"HAHA, Little Red Carp, you’re always so cute. You’d still be cute even if I pinched your cheeks, and you’d be even cuter with rounder cheeks!" Hua Yusen showered Little Red Carp with compliments, his gaze shifting to Zhao Nuanyue as she emerged from the back door.
As Zhao Nuanyue stepped outside, her eyes immediately found Hua Yusen. She heard his hearty voice.
Zhao Nuanyue gazed lovingly at the man she adored. ’He’s finally home.’
But in front of her younger brother and sister, Zhao Nuanyue couldn’t bring herself to throw herself into his embrace.
"Brother-in-law, welcome home!" Zhao Nuan Yang was happy for his sister, too. When his brother-in-law had suddenly left on a work assignment, they couldn’t hold the wedding as planned. He had sensed his sister’s disappointment, but to keep up appearances, she had always smiled and told everyone it didn’t bother her.
’For any woman, a wedding is an incredibly important event. How could she not care?’
Now, his brother-in-law was back. Besides, his sister and her husband had already received their marriage certificate, making them a legally wedded couple.
Even though Zhao Nuan Yang was sad to see his sister go, he understood that in the future, it would be Hua Yusen by her side, not him—the brother she had spent every day with.
’My sister was right. One day, I’ll probably meet a woman I love and start a family of my own.’
That being the case, he had no reason to stand in the way of Hua Yusen and his sister. So, Zhao Nuan Yang reached out and took Little Red Carp into his arms.
"Thanks, Nuanyang, for taking care of your sister while I was gone!" Hua Yusen said gratefully. He passed Little Red Carp to Nuanyang, freeing up a hand to pat him on the shoulder. He noticed his young brother-in-law’s shoulders were much sturdier than before. "Not bad, Nuanyang. You’ve gotten much fitter!"
"It’s my duty, brother-in-law. No need to thank me." Zhao Nuan Yang chuckled. "Alright, I’ll take Little Red Carp and get out of your hair. You two should talk!"
"Hey, Brother-in-law, did you bring me a present?" Little Red Carp teased. "If you didn’t, I won’t let you hang out with my sister, you know!"
Hua Yusen just smiled. He took a few boxes from Liu Jian, who was standing behind him, and handed them to Little Red Carp and Zhao Nuan Yang. "These are for you two," he said with a smile. "Go on, take them!"
The last time Hua Yusen had gone on a trip, he had forgotten to bring Little Red Carp a present, which had made the little girl furious. This time, after finishing his work in Lu State, he made sure to buy some local specialties to bring back. He had gifts for Little Red Carp and Nuanyang, and of course, for Nuanyue.
"Okay, I’ll let you off the hook!" Now that she had a gift, Little Red Carp was much more agreeable. She followed her brother into the back courtyard to see what presents Hua Yusen had brought them.
Hua Yusen walked softly over to Zhao Nuanyue. "I’m sorry, Nuanyue," he said. "I’m home."
Now that they were alone in the courtyard, Zhao Nuanyue threw herself into Hua Yusen’s arms. "How many times have I told you not to apologize to me?" she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I know it wasn’t your fault. That’s all that matters. My only wish is that no matter where you go, you come back to me safely. As long as you keep me in your heart and love me, that’s more than enough."
What could be more moving than Zhao Nuanyue’s choked whispers?
Listening to her whispered, loving complaints, Hua Yusen’s heart ached with a bittersweet warmth. He cleared his mind of everything else, wanting only to hold Zhao Nuanyue.
"Alright, I won’t. I’ll never say it again." Hua Yusen rested his forehead against hers. "Everything you’ve done for me... I hold it in my heart. I’ll never forget. No matter where I go, my heart will always be here with you."
"Okay. I’ll remember that," Zhao Nuanyue nodded. Then, remembering she was covered in sweat, she tried to pull away from his embrace. "Don’t get too close! I’m all sweaty!"
Only then did Hua Yusen realize what was different about her. Forgetting about pulling her closer for a kiss, he asked in surprise, "Why are you sweating so much? Do you have a fever?"
As he spoke, he pressed his forehead against hers to check her temperature.
"I don’t have a fever. I was just practicing martial arts in the courtyard with Nuanyang!" Zhao Nuanyue chuckled, a proud smile on her face. ’Even though I’ve only been training for a month, I’ve already made some progress,’ she thought. "This way, I can protect myself if I ever run into trouble."
Hearing her words, Hua Yusen’s heart ached. He felt it was his fault—that his absence had made her feel so insecure that she had to resort to strenuous martial arts training.
’This is my failure!’
"Nuanyue, I’m so sorry. I’m the one who made you feel insecure." His eyes were filled with guilt as he pulled her into a tight embrace. He didn’t mind her sweat in the slightest; on the contrary, he worried she might catch a cold and wrapped his own overcoat around her.
’Oh, honestly!’ Zhao Nuanyue couldn’t take it anymore. ’There are other people here!’
Fortunately, Liu Jian and the others saw what was happening and tactfully retreated to the nearby rooms to rest.
Although Hua Yusen’s embrace made her feel blissful, she didn’t like being held while she was so sweaty. She struggled a little. "Alright, let me go take a shower first! And about what you said earlier... I do feel secure. After all, you arranged for people to protect me. I just started practicing because I had some free time. Think of it as a way to stay fit."
She didn’t want Hua Yusen to feel guilty, so she tried to reassure him.
But how could someone as perceptive as Hua Yusen fail to understand her true intentions?
At this moment, words were useless. He wanted his actions to show her that no matter what happened, he would protect her without a second thought.
He gently caressed her face with both hands. Even with the sweat on her skin, Hua Yusen thought it was sweet and fragrant.
Even during the most difficult, exhausting moments, the mere thought of Zhao Nuanyue’s beauty would always renew his spirits, filling him with the energy to finish his work and hurry back to her side.
Since Hua Yusen clearly didn’t mind that she was sweaty, Zhao Nuanyue decided she didn’t mind either. They had been separated for a month—right after getting their marriage license. She desperately wanted to be close to him, too.