546: Chapter 546 Deep Night's Tenderness

Because he was worried about Aunt Xu, he walked through layers of courtyards and returned once more to the side room of Nangong Xue's courtyard.

The candles in the room had long been extinguished, leaving only the moonlight filtering through the thin window gauze, casting mottled and scattered shadows that were hazy and gentle.

On the bed, Aunt Xu had already woken up, but she did not rise, simply lying there quietly.

Dressed in plain-colored soft satin sleepwear, her complexion appeared even more gentle and her temperament more serene; the quiet charm of a mature woman became increasingly moving under the moonlight.

She gazed at the moonlight outside the window, her eyes filled with a faint sense of melancholy and light sorrow, leaning quietly against the bed, surrounded by a lonely tenderness.

Hearing the soft sound of the door, she slowly turned her head. Seeing that the visitor was Situ Jun, a flash of surprise crossed her eyes, and she immediately tried to prop herself up to sit. However, because her body had not fully recovered and her spiritual power was still depleted, she paused mid-motion, her cheeks instantly flushing with a light red, carrying the unique shyness and awkwardness of a mature woman.

“Husband, why have you come? It is so late; you should be resting well.”

Aunt Xu's voice was soft and gentle, carrying a hint of subconscious restraint. She had always been introverted and low-key, never taking the initiative to draw close. Facing Situ Jun, she always showed a touch of irrepressible shyness and respect, unlike other women who were more naturally intimate; her heart was full of the proper order between superior and inferior.

Seeing this, Situ Jun walked quickly to the bedside and reached out to gently press her shoulder:

“Lie down properly. Your Spiritual Vein has not yet healed, and your body is very weak. Do not move too much, or you might damage your Origin Qi. I was worried about you and couldn't sleep, so I came to check on you.”

As he spoke, he sat down by the bed. The moonlight fell on his handsome face, reflecting the lingering fatigue and full tenderness in his eyes.

He reached out again, gently grasping her slightly cold hand, the warmth of his palm slowly transferring over with a reassuring strength.

Aunt Xu's body trembled slightly, but she did not pull away, allowing him to hold her hand. From her fingertips came the warmth of his palm and that strand of gentle Dragon-Phoenix Spiritual Power. The warmth slowly spread from her fingertips throughout her body, and with it, the anxiety and loneliness she had accumulated for a long time dissipated by more than half. The flush on her cheeks became more pronounced, and she lowered her eyes, not daring to meet his gaze, yet she could clearly feel the treasure in his eyes.

“I just left here and went to the North Courtyard to see Xiangyu. She has been worried about me these past few days and was feeling uneasy, so I went to comfort her.”

Situ Jun spoke slowly, his gaze always lingering on her pale yet gentle and moving face. He recounted in detail the situation of his time with Wan Xiangyu and the matter of the separation he had told everyone in the mansion earlier, hiding nothing:

“This time we must be separated for a thousand years. I have wronged you all; I owe you too much.”

Aunt Xu kept her eyes lowered, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. Hearing this, she slowly raised her eyes, which were full of tenderness and determination, her voice weak but incredibly serious:

“Husband, there is no need to blame yourself. Since I am your woman, I have committed myself to you for this life. Even if I must wait for a long millennium, being able to guard this City Lords Mansion and guard the memories between us is only right. I do so willingly, without any complaints.”

She was always like this, her nature gentle and patient. Once she had committed to Situ Jun, she would only give silently and wait quietly, never seeking reward or competing for favor, only wishing for his well-being. This deep affection appeared even more profound and moving.

Situ Jun sighed softly, the spiritual power in his palm slowly injecting into her body, more meticulously nourishing her damaged Spiritual Vein. His other hand gently brushed the hair by her temple, his movements extremely tender:

“Silly woman, with me, there is never any 'should' or 'should not.' You have given so much for me and exhausted your heart and soul; it is I who have failed you and let you suffer so much.”

He slowly leaned down, drawing close to her.

A clear aura surrounded her nose, also carrying the unique gentle aura of Dragon-Phoenix Spiritual Power.

Aunt Xu's heart rate suddenly accelerated, her mature cheeks becoming increasingly hot. She looked up at him and happened to meet his deep, gentle eyes.

They were full of pity, treasure, and guilt, without a hint of disdain, and certainly without any distance born of her background; there was only pure concern.

Aunt Xu's heart warmed, and she could no longer suppress her emotions. She leaned gently against his shoulder, letting him hold her softly, feeling his warm embrace and steady, powerful heartbeat. The fatigue, loneliness, and anxiety of the past few days dissipated entirely at this moment, leaving her heart full of peace.

The room was silent, with only the even and soft breathing of the two intertwined. The moonlight was gentle, the affection long-lasting, and the years were quiet and good.

Compared to the lighthearted tenderness and passionate directness when he was with Wan Xiangyu, there was a more natural sense of deep affection and gentleness between him and Aunt Xu.

Every soft touch and every gentle word hid an endless concern, treasure, and reluctance to part—plain yet soul-stirring.

Situ Jun knew clearly that with separation imminent, these moments of companionship became increasingly precious and rare.

He only wished to stay by the side of every woman he treasured and cared for in these final days, giving them the gentlest companionship and the most sincere warmth, so that they would not have the slightest regret, and he would not be full of guilt for failing their deep affection.

The night grew deeper, and the moonlight was like water, quietly spilling into the Jingyuan in the backyard of the City Lords Mansion, warm and tranquil.

Inside the room, spiritual incense that calmed the mind burned in the incense burner, the blue smoke rising in curls and permeating the air, filling the room with warmth.

Amidst the flickering lamplight, their figures overlapped, their affection so thick it could not be dispersed.

There were no grand vows or earth-shattering confessions, only two drifting hearts clinging tightly to each other at this moment.

The tenderness between their lips, the warmth in their embrace, and the intimacy under the moonlight allowed this long-suppressed deep affection to bloom fully.

After a long time, Aunt Xu gently raised her hand to smooth his slightly messy hair, her movements practiced and gentle.

In the past, taking care of others was her duty; now, taking care of him was her heart's delight.

As the night deepened, the bright moon outside slowly moved to the center of the sky, its clear radiance spreading a layer of silver-white on the floor through the window gauze. The spiritual incense in the burner burned even more slowly, the blue smoke curling, wrapping the room's tenderness in an even richer layer.

Leaning in Situ Jun's arms, Aunt Xu's breathing gradually stabilized. The fatigue of guarding outside the secret chamber for days and the weakness of her depleted spiritual power all turned into total peace within this warm embrace.

She closed her eyes gently, the clear and gentle aura from him surrounding her nose, filling her with peace of mind.

Situ Jun held her quietly, his fingertips gently stroking the slightly cool back of her hand. A steady stream of Dragon-Phoenix Spiritual Power flowed slowly from his palm, meticulously repairing her damaged Spiritual Vein, every bit of strength extremely gentle, for fear of disturbing this rare tranquility.

He looked down at the gentle and serene profile of the person in his arms. The moonlight spilled onto her ivory skin, creating a soft halo; the gentle charm of a mature woman was fully revealed at this moment.

He knew clearly that every woman in the mansion was silently giving her heart in places he couldn't see.

Aunt Xu's patient waiting, Wan Xiangyu's passionate attachment, Nangong Xue's intelligent companionship, and the gentle following of the other women—every bit of deep affection was as heavy as a thousand pounds, making his heart feel both warm and bitter.

A thousand years of separation was a long, lonely wait for them, and for him, it was an endless weight of guilt and concern.

“Wait for me.”

After a long time, Situ Jun's deep and gentle voice rang out in the silent room, carrying an unquestionable firmness.

Hearing this, Aunt Xu looked up, gazing at the seriousness and treasure in his eyes. Her eyes reddened slightly, but she did not shed tears, only nodding gently, her voice soft yet incredibly firm:

“Mmm, I will wait for you, Husband. No matter how long, I will wait.”

Situ Jun's heart softened, and he leaned down to gently kiss her forehead, carrying endless pity and reluctance.

Aunt Xu's body trembled slightly, her cheeks flushing a deeper red, but she did not dodge, simply quietly accepting this rare tenderness, her heart full of sweetness and peace.

Before they knew it, a sliver of white appeared on the horizon; the night was about to fade, and dawn was approaching.

Situ Jun saw that the person in his arms had already fallen fast asleep, her features relaxed and her face still carrying a lingering flush.

He rose and carefully tucked in the corners of her quilt, his fingertips once more gently brushing the stray hairs by her temple, his gaze lingering and reluctant.

He sat quietly by the bed for a long time, until he heard the soft footsteps of a maid outside the window, before he slowly rose and exited the side room.

He gently closed the door, leaving the room's tenderness and tranquility inside.

Walking out of Nangong Xue's courtyard, the early morning breeze carried a bit of chill as it brushed past his slightly tired face, yet it could not blow away the tenderness and concern in his eyes.

The eastern sky was gradually dyed with orange-red light, and the dawn pierced through the clouds, spilling onto the pavilions and buildings of the Northern Frontier City Lords Mansion, fading the haziness of the night and adding a touch of fresh warmth.

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