439: Homecoming

This call of "Husband" seemed to possess magic, instantly striking Situ Jun's heart.

His heart jolted, and his gaze grew deeper, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead.

The soft touch, carrying his unique scent, made Jiang Yan freeze for a moment; then, as if all her strength had been drained, she leaned softly into his embrace.

His embrace was broad and warm, just like last night, wrapping her entire being within it, as if he could shield her from all the wind and rain in the world.

"From now on, there's no need to call me City Lord anymore."

Situ Jun held her, his chin resting on the top of her head, his voice deep and solemn, carrying a heavy promise:

"By my side, you only need to be Jiang Yan. You don't need to be some Deposed Empress or the Daughter of Phoenix Destiny. You are just you, the person I, Situ Jun, hold most dear."

Jiang Yan's eyes reddened slightly, and her nose tingled. The grievances and worries she had accumulated for so long completely dissipated at this moment.

She raised her hands and tightly hugged his waist, burying her face in his chest. Her voice was choked with sobs, yet full of reliance:

"Husband..."

"I'm here."

Situ Jun gently patted her back, his tone so tender it could melt the ice and snow of the Northern Border.

He let her cry in his arms, letting her vent all her grievances and insecurities.

He knew she needed such an opportunity, such an embrace, to heal the pain of her past.

Jiang Yan cried for a long time before her tears gradually stopped.

She looked up, her eyes red, like a wronged little rabbit, evoking pity and love.

Looking into Situ Jun's tender eyes, her heart warmed. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her warm red lips against the corner of Situ Jun's mouth, firm and passionate.

Situ Jun's whole body jolted, and then he took the initiative, deepening the kiss.

Inside the Warm Chamber, it was cozy and full of affection; the fireplace crackled, and the scent of plum blossoms wafted through, making this small world seem even more warm and beautiful.

Outside the Warm Chamber, the sunlight grew stronger, melting the accumulated snow into gurgling streams. Water droplets fell from the icicles on the eaves, tinkling like a gentle song.

On the nearby corridor, Li Danying leaned on her maid's hand, gazing at the Warm Chamber from afar with a gentle smile on her lips.

She touched her slightly protruding belly, her eyes full of anticipation.

In a few months, her baby would be born. By then, Sister Jiang would surely have her own baby too. Their children would grow up healthy and happy on this land of the Northern Border, and they would live together happily forever like this.

Beneath the corridor, a few butterflies flitted and danced, their wings shimmering with colorful light, exceptionally dazzling in the sunlight.

From afar came the laughter of the attendants, as well as the sounds of Tang Tang and little Xiao Rou chasing and playing. Everything was full of hope and beauty... Inside the Warm Chamber, the curtains were lowered and the tassels hung lightly, like a soft barrier enclosing a room full of warmth.

Outside the window, the rising sun lazily climbed the distant roof ridge, breaking the clear sky's light into pieces and leaking a few strands of fine golden brilliance through the intricate lotus patterns on the carved window frames.

That golden light fell precisely on Jiang Yan's sweat-dampened hair at her temples, dyeing the strands stuck to her cheeks a soft honey color, and even the fine beads of sweat on the side of her neck sparkled with delicate light.

Situ Jun's palm still covered her waist, the temperature of his palm startlingly hot, as if he were holding a ball of eternal fire.

His palm pressed against her slightly cool skin, the scorching heat ironing over her inch by inch, actually making her feel a sense of attachment, reluctant to move away even a fraction.

The lingering tenderness from moments ago seemed to still be flowing through her veins; his deep breathing still echoed in her ears, carrying his unique crisp pine scent—the clean fragrance characteristic of the cedar forests in the Northern Border—mixed with the scent of crabapple hair balm from her hair. The two fragrances intertwined, weaving an airtight net of affection, trapping the two of them firmly within this small Warm Chamber.

Jiang Yan's cheeks were still flushed with moisture, the red spreading from her ears all the way to her jaw, like clouds dyed by fine rouge.

Her eyelashes hung damply; the long, thick lashes seemed to be condensed with morning dew. When they trembled slightly, they looked very much like damp butterfly wings; a slight flutter seemed ready to shake off a whole lapful of spring colors, fragile and endearing.

A moment later, those butterfly-like eyelashes trembled slightly and she slowly opened her eyes.

What met her eyes was Situ Jun's well-defined jawline, smooth and resolute, just like his usual way of doing things.

He lowered his eyes slightly, his long, thick eyelashes casting a shallow shadow beneath them. He had shed the decisiveness of the imperial court and the sharp edge of his command; at this moment, his features actually revealed a rare softness, so soft that it made her heart tremble.

She moved her fingertips, wanting to withdraw her delicate hand that was tightly held in his palm. Just as she applied a little force, he gripped her back.

His palm was broad, completely enveloping her small hand, warm and powerful.

"Rested enough?"

Situ Jun's voice carried the raspiness that follows intimacy, the end of his sentence rising slightly, wrapped in a bit of lazy laughter.

He tightened his arms, pulling her closer into his embrace, his chest pressed against her back. That steady and powerful heartbeat transmitted through the thin nightgown, thumping against her heart one beat at a time.

"Since you're already in the blankets and it's freezing outside, sleep a bit longer."

Jiang Yan's cheeks were burning, as if she were holding a warm charcoal stove. She buried her face in the crook of his neck to avoid his smiling gaze, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, barely audible:

"You... you're pressing on me, it hurts."

These words were half-true and half-false: thirty percent was the soreness after the recent exertion, and seventy percent was a young woman's coquettishness. There was a soft, nasal quality to the end of her words that made Situ Jun's heart melt.

Situ Jun chuckled, his rich laughter making his chest vibrate slightly. That vibration transmitted through the skin to her heart, making it tingle and prompting her to shrink into his arms even more.

He loosened his grip slightly but still refused to let her leave, his fingertips gently stroking the top of her head. His movements were incredibly tender, as if he were stroking a long-lost treasure.

"If it hurts, just say so. I'll be gentler."

He paused, his warm breath brushing over the crown of her head with the scent of pine, and added:

"Just now... did I hurt you?"

This question was asked so bluntly and openly, without any concealment. Jiang Yan's ears instantly turned beet red, and even her fair neck was stained with a layer of crimson, like fine mutton-fat jade tinged with rouge.

In a fit of embarrassed anger, she looked up and gave his shoulder a light bite. It wasn't hard, more like lovers flirting, carrying a hint of naive reproach:

"Situ Jun, you..."

Before the rest of her words could come out, he leaned down and blocked her lips.

This kiss didn't have the urgency and surge from before, nor the domineering plunder; there was only a fine, dense tenderness, like the spring rain of Jiangnan—pattering softly, nourishing things silently, yet carrying a bone-deep lingering affection.

His lips were slightly cool, and as they moved against hers, they carried a heart-trembling tenderness, dissolving all her unspoken reproaches into this gentle kiss.

Jiang Yan closed her eyes and reached out to wrap her arms around his neck, her fingertips sinking into his thick black hair. Feeling the warmth of his palm and the tenderness between his lips and teeth, she willingly surrendered to this gentle paradise, unwilling to wake up.