Jiafu nestled deeper into the man's embrace, pressing herself even closer before closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep.
When she woke again, it was nearly noon. She found herself alone in bed, but she knew Pei You'an wasn't far—just outside the door. She could hear him speaking with Yang Yun, though the words were indistinct. The intermittent sound of their voices drifted into the room, pleasant to her ears and soothing to her heart.
The stove in the room burned fiercely. Jiafu lay bare under the covers, warm from head to toe, every strand of hair and every inch of skin suffused with comfort and contentment.
The memory of trudging through the snow last night now seemed almost unreal.
She had never known she could walk so far—covering eight or nine li in ankle-deep snow without stopping. In the past, such a feat would have been unimaginable.
Stretching out two slender arms like tender lotus roots from under the blankets, Jiafu lazily arched her back in a long stretch before slowly sitting up. She glanced around for her clothes and noticed the ones she had worn the night before were gone. Instead, a fresh set—from undergarments to socks—lay neatly folded by the pillow. Pei You'an must have fetched them from her bundle after he woke.
She gave a small yawn and reached for the clothes when she heard his footsteps at the door. A moment later, it creaked open softly.
Jiafu immediately burrowed back under the covers, squeezing her eyes shut to feign sleep.
He closed the door behind him and tiptoed inside, first checking the stove before making his way to the bed and sitting down gently.
Even with her eyes closed, Jiafu could sense him gazing at her in silence.
Thankfully, she was lying with her back to him, facing the wall. Otherwise, under such scrutiny, she would have cracked long ago.
After a pause, she felt the man behind her lean in closer. Before she could guess his intentions, warmth brushed against her bare back—he had pressed a light kiss to her exposed skin. Then, with utmost care, he tugged the blanket higher to cover the stretch of pale shoulder she hadn’t managed to hide in time, as though afraid of waking her.
Once done, he rose, seemingly preparing to leave.
The secret kiss sent Jiafu’s heart racing like a startled deer. Unable to hold back any longer, she giggled, opened her eyes, and scrambled up, wrapping her bare arms around him. The moment her soft body pressed against him, his waist went slack, his legs weakened, and he tumbled backward onto the bed.
Beneath them, the old bed leg—which had groaned and struggled through much of the previous night—let out another pitiful creak.
Jiafu rolled over, landing atop his chest. Half-lidded, sleep-softened eyes glinting with feline mischief, she tilted her pretty chin up triumphantly.
"You sneaked a kiss while I was asleep!"
Pei You'an's eyes sparkled with quiet amusement. He chuckled, then lifted a hand to lightly swat her bottom over the blanket.
"Playing possum after waking up—cheeky. Aren’t you hungry? Time to get up."
Jiafu, of course, refused to obey so easily. She clung to him stubbornly, and only after much coaxing did she finally let go.
Pei You'an helped her dress piece by piece. When it came to her socks, his hands paused.Her feet, once as delicate and flawless as lotus petals, were now covered in red, swollen chilblains, the tops of her feet so puffed up they resembled two steamed buns—a pitiful sight indeed.
Jiafu curled her toes slightly and smiled. "They just itch sometimes. It doesn't hurt. It's fine."
Pei You'an remained silent, simply cupping her feet in his palms. After massaging the soles for a while, he took out a jar of ointment and applied it to the chilblains, rubbing gently before carefully slipping her socks back on. Finally, he helped her into a pair of new cotton shoes she had prepared for him before this trip.
With her feet swollen from the chilblains, her own shoes had become unbearably tight. It was a mystery how she had mustered the strength to walk all the way here the night before. Once out of bed, she stood on tiptoe to kiss his chin and said, "Cousin, you're so good to me." Then, shuffling in the oversized shoes that flopped like slippers, she took a few experimental steps, giggling like a little girl as she made her way to the desk. Peering at the ledger, she saw it was just a jumble of daily records for the fodder yard. To think that even while ill, he had stayed up so late working on such trivial matters—and compared to the grand endeavors of his past, this was truly like a dragon trapped in shallow waters or using a prized ox-cleaver to slaughter chickens. A pang of sorrow welled up in her heart.
Pei You'an smiled. "Warhorses are precious, and the fodder yard is vital to their care. Not a single detail can be overlooked. Besides, this place suits me well."
Jiafu loved him—not just for his past brilliance and commanding presence, but even more for his unshakable composure, whether in glory or disgrace.
By contrast, she realized she had underestimated him. Her smile returned as she said, "Cousin, teach me how to handle these documents. I’ll help you from now on."
Pei You'an nodded with a smile and went to open the door, calling for someone. Soon, Tanxiang and Muxiang brought in hot water. After washing up and fixing her hair, Jiafu ate breakfast in the room. Seeing the snow had stopped and the sky had cleared outside, she refused to stay cooped up indoors and insisted on touring the fodder yard.
Unable to dissuade her, Pei You'an wrapped her in a thick cloak, opened the door, and led her outside.
The fodder yard was vast, with granaries to the east and a horse pasture to the west, currently holding several hundred horses. When they reached the entrance of the pasture, Pei You'an stopped and said, "It's dirty inside. Let's head back."
But Jiafu, brimming with excitement, refused to turn around. Reluctantly, Pei You'an continued the tour.
Though there was no ongoing war, the bitter cold and snow had left many warhorses with frostbitten legs or old injuries that refused to heal. These horses were constantly sent here. If their legs couldn’t be treated well enough for battlefield charges, they were deemed useless to the army—merely a waste of provisions. The usual practice was to slaughter them for military rations.
Pei You'an had served in the army in his youth and was no stranger to such methods. But since arriving here, through his diligent care and treatment, dozens of warhorses had already recovered their health in just two short months.
As Jiafu walked further in, she saw neat rows of stables housing the horses. In the distance, two elderly stablehands were adding fodder. Spotting Pei You'an with his newly arrived wife, they hurried over to bow respectfully.
After exchanging a few words with them, Pei You'an motioned for them to return to their tasks. Then, as if remembering something, he signaled for Jiafu to follow and led her to a warm shed, pointing inside for her to see.Inside was a chestnut horse with a glossy coat, exceptionally beautiful. Upon closer inspection, its frame was slightly smaller than the horses outside, yet its belly was noticeably larger.
At first, Jiafu was puzzled, but then it dawned on her, and she exclaimed in delight, "Is she carrying a foal?"
Pei You'an smiled and nodded. "A while ago, she stopped eating and drinking. We thought she was sick, so she was brought here."
Jiafu was overjoyed. "Can I feed her?" Seeing his approval, she eagerly scooped up a handful of beans and carefully approached the horse. The warm, wet tongue licking her palm sent ticklish shivers through her, making her giggle uncontrollably.
She loved this place—even though it was surrounded by vast wilderness, icy and snow-covered, and the house they lived in was old and drafty, she adored it from the bottom of her heart.
After feeding the horse and washing her hands, she was led outside by Pei You'an. In high spirits, she stepped through the snow, listening to the crisp crunch beneath her feet, almost wanting to twirl and cheer.
But Pei You'an, worried she might catch cold, insisted on sending her back inside and shutting her in. To keep her from getting bored, he called two maids to keep her company while he busied himself repairing cracks in the doors and windows—not just in their room but also in the maids' quarters. Then, from who knows where, he found a large wooden tub and spent the afternoon hammering away. By nightfall, all the drafts in the house were sealed, and Jiafu had a cozy bathtub placed in the corner of the room, with a curtain hung in front, creating a simple bathing area.
After dinner, Pei You'an went on his usual rounds to inspect the fodder yard and hadn’t returned yet. Jiafu brewed his medicine over the stove and took it upon herself to replace the stiff old bedding on the bed with the soft quilts she had brought. She then drew the newly hung curtains. The teapot bubbled softly on the stove. Outside, the wilderness was desolate, freezing and empty, but this little room filled her with warmth.
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