Love was only a small part of An Jiu's life. Though she and Chu Dingjiang had already consummated their marriage, she remained quite naive when it came to matters of romance.
Chu Dingjiang understood her well. He knew he had all the time in the world to gradually weave himself into the fabric of her life, so he was in no hurry.
After that heartfelt conversation with An Jiu, Chu Dingjiang truly embraced the leisurely life of a retired elder. He spent his days admiring snow and flowers, playing the qin, playing chess, training hawks, and walking tigers. Under his care, Da Jiu grew increasingly plump, its figure racing down the path toward becoming a pig.
One morning, after finishing breakfast, An Jiu sat by the stove, toying with the human-faced pendant while pondering the reorganization of the Dragon Martial Guard. Her gaze drifted to Chu Dingjiang by the window.
He was holding a handful of feed, bending slightly to feed the eagerly chirping eaglet. Dressed in a loose, dark blue robe with wide sleeves, the pristine white collar of his inner garment accentuated his slender neck. His profile was as striking as mountains and rivers, his damp hair half-draped over his back, leaving a faint water stain.
In all the time they had known each other, this was only the second time she had seen Chu Dingjiang looking so clean and well-groomed.
Chu Dingjiang’s aura was distinct from the people of their time—more untamed than Wei Yuzhi’s refined elegance, yet more refined than Ling Ziyue’s rugged fortitude. Even when he sat quietly reading, exuding a scholarly air, the sheer presence he radiated commanded respect, leaving no room for disrespect.
“Enjoying the view?” Chu Dingjiang didn’t need to look up to feel An Jiu’s intense gaze.
An Jiu nodded honestly. “Yes.”
Honesty could wound, but it also had its merits. After feeding the eaglet, Chu Dingjiang pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his hands clean. “What’s on your mind?”
His movements were natural and effortless, but An Jiu still wasn’t quite used to them. The Chu Dingjiang in her memory was a man like a monument—casual in his daily life, calm, lethally sharp, yet uniquely gentle toward her. But upon closer reflection, certain details revealed that he wasn’t entirely without refinement.
Setting aside her sudden musings, An Jiu replied, “I’m thinking about how to reorganize the Dragon Martial Guard.”
“That’s not difficult.” Chu Dingjiang sat down and poured himself a cup of tea.
An Jiu stared at his long, powerful fingers as his sleeves draped gracefully, blending strength with softness. Why did even something as simple as pouring water look so mesmerizing when he did it?
Chu Dingjiang set down the teapot and took a sip.
An Jiu’s gaze followed the movement of his throat as he swallowed. When he lowered the cup, his lips glistened faintly with moisture, and for some reason, An Jiu felt a sudden thirst.
Seeing her swallow, Chu Dingjiang poured her a cup as well.
But instead of drinking, she leaned in and licked his lips.
“A Jiu…” Chu Dingjiang was taken aback but wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her deeply in return.
Their lips and tongues tangled, but when the kiss ended, they didn’t take things further—just lingered close, savoring the intimacy.
An Jiu wasn’t the type to shy away from desire. If she wanted something, she would take the initiative without caring whether it was day or night! But right now, it was clear she simply wanted a kiss, so even though Chu Dingjiang’s desire had been stirred, he didn’t push for more. To him, these small moments of affection were even more precious.
Their eyes met, and Chu Dingjiang silently questioned her.
An Jiu understood and said, “You’re so handsome like this. Why didn’t I notice last time?”She was confused, but Chu Dingjiang understood perfectly. An Jiu wasn't the type to be swayed by appearances—when their feelings were still shallow, she might have viewed him no differently from Hua Rongjian or Mo Sigui. But as their bond deepened, she would naturally become more attentive to everything about him.
This was a good sign, and Chu Dingjiang smiled broadly.
"I suddenly remembered a saying from my past life," An Jiu said, recalling one of the few proverbs she knew.
"Hmm?" Chu Dingjiang couldn't hide his amusement.
"Men at forty are like flowers in bloom," An Jiu declared.
Chu Dingjiang was speechless. He hadn't expected her conclusion to be this! He couldn't be bothered to emphasize that he was only in his twenties.
Seeing how the conversation had taken this turn, Chu Dingjiang wisely decided to steer it back to the original topic to avoid further jabs. "Tell me about your plan to rebuild the Dragon Martial Guard."
An Jiu suddenly remembered this important matter!
"It sounds simple, but I don’t want to be constrained by the court, yet I still want the organization to be officially recognized," An Jiu said. She wasn’t willing to act solely on others' orders without any room for dissent—she wanted to maintain her own stance.
When An Jiu first mentioned this, Chu Dingjiang had thought she intended to return to serving the court. Though he didn’t fully understand, he was ready to support her unconditionally. Only now did he realize that "official recognition" didn’t mean what he’d assumed. "You mean you want to establish an organization that doesn’t need to hide and is acknowledged by the court?"
In other words, she wanted the Dragon Martial Guard to be not a covert assassin group but a righteous organization recognized by the imperial court.
"That’s certainly difficult," Chu Dingjiang mused, lightly tapping the table. "The court won’t tolerate private forces among the people. But I have an idea—you might consider it."
An Jiu’s eyes brightened. "I knew you’d have a solution! What should we do?"
Chu Dingjiang said, "Find a reliable person to take up an official post outside the capital, and you can follow them to train local militia for the government." (To be continued…)
PS: Sigh. Rushed as I could, still missed the midnight deadline.
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