Finally, the burning passion landed on An Ran's two soft, rosy lips, gently swirling and sucking, prying open her teeth, and entwining them even more deeply.
An Ran was suddenly deprived of her breath.
"Ninth Sister, you are so beautiful." Lu Mingxiu's soft whisper surrounded An Ran's ear, sounding particularly alluring in the quiet night. "Ninth Sister, don't be afraid."
An Ran nodded blankly, as if bewitched.
She relaxed her body, letting go of her tension. She could clearly feel Lu Mingxiu's tenderness and consideration. Lu Mingxiu could have taken her completely long ago, but he had always respected her wishes. As long as she didn't want it, he wouldn't overstep even the slightest intimacy.
It would be a lie to say I wasn't moved.
Having figured all this out, An Ran simply raised her head, suppressing her shame, and took the initiative to please Lu Mingxiu.
Lu Mingxiu's heart stirred slightly. He grasped An Ran's slender, soft waist with his large hand and gently caressed it. It was as if he were handling a rare treasure, tender and affectionate. As his calloused fingertips gently stroked the two full and elastic mounds of soft flesh, An Ran couldn't help but tremble slightly.
She was most afraid of the cold, but even though the floor was heated here and she felt slightly sweaty in just a single layer of clothing, An Ran clearly felt a chill.
Lu Mingxiu's movements became increasingly gentle, making it impossible for her to refuse.
She was already lost in a daze of passion, while Lu Mingxiu remained perfectly dressed, though the change in his eyes hinted at a hint of madness.
An Ran reluctantly reached out and grabbed Lu Mingxiu's collar, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to undo his robe.
However, on the one hand, An Ran was nervous, and on the other hand, Lord Lu saw that she really had no strength and even her fingertips were trembling slightly. Therefore, he kindly helped An Ran undress in a few moments and threw her directly onto the high table next to the canopy bed.
Now, the two of them were, in a sense, completely honest with each other.
This was the first time An Ran had ever seen Lu Mingxiu's body.
His tall and agile figure, usually shrouded in a dark brocade robe, was now stripped of its coverings, revealing his strong chest, which was crisscrossed with several scars, some deep and some shallow. One scar, which looked particularly severe, ran from his left shoulder all the way to his chest, leaving a deep mark that is still visible today.
An Ran's eyes gradually regained their clarity.
Lu Mingxiu was able to restore the title of Marquis of Pingyuan to his former status thanks to his illustrious military achievements. He earned his current position entirely through his own hard work and battles. Nowadays, many people in the capital speak of Marquis Lu Mingxiu of Pingyuan as someone who enjoys the Emperor's deep favor and is a powerful minister heavily relied upon by the Emperor. They can't help but marvel at his good fortune in meeting the Emperor when he was still a prince.
It's as if Lu Mingxiu's success today is all out of the blue, like a windfall.
But who could know that behind Lu Mingxiu's glory was the blood and sweat of battle on the battlefield?
Those nobles who merely sided with the current emperor were naturally inferior to Marquis Pingyuan, who had distinguished himself in military campaigns, quelled foreign enemies, and contributed to internal rebellions.
An Ran had long understood these principles. But now, seeing them, all she felt was heartache. In the past, she felt sorry for Lu Mingxiu's hardships and difficulties; now, seeing these scars clearly, her sorrow had a real place to rest.
If some of her scars had been even an inch off, she might never have had the chance to meet Lu Mingxiu.
An Ran felt extremely uncomfortable.
She sat up, her soft, boneless hands gently stroking the scars, her eyes filled with undisguised heartache. "These scars, were they all from the battlefield?"
Lu Mingxiu didn't initially think these scars were very painful.
"It's alright. It doesn't hurt much," Lu Mingxiu said, trying to sound relaxed.
Having experienced the loss of both his parents and the devastation of his family at a young age, he had tasted the deepest pain, and his heart was already numb. Even the hardships and exhaustion in the army and the wounds on the battlefield that followed did not seem too painful to him.
Anything he can endure isn't considered pain.
However, when he met Jiu Niang's big, heartbroken eyes, and saw her slender fingers gently brushing over his scars, and her trembling voice asking him about these scars—Lu Mingxiu suddenly felt that every scar seemed to have regained its pain.
An Ran looked like she was about to cry, so Lu Mingxiu held her tightly in his arms, their skin touching, intimately close.
"Really, I'm not lying to you." Lu Mingxiu chuckled softly, then, as if admitting defeat, he said gently, "It did hurt a little back then. But it's all better now, it doesn't hurt at all." He reached out and stroked An Ran's back to soothe her.
An Ran noticed the changes in Lu Mingxiu during their close contact.
After all that commotion, probably no one could have endured it. An Ran was also prepared. Although they had agreed not to consummate the marriage yet, to prevent her from getting pregnant too early, which would be bad for her health. Later... she could take some medicine.
If it were Lu Mingxiu, she would be willing to give him her whole self.
"My lord, the tent—" An Ran pleaded softly, "At least put the tent down... please."
She was still a little embarrassed, so Lord Lu stretched out his long arm and let most of the light out, and the sapphire blue curtains fell down.
Inside the tent, in the dim light, their kiss deepened. The various erotic pictures in the booklets they had seen before surfaced in their minds.
The gun went off accidentally, and they were just one step away from crossing the line.
However, just one step away, Lu Mingxiu stopped abruptly.
He had promised Jiu Niang that he wouldn't go to the last step; he wanted to keep his promise.
"Lord Marquis?" An Ran looked at Lu Mingxiu in confusion. She could clearly feel the change in Lu Mingxiu's lower body, but Lu Mingxiu actually distanced himself from her.
She gritted her teeth and whispered, "My lord, it's alright."
If that was Lu Mingxiu, she wouldn't regret it.
But Lu Mingxiu made no further move. He said in a hoarse voice, "Ninth Sister, I promised you. We would consummate our marriage after you come of age..."
An Ran knew how hard he had endured. Then her eyes reddened, her nose tingled, and she felt both moved and heartbroken.
This time, she wouldn't let him take a cold shower or try any other way to solve the problem.
She mustered her courage, having long since cast aside any sense of shame. Her voice was so soft and delicate, it seemed it could vanish into thin air in an instant. "I...I'll help you with my hands?"
This suggestion was a compromise. And the erotic booklets that Third Sister gave her also contained some other ways to relieve the pain.
Lu Mingxiu did not speak, but looked at An Ran with increasingly deep eyes.