Hibiscus as a Painting

Chapter 145

Jun Lin stood up blankly, and it took him a long time to realize what had happened: "You... Pfft..." Before he could finish speaking, Zi Jin slapped him, soaking him from head to toe. Zi Jin laughed and ran away into the distance.

"I won't let you get away with this!" Jun Lin scooped up some water and splashed it at Zi Jin.

Zi Jin screamed and ran away, not forgetting to retaliate when she had the chance. Jun Lin deliberately let Zi Jin have her way, so he was the one who got hit more often, but he couldn't bear to actually splash water on her, he was just pretending.

Under the bright moonlight, the reflections of the two playfully interacted and chased each other in the water. Zi Jin's soft laughter echoed in the valley for a long time, while Jun Lin's phoenix eyes were full of gentle smiles, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

"What kind of behavior is this!" Prince Anle stood by the lake, his clothes neat and his face ashen, and shouted angrily.

Dugu Xihui also seemed to be awake, still wearing the same clothes he had on when he entered the tent, unusually neat, and looking at the two people in the lake with an unfriendly expression.

Zi Jin tilted her head, her smile gradually freezing on her face. She stood there for a long time before walking step by step toward the shore where the two of them were standing.

Seeing Zi Jin's aggrieved appearance, Jun Lin felt extremely frustrated. His phoenix eyes were filled with gloom, and his hands clenched into fists.

Zi Jin walked step by step to Dugu Xihui and Prince Anle's side, stood in the shallow water, and reached for her boots. The two saw Zi Jin's bare feet in the water. Dugu Xihui squinted and turned her face away, while Prince Anle's breathing quickened as he suppressed his anger and slowly turned his head away.

Seeing the two turn away, Zi Jin's hand, which had reached for her boots, suddenly changed direction. She scooped up a handful of water and splashed it at them, then turned and ran towards Jun Lin, shouting, "Jun Lin, prepare for battle! Prepare for battle! Ah! Don't launch a sneak attack!"

Dugu Xihui's expression changed, a hint of joy flashed in her eyes, and she suddenly ran into the water and splashed water at Zi Jin. Zi Jin, who was still running, was caught off guard and was hit squarely.

Seeing that Zi Jin had been tricked, Jun Lin was unwilling to give up and immediately retaliated. Zi Jin stood behind Jun Lin, launching occasional sneak attacks; the two worked together seamlessly.

Each time Dugu Xihui was hit, the resentment on her face increased. Finally, she realized that two fists could not fight four hands, and with an unfriendly expression, she scooped up water and splashed it at Prince Anle: "What are you glaring at? Don't you know you should come down and help?"

Anle Wang's gloomy face turned angry. He quickly went into the water and splashed Dugu Xihui with water.

Enraged, Dugu Xihui disregarded the fact that she was attacked from both sides and turned to attack Prince Anle. Jun Lin and Zi Jin exchanged a knowing smile, and together they splashed water at Prince Anle.

Prince Anle was so preoccupied with his anger towards Dugu Xihui that he never expected to be ambushed. Turning around, he saw Zi Jin's sly smile and sneered, "Little mute, I won't let you get away with this!"

"Jun Lin, go!" Zi Jin screamed, pulling up her skirt and quickly hiding behind Jun Lin.

Seeing Anle Wang's frustrated expression, Dugu Xihui found it amusing. Suddenly remembering how she herself had been bullied by two people earlier, she decided to stand firmly on Anle Wang's side after much deliberation. The result of the two-to-two scoreline tipped the scales completely in one direction.

Zi Jun and his companion suffered greatly. Jun Lin's offense and defense were well-balanced, but he ultimately couldn't overcome their cunning. In the end, Jun Lin simply stood in front of Zi Jin whenever he saw the water splashing towards them. Even with this comprehensive protection, Zi Jin was still completely soaked, her hair dripping wet.

Jun Lin felt a pang of heartache, but seeing Zi Jin's happy expression, he couldn't bear to interrupt her playfulness, so he did his best to shield her from the incoming water mist.

Screams, splashing water, and muffled groans filled the silent valley, and the guards who had been watching silently from the shadows showed genuine smiles on their faces.

Sikou Xunxiang, dressed in white with silver hair, had an unusually pale face. His thin, feather-like eyelashes trembled slightly, and his slightly purple lips were pressed into a thin line. He stood quietly outside the tent, his gentle eyes shimmering with a heartbreaking light, gazing at the four people playing on the lake for a long, long time.

Zi Jin's sneeze made everyone stop their playful banter and stand there dumbfounded, looking at Zi Jin with various expressions.

Zi Jin shouted, "I'm fine."

Without saying a word, Jun Lin forcibly carried Zi Jin out of the water and wrapped her tightly in a thick fur cloak.

Dugu Xihui quickly stepped forward and used his internal energy to dry the water off her body, and a trace of anxiety flashed in Anle Wang's eyes.

Zi Jin stared at the four extremely nervous people in front of her with complicated emotions, feeling an indescribable discomfort in her heart.

Surrounded by a comforting warmth, Zi Jin finally succumbed to the day's exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.

Jun Lin carried Zi Jin toward her tent.

Dugu Xihui stood motionless, his expression complex.

King Anle took two steps and then retreated, standing awkwardly in place.

Jun Lin gently placed Zi Jin back in the tent. Looking at the thin blanket, he frowned slightly. He returned to his own tent, retrieved his own bedding and blankets, and wrapped Zi Jin tightly in them, his face filled with worry. He sat silently by the bed, gazing intently at Zi Jin's sleeping face, a genuine smile appearing on his lips. He gently smoothed Zi Jin's disheveled hair, his hand pausing in mid-air. After a long while, he slowly reached out to touch Zi Jin's eyebrows. The touch was scalding hot. His calm, composed phoenix eyes flashed with panic. He abruptly stood up, unsure what to do, and strode out of the tent.

Seeing the two still standing there in a daze, Jun Lin spoke with difficulty: "Jin'er, you have a fever."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Xihui and Prince Anle suddenly snapped out of their daze, staring blankly at Jun Lin before quickly entering Zi Jin's tent.

Si Kou Xunxiang, who had been standing still, looked pale and his expression changed repeatedly. He could no longer remain calm and quickly walked into Zi Jin's tent.

All three had anxious and worried expressions in their eyes. Dugu Xihui and Prince Anle unanimously suggested returning to Shanzhong Town immediately. Jun Lin thought about it and had no better solution, so he could only agree.

However, figuring out how to get back was a real problem for everyone. They had all come on horseback, and now it was too late to catch a carriage. The weather in the mountain town was much colder, and if they caught a chill and their cold worsened, it would be even more dangerous.

During this time, Sikou Xunxiang stood aside and listened silently. He looked at Zi Jin, whose face was flushed, and said softly, "Come with me in the carriage."

The decision was final.

Zi Jin's face was unusually flushed, and she was wrapped up very tightly. She lay on the soft couch in the spacious carriage, with warm hand warmers around her.

Si Kou Xunxiang sat beside the bed, staring intently at Zi Jin's sleeping face. His dark, warm eyes concealed a torrent of struggle and longing. A surge of inexplicable emotions pounded against his heart like a heatwave, causing intense pain and aches, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably.

Perhaps the temperature inside the car was too high, because Zi Jin, who was asleep, pouted slightly and stretched her hands out of the blanket as if she were being naughty.

Seeing Zi Jin's appearance, Si Kou Xunxiang's inner turmoil and unease gradually subsided. His eyes calmed, a faint smile appearing on his face, and his heart was filled with a strange sense of fulfillment and peace. He seemed to consider for a while before slowly reaching out and taking Zi Jin's exposed hand, moving it under the quilt. In her sleep, Zi Jin felt the refreshing coolness of the hand and grasped its icy touch in return.

A hint of surprise flashed in Si Kou Xunxiang's eyes, his movements faltered, and his heart overflowed with joy. After a long while, he slowly opened his palm and took Zi Jin's hand into his own, tightening it little by little, as if he were using all his strength to hold on tightly, not daring to loosen his grip even slightly, as if he wanted to hold on for a lifetime, never wanting to let go.

In her sleep, Zi Jin felt the trembling and unease in that hand. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she reached out to gently pat Si Kou Xunxiang's hand, as if to soothe his unease, his fear, and his barely perceptible guilt.

Si Kou Xunxiang's hands trembled even more violently. Looking at Zi Jin's appearance, his eyes were filled with regret and reluctance. His eyes were slightly red and shimmering. He tried to open his eyes wide to hide the tears in them.

Just then, the carriage lurched violently, sending Zi Jin flying high into the air before she crashed heavily onto the soft couch. Si Kou Xun Xiang reached out his other hand, but it was too late; he could only watch helplessly as Zi Jin fell. Zi Jin's brows furrowed tightly, and she began to cough.

Si Kou Xunxiang looked at Zi Jin, who was coughing violently, his brows furrowed with panic, his face showing helplessness and heartache. He could only reach out his other hand and gently pat Zi Jin, unsure whether to comfort her or himself.

Once Zi Jin calmed down, Si Kou Xunxiang had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead. He turned to the car window and whispered, "Jin Yu, tell them to slow down."

After a long while, Jin Yu outside spoke up and replied, "Reporting to you, Master, the master has been urging us to hurry on our journey, presumably because he is worried about the young lady's condition."