"I don't understand." Huaisang furrows his brow, earnest in his desire to make Doul happy, and it's made him younger and more innocent in the process, no longer the scheming political and military leader. Still, Doul's reasons for avoiding marriage aren't what Huaisang really wants to know, so he focuses on the more important topic.

"A lover, then? Such things are common among the soldiers in the barracks. As long as differences in rank don't create any unfair compulsion, so if you'd rather a ... fighter like yourself..."