The study in the main courtyard of the General's Mansion in the northern frontier.
On the heavy mahogany desk, military reports and documents were piled high. Lu Xiao sat behind the desk, his brows furrowed, his fingers tapping irritably on the surface. He had just returned from the military camp, his face so dark it seemed to drip water. The reason was simple: several scouts wounded in the border conflict had been brought to the wounded soldiers' camp that day. One of them was seriously injured, with internal injuries reaching his lungs. An'an, as the attending military doctor, had been by his side almost constantly, meticulously treating the wound, administering acupuncture, and observing his condition. Although the scout was unconscious, he was young and of decent appearance. As Lu Xiao watched An'an intently and gently examine the scout's wounds, her fingertips occasionally brushing lightly against the edge of the bandage near the scout's chest (to check for bleeding), an inexplicable anger surged within him, almost burning through his skull! He forced himself not to lash out in the military camp, but the chill emanating from him silenced the entire wounded soldiers' camp.
"Bang!" The study door was pushed open, and An'an walked in, carrying a faint scent of herbs. Her face showed a hint of fatigue, but her eyes were still bright. She had just finished treating the seriously injured scout and made a round of the wards before returning.
Lu Xiao suddenly raised his head, his hawk-like eyes fixed on her, churning with anger that had been suppressed all day and an intense, unyielding jealousy. His voice was as cold as ice: "You're back? That pretty boy scout, you saved him?"
An'an was taken aback by his fiery question, then frowned: "Lu Xiao, watch your mouth! That's our scout brother, he was seriously injured while scouting the enemy! What do you mean by 'pretty boy'?"
"Brother?" Lu Xiao suddenly stood up, his tall figure exuding a strong sense of oppression. He walked a few steps to An'an, his voice rising abruptly, filled with a terrifying ferocity, "I see you care about him more than your own brother! Checking a wound, do you need to get so close? Your hand is almost touching his chest! Xiao An'an, have you forgotten whose woman you are?!"
An'an was utterly enraged by his unreasonable accusations! The pent-up frustration from days of his inexplicable jealousy restricting her work freedom exploded instantly! She straightened her back, meeting his fiery gaze without fear, her voice clear and firm, filled with unprecedented anger:
"Lu Xiao! I am your wife! But first and foremost, I am a military medic! Treating the sick and checking the wounds is my duty! Just because the injured person is a man, am I supposed to stand idly by and let him die from his injuries? In your eyes, are my medical skills and my duties less important than your ridiculous possessiveness?!"
"Ridiculous?" Lu Xiao, like a lion whose tail had been stepped on, grabbed An An's wrist with such force that it hurt her. "My woman, Lu Xiao's woman, should never let another man touch her! And she should never be like that today... like that..." He recalled the image of An An leaning close to the scout, and the flames of jealousy almost burned away his reason. "From tomorrow onwards, you are not allowed to go to the wounded soldiers' camp! Let Old Wang and the others take care of those male wounded soldiers! You stay in the manor and be a good wife and mother!"
"Don't even think about it!" An'an forcefully shook off his hand, her eyes instantly reddening with anger and grievance, but her voice was unusually clear, carrying an undeniable resolve, "Lu Xiao, listen to me clearly! Practicing medicine and saving lives, healing the sick and helping the world, this is my lifelong pursuit, Xiao An'an! It's a belief etched into my bones! It can't be erased by your 'you can't go'! You knew I was a military doctor when you married me! What right do you have to deprive me of my right to save lives now? Just because of your inexplicable jealousy?!"
She took a deep breath, her eyes filled with hurt and utter disappointment: "If you feel that my existence, my profession, makes you so embarrassed, so unbearable... then fine! I'm leaving! I'll take the child back to the Prince Jing's Mansion! You can keep your ridiculous possessiveness to yourself!" With that, she turned abruptly and was about to rush out the door.
"An'an!" Lu Xiao was completely stunned by her last words! It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, instantly extinguishing all his anger, leaving only immense panic and heartache! He rushed forward and hugged An'an tightly from behind, his strength almost crushing her, his voice filled with unprecedented panic and a barely perceptible sob: "Don't go! I won't let you go! You're mine! The child is mine too! You're not allowed to go anywhere!"
An'an was held tightly in his arms. She struggled a few times but couldn't break free. Finally, tears welled up in her eyes. They weren't from grievance, but from the heartache of being misunderstood and having her life's pursuit denied: "Let go of me! Lu Xiao! You don't understand me at all!"
"I understand! I understand!" Lu Xiao whispered urgently in her ear, his voice pleading. "I'm such a jerk! I was being unreasonable! It's...it's because I care about you too much, An'an! When I see you being nice to others, when I see others openly accepting your care, I...I just can't control myself!" He buried his face deep in An'an's neck, his voice muffled, filled with an unprecedented vulnerability and frankness. "I'm afraid...afraid that you're too good, afraid that others will see your goodness too...afraid that you...afraid that you'll think they need you more than I do..."
A deathly silence fell over the study, broken only by Lu Xiao's heavy breathing and An An's suppressed sobs. The massive bookshelves cast deep shadows, and the air seemed to freeze.
After an unknown amount of time, An'an's struggles gradually weakened. Lu Xiao felt the stiffness and coldness of the body in his arms, and his panic intensified. He carefully loosened his grip slightly, turning An'an's body so she faced him. Seeing her tear-streaked face and icy eyes, Lu Xiao felt as if his heart had been stabbed.
He panicked, completely panicked. All his general's dignity, all his jealous pride, amounted to nothing in the face of the fear of possibly losing her.
"An'an... An'an, I was wrong..." He clumsily wiped away her tears with his fingertips, his movements as gentle as if handling a fragile treasure. His voice was terribly hoarse, filled with deep regret and pleading. "Don't be angry, don't ignore me... and don't leave..." He cupped her face in his hands, forehead to forehead, nose to nose, like a large dog begging for forgiveness after doing something wrong. "I'll... I'll never be jealous again... If you want to save someone, go ahead... I... I won't stop you..."
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