Wearing only a nightgown, An Ran's graceful neck was exposed, the thin fabric clinging to her body and outlining her beautiful curves. She had a slender waist and full breasts. Her long hair cascaded down her back, further emphasizing her small, delicate face.
The bright red curtains in their room had not yet been removed, and Anran, standing in front of the bed, seemed exceptionally beautiful and charming.
Originally, he only wanted to tease her to stop her from nagging him, but later, as if bewitched, he couldn't help but reach out and hug An Ran, lower his head, and kiss her deeply.
He really missed that sweet, tantalizing taste.
Since the last time, Lu Mingxiu had been very proper, at most giving a light kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the water, leaving no trace. But today he found it hard to resist, wanting to take more.
They were already husband and wife, and if Lu Mingxiu wanted to force himself on her, An Ran wouldn't be able to do anything about it. However, Lu Mingxiu respected her very much, and apart from occasionally kissing her and holding her while sleeping at night, he kept his promise.
A brief touch on her soft, glistening lips wasn't enough; he lingered on them repeatedly, drawing ever closer to Anran's hand.
An Ran could even clearly sense his longing for her.
Fortunately, Lu Mingxiu quickly regained his composure. No matter what, he would keep his promise to An Ran. Therefore, he simply said that he was going to wash up and asked An Ran to lie down and wait for him.
Thinking about what Lord Lu was going to do, An Ran's face flushed even more.
Sure enough, after a brief moment of hurried splashing, Lu Mingxiu lay back down. Although he could use his internal energy to warm his body quickly and dry off the icy water, the cold water droplets clinging to his hair still betrayed his presence.
"Ninth... Ninth Sister—" Seeing An Ran silently wiping the water droplets from her hair with a handkerchief, Lu Mingxiu felt somewhat embarrassed. He had repeatedly told himself that he would wait until An Ran came of age before taking her. He had also promised to let her enter the household first and not to consummate the marriage.
In Jiu Niang's eyes, his behavior was probably considered reckless and frivolous!
"I..." Lord Lu didn't know what to say, as if whatever he said would be wrong, and the atmosphere between the two suddenly became cold.
After carefully drying Lu Mingxiu's hair, An Ran put on her clothes, hung the handkerchief aside to dry, and quietly returned to bed.
Lu Mingxiu, like a child who had made a mistake, just watched An Ran's actions and didn't dare to utter a sound.
An Ran wasn't actually that angry; she just felt embarrassed. She had clearly been moved by Lu Mingxiu's kiss just now…
Ultimately, it's his fault!
An Ran glared at Lu Mingxiu resentfully. When she took off her outer clothes and got into bed, An Ran mischievously pressed herself against Lu Mingxiu through the blanket, using him as an obstacle, and rolled off him to the inside of the canopy bed.
Lu Mingxiu stared dumbfounded at his wife's childish behavior.
“If you continue to act recklessly…” An Ran threatened Lu Mingxiu without much authority, “I will go and sleep with Nian Ge’er from now on and I won’t come back.”
This is an extremely serious warning.
Lord Lu nodded readily and said, "What you say is true, my wife. I will remember it."
He rarely made verbal advances towards her, but now Lord Lu was doing it with increasing ease. Although he couldn't actually do anything about it, he could only indulge in his verbal gratification.
Although it was a sweet torture for both of them, neither of them really wanted to sleep separately.
After Lu Mingxiu blew out the lamp, An Ran still snuggled up to him on her own, completely dependent on him. Lu Mingxiu pressed his arm against An Ran's blanket, half-embracing her. The man's arms were strong and powerful, and An Ran felt securely protected.
"My lord, are you cold?" An Ran asked softly.
Lord Lu was only wearing a thin undergarment, yet he still held her close, perhaps afraid her arms would get cold. She tried to wriggle out of his embrace, attempting to wrap herself in the blanket and return to her side.
To her surprise, he held her tightly in his arms. Even through the blanket, An Ran could feel his arms were like iron hoops. She struggled a few times but couldn't break free.
"I'm not cold." In the quiet of the night, Lu Mingxiu spoke to her in a low, breathy voice. "Do you still want to get up early? Go to sleep now." His deep voice flowed into her ear, incredibly alluring.
An Ran dared not move and obediently closed her eyes.
She could always sleep soundly through the night in Lu Mingxiu's arms.
The next day, Lu Mingxiu gently released her and said in a low voice, "I have to go to court. Are you getting up?" He originally thought that he had promised her to say it, and if she couldn't hear him, it wouldn't be considered breaking his promise.
To everyone's surprise, Anran got up, still rubbing her eyes. Her first words were, "Don't hug Nian-ge'er, let him sleep a little longer."
Lu Mingxiu chuckled and had no choice but to comply with his little wife's wishes.
An Ran, half-asleep and half-awake, got dressed. She rubbed her face; thankfully, it was almost early winter, and the weather was much cooler, making it easier for her to wake up.
Today was pretty good; I was just in time to hand Lu Mingxiu his official robes and help him fasten his belt.
Hearing the commotion inside, Cuiping and Jinping brought in the prepared hot water. After a quick wash, Lu Mingxiu prepared to leave.
While the two were packing their things, An Ran took the initiative to tiptoe and plant a light kiss on Lu Mingxiu's lips.
"This is a reward for you calling me on your own initiative." Although An Ran tried her best to appear calm and composed, her earlobes, which were as red as blood jade, betrayed her true feelings.
A look of surprise flashed across Lu Mingxiu's eyes, which was then slowly replaced by a smile.
He lowered his head, and his warm breath could be clearly heard.
"Ninth Sister, when I come back I'll teach you how to solve the Nine Linked Rings puzzle. Should I pay you a fee?" Lu Mingxiu said casually before heading off to court, full of energy.
All that remained was a serene blush on her face.
******
Nian-ge'er had gotten into the habit of going to An-ran for a nap after waking up in the morning.
There were no elders in the Pingyuan Marquis's mansion. The only ones who could be called masters were Lu Mingxiu, Anran, and Nian Ge'er, so Anran could take the opportunity to sleep a little longer.
The two of them didn't get up until Chenshi (7-9 AM).
After breakfast, Anran patiently began teaching Nian Ge'er to recognize characters and read some primers. Before formally hiring a tutor, Nian Ge'er needed to learn something.
Behind the desk, because Nian Ge'er was too small, An Ran held him while reading. After teaching him a couple of sentences, she let him memorize them on his own.