A Mei was awakened by the need to relieve herself. The room was pitch black, and she had no idea what time it was. Nestled in An Sheng's arms, she stirred, and An Sheng woke up.
An Sheng's voice was hoarse, carrying a unique, lazy quality. "What woke you?"
A Mei felt a bit embarrassed, shy and timid. She whispered, "Husband, I need to use the chamber pot."
An Sheng threw back the covers, got up, and lit the candle.
Turning back, he saw the soft, delicate A Mei hugging the quilt, her round shoulders just peeking out. She tilted her head, looking around and murmuring quietly, "Husband, where are my clothes?"
This scene struck An Sheng as both strange and heartwarming. For some reason, his throat tightened slightly, as if something had touched the softest part of his heart.
A Mei's clothes had been casually discarded on the floor by An Sheng after he took them off. An Sheng rummaged through A Mei's bundle on the nearby cabinet, found a new set of undergarments, and handed them to her. "Wear this set."
A Mei gave a soft "Mm" of acknowledgment, then pointed to a separate small bundle inside her larger one, her face flushing red. "Husband, that small bundle has my underclothes. Could you get one for me?"
An Sheng paused slightly, let out a soft hum, and dug one out to hand to her. A Mei took it and quickly dressed.
The post-house room had a chamber pot. A Mei efficiently took care of her business, cleaned up a bit from the water basin nearby, and upon returning to the bed, saw her husband looking at her with a meaningful expression.
An Sheng habitually pressed his lips together, staring at A Mei without a word.
A Mei felt a bit self-conscious under his gaze. In the past, seeing her husband's stern face might have frightened her, but now she only felt a timid flutter and an indescribable confusion, rather than fear. She called out softly, "Husband."
An Sheng snapped out of his thoughts, his expression softening. He lifted the corner of the quilt, and A Mei slipped right into the bed. Finding a comfortable spot in An Sheng's arms, she asked softly, "Husband, what time is it?"
"Almost the hour of the Tiger."
"Husband."
"Mm?"
A Mei couldn't keep things to herself. She asked, "What were you thinking just now, looking at me? You seemed so serious."
"I was thinking," An Sheng sighed, looking down into A Mei's dewy eyes. He stroked the hair at her temple, tucking a few stray strands behind her ear, "we look rather like an old married couple already. Did I scare you?"
An old married couple? A Mei didn't quite understand, but she shook her head. "No, A Mei isn't scared. Husband is the best to A Mei."
An Sheng chuckled lowly. "Indeed. You're not the little girl who cried in fear at the sight of me anymore. Your courage grows by the day."
A Mei stated it as a matter of course. "It's because Husband is good to A Mei that A Mei isn't afraid."
There was a hint of coquettishness in A Mei's words, her lips slightly pouting. Those moist lips swayed into An Sheng's vision, throwing his mind into sudden disarray.
The next moment, An Sheng captured that moistness in his mouth, inwardly sighing at how sweet and soft A Mei's taste truly was.
A Mei, having her mouth 'eaten,' was shocked and stunned. Only when she couldn't breathe and felt suffocated did she react, pushing against An Sheng. "Mmm... Hus...band... don't... eat..."
Seeing A Mei's little face flushed red from holding her breath, An Sheng finally released her.
A Mei gasped for air. Once she caught her breath, she looked at An Sheng with grievance. "What was Husband doing? A Mei couldn't breathe."
Looking at his wife's innocent, unknowing expression, An Sheng sighed. "A Mei, I was kissing you."
"Kissing?" A Mei blinked in confusion. She thought for a moment, her eyes lighting up. "Did Husband kiss A Mei's mouth because Husband likes A Mei?"
A flicker of disarray passed through An Sheng's eyes. He marveled inwardly that although his wife was simple, she caught on quickly. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "Yes. Only husband and wife can kiss on the mouth."
A Mei understood. She opened her dewy eyes wide, giving An Sheng a shy smile. "Then A Mei likes Husband too. A Mei wants to kiss Husband as well."
An Sheng's heart skipped a beat. Then he saw A Mei lift her head, purse her little lips, and press them cautiously against his. The soft touch held a hint of timidity. A Mei, imitating An Sheng, tentatively revealed her tender, moist tongue. An Sheng's body stiffened for an instant, his mind going blank momentarily, before he took over, entwining with that small tongue and deepening the kiss.
In a daze, An Sheng thought that A Mei had been married to him for so long, and he had long since taken her maidenhood. Yet, she didn't even understand kissing. He rarely engaged in self-reflection, but now he wondered if he was failing somewhat as a husband, a pang of guilt stirring in his heart.
When the kiss ended, An Sheng held A Mei in his arms, his gaze deep and dark. After a long while, his sharp, thin voice, deliberately slowed and warmed, held a note that was both a sigh and a touch of pride. "How did I end up marrying a girl like you?"
A Mei was getting sleepy. Nestled in An Sheng's arms, she mumbled drowsily in reply, "Didn't your godfather find a matchmaker to get A Mei for you?"
An Sheng was both angered and amused by her words. He gritted his teeth in silence for a moment, finally letting out a cold snort. "Silly girl, do you think I'd be willing to marry just any woman?"
His arms were met with quietness. An Sheng looked down; the person in his embrace had already fallen into a sweet sleep at some point...
