She wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. After Zong Jun left, her attendants helped her undress and settle into bed. Her thoughts drifted between the stark contrast of Zong Jun and the Fei Guang she'd imagined reborn, and the inevitable reality of their future as husband and wife. A blush warmed her cheeks, a mixture of shyness and exasperation.

She eventually drifted off to sleep, only to awaken at her usual hour, startled to find an arm draped across her waist. A man's firm chest lay before her, bronze-hued and sculpted. Two small, dark red n1pples caught her eye, and with each breath, she could feel her own breath ghosting over them.

Her cheeks flushed crimson, her body burning within his warm embrace. Frozen, she debated whether to feign sleep or push him away.

Zong Jun, however, was already awake. Years of military life had made his sleep light, and he'd sensed her slightest movements. He cracked open an eyelid to see the tiny girl nestled against his chest, fluttering her lashes like a startled rabbit. He couldn't resist reaching out a finger to gently touch them.

“Ah!” Yao Ji bolted upright like a startled rabbit, clutching her robes. “My, my lord, you're awake.”

“Didn't you say you'd call me Zong Jun?” He propped himself up on an elbow, a slight smile playing on his lips.

“Zong Jun,” Yao Ji readily complied. Before she could speak further, his large hand pulled her back against him, his fingers toying with her reddened earlobe.

“Why so shy? I’m your husband. There’s no need to be so formal.”

But, Yao Ji thought silently, we’ve only known each other for a day.

She wasn't raised in a traditional household, and the concept of absolute obedience to a husband was foreign to her. The idea of a marriage arranged by parents, a blind union with a near stranger, felt baffling. How could anyone be comfortable with such intimacy?

Her innocent nature led her to voice her thoughts aloud.

Zong Jun watched her, her lips slightly pursed, her almond eyes blinking with genuine confusion. He chuckled. “Those ‘three obediences and four virtues,’ that ‘obey your husband’ nonsense, that’s all Han Chinese custom. Our barbarian women don’t just sit around embroidering all day. If they like a man, they go after him.”

“Really?” Yao Ji’s eyes widened in surprise. She’d assumed the entire mortal realm followed the customs of the Great Yan Dynasty. It seemed customs varied greatly.

“Of course.” Most men would feel a sense of pride at being the object of such eager curiosity, especially from a beautiful, delicate young woman who also happened to be his new bride. Even Zong Jun, usually indifferent to women, found himself softening his voice, explaining the customs of his people to Yao Ji in detail.

Yao Ji listened with delight, her initial apprehension fading. Despite his imposing stature, he seemed gentle and easy to talk to.

“Then,” she remembered his words from the previous night, “what did you mean about ‘eating’ people?”

Zong Jun, having forgotten the remark, was caught off guard by her question. A mischievous glint entered his eyes. His hand, resting on her delicate shoulder, slid down, slipping inside her robe to grasp and squeeze her soft br3ast. “This is what I meant.”

The unexpected touch sent a jolt through Yao Ji, weakening her limbs. Her face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and anger. “You, you shouldn't touch me while we're talking.”

Nestled in his embrace, her indignant protests lacked any real force. Zong Jun simply smiled. “Yaoyao, you are my wife. There's no such thing as 'touching' between us.” He wasn’t usually patient with women, but his successful capture of Moroha had put him in a good mood, and he was enjoying teasing his new wife. “You’re right, we don’t know each other well, but we are husband and wife. We must consummate our marriage, otherwise, your Han envoys won’t be able to report back. So, how about we play a game?”

Yao Ji saw the smile playing on his lips, the dark depths of his eyes, and felt a sense of being manipulated. Lacking any other option, she bit her lip and asked, “What game?”

“We each give the other a test. If I pass, you must listen to me, and we consummate our marriage tonight. If you pass, I will listen to you, and we will consummate it whenever you choose. If we both pass, we continue the game.”

Yao Ji knew he was being sly. No matter who won, the outcome would be the same. The thought of consummation, with all its implications, brought another blush to her cheeks. In a small voice, she agreed. “Alright, I accept.”