The sky was filled with overcast rain, the heavy clouds looming low. The courtyard of the North Garden was both secluded and quiet, appearing drearily empty in the rain. The surrounding streets were deserted. Though it was still afternoon, there was already a faint evening-like ambiance.
Raindrops fell onto the soil outside the courtyard, splashing into water beads, imbuing the air with a faint, musty scent of decaying wood.
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On the table, in the jade cup held by Xu Changâan, the tea leaves floated in the water, taking their sweet time to slowly descend as if... time itself had slowed down.
Outside was wind and rain, yet under the eaves, it was sheltered from the wind and warm within.
Tea in hand.
Wife on lap.
What kind of soothing feeling is this?
At this moment, Xu Changâan only felt a calmness of mind, as if his life was perfect, or rather, this serene and simple life was what he had always desired to pursue.
Brew tea slowly, age tea slowly, savor the myriad flavors of life slowly.
Xu Changâan was a slow-tempered person, no matter what he did... he always moved step by step forward, because he had a wife to take care of. So, in places where crises lurked, if he encountered difficulties, he would never recklessly charge ahead but would first retreat to observe the situation.
Just like his name.
In theory, for a young man who had experienced the peace and prosperity of Huaxia, perhaps the name Gu Changâan would suit him better.
But he had his own reasoning, past events gave him no reason to look back.
This was true in his previous life, as well as on the isolated island where he lived with his wife.
Therefore, "Slowly Plan Changâan" was his name, and not "Gu Wang Changâan."
"..." Xu Changâan curled his lips into a smile, his hand gently resting on Miss Yunâs cheek, his fingers feeling her gentle breath, proactively synchronizing his own breathing to match hers.
Invite a dear friend, sip leisurely, row across West Lake.
This lifestyle was wonderful, he would enjoy it.
Only, he currently had no dear friend.
"..." Yun Qian enjoyed the cushion of Xu Changâanâs lap, looking at the hand in front of her, she gently blew into his palm, then asked, "What are you doing?"
"Me?" Xu Changâan said, "I was thinking, Miss is my dear friend... hmm, confidant might be more fitting."
"Confidant?" Yun Qian blinked.
From Miss to confidant, itâs an upgrade.
From wife to confidant, it should be a downgrade.
"Are you trying to say you have few friends?" Yun Qian turned over while lying on Xu Changâanâs legs and said, "If so, then go meet a few more people."
"Not necessary for now." Xu Changâan shook his head.
He wasnât a solitary person by nature, but for him at this moment, Miss Yun was both his wife and confidant, occasionally even assuming the title of "Miss," a perfect blend of three roles, better than anyone else.
His fingers brushed up Yun Qianâs long hair near her ears, Xu Changâanâs gaze was very focused.
"Youâre a bit strange today." Yun Qian thought that Xu Changâan was unusually proactive today, unlike his usual self.
"Whatâs strange?" Xu Changâan asked.
"In the past, when I asked for it, youâd give it to me." Yun Qian placed her hand on her face, saying, "Today, you initiated it."
"I am your husband." Xu Changâan said helplessly, "If Iâm always passive, doesnât it make me seem unambitious?"
At this moment, thanks were due to Qinling. If not for her inadvertent words, Xu Changâan wouldnât have realized this matter.
"Donât like it?" Xu Changâan asked.
"I like it." Yun Qian thought for a moment and said, "Also like it on regular days."
Xu Changâan felt quite helpless, thinking Miss Yun spoiled him a lot.
Would just a kiss on the cheek be called ambitious?
Clearly still a long way to go.
"Thank you, Miss, for your patience." Xu Changâan shook his head, from the moment Miss Yun picked him up, his goal was to become a qualified steward, but when he worked hard to become a qualified steward, he suddenly found his role had changed from steward to the husband of a young lady... and felt a bit bewildered.
Thus he needed to start the hard work and learning process anew.
So Xu Changâan believed he was still far from being a qualified husband.
"I am not patient, though you are a very patient person." Yun Qian took a deep breath, looking at the continuous rain outside the window, her heart slightly quickening.
Xu Changâanâs shift from passive to attempting to take initiative, though it was a very, very small change, she liked it. This was something she hoped to see after accompanying him into the world.
"Time is a peculiar thing." Xu Changâan followed Yun Qianâs gaze to the rain outside and said, "I always feel time passes very slowly."
On the island, it was slow, and when stepping out, it was slow too.
Xu Changâan looked towards Yun Qian, lifting her hair beside her ear to reveal her delicate ear, and said helplessly, "Iâve only now realized, time passes slowly because Iâm unambitious."
Because he wanted to spend more time with Miss Yun, each minute would feel like ten, Xu Changâan constantly shortened his daily sleep time on the island, from five hours down to four and a half, then to three... though just small reductions, it allowed him to spend more time with Miss Yun each day.
To gain an extra two hours a day, after a hundred days, a thousand days, ten thousand days, it would amount to a lot more time.
Of course, he could now do without sleep.
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Listening to Xu Changâanâs words, Yun Qianâs eyes slightly closed.
Time?
Did he... realize it?
To her, time before meeting Xu Changâan essentially didnât exist. He was the one who endowed time with meaning for her.
When Xu Changâan was away for three to five months, it was but a blink, no need to care or interfere.
But when he returned to see her, a mere day felt extremely long.
Because she wished for it to be even slower.
And since it was Miss Yunâs wish, others wouldnât perceive time passing slower, no matter if it was a thousand times or ten thousand times slower, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.