One wrong step, and every step after it is wrong...
Those words struck A Mei as especially apt. But then she thought it over, fell into silence, and suddenly sighed. She obediently curled up in An Sheng’s arms and softly called out,
“Husband.”
“Hmm.” An Sheng held her tightly, lowering his head to bury his chin in the crook of her neck. He inhaled deeply, and in an instant his chest was filled with her fragrant scent. “What is it?”
“I just feel that Prince Anchang and all those officials here aren’t fools. How could they not understand such a simple truth? They clearly know it’s wrong, but they simply don’t want the common people to live comfortably.”
An Sheng gave a derisive snort. At first, his laugh was dripping with sarcasm, but then his expression hardened. His brows lowered, and his eyes filled with deep contempt and disdain. Slowly, he said in a cold voice, as though everything were under his control, “That’s right. Those in power have always divided people into ranks—high and low, noble and base. In their eyes, how could these insignificant masses, these peddlers and laborers, possibly deserve a comfortable life?”
A Mei lifted her head and met An Sheng’s gaze. She blinked, opening and closing her mouth, but found she could not argue with him.
The next moment, An Sheng clasped the back of her head, and his cool, soft lips landed on hers.
The kiss was over in an instant. Looking at his little wife’s dazed expression, An Sheng’s lips curved upward as he said softly, “What? Do you think your husband’s words sound harsh? But that is the truth. Still, I’m the first to refuse to believe that anyone’s life is inherently lowly or worthless. If a person wants to live, they must do everything in their power to make something of themselves. If they don’t fight and struggle for it, they can only be preyed upon and bullied.”
A Mei nodded emphatically. “You’re right, Husband. You really are the most capable!”
As she spoke, A Mei pushed at An Sheng’s arm, her face full of concern. “Are you hungry, Husband? Stop holding me and put me down. I’ll call someone to prepare something for you. You went out last night and only came back now. After all that exertion, you must be exhausted. Eat something, then get some sleep and rest.”
“I already ate and washed before I came back.” An Sheng loosened his arms, allowing A Mei to sit up in his embrace. He smiled lightly and raised a hand to caress her cheek, slowly stroking it. His eyes flickered as his voice took on a coaxing note. “But speaking of rest... yes, I am a little tired. How about you accompany your husband for a nap?”
A Mei failed to catch his implication. She shook her head decisively. “I’m not sleepy, Husband. You sleep by yourself. I’m going out to listen to an opera later.”
An Sheng: ...
He chuckled twice, breaking the silence that had just settled between them.
The corners of his eyes lifted slightly as he spoke in an unhurried, perfectly calm tone. “An opera?”
A Mei nodded, her face alight with excitement. “Yes! I’ve been watching The Peony Search these past few days, and today is the final grand performance. I’ve already made plans to go with the wives of several officials.”
As she spoke, A Mei tried to rise from An Sheng’s lap. But the next instant, An Sheng tightly locked his arms around her waist, leaving her unable to move.
A Mei glared at him and wheedled sweetly, “Husband, let go of me. I want to get up and go watch the opera.”
An Sheng suddenly lowered his brows and eyes and let out a sigh. For once, there was a hint of grievance in his voice. “I suppose watching an opera is more important to you than your husband.”
A Mei: ?
“No, Husband, I’m really not sleepy. You go ahead and sleep. I’ll come back as soon as the opera is over.” A Mei blinked, not quite understanding what he meant, and tried to explain.
But An Sheng refused to let it go. “Your husband is asking you: at this moment, in your heart, which is more important—your husband or the opera?”
A Mei: ...
A Mei: !
Her brows drew together slightly. She extended one finger and poked An Sheng in the chest, her limpid eyes blinking at him. “No matter when it is, Husband is naturally the most important person to me. It sounds so strange when you put it that way. Why are you comparing yourself to an opera?”
An Sheng suddenly tapped her on the forehead, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Why is your little head so dull today? You still haven’t realized that your husband is complaining because you’ve been neglecting him for the sake of an opera?”
A Mei’s eyes widened, and she immediately protested, “When have I ever neglected you? I haven’t!”
An Sheng raised a brow and said darkly, “You have.”
As he spoke, his left hand slipped into the hem of A Mei’s clothes with practiced ease. Moving upward beneath the fabric, it seized her soft, full breast and began kneading it as though venting his frustration. At the same time, he deliberately leaned close to her ear and breathed, “Your husband already said he wanted you to accompany him for a nap, yet you insisted on going out to watch an opera. If that isn’t neglect, what is?”
An Sheng moved so quickly that by the time A Mei reacted, she had already been...
A Mei gasped in surprise. Her face instantly flushed scarlet, and she pressed a hand over the large hand misbehaving against her chest. “Husband, what are you doing? How could you... Mmph!”
An Sheng lowered his head and covered her soft, pouty lips with his own, instantly depriving her of the ability to speak.
“Mmph... mm-mmph...”
An Sheng simply kissed her as he lifted her, already limp in his arms, from the chair. He carried her to the bed and gently laid her down, then bent over her and began roughly tearing at her clothes.
At last, A Mei found a moment to breathe. Her eyes glistened, her pretty face flushed with bashful color, and her whole body trembled. Though she pushed weakly against An Sheng, she had no strength behind it. Instead, she even raised her arms to make it easier for her husband to pull off the last garment covering her. “But Husband, it’s daytime. Wait until...”
An Sheng breathed slightly harder, his eyes dark and turbulent. He smiled and kissed the bare curve of A Mei’s shoulder. “Be good. Your husband can’t wait until tonight. Besides, are you saying we haven’t done this during the day before?”
A Mei: ...
At last, her intermittent complaints, mixed with helpless, breathless moans, drifted through the room.
“Husband... what you said... is true.”
“Hmph, Husband...”
“Then, Husband, take me to the opera tomorrow.”
...
...
