At this moment, the small boat glides onto the mist-shrouded waters of deep spring, and he poles it slowly along the winding, twisting river path. Though it has been a very long time since he returned, this beautiful path leading to Langping Waterside Pavilion has always been deeply imprinted in his mind and heart; he could find his way even with his eyes closed.

  Ahead, the narrow waterway suddenly opens up, and the long boat glides into the pavilion. He moors it neatly and jumps ashore. When the maids in the pavilion see him, they all smile and turn away, knowing who he has come to find. Their delicate fingers all point to one place — that entire patch of purple acacia forest that completely covers the sky.

  Smiling, he steps into the purple forest he planted with his own hands.

  The forest is already eight or nine years old, and every purple acacia tree has grown splendidly. Their trunks are thick and sturdy, their roots deep in the spring mud of Jiangnan, and their upper branches intertwine and weave together, forming a denser, more beautiful purple haze than the forest in Nanyang.

  His landlady is right there in the dreamlike purple haze, sitting on a swing, swaying it idly back and forth. Hearing the familiar footsteps, Hua Duomei turns her head gracefully and gives him a bright, tooth-showing smile.

  "Why are you so early? I thought you were going to discuss matters with the Feng family of Haining today, and still have to handle the cargo on those three large ships, so you would come back later."

  "Nothing important, so I came back early." He politely declined the Feng family's invitation to a banquet. After five days of nonstop busyness since arriving in Jiangnan, he can finally slow down today and quietly enjoy the tranquility of the purple forest with her.

  "That's wonderful. Tonight, Aunt Shuang and the sisters are all here, and Yu Chengfo has also come with Yu Hong. Let's have a family feast here at the waterside pavilion, okay?"

  "Okay." He nods.

  Then he walks to her side, brushes a hand over that fair face blessed by heaven, and hooks his firm lips into a smile.

  "Alone here, what are you thinking about?"

  Hua Duomei shakes her little head. The purple haze gilds her cheeks, her eyes, and lingers on her lips. She says with a smile: "I'm thinking about how you bullied me back then, sir."

  "I bullied you?"

  "That's right. I tripped over a tree root right over there, and you hid over there snickering. Then you pinned me down right there, and there, and there..." Her slender fingers busily point all around, marking every spot where the "crime" happened, "My ankle was locked in a silver chain, I couldn't move. You were so cruel, so despicable, you pinned me down and had your way with me."

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  The more Lei Salang hears, the more he wants to laugh, his thick eyebrows raised high. That was the first time they made love outdoors in this purple forest. He told her the old legend from Ximo, and then he truly watered this purple acacia forest with the love that fused him and her...

  "If the landlady wants revenge, and wants to pin me down and bully me here in this purple forest, I will obey completely, without a single word of complaint." His tone could not be more sincere.

  Her cheeks flush a deep purple, and Hua Duomei laughs heartily, her face blooming like a flower. The next moment, she lets go of the swing rope, actively wraps her arms around his waist, and presses her cheek to his chest.

  This small, gentle movement of hers tugs inexplicably at Lei Salang's heart. He holds her back, one hand stroking that soft long hair that has grown past her shoulders. The two lean quietly against each other, neither speaking, neither needing to speak.

  After a long while, her clear, soft female voice floats out with a smile, as if she has suddenly felt like chatting as she asks lightly: "Lei Salang, you said Lier Zhen and Lan Qier will be here in two days, is that really true?"

  "It is. They will get here by noon the day after tomorrow at the latest." When he mentions his precious little sister, his tone involuntarily softens.

  "Alas, once master's precious sister arrives, I'm afraid this poor girl will be kicked all the way to the ends of the earth — ah!" She gasps lightly. Her slender waist is clamped tight by a thick arm, and lifted sharply upward. In an instant, her whole feet leave the ground as she is pressed tight against the man's firm chest.

  Face to face, her beautiful eyes meet his deep ones.

  Lei Salang's mouth tugs up faintly, an unspoken smile playing on his lips. He says nothing, but the look in his eyes is so deep it pierces the heart, as if silently telling her: she holds an irreplaceable place in his heart.

  Hua Duomei understands, and her heart stirs. In his eyes, which reflect the purple haze, she also sees her own eyes, reflecting the same purple haze. Her throat tightens slightly. She blinks her misty eyes, laughs softly, and changes the subject to chat, her voice low and hoarse: "Lan Qier will bring the two children, right? Those two children are so handsome. After I met them last spring, I've been thinking about them."

  "Our children will definitely be just as handsome." Lei Salang says calmly, his eyes burning.

  "Ah?" Her pretty face freezes in surprise.

  "What's that 'ah' for? Don't you think so?" His black eyebrows suddenly lower.

  Her child and his... Hua Duomei's eyes curve drunkenly, her whole body goes soft, and warm spring floods her heart. She slowly leans into the crook of his neck, melting into his steady, calming scent.

  "Master Lei Salang, our children will definitely be handsome sons and beautiful daughters, unparalleled in the whole world."

  Hot breath falls into her small mouth, she opens her lips to welcome the man's tongue, and they kiss deeply, slow and thorough.

  "Lei Salang..."

  "Hmm?"

  "This landlady has practiced unique secret arts for a long time. Even past fifty, conceiving a child is as easy as flipping my hand."

  "Hmm?" What does she mean?

  "So that means... Now that we want to raise a baby, if we can't conceive, it's definitely not because of this landlady's bad constitution. It must be you, master, something wrong with your health, your qi and blood are too weak."

  The dark eyes sunk in the kiss between their lips suddenly widen round.

  Qi and blood... too weak?

  He, is too weak?!

  "I think we'd better postpone tonight's family feast, landlady." His round, wide eyes narrow into thin slits. He snorts coldly, and his voice turns harsh, "Anyway, you absolutely will not walk out of this purple acacia forest tonight!"

  A man's dignity is no joking matter. And so, on this brilliant spring evening, the landlady paid a painful price for her slip of the tongue...