A few hours later…

Inside the bathing chamber, steam rose in soft clouds from the large, heated pool, fogging the polished marble. Su Kang held Bai Yunxi in his arms. Her back was pressed against his chest. His arms were wrapped securely around her waist. She rested her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed, a picture of serene contentment.

He was explaining things to her. He spoke of the women in his family. He told her who she could approach without fear. One by one, he painted a picture of each person for her.

“...and that is all about Sister Hua,” Su Kang finished, his voice a low murmur against her ear.

“I understand. I will try to visit them, but…” she began, her voice trailing off with uncertainty.

“You need an introduction before that, right?” he guessed, pressing a soft kiss to the damp skin of her shoulder. “You can't just visit them out of nowhere.”

“Yes.” A frown creased her brow. “I don't know how to introduce myself. If they find out later about us, and think I lied to them… that I didn't trust them… then it would be bad. I am not comfortable with it.” She voiced her worries, the words a quiet exhalation of her deepest anxieties.

Su Kang contemplated her words. He stilled. He had not thought about these things. For him, they were his family. They would be fine, eventually. But for her, this was the beginning of new bonds. These were new relationships. She was right to feel uneasy about starting them with a foundation of lies.

“I was naive in my thoughts,” he admitted, his voice soft with regret. “Thank you for guiding me, dear.” He shifted his hold, turning her slightly so he could see her face. “We will give them hints that we are lovers. We won't say it outright. They will have to understand the hidden meaning on their own. That way, you will not have lied to them. You just need to let them know that you are my woman. That is all.” He kissed her cheek, his hands tightening around her waist in a possessive claim.

“Hmm. This will be better,” she whispered, nodding. The solution was a good one.

"Wife," he whispered again. His hands slid up from her waist, moving through the warm water until they cupped the soft, heavy weight of her breasts. "I want more. Can we do it here?" His voice was an intimate, husky tone filled with desire for her. This update is available on NovєlFіre.net

A soft, weary sigh escaped her lips. "You… you are becoming greedy." Her body was weaker than his, and the profound effects of the dual cultivation, while beneficial, also left her deeply exhausted after their lovemaking. "Husband," she said, her voice soft but serious, "you need other women now."

The passion in Su Kang's eyes died instantly. It was replaced by something pained. He took a deep, steadying breath and buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent as if to ground himself. "Xi'er," he said, his voice muffled against her skin, "wives do not search for other women for their own husbands."

His hand moved to her chin. He gently tilted her face up to meet his gaze. His eyes were filled with sincere unguarded emotion.

"I think," he said slowly, choosing his words with immense care, "you are still thinking of our marriage as some kind of compensation you owe me. But I have said it many times before, and I will say it again: you owe me nothing."

His thumbs caressed her cheeks. "I love everything about you, Bai Yunxi. I find the mature woman who worries and think about her family utterly charming. I like the childish you who pouts and teases. I love the woman you are right now." He leaned in until their foreheads touched.

"I love you, Bai Yunxi," he repeated, his gaze unwavering, trying to pour all the sincerity of his heart into those simple words.

She closed her eyes, feeling the steady rhythm of his breath and the faint dampness of his hair brushing her temple. When she finally opened them, she leaned back just enough for her to see the dark intensity in his gaze. Wet strands clung to his forehead, and her cheeks warmed to a soft pink. She lowered her gaze, taking a deep breath.

“Husband, but you will need someone—” she whispered, her voice barely audible, but he cut her off.

“I love you, Yunxi. Not some other woman,” he said, his hands cupping her cheeks, his thumbs stroking her soft skin. “I want you. So, can you please stop bringing this topic up again? It actually pains me to hear it.”

The chamber fell silent again. Only the soft sounds of their breathing could be heard.

“Husband… I'm so sorry,” she finally said, looking up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She shifted slightly in the tub to face him better. “I didn't think my words would hurt you. I was trying to shoulder this problem on my own, but I realize that was my mistake. Please, listen to my reasons now.”

He waited, his expression softening at seeing her distressed face.

“Inside Jiang State,” she began, her voice gaining a fragile strength, “I could not be your woman, let alone your wife, if we followed the customs of society. Then, we have to convince my son as well. Let's say he reluctantly agrees, left with no other choice. But even then he will definitely feel bitter about us. One day, If I were to give birth to children… how would the world treat them?”

Her voice trembled. “Li Fang’s bitterness would only become worse then. He might hate our children, and us for having them. The children might be subjected to mockery and insults because of our tabboed union. So I am not planning to have children with you in this situation. At this rate, if you stay only with me, you might never have your own children.” She looked down, her gaze falling to her own belly beneath the water.

“Every mother wants to see her son have a family of his own. Mother-in-law will one day desire to see your children, just as I desire a future where my son becomes a father.” She raised her face, her gaze meeting his, filled with a heartbreaking sincerity.

“I wanted to raise children with you. One day, I wanted you to experience the joy of becoming a father too. But since I feel I cannot give you descendants… then I think I should find another woman for you.” Her voice trailed off at the end.

“Even if the children are not mine by blood,” she finished, her voice a near-whisper, “as long as I can raise them together with you, it would be fine for me. I would treat and love them like my own. I wouldn't even feel jealous of that woman, as long as you don't ignore me.”

Su Kang was stunned.

For a moment, he was utterly speechless. He sighed with a soft smile. Then he took a deep, steadying breath.

I was thinking it might be a simple inferiority complex. But it's much deeper, he thought. She was thinking far into the future. This was about his lineage, his family.

I just love her, he thought, his heart aching with a fierce, protective warmth. He looked at her. Her head was lowered, a few wet strands of dark hair clinging to her flushed cheeks. The pale, elegant column of her neck was already marked with his possessive love bites. A profound sense of tenderness washed over him.

He pulled her into a tight embrace, crushing her against his chest as if he could physically impart all the feelings swirling within him. “If I told my mother what you just said,” he murmured, “she would hug you and feel blessed that I found such a good, thoughtful woman.” His hand carresed her back skin.

He leaned back just enough to kiss her forehead. “Yunxi, I just love you so much. I feel like I'm falling for you more and more every day.”

“Husband, I love you too,” she whispered, a small but sweet smile touching her lips as she wrapped her arms around his back, holding him tightly.

“Xi’er,” he began, his voice gaining a new, earnest intensity. “A Core Formation cultivator can easily live for four hundred years. A female expert at that realm can still bear children even at the age of three hundred.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. She didn't understand where he was going with this, but she waited for him to continue.

“Your new body has an incredible aptitude for cultivation,” he explained, his eyes burning with conviction.

“Your comprehension talent is even better than mine. I will help you become a Core Formation cultivator. Whether it's resources, cultivation techniques, or even helping you join a powerful sect to do it, I will do everything in my power to make you reach that level.”

“What?” She broke the hug, pulling back to look at his face, her eyes wide with disbelief. “But Husband, that's… I am jus—”

He placed his index finger gently on her pink lips, silencing her protest.

“Your husband can do it,” he said with absolute confidence. He looked deeply into her eyes, trying to convey all of his unwavering resolve. “As long as we have time, we will be able to convince Li Fang. If not in a hundred years, then in two hundred. One day, Xi'er, he will be able to talk and laugh with you again. I promise you that.”

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