After many busy days, An Sheng finally enjoyed the tender and fragrant embrace of his beloved.
They held each other close, neck to neck, until they fell into a deep sleep.
Today was New Year's Eve.
A Mei groggily opened her eyes and let out a soft yawn. Out of habit, she first nuzzled against An Sheng's chest, then, as if suddenly remembering something, she sat bolt upright. Looking at the bright room, she nudged An Sheng's bare chest.
"Husband, husband, it's dawn. You haven't gone to morning court yet, did we wake up late?"
"Husband, wake up quickly."
Awakened by A Mei's fussing, An Sheng opened his eyes. His long, narrow eyes narrowed slightly before his large hand reached out, pulling the chattering A Mei back into his arms.
"What's the fuss? Today is New Year's Eve. The imperial court has officially started its holiday break, so there's no morning court. Be good, let me hold you and sleep a little longer."
"Holiday break?" A Mei was puzzled for a moment before realizing it meant he had time off. The thought that her husband could rest at home filled her with immense joy.
Knowing that her husband finally had the chance to sleep in, A Mei obediently snuggled into An Sheng's embrace, quietly staying still without saying another word.
A Mei closed her eyes. With her husband's steady heartbeat in her ears, she felt warm and secure, as if countless threads of tender affection were wrapping around her...
An Sheng slept all the way until nearly noon, and A Mei ended up falling back asleep right along with him.
When An Sheng had slept enough and began to rise, A Mei opened her eyes in response to his movements.
A Mei rubbed her eyes and sat up, clutching the quilt. Her exposed, delicate shoulders were dotted with cherry-red marks. Pouting her small lips, she called out softly, "Husband."
Having finally had enough sleep, An Sheng felt completely refreshed. He tilted his neck back and stretched, then scooped the smooth A Mei into his arms. He first planted a light peck on A Mei's small lips, then dropped a kiss onto her exposed, tender shoulder, saying softly,
"It really is getting late. Let's get up."
A Mei gave an obedient "Mhm."
With his large hand, An Sheng pulled the quilt away, exposing both of their bare upper bodies.
Feeling the sudden chill, A Mei instinctively curled her arms to cover her chest.
An Sheng's gaze immediately burned onto the two soft mounds A Mei was protecting. Pressed together by her arms, their delicate shapes were pushed up, creating an alluringly provocative sight that seemed ready to burst forth.
An Sheng's eyes fell upon them without any disguise, turning dark and profound. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, repeating words he had said to A Mei countless times before: "Is there any part of your body I haven't seen? Why are you still covering up?"
How could A Mei know that An Sheng had always loved this innocent, flustered, half-resisting demeanor of hers the most?
If An Sheng hadn't said anything, A Mei wouldn't have felt so embarrassed, but as soon as he spoke, she couldn't stop her face from blushing red. She pouted her lips and shot him a shy, sideways glance, her voice soft and tiny: "It's not just that I'm shy, it's a little cold. Husband, go get the clothes quickly."
Seeing her husband not moving, A Mei looked up and glared at him, only to be scorched by the fiery heat in his eyes. She shyly averted her gaze and continued to urge him, "Husband, hurry up, A Mei is a little hungry."
Only then did An Sheng move again. He first wrapped A Mei up in the quilt, got out of bed to put on his own clothes, and then carefully selected A Mei's undergarments, inner lining, padded coat, and finally a red outer skirt from the wardrobe.
He carried the clothes over, meeting A Mei's innocent yet alluring, trusting eyes. His long, narrow eyes curved slightly in an arc of pure indulgence and doting: "Come, let me serve my lady and help you dress."
Hugging the quilt, A Mei gave a sweet smile, her eyes curving like crescents, full of playful charm and vitality: "A Mei thanks you, husband."
Once the two had gotten up, dressed neatly, and stepped out of their room, they were greeted by a vast expanse of pure white, with snowflakes still drifting down gently from the sky.
A Mei's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but open her little mouth in awe: "It actually snowed this heavily last night!"
An Sheng stared at the sky dotted with snowflakes and curled his lips into a smile, in an excellent mood. "A timely snow promises a good harvest. It's a good omen."
A Mei turned to look at An Sheng and showed a brilliant smile. "If my husband is happy, A Mei is very happy too."
An Sheng felt a surge of joy in his heart, making him look exceptionally approachable and gentle. He reached out to tap A Mei's little nose, took her soft little hand, and said softly, "Let's go, let's go eat."
"Mhm."
By noon, the faint sounds of firecrackers being set off could be heard from all around.
As soon as An Sheng and A Mei stepped into the main hall, Douzi's tender, childish voice reached their ears.
"At the end of the year and the beginning of the new, every family lights firecrackers, every household sets off fireworks. The sound is endless, the momentum grand."
"Good, not bad at all!"
"Excellent, very fitting for the occasion, very festive."
After he finished reciting the poem, An Gui and A Mei's father praised him very enthusiastically.
Douzi gave an embarrassed little laugh, then turned and saw An Sheng and his older sister entering. He happily bounced up from his chair to greet them: "Sister, brother-in-law! Come quick, come quick, it's time to eat!"
Douzi had become increasingly lively these days. A Mei let her younger brother lead her to a seat first, and then An Sheng sat down right next to her.
An Gui, who was standing to the side, looked at An Sheng and A Mei, then at Douzi, smiling so widely that his face wrinkled up. He raised his wine cup, clinked it first with A Mei's father, then with An Sheng. His cloudy eyes were full of sheer delight, and he spoke openly and joyfully, "Sheng'er, this year, your godfather is truly happy."
An Sheng's eyes flickered slightly. His gaze swept over A Mei, who was happily eating beside him. He tilted his head back and downed the cup of wine in one gulp. His expression carried a satisfaction and contentment that only An Gui could read. He said leisurely, "Yes, Godfather. This year is indeed a good year."
An Gui sighed aloud, his words carrying deep meaning: "It's all thanks to Sheng'er's capabilities."
An Sheng twitched the corners of his mouth in an intriguing smile: "I owe it all to you, Godfather."
At this moment, A Mei picked up some food with her chopsticks and placed it in An Sheng's bowl. "Husband, Godfather, both of you stop being so sentimental. Who isn't happy during the New Year? Hurry up and eat. Husband promised to take A Mei out after we finish eating."
Saying this, A Mei looked full of anticipation: "It's so lively outside today. For New Year's Eve, there's not only a lantern festival but also fireworks. We should go out early, have our fill of fun, and then come home to stay up for the New Year."
Hearing this, Douzi didn't even want to eat anymore. He put down his bowl and chopsticks and said excitedly, "Sister, Douzi wants to go too! Douzi wants to go too!"
A Mei was happy in her heart: "Yes, yes, we didn't say we wouldn't take you."
An Gui frowned slightly and began to lecture again, though his tone carried an indulgent helplessness: "A Mei, you are the lady of the manor now. You can't spend all your days just thinking about playing around with Sheng'er. Sheng'er is now a high-ranking official in the imperial court and shoulders heavy responsibilities. You need to learn how to be a good and capable wife. Besides, tomorrow is the first day of the new year, and there will be many things to attend to. You can't play too hard and come back too late."
A Mei naturally knew that her godfather was speaking for her own good. She gave a little laugh, but before she could even open her mouth to reply, An Sheng, sitting beside her, showed his displeasure.
An Sheng simply raised an eyebrow and spoke in a slow, leisurely tone, "Alright, Godfather, it is the New Year, so why are you worrying about such trivial matters? We work our fingers to the bone outside precisely so that you all can live as you please. A Mei is my wife. If she does anything wrong, naturally I will personally guide her. It is not like you do not know that our household is different from others. Please do not make things hard on yourself by expecting your daughter-in-law to act like the wives of those aristocratic families. That would be so exhausting. And it would not just be exhausting for me and A Mei, it would be exhausting for you."
An Gui: ...
