BDSMST -Chapter 153 Nighttime Confidences: He Is Her Strongest Support

Night had deepened.

In the bedroom, only a dim candle burned, its light flickering gently against the walls.

Jiang Suisui sat at the dressing table, removing the wooden hairpin that had accompanied her for so long. Her long, black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. She looked into the bronze mirror at her slightly tired face and let out a faint sigh.

Gu Yan had not returned with her. After dinner, he had gone straight to the military camp and only returned late at night.

Now he sat on the window-side couch, holding a soft cloth, methodically wiping the blade of his ever-present sword. The steel reflected the candlelight with a cold gleam. He didn’t speak; the only sound in the room was the subtle, rhythmic friction of the blade against the cloth.

The atmosphere was heavy.

Jiang Suisui knew he was still upset about what had happened during the day. This was probably the first time since their marriage that they had clearly entered a cold war.

She set down the comb and stood, sitting beside him.

Gu Yan paused briefly, but didn’t lift his gaze, continuing to focus on his sword.

“Still mad at me?” Jiang Suisui spoke softly, her voice gentle and low.

Gu Yan didn’t answer, only pressing the cloth a little harder against the blade.

She didn’t feel angered. Instead, she reached out and covered his large, knotted hand that gripped the cloth. His hand was warm, the palm and fingertips calloused from years of holding a sword.

“I know you’re right about everything,” she said, looking at his profile. His jawline was sharp and tense. “Open-ocean voyages are life-threatening. To risk all that we’ve worked so hard to save is truly a gamble. You worry about me, about this home—I understand completely.”

Gu Yan finally stopped. He lifted his head to look at her. In the candlelight, his gaze was complex and unreadable.

“If you understand, then why persist?” His voice was a little hoarse.

“Because I cannot pretend I don’t see another possibility,” Jiang Suisui explained earnestly, meeting his eyes. “Gu Yan, do you remember the second trial we faced in the Valley of the Medicine King? The Precious Array Chessboard?”

Of course he remembered.

“The key to the puzzle was not in winning, but in ‘life,’” Jiang Suisui said softly. “Today, my decision isn’t for ‘winning’—not for chasing greater profit—but for that one word: ‘life.’”

She held his hand and continued, “I cannot forget Mr. Arthur describing the starvation and death in the Kingdom of Frank during their famine. It is no different from what happened in many parts of Daxia in the past. Now we have a chance to save countless lives with higher-yield crops, to let them live. How could I stand idly by out of fear of risk?”

“I’m not only doing it for them. I think of us too. Cotton can keep people and soldiers in the northern lands of Daxia warm during winter. Chili can reduce suffering from illness in cold, damp regions. Isn’t that also a form of ‘life’?”

“And it’s still a bridge. We can send our goods out, and bring back what we find across the seas. Perhaps on the other side there are herbs that can cure illnesses here, crops with higher yields than we’ve ever seen. These are hope—hope that more people can live.”

Her voice was calm, yet every word carried weight. It was the conviction born from the deepest part of her heart.

Gu Yan listened quietly.

He looked at his wife’s eyes, shining in the candlelight, and suddenly realized how narrow-minded his afternoon worries had been. All he had thought about was protecting her, keeping her safe by his side, forgetting that her heart and ambitions had long since grown beyond the small world of Woniu Village.

She possessed the power to change the world, and with that power came a responsibility she could not shirk.

He wanted to protect a phoenix whose wings were growing. What he should do was not trap her in a safe cage, but clear the obstacles in the sky for her flight.

He exhaled deeply, as if releasing all the worries and tension from his heart.

He set down the sword and cloth, extending his arms to hold her tightly.

His chin rested on the crown of her head, gently brushing against her hair.

“I was wrong,” he whispered, his voice carrying both apology and relief. “I only thought about storms and pirates along the way, and forgot that my wife is the most remarkable miracle in this world.”

He tightened his embrace, holding her even closer.

“I forgot—my Suisui has never been someone who stops out of fear.”

Jiang Suisui leaned against him, listening to his steady, strong heartbeat. Her long-held anxiety finally eased. She knew he understood her.

Gu Yan gently cupped her face, looking into her eyes. There was no disagreement or worry in his gaze—only unwavering adoration and support.

“Go ahead,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers. “Build the largest ship you want. Open the furthest route you wish.”

He paused, his voice growing resolute.

“If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you. If the sea rages, I’ll calm it for you. If pirates appear, I’ll build an unbeatable fleet and wipe them all out.”

This was not an empty promise—it was a man giving the strongest support he could to the woman he loved.

Jiang Suisui felt her eyes grow slightly wet. She leaned forward and kissed him.

Outside, the moonlight poured softly, quietly illuminating the couple in their embrace.

All differences, all disagreements, melted away in that gentle yet unwavering kiss.