Chapter 81: There Is Always True Affection That Cannot Be Forsaken

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Shangqing County, Xiahe Village.

“Nanqu!”

Just as Lu Jin watched A Li disappear into the distance, he suddenly heard Shen Yanxi’s voice behind him.

“Yanxi?” Lu Jin turned around and saw Shen Yanxi standing there, though he had no idea when she had arrived.

Her eyes, hidden in the darkness, shone bright and gentle. The slight upward curve of her lips was like the night breeze, soothing the desolation in Lu Jin’s heart.

The two of them stood there, gazing at each other, no more than nine feet apart. Lu Jin wanted to say something, his mouth opening and closing, but in the end, he remained silent.

Shen Yanxi forced herself to ignore the sting in her eyes and tried to smile. That warm smile melted into the moonlight, gentle and soft.

“I’m fine,” Lu Jin squeezed out a smile in response. He saw the worry in her eyes, but did not try to hide it.

“Mm!” Shen Yanxi lowered her head, choking back a sob. She had planned to keep smiling when she came, but seeing him like this, she couldn’t help herself.

He was a gentle scholar, fair and delicate, hardly the type to possess the means or heart to kill. She had listened to Su Nian’s account that afternoon and watched Lu Jin busy himself ceaselessly, her heart aching.

Many times she wanted to comfort him, but realized no matter what she said, it would sound hollow. Besides, with family coming and going, there was never a good opportunity.

Both uncle and aunt treated Lu Jin exceedingly well, and Lu Jin busied himself around them, as if he were their own son.

Yet, inadvertently, she could always glimpse the loneliness and sorrow in his eyes. This was a Lu Jin Shen Yanxi had never seen before.

She worried he might be afraid or uneasy after killing someone during the day, but it was that loneliness at the corner of his eyes that truly pained her.

He stood amid the crowd, yet seemed so alone. As his wife, she did not know the reason. If it were only because of killing, it shouldn’t have brought such emotion—so what was it?

Confident as she was, Shen Yanxi suddenly felt rather inadequate. Her man was still so far from her.

Standing in the darkness, Shen Yanxi composed herself, then walked forward softly and lay gently in Lu Jin’s arms.

Thus, the two embraced in the night, wordless, warming each other.

...

“Let’s go inside,” Shen Yanxi whispered, her head resting on Lu Jin’s shoulder.

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Hearing Shen Yanxi’s words, Lu Jin did not hesitate. He took her hand and led her inside.

Glancing at the table under the oil lamp, cluttered with sheets of paper, Shen Yanxi walked over, picked one up, and began to read.

The more she looked, the more bewildered she became. Her beautiful brows furrowed: what was this? So many things she didn’t recognize—were these even words?

Lu Jin took a seat, chuckling. “If you could understand it, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

With a gentle tug, Shen Yanxi was pulled into his arms, soft and fragrant.

She did not resist, only feeling her face grow warm. It was their first time interacting so closely—a strange sensation spread through her body.

“These are mathematical numbers. They let us calculate much faster than usual, and with these formulas here, we can solve complex problems...”

Shen Yanxi, her mind still on what was to come, felt her cheeks flush. Listening to Lu Jin explain the contents of the papers, she followed his gaze.

“Mathematics, as I define it, is a specialized discipline encompassing quantitative calculation and the study of structures. It’s not merely what we call arithmetic now...”

“This is physics. I define physics as the study of the laws and structures governing the motion of objects. For example, why does an apple fall? Why can birds fly? We assume the world is as it is, but everything has its reasons. Physics seeks to understand these questions...”

“This is chemistry, mainly concerned with the internal structure of matter and its interactions. For instance, porcelain firing, wine making—these are all within the realm of chemistry. We rely on skilled craftsmen, but even they don’t always know the why and how behind their methods...”

“This is logic, a discipline that studies the laws, forms, and methods of thinking. As I said before, we often take things for granted, but reality is different. That’s the result of lacking logical deduction. We often say ‘where there is a cause, there will be an effect,’ which is a kind of logical relationship, but it’s too vague. Where does the cause come from? How does the effect arise? These lack necessary connections and real, effective evidence...”

“This is engineering. We’ve discussed so much—what use is it all? Engineering applies knowledge to daily life. When I make wine, the distiller is a perfect example. Through repeated experiments, we created something useful—it helps us make better wine...”

Lu Jin didn’t care how much Shen Yanxi understood. Holding her in his arms, he spoke as if telling a story to a young maiden. He could hardly write so much in one night—these were only the key points he recalled, and he would have to supplement and perfect them later.

Some things were even mistaken, but it didn’t matter. He couldn’t give this world a complete scientific system; all he could do was plant a seed.

Shen Yanxi hadn’t come to be a student—she’d come to comfort Lu Jin.

After confirming their feelings for each other, she no longer worried. But between man and wife, there had to be the right opportunity. She knew he was shy, and if he had to take the initiative, it would be hopeless.

Helpless, she moved all her things from Crescent Residence to Brook Garden while he was out, hoping he’d understand her intentions.

But he simply stayed at Cloud Platform, never crossing the threshold. She hinted many times, but he ignored her.

Later, she learned he was concerned he might have a wife at home, which made her uncertain and lose interest as well.

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Upon returning home, she confirmed her previous worries were unfounded. But in front of Aunt, how could she boldly pursue him? Anything could happen in private, but not here.

Tonight, she came without reservation. She wanted to use her gentleness to comfort her husband, help him forget the day, and remind him he was not alone. No matter what, she would always be by his side.

But who would have thought, as soon as he embraced her, he began explaining all those things. Her curiosity had been brief—this was not what she intended for tonight.

Initially, Shen Yanxi had other thoughts, but as Lu Jin spoke, she was utterly astonished.

A brand new world unfolded before her eyes. The things she had always taken for granted turned out to be mistaken, and could be explained in other ways. Studying why apples fall? If they don’t fall, do they fly away?

Astonishment and curiosity filled her heart, and for a while, she was completely absorbed, forgetting the reason she had come.

Yet, no matter how shocked she was, she couldn’t keep up with the high-level talk. After listening for some time, she fell asleep in Lu Jin’s arms, lulled by his steady voice.

Lu Jin looked at the sleeping Shen Yanxi, gently brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face and tucked them behind her ear, sighing quietly.

He carefully lifted her, turned, and laid her on the bed, covering her with the quilt. Standing at her side, he gazed at her delicate face, lost in thought.

“Yanxi, why trouble yourself? You are my wife, not a means for me to vent my frustrations. We will be together. If our hearts are clouded, how can we honor our feelings? I will be fine, don’t worry.”

Lu Jin spoke softly to himself, then lowered the bed curtains and returned to the table.

When he first arrived in this world, he was already in his thirties. Aside from being shocked by Shen Yanxi’s extraordinary beauty, he was not in a hurry about anything else.

He was, after all, slow to warm up, preferring the steady flow of affection. He knew Shen Yanxi didn’t mind, but he felt uneasy and guilty.

This was his own sentimentality and stubbornness, understood by few, but it didn’t matter—he would simply follow his heart.

Moreover, the small figure of A Li earlier still pricked at his heart, leaving him with little energy for anything else.

Once Lu Jin sat down again, Shen Yanxi slowly opened her eyes, tears streaming like spring water.

Through the curtain’s veil, her husband stood beneath the lamplight like a towering mountain.