Snow drifted softly outside the veranda, settling over his shoulders in a thin silver layer, yet Joseph Anderson remained utterly motionless, like a marble statue. Not a single unnecessary movement, not a single quickened breath. Even the silver officer's clasp at his waist, the kind of Western accessory that should have chimed with the faintest shift stayed completely silent, as if even it had fallen under the weight of his presence.
Everything about Joseph was refined to an almost absolute precision: the straight spine of a soldier forged under relentless discipline; broad shoulders steady as ramparts; the cold, sharply sculpted face that carried the elegance of a Renaissance statue carved by a master's hand. His eyes were sharp and deep, the kind that could make someone stand at attention without a word spoken.
I'd heard people call Joseph "the most handsome man in the Blue Moon pack," but seeing him up close still left me stunned. His features were so delicately defined they bordered on unreal, his thin eyelids lending him a naturally cool air, and the whole of his face possessed an innate nobility. Tall, broad-shouldered, his cloak heavy with snow draped over that perfectly erect frame… He looked as though he had stepped out of a government ceremonial poster, a breathtaking beauty, in every literal sense.
I lowered my head in a Western formal greeting.
"There is nothing to forgive, sir."
A well-mannered bride was likely not what he had pictured, so Joseph paused slightly before asking:
"Are you settling in well here?"
I smiled."I eat well and sleep warm every day. It's wonderful."
I'd lived a hard life before counting every coin, worrying about every meal. Here in the Anderson Estate, with everything provided and nothing to fear, this was the closest thing to luxury I'd ever known.
My tone was calm, free of flattery. Joseph seemed reassured. After a few polite exchanges perfectly polished in the manner of a statesman, he led me into the Main Parlor. Mrs. Lauren Anderson presided; we performed a brief ritual, then sat down for lunch.
Joseph and I sat on either side of her, only a small wooden table between us.
Mrs. Lauren observed us quietly. Her son sat tall, broad-shouldered, composed to the point of coldness. Nothing about him gave the impression he had just gotten married; it looked as though it wouldn't matter to him whom he married at all.
I didn't know if he felt any dissatisfaction.But his mother certainly did.
Joseph, eldest son of an old political dynasty, had been raised amid etiquette and excellence. He graduated from an Ivy League school at seventeen, brilliant enough that the press dubbed him "the most promising citizen of the Anderson generation." Sent to Ivorygate City to combat corruption, he single-handedly restructured the financial system of the entire region. Within five years, he stabilized the federal treasury after a national crisis. And after completing his father's mourning period, the Lycan King dismissed the aging Minister of Finance and appointed Joseph directly.
Now, he was the youngest Minister of Finance in the Blue Moon pack.
To his mother, the marriage her late husband had "carelessly" arranged for him after a drunken evening in Crescentspire with my humble family was nothing short of a disaster.
In her eyes, among all the women in the Blue Moon pack, who was beyond Joseph's reach?
But she consoled herself with the thought that perhaps God did not want him to be too perfect, and thus gave him a "test" in marriage.
Mrs. Lauren cleared her throat and began her well-intentioned instruction:
"From today onward, the two of you must live in harmony. A husband must cherish his wife, and a wife must understand her husband's duties and burdens…"
She stopped abruptly. She knew too well how vast the gap was between a man of noble political upbringing and a woman from a rural town, with completely different worlds, habits, and outlooks. She worried for both of us.
As for Joseph and me?
One of us was thinking about foreign affairs and tax policy.The other was debating whether to sneak a bottle of good wine from the Anderson cellar tonight.
We listened politely, then excused ourselves.
Joseph walked me back to my room and stopped in front of the door.
"I have a great deal of work to handle. You should rest."
On our wedding day, he had been summoned away because of a serious incident: the diplomatic envoy of the Silverfang Pack was ambushed at the Northern Guest House on the outskirts of the Blue Moon capital, losing a symbolic national artifact. The matter directly affected negotiations between Silverfang and Blue Moon regarding material exchange primarily high-grade steel and specialty silk.
All the documents and negotiation frameworks were under Joseph's charge. Every lead was in his hands. A new bride like me… naturally wasn't a priority.
He had only been back in the Blue Moon pack for three days, and his workload towered like a mountain. In his eyes, time spent on me was either a luxury or unnecessary.
Looking at his calm expression, I couldn't tell whether he planned to come to my room tonight or not. The word "anh" rose to my tongue, but I replaced it with:
"Young master, please attend to your work. I'll be fine."
It was the second time that day I'd said "I'm fine."
Joseph seemed pleased by my tact. He nodded and left.
Karen accompanied me back inside. Snow whispered along the stone corridors, lulling me into a long sleep until late afternoon.
When night fell, the entire estate glowed under warm golden lamps. Snow blanketed the grounds like a silver shawl. Joseph still didn't come to the bridal room. I didn't care. I dined with Karen, took a walk along the back corridor, then prepared for bed.
Karen carried in a basin of steaming water scented with herbs, massaging my feet.
"Milady… will the young master visit tonight?"
I placed my feet in the warm water, fell silent for a moment, then said:
"You will sleep in your own room tonight."
Karen stared at me. I stroked her brow.
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
After she left, I pulled a book from the shelf, leaning into the warm pillow as I read. Since I'd napped earlier, I read straight through until nearly 3 a.m.
Just as I rubbed my eyes, steady footsteps echoed down the corridor.
There was no mistaking it—Joseph had returned.
I set the book aside and rose to meet him.
The curtains parted softly. Joseph stepped inside. The first thing he saw was me in a thin white silk robe, loosely tied with a ribbon, the collar slightly open to reveal pale skin under the amber light. My posture was relaxed, natural, without pretense or shy composure.
He froze for a brief moment, clearly not expecting me to be dressed so comfortably. Then he looked away.
I remained unfazed. This was my room. If I had to maintain formal decorum around him 24/7, I'd die of exhaustion.
A few seconds passed in silence.
Seeing that I still hadn't adjusted my clothing, he furrowed his brow slightly and signaled for the butler to bring in the wine.
The butler stepped between us, placing two glasses of red wine on a silver tray.
"Please, young master and madam, perform the ritual to formalize the marriage."
With no outsiders present, we simply touched glasses lightly and drank a sip. The ritual was complete.
The butler withdrew.
Only then did Joseph turn to me.
"I often work very late. I hope it doesn't disturb you."
His gaze was direct, his tone even more a statement than a question. And of course, here, there was only one possible answer: no, it won't.
I replied:
"My sleep schedule varies. Sometimes early, sometimes late. You don't need to worry."
Joseph paused. So I didn't follow the "countryside wakes at dawn" stereotype he had assumed.
Seeing him fall silent, I smiled.
"Would you like some tea?"
I turned to prepare it.
But Joseph's voice cut in, firm:
"I don't drink tea at this hour."
That wasn't just for him, it was for me as well. A reminder: it's late, don't drink caffeine.
I froze for a moment, then quietly withdrew my hand.
Between us, the distance was so wide that even awkwardness had no room to exist. Perhaps it was because we had just married or because our worlds stood too far apart.
Joseph remained still for a moment before saying:
"I'll go change."