The forest, stretching over a hundred and ten meters, had now reached its end. Lu Xiao Ying finally stopped walking, and said, “Why are you following me?” In her mind, Lu Yun knew this was nothing but a question she already knew the answer to—yet on her lips, she smiled cheerfully: “You’re the school’s most famous beauty. In this dark, gloomy place, without a guardian for your flowers, who knows what might happen.” “Go,” said Lu Xiao Ying with a sharp voice, sinking down heavily and sighing, as she casually picked up a dry branch to scribble aimlessly on the ground. “Lu Yun—have you ever truly liked me?” Lu Yun’s head rang like thunder; his body felt torn apart by an invisible bolt of lightning. It took him several long moments before he could regain his composure and stammer, “S—small Ying… what did you just say?” Frustrated, Lu Xiao Ying dropped her girlish tone and said with a sharp edge, “Did you really go deaf? I asked you if you’ve ever truly liked me—not just in the way of duty, but like the lovers on television.” Huh… Wasn’t this an official declaration of love?! Carefully, Lu Yun replied, “Small Ying, even though I’ve always liked you, I’ve never dared to say it aloud. After all, your father has been very critical of me.” Come on—how would I ever face my family and say the words if I suddenly showed up with a clumsy confession? “Don’t worry,” said Lu Xiao Ying with a fluttering grace. “As long as you like me, I’ll make it count at home. All I need to know is whether you’ve truly loved me.” Now, a thirteen-year-old boy whose heart had already begun to stir—what fortune for our protagonist! “Lu Yun,” Lu Xiao Ying said, “I’ve always liked you. But since I was bought as a child from another family, and now my adoptive uncle—the one who raised me—is not wealthy at all, I've always hesitated to tell you how I feel.” “Lu Yun,” she continued gently under the dim light, “you don’t have to be wealthy for us to grow together. As long as you truly love me, even if we eat coarse rice and drink thin soup, I’ll be happy.” For the first time in her life, this thirteen-year-old girl, bathed in soft twilight, opened up fully and shared her heartfelt thoughts. “Small Ying…” Lu Yun felt an overwhelming surge of emotion and instinctively leaned down to embrace her tightly. “Cloud, please—don’t press so hard—I can barely breathe!” said Lu Xiao Ying, flushed with embarrassment, her breath now quickened. “Small Ying,” Lu Yun began, his hands now desperately tugging at her clothes as he tried to express the growing intensity of his desire, “I love you—I really do…” “I’ll stop,” Lu Xiao Ying said swiftly, gently preventing any further advances. Her lips parted slightly; her breath was delicate and fragrant. “Cloud—you can’t treat me like you treat your auntie… kiss me—just kiss me.” Oh! It seemed the young lady truly understood the history between herself and her auntie. A royal decree—no one dares to disobey it. Lu Yun, well-practiced in courtly gestures thanks to his auntie’s training, gently kissed Lu Xiao Ying's thin lips—a moment that felt as though the heavens dimmed and the earth trembled. It only ended when she nearly suffocated under the weight of the intensity. “Small Ying,” he murmured, lightly biting her earlobe while slowly moving his hand toward her body, “you're just like the famous Consort Xiang from the TV—every part of you radiates a captivating fragrance.” Lu Xiao Ying, having tasted love for the first time, was now utterly entranced. She softly nodded, only to suddenly realize that the tender, newly-developed parts she had been holding so gently were now being firmly grasped—and instantly returned to her senses, pushing Lu Yun with force. “Cloud—stop! Don’t treat me like this!” “Cloud,” Lu Xiao Ying hurriedly smoothed out the clothing that Lu Yun had lifted up and said in a composed voice, “You’ve been spoiled by your auntie. From now on, you can only be with me. And never touch any other woman—including your auntie.” Lu Yun watched helplessly as the matter between himself and his auntie became impossible to ignore—only smiling politely while he said, “Small Ying, I didn’t even know my real parents until I was a child. When Lu Feng, my adoptive father, passed away not long after bringing me here, it was only thanks to my uncle—who had no children of his own—that I grew up.” “You know,” he added, “our village seems cursed in some way—men simply aren’t good at matters of the heart. My uncle is ten years older than my auntie and has been unable to satisfy her for quite some time. Yet she’s always shy, refusing to admit it, just like other women who keep their husbands’ affairs hidden while raising a mistress of their own. So, gradually, as I grew into adulthood, an invisible connection formed between us—though my feelings for you have always been genuine and heartfelt.” Lu Xiao Ying nodded obediently and sighed, “I’ve actually known about your relationship with my auntie for some time now. Your father hasn’t been steady either—he’s been romancing other women too. My mother has argued with him many times over. Don’t let me down, Cloud—don’t become a man of wandering affections, just because I’ve poured so much love into you.” Lu Yun gently kissed the top of Lu Xiao Ying’s head and said softly, “In my heart, only you exist. Where could anyone else fit in?” Though he spoke with elegance, his hands betrayed him—like a slippery eel always trying to slip through the cracks. His hands now pressed hungrily against her body. The young girl struggled, overwhelmed by the intimacy. She gasped out, “No! No—don’t do this! If anyone sees it, it’ll be embarrassing!” Lu Yun, though an experienced veteran of such moments, reacted instantly when he felt his hands touch that peak—a sudden electric shock—and the young woman quickly regained her senses. Her cheeks blushed as crimson as dawn. She immediately covered his hands with both palms. “Hmmm… Cloud—you—stop… uh…” For the first time in her life, Lu Xiao Ying accepted and gracefully endured this tender intimacy without resistance. Now utterly overwhelmed, Lu Yun could no longer control himself—his advances grew ever more passionate. “Small Ying,” he said breathlessly, “I need you—I truly do.” His body burned with an insatiable passion; as though a wild creature deep within him was stirring and guiding every movement. “Lu Yun—you’re treating me like a child!” cried Lu Xiao Ying, suddenly overwhelmed to tears. Her youthful shyness caused her, in that very moment of surprise, to quickly lift her short pants up to her waist. “Small Ying,” Lu Yun said, his heart now still as the air around him seemed to have stopped—gazing at the face so radiant with both beauty and emotion, “You’re absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t help myself—I’m just so moved right now. Please don’t be angry. I’ll never do it again.” Then, Lu Xiao Ying said firmly, “If you truly love me, then when you reach eighteen, you must arrange for a matchmaker to officially propose to me. Only then—on the very night of our wedding—will my body truly belong to you.” With that, she swiftly pushed Lu Yun away and quickly rose, racing out into the trees beyond. Lu Yun felt utterly frustrated—he hadn’t just been surprised; he’d been deliberately ambushed in the middle of his emotions. It was like a car engine stalled halfway through its journey—how could one bear such discomfort? He picked up the ice cream he had dropped on the ground and pressed it tightly against his chest, as if it could cool down his boiling heart. To our readers: Please give us your stones—we need momentum, energy, power! Episode 3 of “Rural Beauty” has now been completed—Lu Xiao Ying’s heartfelt confession is finished!