement, exuding the composure of an emperor:

"Stop being so frivolous. I refuse to believe you're not curious about the taste of those silverfish!"

"Fine, fine, I'll make the trip for you for the sake of the silverfish."

He stood up, his dark blue robes brushing the ground, his posture still elegant.

"However, let me make this clear from the start: if the manual is fake and the silver fish is nowhere to be found, don't blame me."

"Don't worry, Master isn't going to swallow you whole," Xiao Luochen chuckled and shook his head.

"Alright, I'll set off once my injuries have healed a bit."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Yulong Pass.

The wind here is particularly strong, carrying fine sand that stings the face.

Liu Yunshu pulled on the reins, her moon-white robes fluttering in the wind, a few strands of hair brushing against her cheeks.

She looked up at the majestic pass and saw banners fluttering atop the city walls.

The guards' armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight, creating a solemn and imposing atmosphere.

"This is Jade Dragon Pass."

Shen Run spurred his horse forward, his gaze sweeping over the precipitous city wall, his words tinged with admiration.

"As expected of the strategic pass between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, it stands in a natural defense, easy to defend and difficult to attack."

Mu Yunling gripped Liu Yunshu's clothes tightly, her face flushed red from the wind, but her eyes shone with excitement:

"Miss Liu, is this the border? It's even more magnificent than I imagined!"

Although she was somewhat timid from the wind and sand, she still couldn't help but peek out, her breath filled with curiosity about this unfamiliar world.

Liu Yunshu turned slightly to the side and gently straightened her collar, which had been ruffled by the wind. Her voice was gentle:

"Be careful, the sandstorm is strong, don't get it in your eyes."

Mu Yunling quietly raised her eyes and looked at Liu Yunshu's calm profile, her cheeks involuntarily flushing slightly.

Having spent so much time together, she had long been deeply impressed by his gentleness and resilience.

She quietly suppressed the vague feelings she had for Brother Shen.

When Brother Shen and Miss Liu stood together, they looked so well-matched. It was best to keep my feelings to myself.

After entering the pass, the group found an inn to stay in.

I had just sat down, ordered my food, and hadn't even picked up my chopsticks when I heard a familiar, smiling voice from behind me.

"Miss Liu, Brother Shen, how have you been?"

Liu Yunshu looked up and saw Xiao Hanxing dressed in a dark blue outfit.

He still had that iconic folding fan clipped to his waist, and stood smiling at the entrance of the inn.

He stood tall and straight, his dark hair slightly disheveled by the wind.

Although his face bore the marks of travel, his free and unrestrained spirit remained undiminished.

The smile in his deep eyes was even brighter than usual.

"Brother Xiao?" Shen Run stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and looked surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Xiao Hanxing strode forward, his folding fan swishing open with a "whoosh".

He brushed aside the floating dust with a half-hearted gesture, his smile deepening in his eyes:

"I came to Yulong Pass to handle some trivial matters, and I never expected to meet you all here. What a coincidence!"

His gaze swept over Liu Yunshu, pausing slightly at the few specks of sand clinging to her robes.

Her fingertips twitched almost imperceptibly, but she didn't say a word. She simply sat down calmly in the empty seat opposite her.

Seeing Liu Yunshu quietly sipping her tea with her eyes lowered, he turned to Shen Run, raised an eyebrow, and asked:

"Judging from this itinerary, they're heading to the Western Regions? Could it be that they've also heard rumors of some kind of treasure?"

"I'm just accompanying Miss Mu on her search for her relatives, and taking the opportunity to enjoy the scenery of the frontier."

Shen Run responded with a smile, his tone gentle.

"Brother Xiao, you've come alone to this windy and cold place; the matter you're investigating must be of great importance?"

"It's not that important."

Xiao Hanxing tapped the edge of the table lightly with her folding fan, making a crisp sound.

His gaze lingered on Liu Yunshu's lowered eyelashes, his tone casual.

"It's nothing more than running errands for others, searching for some illusory things recorded in ancient books."