Awakening in the unchanging darkness of the dungeon, Li Shuang felt disoriented, unable to discern day from night. However, the weight on her lap soon clarified the time for her.
It must be nighttime, as Jin An had transformed into an adult man, just as she had seen him on countless nights in the Northern Frontier. Without his black mask, his features appeared even more refined. He was still deep in slumber, perhaps making up for many sleepless nights.
Gazing at his peaceful face, Li Shuang recalled the mysterious man who had so easily stirred her emotions months ago – anger, shyness, and excitement. She gently traced his face, noting his deep-set eyes reminiscent of Western Rong people, yet with a unique delicacy.
With unprecedented tenderness, she explored every inch of his skin, from his long eyelashes to the dark circles beneath his eyes – evidence of recent suffering. His chapped lips caught her attention, and as she tried to soothe them, Jin An unexpectedly opened his mouth, trapping her finger between his teeth.
The gentle pressure of his lips and teeth, warm and electrifying, made Li Shuang’s heart flutter. She instinctively tried to withdraw, but he held her finger firmly, neither painful nor too light.
Li Shuang looked down to find Jin An’s eyes open, gazing intently at her as he lay on her lap, creating an intensely intimate moment.
Their eyes locked, the dungeon air thick with unspoken tension.
“Jin An…” Li Shuang regained her composure, clearing her throat and averting her gaze. “Let go.”
As he released her finger, Jin An asked, “Do you enjoy touching me?”
His directness startled Li Shuang. Had he been a child, she might have felt less awkward. But with an attractive man lying on her lap, asking such a question at close range, she found herself blushing.
Before she could respond, Jin An added, “I want to kiss you.”
“…What?” Li Shuang stammered.
Jin An repeated, “May I kiss you?”
Li Shuang was taken aback. “You…”
“He said he wants to kiss you. You know, smooch smooch,” Wu Yin’s teasing voice came from outside. “I heard everything.”
Embarrassed and angry, Li Shuang gritted her teeth. “Why are you still here?”
Before Wu Yin could answer, Jin An sat up, his eyes flashing dangerously. “I’ll kill him.”
Li Shuang quickly grabbed his hand as Wu Yin’s voice came again, accompanied by the sound of something being placed on the ground. “How ungrateful! I’ve been guarding you all afternoon and just brought you food, and now you want to kill me? That’s not right.”
Li Shuang stood up, but her legs, numb from sitting so long, gave way. Jin An caught her, his previously murderous gaze now filled with concern and fear, as if holding something infinitely precious.
“It’s just pins and needles. I’m fine,” Li Shuang reassured him.
She asked Jin An to help her to the door. “Let Jin An out tonight.”
Wu Yin hesitated. “There’s still a mess outside, and our healer is too old to clean quickly.”
Understanding Wu Yin’s concerns, Li Shuang suggested, “Bring handcuffs and link us together. He shouldn’t be treated like a prisoner.”
Jin An’s eyes flickered to Li Shuang’s injured neck and delicate wrists. Though others saw her as a formidable general, he only wanted to protect her, to keep her safe.
“I’ll stay here,” Jin An said. “You’re not a prisoner. Don’t be bound because of me.”
Li Shuang turned to look at him. In the silence, they heard the dungeon door open.
Wu Yin stood outside, his expression a mix of exasperation and amusement. “Alright, alright. You two are sickeningly sweet. Come on, I’ll arrange a room for you. A Jade Silkworm host should be fine with their master.”
He picked up the food. “Let’s eat outside.”
As they walked up, Li Shuang held Jin An’s hand. Near the exit, where moonlight spilled in, Jin An suddenly stopped.
Li Shuang’s hand slipped from his. She turned, “What’s wrong?”
Jin An remained silent.
Without rushing him, Li Shuang extended her hand. “Don’t be afraid. Come with me.”
Standing in the moonlight, Li Shuang seemed to glow.
“I won’t hurt you,” Jin An vowed. “Nor anyone you don’t want me to harm.”
“I know,” Li Shuang replied, gentle yet firm. “I trust you.”
Jin An placed his hand in hers, both warm to the touch, offering mutual comfort and dependence.
“Li Shuang,” he called her name seriously for the first time. “You will be my only one for the rest of my life.”
Li Shuang opened her mouth, wanting to respond positively, elated to hear such words from him.
But at that moment, she heard the distant military horn signaling the soldiers’ return to camp. The sound tore through her throat, shattering all words in her chest.
She thought of the general’s mansion, the Changfeng Camp in the frontier, the emperor on his lofty throne, and the army she had bargained for with her future.
She had saved him, but in her remaining years, he could not be her only one.