Chapter 53 Marriage should proceed naturally.
When Huo Nanchen finished washing up and entered the bedroom, Lin Xili was leaning against the headboard, reading a thick professional book by the light of the bedside lamp.
Hearing footsteps, she looked up.
Huo Nanchen's gaze lingered on the book in her hand for a moment before he asked, "Is it because the firecrackers and fireworks outside are too loud?"
The town was filled with the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival, with fireworks and firecrackers exploding from time to time, accompanied by the laughter of adults and children playing.
Lin Xili shook her head. "No, the written exam is coming up soon after the New Year, and I want to study a little longer."
Huo Nanchen nodded, said nothing more, and simply responded with an "Mm".
He never interfered with her studies and work; those were her domain, and he gave them full respect.
Huo Nanchen lifted the covers on the other side of the bed and lay down, picking up a book from the bedside table and flipping through it.
The room fell silent instantly, with only the soft rustling of turning pages and the sounds of fireworks and firecrackers outside the window.
Lin Xili encountered a few points of knowledge that she didn't quite understand, and she carefully wrote them down in her notebook.
After finishing writing, she seemed to remember something and looked up at Huo Nanchen to the side.
"By the way, Director Lu introduced me to a mentor before, surnamed Lan, who is a very accomplished PhD. I originally wanted to organize these difficult questions and send an email to ask for his advice, but I thought it would be inappropriate to bother him during the Chinese New Year, so I'll wait until after the New Year to send it."
Huo Nanchen stopped turning the pages of the book, remained silent for a while, and then hummed in agreement.
He hadn't figured out how to explain Dr. Lan's identity to her yet, since it was hard to reconcile this identity with his current role as a rural doctor.
At this moment, Lin Xili was thinking about the time she had tried to transfer 5,000 yuan to him to help with household expenses.
This man has a strong sense of self-respect. Now, she has completed her bachelor's and master's degrees, works in the forensic department, and is pursuing a doctorate while working. The circles she comes into contact with and the topics she discusses seem to be getting further and further away from this small-town doctor.
As far as she knew, Huo Nanchen only had a bachelor's degree. Would he feel pressured? Would he feel inferior to her, hurting his male pride?
Although he promised not to divorce her because of his parents' pressure, she still thought it would be better to make things clear, and now was a good opportunity.
She whispered, "Huo Nanchen..."
He stopped what he was doing, turned to look at her, and gestured with his eyes that she was listening.
Have you ever thought about... working at a hospital in a big city?
Without hesitation, Huo Nanchen answered crisply, "No."
His answer was unexpected, yet it seemed perfectly reasonable.
Lixiang Town is his root. There are his neighbors who need him, his grandmother, and the peace he seeks. After all, everyone's choices are different.
Lin Xili pursed her lips. "Um... what I mean is... we are husband and wife now, even if it's just legally."
She paused, avoiding his calm gaze, and looked at her clasped fingers. "I hope you don't feel any pressure because of my work or studies. As for that 5,000 yuan, I just felt that I'm also a part of this family and should contribute to household expenses."
She finally got to the bottom of it and breathed a sigh of relief.
Huo Nanchen listened quietly, his dark eyes fixed on her slightly flustered appearance, before he suddenly understood.
She went through all that trouble, asking him if he wanted to go to a big city and explaining why she wanted to transfer the money. It turned out she felt that her own career development might hurt his pride.
This realization surprised him somewhat, and even left him with a subtle, indescribable feeling.
“Personal value should take precedence over marriage.” He looked at her and said earnestly, “Just focus on creating your own value and don’t worry about anything else.”
Her pursuits and achievements are her personal matters, unrelated to their marital status, and should not become a burden that makes her feel hesitant in front of him.
Lin Xili was stunned.
She suddenly realized that she might have underestimated the vision and character of this man who seemed to be trapped in a small town.
His inner world was far stronger and more insightful than she had imagined.
"I understand," she said softly, the last trace of gloom in her heart dissipating, replaced by a sense of relief from being understood and respected.
She closed the book and lay down.
This time, unlike the previous two nights, she didn't shyly ask him if she could hold him while she slept.
Huo Nanchen naturally reached out and warmed her slightly cool feet between his warm calves, then stretched out his long arm and pulled her into his embrace, letting her rest her head on his arm.
"Go to sleep."
Lin Xili found a comfortable position in his arms, the scent of ambergris lingering in her nostrils, and closed her eyes.
For two physiologically normal young people, sleeping in each other's arms for three consecutive nights was undoubtedly a sweet torment.
The warmth of skin against skin, the intimacy of breath mingling, silently challenged the defenses of reason.
Huo Nanchen appears to be detached from worldly desires and acts with restraint, but he is still a mortal man of flesh and blood.
The warm, soft flesh in his arms, the woman's supple curves pressed tightly against him, caused an uncontrollable change in his lower body that was too clear to ignore.
His breathing seemed heavier than usual, and the arms around her waist tightened slightly.
Lin Xili clearly felt the changes in his body; his cheeks instantly flushed, and his heart pounded like a drum.
She knew, of course, that sometimes she would accidentally touch that spot in the middle of the night or in the morning.
In the darkness, her eyelashes trembled violently as she struggled internally for a moment.
Thinking of his care and love for her over the past six months, she felt a mixture of gratitude, emotion, and a certain impulse to go all out.
"If you... want it... you can."
She spoke vaguely, but he immediately understood what she meant.
Huo Nanchen's body stiffened.
His throat felt like it had swallowed fine sand, and he said in a hoarse voice, "The matter between husband and wife should be carried out naturally."
Huo Nanchen knew that Lin Xili didn't want him because of romantic feelings; she just wanted someone who was good to her.
She always felt the urge to repay the favor, just like with the household expenses last time.
For him, intimate relationships should arise from the natural flow of emotions and the genuine desires of both parties, rather than from any form of compromise or reciprocation.
Huo Nanchen's words instantly dissolved the slight ambiguity and awkwardness that had just arisen between the two.
He didn't push her away, maintaining the embrace, but the invisible pressure and tension disappeared.
Lin Xili opened her eyes in the darkness, without the embarrassment she felt the first time she told him she could cooperate in fulfilling her marital obligations.
Now it's more of an indescribable feeling of being touched and at ease.
He once again defined their boundaries through his actions—respect that far outweighed physical desires.
She stopped speaking, but curled up deeper into his arms and whispered, "...Mmm."
This time, she truly relaxed and, to the sound of his steady heartbeat, gradually drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Seeing that her breathing had become even and deep, Huo Nanchen silently exhaled, adjusted his posture, suppressed the restlessness in his body, and closed his eyes.
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