Dinner at the Marshal's Mansion ended, and the atmosphere became awkward. An'an rose to take her leave, insisting on returning to the military camp.
"An'an, there are empty rooms in the manor, why go back to the camp to suffer? I'll send someone to tell the wounded soldiers' camp." Luo Qingrou said with heartache, trying to persuade her to stay.
“Yes, Sister An’an, the conditions in the military camp are rudimentary, and you are a young woman alone…” Lu Qi also advised.
Although Lu Zheng did not speak, his eyes revealed concern.
An'an smiled gratefully, but her attitude was unusually firm: "I appreciate your kindness. But the wounded soldiers in the camp need me. Especially the newly harvested snow-viewing grass; I need to personally oversee the preparation of the medicine. And..." She paused, her gaze sweeping over Lu Xiao before quickly shifting away, a hint of barely perceptible complexity in her eyes, "There, I am 'Anping Military Doctor,' someone the soldiers trust. If I suddenly disappear, it might cause unnecessary speculation and confusion. Please let me go back."
Her words were reasonable and well-founded, carrying an undeniable determination. Looking into her eyes, Luo Qingrou saw the familiar, physician-like resolve, as if she were seeing her younger self. Finally, she sighed and gave up, saying, "Good child...then be careful in everything. If anything happens, be sure to send someone to the manor to let them know!"
"I'll take you." Lu Xiao stood up almost immediately, his voice carrying an urgent tone that left no room for refusal. His gaze was fixed on An An, burning with a intensity that seemed to set her ablaze.
An'an wanted to refuse, but under the knowing yet encouraging gazes of Lu Zheng and Luo Qingrou, she couldn't bring herself to say "No need," and simply responded softly, "...Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness."
The two walked out of the commander's mansion side by side. The night wind from the north carried a chill, blowing against An'an's slightly thin dress after she had washed off her disguise. Starlight filled the sky, casting long shadows on the quiet camp roads.
The silence was oppressive, almost suffocating. Lu Xiao's heart pounded, a thousand words churning in his chest. The stark contrast between his elation at the dinner table upon learning the truth and An An's deliberate aloofness now filled him with anxiety.
Finally, at a secluded corner not far from the military camp's wounded soldiers' camp, Lu Xiao suddenly stopped and grabbed An An's wrist!
"An'an!" His voice, filled with barely suppressed excitement and grievance, was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
An'an was startled by his sudden action. The strength and heat on her wrist made her panic. She instinctively tried to break free: "Your Highness! Please let go!"
"I won't let go!" Lu Xiao gripped her even tighter, taking a step forward and forcing An'an against the cold earthen wall. His tall figure loomed over her, his eyes, which shone brightly in the starlight, fixed on her with the stubbornness and reckless passion unique to young people. "An'an! Look at me! Tell me, why are you avoiding me? Why are you rejecting me?"
"I didn't!" An'an turned her face away, not daring to look into those eyes that seemed to see through all her pretenses, her voice trembling slightly. "Your Highness, please have some self-respect! I just... just went back to the military camp!"
"Back to the barracks?" Lu Xiao roared, his voice filled with pain and confusion. "You know my feelings perfectly well! From the moment I knew you were Anping... no! Even earlier! From before I knew who you were, my heart beat only for you!" He took a deep breath, as if to pour out all the emotions that had been building up for so long. "Do you know I go to Jiangnan every year? Qi'er was right! I don't have any 'official business' at all! I just go to see you! To watch you from afar!"
An An's body stiffened abruptly, and she looked up at Lu Xiao in disbelief.
Lu Xiao's eyes were burning and honest, filled with intense affection and a hint of grievance: "In spring, you tended the flowers and plants in the herb garden, the sunlight falling on your hair like a golden edge; in summer, you read in the pavilion, occasionally looking up at the lotus pond, your eyes so gentle they could melt ice and snow; in autumn, you flew kites with your younger siblings, your laughter like silver bells... In winter, you wrapped yourself in a thick cloak, leaving footprints in the snow..." His voice lowered, filled with endless longing, "Every time, I hid in the distance, afraid to approach, afraid to disturb you, afraid you would know... yet I couldn't help but want to see you again! An'an, what I love has never been your status as a noble lady from Jiangnan! What I love is you! It's you as a person! It's the serene An'an in the herb garden, and the resilient and courageous Anping in the wounded soldiers' camp! No matter who you are, where you are, or what you become, my feelings have never changed!"
This passionate and sincere confession, like the fiercest storm, instantly swept away An An's defenses. Looking at the undisguised affection and pain in Lu Xiao's eyes, her own eyes instantly welled up with tears.
"Don't say anymore..." An'an's voice was thick with tears, her eyes welling up with tears, "Lu Xiao, you...you're still young...you don't understand..."
"I don't understand?!" Lu Xiao's voice suddenly rose, as if he'd been stepped on, filled with anger and hurt at being slighted. "I'm fifteen! I've been to the battlefield, killed the enemy, saved my comrades, and almost died on the battlefield! I know what life and death are! I know what love is! An'an, don't try to fool me with age! What's a four-and-a-half-year age gap? I don't care! When I, Lu Xiao, love someone, I don't care how many years older she is than me! I don't care what others think! I only want you!"
His words were resolute, carrying the fearless courage and determination unique to young people, like the sharpest sword, trying to break through the barrier in An'an's heart called "inferiority" and "worldliness".
"But I care!" An'an finally broke down and cried out. She tried to push away Lu Xiao's hold, but he held her even tighter. "Lu Xiao! Wake up! You are the heir of the Marquis of Zhenbei! You have a bright future! You are only fifteen! You have the best years of your life ahead of you. You will meet countless girls who are younger than me, prettier than me, and from similar families! And me... I'm almost nineteen! In other people's eyes, I'm already an old maid! I'm not good enough for you! I can't hold you back! We can't be together! Do you understand?!" Her words were full of self-loathing and despair, like a wounded little animal that just wanted to shrink into its hardest shell.
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