Chapter 46: What are you doing here?

Jiang Ling had some experience with rowing, so she stepped onto the boat first.

She sat on the protrusion at the bow, looking back with amusement at Lu Yuyao, who stood on the shore, hesitating to come down.

It had clearly been Lu Yuyao’s idea, yet now she stood there wavering.

“Eldest Young Lady, how long are you going to stand there? If the owners come back soon, we won’t be able to row anymore,” Jiang Ling said as she stood up, preparing to untie the rope from the wooden stake.

“If you don’t want to row, I’ll just go by myself.”

“Don’t. I want to row too.”

Lu Yuyao cautiously extended one foot, tentatively stepping onto the boat.

But with even that slight movement, she felt the boat wobble.

She panicked instinctively, but Jiang Ling reached out to steady her with a hand, comforting her.

“It’s fine. Come down slowly. I’m right here.”

Perhaps emboldened by Jiang Ling’s encouragement, Lu Yuyao steeled her resolve.

she stepped one foot onto the boat, then slowly shifted her entire weight over until she finally made it on board.

“Sit tight,” Jiang Ling said as she untied the rope.

She picked up the oars and began to paddle.

The calm surface of the water immediately broke into ripples.

Freed from its tether, the boat followed Jiang Ling’s movements, leaving the shore and heading toward the middle of the pond.

“Wow, this feels amazing.”

Lu Yuyao was like a curious child, looking left and right.

She usually only saw the pond from the shore; being on the boat and situated right in the middle of the water provided a fresh perspective and many sights she had never seen before.

The novelty of the experience allowed Lu Yuyao to cast aside her initial fear of being on a boat, though she still instinctively clung tightly to Jiang Ling’s arm.

The soft sensation against her body caused Jiang Ling to stiffen.

‘She’s leaning in way too close.’

Jiang Ling grumbled inwardly, but she understood that Lu Yuyao was only doing it because she was afraid.

She could only focus on rowing to distract herself.

As Jiang Ling paddled, the boat soon reached the area where the lotuses were most dense.

Lu Yuyao’s courage grew, and she leaned toward the edge of the boat to reach out and touch the nearby lotuses.

Tiny water droplets still clung to the tender pink flowers, making them look even more delicate and lovely.

As she leaned closer, she could almost catch a faint floral fragrance.

“It’s so beautiful,” Lu Yuyao sighed.

Jiang Ling glanced over.

Lu Yuyao’s eyes were sparkling.

Seeing how much she loved the scenery, Jiang Ling couldn’t help but smile.

“You grew up here. Haven’t you gotten tired of looking at this yet?”

“I wouldn’t say that. I didn’t pay much attention to these things when I was little. I just thought it was colorful. Besides, Grandmother always told me not to go near the pond because it was dangerous,” Lu Yuyao said softly, her finger playfully poking a lotus leaf.

Following the touch of her finger, a crystalline droplet of water slid down the edge of the leaf and finally merged into the pond.

“However…”

Lu Yuyao paused, her cheeks flushing slightly as she felt a bit embarrassed.

“Grandmother would always pick lotus seeds for me. They were very delicious and sweet.”

Jiang Ling laughed.

“I didn’t realize you were such a foodie.”

Lu Yuyao punched her in the back with a small fist.

“Who pays attention to that much when they’re a kid!”

The afternoon sun was unexpectedly warm, reflecting off the water in shimmering scales.

Occasionally, a breeze would blow past, lifting the girls’ hair like smooth, high-quality silk.

They were quite a striking sight in the middle of the pond.

The two of them chatted until, eventually, Jiang Ling stopped rowing altogether.

She let the boat drift wherever it pleased.

Lu Yuyao wanted to try rowing, but the moment she stood up, she felt the boat wobble and sat back down in a fright.

‘Never mind, never mind.’

Lu Yuyao patted her chest, abandoning the idea of rowing.

Although it was called a small boat, the space inside wasn’t cramped.

There was enough room for two people to lie down.

Taking advantage of her shorter stature, Lu Yuyao slid between Jiang Ling’s legs, stretching her own slender legs out straight.

She rested her head on Jiang Ling’s abdomen.

Lu Yuyao tilted her head back and smiled at her.

Jiang Ling’s stomach was soft and very comfortable.

‘She certainly knows how to enjoy herself.’

Jiang Ling was speechless, but she didn’t stop her.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing!”

The two of them were peacefully enjoying their lovely afternoon when a loud shout suddenly erupted from behind them.

Both of them froze at the same time.

Jiang Ling looked down and met Lu Yuyao’s eyes, then sighed.

Sigh.

By the time they rowed back and reached the shore, the owner of the voice was waiting for them.

Knowing they were in the wrong for using someone else’s property without permission, the two of them kept their heads bowed while they were scolded.

“I’m telling you two girls, you actually dared to take a boat out onto the pond by yourselves? Do you have any idea how deep the water is or how dangerous it can be?!” a woman in her 30-year-old who wore a straw hat shouted.

Her expression was stern.

Clearly, she was the owner of the wooden cabin and the pond.

“We’re sorry.”

They had originally thought the woman was angry because they had touched her things, but her words were clearly out of concern for their safety.

The two girls looked at each other, not knowing what to say, and could only apologize again.

“Um, we can compensate you with some money,” Lu Yuyao said timidly, cautiously observing the woman.

Seeing that the woman seemed to have calmed down a bit after her lecture, she spoke up.

“Compensate me? For what?”

The woman was stunned, clearly not expecting Lu Yuyao to say that.

“For using your boat without permission and for the fee to use your pond,” Jiang Ling added weakly from the side, while secretly glaring at Lu Yuyao.

It was all Lu Yuyao’s fault.

She had said they shouldn’t have come.

“Why would I want money? I’m worried that something might happen to you!”

The woman found it ridiculous.

Thinking that the two girls didn’t realize the severity of the issue, she prepared to lecture them again to make sure they understood the importance of life.

“Is that… Jiang Ling?”

Xiao Tongqi had heard her aunt shouting in front of the cabin from a distance.

As she got closer, she realized that the person standing in front of her aunt was actually Jiang Ling!

Furthermore, there was a beautiful girl she didn’t recognize standing there too.

“Xiao Tongqi?” Jiang Ling was also stunned to see Xiao Tongqi appear behind the woman, and she asked in return.

Xiao Tongqi’s appearance interrupted the woman’s lecture.

She glanced at Xiao Tongqi, then looked back at the two girls.

“Qiqi, do you know them?”

Xiao Tongqi had been wandering toward the pond with her aunt, but she had been delayed on the way because she was playing.

Her aunt had arrived before her.

Xiao Tongqi’s eyes darted around.

Seeing the two of them with their hands behind their backs, standing respectfully like they were admitting a mistake, and her aunt looking angry, she put the pieces together.

Noticing the boat that hadn’t been tied up yet, Xiao Tongqi guessed what had happened in an instant.

She turned her head and said to the woman with a smile, “Auntie, this is my classmate.”

Jiang Ling nodded, indicating that Xiao Tongqi was correct.

“What are you doing here?”

Xiao Tongqi looked at Jiang Ling.

She was naturally surprised to see a classmate in a place like this.

Then, her gaze drifted to Lu Yuyao, who was standing nearby.

“Who is she?”

“She’s my sister,” Jiang Ling said hurriedly.

“Our family’s hometown is New Village. Since we’re on vacation, we thought we’d wander around the village for fun. We didn’t expect…”

The woman huffed, clearly less angry now, but she still grumbled, “Wandering around for fun? You wandered right onto a boat. If I had come a little later and something happened, then what?”

“Yes, yes, Auntie is right. We admit our mistake.”

Since she was her classmate’s aunt, things would be much easier to handle.

Jiang Ling followed suit and called her Auntie, hoping she wouldn’t pursue the matter for Xiao Tongqi’s sake.

At the same time, she nudged Lu Yuyao’s shoulder, signaling for her to apologize as well.

“Right, we’ve already realized our mistake,” Lu Yuyao said quickly after snapping back to her senses.

However, her eyes were filled with suspicion as she scrutinized this girl who claimed to be Jiang Ling’s classmate.

‘Could it be such a coincidence?’

‘They aren’t just putting on an act together, are they?’