A Jiu’s mood had calmed down.
She shouldn't torment herself with her past life anymore; living with such a burden was too heavy.
Seeing her remain silent, Tuoba Yan took it as acquiescence.
After Tuoba Yan brought the firewood inside and placed it in the open space, he hesitated, unsure what to say to the girl hiding under the covers.
He began to build a fire for her.
As the firewood crackled, Jiu'er cautiously peeked her head out from under the quilt and said with a hint of guilt,
"I'm sorry, I wasn't feeling very well just now."
"I'm fine. Perhaps you're missing your grandmother. But don't worry, I've already arranged for a carriage. If we travel without stopping tomorrow, we should reach Meng Hua City before dark. I've also sent someone to deliver a letter to Xue Zhen right away."
Hearing Tuoba Yan’s words, A Jiu felt even more guilty.
He was always infinitely tolerant of her. He remembered every word she said and would do everything he could to fulfill it.
In that short while, A Jiu had thought of many things, including the fact that they were already a recognized couple, so why be so coy?
And there was no need to dwell on the past.
"Can you help me dry my clothes? And I'll tell you about a woman's menstrual cycle," A Jiu said, biting her lip nervously.
"Alright!" Tuoba Yan cheerfully took the damp clothes and placed them by the fire to dry.
When the fire reached the crotch area of the clothes, A Jiu instinctively glanced at Tuoba Yan. He showed no sign of awkwardness, instead smiling at her warmly.
"Tell me about it. If you forget in the future, I'll help you remember and prepare cotton cloths for you."
A Jiu’s heart pounded. This was the first time in her life she had heard of a man helping to take care of such matters.
"That won't be necessary. I won't forget this first time, and I'll remember in the future." A Jiu lay back in the quilt, closed her eyes, and listened to the crackling fire, finally feeling a little warmth.
"Xiao Yan, when a woman experiences her first menstruation, she truly becomes a woman. After this happens, she can..."
A Jiu still felt a bit shy. "She can have children."
Tuoba Yan actually already knew. While gathering firewood earlier, he had asked Zhao Kun.
Zhao Kun had been more explicit, even explaining how to conceive and mentioning some precautions, such as not catching a cold.
He also mentioned that one might experience stomach pain during menstruation.
"So that's how it is. It seems my Jiu'er sister has grown up." As soon as Tuoba Yan said this, A Jiu’s face turned red again.
She had suffered from malnutrition since childhood. Otherwise, she would have had her first menstruation at twelve or thirteen, and by fourteen or fifteen, she would have been ready for marriage and childbirth.
In fact, she was fortunate to have met Tuoba Yan. Otherwise, she would have been forced to bear children long ago.
It was good that he was sometimes foolish; he had never used their marital status to force her to do anything she didn't want to do.
This was what her grandmother called the turning point of a calm mind, a transition from one shore to the other, as if one had been reborn in an instant.
Thinking this, A Jiu, in a daze, drifted off to sleep.
Tuoba Yan watched her shallow breaths, his gaze fixed on her. The cinnabar mole beneath her left eyelid seemed to dance with red light like a star in the flickering flames, incredibly beautiful.
In the early morning, sunlight streamed into the tent. The neatly folded clothes were placed beside A Jiu.
The moment she opened her eyes was filled with warmth.
A Jiu dressed herself and began to tidy up the bedding.
Outside, the army was already packing up tents and stowing away supplies, bustling with activity.
When A Jiu emerged from the tent, Tuoba Yan was waiting outside. "Jiu'er sister, you're awake? Let's depart. You can ride in the carriage."
A Jiu looked at the neatly formed ranks of the entire army. Her tent was the only one left standing. It seemed they had waited for her to wake up naturally before setting off.
As the carriage swayed, Tuoba Yan also climbed in. "Did you pack neatly? It just smells a bit like lamp oil."
Tuoba Yan opened the window.
This carriage had originally been used to store munitions. Now that it was cleared out for A Jiu, it was inevitable that it would carry that pungent odor.
"Here," Tuoba Yan said, pulling a bundle from a cabinet at his feet and handing it to A Jiu.
"I sewed this myself last night. Please make do with it for now. Once we reach Meng Hua City, you can pick any clothes you like from the shop."
A Jiu's pupils constricted. She opened the bundle and saw a dress and a soft armor.
"You... you sewed this?" A Jiu looked as if she had eaten a fly. She truly hadn't expected Tuoba Yan to know how to sew clothes.