Upon hearing Nian Jiaojiao's words, Yu Chuan fell into thought.
He had never considered what he liked to do.
From birth until now, he had always adhered to societal norms, obeying his mother at home and his wife after marriage.
But now his wife said this was not good, and Yu Chuan felt a sense of bewilderment.
It was truly difficult for him to think of anything at this moment.
Nian Jiaojiao found Yu Chuan's predicament both amusing and somewhat endearing.
This man didn't even have the concept of how to be good to himself.
So, she stood up and gently stroked his soft hair, saying:
"We are not in a hurry. We can discover it slowly in life, but, Chuan'er, you can try to engage in things you haven't done before."
"Things I haven't done?" Yu Chuan repeated.
"That's right!"
Nian Jiaojiao nodded and continued with examples:
"For instance, you could learn chess, learn painting, learn to play the zither, learn to play the flute, and so on. I believe with so many things to try, you're bound to find your interests."
Yu Chuan nodded upon hearing this.
He now completely understood her good intentions.
...
Evening.
The sky suddenly turned overcast, and the stifling heat made everyone's mood heavy.
By nightfall, a few peals of thunder echoed in the sky, seeming to shake the very ground.
And it was this thunderous noise that suddenly brought a touch of coolness to the air, followed by the patter of raindrops, which grew heavier and more insistent.
Creak, creak—
The windows creaked as the wind blew them.
Nian Jiaojiao went to the window and secured it with a pole.
She looked at the raindrops falling from the night sky, lost in thought for a moment. Then, Nian Jiaojiao, snapping back to reality, took several deep breaths of the fresh air, allowing it to reach her lungs.
In her past life, people always said the air was fresh after a thunderstorm. It was indeed true.
Tap—
Someone pushed the door open and then closed it.
Nian Jiaojiao asked the newcomer:
"Why are you so late today?"
Normally, after dinner and some conversation, everyone would return to their own rooms.
As for the husband who was to sleep with Nian Jiaojiao, he would return to the room with her.
Nan Qing did not answer Nian Jiaojiao's question. He walked directly to the bed and began to change his clothes.
At first, Nian Jiaojiao didn't think much of it. But as she watched him remove his final layer of clothing without any intention of stopping, she felt something was amiss.
"Hey! Wait!" Nian Jiaojiao immediately called out.
Nan Qing's movements paused. He looked up and met Nian Jiaojiao's gaze.
Nian Jiaojiao swallowed and continued:
"You usually wear an inner garment to sleep. Why are you… today?"
Nan Qing said calmly:
"I felt stuffy today and didn't want to be restrained."
With that, he looked at Nian Jiaojiao with a gaze that seemed to ask, "What's wrong with that?"
Nian Jiaojiao was rendered speechless.
No.
If you had said this before the rain, I might have believed you. But looking at the cooler weather than usual, how could I believe you?
Regardless of Nian Jiaojiao's internal complaints, Nan Qing's actions continued unabated. He efficiently stripped off the upper half of his clothes, revealing his smooth, fair skin.
Nian Jiaojiao couldn't help but gaze at Nan Qing.
Although he didn't exercise regularly and lacked the firm chest muscles and eight-pack abs like Xuan Yi, his skin was firm and flawless, seeming to glow under the firelight. And though his build was slightly slender, his physique possessed exceptionally beautiful lines.
Nian Jiaojiao, without any impure thoughts, was merely appreciating a work of art.
Soon, she withdrew her gaze. When changing, he, as usual, kept on his inner garment.
And after lying down on the bed, Nian Jiaojiao deliberately maintained a distance from Nan Qing that prevented their skin from touching, turning her back to him. Before long, Nian Jiaojiao fell into a deep sleep.
Nan Qing: ...
Sensing the steady breathing of the person beside him, Nan Qing felt a pang of闷闷 (mènmèn - stifled/depressed).
So, was he really that unattractive?