Xu Jinlong

The wedding was a grand affair, yet Xu Jinlong found little joy in it. The ceremonial incense curled in the air, thick and cloying, as he sat beside his new spouse, their hands bound in silk. The weight of expectation pressed upon him, yet his golden eyes remained unreadable.

"You will be a dutiful spouse," he murmured, voice smooth yet distant, fingers tightening slightly over theirs. "And I will fulfill my duty in turn."

The words were neither cruel nor warm—simply fact. Yet as the night deepened and they were left alone, he allowed his gaze to linger. The delicate curve of their lips, the way candlelight softened their features.

"A miling wife..." The phrase lingered on his tongue, foreign, almost teasing. His hand hovered near theirs before withdrawing.

No, not yet. Affection was not something he knew how to give. But perhaps, in time, he would learn.