Hua Miaomiao gently and meticulously cleaned his face, then prepared a basin of water and said, “Lift your feet, I’ll wash them for you.”
Xiao Jinyan was a little surprised. These were tasks that could easily be done by the servants, or even delegated entirely. Yet she insisted on doing everything herself.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that whenever it involved him, Hua Miaomiao handled it personally—especially when it came to taking care of him.
Seeing that he still hadn’t lifted his feet, she looked up at him and said, “What are you daydreaming about? Lift your feet; I’ll wash them properly for you.”
Finally, Xiao Jinyan complied.
This was the first time Hua Miaomiao had helped anyone remove their shoes!
When she finally soaked his feet in the water, she looked up and smiled, saying, “Comfortable, right?”
For Xiao Jinyan, “comfortable” wasn’t the main sensation. What truly overwhelmed him was that his wife was now using her own hands to wash his feet while massaging his calves.
The tingling sensation spread from his toes all the way to the crown of his head, leaving him speechless, afraid that even a word might betray his feelings.
After regaining some composure, he replied slowly, “Mm, comfortable.”
“In particular, the calves!” he secretly added in his mind.
Meanwhile, Hua Miaomiao felt the firm muscles and strength in his legs as she massaged them. Though she realized it was a little perverse, it felt so good that she couldn’t stop herself.
After finishing washing him, Hua Miaomiao took his hand and led him to the bed, asking, “Do you want me to help you remove your clothes?”
Her mind screamed yes, but she restrained herself. The last thing she wanted was to appear like a reckless woman and scare him away. Yet she still needed to confirm—just in case he needed help! Her thoughts were mischievous.
Unbeknownst to her, Xiao Jinyan had already observed her expression. Seeing her sly anticipation, he deliberately replied, “No need. I can manage my clothes myself. You’ve already worked hard enough, my wife.”
Her face immediately fell. Xiao Jinyan almost couldn’t contain his laughter at the sudden change.
Hua Miaomiao, not giving up, thought: if I can’t help him remove clothes, at least I can watch! So she lingered, eyes sparkling as she waited.
Seeing her light up like that, Xiao Jinyan deliberately lingered as he started undressing slowly.
Hua Miaomiao watched as he removed his outer robe, then busied herself with untying his waistband. She could hardly wait to do it herself. Once he finished the waist, she visibly relaxed, continuing to watch him.
He quickly stripped down to his underclothes, then paused. Seeing him prepare to get into bed, Hua Miaomiao reluctantly stepped away, all the while daydreaming about the faintly visible abs under his thin undergarments. The morning peek had not satisfied her curiosity, and she resolved to explore further once he fell asleep.
Xiao Jinyan watched her retreat, finally allowing himself a smile, thinking, This marriage truly suits us.
Hua Miaomiao finished her own wash and returned to the bedside, heart fluttering at the sight of him waiting. Knowing he couldn’t see her, she boldly began removing her clothes.
Xiao Jinyan instinctively wanted to look away, but realized that exposing her to darkness was safer—knowing too much might make her vulnerable. So he let her undress down to her undergarments.
Just as he thought she would go to blow out the candles, she did something astonishing. She loosened her hair and touched the spot at the back of her head where the golden pin was.
Adjusting her internal energy, she smoothly removed the pin.
Xiao Jinyan could hardly believe his eyes.
He had suspected that his wife had used disguise techniques, and assumed she wasn’t unattractive—after all, General Hua was a striking, upright man, and one would expect his daughter to resemble him. But he never imagined… she was not just attractive, she was breathtaking, like a fairy descended to the mortal realm.
Rubbing her face, Hua Miaomiao opened her eyes, glanced at her husband, and then blew out the candles.
In the darkness, Xiao Jinyan finally allowed his astonishment to show. Such beauty explained why she had hidden it. He silently thanked her for always presenting herself as plain—otherwise, no man in the world would resist her.
Using the dim light, Hua Miaomiao asked softly, “I didn’t kick you while sleeping last night, did I? My mother always said my sleeping posture is poor.”
Xiao Jinyan, brought back from his thoughts, hurriedly replied, “No, your sleeping posture is not bad at all. Very proper.”
Since they were so close, any slight movement from her could touch him.
Hua Miaomiao relaxed and said, “Good. I was worried my sleep might disturb you.”
Xiao Jinyan reached out under the covers and held her hand. “It’s fine. Even if you accidentally kick me, it doesn’t matter. We’re married now; we’ll be together for life.”
“You won’t take concubines?” she asked, a trace of resentment in her voice at the thought of men having multiple wives.
Hearing her, Xiao Jinyan said, “I won’t marry anyone else. You are enough. Besides, I’m blind—no one else would want to be with me anyway.”
He spoke humbly but firmly, clearly expressing his commitment. Hua Miaomiao felt joy and relief, scooting closer to him.
Tenderly, she said, “Then it’s agreed. You won’t take concubines, and I’ll always protect you.”
Xiao Jinyan’s heart raced, and he swore, “I, Xiao Jinyan, pledge that in this lifetime, you alone will be my wife. I will marry no other. Should I break this vow, may heaven and earth punish me!”
Hua Miaomiao’s heart swelled with warmth and excitement—she wanted to run around with joy!
She leaned into his chest, feeling the security of his solid frame, and Xiao Jinyan embraced her fully. The sensation was intoxicating.
He gently patted her back, silent, yet his strong heartbeat spoke volumes. Hua Miaomiao listened to the steady rhythm and slowly drifted to sleep.
Bathed in the faint moonlight, Xiao Jinyan looked down at her sleeping form and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.