“Chapter 54”

"Chapter 54"

"The wedding candles, shining through the light-red canopy, cast a glow inside the bed."

"The jade pillow was cool, the silk quilt soft, embroidered with mandarin ducks in gold thread, shimmering under the candlelight. The air was filled with a mix of agarwood and a unique scent, lingering and swirling around Xiao Luolan's nose."

"The man beside her breathed steadily, as if asleep, holding her waist tightly, pulling her close in a possessive embrace. Even through the thin undergarments, the warmth of his body was startlingly intense."

"Xiao Luolan couldn't recall how long their playful intimacy had lasted; the hot spring, the couch, the bed – all bore disordered marks. In the end, she fell into a drowsy slumber, her memories before sleep a blur."

"Xiao Luolan gently shifted, inhaling softly, careful not to wake the man beside her. Enduring the soreness, she slowly got out of bed."

"The ice in the room's basin hadn't fully melted, perhaps replenished by Granny Cui."

"Barefoot on the carpet, her legs weak as noodles, Xiao Luolan steadied herself on the carved bedpost. Clan Leader Zhou must have bathed her again; she felt no stickiness, a realization that eased her mind."

"Turning her head, she saw Clan Leader Zhou still asleep."

"Xiao Luolan walked slowly across the bedroom to the dressing area, opening a small box."

"Inside was a dark brown, round medicinal plaster."

"First, she applied floral water from the dressing case to her body for a richer fragrance. Then, she picked up the plaster, lowered her head, lifted a corner of her undergarment, and touched her stomach, shuddering at the memory of the terrifying swelling sensation."

"Just as she was about to apply the plaster, a bronze-colored hand suddenly reached from the side, taking it away."

"Startled, Xiao Luolan turned around."

"Zhou Xu stood before her, his tall figure completely shielding her, clad only in underpants and a red wedding robe, his scars and some fine red scratch marks clearly visible."

"'My lady, what brings you here in the middle of the night?' Zhou Xu, sitting down with his wife in his arms, looked at her with half-closed eyes, his voice lazy and warm from satisfaction. He shook the small plaster in his hand, asking."

"Sitting on his lap, Xiao Luolan's breathing became erratic. 'I felt a bit tired and wanted to apply some plaster before... before going back to sleep.' Her cheeks flushed as she spoke."

"Zhou Xu leaned down to kiss her earlobe, his other hand caressing her."

"Xiao Luolan's breathing became erratic, her eyes closing instantly as she saw herself in the mirror, her earlobes and cheeks burning."

"Why would the lady utter such a poor lie?" Zhou Xu also looked toward the mirror.

The mirror was large, adorned with birds and flowers inlaid with colored gems on its bronze surface, reflecting the figures and faces of the two in its sunflower-shaped face.

The lady in the mirror had ripened completely, like a juicy peach at its prime, ready to burst at a single touch, her eyes and brows exuding a seductive charm intensified by experience, adding to her already lush and sensuously damp allure.

Xiao Luolan only felt the ointment returning to her hands, her gaze lowering to the object in her grasp.

Zhou Xu lifted his wife's face.

Xiao Luolan clutched the ointment tightly, deliberately letting Zhou, the sect leader, know of her impending actions. She knew he would realize as soon as she left, given his experience as a battle-hardened warrior. Her actions were intentional.

"It's a musk ointment," Xiao Luolan said, feeling Zhou's rough, large hand, which had been gently stroking her waist, pause.

Zhou Xu lowered his hand, his expression calm.

"I don't want children," Xiao Luolan finally voiced her inner thoughts. Her fear of intimacy with Zhou was partly due to this; she didn't want to leave her offspring in this ancient world. She only wanted Qingxue, her only child; no one else mattered.

During the ten days preparing for the wedding, she had Fang Yun secretly purchase this ointment, which could prevent pregnancy after intimacy.

It was the first time Zhou Xu heard such a firm tone from his wife.

Lady Xiao had always been timid, passively following along, resigned to her fate. She preserved herself amidst the overwhelming tide, cautiously testing her limits and swiftly retreating if they were exceeded.

But this time, it wasn't a test. She was using her own way to tell him she didn't want children.

On their wedding night, amidst the passionate intimacy, she would immediately seek the prepared musk ointment, not caring if he knew her intentions, or perhaps, that was exactly how she wanted to tell him.

Zhou Xu touched his wife's belly, slender and tender, like willows in a spring breeze, already thoroughly cleansed of any lingering traces to spare her discomfort.

It seemed, even if he did nothing, his wife would have taken care of it.

Zhou Xu looked at his wife.

Xiao Luolan met his gaze, her heart pounding nervously.

Zhou Xu touched her face: "Does the lady not wish to conceive?"

Xiao Luolan's eyelashes trembled silently in response.

Zhou Xu didn't speak, simply taking the musk ointment from his wife's hand.

Xiao Luolan clutched it tightly, visibly panicked, but her strength was negligible compared to the man's. She froze upon hearing his next words.

"If you don't want to bear children, then don't," Zhou Xu whispered, kissing her cool fingertips.

Xiao Luolan stared at him in disbelief.

Zhou Xu smiled, the few frosty strands at his temples seeming to carry the essence of Youzhou's snow. His eyes crinkled with laughter, revealing a life half-spent in hardship. He gazed at his wife, saying, "I'm forty-five now. It's been thirty years since I first entered the battlefield at fifteen."

"At twenty, I achieved a great feat, presenting the head of a Hun leader in Chang'an and receiving the late emperor's reward."

Xiao Luolan imagined Zhou Xu at twenty, likely a spirited and handsome young man. She pondered this quietly.

"I remember clearly, it was winter," Zhou Xu continued, holding his wife, his voice deep and resonant with a distant echo. "To be honest, my first time in Chang'an was overwhelming. The opulence and extravagance there exceeded my imagination."

“

"It was then I realized the kind of life some people lived in this world."

"Do you know what a 'meat tent' is?"

Xiao Luolan hesitated, then shook her head: "I don't know."

"It's when you fatten up your servants to keep them robust, and several strong slaves stand outside in the cold wind to shield their master from the chill. The fewer servants a family uses, the richer they are considered."

Seeing his wife's eyes widen, Zhou Xu laughed unabashedly: "You must think they are out of their minds."

Xiao Luolan pursed her lips, a hint of a smile breaking through her tension, lightened by her husband's description.

"After returning to Youzhou, my younger brothers married one after another, leaving just me. My father, still alive then, angrily asked me what kind of young lady would satisfy me."

Zhou Xu played with his wife's hand, saying, "Had I met you then, I would have proudly brought you before my father."

"A few years passed, and I took a wife. The war was stuck around Yanmenguan, and I couldn't leave. By the time I returned, Shen Zhi was eight months old, already babbling."

"Children do start speaking at eight months, simple words," Xiao Luolan thought of Qingxue's childhood.

Zhou Xu kissed his wife: "I know childbirth is as perilous as passing through the gates of hell. My lady married me at thirty-eight, and I, seven years her senior, am forty-five. I've consulted doctors; if my lady were pregnant, the childbirth would be extremely dangerous."

"I love and cherish my wife; how could I let you face such peril?"

Xiao Luolan, relieved that Lord Zhou wasn't insisting on a child, blushed at his words: "I knew you would be so considerate."

Seeing his wife's face flush, Zhou Xu said, "I've used sheep intestines as a barrier since then."

Xiao Luolan's face turned even redder, barely remembering the latter part, just recalling the tossing and turning.

"Don't use this musk ointment again; it harms your health," Zhou Xu said, discarding the ointment. Seeing his wife under the candlelight, more radiant than ever, and feeling affectionate, his heart stirred.

"I have a guest skilled in women's medicine and dietary therapy. I'll have her come tomorrow to tend to your health," Zhou Xu said.

Standing before the mirror, Xiao Luolan turned to Zhou Xu: "I haven't used the musk ointment yet. Let's not use it, okay?" She knew her body was always healthy.

Zhou Xu, seeing his wife's slender waist and trembling hips, chuckled softly, revealing his desire: "I wish my lady were a bit more voluptuous."

Xiao Luolan shot Zhou Xu a shy glare. How much more could she gain?

Realizing where Zhou Xu's gaze was fixed, Xiao Luolan blushed and turned away, only to face the mirror, which clearly reflected her current state.

Xiao Luolan wanted to leave this place.

But Zhou Xu firmly grasped her waist.

"Let's go to sleep, dawn is near," Xiao Luolan reminded him, her cheeks burning: "Qingxue, Shen Zhi, and Lord Tuo Ba will be coming to pay their respects."

Having been informed by Granny Cui, Xiao Luolan was aware of this routine.

Zhou Xu made his wife look at herself in the mirror, seeing her cheeks grow even redder, he embraced her passionately: "During their respects, will my lady think of our intimate moments together?"

Xiao Luolan blushed with embarrassment at Lord Zhou's frivolous words. Privately, he seemed to lose all seriousness, shamelessly so despite his age!

"I don't want it, and you shouldn't think about it either!" Xiao Luolan turned to Lord Zhou.

Zhou Xu kissed his wife's cheek, and seeing her indignation, chuckled, "As my wife wishes, I shall only act, not think."

Xiao Luolan was annoyed; he knew she meant otherwise, yet deliberately misconstrued her words.

The mirror's surface fogged up from her breath, a hazy mist obscuring the view, until a large hand swept away the condensation, revealing a face more radiant than spring blossoms.

Her brows furrowed, seemingly unable to bear immense pleasure.

"My lady, you look truly beautiful in the mirror."

Zhou Xu praised in a low voice.