Transmigrated Female Official

Rest day.

This time, it was Chu Yilin's turn to knock on Chu Qingluo's door early in the morning: "Third sister, get up quickly! Don't forget you still have a date with Shaoyao to go boating on the lake!"

Chu Qingluo lay sprawled on the bed, speechless, shouting into the room, "You're the one who invited them, okay?! I didn't say I wanted to go too!" Besides, Chu's mother chose today to host a banquet, and she just wanted to be lazy during the day and didn't want to go out.

Chu Yilin was taken aback for a moment, then continued to shout, "You're so disloyal! Are you just going to stand by and watch your good friend be too shy and reserved to relax while boating on the lake?" He finished in one breath without pausing.

Shy? Reserved? Restrained? ...Where did you see that?!

"That's not how it is with Peony!" She already has four male servants attending to her, how could she not handle such a small scene! Chu Qinglu rolled her eyes and silently added in her mind.

"I don't care! You have to come with me today!" Chu Yilin simply resorted to being a rogue. Seeing that there was no response from inside, he looked up at the sky and continued to knock on the door slowly and deliberately: "I'll keep knocking like this and see how you sleep."

"Bang, bang bang... bang bang bang... bang..." Then came another series of mesmerizing knocks on the door.

"..." I must have kicked a dog in my past life!

Chu Qingluo flung open the door with a bang: "You win!"

"Hurry up!" Chu Yilin raised an eyebrow smugly.

……

It was still quite early, and the sun wasn't too harsh, so it didn't feel hot. The streets of Yancheng were bustling with business people, a scene of prosperity. As the saying goes, 'The world is a stage for profit; everyone is driven by self-interest.'

The three walked along the edge of Suyin Lake. Chu Qingluo kept yawning; being disturbed from her sweet morning dream was truly a downer. Peony beside her, however, was in high spirits, chatting animatedly with Chu Yilin.

Chu Qinglu tilted her head and squinted at the two of them... Could they really be catching each other's eye?

The three of them walked down to the shore, and Chu Yilin said to a middle-aged boatman, "Boatman, we want to charter a boat to tour the lake."

"Alright, young master." The boatman stood up enthusiastically, raised his pole, and waited for the three of them to board the boat.

Chu Yilin boarded the boat first, then reached out to Shaoyao, wanting to help her aboard...

Just then, a sharp, piercing female voice rang out behind them: "Chu Yilin—!!"

They startled Chu Qingluo, who was still dozing off, awake! Turning her head, she saw the Eighth Princess glaring at them with her nose flared.

Chu Yilin was stunned for a moment, and involuntarily frowned: "Princess Xile? What brings you here?" His tone seemed displeased.

The Eighth Princess strode down the steps, giving Peony a sidelong glare...

“Princess Joy.” Peony wisely withdrew her hand quickly and stepped aside.

The Eighth Princess then gave a satisfied hum: "Chu Yilin, I just went to the Chu family to look for you. Madam Chu said you went boating on the lake. Perfect, I also want to go boating today." With that, she grabbed Chu Yilin's arm, stepped onto the boat, and asked, "Why aren't you wearing the brocade robe I gave you?!"

Chu Yilin stared speechlessly at the Eighth Princess, who had chased after him early in the morning, her face contorted with a deathly expression.

Seeing that he didn't answer, the Eighth Princess didn't mind. She raised her eyebrows and asked the two people below the boat in a feigned tone, "Aren't you coming up?"

Chu Qingluo and Shaoyao exchanged a knowing glance... Only an idiot would want to get on that pirate ship.

Chu Qinglu forced a smile and replied, "Princess, to avoid the boat being too heavy with too many people, we can take another boat."

Hearing her say that, Chu Yilin's face turned even uglier. He stared wide-eyed at Chu Qingluo from behind the Eighth Princess and mouthed the words.

Seeing that they were so sensible, the Eighth Princess smiled sweetly, revealing two dimples: "Alright then, boatman, let's set off."

"Alright!" The boatman cheerfully pushed the boat forward, and their vessel drifted towards the middle of the lake.

"What was Brother Yilin just saying? I didn't understand a word." This sudden change left Peony somewhat stunned.

"Heh, heh!" Chu Qinglu chuckled dryly, waving her hand dismissively: "It's nothing more than accusations that I abandoned him, don't pay any attention to it."

Peony chuckled: "There's nothing we can do about it. I was really worried that the Eighth Princess's expression just now would make me eat her if I got on the ship."

"Exactly, even a god can't help him this time, let alone us, who are just beautiful young ladies." Chu Qinglu shrugged, not forgetting to tease him with a mischievous smile. Who told him to be chosen by the willful princess?

"Girls, would you like to take a boat trip on the lake?" Another boat approached them.

“Okay.” Peony readily agreed, then turned to Chu Qingluo and said, “Since we’re here, let’s take a swim.”

Chu Qinglu glanced at the boatman; he was a robust middle-aged man with a thin scar on his jaw, giving him an unsettling appearance… She couldn't help but frown, but seeing how expectant Shaoyao was, and knowing that Chu Yilin had been forced to leave her behind, she couldn't afford to spoil the mood. Besides, appearances can be deceiving, so she agreed: “Okay, let's get on the boat.”

This boat was relatively dilapidated compared to the one Chu Yilin was on, and it was wet everywhere. The two of them didn't stay under the canopy, but sat side by side at the bow.

The sunlight bathed the emerald lake in a golden glow, making it shimmer and sparkle. A gentle breeze caressed their fair cheeks, ruffling a few strands of their dark hair, creating a scene of utter comfort and ease.

"Qingluo, do you know why this lake is called Suyin Lake?"

Chu Qinglu shook her head, willing to hear the details.

"Legend has it that long ago, a fairy named Suyin was bathing in this lake when a scholar happened to pass by. Thinking someone had fallen into the water and was about to commit suicide, the scholar risked his life to save her..."

"And then a hero saves the beauty? The two fall in love at first sight and pledge their lives to each other?" Chu Qinglu couldn't help but ask, "Isn't this the usual plot?"

Peony glanced at her amusedly and continued, "Who knew the scholar couldn't swim? He thrashed around in the lake for a couple of seconds before sinking to the bottom! Hahahaha!"

"..."

Holy crap! Was this actually a ghost story? Chu Qingluo broke out in a cold sweat!

Seeing that Chu Qingluo remained silent, Shaoyao cleared her throat again: "Later, it was the fairy Suyin who saved the scholar and brought about a beautiful marriage. This Suyin Lake got its name from this."

"Heh." Chu Qingluo curled one corner of her mouth: "So that's how it is. You should have said so earlier. I thought the Ji Kingdom only produced stories that defied common sense."