Chapter 2 Extra Chapter 1: The Couple's Relationship Mode (Part 1)
Bai Hua and Ning Jue traveled from north to south, visiting three cities in succession. As they went further south and approached the southern region, they naturally encountered more and more Fujianese merchants along the way.
Both countries share a border, yet the differences between the North and South are enormous.
The Great Yan bordered the Southern Min Kingdom to the south. The latter's army was insignificant, but its economy was thriving. The Great Yan was happy to trade with it and earn taxes to fill its treasury. However, the Western Xia people to the northwest were militarily strong and were deeply feared by the Great Yan court. The border was heavily fortified with troops, and the two armies were on guard against each other, always ready for battle and never allowing a moment's relaxation.
Bai Hua and Ning Jue sat in the southbound carriage, watching the changing figures outside the window. Various signs were set up at different heights, and merchants gathered in layers in front of the stalls. Gold and silver were not uncommon, and money and goods were exchanged in the midst of conversation and laughter.
The carriage curtain fell, and Bai Hua lowered her gaze, seemingly lost in thought.
The outside world was bustling with activity, but her thoughts drifted to a letter recently sent from her close friend in the Northwest.
She looked at Ning Jue and said, "Junman has been accompanying her husband on his long journey to the northwest border, facing only the desolate desert and raging sandstorms every day. She wrote to say that she was extremely bored in the bleak north and envied our life of traveling around. She also regretted not being able to return to the capital for our wedding. So I wrote back to her, suggesting that if our journey is convenient, we could visit Xiangcheng in the northwest. What do you think, my husband?"
Ning Jue pondered for a moment and said, "According to the plan, it would be difficult to go to Xiangcheng along the way."
Bai Hua glanced at him indifferently.
Ning Jue explained with a smile, "When I take you to see beautiful scenery, we mostly go to places with pleasant scenery and climate, or historical sites with rich cultural heritage. As for the Northwest Frontier... the environment is harsh, barren and cold. Even if you have the feeling of war and battle, it is not as comfortable as the Jiangnan region. If you want to travel, the North is really not a good place to go."
After saying that, Ning Jue noticed the disappointment in Bai Hua's eyes. He paused, then changed the subject and asked her, "How long has it been since you last saw your friend, the general's wife?"
Bai Hua lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment before replying, "It's been exactly three years. Junman gave birth to a daughter a year ago, and I could only congratulate her in a letter. I haven't had a chance to send out the full-month celebration gift I prepared. Actually, it still feels a bit surreal when I think about it. In my memory, Junman was still a little girl who needed to be taken care of, and now she's a mother. I can hardly imagine what she looked like when she was taking care of her baby."
Ning Jue picked up the teapot and teacup, poured a cup of warm flower tea for Bai Hua, handed it to her, and then said, "This is how it is for everyone. In the blink of an eye, we grow up and unconsciously move on to the next stage of life. Only when we look back do we realize that we have already come such a long way."
He looked at Bai Hua, smiled, and continued softly, "Take us for example. If you hadn't said you wanted to be carefree for two years, we might already have two children today."
Bai Hua blushed and said to him, "Our free-spirited and unrestrained hero Ning is probably the one who is most afraid of being bound."
Ning Jue stared at her for a moment, then remained silent. He simply raised his hand to pull the curtain of the carriage window shut even tighter before leaning closer to her.
Bai Hua realized something was wrong and tried to dodge, but he stopped her and placed his palm on her waist. The force was light, but the presence of his hand was very strong.
Ning Jue didn't do anything immediately, but waited for Bai Hua to get used to him. Once she showed signs of relaxing, he suddenly used his fingertips to tickle her.
Bai Hua couldn't help but laugh and let out a soft moan. She pushed and hit him, but her strength was all weak.
"No, stop it...it tickles."
Ning Jue was deliberately causing trouble, so of course he wouldn't stop.
He knew her body so well, and knew exactly where she was most sensitive. So he easily used some skillful force to make her tear up and beg for mercy.
"Madam, you have no conscience to speak of me like that. When have I ever felt that marriage is a constraint, or that marrying you means giving up my freedom? Madam, you have misunderstood me deeply..."
With Bai Hua's sensitive and delicate waist dimples nestled in Ning Jue's palms, she dared not utter another word.
"Okay, okay, you're right, I'll do whatever you want, just let me go."
"Do you admit your mistake or not?"
Bai Hua's eyes sparkled, and she let out a soft hum. Although she was unwilling, she couldn't resist the tickling sensation and finally nodded helplessly.
Ning Jue released her and said deeply, "If you are willing, Hua'er's belly can be fully swollen tonight. But I can't bear to let you suffer that pain. The pain of childbirth is excruciating, and I can't bear it for you. I just want to postpone it as long as possible. But if you are mentally prepared and determined to bring life into the world, I will be overjoyed to look forward to the birth of our child with you. How could I have any thoughts about being bound by family and unable to have freedom?"
Bai Hua, tucking her disheveled clothes, murmured softly, "I'm afraid that you'll find yourself burdened by your wife and children, and not as carefree and happy as before. It's not just you; I'm afraid most men in the world will feel the same way."
“Most of them…” Ning Jue gave a contemptuous sneer, then continued, “If I were such a scoundrel, why would I need to marry and have children? I could live a lonely life without worrying about that. Some people are insatiable, wanting everything. They have the stability of a family but still yearn for the feeling of wandering among flowers. In the end, they are left with nothing but emptiness. How could I, Ning Jue, associate with such mortals?”
Bai Hua smiled and said, "You're so different from everyone else, able to see things clearly even when everyone else is drunk?"
Ning Jue raised an eyebrow, speaking with a mix of joking and seriousness: "Nothing more than that, because I love you enough."
Bai Hua had originally intended to discuss with him the idea that many men in the world are fickle, but he quickly cleared himself of any wrongdoing and even offered her reassurance, leaving Bai Hua both amused and exasperated.
Although he was glib and smooth-talking, what woman wouldn't like to hear such words?
Even though Bai Hua knew his feelings, hearing him say it in person was still different. The feeling of her heart fluttering at that moment was indescribable, and the warmth lingered for a long time.
Bai Hua nudged his arm with her elbow and said reproachfully, "I wanted to have a serious chat with you, but you're being inappropriate again."
Ning Jue then became serious, straightened up, and stared intently at Bai Hua, asking her to confirm, "Hua'er, are you really ready to bear children for me?"
Bai Hua thought for a moment and gently corrected, "It's for us. The pain I endured wasn't just for you, but a part of my own spiritual practice as a mother. If we have children in the future, it won't be just your responsibility; I'll share it too."
Ning Jue realized that she had misspoken.
He never overlooked Bai Hua's independent personality, nor did he ever regard her as someone he depended on.
She is who she is.
“We’ve been traveling for a year and a half, and I see that your heart hasn’t been allowed to wander; on the contrary, you’ve become more and more attached to home,” Ning Jue said.
Bai Hua smiled gently: "I like the feeling of freedom of being a temporary drifting duckweed, but I don't want to drift aimlessly forever. Having experienced it, gone through it, and lived freely, I look forward to the stability and ordinariness after the dust settles down."
If that's the case...
Ning Jue said decisively, "Then let it be born."
Bai Hua couldn't help but chuckle. From his words, it sounded as if this matter was as easy as buying vegetables at the market, requiring only a few words.
She thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps we should wait a little longer."
Ning Jue listened to what she had to say next.
Bai Hua continued, "Perhaps it's not on the way, so why don't we make a special trip north? I still want to see Junman. She and General Yang have been guarding the border in Xiangcheng for many years, and they cannot return to their posts without an imperial edict. Since she married into the general's mansion, we haven't seen each other once. Now that I have some free time, if I don't go now, I'm afraid I'll never have the chance again."
Ning Jue no longer tried to persuade him with words like "the north is bitterly cold" or "the border is desolate," for no amount of reason could compare to the power of friendship.
He nodded in agreement: "Then let's head north for the last leg of the journey. Whether you enjoy your travels is what I care about most."
Bai Hua was satisfied and beamed with joy. Xin Yue hugged Ning Jue's arm, and through the thin summer shirt, she could almost feel the shape of his bulging muscles. She couldn't help but squeeze it hard.
Ning Jue's eyes darkened as he grasped her mischievous little hand.
Bai Hua snuggled into his arms, blinked her eyes, and said coquettishly, "Thank you, my husband."
Ning Jue lowered his neck slightly, the corners of his mouth turned up in a half-smile: "So you're just going to thank me like that, all dryly?"
Just as Bai Hua was about to ask him what else he wanted, he grabbed her chin with his hand, forcing her to lean forward and raise her chin. Before her heart could calm down, she was hit by a sudden barrage of attacks.
He skillfully pried open her teeth, not with a light, tentative sip to savor the taste, but with a powerful, surging kiss that seemed to steal her breath away.
It came down in a massive, overwhelming manner, leaving no room for evasion.
It's been too long...
The carriage rumbled along, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. The sounds of people passing by on the street were not as noisy as before, probably because the carriage had already passed through the busiest part of the city.
However, as the noise outside subsided, the sounds of kissing and smacking inside the carriage became even more pronounced.
Bai Hua noticed this and blushed. The force became even harder to bear. She grabbed Ning Jue's thin shirt collar and begged for mercy in a muffled voice.
Ning Jue was reluctant to let go, so he grabbed Bai Hua's nape and deepened the kiss without giving her a chance to argue, as if he wasn't being intimate with her enough.
“Ning Jue…”
"Oh, she doesn't call me 'husband' anymore either."
Bai Hua quickly changed her words: "Husband... please stop."
Ning Jue gently stroked Bai Hua's delicate skin on her chin with his thumb, teasing her in a slightly mocking way: "You already said you wanted to thank me, where is Hua'er's sincerity?"
He kept making things difficult for her, but Bai Hua cleverly changed her strategy and used a method that had always worked.
"It hurts...my mouth hurts."
Upon hearing this, Ning Jue paused.
He hesitated, loosened his grip, and finally slowly stepped back, making sure to check if Bai Hua's lips were injured.
It's a little red, but far from being swollen.
Ning Jue knew perfectly well that this girl was clearly lying to him.
Bai Hua had already taken the opportunity to escape and hid on the other side of the carriage. As if afraid that he would pull her again, she deliberately put her arms behind her back, looking a bit like a frightened little quail with its neck tucked in.
Ning Jue pursed her lips, remaining in her original position.
He lowered his eyes, calmly straightening his robe and collar, which had just been crumpled by her grip, and kindly let her go.
...
The two traveled around the border towns of the southern region for more than half a month as originally planned, and then repacked and prepared to head north.
Before leaving, Bai Hua went to the border market where Fujian merchants gathered, intending to buy some new, useful and fun items for Junman and her child as a gift.
As a fixed trading venue between Dayan and Nanmin, the goods that could be traded were mostly strictly controlled and the categories were relatively limited, mainly tea and cloth. Bai Hua visited each stall and selected a lot of shimmering gauze and moon brocade gauze that had crossed the sea from Nanmin. She planned to take them all to Xiangcheng to make clothes for Junman.
Aside from the luxurious fabrics, there weren't many other novelties in the market.
Seeing that Bai Hua's interest was still high but she clearly hadn't had enough, Ning Jue suggested taking her to the local "black market" to continue exploring.
Bai Hua found it intriguing: "A black market?"
Ning Jue explained it to her.
The "black market" is a gray area of trade that is not controlled by government agencies. Officials turn a blind eye to it, and it is a place where trade between the two countries is conducted in secret. Therefore, the so-called "black market" is the most bustling and prosperous place for trade between the two countries.
Fujianese merchants gathered there even more, and all sorts of signs lined the streets, displaying all sorts of unusual items.
Bai Hua was immediately intrigued and hurriedly said she wanted to go, without considering that such a place was not suitable for a young lady to set foot in.
Ning Jue poked her forehead, telling her to wait, and then thoughtfully suggested, "Let's go back to the inn first and I'll get you some new clothes."
Bai Hua immediately understood: "Do we need to dress up as men?"
“Hmm.” Ning Jue nodded and said succinctly, “In such a mixed place, besides traders, there are many people from all walks of life. Naturally, I don’t want my beautiful wife to be stared at by others all the time.”
Bai Hua retorted softly, "I don't have gold on my face. They're merchants, why are they staring at me? Besides, in a place where money is made, people only care about money. Who cares who's ugly or beautiful?"
Ning Jue chuckled and replied, "How much do you know about men? When greed for money is rampant, lust is at its strongest. The phrase 'rampant materialism' has a profound meaning."
Bai Hua paused for a moment, then uttered softly, "Why do you men have so many filthy thoughts?"
Ning Jue: "I will not stoop to their level. Money is not in my sight. As for the latter... I do not deny that."
Money and desire. The latter...
Bai Hua felt ashamed for him, and hearing his rather proud tone, she couldn't help but raise her hand and give him a fierce elbow strike.
...
The two only wandered around the border market for an hour, but spent more than two and a half hours in the "black market".
Ning Jue originally held the sword in one hand and helped Bai Hua carry heavy objects with the other. Later, he had to use both hands, so he had to tuck the sword sheath into his waistband. In the end, with even more items, he almost wanted to use the Qingying sword as a carrying pole to carry all the things he bought on his shoulder to save effort.
Bai Hua strolled over to a stall selling peep shows, stopped to pick one out, held it up to her face to fix her hair, then exchanged a few words with the merchant before eagerly reaching for her wallet.
Ning Jue stepped forward and finally couldn't help but ask, "Are you going back to the inn after buying these two peepholes? If you keep wandering around, I'm afraid your feet will hurt."
Bai Hua tiptoed, moved her ankles to check, and, finding no discomfort, replied, "I'm fine. Are you tired?"
Ning Jue looked at her, afraid that if he answered that he wasn't tired, the two of them might not be able to leave until dark, so he said, "I am tired."
Bai Hua seemed surprised by his answer, paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Master Ning, you must be exhausted from practicing swordsmanship too hard lately, your stamina is even worse than mine."
Ning Jue stared at her for a moment, said nothing else, paid for the mirror, raised his chin to indicate, "Let's go."
Bai Hua then stopped.
The coachman brought the carriage, and Ning Jue bowed and carried the large and small items into the carriage.
Bai Hua stepped forward to help, but Ning Jue waved her hand, telling her to stand aside and wait.
As he carried the items, he said, "If we were attacked by bad guys, I would have to be careful not to break your things, and even drawing my sword would take me a while."
Bai Hua replied, "You carry a sharp sword for self-defense and have a fierce expression when you're out in public. Ordinary scoundrels wouldn't dare to provoke you easily. This assumption is a bit untenable."
Ning Jue: "A fierce expression?"
Bai Hua: "It's when you have no expression, and your cold gaze sweeps over you, that it looks quite scary."
Ning Jue countered, "Are you scared?"
Bai Hua shook her head from behind: "Of course I'm not afraid. You've never been like this to me. You treat me very differently from how you treat outsiders."
Ning Jue was halfway through moving when she heard this, so she stopped and turned around to ask her, "Tell me, what's the big difference?"
Bai Hua kicked away a small pebble at her feet, thought about it carefully, and said, "Anyway, you've become much gentler. Your tone of voice isn't flat and indifferent anymore. You communicate with emotion and without impatience. You usually have a bad temper with others, but only someone as shameless as Zang Fan can be mocked by you without taking it to heart. Chen Fu and the others are actually quite afraid of you."
Ning Jue paused for a moment, then replied, "You'll get used to it."
It means they'll get used to it.
Bai Hua sighed helplessly and muttered, "If you treat me like that, I won't be friends with you."
Ning Jue found it quite amusing to banter with her like this, so he said again, "If you don't want to be friends with me, who do you want to be friends with?"
Bai Hua didn't reply, but glared at him playfully.
Ning Jue smiled and could only coax her again: "Don't be angry. It's obvious that you are the most special, and no one can compare to you in my heart. Just understand that, why are you always worrying about others?"
Bai Hua snorted: "Who cares about others? It's just because I think your personality is so...so unfriendly, and you sometimes speak with a sharp edge, making it easy to offend people and even harder to make friends."
Ning Jue said calmly, "I don't need friends."
Bai Hua said patiently, "Humans live in groups, how could you not need one?"
Ning Jue had his own reasoning: "So I am not alone. I have you, and that is enough."
Bai Hua pursed her lips and didn't try to persuade him anymore.
She realized that he was overly dependent on her.
Ning Jue finished packing the remaining packages and sighed, "Fortunately, our carriage was bestowed by the Prince himself, and the interior is spacious enough. An ordinary carriage wouldn't be able to fit all of Hua'er's large and small bags."
Bai Hua was helped into the carriage by Ning Jue and sat in an empty seat. She said longingly, "Xiangcheng is isolated. Apart from the border guards, there are not many people in the nearby villages. Junman will not easily see these new things from across the sea over there, so I want to bring as many as possible. I also prepared a lot for the children so that they can have new clothes and utensils."
Ning Jue told the coachman that they could leave, then lowered the front curtain and said to Bai Hua, "Having a friend like you is truly something to be envied."
Bai Hua smiled demurely at the compliment, then asked, "Since you've said that, have you changed your mind and want to try to tone down your sharp edges and make some new friends?"
“No.” Ning Jue replied without hesitation. “I hadn’t finished speaking yet. Having a friend like you is something to be envied. If I could have a wife like you, I would be the envy of everyone in the world. Now that I have the latter, I can give up everything else.”
"You're just trying to talk your way out of this again." Bai Hua glared at him angrily. "That's not how it's calculated."
Ning Jue looked at her with a relaxed smile in his eyes and said, "That's how I calculated it."
Bai Hua didn't respond; instead, she turned her head and lifted the carriage curtain to look at the street scene along the way.
She feigned helplessness and silence because she couldn't get through to him, but in reality, she was already feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
In fact, to outsiders, she has always been very dependent on Ning Jue. Whether it is his experience in dealing with people in the martial world or his ability to withstand risks, he is far superior to her.
However, Bai Hua did not expect that he would be so emotionally dependent on her.
It seems he can do without family or friends, but there is one thing he absolutely needs: her.
One person can be more than the whole world.
Bai Hua had only ever seen this kind of rhetoric in romance novels before.
At the time, she thought the anonymous author had exaggerated and the story was unrealistic. But now she thinks that perhaps the author was also a sentimental person.
...
Back at the inn, after a simple meal and a shower, the two quickly settled into their beds and rested.
After a long day, Bai Hua's back and waist were fine, but she belatedly realized that her toes were a little swollen and sore, probably because she had been standing for too long and walking too much.
Tomorrow I will officially set off north, so I naturally need to get a good night's sleep on the last night before departure to be in good spirits.
Bai Hua nestled in Ning Jue's arms, and as she was about to fall asleep, she complained to him that her feet hurt.
Ning Jue took it too seriously, lifting the covers and getting up. He then solemnly pulled her ankles onto his knees and gently massaged them.
Toes are not usually an area prone to itching, but in the darkness, when Ning Jue stroked the instep of her foot, he inevitably brushed against the sole of her foot with the cuff of his inner garment. That unintentional touch was the most agonizingly itchy.
Bai Hua pursed her lips tightly, unable to resist, her toes curling up as if trying to pull back.
Ning Jue immediately held her tightly, reminding her, "Don't move, I'll massage you for a while longer, otherwise you'll feel soreness for several days."
Bai Hua's body tensed, and she bowed slightly, replying awkwardly, "No need, why don't we go to sleep first? We have to get up early tomorrow."
Ning Jue: "Tomorrow's bumpy journey in the car won't be comfortable. Are you sure you don't want to set off feeling refreshed?"
Bai Hua thought about it and had no choice but to go along with him.
Ning Jue slowly massaged her toes, then placed his palm on her lower back, applying slight pressure, causing Bai Hua to hiss softly.
"Didn't you say your back doesn't hurt? Why are you hissing?"
"You don't feel pain when you don't get your appointment on time..."
Ning Jue seemed to understand: "Pain indicates strain. If the meridians are not unblocked in time, it may flare up tomorrow."
Bai Hua didn't want to endure the pain of a sore back while riding in the car, so she had no choice but to compromise: "Then, then I'll get a massage."
Ning Jue took her hand and removed her outer and inner garments, leaving her only in a light pink lotus root-colored bodice that barely covered her chest.
Bai Hua felt a little shy, closed her eyes, and lazily relaxed on the couch, gathering all her black hair to one side, letting Ning Jue apply pressure with his palm, sometimes light and sometimes heavy.
Bai Hua was very sensitive in her waist area. She tried hard to relax, but he would pinch her sensitive spot from time to time, and her whole body would immediately tense up again. The feeling of being unable to relax was indescribable.
Furthermore, the thin calluses on Ning Jue's fingertips were quite noticeable, and when they rubbed against her delicate skin, they not only brought a ticklish sensation but also made her heart tremble and feel an overwhelming surge of desire. Before long, she couldn't help but feel parched, thinking that this massage was truly unbearable…
Ning Jue lowered his eyes, noticing Bai Hua's shoulders trembling from time to time, his gaze growing increasingly unfathomable.
When he felt the time was right, he slowly moved his palm away from her waist and tried to probe further down with his fingertips.
Bai Hua's body stiffened, but she did not stop her.
Ning Jue understood, knowing that she felt the same way.
Without any reservations, he became bolder, quickly opening the spring with his fingertips. Ning Jue smiled and whispered in Bai Hua's ear, "Hua'er, you truly intoxicate me."
Bai Hua's mind was in complete chaos.
After stopping, the two began to communicate face-to-face.
Bai Hua glared at him reproachfully: "Do you even remember when we planned to set off tomorrow?"
Ning Jue's lips parted slightly, and he replied breathlessly, "One-quarter of the hour of Chen."
Bai Hua complained, "Then what's the point of all this fuss..."
A cunning glint of revenge flashed in Ning Jue's eyes as he stared at her and said, "Back in the 'black market,' Hua'er was sharp-tongued, mocking me for practicing swordsmanship too diligently and lacking energy. Well then, I'll show you, through my actions, just how much energy I actually have left. Is that alright?"
Bai Hua realized what was happening and immediately shook her head, shaking it desperately.
She quickly said apologetically, "I misspoke back then, please forgive me, my husband."
Ning Jue smiled and said, "Actually, I really like Hua'er's sharp tongue and lively expressions when she argues with me. You don't need to compromise now. This is nothing. How do you know you're wrong? How will you know if you don't try it yourself?"
"..."
Bai Hua gave up struggling, knowing that a fierce storm was brewing, and immediately regretted that she had spoken out of turn.
Ning Jue, unperturbed, raised his hand and patted her head, gently coaxing her to be good, before beginning his valiant attempt to prove himself.
As she sat down, he suddenly scooped her up, causing Bai Hua's face to turn pale and then red in an instant, her eyes red as if she were about to cry.
"Ning Jue!"
"I am here."
"Tomorrow tomorrow..."
"I know we'll be traveling tomorrow, so don't worry, Hua'er. If you're really tired tonight, I'll hold you and we'll sleep in the carriage tomorrow, so you'll have time to catch up on your sleep."
Reasoning with them is completely ineffective, and pleading is useless.
Even her usual trick of feigning weakness and pain, which she used so often, no longer fooled Ning Jue.
The story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" has been told too many times and is no longer effective, but this time, the hungry wolf has really hurt her.
Bai Hua sobbed timidly, crying several times during the process, and finally fully understood how much energy Ning Jue had reserved specifically for her, besides practicing swordsmanship.
It was inexhaustible... She would never dare to joke with him like that again.
The night was deep, and it was past midnight when the night finally ended.
Bai Hua lay on the couch, feeling completely exhausted. The silk brocade beneath her was not only wrinkled from being pressed down, but also had two small holes worn through from her knees, a truly wasteful waste.
A young girl certainly wouldn't have that kind of strength; the only one with such destructive power is someone else.
Silk and brocade are precious, and so is her body.
From this, one can imagine how dire her situation had been, to the point of wanting to live or die.
Ning Jue's eyelids also grew heavy. He raised his hand to put it on Bai Hua's waist, embracing her intimately, and spoke in a hoarse voice with lingering affection.
He said, "Go to sleep. I'll wake you up tomorrow."
Bai Hua deliberately refused to cooperate, saying wearily, "I can't get up."
Ning Jue chuckled and stroked her waist, indulging her every whim: "It's alright, if you can't get up, you can't. I'll carry you to the car and you can continue sleeping."
Bai Hua couldn't bear to lose face, so she snorted to indicate her disagreement and then gave up.
Ning Jue remained silent.
The room was quiet and peaceful, with moonlight filtering through the cracks in the windows and spilling onto the floor.
It was late at night, and in the southern border city, few people were still awake.
Author's Note: Here I am~ [droopy-eared rabbit head]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
