A Noble Marriage

PENN www.xbiquge.cc, the fastest update on the latest chapter of Noble Marriage [Anna]!    A glass of milk, a piece of sugar, this is for Anna herself.

A slightly thinner bowl of white porridge with the same piece of sugar, which is for Karenin.

Anna woke up before dawn.

She had just squinted in bed for a while, and hadn't really slept. It all boiled down to the fact that Anna had rarely been so close to anyone.

Being sick always means being tired, and when you're tired, you're at home. Not literally home, most people will have family to accompany and care for.

Anna did not.

She knows what a person needs at this time, even if that person is her husband.

Taking care of someone isn't about listening to them as a friend would, reaching out to them when they say they need your help, it's about being more intimate. Before he says anything, go ahead and ask him to consider it.

One of Karenin's obvious strengths is that he doesn't like to rely on others, he always used to solve his own problems. This comes from the stubbornness of his character, but also from the fact that he lost his parents too early.

He had started his life with his parents as his guide, and an older brother, but suddenly lost them just when he needed them most.

Anna sometimes thought that maybe Karenin's heart needed care more than hers. After all, a person who has been loved and cared for is always more difficult to let go of those feelings.

She knows that feeling.

Because there is nothing to rely on, so always need to find out on their own, to bear.

Perhaps this is where she felt he was different from others.

Anna likes people who are strong and independent, and this type of person appeals to her because she herself can barely be considered in this category. If they were just close friends, Anna would have appreciated that.

But the strange thing is that whenever you switch roles, those qualities you originally appreciated, they always change a little bit along with them.

For example, Anna wished from the bottom of her heart that she could get Karenin's dependence.

She remembered the thorough care she had received from Karenin when she was sick. That made her feel very touched. The fragility of people is sometimes incredible, and Anna understood this deeply. That's why, when Karenin was sick, she always wished the other person trusted her a little more.

"Madam, just let me do it." Sasha's voice brought Anna back from some of her thoughts and she waved her hand.

"I'll do it."

Seeing Anna's insistence, Sasha could only give up. She stepped aside to prepare the breakfast for Anna and said, "This is really taking too much time, are you sure you don't want to add some meat into it?"

"No, Sasha."

Sasha said as he stirred the mashed potatoes, "Sir is rarely sick. He never eats much when he's sick, but fortunately he recovers quite quickly." She looked a little happier in the second half of the sentence, the kind of sincere pleasure that comes with a person's recovery.

"That sounds like a good boy." Anna said with a smile.

"Well behaved?" Sasha laughed bluntly, "Oh yes, that's the only word you could use to describe him."

"I wouldn't have thought to say that about him when he was a sapling tall. Not to mention how tall he is now!"

Anna laughed, trying to imagine Karenin as a young boy, always with a calm demeanor, only when he really did not understand, he would frown slightly, or just look at you, meaning "you will give me the answer, right?

That look is really some cute ah!

In this mood, Anna just brought the porridge out of the kitchen, and ran into Karenin, who was already up and wearing his robe.

Unlike the blue brocade robe, it looked thicker and warmer, wrapping Karenin's slightly slimmer body in a slightly brighter color, making him look okay, not as bad as last night.

"You'll be home for the rest of the day right?" Anna asked as she put her things down.

Karenin hesitated, "There's a meeting at ten-thirty that I have to attend."

"It's very important. Anna." He emphasized, trying to find a justification for his actions to defend himself, that stubbornness on full display. It was almost infuriating.

Most wives would have been angry to hear that statement, I'm afraid.

Most of this anger comes from heartache, others from a betrayal of trust and, incidentally, identity control.

The reaction after the anger is similar to most people.

Such as a raised voice, a cold expression, or a disappointed tone of voice.

This is almost always forgivable, though not perfectly handled, but comes from human instinct.

But Anna listened, and instead of being immediately angry, she maintained her bending motion, her side of her face slightly raised, her eyebrows gently furrowed, before saying, half-heartedly, "I thought we had an understanding last night."

She acted very calmly, with a little characteristic softness in between. It was as if a mother was bringing all her patience to bear on a stubborn child who even refused to take his medicine when he was sick.

Such unreasonable behavior was gently defused by her.

The person in question, the Peterborough official who was like a little boy having a temper tantrum, looked a bit apologetic and couldn't defend his small mind.

So, the "motherly" wife had to demonstrate her virtue of forgiveness once again.

Anna approached Karenin and pressed his forehead, feeling that he was indeed better than last night, and then spoke.

"Although I still think you should rest well at home."

"I know you don't want to do that, though."

Anna placed the silver spoon inside Karenin's palm.

"Then to keep your strength up, you should at least eat more."

Kalenin's eyes moved away from the white gaseous object and he looked at his wife, who had her usual kind of smile again after touching his gaze.

The corners of the mouth slightly upward, the eyes curved not too much, you can clearly see the gray pupils, it is the kind of smile that seems to belong to Karenin alone.

Thinking about it, although the skin is still more hot than usual because of the illness, the tongue is numb, even breathing will be a little uneven, but Karenin just feel, the heart is like this smile to soothe the same.

It became reassuring, serene.

He saw Anna settle in the chair next to him, eating the breakfast a healthy adult should enjoy, the silver cutlery moving slowly between her delicate fingers, and it was only before the other man looked over that Karenin realized what he had done.

His body had begun to move while he was lost in some kind of thought.

"What's wrong?"

Karenin heard Anna's query. And the sight that fell on the table.

His left hand, at some point boldly defying his brain's instructions, made the first move, gently grasping the other man's hand and, apparently, full of attachment.

"Let go." The brain sent a calm command to the hand.

The hand not only did not let go, but also shook, as if saying something cold and playful: "I'm just the hand, and there are no ears above the hand."

Karenin became a little uncomfortable, especially since his wife was looking at him suspiciously.

It seemed more important to know what reason he had for doing this than to have her husband suddenly take her hand so she couldn't enjoy her breakfast.

Letting go is obviously the best way to deal with it at this moment.

But Karenin ignored the reminder of reason, simply because, in his heart, he did not want to let go.

He continued to hold this action, and held a little tighter, feeling the other man's fingertips with his fingertips.

The man's long and well-knitted bony fingers, which were marked by quill pens, pistols, and thin calluses left over from years, were so rough compared to the woman's fine, smooth fingers.

"It tickles a little." Anna laughed, flinched, tried to pull her hand back, but was denied.

With a slight effort, Karenin re-gathered the other woman's hand between his own fingers, his thumb moving gently over the nail of the latter's index finger.

"Thank you, Anna."

Anna listened, froze for a moment, then looked down and continued to smile.

"I can eat with my left hand." She said somewhat childishly.

After she finished, Karenin's hand that was going to let go used a little more strength and continued to pull the other side.

Sasha, who was going to see if her husband needed to change his breakfast, came in and saw this "hand-holding" and quickly retreated.

Sasha looked at Kearney, the butler, who had been ignored.

The latter's eyes, which had been openly and calmly staring ahead, turned in a direction and gave Sasha a color, so the latter went back to the kitchen again with a few maids.

There were still a few scattered voices in the air, like "sir", "I don't believe it", "this is a little sweet", etc.

Anyway, Karenin's residence opened as usual in the morning light, and although it was no longer summer hot, there seemed to be more sunshine.

The 10:30 meeting lasted three hours from the beginning to the end.

Normally, Karenin would not have felt too tired, but this time he did think he could not support himself. But stubborn as he was, he must not show it at this moment.

Karenin should be used to this feeling.

In his much younger days, he had experienced more difficult moments than this, and even if he was dizzy, he had to be so calm that no one could see a drop of his cold sweat.

Slyutin was an attentive young man, who usually liked to watch jokes, but as Karenin said with Anna, when it came to work, Slyutin was perfectly capable.

The young man was Karenin's backup, reminding him of those who passed him by, making sure he was always decent, and, when allowed, or creating opportunities for Karenin to eat a little and drink a little less.

Such was the value of Slyutin that, in his young life of twenty-three, apart from some dispensable talent, what made him shine and convinced Karenin that the young man had a future of greater and brighter prospects was his diligence and integrity.

A man of complete integrity could not go far in his career, but a man without integrity and with contempt for the world could not have any future.

At the end of the last fatal event, Karenin seemed to be drained of his strength.

He sat down in his armchair and let the sweat percolate out of his pores.

"You should drink some water first." Slyutin poured water quickly and then led the doctor from nowhere into Karenin's separate office.

Those stethoscopes moved around Karenin's lungs, along with the doctor's calm words.

Karenin steadied his breathing, frowned, and answered each feeling carefully.

They tossed and turned for some time, until Karenin thought he was better.

Slyutin arranged for a carriage, and he was going to accompany Karenin back, but the latter hinted that he didn't need to.

If Slyutin was the kind of person who just graduated from the university, then he would most likely ask a question to understand the reason, but he had been working for some time after all, so he did not insist.

After the driver drove away, Karenin did not sit up straight as usual, but frowned and leaned back.

The corners of his mouth pursed, two thick and long eyebrows furrowed, in fact, he did not feel better. It's just that, even if you are inside your own office and surrounded by your own people, you need to have a few reservations. It's not about trust, it's just a habit that has developed over the years.

Despite the physical difficulties, Karenin continued to fall asleep for a while.

Inside the dream world, it was as if he had returned to his childhood a long time ago.

Inside the big house, it was the sound of his mother's piano.

Karenin's mother was a good musician, and she seemed to want to raise all three children to be people with high musical attainments like her, but unfortunately, Karenin did not meet her expectations.

Now Karenin could talk about music and even make it seem like he was a connoisseur, but in reality, Karenin did not like them from the bottom of his heart.

He did not love music, just as he could appreciate paintings and works of art, but usually used them as a talking point rather than enjoying them from the bottom of his heart.

But a long time ago, when he was seven or eight years old, he loved to listen to his mother's music.

He always remembered all that.

She would sometimes "catch" him out of the study and make him sit on a stool, not too close to her, and listen to her playing.

And Karenin always kept his books and sat upright on the stool, doing those things that he was "forced" to do, but which were not really annoying.

He loved those early mornings or late afternoons, his mother's fingers shifting between the black and white keys, and the occasional glance at him, so focused and soft, a small, hidden happiness that belonged only to Karenin himself.

Karenin's father warned him not to indulge in tenderness, and he always obeyed.

However, just as human beings instinctively want to chase the light, so does the attachment to tenderness.

In Karenin's restrained childhood, his mother and the sound of the piano were that touch of emotion hidden in his heart that he did not want to be erased ......

"Sir?"

The voice of Peter the coachman woke Karenin from his light sleep.

Astringent as if there was a lump in his throat, Karenin coughed lightly.

He gathered his coat, put on his bowler hat, and took his civilized cane before going down.

When he got out of the carriage, a wind chill made Karenin shake his right hand unconsciously. His head was dizzy, he steadied himself, heard footsteps, and when he raised his eyes, a small warm hand clutched his.

"You're scary hot."

Anna said and then quickly tiptoed to touch Karenin's skin with her forehead, and she watched the other woman carefully, her slender eyebrows wrinkled.

"Come on, I'll hold you," Anna said and then paused for a moment to assess the weight of the two and her strength, and then made sure, "Yes, I'll hold you."

This whole time, until Karenin was lying on top of the soft bed, he had little choice.

This is so rare, because Karenin is not the type to commit himself to someone else. But he did just that, a little sluggishly, but always awake, watching Anna's behavior, including the way she put her hand on his forehead again when she finally stopped.

"How do you feel now? Alexei." Anna asked, her tone soft and a little different from her earlier sharp look.

"Much better." Karenin replied in a low voice, he was leaning back on top of the pillows in an arguably less than dignified position, his hands well placed under the bedding, still wearing his heavy robe, drinking water, taking his medication, and just waiting for sleep to call. To be honest, he was so well taken care of that he could not sleep peacefully right away.

"You should rest for a while."

Yes, of course Karenin knew that he had better go and rest now. His eyelids were already a little heavy, but there was always a warm emotion in his heart, as if it had not yet been expressed.

"You have been waiting for me."

It was not a question, but a statement.

Anna froze, then said, "I just guessed you should be back by now, I didn't wait long." She finished and touched his forehead, as if she was not sure, and confirmed again.

"Is there anything else you want me to do for you?"

I don't know if it was the drug or something else, Karenin's thinking became a little slow at the moment.

Only after Anna repeated it a second time, he did not continue to look at his wife with that somewhat confused look. He understood the meaning of the words, but Anna patiently explained them again, while kissing the corner of his forehead.

"You look like a deer that has fallen inside a sheep pen."

"That's somewhat cute."

Anna smiled slightly, and her eyes became shiny and bright, as if the little anxiety she felt earlier had turned away.

"No, I'm not cute." Karenin murmured, still stubbornly persistent.

"Don't worry, nothing has changed, you just need someone to take care of you." Anna said thoughtfully.

"I'm here, I'll take care of you."

Anna adjusted the pillow for Karenin after she finished.

"It's time for you to go to sleep, Alexei."

"I'll wake you up at dinner time, you really have to listen to me this time." She spoke softly, not at all reproachful.

Karenin's thoughts had fallen asleep, and his blue eyes, which always remained calm and sharp, were now slowly batting his eyelashes.

He gazed at his wife, in a kind of high fever sweeping the situation, felt her figure hazy but soft, a little memory of the shadow. But the thoughts that still struggled reminded him again that this was not real.

Karenin's mother was not as stern as his father was generally, but that memory of warmth and softness, about being sick, should not actually be there either. He was surrounded by nannies and servants who had followed him since birth, and the warmth from his mother was not always the touch of skin and a kiss.

Human memory fades with age, and even a sensible man like Karenin is not immune.

So in the memory, some memories will unconsciously add some not quite real longing.

Karenin fell asleep.

He frowned in his sleep, his muscles sometimes twitched unconsciously, he pursed his lips, and sometimes sighed in pain.

The sound was actually inaudible in the large mansion, even the maids who were busy in the next room would not hear it, but someone always cared.

Anna was like a butterfly in bondage, even though flapping her wings, she still stayed by this flower. She was so young that what awaited her on a regular basis would have been countless parties and let down ball events, but she loved the man in front of her completely from her heart, so the stay became a willingness.

"You'll be fine."

After another whimper from Karenin, Anna leaned down and let the skin inside her palm press against the other man's somewhat sweaty cheek, then whispered soothingly.

In her heart, she wanted to kiss him.

Kiss his cheek, that brow, and those slightly pursed lips.

But Anna knew she shouldn't do that, so instead, she just touched the somewhat hyperthermic skin gently with the palm of her hand, with her fingers, or maybe the skin on the back of her hand.

She knew that when you're sick, it's like there's pain running through your bloodstream underneath your skin.

She also knows how comforting touch and words can be to a person.

Time ticked away.

Annuschka came in midway and asked Anna if she needed a meal, who looked at the deeply sleeping man, thought for a moment, and then whispered that she didn't.

She went out for a bit, ate something, and then continued her vigil.

Inside those few hours, she read a small section of a book, flipped through a few manuscripts, and observed a deepening crease between Karenin's brows.

Anna tried to smooth it out, but felt herself slightly amused.

The disease was tormenting the man before her, but also Anna's heart.

She prayed that Karenin would get well soon.

When the clock struck once more, Karenin moved his eyelids and woke up.

His eyes were a little dazed, and he did not look like the sharp-witted officer in his thirties, but like a young man between a teenager and a young man.

He looked at Anna as if he were seeing her for the first time, making her feel more or less anxious.

"Are you okay?" Anna couldn't help but ask, her fingertips gently touching Karenin's somewhat sweaty hair.

"I hope you recognize me," Anna joked, "do you know where you are?"

Karenin's eyes blinked for a moment, then he did look around for a moment, and the look became sober.

Anna sighed with relief and was just about to speak when her right hand was held.

Within this day, this small hand was held again.

Anna also blinked her eyes and called Karenin's name a little clumsily.

"Alexei?"

Instead of an answer, she got a kiss.

The lips were hot and landed on the knuckles of the back of her hand.

"I'm at home."

"I'm fine."

Karenin's voice was a little hoarse, the words short but articulate.

"You're here."

"So I'm fine, Anna."

Anna listened, a slight sideways glance, and a half-shy smile blossomed at the corners of her mouth.

"Oh, I can see that."

She said and then raised her eyes to Karenin, and in the candlelight, the tenderness in those blue eyes seemed to be overflowing.

"Would you like some water?" Anna asked, then handed the water over.

Karenin took it and took a few sips, the sweetness of the water moistening his throat.

His eyes remained on his wife, from the latter's watery eyes to the smile that rippled at the corners of his mouth, and he spoke, his voice soft and slow: "I dreamed of my mother."

"Ah ......" Anna let out an exclamatory syllable, then assumed a listening posture. Every time Karenin intended to share something of this sort with her, her heart always blossomed like a little flower.

"She likes to play the piano, and sometimes she lets us listen to her play."

Karenin paused after saying this, his eyes a little confused: "I can't remember her now, probably."

"I rarely dream of her."

"They say that in times of weakness, humans bring courage to themselves by thinking of those who are tender to them." Anna whispered.

Karenin lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on his wife's small hands.

"Anna, I meant to say ......"

He raised his head again and his fingers gently squeezed the back of his wife's hand.

It was as if he was hesitating, and as if he was deliberating his words. It cannot be said that there are many problems in this world that can be difficult for Karenin, but feelings always easily overwhelm him.

Not the kind of feelings that need to be released and restrained for political interests, but, simply, the emotions that sprouted from Karenin's heart.

They always seem so shy, like a trembling little bud, so fragile, needing to be carefully cared for, or it will burrow into the mud and disappear.

But when you think so, always want to pity it, unknowingly, it grows again, the rhizome in the soil, very strong, even the gale can not blow it away.

"The deeper the memories the more attached one is to feelings. I used to think I could be the person my father expected me to be, but after my brother passed away, I realized I would never be able to surpass him."

"I could not get satisfaction at my father's expectations, so my memories of my mother became more and more warm. But the truth is that the memories my mother has given me, and I mean the ones that are real and that I can recall, do not say how much they hold me."

The man's fingers rubbed the back of his wife's hand, the heat of his skin somewhat noticeable, yet better than in the daytime.

"In fact, Mother favored Matvey over me," Karenin mused before saying slowly, "of the three of us, Matvey was the only one who best inherited her mother's fingers and sense of musical perception."

"I'm not the one who often sits on the sidelines listening to my mother play; sometimes it's the three of us, more often it's Matvey and my mother."

"I was always," Karenin paused, as if plucking away a hazy memory and finally glimpsing the real thing. His tone remained somehow low and slow, but his blue eyes seemed to have a little wetness inside.

If ordinary people see how surprised they should be!

But Karenin was already such a person. Underneath his calm and self-possessed exterior, his heart is the most indifferent to the tears of women or children.

This tough man, for the first time in this silent night, exposed his vulnerability.

In those memories, containing the second son of the great family, and the injustice suffered by those who are not too well-mannered by nature, overly intelligent and diligent, on this night, in a tender sentiment, overflowed.

"I am always in the study."

"I should," said Karenin, whose eyes blinked slowly for a moment, then slowly, "I have not heard my mother play music alone."

"I didn't." He whispered.

"Sometimes I miss her, but then it's less and less. I still remember her voice, but I don't remember what she looked like anymore."

"She was in love with you." Anna whispered, "She loved each and every one of you."

"Yes, of that I never doubted." Karenin said, his blue eyes were gazing at his wife for a long time, and then he said, "So it's good that you are here."

"Anna, you are right here, my eyes can see you, my hands can touch you."

The corners of Karenin's mouth hooked up slightly, revealing a somewhat relieved smile. Even if his face is pale at the moment, the whole person completely without the usual meticulous and sharp energy, but Anna still loves him.

Because he said.

"I love you, Anna."