It would have been no different, but today he's being watched.
There were not many onlookers, only his wife looked at him without blinking.
"Schiva has his own barbers and he loves them so much that he sometimes even calls them his cuties."
Karenin wiped his now bluish chin with a hot towel, and said while scrubbing the props, "I'm used to doing these things by myself."
"I used to travel a lot in the past, and it was impossible to bring a servant who is good at shaving with me at all times, unless it is necessary." He said casually, then wiped the water in his palm, and then wiped his face , very careful and prudent, even like a little clean freak.
Ana knew that in a position like his, intelligence was a must, as was decency. She got up early today, so it was rare to see Karenin's daily cleaning work in the morning.
In fact, there is nothing special, but the movements are more neat. It's just that she is probably one of the few women who didn't realize what her husband looked like with a beard after being married for so long. After all, the latter got up too early every day.
Karenin looked at his face again in front of the mirror, and confirmed that he had meticulously taken care of all the corners with the razor. Then he picked up the starched shirt from the clothes prepared next to him, and prepared to button it one by one. But just as he was doing so, he suddenly stopped again. He noticed that wives didn't shy away from it at all.
"Am I going to avoid it?" Anna suddenly realized this, her face flushed suddenly. Although they had a closer encounter, not during the day.
"I swear, I, I have no idea." She said dryly. She really wasn't lying. Before that, she definitely didn't have any bad thoughts in her eyes, but after being reminded now, she did have some thoughts.
"It's okay." Karenin coughed lightly.
Although the husband said so, Anna felt that she couldn't look directly at her husband's body purely because of her evil intentions, so she quickly turned around and prepared to leave.
"Anna."
Karenin called to her.
"What?" Anna didn't turn back immediately, but asked.
"I need your help," Karenin said after a while.
Anna turned her head when she heard this.
The summer sun came in through the window, but it couldn't fully illuminate the room. She was standing in a bright area, and only Karenin's left cheek was stained with sunlight.
The shirt is open, and the half-exposed chest is relatively fair, which is different from the color of the arms and neck. The Adam's apple is very high, the shoulders are flat and broad, and become narrow and thin at the waist, which is a natural figure suitable for dressing.
"Anna, I need your help."
Karenin repeated it again, this time in a steady voice.
Anna took a deep breath and walked over. Although it had been a while since they were married, Ana had still done it.
Karenin has always belonged to the type who can do things by himself and will not pretend to others, so it is surprising to hear him say such words, and it is a little touching.
"I've never done this for you before." Anna smiled, and left shyly.
"I think it shouldn't be very difficult." Karenin said, his fingers resting lightly on the back of Anna's hand.
"like this."
Anna froze for a moment, at first she thought that Karenin really thought she would not know it, and just wanted to explain, but then she gave up on this idea. Because, Karenin, who explained something seriously, is very exciting.
Even though he wasn't holding a shotgun of masculine strength, or anything that could rock a Russian political forum, and he was even carefully telling his wife a little thing, it was beautiful anyway.
"Anna?"
Karenin stopped his movements, and somewhat unexpectedly called his wife's name. Because the latter was leaning against his arms.
"If I'm sad, can I talk to you?"
"What's wrong with you?" Karenin asked concerned.
Anna shook her head: "I don't have any unhappy things now, I just want to ask you."
Karenin breathed a sigh of relief and replied: "Of course you can, Anna, I am your husband, and if you want, I can listen to whatever you have to say."
"I think it's because you love me that I can act like a baby to you." Anna sniffled and joked, she just didn't want to be so happy when she really couldn't help sobbing a few times, so she chose to divert it topic.
The joke was originally for this purpose, so she never thought that Karenin would answer, or the same answer.
"Yes."
"What?" Anna didn't respond.
After a while, there was a sudden silence in the air, and then Karenin whispered: "Because I love you."
If time can be turned back, Anna will tell her former self that no matter what, you have to believe in your choice, that man is someone worthy of your deep love for the rest of your life, please never doubt this.
The morning's good mood continued, and after Karenin went to the ministry, Annushka reminded Anna that at ten o'clock Princess Yuspov would come to visit with her only son.
Since the last kidnapping incident, Duchess Yuspov has been expressing her intention to visit Anna. Her husband has been in contact with Anna's husband Karenin for a long time. The new policy that the latter wants to implement recently also needs the support of Duke Yuspov. . So, of course, Anna wanted to entertain Princess Yuspov and the little boy well.
At ten o'clock, Princess Yuspov arrived punctually with her only son.
"Good day, Princess Yuspov."
Anna warmly greeted this slender woman of medium height but still charming, and the latter also returned warm etiquette.
"Good day, ma'am."
Princess Yuspov's only son Lenat also greeted Anna very politely. Anna kissed the little boy on the cheek.
The little boy, Lenat, was a little older than Andrei, with slender bones and curly brown hair like his father's, but he inherited his mother's sea-blue eyes.
When Anna saw Lenat for the first time, she almost thought that the other party was a doll. The crystal clear skin and beautiful facial features are really rare beauty. It's just that at that time, the child seemed a little frightened and barely spoke, but now it seems that he has recovered. Although not lively, there is still a smile on his face.
"Although such an unfortunate thing happened a few days ago that forced the cancellation of the ball, I think it will be very suitable to continue holding the ball next month." Princess Yuspov said with a smile.
There was still a hint of childishness on her pretty face, but in fact her words and deeds were quite mature and bold.
"Renate is eleven years old, he should be exposed to some things." Princess Yuspov said calmly.
Anna looked at the boy who was quietly sipping black tea. Looking at the curly hair, she felt a sense of fate.
After Princess Yuspov had taken her leave with her son, Anna sat on the balcony while Anushka brought her fresh strawberries.
"I went to the market to buy it this morning. My husband reminded me yesterday that strawberries are the best at this time."
Anna looked at the little strawberries still stained with drops of water on the table, and smiled.
"Anushka, sit down," said Anna.
Annushka is also used to it now, not as stiff as before. When no one is watching, she doesn't stick too hard to the rules. As the husband said, most of the time go along with the lady.
Anna asked Anushka to eat it too. Although the latter ate it, he didn't dare to let it go, and she didn't try to force her. That's good enough.
Although there is no need to worry about food and clothing in this place, it is not so easy to find a friend who can share their hearts on an equal footing.
Anna is also not attached, her attitude towards life is always relatively gentle and easy to satisfy.
"Actually, I was thinking about a question." Anna wiped her hands and said shyly.
"What's the problem? Madame," Anushka asked.
"Tell me, is there already a child here?" Anna put her hand on her lower abdomen and asked.
Although Anushka would be very resistant and embarrassed to have contact with strange men, Anna's question did not make her show timidity or shyness. She smiled with an expression that did not match her age.
"Probably so."
"You and sir have been married for some time, haven't you?"
When Anna heard Anushka's answer, she remembered that she and Karenin were not newlyweds in the eyes of outsiders, but she couldn't continue to tell Anushka about this matter. So she smiled and continued eating the remaining strawberries.
"Have you saved it for the master?" As soon as she put it on her lips and got some water, Anna suddenly thought of this question. Then she felt a little embarrassed, she really didn't think about it when she started eating.
"I know, I have already kept it." Anu Shika said, and she also smiled, "Mr. didn't say that I would keep it for him, but I think you will definitely do so."
"So you know me so well!" Anna joked.
Anushka shook her head and smiled lightly: "Ma'am, it's not difficult for you to understand."
Anna didn't continue to ask. Although people can't say that they understand themselves 100%, they always know what they look like in general.
Anna actually doesn't like to fight for anything, she doesn't have too high demands on life. Although she never had parents, and such a docile personality is really rare, perhaps some people's disposition is doomed from birth.
Don't complain about life, be satisfied with the present, and cherish the people around you. This kind of ordinary happiness is precisely due to the fact that I have never had parents, so I can experience it more profoundly.
Get married, get together, and soon, maybe have a baby.
Anna was in the bathroom. She looked at her abdomen seriously, and gently drew a circle on it with her palm, thinking: Will there be a baby here soon
Although she really wanted to imagine that scene, due to lack of experience, she still couldn't really understand that feeling in the end. She just felt that if she had children, she should be happier.
At night, when Karenin returned to bed after washing, he found his wife was still awake, looking at him with wide eyes.
"What's wrong?"
Karenin asked as he lifted the quilt.
Anna automatically and habitually found Karenin's arm, then lay down on it, looked at him again after lying down, and asked if it was all right.
"Yes." Karenin replied, adjusting his posture himself.
Anna then patted the pillow that belonged to her lightly, and then talked about what happened today.
"The child?" Karenin repeated.
"Yes, don't you remember?"
"Yes. Prince Yuspov's only son, what happened to him?"
"Don't you think that child is very beautiful?" Anna asked.
"It's not good to describe a boy as beautiful, Anna." Karenin said, and then recalled, "But the child did inherit the advantages of his parents. Although it is completely groundless to judge a person by appearance, appearance It is also true that it is easier for good people to do things smoothly.”
"But no matter how beautiful the child is, even if he has just experienced such a terrible thing, he still has to gradually take on his own responsibilities." Anna said, and Lenat's sea-blue eyes appeared in her mind.
"Responsibility cannot be shirked, Anna." Karenin patted his wife's hand.
"I know, I just think he's still so young." Anna sighed, and she looked at her husband, "There's actually another reason why I care so much about this matter."
"what reason?"
"The kid's hair was brown, a little curly, and his eyes were sea blue."
"So?" Karenin frowned, seemingly puzzled.
Ana held her breath, and it took a moment before she began to breathe again. She straightened up and kissed her husband on the brow bone: "I was thinking, if we have a child in the future, maybe he will have curly hair like this and your blue eyes, he will be very cute."
Karenin looked at his wife, and from those gray eyes he felt as if he understood those worries, though they were not expressed in words.
"Responsibility cannot be avoided, Anna. Although my parents died very early, if we have a child, at least, we will be there for him. I think as long as this is the case, there is nothing to worry about. "
"No matter what happens, we will always be there for him."
After listening to Karenin's words, Anna did not speak for a long time.
Karenin was right, she thought. No one is born knowing how to be a good parent, but the greatest joy in life is to have the courage to try. For children, too, the company of parents is indispensable.
"My parents, they died very young, and I was raised by my aunt, who was a stricter person, so I'm not sure, I mean, if we had a child now, would I be able to do well all of these."
"Of course you can, Anna," said Karenin, embracing his wife and comforting her.
While the chances of them having a child by now were very slim, and most husbands would even grow impatient with the subject, Karenin would not.
This kind of meaningless worry is irrational and useless. If this is an official document, Karenin will directly annotate an opinion that does not need to be discussed further, and make this document processed and permanently sealed. But this is not an official document, it is his wife's words, it is annoyance, it is a confession.
Just like what Karenin said before, since it is a promise, since it is the husband of the other party, then the wife's words always need to be listened to patiently, instead of ignoring or scolding them for their meaninglessness.
"I believe, if it's true, you'd make a good mother."
"If there's anything you don't do well, I think we can talk about it and make adjustments. It's nothing to worry about."
"Don't forget, Anna, I'm your husband, not any room decoration. As I promised you, you can always talk to me about any problem."
After Karenin finished speaking, he kissed his wife's forehead, and this tender movement made Anna put herself even tighter in his arms.
"Okay." Anna replied softly, her mood became calmer and more stable.
After confirming that his wife was asleep, Karenin relaxed a little so that both of them could sleep peacefully.
He looked at his wife's sleeping face, the soft lines, and the relaxed lip line, so he kissed the former's lips again.
He wasn't trying to appease his wife, but to tell the truth, Karenin was completely convinced that Anna would make a good mother, while he, like his wife, was slightly puzzled whether he would make a good father, But Karenin will always try.
If they had a child now, Karenin felt, whether he was smart or beautiful, one thing would never change, and that was that he and Anna would always love that child.