‘SEE YOU MORNING’ 111 I Only Keep Your Preference

Michael was an introverted man, so during his tenure as the Chief Constable of Zufluchtsland, he did not wield targeted iron-fisted measures against interest groups. But this did not mean he lacked the capability of a disciplined forces leader or the intuition and sensitivity forged over many years. His gentle nature and compassion for young lives were precisely the qualities Lübeck believed the leader of the Natural Resources Expeditionary Force should possess.

This visit brought Michael back to government service once again. He was also an old friend and comrade-in-arms, so today’s journey home was filled with joy. In the binary star system, the sunset—one pale yellow, one fading red—cast sunlight upon the land from different angles. Filtered through the vegetation and architecture on the ground, the earth became a checkered brocade.

The journey home was long today. Watching the two suns sink one after another beneath the horizon, seeing the clouds in the sky shift between orange and purple, only made Lübeck more eager to return, his heart set on the warm lamplight in that happy little house.

Returning home beneath a sky full of stars, the dim yellow light from the window illuminated the courtyard. Imagining his family’s scene in his mind, Lübeck gently opened the door and stepped inside.

“Just in time. Take a break and have dinner,” Ruth said, carrying food toward the dining room as she passed by him. Emma was already seated at the table, coaxing their son to eat solid food.

Everyone he longed for was there as usual. Lübeck’s homing heart finally settled. Still holding his coat, he stepped forward and kissed Emma on the cheek. She playfully turned her head, pouted slightly, and went back to feeding the child.

Ruth had just set down the food and was turning back to the kitchen when Lübeck met her, blocking her path. With one arm around her waist, he kissed her lips.

Ruth thought it was just a routine kiss. But when she leaned into it and tried to return to the kitchen, Lübeck held her waist tightly, his kiss unceasing. Puzzled, Ruth wondered what had come over him today, passively continuing to enjoy her man’s affection.

When Lübeck finally released her and slipped away with a smile, Emma muttered dryly from the other side, “Oh, is this making up for last night too?”

Lübeck knew Emma was teasing him about the morning. He wasn’t angry, but couldn’t figure out where her little temper came from today.

Dinner was about to begin, and he didn’t want to spoil the mood by discussing these matters. Smiling, he went to the room, picked up Ada, sat her on his lap, and squeezed in next to Emma.

Ruth sat alone across the table, looking somewhat lonely, so she pulled Clara to sit beside her.

“We have shepherd’s purse omelet today,” Ruth said as she sat down and began serving.

First to Emma, who was with the baby, then to little Ada, then to Clara, then to herself, and finally to Lübeck.

Lübeck sat opposite her, watching her every movement. Something felt off. What was it? Ah, order—the order was reversed. Usually, as the head of the household, he was honored first, always—including at the dining table. Today, Ruth had inverted the sequence. Lübeck didn’t know why she did it, nor did he question or ask. In an era that emphasized paternal authority, he wasn’t particularly concerned with such formalities at home. Ruth and Emma were both women he loved, humble and obedient, so he treated them only with love.

As he pondered, he noticed everyone was looking at him, waiting to begin. Lübeck casually said, “Thank you for your hard work, Ruth. Everyone, let’s eat.” With that, he took the lead in picking up his knife and fork.

Lübeck was not a believer. Though from a Protestant family, his life experiences had given him his own understanding of the world. Ruth was different—a devout believer who lived by the creed of following Lübeck’s lead.

“Erich, you are the head of this household. Everyone here depends on you to sustain this family. You must maintain your authority and uphold its order, or things will fall into chaos over time.”

Lübeck was somewhat surprised. He looked into Ruth’s eyes for a moment, seeming to understand her implication. Setting Ada down, he walked around the table and sat beside Clara, stroking her head.

“Don’t worry. Since you’ve come to this family, you are my children. I won’t send you away.” As he spoke, he glanced at little Ada across the table. She was still young, listening half-understanding, her eyes fixed intently on him. Then he looked at Emma, who completely ignored him, focused only on feeding the child. Lübeck continued to Clara, “Don’t eavesdrop outside the door next time, alright? It’s not polite.”

“Mm.” Clara nodded once, saying no more. But her pitiable background always made Lübeck reluctant to discipline her too strictly. After speaking, he quickly stroked her head again to comfort her, then added, “If you or your sister encounter any problems, come knock on my door. Understand? Don’t hesitate or hold back, okay?”

“Okay.” Again, just one word. Her eyes gazed at Lübeck. He hurriedly stroked her back to reassure her.

Thus ended a somewhat busy dinner. Yet from beginning to end, Lübeck never quite understood whether the strange atmosphere was due to the presence of these two children—or if it would have happened regardless.

Everyone else was busy. Ruth washed dishes with Clara. Ada was in the room learning to lay out her bedding. Emma was in the room nursing their son. Only Lübeck stood alone in the middle of the living room, pondering. Sigh, having too many women is truly troublesome.

Lübeck first went to watch Ada make her bed, chatting with her and showing her how, not wanting her to feel neglected. Then he went to the kitchen to comfort Clara, whom he had just lectured, all while keeping an eye on Ruth.

“Ruth, are you unhappy today?” Lübeck asked softly, peering over her shoulder toward Emma’s room.

“I’m not,” Ruth replied.

But her tone was cold and clipped, hardly the sound of someone without issue.

“Did you and Emma have a conflict?” Lübeck asked softly.

“No,” Ruth answered nonchalantly, but after a while, she revealed the truth. “I felt she spoke to you disrespectfully this morning.”

“Ohhh.” After going in such a wide circle, Lübeck finally understood the cause and effect. The chain of reasoning was even longer than the journey to visit Michael and back.

Lübeck stroked Clara’s head to comfort her, then turned back to whisper to Ruth, “Next time something like this happens, tell me. I’ll talk to her.”

“Ha! You talk to her? You barely restrain yourself from spoiling her rotten.”

Lübeck quickly put his arm around Ruth’s waist, leaned in, and kissed her cheek. “Don’t I spoil you too?”

“Hmph.” Ruth turned her face away with a smile.

Seeing that matter was settled, Lübeck stroked Clara’s head again, then trotted toward Emma’s room. Passing through the living room, he turned his head and caught Ella staring blankly at him as he ran past. Sigh, Lübeck couldn’t help but laugh—being laughed at by a three-year-old.

Entering Emma’s room, the child was already coaxed to sleep. Emma sat by the bed, looking coldly at him as he entered. Without explanation, Lübeck took her hand. “Come with me. Let’s go out for a walk. I have something to say to you.”

Outside in the yard, Lübeck looked up at the starry sky, taking a deep breath of the cool night air.

“Where are we going…”

Before Emma could finish, Lübeck pulled her into the woodshed nearby and closed the door. Deep blue night tinged with the crimson glow of nebulae shone through the window onto Emma’s cheeks. Lübeck held her close by the window, kissing her as he asked, “Is this continuing the kiss from this morning, alright?”

Between kisses, his hands roamed her waist and back, asking again, “Were you angry with me this morning?”

Emma didn’t answer. She simply wrapped her arms around Lübeck’s waist.

“Did I do something wrong? Tell me, please.” Saying this, one hand on her back, the other lifting her skirt to caress her thigh.

“Mm. Last night you didn’t get enough with her. This morning you remembered me. I don’t want what’s left over from her.”

“Tonight, I came for you, alright?” As he spoke, Lübeck sought Emma’s tender, moist core, probing gently while whispering explanations in her ear. “She has taken care of me like a younger brother for all these years. She isn’t trying to steal your man. Don’t be angry with her. I am like her little brother, and you are my great treasure. Let me dote on you. Don’t block my path to your heart, alright?”

“Mm.” Emma agreed, draping her arms over Lübeck’s neck, slowly closing her eyes, letting him lift her leg, pressing her body close, welcoming his exploration of her inner field.

The dim night light through the small window outlined Emma’s facial contours, her parted lips trembling with each breath.

As her man’s strong arms tightened around her waist, locked around her legs, pressed his body firmly against hers, visiting the depths of her fiery and fulfilled soul again and again—

With Emma’s body trembling, her hands slid weakly from Lübeck’s shoulders, instead trying to pull his waist and back closer, narrowing the distance between them.

“Ah, ah, ah, Lübeck, give it to me.” In this private space, she no longer needed restraint. Each caress that touched her soul was accompanied by the response of her magnetic voice.

“Ah, ah, Lübeck, love me.”

“Lübeck, ah, mmph…”

When Lübeck, in a tight embrace, poured his final warm current into Emma’s heart, the temperature connecting them seemed to melt the morning’s estrangement, merging the two into one.