CHAPTER 682

Chapter 682 The Eldest Miss's Darling

When he woke up the next day, it was already in the early hours of the morning, at the break of dawn. The sky outside was still a tapestry of twinkling stars, the silver autumn frost glistening on the roof beams, bringing a distinct chill to the air.

The Xiao household was bustling with activity, alight with lanterns. Everyone was busy; both Madam Xiao and her eldest daughter had risen early, overseeing the servants as they loaded a variety of goods onto the horse carts. There were bolts of fabric and silk, bars of soap, and bottles of perfume, filling the carts to the brim.

Lin Wanrong, yawning, emerged from within. The Eldest Miss, setting aside what she was holding, hurried to his side with a look of concern. "It's still early. Why didn't you sleep a little longer?" she asked tenderly.

Lin Wanrong had been tirelessly traveling these past days, journeying from the Miao villages to the grasslands, from the vast desert to the seaside, never stopping, day and night. His fatigue was evident.

He shook his head with a smile. "I used to be woken by you in the past; I've grown accustomed to it. Last night, lying in that bed again, I instinctively woke up at the usual time, unable to fall back asleep," he said, glancing around. Lowering his voice, he added in a mysterious tone, "For some reason, lying in that bed brings back memories of our past times. Ah, I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe you, Eldest Miss, could cure me of this affliction!"

"Cure you indeed!" The Eldest Miss, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and joy, scolded him playfully. "Why aren't you helping Mother?"

Madam Xiao was directing the loading of the carts and meticulously checking each item. The cold morning air had frosted her hair, making it sparkle like crystals, adding to her elegant beauty.

Lin Wanrong, in a hurry, approached her. "Madam, please rest. Allow me to handle these tasks."

Madam Xiao looked at him, shaking her head with a gentle smile. "You've been traveling non-stop this past year, covering thousands of miles. Your exhaustion far surpasses mine. You've handled all the major affairs; now, rest well. I can manage these small matters."

She continued to count and record the goods herself, her demeanor calm and composed.

Lin Wanrong felt a warmth in his heart at her words. "You are too kind, Madam. These are tasks that men should handle, not you."

Without further ado, he gently pulled at her sleeve, guiding her down from her task, and then jumped onto the cart himself, taking over the sorting and organizing of the goods.

Madam Xiao watched him, her eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and contemplation, before she let out a soft sigh.

"Madam, you've prepared thoroughly for everything—food, clothing, shelter, travel, it's all there," Lin Wanrong noted as he checked the items, which included samples, dry food, clothing, medicines, and even dozens of bedding sets, clearly prepared for their life on the ship.

Madam Xiao nodded with a smile. "Sea voyages are unpredictable, and it's always good to be prepared. You'll appreciate these provisions when the need arises."

Lin Wanrong nodded slightly, seeing that the Eldest Miss had almost finished her inventory as well. He hopped down from the cart, whispering, "It's about time. We should set off now."

With a soft sigh, Madam Xiao resignedly nodded. Xiao Yuruo, her eyes brimming with tears, tightly held her mother's hand. "Mother, don't worry. We're traveling to Goryeo on an ironclad ship, escorted by the Great Hua navy. Nothing will go wrong. We'll be back in less than two months!"

Madam Xiao softly responded, gently brushing away the dewdrops glistening in her daughter's hair. "Goryeo is far from here, across a vast sea. It's a foreign land where the language and customs are unfamiliar. You must be careful on your journey."

Lin Wanrong quickly joined the conversation, chuckling, "Madam, there's no need to worry. After all, I'm here! Haven't you witnessed my capabilities? I'll never let Eldest Miss suffer any injustices."

"It's you I'm worried about!" Madam Xiao said with a laugh, giving him a knowing look. "I'm well aware of Yuruo's abilities. No cunning Goryeo native can deceive her. It's only when she's with you that she loses her sense of judgement. If my daughter is wronged, it will undoubtedly be your doing."

Lin Wanrong, delighted at this acknowledgment, laughed heartily, while the Eldest Miss rolled her eyes at him. She whispered, "Remember what Mother said. Don't you dare bully me on the road!"

"How would you define bullying?" he winked slyly, grinning mischievously. "Don't forget, we now have a marriage agreement, hehe!"

Confronted with such shamelessness, Xiao Yuruo's cheeks flushed, and she silently lowered her head, but she did not give in, as she fiercely pinched his palm, which only intensified his playful itch.

The two boarded the carriage, and with a flick of the whip, the carriage slowly started, heading down the long street.

"Yuruo—" Madam Xiao's soft call came from behind. They quickly turned around to see her waving vigorously, her tears silently flowing down her jade-like cheeks.

"Mother!" The Eldest Miss cried out, about to jump off the carriage, but Lin Wanrong quickly held her back.

Struggling at first, she suddenly stopped, burying herself into his broad embrace, and began to sob uncontrollably.

Lin Wanrong sighed deeply. Partings are always hard, especially for a journey to Goryeo, a destination rarely visited by people from Great Hua. He understood the emotions of Madam Xiao and her daughter.

"Don't worry, we'll return soon," he comforted Xiao Yuruo, gently patting her shoulder. "Once this task is done, I'll settle down for good and bring Madam to the capital. Then our family will be together, never to be apart again. Sounds good, doesn't it?"

The Eldest Miss nodded slightly, nestled in his arms. "Mother said you're not to bully me. Did you remember that?"

"Remember? Of course, I did!" He chuckled, hugging her tightly. "Even if Madam Xiao hadn't mentioned it, how could I ever bear to bully you? Wouldn't that be asking for my own demise?"

Xiao Yuruo looked at him shyly, her eyes softening. "You always know how to sweet-talk. In my whole life, I've only been fooled by you."

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, feeling triumphant for having won over such a clever and wise woman.

"Do you know," the Eldest Miss spoke softly, "in front of you, Mother always tells you not to bully me. But when she's with me, she insists that I must take good care of you."

"Take care of me?" Lin Wanrong asked, puzzled. "What do I need to be taken care of for?"

Xiao Yuruo slowly shook her head. "Last night, after your return, Mother was overjoyed and talked with me about family matters throughout the night. She mentioned how you've been traveling all year round. It may seem glamorous, but in reality, you've endured hardships and dangers, often risking your life. These struggles are known only to you. The more you keep silent about them, the more I should understand and care for you. Mother instructed me to ensure you're well-fed and warmly clothed, and to always keep in mind the love and care waiting for you at home. This strength will help you accomplish great things. On this trip to Goryeo, she specifically warned me not to be petulant or to bully you."

The Eldest Miss looked at him with a smile, to which he quickly responded earnestly, "How could that be? How could someone as beautiful and kind as the Eldest Miss ever bully a good person? Madam Xiao worries too much!"

"You!" Xiao Yuruo nestled silently in his arms, her eyes brimming with tender affection. "Even Mother protects you like this. It seems I really can't afford to provoke you in the future, hmph!"

Lin Wanrong sighed with a smile. "Well, bully me when you need to. That's the Eldest Miss I know and accept. After all, wasn't it I who tied the red string to your wrist?"

Xiao Yuruo, her emotions a mix of shyness and joy, bit him playfully and chuckled softly.

He leaned out of the carriage, looking back. Far down the long street, Madam Xiao stood quietly, gazing silently. Her graceful figure resembled a blooming begonia, the frost in her hair shimmering like colorful crystals under the dim yellow light.

Leaving Jinling City, they headed northeast, passing through Yangzhou and Huai'an, straight to the seaside.

Lianyungang, to the north bordering Qilu and to the south connecting Jianghuai, faced the Yellow Sea to the east. Across the sea were Goryeo and the Ryukyu Islands, making it Jiangsu's largest port with Gwangju and Jeju of Goryeo opposite.

After two days of travel, the air became increasingly humid. The faint smell of fish wafted through the wind, and the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore signaled their proximity to the sea.

Gazing at the vast ocean, where water and sky merged into one color, boundless and magnificent. Countless seagulls flew freely over the azure sea, their joyous cries echoing endlessly.

Under the red sun, small sails dotted the sea like raindrops from heaven, silently falling on the water, drifting slowly towards the shore, exuding an indescribable peace and beauty.

He had traversed snowy mountains, vast deserts, and high plateaus, but this was his first encounter with the boundless sea since arriving in this world. Overwhelmed with excitement, he leaped from the carriage and shouted joyfully towards the blue waves.

The Eldest Miss, managing the Xiao family's affairs, was no stranger to the sea, having traveled across several provinces. Seeing his excited, flushed face, she couldn't help but shake her head and smile, her heart filled with tender affection.

Standing at the shore, Lin Wanrong looked out over the roaring sea, then stretched out his arms and waved them vigorously against the sea breeze. "Eldest Miss, do you know what's the widest thing in this world?"

Watching him, his hair and clothes fluttering in the sea wind, as if he had walked upon the sea, he exuded an air of carefree elegance. The Eldest Miss, standing beside him, smiled and said, "The widest thing in the world is the sea!"

"What's wider than the sea?" he asked, blinking.

Xiao Yuruo pondered for a moment and slowly replied, "Wider than the sea is the sky!"

"And what's wider than the sky?" he asked seriously.

Upon hearing Lin Wanrong's unexpected comparison, the Eldest Miss slightly furrowed her brow and pondered deeply, but finding no answer, she playfully chided, "Then what do you think it is?"

Lin Wanrong, his gaze lingering on her ample bosom, chuckled mischievously, "Wider than the sky, of course, is the magnanimity of the Eldest Miss!"

She was delighted by his words. "You really know how to charm with your words. Indeed, wider than the sky is the human heart." But as she noticed his lecherous gaze fixated on her chest, almost drooling, she paused, her expression turning to one of realization as she understood his double entendre.

Her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and joy, she playfully punched him a couple of times, exclaiming, "You scoundrel!"

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, feeling her light punches that were more ticklish than painful.

"Mister Lin, Mister Lin, hello, hello," they heard a few awkward shouts from the distant harbor in a foreign accent.

Lin Wanrong quickly looked up to see two ironclad ships slowly docking at the pier. A few blond, blue-eyed Westerners disembarked from the lead ship, among them an old acquaintance from France.

Lin Wanrong approached with a hearty laugh, greeting, "Ah, my dear Tavernier, hello to you too!"

After a warm embrace with the Frenchman, Tavernier looked at the lady by Mister Lin's side and exclaimed in surprise, "Mister Lin, isn't this the beautiful miss from before? I heard she's now your wife?"

"Yes, she's my darling!" Lin Wanrong replied unabashedly.

Tavernier, having learned only a smattering of the local language during his months in Great Hua, liked to show off these few phrases. As they conversed in a mix of English and Great Hua language, the Eldest Miss, only half-understanding, curiously asked, "I'm your darling? What does darling mean?"

"Oh, it's a Western term," Lin Wanrong explained. "Translated into Great Hua language, it means dear little treasure, sweetheart, my dear..." He went on with all the cheesy terms he could think of, causing her to blush profusely and lower her head in embarrassment, muttering, "What nonsense, it sounds terrible!"

"Does it sound that bad?" Lin Wanrong feigned a sad expression. "Then I won't say it anymore!"

"You dare not?!" The Eldest Miss raised her eyebrows slightly and hummed softly, suddenly gripping his hand tightly. Turning to Tavernier, she said in a voice as quiet as a mosquito's, "This Mr. Tavernier, Lin San, he, he is my darling..."

Before she could finish, she let out a small yelp and hurriedly covered her burning cheeks, her delicate fingers also turning a faint shade of pink.

"Yes, I am the Eldest Miss's darling!" Lin Wanrong laughed loudly, then tenderly kissed her smooth, jade-like cheek.

Tavernier gasped in astonishment, "The master married the servant? Mister Lin, you are truly a genius!"

Hi, if you like the story, please rate and review this novel on novelupdates. Thanks!

Announcement