Qiao Zhao suddenly felt a chill across her body, her eyes shimmering like water waves as she looked with some confusion at the man who was desperately trying to suppress his breathing.
Shao Mingyuan pulled the brocade quilt over to cover her, his voice hoarse as he said, “Maybe… we should wait a little longer…”
Qiao Zhao lowered her head, looking at the countless peach blossom petals that had been planted on her neck, then at the man whose strong physique was exposed without any clothing to conceal it. She couldn’t help but narrow her eyes.
They had come this far, and now he was telling her this?
“I want to know the reason.” Qiao Zhao simply sat up, letting the brocade quilt slide down, revealing her snow-white, fragrant shoulders.
Shao Mingyuan seemed to have touched burning charcoal, hastily averting his gaze, his breathing becoming even more rapid.
“Or perhaps you don’t find me that appealing—”
“That’s not it!” Shao Mingyuan couldn’t help but embrace Qiao Zhao, helping her pull the quilt properly.
At this moment, with the physical passion’s afterglow still lingering, and as the two bodies pressed closer together, the man’s usually proud self-control nearly collapsed.
Shao Mingyuan bit his lip hard and took a deep breath.
“What exactly is the reason?” Qiao Zhao persistently pursued the question.
“I—” Shao Mingyuan hesitated slightly, but seeing the grievance in the young woman’s eyes, he finally revealed the reason, “When I think of Physician Li’s words, I can’t continue.”
With Physician Li’s warning beforehand, how could he dare risk losing her for a moment of pleasure? What he wanted was for them to be together for a long, long time—growing old together with children and grandchildren filling the house.
“What did Grandpa Li tell you?”
“He said you couldn’t become pregnant before turning eighteen, otherwise your life would be in danger.” The more Shao Mingyuan spoke, the more anxious he became. Those romantic thoughts immediately vanished, and even his heated body cooled down.
Qiao Zhao glanced sideways at the man who was lightly furrowing his brow and asked with a smile, “So you want to wait until I’m eighteen?”
Shao Mingyuan hesitantly nodded.
Although he wasn’t sure if he could endure until that time, he would do his best.
Uh, or maybe starting tomorrow, he should sleep in the study.
Qiao Zhao raised her eyebrows: “What, you’re not planning to sleep in the study from now on, are you?”
Having his thoughts exposed, Shao Mingyuan was speechless, left only with a foolish smile facing his beloved girl.
Qiao Zhao pressed her lips together, then suddenly threw the brocade quilt aside and reached out with both hands to hook around his neck.
Shao Mingyuan instantly stiffened, suppressing his voice as he said, “Zhaozhao?”
The young woman smiled sweetly: “Fool, if we wait another three years, you’ll be old.”
The sweet fragrance from her rushed toward him like aged wine that intoxicated both heart and soul. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Shao Mingyuan’s forehead, and a certain part of him instantly swelled painfully.
“Zhaozhao, you… don’t do this…”
But Qiao Zhao, with her arms around Shao Mingyuan’s neck, directly sat on top of him, her breath like orchids as she asked, “Don’t do what?”
He was willing to wait, but she didn’t want to wait anymore. She didn’t want their hard-won married life to pass in waiting, and she especially didn’t want some day when an imperial edict came down sending him off to war again while they still hadn’t become true husband and wife.
Life held too many variables; she wanted to seize the present.
“Zhaozhao—” Shao Mingyuan became somewhat panicked. He felt his self-control crumbling, ready at any moment to disregard everything and press the person in his arms beneath him to gallop freely.
Soft lips pressed against his, the young woman’s voice tender and lingering: “I’m here, what are you calling me for?”
“Zhaozhao, don’t—” Shao Mingyuan made his last resistance, but those soft hands forcefully pushed him downward.
The soft, thick bedding instantly sank.
“Tingquan.”
“Mm?”
“My mother taught me, and with certain medicinal meals, it’ll be fine…”
…
The sky had already shown the pale white of dawn when the water-red gauze curtains finally gradually settled down.
Qiao Zhao couldn’t even move her fingers; her waterfall-like black hair scattered messily across the red brocade bedding embroidered with flowers. She bit her lips and glared at the thoroughly satisfied man.
“What’s wrong?” Shao Mingyuan kissed Qiao Zhao’s cheek, his voice clear and gentle after being satisfied.
“You still have the nerve to ask what’s wrong!”
Shao Mingyuan looked somewhat embarrassed, holding Qiao Zhao as he coaxed, “I’ll be more careful in the future, I promise not to do it so many times.”
Since neither of them had put on clothes, this closeness immediately made Qiao Zhao feel that someone had changed again. She hastily pushed him away and said petulantly, “You should go bathe quickly, stop clinging around.”
“Then I’ll call the maids in to help you wash, and you can continue sleeping. Sleep well before getting up to eat.”
“No need, I can take care of myself. Don’t you dare call them.” Qiao Zhao hastily stopped him.
In her current state, how could she face anyone, let alone have them help her wash?
“Can you still move?” The man leaned close to her ear and asked with a low laugh.
“Who caused this?” Qiao Zhao glared at the man who was taking advantage and still acting innocent.
Shao Mingyuan put on his clothes and walked out, returning shortly after with a water basin in his hands.
Qiao Zhao was stunned when she saw it.
“If you’re too embarrassed to let them come, then I’ll do it.”
“Tingquan, don’t—” Qiao Zhao weakly pushed at the man who was lifting her.
“What’s wrong with this? It was all my doing anyway…”
After a moment, Shao Mingyuan covered Qiao Zhao with the brocade quilt and placed a kiss on her forehead, his eyes full of tenderness: “Sleep. I’ll wash up and do a set of boxing exercises, then come back.”
“Mm.” After being cleaned, Qiao Zhao felt much more comfortable. She nodded and closed her eyes.
Qiao Zhao slept until the afternoon. When she opened her eyes, she heard Binglu chattering: “Madam, you’ve finally awakened.”
Qiao Zhao’s face grew slightly warm.
What did she mean by “finally awakened”? This girl was becoming increasingly poor with words.
“Madam must be hungry. This servant will bring you red date porridge to tide you over first.” A’Zhu glanced at Qiao Zhao with a red face and hurriedly went out.
Qiao Zhao moved and found that every part of her body ached. She could only call out, “Binglu, help me up.”
Binglu hurriedly helped Qiao Zhao sit up and bustled about serving her as she washed. When she saw the patches of red marks on her exposed skin, she couldn’t help but exclaim: “Madam, doesn’t this hurt terribly?”
My goodness, marriage was so frightening. She’d rather serve her mistress for life.
Qiao Zhao glanced at her: “Can you quietly attend to me?”
She needed to quietly adjust her complex feelings about transitioning from maiden to wife, not have someone beside her constantly reminding her of the fact that she had spent a wild night with a certain scoundrel.
“Yes.” Binglu stuck out her tongue and didn’t dare make another sound.
Qiao Zhao had just finished washing and had barely drunk a few sips of porridge when she heard a familiar voice from outside the door: “Is Madam awake?”
“Madam is already awake, please wait a moment, Lord Marquis—”
Before A’Zhu could finish her words, Shao Mingyuan had already lifted the cotton curtain and walked in.
Compared to Qiao Zhao’s current delicate weakness, someone appeared refreshed and clear-headed, as if years of accumulated gloom had been swept away, even his smile brighter than usual.
“Eating porridge?” Shao Mingyuan walked to the bedside in a few steps and sat down next to Qiao Zhao.
Perhaps because they had become true husband and wife, their intimacy had imperceptibly deepened another layer, leaving no room for others to intrude.
Binglu tactfully withdrew, pulling A’Zhu aside to whisper: “A’Zhu, I think the General and Madam are so well-matched.”
A’Zhu blushed and nodded: “I think so too.”