The Arch-Enemy Must Not Become a Wife

"But each person only has one chance, so everyone please take turns shooting at the target."

The scene became lively for a moment, and everyone looked up at the lantern riddle.

Chu Xuan and his companion did the same, Qingqing looked at a round lantern and recited word by word: "A hut of straw, a red canopy, inside lives a chubby fellow."

She pondered for a moment, and suddenly clapped her hands, "I know it!"

But by that time, a couple had already approached the old man, and the man pointed excitedly at the lantern, "The answer is ’peanut’!"

The old man smiled and struck a gong, "Correct!"

Watching the couple happily choose their prize, Qingqing couldn’t help but pout, "I clearly guessed it first."

Chu Xuan smiled and said, "There are still plenty of lantern riddles left. Come, look at this one, ’Round when drawn, square when written, short in winter, long in summer.’"

Qingqing pondered again, but before she could guess the answer, a scholarly-looking man stepped forward confidently and said, "It’s a ’sun’."

When everyone heard this, they suddenly understood, and there was another round of gong striking and prize claiming.

This time, Qingqing was anxious, shaking Chu Xuan’s hand and playfully said, "Quickly help me guess one, or else the easy ones will all be guessed by others, leaving only the difficult ones."

"What’s wrong with the difficult ones? I prefer to guess the difficult ones." Chu Xuan’s voice was full of confidence, drawing the gaze of those around them.

Even the scholar-dressed old man smiled and said, "Young man, how about you try guessing this one?"

He pointed to an octagonal bright lantern above his head, and Chu Xuan looked at it with interest and said, "A white snake crosses the river, a red sun upon its head. A black dragon climbs the wall, its body dressed in a thousand golden stars."

The old man nodded, "This is a couplet, the upper line refers to one thing, and the lower line refers to another. If you can guess both, you can have a double prize."

Chu Xuan pondered for a moment, then tapped his folding fan and laughed, "The upper line is ’lantern’, the lower line is ’balance’."

The scholar-dressed old man immediately looked surprised, and he struck the gong, "Correct!"

For a moment, the people around them marveled, though some still didn’t understand why it was these two things, frowning and contemplating.

Even Qingqing, though happy inside, was also a bit puzzled. Chu Xuan met her gaze and explained, "The white snake refers to the wick, the floating oil within the lantern represents the river surface, the red sun atop the wick, isn’t that just a lantern?"

"The lower line is simpler, the black dragon refers to the balance beam, the golden stars refer to the gold scales on the beam."

Upon hearing this, everyone understood, praising Chu Xuan’s brilliance.

Only then did Qingqing happily take her husband’s hand and went forward to claim the prize together.

Looking at the rows of prizes on the table, Chu Xuan smiled and asked, "What do you want?"

Qingqing picked and chose, finally picking up a "lovers’ knot" woven with red thread, and then looked at Chu Xuan with hopeful eyes.

Because this lovers’ knot was meant for a pair, obviously for a couple. Typically, one person needs to solve a lantern riddle. Now Chu Xuan had already solved Qingqing’s portion too.

Naturally, Chu Xuan picked up the remaining lovers’ knot and personally tied it to Qingqing’s waist.

Qingqing, happily blushing, hurriedly tied the knot she held to Chu Xuan’s waist as well.

Then they left hand in hand to enjoy the festivities elsewhere.

...

That night, the two had a wonderful time, and it wasn’t until the fifth watch, when dawn was breaking, that the grand lantern festival came to an end, and the crowd gradually dispersed.

Qingqing was still not quite ready to leave, continuously saying, "That was so much fun~"

Chu Xuan replied gently, "Then let’s come again next time."

Qingqing initially looked at him with a smile, but as she smiled, tears unknowingly filled her eyes, and she choked up, "Really, really will there be a next time?"

"Sometimes I wonder, am I already dead? Is this just a lovely dream I have before I reincarnate in the underworld..."

"Silly girl~" Chu Xuan affectionately kissed her forehead, "Come on, I won’t go back on my word about what I promised you earlier."

Qingqing’s heart fluttered with excitement, no longer lost in thought, feeling all nervous, nodding with a flushed face, and following him to the inn where they stayed.

In the clean, elegant high-class guest room exuding a luxurious aura.

Chu Xuan first laid out the array plate, setting up the array, then slowly came to the bed and began to unhurriedly take off his outer clothes.

Qingqing, however, sat stiffly by the bed, not moving, only inhaling and exhaling continuously... she seemed terribly nervous.

Chu Xuan laughed at her demeanor, "I knew you only had a sharp tongue, but when it comes to real action, you immediately back down."

"You’re the one backing down!" Qingqing glared at him and then, as if to prove him wrong, started to angrily take off her clothes.

Chu Xuan said gently, "Don’t rush. Just relax later. I’ll guide you."

Listening to this, Qingqing replied sourly, "How come you’re so skilled, just how many times have you done this with other women?"

Chu Xuan was speechless, "Not as many as you imagine, just in this life, it hasn’t... hasn’t been that many times."

Recalling being drained by Qing’er before, he initially wanted to say, "I can’t even count them," but changed his words quickly.

"Enough of that, just focus on me."

Qingqing finally nodded, whispering, "I heard the first time hurts, but I’ll try to endure it."

"For me?" He smiled with his eyes.

"No, not for you, note that well," Qingqing huffed softly.

"You, with only a tough mouth all over your body."

Chu Xuan finally removed all his restraints, lowered his head to kiss Qingqing, and gently laid her down on the bed, as the atmosphere grew increasingly intimate.

"W-wait," Qingqing said, red-faced and breathless, "Still... not done yet."

"I know, I’ll help you." Chu Xuan’s actions became more wanton and unreserved...

That night, the warm spring canopy felt rich with dewdrops, the room filled with amorous love. In dreams, life’s entangled guests, indulging briefly in soft jade.

...

By late morning, the guest room was still aglow with red candles.

Qingqing, who was once so prideful, now lay like a lazy kitten, soft and powerless in Chu Xuan’s arms.

She sniffed the nice scent of the man, with a face showing satisfaction, contentment and a touch of affection, seemingly recalling the details of before.

Chu Xuan couldn’t help but tease, "You little ’water doll’."

Qingqing paused but soon understood, immediately embarrassed and angry, she hit him, "You’re the water doll! And yours is less?"

Chu Xuan laughed and kissed her, "Alright, alright, not less, not less."

Qingqing relented, gently biting his shoulder, "I’ve given you everything; if ever, you dare to betray me..."

Chu Xuan held her hand, looked seriously into her eyes, and said, "I swear, I will never betray Qingqing in this life."

Qingqing was overjoyed by these words and kissed her beloved repeatedly.

The two lingered together for a while, chatting intimately, before Chu Xuan held her and prepared to get up for a bath and to dress.

Unexpectedly, Qingqing suddenly turned around and sat up, took the initiative, and pulled Chu Xuan into another session, catching him by surprise.

"Hey, hey, you’ve only just tasted it; you should take a break!"

Qingqing’s face was flushed, and she declared, "I don’t care; I want more!"

A while later, Chu Xuan sighed, "A beauty at sixteen, her body like cream, wielding a sword at her waist slices commonfolk. Though no heads are seen to fall, inside she drains one’s marrow."

...

In the northern region, at Broken Sword Mountain.

Ji Mingyu, in snowy white clothes, sat alone on the precipice, hugging a little snow mink.

Her eyes were full of melancholy, "Do you think, why hasn’t Chu Xuan returned yet? Will he really come to the Ancient Battlefield?"

This question, the little mink had heard many times over the past month, but it still consoled her, "He will return, he surely will. Though the northern region is vast, there aren’t many places Chu Xuan can go, right?"

"He won’t go to most of Langhuan Grotto Heaven, so he must come here, even just to check if the senior sister is still around."