Qinghe Town lay close to the northern border, so the cold arrived earlier than it did elsewhere.
Arui heated a large pot of water and propped a wooden plank across the kitchen doorway for privacy.
Hardly anyone ever came to the run-down house, but she preferred to be cautious.
Inside the cramped kitchen, the gentle sound of splashing water echoed through the room.
There was no bathtub, so she soaked a cloth in the warm water and carefully wiped herself clean instead.
The weather was cold enough that going a few days without bathing wouldn’t leave much of a smell.
Still, it never felt comfortable.
Arui liked being clean.
Now that she finally had the chance, she intended to wash herself properly.
The splashing water drowned out the sound of footsteps outside.
With her back to the doorway, she had no idea Qin Lie had returned.
He had only come home to retrieve a few arrows.
Seeing the wooden plank blocking the kitchen entrance, he assumed something had happened.
He never imagined that, upon approaching, he would stumble into such an intimate scene.
The afternoon sunlight was still warm.
Golden rays slipped through the gaps in the window, illuminating the small room.
The woman’s fair, softly rounded body glowed like fresh snow.
Her damp hair clung to her back, making her smooth skin appear even more luminous.
Tiny droplets of water slid down her shoulder blades, tracing delicate paths until they disappeared into the dimples above her waist.
She had just finished washing.
Lowering her head, she began putting on her undergarment.
The thin fabric was held up by two slender ties resting on her shoulders.
As she adjusted it, her soft curves shifted gently beneath the cloth.
Qin Lie’s eyes seemed to ignite.
A scorching heat surged through his body.
He abruptly turned around and strode out of the house.
Towering trees surrounded the courtyard, so tall they seemed capable of concealing every secret hidden beneath their branches.
Even standing an entire courtyard away, he could still hear the faint sound of water splashing.
Soft.
Rhythmic.
Impossible to ignore.
His breathing refused to steady itself.
A moment later, the wooden plank was moved aside.
Arui stepped out of the kitchen.
Her hair was still damp.
She wore the pale goose-yellow dress he had bought for her.
The tender color suited her perfectly.
Her rosy lips and white teeth made her as radiant as blooming spring flowers.
The slender stretch of neck exposed above her collar was as white as fresh snow.
But Qin Lie knew…
The skin hidden beneath those clothes…
Was even fairer.
His Adam’s apple bobbed.
The muscles across his body tightened instinctively.
His dark eyes deepened until they resembled a whirlpool, as though they longed to pull her completely into their depths.
Sensing something, Arui turned her head.
There was no one at the doorway.
After pouring out the bathwater, she washed the clothes she had changed out of.
By the time she finished, the afternoon was nearly over.
The sun had not yet set, so she simply carried her sewing outside and settled down in the courtyard.
Qin Lie had expected her to be more cautious.
Instead, after only one brief glance around, she calmly sat in the open courtyard and began embroidering.
The old house did have courtyard walls.
But the gate was broken.
If someone other than him had walked in today…
Qin Lie’s brows knitted tightly together.
His expression darkened.
He had the sudden urge to drag her over and give her a thorough scolding.
Yet the image he had accidentally witnessed that afternoon flashed through his mind once again.
Suppressing the impulse, he forced himself to think of another solution.
If he couldn’t lecture her…
Then he would simply repair every door in the house.
Several thoughts crossed his mind one after another.
Arui remained completely unaware.
She had originally planned to begin sewing Qin Lie’s new clothes.
But his old outfit was already so worn that she needed to measure him properly before cutting the fabric.
Since she had no idea when he would return, she decided to work on the embroidered pouches first.
The two sample pouches Shopkeeper Su had lent her were shaped like pomegranates.
Their construction was fairly simple.
The challenge lay in the embroidery design and color combinations.
Some wealthy customers even decorated theirs with tassels or jade pendants.
Naturally, Arui couldn’t afford such luxuries.
She decided to embroider one with a blessing-and-prosperity pattern and the other with magpies perched upon flowering branches.
Both carried auspicious meanings and were unlikely to go out of style.
After settling on the designs, she devoted herself entirely to selecting thread colors and cutting fabric.
She never once noticed the dark expression on the man’s face beyond the courtyard wall.
…
Pouches were much more complicated than handkerchiefs.
Even after working until nightfall, she had only finished half of one.
The old house had no lamps.
Afraid of straining her eyes, Arui packed away her sewing.
She used the last rays of the setting sun to prepare dinner.
Just as the meal was ready, Qin Lie returned.
This time, instead of carrying game over his shoulder, he was hauling several thick wooden planks.
Curious, Arui asked,
“Brother Lie, what do you need all those boards for?”
She leaned against the kitchen doorway, still wearing the same yellow dress.
The firelight from the stove illuminated her delicate features, casting a long shadow behind her.
Qin Lie lowered his eyes.
His muscular arms strained beneath his short work clothes.
His voice came out low and hoarse.
“It’s getting cold.”
“I’m putting doors on the house.”
“…Oh.”
Arui blinked in surprise before nodding.
Only then did she remember bathing in the kitchen that afternoon and using a wooden plank to block the entrance.
And now…
That very evening…
He had suddenly decided to install doors.
What a coincidence.
Still, she didn’t think too deeply about it.
The weather truly had turned cold.
Once frost arrived, it would only become harsher.
Winter was just around the corner.
It wasn’t right for Qin Lie to keep sleeping in the drafty main room, especially since he didn’t even own a proper quilt.
Now that she could earn money herself, Arui had already made plans.
If the embroidered pouches sold well, she would buy several lengths of cloth and enough cotton to make him a thick winter quilt.
She couldn’t bear the thought of sleeping comfortably in bed while he froze outside.
Qin Lie leaned the wooden planks against the wall.
He intended to install them first thing the next morning.
Meanwhile, Arui served dinner in the kitchen.
Tonight’s meal was simple.
A pot of rice porridge.
One plate of scrambled wild pheasant eggs with Chinese chives.
The wild eggs had been brought back from the mountains by Qin Lie a few days earlier.
Originally, they should have been sold.
But he had insisted they weren’t worth much money and suggested they keep them instead.
Arui hated wasting food.
Each time she cooked, she used only two eggs.
Wild pheasant eggs were much smaller than ordinary chicken eggs, but their flavor was richer and fresher.
With every spoonful of porridge followed by a bite of eggs, the two of them ate in comfortable silence.
Arui kept her head lowered as she cradled her bowl.
After living here for some time, she had visibly gained a little weight.
Her once-gaunt face had become softer and healthier.
She no longer looked so frail.
And…
Her figure had become noticeably fuller as well.
Qin Lie lowered his eyes and quietly took another sip of porridge, forcing himself to banish those dangerous thoughts from his mind.
By the time they finished eating and cleaned everything up, darkness had completely settled over the village.
Soon, the sound of splashing water drifted through the courtyard once more.
Even in weather this cold, Qin Lie still bathed with cold water.
Arui couldn’t help wondering if he had done the same while serving in the army.
Just imagining it made her shiver.
When he finally came inside, she picked up the thin quilt from her bed and carried it over to him.
“Brother Lie.”
“It’s getting too cold.”
“You should use this quilt tonight.”
The quilt had been covering her every night.
It still carried her faint scent.
The heat Qin Lie had only just managed to suppress flared up all over again.
His throat tightened.
Without looking at her, he answered,
“No.”
Arui hadn’t expected him to refuse.
She stared blankly.
“But you’ll catch a cold.”
Even sleeping beneath two quilts herself, she still felt chilled every night.
“It’s fine.”
Qin Lie had trained in martial arts his entire life.
His body was stronger than most.
Once, while serving in the military, he and his men had remained hidden in ice and snow for half a month.
Compared to that, this autumn chill meant nothing.
But Arui couldn’t think that way.
She only knew that no one’s body was made of iron.
Not even Qin Lie’s.
If he became sick because of the cold…
She would never forgive herself.
She bit her lip before speaking hesitantly.
“Brother… Brother Lie…”
“Then… why don’t you sleep on the floor inside my room?”
The inner room was separated from the main room only by a wall.
Since there was still no door, it was practically one large space anyway.
At least inside, the wind wouldn’t be as harsh.
She trusted Qin Lie’s character completely.
She knew he would never harbor improper intentions toward her.
Besides…
He was supposed to be incapable of consummating a marriage.
The more she thought about it, the better the idea seemed.
“The inner room blocks the wind better.”
“And it’s larger than the main room.”
“You work so hard hunting every day.”
“If you keep sleeping poorly, sooner or later your health will suffer.”
After she finished speaking, silence filled the room.
The only sound was the steady rhythm of their breathing.
Arui suddenly became nervous.
After what felt like an eternity, Qin Lie finally spoke.
His deep voice seemed to fall right beside her ear, each word striking her heart like the beat of a drum.
“Arui…”
“Have you ever thought about remarrying?”