Chapter 2: 001

Feng City, winter, heavy snow.

The cold wind howled and snow fell in thick flakes. Feng City was draped in silver; snow piled up on the withered branches, and as the gale blew, the branches snapped, sending the snow cascading down to splatter onto the ground, only to become new layers of snow.

Two large red lanterns hung high before the doorway. The candlelight within was dim, and the lanterns swayed with the cold wind, casting flickering, uneven light.

Through layers of white gauze, a scene of infinite spring could be vaguely glimpsed. The gauze curtains danced with the cold wind like snow suddenly taking flight in the dead of night.

Her eyes were hazy, her body drenched in fragrant sweat. She bloomed enchantingly beneath the man, charmingly yielding to his pleasure.

The passion was boundless, the spring scenery suddenly revealed.

……

"Bu Hui..." The man’s voice was like a demonic chant, bewitching her until she lost her senses.

She wanted to call his name, but her mind was a blank slate. Who was he?

The man’s long hair fell across her chest, brushing lightly against her, blurring her vision. She reached out to coil his hair around her fingers, tugging playfully. The man’s laughter spilled out as his plundering intensified; she seemed to be intoxicated in a dream that would never end.

"Who are you?" she asked. The question went unanswered, met only by the man’s faint, lingering laughter. She began to feel confused, fearful, and evasive. At a loss, she tried to escape his confinement, but he gripped her wrists, and a sharp pain spread, striking straight at her heart.

"Ah..." She bolted upright in bed, drenched in sweat. The maid, Bingyue, heard the sound and lifted the curtain to enter the inner chamber, only to see Yun Bu Hui’s fair cheeks flushed with a boundless, bewitching allure. Bingyue could not help but be stunned.

Yun Bu Hui fully awakened from the dream, the haze in her eyes swept away, replaced by indifference and composure.

"Miss, are you alright?" Bingyue asked.

Yun Bu Hui shook her head. Her face was calm, but her heart was churning with turbulent waves. What was wrong with her? She had been having erotic dreams for several days in a row... She couldn't see the man in her dreams clearly, only hear his faint, lingering laughter.

If it were just one erotic dream, it might be understandable, but to have them for several nights in a row—what was the meaning of this?

Bingyue brought warm water, and Yun Bu Hui washed up and had some breakfast.

She pushed open the window. The snow was thick on the small attic, and in the courtyard, cold plum blossoms were in bloom, standing proud against the frost and snow with infinite grace. She loved the pride of the plum, its integrity, and its unyielding tenacity. In such a cold winter, its subtle fragrance was refreshing and heart-soothing.

Just as she was about to go out to cut a plum branch to place in a vase, Bingyue hurried in. The blizzard rushed in with her as she pushed the door open, the cold wind hitting her face. Yun Bu Hui shivered slightly, frowning as she looked at the panicked and uneasy Bingyue.

"What is it?"

"Miss, your uncle wants you to go to the front hall... The eldest young master of the Cheng family is here."