No sooner had An Sheng carried A Mei back to the carriage than the summoned physician arrived.
"Reporting to Eunuch An, Madam An has only suffered a minor sprain. It is of no consequence and requires no medicine. Rest for a couple of days will suffice."
In good spirits, An Sheng gave a reward and saw the man out. Turning back, he found his wife curled up in her seat, looking both restrained and awkward, her head bowed and avoiding his gaze. An Sheng raised an eyebrow, reminded of the timid, pitiable girl she had been in the early days of their marriage.
"What's wrong? Are you still uncomfortable somewhere?" An Sheng stared intently at A Mei, thinking she might be in some discomfort she hadn't mentioned in front of the outsider.
In A Mei's memory, aside from being held by her mother in childhood, this was the first time in her life she had been carried by someone, and in front of so many people at that. Although this person was her husband, and A Mei knew full well this was his way of caring for her, waves of inexplicable ripples stirred in her heart, nearly overwhelming all her composure.
A Mei looked up and met An Sheng's concerned gaze. Suddenly, she felt too shy to look into his unfathomably deep eyes and hastily lowered her head again, her face flushing crimson from her cheeks down to her neck in an instant.
Seeing A Mei like this, An Sheng frowned slightly. He leaned close to her cheek and reached out to feel her forehead.
"Your face is so red. Could you be running a fever?"
His presence completely enveloped her. Her already faintly pink ears turned a deep, blood-red the moment his breath warmed the side of her neck. Faced with her husband's sudden leaning-in closeness, A Mei's mind went completely blank. Her heart pounded wildly, and she felt as if she were truly ill, her whole body seemingly out of her control, afflicted by an indescribable discomfort.
A Mei lifted her head, on the verge of tears. "Husband, I don't know why, but whenever you come near, my heart races uncontrollably, I can't breathe properly, and there's an unspeakable feeling in my heart. Am I... am I sick?"
An Sheng was taken aback, his entire body stiffening momentarily.
He gazed at A Mei for a long time, a complex emotion clogging his chest, threatening to burst forth like a breached dam.
After a prolonged silence, the physician who had just been sent away was summoned back once more...
In the end, the physician left, pockets heavier with two separate rewards, utterly bewildered.
Having confirmed once again that she was in perfect health, A Mei finally relaxed. She settled comfortably and became more at ease with her husband, especially after receiving the casket of jewelry he presented. The smile never left her face.
The corners of An Sheng's mouth lifted slightly. Seeing A Mei's sparkling eyes fixed on the jewels, he teased, "I never realized my wife was such a little miser."
A Mei finally managed to tear her gaze from the casket to her husband, speaking somewhat sheepishly, "N-no, it's not that. They're truly beautiful. I've never seen anything like them before. I was just looking. I won't take them. Husband, you should put them away quickly."
An Sheng observed A Mei's lingering, reluctant look at the jewelry and understood. Women really do all love jewels and ornaments, he thought to himself, his gaze holding a rare warmth. "Enough. You are my wife. I have no use for these things. Naturally, they are for you. If you like them, I'll give you more in the future."
A Mei was overjoyed but also felt embarrassed. Yet, she secretly wanted them. She twisted her fingers together, her eyes fixed longingly on the casket, and spoke against her true feelings: "All... all of these, for me? That... that wouldn't be right, would it?"
Amused by A Mei's delicate, adorable, and slightly scheming demeanor, An Sheng instinctively reached out and took her small hand, slowly kneading it in his own. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "My word has always been my bond."
A Mei's eyes widened, instantly filling with surprise and gratitude. "Thank you, husband. I like them so much."
Seeing A Mei's happiness, An Sheng felt his own mood lighten.
The procession traveled for two full days. When it was time to rest that evening, they happened upon a relay station along the official road.
Truth be told, A Mei had grown fond of sleeping in the carriage. Last night was the first time in her life she had slept in one, and she found it both novel and exciting. An Sheng's carriage was spacious and fully equipped. At night, after some rearranging, it was just right for the two of them to sleep.
This relay station on the official road was not large. It certainly couldn't accommodate their entire party. A subordinate had come early to inquire. The station had only two superior rooms. The thought of being next door to that Cui Gudao displeased An Sheng immensely. He was just about to speak when A Mei, beside him, tugged at his sleeve.
"Husband, do they have bathtubs at the relay station? I'd like to bathe."
"Bathe what? You haven't even broken a sweat!" An Sheng looked unwell, faint dark circles visible under his eyes. Ever since taking on this official post, his public duties had been considerable. By day he was at odds with the Imperial Commissioner, Cui Gudao. By night, when he finally got some rest, A Mei turned out to be a restless sleeper. The carriage was already cramped, yet she kept burrowing into his arms all night, stubbornly clutching that jewelry box and refusing to let go, jabbing and prodding An Sheng until he felt like ripping the darn thing apart.
"It's not about sweat. I was thinking of washing up. Otherwise, after a few days without bathing, one starts to smell," A Mei explained, afraid her husband wouldn't believe her. She even raised her arm to sniff it herself, muttering, "What if I start to smell and offend you, husband? If you're uncomfortable, you won't sleep well."
An Sheng, who hadn't slept well the previous night, closed his eyes and rubbed his throbbing temples. Hearing A Mei's words, he gave a slight, meaningful smirk. "I see you slept quite soundly indeed. Before we left, you said you were coming to attend to me. It seems to me you're far more comfortable than I am."
A Mei pressed her lips together, thinking her husband was unhappy. Seeing how weary he looked, she thought for a moment and then proactively moved closer to An Sheng's side.
She reached out and began massaging his temples. Though lacking technique, her movements were gentle. As she rubbed, she gathered her courage and spoke softly:
"Husband, I've only ever heard of relay stations but never seen one. Husband, I want to go inside and look. Husband, I want to, please? Husband, husband~"
A Mei's mix of appeasement and coquettishness made An Sheng look up at her. He fell into a suspicious silence for a moment. Beneath his calm expression, his inner world was in turmoil. Finally, he put on a stern face and scolded, "Where did you learn all these improper tricks? From now on, you are not to act coy whenever you please!"
A Mei was stunned by his words. Hearing the gloom in An Sheng's tone, her lips quivered, and she was instantly overcome with grievance. She protested, "Husband, you're being unreasonable. I just wanted to bathe. I haven't learned any improper tricks."
An Sheng's eyes flickered, his tone carrying a strange note. "It seems to me you're becoming increasingly bold. Have you long forgotten the principle of 'the husband as the guide of the wife' that I taught you?"
A Mei was momentarily stunned. In that instant, many thoughts raced through her mind. Suddenly, she looked up guiltily, meeting An Sheng's pitch-black eyes. Through them, she seemed to see the An Sheng from right after their wedding, the one who had looked at her with utter disgust. Her whole body shrank back slightly, and the next moment, large teardrops the size of beans began to fall.
A Mei sobbed as she spoke, "Husband, A Mei was wrong. A Mei was too ungrateful. Clearly, my husband is so good to A Mei, yet A Mei still acted willfully. A Mei didn't mean to. A Mei doesn't know how it became like this. A Mei wasn't like this before. A Mei wouldn't dare."
Hearing these words, An Sheng felt as if his heart were being wrung. At the same time, her weeping melted away his irritation. He stretched out an arm and pulled A Mei into his embrace. "Oh, you silly girl, what are you crying for? Come on, come on, I'll take you to stay at the posthouse. Let's go get you a bath!"
...
"There's nothing 'messy' about it. I shouldn't have said that to you. What I meant was, besides with me, you mustn't act coquettishly with anyone else. I didn't mean to scold you. Now, stop crying, quick!"
...
Before he could even finish speaking, he heard A Mei's weeping grow even more intense.
