“…Go to sleep already. I’m exhausted.”
Lu Huaiyuan’s voice was slightly hoarse, carrying a hint of restraint that he was struggling to suppress.
He stopped looking at her, turned around, and began changing his clothes beside the clothes rack with his back toward her.
As soon as he turned away, that suffocating sense of pressure finally disappeared.
Shen Zhixia let out a long sigh of relief and hurriedly climbed onto the carved wooden bed covered with a bright red wedding quilt.
She burrowed under the covers as quickly as possible, wrapping herself up tightly until only her head remained exposed.
It looked like tonight would pass peacefully after all.
She had actually been preparing herself for what might come next.
It was the kind of thing adults did, after all.
Although she had never experienced it herself, as a woman from the modern era, she had certainly heard about it.
Close your eyes, turn off the lights, and it was really nothing extraordinary.
Besides, judging by the man before her and his build, she probably would not be losing out either.
Shen Zhixia could not help glancing at Lu Huaiyuan’s lean waist.
What am I thinking? Beauty really can cloud the mind. Get a grip, Shen Zhixia!
She shook her head, pulled the quilt a little higher, and quickly closed her eyes.
Lu Huaiyuan changed his clothes unhurriedly. Only after he could no longer feel that gaze behind him did he slowly turn around.
He walked to the bedside and looked at the large empty space she had deliberately left for him. A silent smile appeared on his face.
After turning off the light, Lu Huaiyuan carefully lay down on the outer side of the bed.
Darkness always makes a person’s senses sharper.
Even though there was enough space between them for another person to lie down, her soft breathing seemed almost as though it were right beside his ear.
His own heartbeat seemed to grow louder along with it.
There also seemed to be a faint, pleasant scent drifting past the tip of his nose.
Lu Huaiyuan did not dare move at all. He merely opened and closed his eyes repeatedly.
After a long while, he finally drifted into a hazy sleep.
The night grew quiet and still.
Outside the window, the cold wind howled, occasionally accompanied by the barking of dogs.
No one knew how much time had passed when a faint yet strangely rhythmic birdcall suddenly sounded outside the window.
“Coo… coo-coo…”
It sounded like a turtledove, but in the bitter winter night, the call was far too regular and abrupt.
Lu Huaiyuan, whose breathing had been steady, suddenly opened his eyes.
His gaze was completely clear, without the slightest trace of sleepiness.
It was the emergency signal he had arranged with his brothers. Unless something serious had happened, none of them would have dared disturb him on his wedding night.
Lu Huaiyuan turned his head and glanced at Shen Zhixia, who was sleeping beside him.
She was lying on her side facing inward, her breathing long and even, seemingly fast asleep.
Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Huaiyuan quietly lifted the quilt and got out of bed.
His movements were swift. In the darkness, he felt around for his old black jacket and slipped it on, then took a folding knife from the cabinet and put it into his pocket.
The entire process was smooth and almost completely silent.
When he reached the window, he gently lifted the latch and pushed it open just enough for him to slip through. With a swift movement, he disappeared into the vast darkness outside like an agile black panther.
Silence returned to the room.
The moment Lu Huaiyuan left, Shen Zhixia, who had appeared to be asleep, slowly opened her eyes.
Her clear eyes were completely awake.
She had never been asleep.
The unfamiliar bed, the unfamiliar scent, and the thoughts weighing on her mind had kept her in a state between sleep and wakefulness.
Although the birdcalls had been faint, they could not escape her ears in the quiet of the night.
She turned over and looked at the empty half of the bed, reaching out to touch it. There was still a trace of warmth remaining.
On their wedding night, he had left his bride behind and climbed out through the window.
There were certainly plenty of secrets surrounding this man.
However, Shen Zhixia did not get out of bed to investigate, nor did she have any intention of following him to find out what was going on.
She closed her eyes again, the corners of her lips curving into a faint smile.
Everyone had their secrets. As long as his secrets did not threaten her survival or interests, she was perfectly happy to pretend she knew nothing.
A smart person never meddled in matters that did not concern them.
The next morning. When Shen Zhixia woke up, the space beside her was already cold.
She reached out and touched the pillow. It was smooth and dry, without the slightest indentation or trace of warmth from someone having slept there.
It seemed that Lu Huaiyuan had not returned all night.
She quickly composed herself, got out of bed, and neatly folded the quilt. She even deliberately arranged the two pillows to make it look as though someone had slept there.
Then she briefly tidied her appearance in front of the mirror before opening the door and going downstairs.
Breakfast had already been laid out on the dining table on the first floor.
The millet porridge was golden and thick, accompanied by several small dishes of crisp pickled vegetables and a basket of plump, white steamed meat buns.
For an ordinary family in this era, such a meal would have been something reserved for the New Year, but in the Lu household, it was merely an ordinary breakfast.
Lu Zhenbang was already seated at the head of the table reading the newspaper, while Su Ya was arranging the chopsticks.
When Su Ya saw Shen Zhixia come downstairs, a smile immediately spread across her face. Her eyes swept behind Shen Zhixia, but she did not see her son anywhere.
“Zhixia, you’re up? Did you sleep well last night?”
“Good morning, Dad, Mom. I slept very well last night. The bed was very comfortable.”
Shen Zhixia walked over to the table and greeted them politely before taking the ladle from Su Ya and properly helping the older couple serve their porridge.
Su Ya beckoned her to sit down and asked casually, “Why are you the only one here? Where’s that rascal Huaiyuan? Now that he’s married, is he still thinking about sleeping in?”
Although her tone sounded casual, Shen Zhixia keenly caught the hint of scrutiny in Su Ya’s eyes.
If this had been an ordinary rural newlywed, she probably would have panicked already.
Her husband had disappeared on the very first morning after their wedding.
But Shen Zhixia remained completely composed.
Only after Su Ya sat down did she take her own seat, lowering her eyes shyly as she spoke.
“Huaiyuan went out early this morning.”
Shen Zhixia pressed her lips together with a hint of embarrassment, her voice soft and gentle.
“It’s my fault. I once heard people say that the egg cakes from the state-run non-staple food store were delicious, but I’ve never had one in my life. I just happened to mention it last night.”
“He took it to heart. As soon as it got light, he went out to queue up. He said he absolutely had to buy some back for me to try.”
Lu Zhenbang’s hand paused just as he was about to drink his porridge. He raised his eyes and looked at Shen Zhixia with some surprise.
Su Ya was stunned for a moment as well.
A mother knew her son best.
With her son’s temperament, would he really go squeeze into a queue at a state-run store with a crowd of elderly men and women just to buy egg cakes?
Only if the sun rose in the west!
Su Ya looked at Shen Zhixia, who had lowered her eyes with the unmistakable expression of a happy newlywed wife, and understood everything perfectly.
He certainly was not out buying egg cakes. Her son had obviously gone off somewhere again last night and still had not returned, while his wife was covering for him.
But…
The smile in Su Ya’s eyes deepened instead.
Whether Shen Zhixia’s feelings were genuine or not, at least she knew to protect her husband’s dignity.
That alone made her better than many of the girls from the city.
“So marriage really does make a difference. He already knows how to take care of his wife.”
Su Ya did not expose her. Instead, she followed Shen Zhixia’s story and smiled as she picked up a steamed meat bun and placed it in her bowl.
“Since he went to buy food for you, he certainly won’t go hungry. Let’s not worry about him. Eat while it’s still hot.”