When Chen Kuang opened his mouth at that moment, it wasn't because he was really backing down or genuinely asking Shen Xingzhu to make a request of him.
He was baiting her.
Since the enemy lurked in the shadows while he stood exposed, and Shen Xingzhu clearly had her own plans, he intended to feign weakness and prompt her into revealing something.
As long as Shen Xingzhu made a request, it would inevitably be something in her interest, perhaps even related to the hidden goal she was likely plotting.
Chen Kuang would then be able to judge whether her words were true or false. A few more follow-up questions would suffice to probe her true intentions.
At that point, he could simply refuse the request,and Shen Xingzhu's entire scheme would collapse.
Of course, that was the best-case scenario.
Chen Kuang wasn't holding out too much hope. This was just a lure he tossed out casually. If it caught anything, great; if not, no loss.
Unexpectedly, Shen Xingzhu actually fell silent for a while.
As if she really was seriously thinking about it...
The big turtle continued to paddle along slowly.
The surroundings were filled with the sounds of water and insects, and in the distance came the vague shouts of fishermen.
Shen Meinan had no interest in their conversation. Bored, she retracted her dangling feet.
After running one complete cycle of Innate Converged Force through her body, her clothes had completely dried from the residual steam.
The girl turned around and saw that Chen Kuang's clothes were still damp. She gave a couple of light coughs and interjected with a solemn expression:
"Isn't it uncomfortable staying soaked like that?"
Of course it was uncomfortable, but Chen Kuang had no alternative.
He remained deeply wary of Shen Xingzhu and dared not recklessly circulate his Spiritual Energy in front of her.
Without having reached the Innate Realm, his Spiritual Energy reserves were still pitifully small.
If he tried to activate White Lotus Rebirth, one use would exhaust everything he had, so naturally, he wasn't about to waste it here.
All he could do was maintain the Descent from Tusita Heaven state, allowing his Spiritual Energy to overflow passively and wash away the moisture bit by bit.
Chen Kuang sighed.
"It's uncomfortable, yeah, but once we're ashore, I'll let the wind dry it out naturally."
Shen Meinan's eyes lit up, and she began to shift closer with obvious excitement.
"That's so troublesome. Just turn around, I'll use my Spiritual Energy to help you!"
As she spoke, she scooted over and reached out both hands, ready to place them on his back.
In her heart, she did feel a little regret.
In all those romance storybooks she'd read, there was always some scene where the male and female leads were seriously injured, forced to undress and heal each other by transferring energy, it was an intimate moment where love blossomed.
But now... no injuries, no stripping, and in broad daylight, it was all lacking just a bit of that dramatic flair.
Of course, she didn't really want Chen Kuang to be injured.
But she thought to herself: If I were injured and he helped me channel energy to heal... that would be nice..
Though knowing herself, she'd probably laugh and ruin the mood when it actually happened.
She muttered silently to herself, but her hands didn't pause.
Chen Kuang turned away, vaguely hearing the girl giggling and feeling her inching closer. Somehow, he began to suspect that he was the one being taken advantage of here.
Come to think of it, Shen Xingzhu could probably see all of this right now...
Chen Kuang's expression became a little odd.
By all logic, shouldn't she be stepping in?
Her own twin sister getting all flirty with a random guy, especially one she personally had a grudge against, and she wasn't saying a word?
Just as Chen Kuang started thinking that Shen Xingzhu wouldn't say anything after all, her voice suddenly rang out coldly.
Her tone was calm as always, but her words were anything but.
"I have only one condition-"
"You're not allowed to touch her."
She said.
Chen Kuang: "..."
Shen Meinan froze, then her face instantly turned bright red. As if electrocuted, she yanked her hands away with a swish.
"I-I-what are you talking about?!"
Shen Xingzhu continued with her cold tone, "That is my only request. If you agree, I will swear not to lay a hand on you until you leave Liang's borders."
Chen Kuang was about to reject her outright just to trigger his passive.
But reject this? Hell no.
If he refused the condition of "not touching Shen Meinan," then the passive Refusal Stands would ensure that touching her would become an inevitability.
In other words, he'd be guaranteed to touch her.
While Chen Kuang wouldn't claim to be a good man as he didn't even really have principles, or he wouldn't be so ambiguously entangled with Chu Wenruo, he wasn't the kind to cross a line recklessly either.
Everything had to be consensual and mutual, with clear understanding between both sides.
That was the baseline for adults.
Though he didn't mind teasing Shen Meinan occasionally, he was well aware that her feelings right now were just impulsive infatuation, love at first (lustful) sight.
She clearly hadn't considered how much pressure and opposition she'd face if she really followed him around.
Especially with her unique identity.
Chen Kuang had already warned her once, that was the most he could do. To put it plainly, he was the one trying to make use of Shen Meinan, not the other way around.
He wasn't noble enough to try pulling her from the edge of the abyss.
Especially when he could barely protect himself.
His clothes were still dripping wet.
Look at the two of them, like drowned rats, caught in their own individual mires, struggling desperately to escape.
But if the vines they grasped for were the ends of the same rope, then any pull would only drag the other under.
In that case, they absolutely could not be tied together.
Young love was poetry, but sometimes, poetry was all it could ever be.
Chen Kuang looked at Shen Meinan's hopeful eyes, smiled, and said:
"Fairy Shen, I can't accept that. What kind of condition is that, anyway? I am a proper gentleman, I will naturally treat your esteemed sister with all due respect."
He added seriously, "Besides, we're just friends."
Shen Meinan blinked. Her lips pursed slightly, and she lowered her head, seemingly disappointed.
But soon, she lifted her head again with a bright smile. "Mm! We're good friends! The kind that hit it off at first sight!"
Shen Xingzhu spoke blandly, "Oh? You have three storybooks under your bed that all start with 'good friends at first sight.'"
Shen Meinan's eyes widened. She grabbed her longevity lock in horror.
"You- you-you-you-Shen Xingzhu, you went through the stuff under my bed?!"
She was so shocked, she actually shouted out Shen Xingzhu's full name.
"What did you do to my books?!"
Shen Xingzhu replied coolly, "They were offensive to the eye. I burned them."
Shen Meinan's face went pale.
She nearly fainted.
"I'll fight you!"
Tears welled up in her eyes. She rammed her forehead against the longevity lock in her hands.
The lock was fine, but her own forehead turned beet red.
Chen Kuang couldn't help laughing.
The big turtle paddled for a while longer, finally arriving at a dense patch of reeds.
The tall stalks swayed in the wind. More and more boats were beginning to appear nearby, stirring up ripples as they passed.
They had arrived at the Wild Ferry Crossing.
"Right on time. I wonder where Qingcuo and the others are waiting, and whether they've encountered any pursuers..."
Chen Kuang looked toward the distant dock, fingers instinctively brushing across his zither strings.
...
Compared to the bustling splendor of Guandu Port, the Wild Ferry Crossing looked downright shabby.
The fishermen's boats were weathered by years of wear and tear, their hulls covered in mottled damage. Hemp ropes, fishing nets, and scraps of cloth were piled on deck.
Many of the boatmen were weather-beaten, with coarse skin and tired eyes, casting wide-meshed nets as they drifted across the lake.
There were also some larger boats from local canal gangs. On their decks sat a few muscular men in tight black clothing, who watched the fishermen sharply.
Even fishing at the Eastern Court Lake required tribute.
No fisherman was allowed to keep large fish to themselves. Any fish over ten jin had to be offered as tribute to the Lake Dragon King.
"Tien Li, look, who's that girl? Never seen her before," one gang member on watch suddenly said, tugging at the arm of his companion.
"Zhang Daqiu, since when are you into that type?" the other joked, turning his head.
Sure enough, there was a small boat with a veiled woman cradling a child.
She had a scarf wrapped around her head, sallow skin, nervous movements, seemingly indistinguishable from the wife of any ordinary fisherman.
But Tien Li had once served as a guard for a noble house. Something about her didn't sit right.
Then it hit him.
Her back was too straight.
Tien Li's expression hardened. He kicked Zhang Daqiu and muttered, "Get moving. That woman's suspicious."
He gestured with his eyes. "Follow and check her out."