The storm of passion had just subsided.
A lingering blush remained on A Mei's cheeks, refusing to fade.
Covered in a thin layer of sweat, she lay nestled in An Sheng's embrace. Her hazy eyes held the intoxicating satisfaction of their recent passion. After basking in the sweet afterglow in his arms for a moment, she whimpered softly, acting coyly towards him.
"Husband, why does my back hurt a little? You must have held me too tightly just now."
"It hurts? Let me see." His lean chest covered hers once more. An Sheng's tender gaze fell upon the red marks on A Mei's shoulders, and he showered them with dense, gentle kisses.
"It is indeed red. Blame me for not controlling my strength well."
Feeling her husband's kisses filled with heartache and guilt, A Mei's heart trembled. She rolled over, her voice dripping with shyness and affection. "It is alright, it only hurts a little."
"Oh, right, Husband, let us get up. We should not fall back asleep, I still need to stay up to welcome the New Year."
How could An Sheng refuse? He wrapped his arms around A Mei and sat up with her. Then, he heard a soft, sweet complaint from his arms, "Husband, I am sweaty and feel all sticky. Why do we not wash up?"
An Sheng shook his head slightly. "If you take a bath and then go in and out for the New Year's vigil, you will easily catch a cold. How about this, I will go fetch a basin of hot water and wipe you down, alright?"
Hearing this, A Mei was moved by her husband's thoughtfulness and care. She gave a well-behaved nod.
Seeing her docile expression, An Sheng could not help but hold the soft and delicate A Mei for a few more moments of tenderness before quietly getting out of bed.
After dressing, he turned to see A Mei looking at him with large, dewy eyes full of dependence and soft charm. His heart instantly melted into a puddle.
He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Be good, I will be right back."
"Mhm, hurry up, Husband."
...
An Sheng stepped out and ordered the servants to prepare water. The servants of the An Manor were always quick and efficient, and they soon brought the water over. Just as An Sheng was about to return to the room with the hot water, he was stopped by An Gui.
An Gui was getting older and increasingly particular about holiday customs. He wanted his son and daughter-in-law to stay up for the New Year with him. He had finally waited for them to return to the manor, only to hear the servants say that the master and madam had gone straight to their room. Fearing that these young people did not know about the custom of staying up, An Gui had made his way over.
It was An Sheng who spoke first.
"Godfather, on such a cold day, why are you not staying in your room? What are you doing over here?"
An Gui grumbled, "I was just afraid you young folks would not remember to stay up, so I came to get you. Alright, stop hiding in your room. Bring A Mei over in a bit to welcome the New Year."
An Sheng replied with a hum, "I know, Godfather."
An Gui's gaze fell on the steaming basin of water in An Sheng's hands. "What are you doing carrying water?"
Naturally, it was to clean his wife's body, but An Sheng obviously would not say that to his godfather. His eyes flickered slightly as he replied calmly, "A Mei wants to wash her face, so your son fetched some hot water."
An Gui's old face was full of confusion, seemingly a bit surprised. "With so many servants in the manor, do you need to pour water yourself?"
An Sheng's expression did not change as he slowly opened his mouth, "A Mei just likes it when I personally serve her."
An Gui: ...
An Sheng's words choked An Gui into silence for a long while.
Suddenly, he let out a chuckle, his dark eyes filled with profound, unspoken meaning, yet he was genuinely happy for An Sheng from the bottom of his heart. "You brat, I could not tell you were such a romantic. Not bad."
"Fine, just keep spoiling her. A Mei is a good child, and with your current status, what does it matter if you pamper her a bit."
An Sheng gave a matter-of-fact hum in response, "Your son understands."
An Gui narrowed his eyes. "Although your godfather does not understand women, I have heard that the better you treat a woman, the more she cannot leave you. You must..."
Before An Gui could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by An Sheng.
"Alright, Godfather. Although you have the advantage of age, when it comes to women, I guarantee I know more than you do now. So stop lecturing your son. If you say a few more words, this water will get cold, and I cannot let A Mei wait too long."
An Gui: ...
When An Sheng entered the room, A Mei was resting with her eyes closed. She was not sleepy, just resting her eyes. However, even when she felt her husband approaching, she did not open them.
A Mei was pretending to be asleep on purpose. Hmph, who told her husband to say he would be right back, only to be gone for quite a while?
She could feel the man standing right beside her bed, but after waiting for a long time, there was no next move. For a moment, the room was so quiet that there was not a single sound.
Just as A Mei could not help but want to open her eyes, a hand reached over, stopped by her ear, and gently brushed her hair aside.
Warm breath drew closer and closer, gently blowing against the sensitive skin behind her ear. A tingling shudder spread down her spine and throughout her entire body. Having recently found sweet release under An Sheng's loving care, A Mei was currently incredibly sensitive and could hardly stop herself from trembling slightly.
Next, a touch of warmth landed on her lips. It was the shallowest of kisses; had A Mei not been awake, she absolutely would not have felt it. Yet, it was this light kiss, filled with cherishing and affection, that sent a jolt of electricity through her whole body. She finally could not help but open her eyes, meeting his deep, affectionate gaze. She smiled, then took the initiative to wrap her arms around An Sheng's neck, saying softly, "Husband is back."
An Sheng hummed and said in a low voice, "Did I wake you?"
"No, I was not asleep." A Mei shook her head. Then, she licked her lips and let out a soft whimper, her moist eyes filled with longing and shyness.
Such an expression... made An Sheng freeze completely.
He saw A Mei looking at him with a coquettish expression, gently biting her lip, her eyes misty. Her soft body could not help but rub against him. Though she was shy, she did not hide it, nor was she coy:
"Husband, I want more."
An Sheng: ...
An Sheng's eyebrows shot up. He took a deep breath, his deep black eyes flickering darkly. After a good while, he slowly opened his mouth and spat out a single word: "No."
A Mei was instantly stunned. This was the first time she had been so proactive, yet An Sheng had rejected her.
Her plump little lips immediately formed a pout.
An Sheng curled his thin lips into a smile and dotingly tapped the tip of A Mei's little nose. His voice was low and gentle as he explained, "Are we not supposed to stay up for the New Year? Besides, we have to go to the palace tomorrow. If we toss and turn any more, you really will not be able to get up."
A Mei's attention was indeed diverted. Her eyes widened instantly, and her awkwardness vanished as she asked, "We are going to the palace? Do I have to go to the palace too?"
An Sheng hummed in affirmation. He lifted the blanket, his gaze lingering on her dazzling, tender skin, and then briskly wiped A Mei's body with the warm cloth.
"According to regulations, titled ladies of the court must enter the palace on the first day of the New Year to pay their respects to the Emperor and Empress. I am going tomorrow as well, so we will go together."
While cooperatively stretching her arms and legs to make it easier for her husband to wipe her down, A Mei's little face fell, looking very gloomy. "Ah, we still have to go pay respects to the Emperor and Empress? Can I just not go?"
A Mei had only been to the imperial palace once, and that was to mourn when the late emperor passed away. She had suffered for three days and truly had no good impressions of it, so she really did not want to go at all.
An Sheng saw through A Mei's little thoughts at a glance. The corner of his eye twitched slightly as he held back a smile and coaxed her, "What are you fretting about? With me here, we will be back in no time. Besides, it won't be a wasted trip; we will even receive some rewards."
A Mei pouted and shifted slightly. She looked up to meet An Sheng's gaze, too lazy to speak, and simply blinked her eyes to silently ask what kind of rewards.
An Sheng finally laughed out loud. Having finished wiping her down, he first picked up her undergarment and helped her put it on. His eyes were filled with helpless indulgence. "You little money-grubber. Don't worry, they will all be shiny treasures."
Only then was A Mei satisfied, a bright smile blossoming on her face.
"Alright then, let's go. As long as my husband is with me, A Mei is willing to go anywhere."
An Sheng carefully helped A Mei finish dressing. Finally, he squatted down to personally put on her shoes and socks. Then, he reached out and took her hand. His eyes rippled like a gentle lake, brimming with so much deep affection that it seemed ready to overflow. "Alright, my lady. Now, come along with me to keep the New Year's vigil."
A Mei tilted her small face upward, beaming with a smile. "Mhm! Husband."
