Karenin has always disliked being too close to others, except for politically necessary physical contact, he always kept his only son alone.
This may not be due to the early death of his parents, but Karenin has a relatively low tolerance for physical contact since he can remember.
He didn't like pets either, and although he occasionally admired the alertness of canines, it never occurred to him to open his arms and rub their heads or scratch their chins.
But the strange thing is that he never rejected his wife's actions.
This immature, always overly extroverted way of expression, when Karenin raised his hands around his wife's waist, he just turned around in his mind, "It seems that I haven't experienced this feeling for a week."
One gets used to certain things, even Karenin.
Anna cleverly picked out the key points from Karenin's modified words. She is always proud and happy about this. When holding each other, it is like holding a doll that she loves very much. She can hold it as tightly as she can, as if she wants to pass all the weight of this week to the other party in this way.
"I've become your habit, haven't I?" Anna asked with a smile, the ends of her eyes were dragging like little tails with joy, and the eyes were like rainbows.
"There is not enough evidence to show whether this is a good habit or a bad habit," Karenin said.
Anna protested: "Of course it's a good habit! The best kind!"
She did not know whether Karenin was smiling, but she thought he was.
"I'm afraid to disturb you. It's not like before, sometimes I need to practice tailoring." She explained why she didn't go to his study, but hid in her bedroom after dinner.
"They're bearable, I suppose."
"And," Karenin added, "it's not that you didn't bother me before."
When Anna heard this, she giggled and didn't take her husband's accusation seriously.
"I'm going to try to be quiet, for a while."
"It sounds like I'm the one with the bigger influence."
"No, Alexei, you're totally lucky, aren't you?" Anna let go.
She made a gesture: "Lucky like this, I am your wife, this is your greatest luck."
Anna was just joking, and Karenin showed a little dissatisfaction, as if he suddenly gave her a jar of honey.
But after hearing these words, her husband gave her an affirmative and serious answer.
"Yes."
Happiness came so easily. Now, it is because of this introverted and stern man's words. It doesn't have any embellishments, but it makes people feel that the heart is appropriate and warm.
A little shy, a little proud.
Anna put her hands behind her back and said shyly, "It's not that good either."
The words a woman wants to hear, praise her beauty, praise her figure, praise her clothes...
Everything external that can remind people of beauty.
Of course Karenin knew this, and although he didn't do it often, he could always do it well. That kind of hypocritical polite words, the tone of promise, can make a woman feel happy casually.
But the words at this moment are definitely from the heart.
"You are fine, Anna." Karenin said again, his tone was light, but his eyes were soft. The blue eyes seem to hide some kind of light.
Now she is no longer shy, Anna thought, feeling like she is in a hot spring.
"I'm glad to hear you say that, Alexey. I think being a wife is just like working. You need to be recognized by others. The difference is that at work, you want to be recognized by your boss, but in marriage, you want to be recognized by others." Approved by a partner."
"You need my approval? Anna." Karenin asked.
"Yes. A wife always wants to be praised and praised by her husband. Sometimes you don't tell me, I need to guess, sometimes I can feel it, but if you tell me directly, I can feel it faster I'm happy." Anna expressed her thoughts honestly.
"However, you don't need to take this as an obligation. Love is not an obligation. You just have to be like this. Occasionally, when you want to talk, just tell me. We have been married for more than three months, and I am very happy. You understand more and more. In the future, you will understand more."
Anna took Karenin's hand and put it close to her cheek, she rubbed it, and then smiled shyly.
"I also think you are very good. It's a bit silly to say this, but you are really good. I always think that you are the most suitable for me. Now, I also want to say that I am the most suitable for you. Even if it was not so suitable before, But it will always get better in the future.”
"I hope you can forgive me for some small problems and self-willedness sometimes. If I do something that is unacceptable or unpleasant to you, just tell me. I will correct it. If I let you develop a Bad habits, and if you don't plan to correct them, just tell me, I will always keep it." She finally blinked her eyes, her face was a little red, and her eyes were still shining brightly at the other party.
After a long time, Karenin said honestly: "It's not a bad habit, Anna."
"Although it can't be said to be a good habit. Personally, it is not a good thing to become dependent on one thing or a habit. However, if it is not rational, it is just a waste of time to abandon or ignore it. Just an act of cowardice."
"You are my habit, Anna."
"Good or bad can't be used to judge it."
Karenin said in a low voice, touched Anna's cheek lightly with both hands, and then kissed her.
Afterwards, those things belonging to Anna were moved into Karenin's study. Under Karenin's suggestion, the cold and solemn study already had two desks, which were tailored according to Anna's height.
The smaller desk is in mahogany, thick and beautifully grained, with a floral tablecloth and the matching chair is upholstered. In a thin-necked vase, there are always fresh bouquets placed all the time, and the faint scent of flowers will last for a long time this winter.
With Karenin's permission, Anna no longer restrained herself. She would still talk to each other, usually when Karenin finished his official business, and Karenin, he adjusted the progress bar of his reading plan that morning.
In the spare time, he began to participate in his wife's fun.
Anna knew that Karenin's aesthetic vision was not very sharp, but years of experience still made him more tasteful than ordinary people.
He may not love this area, nor can he give any creative suggestions. But his listening and companionship have surpassed all.
She didn't tell Karenin about her decision, she just learned something from him, sometimes, she didn't need to tell, she just did it directly.
So, after a quiet period of time, Anna haunted the social world again. Among them are Countess Lydia and Duchess Betsy.
Although you always need to listen to some of her complaints when you go to the Countess Lydia, in general, you don't need to use more brains to deal with the other party. And when going to Betsy's, extreme care must be taken.
"You don't come to our salon very much recently. Is there any reason?" Betsy asked coquettishly, "I wanted to see you, but I was afraid that you would be recuperating at home. If it passes by, it will disturb your tranquility."
Betsy's temptation was gently accepted by Anna. She smiled and said, "Even if you come, I can't receive you. The weather is cold these days, and I'm not in good health. But I think , if I don’t come again, maybe I won’t know the people here.”
She watched Betsy's tea-party with a kind of admiration.
"Look at your tea party, it's getting better and better."
"You speak more and more like your husband, Anna." Betsy smiled, showing her white and small teeth. She wore a ring on her small hand, and then played with a lock of her hair.
"He will be proud if he hears this." Anna pretended not to understand Betsy's words.
Betsy let go of her hair, and said with curved eyebrows, "Come on, honey, come join us now, and let me introduce you to our new friend."
Anna gave her hand to Betsy, who relaxed and let her lead her around the living room. She had seen too many people. Try to remember everyone's name.
She knew that Betsy was eyeing her secretly, but since she didn't ask, Anna didn't poke it.
In any case, since Betsy had introduced her to everyone, it meant that she had been accepted into the circle again. However, on the other hand, it also means that this will be a social activity that costs 80,000 rubles a year, and her heart began to throb a little. Money matters seem a little imminent.
Anna took a glass of light wine, vodka is not for her, and drinking fruit juice is too bad. She chatted with a countess, and inquired about the grand occasion that Eliza wore a skirt to the dinner party that day, in order to satisfy her little vanity, and also advertised Mr. Goldman's tailor shop.
"What are you talking about?" A female voice rang out.
Anna looked over and saw Vronsky's sister. She didn't follow the young nobleman from last time, but her expression still looked very happy, which might mean that this friendship is not over, and it is still developing in a good direction.
"We were chatting about the funny incident at the dinner party not long ago." The Countess said in a mocking tone, "You forgot, that incident made one woman shine, and another woman lost face!"
Vronsky's sister covered her mouth and smiled.
They began to shift the topic to the courtesan who had lost face, with contempt in their eyes, but in Anna's opinion, how were they different
She didn't feel angry this time, she just took a sip of light wine, listened quietly, and occasionally when those two looked at her, she gave a look of approval that I thought exactly the same.
"I thought you were going to ask for juice." Another voice rang out, not loud enough so the two men didn't notice it.
Anna looked down at the other party, the boy was holding a glass of vodka in his hand.
He took a bite of the lemon, then took a sip of the vodka, looking a little drunk.
Anna raised the corner of her mouth: "It's not good for underage drinking."
Vronsky was not angry this time, but just glanced at her: "This is Russia." Then he drank the glass of vodka in one gulp.
Anna nodded, and slowly took another sip of the light wine in her hand.
"You haven't answered me yet." Vronsky said with a frown. The young man's dark blue eyes were like sea water, and looked particularly beautiful.
His lips were red, and when he was asking a question, his eyes were looking straight at Anna, as if he cared very much about the answer to this question.
This look is lethal.
It's beautiful, it represents focus, it's one of a kind.
Anna has no doubt that this boy will become a very popular type in the future, but it is not her favorite.
"Light wine is the most suitable right now, and I don't like fruit juice either. Plain water with nothing added is what I'm most willing to accept." Anna said with a smile, and then she left.
Vronsky stared at the figure with some puzzlement, and finally pouted his lips, stretched his hands lazily, and leaned his back against the edge of the balcony.
Vronsky was watching the banquet. He was familiar with the colorful attires of the women and the frivolous and pretty faces of the men. Suddenly, a sense of boredom hit him.
It seems that this kind of circle is not so popular. Vronsky thought lightly. His eyes fell on Mrs. Karenin again, and in the end he only came to a conclusion.
Strange woman.