The night was deep, and all was silent.
The winter wind blew through the bare treetops with a rustling sound.
A bright moon hung high in the sky. The guards on duty by the corridor slid down silently, leaning against the pillars as if asleep.
Yu Liu added more firewood to the brazier and quietly retreated.
The silk gauze curtain was lifted, revealing the tranquil face of the woman nestled in the bedding. She was thinner, no longer as plump as before. Even in her sleep, she seemed to carry a myriad of worries, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, appearing wronged.
The man’s rough, large hand gently stroked her brow, afraid of hurting her with the slightest pressure. Clad in dark, fitted clothing that encased his sturdy frame, the subtle tremor of his muscles was visible with each breath. In the cold winter, he wore only a single layer, yet sweat beaded on his forehead, his body radiating heat.
He gazed at her foolishly for a long time.
“Didn’t you say you eat a lot? How did you get so thin?” he asked, puzzled. He drew her soft, boneless hand from beneath the covers. It was not cold, but not exactly warm either.
After days of suffering from longing, seeing her now, he could no longer restrain himself. He leaned down and traced her with his lips, cherishing his most precious treasure.
The woman’s brow relaxed, and her lips parted slightly as if in response.
The man seized the moment, his initial touch gentle like a soft breeze, but soon he drank greedily, all reason vanishing from his mind. It was only when a cat cried outside that he finally stopped.
At this moment, the woman’s lips were plump and glistening, slightly swollen, as if painted with the finest lip gloss. Her cheeks were flushed, losing their former coolness and taking on an intoxicating warmth.
But she did not wake.
Xiao Shan breathed a sigh of relief, yet felt a strange sense of loss.
He turned, walked to the center of the room, and then looked back reluctantly.
He paced back and forth several times, hesitant.
He didn’t notice that Ling Yao on the bed had already opened her eyes.
“Are you leaving?” her soft voice trembled slightly if listened to closely.
Xiao Shan turned abruptly. In the lamplight, his eyes were red. His beard, of course, had pricked her earlier. His face was weathered, clearly showing he had traveled for a long time.
The rising anger transformed into heartache. Ling Yao sat up and reached out to him.
At this moment, Xiao Shan seemed to be afraid, slowly moving towards her with hesitation.
“What do you mean? You don’t want this trouble anymore?”
Hurt by his attitude, her eyes reddened, and crystalline tears shimmered within them.
For so many days, she hadn’t stopped thinking of him. Every day, she pretended to be strong, but in reality, her heart was fragile. She longed for his embrace, his scent, his strong, reassuring body. The thought ached in her chest.
Now that he was here, he wasn’t here to take her away, but…
“Xiao Shan, didn’t you say you would never let go of me, no matter where I went?”
She had once thought that if she had to leave one day, she would ask him to forget her, marry someone else, and continue living a peaceful life.
But now she realized she couldn’t do it.
Without him, it seemed the whole world had gone dark. She was afraid, and all her courage had vanished.
Xiao Shan hardened his heart and sat down on the bed.
Enough, enough. At worst, he would break his promise and defy military regulations. He’d let his subordinates flog him when he returned. For his wife, he’d endure the shame!
“Little thing, you dare question me? Haven’t I given you enough guarantees? I’ve given you my life, what more do you want?”
“To see you, I ran six horses to death and didn’t sleep for two days and two nights.”
“You dare doubt my sincerity? Tell me, do you have a conscience?”
“Should I pin you down and kill you so you stop overthinking, hmm?”
He gritted his teeth, his words gradually losing control. His large hand grasped her softness with no gentleness.
“It hurts!” Ling Yao cried out softly, tears on the verge of falling. Finally unable to bear it, they rolled down her eyelids. She no longer resisted his rough words as she had before.
Instead, his roughness stirred her, and she couldn’t help but arch her body, pushing herself forward.
Hurt?
Did she know what hurt was? The moment he saw the ruins, his heart felt as if it had been ripped open. He feared she had fallen into the hands of villains, and even more, he feared she would rather break than bend.
He feared she would disappear from his life, feared she would return to darkness…
When he couldn’t find any trace of her, he lived in hell day and night. Unbearable scenes flooded his mind repeatedly, tormenting him to the point of madness, destruction, and tearing apart…
It truly hurt, more than a thousand arrows piercing his heart, more than skinning and dismembering him.
“Finally found you, Xue Niang, I finally found you!”
All restraint vanished at this moment. His eyes were red, like a hunter who had finally found his prey after a long pursuit, like a treasure lost and then found again. There was pain, hatred, joy, tears, surging dominance, and also caution.
“Are you scared? Have you been waiting for me for a long time?” He cupped her face, licking away each pearl.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t protect you well again, I’m sorry…”
“A Shan, I can’t leave. Don’t marry anyone else, don’t look for anyone else, okay? I swear, as soon as the matter in the capital is settled, I’ll return to the mountain village with you. We’ll build a house again, you’ll hunt, and I’ll cook for you, okay? It’ll be soon, it won’t be long, okay?”
She cried, pleaded, her tears flowing faster.
Fool, such a fool! A fool who loved to overthink!
Xiao Shan blocked her mouth, his kisses like a storm, his tongue exploring her lips and teeth, sucking, probing every corner with all his might, greedily taking her scent.
Her tongue felt numb from the kiss, her mind a blank. She could no longer cry, closing her eyes obediently, enduring the tempest that swept away all her senses. She instinctively held him tighter, even tighter.
Shadows of their love played on the wall, hot and passionate.
A fragrant scent filled the air, her unique aroma, a potent tonic that revived his spirit and invigorated him.
Gradually, the storm subsided, turning into a gentle, soft rain, yet more intimately entwined.
Feeling the little woman in his arms begin to push away, he traced her lips, as beautiful as a flower and never tiring, one last time, reluctant to part.
In her clear, washed eyes, his wolf-like, greedy face was clearly reflected.
“Don’t say such things again. My life is yours. I’ll go through fire and water, wherever you are, I will be. In this lifetime, only you.”
“I’ll go clean myself, wait obediently.”
“Mm, I’ll wait.” Ling Yao panted, her hand on her chest, still catching her breath. Her mind was hazy, and as soon as she understood his words, she was touched. She hadn’t understood the meaning of the latter part yet, so she agreed.
Xiao Shan had already turned to the side room. Behind the screen was where she bathed daily. The water was already prepared, as Yu Liu had made arrangements in anticipation of the master’s arrival.
The bathtub was large, much bigger than the one he had bought before.
He stripped himself quickly, his long legs striding. Thinking of her bathing in it daily, his desire surged even more.
The benefits of power were clear. In the future, he would build an even bigger one, and they could bathe together.
No, he would build a pool and draw hot spring water, so they could do it anytime, regardless of the season.
Excellent.
Ling Yao now remembered that the courtyard was guarded by the First Prince’s men. However, thinking of Xiao Shan’s meticulous planning, he must have made some arrangements, otherwise, they would have been discovered long ago.
She caressed her abdomen, bit her numb lips, and listened to the sound of water from within, smiling shyly.