After Marrying The Paranoid God of War (Rebirth) - Chapter 23.1
This chapter is almost 6,000 words (? ??? ???)
Chapter 23: If I damage you, who will compensate me with another wife?
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“Prepare water.”
A hoarse and deep voice suddenly echoed from the bridal chamber, carrying a sense of suppression and restraint, clearly not satisfied from the recent encounter.
Just now, a gust of night wind suddenly swept outside the bridal chamber, causing several candles to flicker out as the wind carried away the lingering musky and sweet scent within.
After hearing Huo Pingxiao’s command, four maids entered in a line and began their assigned tasks.
Fu Ling lit candles again with a fire starter, Bai Wei carried a copper basin and stepped forward to the intricately carved hanging screen. She glanced at the ceremonial vessels set up in front, where Lord Hou instructed them to light the incense in the incense burner.
This expensive incense, made from agarwood and ambergis, mixed with some musk and cypress leaves, was different from ordinary stick or candle incense. Burning it completely would take at least half an hour.
Seeing this, Bai Wei’s arm holding the copper basin couldn’t help but tremble.
For the maids waiting outside, this half-hour ordeal was truly agonizing, listening to the pitiful low sobbing coming from inside.
The maids were also afraid that the delicate young lady wouldn’t endure this first night. After all, Lord Hou was not an ordinary man; on the battlefield, he could casually swing his unfamiliar sword, cutting even the enemy general’s mount in half.
“You were told to bring drinking water.”
Huo Pingxiao lifted his eyes, glancing at Bai Wei with a cold and stern tone, adding, “Madam is thirsty.”
“Yes…”
Although Bai Wei verbally agreed, her expression showed a slight surprise.
Lord Hou wasn’t in a hurry for clean water. Could it be that he was planning to go through it again later?
Could that lady endure it?
Bai Wei glanced over.
Huo Pingxiao, dressed in a plain white inner garment, sat confidently on the edge of the bed, his imposing figure exuding a cold demeanor. His large hand, with distinct knuckles, securely held the soft waist of the young lady in his arms.
With just one hand, he could almost completely encircle the delicate waist of the young lady. If he applied a bit more force, it would likely snap with a crisp sound.
Due to the stark contrast in their body sizes, the young lady appeared small and vulnerable, nestled in his embrace. Her fragile, boneless wrist hung limply over the man’s knee.
Bai Wei couldn’t see Ruan An’s expression as her petite face was nearly buried in the man’s embrace. It seemed the fair-skinned and dark-haired beauty had little strength left to speak.
The smooth and elegant curve of her exposed neck bore faint red marks, evidence of the man’s biting.
“Drink slowly.”
Huo Pingxiao spoke softly, taking the water bowl handed by Bai Wei and personally feeding his petite wife in his arms.
Seeing the girl’s lips gripping the rim of the bowl, sipping water slowly, her nimble little nose subtly moving, her eyes tightly closed, and delicate eyelids trembling.
Like a pitiful rabbit.
Huo Pingxiao glanced down at her and sighed helplessly.
He had never fantasized about the appearance of his future wife, let alone expecting to marry someone so delicate.
Dealing with the small Ruan An was more troublesome and tricky than facing tens of thousands of troops. Enemies could be chopped or killed as he pleased.
But when dealing with Ruan An, even a slightly stronger grip made her whimper incessantly.
He couldn’t describe the feeling, but he didn’t dislike it. If his woman was a bit delicate, he would indulge her.
After Ruan An finished drinking water, Huo Pingxiao took her to the bathing chamber, deviating from the original plan to continue teasing her.
After Ruan An refreshed herself and changed into comfortable silk undergarments, lying back on the bed’s inner side, she suddenly lost her sleepiness.
Unspoken tremors lingered in her heart since he held her, and fortunately, in such situations, most women were flustered and nervous, allowing her to conceal her own anomaly.
As Ruan An lay flat, she interlocked her two fair little hands in front of her and placed them over her heart.
Her thoughts remained on the question the man had asked her earlier: the first time, how did the two of them end up in that kind of situation?
She, of course, like Huo Pingxiao, couldn’t remember those things very clearly. In her previous life, after being abducted to the mountain stronghold by Chen Yunzhong, she did recall some vague images, but those were just scattered fragments.
And after the man carried her into the bed, he said, “Forget it if you don’t remember, remembering tonight is enough.”
Thinking of this, Ruan An couldn’t help but blink her eyelashes, slowly exhaling a long breath.
Although there were some candles left in the room by the maids, Ruan An had poor night vision. Therefore, she only heard the breathing of the person next to her gradually becoming even and shallow, thinking that Huo Pingxiao had already fallen asleep.
Ruan An did not notice that Huo Pingxiao was actually lying on his side, silently observing her.
Due to his martial arts and years of military life, Huo Pingxiao’s night vision surpassed that of ordinary people. He could see every subtle movement and expression of Ruan An.
He was curious, watching her every move, but saw that his little wife turned slightly, propping herself up with one hand on the bed, cautiously leaning towards his direction.
Huo Pingxiao’s brows slightly furrowed, then suddenly relaxed.
Choosing not to reveal his awareness, he looked at her with interest, wondering what she intended to do.
In front of Ruan An was an endless expanse of darkness; she couldn’t see anything. Thinking that Huo Pingxiao was already sound asleep, she harbored her own thoughts.
Now that she was his wife, touching the scar on his neck should be reasonable, right?
Although Li Shuying scratched her face in her previous life, if she wanted her face to return to its original state, there were ways, and she had put a lot of effort into scar removal techniques.
However, the scar on Huo Pingxiao’s neck had been there since he was young, and it was challenging to heal it with ordinary methods.
Thinking of this, Ruan An’s expression revealed a hint of sadness.
She reached for the scar on his neck based on her intuition, and just as she was about to withdraw her hand, she heard a “snap.”
The wrist suddenly tingled, and the girl’s watery apricot eyes immediately showed a hint of panic.
“Where are you touching?”
The man suddenly seized her wrist, pulling it towards him. He leaned in, forehead touching hers, and calmly uttered two words, “Go sleep.”
He hadn’t slept!
Her cheeks buzzed, and Ruan An could only blush and nod softly in response, saying, “Um, I’ll go to sleep now.”
After Huo Pingxiao’s forehead left hers, Ruan An responded to him, but still opened her beautiful eyes, wanting to look at him quietly a few more times.
Although she can’t see it.
Ruan An still didn’t know that Huo Pingxiao was still looking at her.
The little wife is still blinking her eyes, she doesn’t sleep.
Huo Pingxiao simply held her slender shoulders, turned her over, pressed her soft belly with one hand, covered her eyes with the other, and teased, “Sleep.”
As he embraced Ruan An, the man smelled the familiar faint medicinal fragrance mixed with the sweet and not overwhelming makeup scent of a young girl.
Taking a deep breath, his rigid Adam’s apple rolled slightly, and his hoarse voice murmured, “Sleep, I don’t want to bully you. If I damage you, who will compensate me with another wife?”
This wasn’t just a threat; given Huo Pingxiao’s physical strength, if he really wanted to have fun, half of Ruan An’s life might be gone.
He could really break her little body.
Ruan An’s face turned red with embarrassment at the man’s straightforward words, Ruan An gradually settled down and obediently closed her eyes.
Above her eyes is the slightly moist palm of a man, broad and warm.
But this time, when he covered her eyes with his hands again, he was not closing his eyes for her.
And when she opens her eyes again, what awaits her is not death but the start of a new day.