An Sheng was very strong, and his hold around A Mei’s waist made her lower back ache.
His sensitive lips repeatedly licked and suckled hers, the fine, ticklish sensation deepening the flush on A Mei’s face until she could barely catch her breath.
A Mei had no choice but to pound An Sheng’s chest a few times, moaning brokenly, “Ah… Husband… it’s too stuffy.”
An Sheng finally loosened his grip. A Mei lay against his chest, breathing softly while she complained in a low voice, “Why did you act as though you were going to eat me?”
An Sheng’s own chest was rising and falling rapidly. In a husky voice, he replied, “Who told my wife to keep tempting me?”
A Mei glanced up at him and protested quietly, “When did I ever?”
“You did.”
An Sheng’s slender fingers lightly touched A Mei’s chin. His thumb brushed against her moist, tempting lips, stroking them with an intimate, almost peculiar gentleness. Beneath his dark, roiling eyes, desire seemed to surge endlessly.
An Sheng spoke in a low, drifting voice, repeating words he had seemingly said before: “When it comes to my wife, I’m never satisfied. No matter what, it’s never enough.”
The stretch of road the convoy was traveling along was uneven, and the carriage began to sway. An Sheng held A Mei securely in his arms. His tender touch left her lips tingling, and a tremor ran through her heart. She drew in a deep breath, filling her nose and mouth with her husband’s heated, fervent scent—one that had always intoxicated and delighted her.
Combined with what An Sheng had just said, it made A Mei’s scalp prickle. She blinked shyly and met his gaze, then said in a soft, coaxing voice, “Oh, Husband, didn’t you say we’re already an old married couple? Hearing you say things like that makes A Mei feel terribly embarrassed.”
An Sheng suddenly gave a low laugh. The finger resting against A Mei’s lips moved away and landed on the tip of her nose, giving it a light tap. Then he picked up the storybook beside him and waved it in front of her eyes, his voice carrying a teasing note of amusement.
“My dear wife, don’t be so modest. You’re already trying to sneak off and read this sort of storybook by yourself, yet you still claim to be embarrassed?”
A Mei: “…”
“N-no, that’s not it. It’s just my first time reading one.” A Mei opened her mouth to explain, both bashful and indignant, stumbling over her words. “And besides, at first I didn’t know it would be written so… so…”
“So what?”
A Mei buried her head in An Sheng’s chest and said nothing more.
An Sheng curled his lips into a smile and soothed her. “All right, don’t be shy and annoyed. As the saying goes, food and desire are basic human needs. The love between men and women, all that passion and romance—it’s only human nature. If anyone is to blame, blame Xiao Zhengzi for being so outrageously bold as to gather these books for my wife.”
“Still, if you’re curious and want to read them—or even if you like them—it isn’t forbidden.”
A Mei immediately lifted her head from An Sheng’s arms. Her eyes blinked with innocent curiosity, and she asked brightly, “Really?”
An Sheng: “…”
Helpless, An Sheng lightly tapped her on the forehead. “You really are an unreserved little thing, aren’t you? As I said, you may read them if you want to—but only with me. I’ll be the one to read them aloud to you.”
“Oh…” A Mei pursed her lips and couldn’t help muttering, “But that would be so embarrassing.”
An Sheng laughed in exasperation. “What? Reading them by yourself wouldn’t be embarrassing?”
A Mei thought about it seriously, then answered as though it were obvious, “Of course it would be a little less embarrassing. Oh, wait.”
A Mei suddenly widened her eyes, a deep look of puzzlement appearing in them as she stared at An Sheng without blinking. “How do you manage not to blush or lose your composure? Could it be that…”
Seeing his little wife’s thoughts wander off in yet another strange direction, An Sheng was at once amused and exasperated. He let out a deep sigh and looked at A Mei meaningfully, almost gritting his teeth as he said, “My dear wife, have you forgotten that I’m not a real man?”
A Mei: “…”
A Mei blinked, then blinked again. She gave a soft “Oh,” followed by a mischievous giggle, and stuck out the tip of her tongue.
“Oh, I don’t care whether you’re a real man or not. You’re A Mei’s husband, after all.”
An Sheng: “…”
A Mei had always been utterly sincere and guileless with An Sheng. She spoke without a second thought, but her words struck him deeply.
An Sheng felt the warmth in his chest growing hotter and hotter, as though he might melt from within. He gazed at A Mei for a long while before finally lifting the corners of his lips, his brows and eyes filled with unrestrained joy.
“Mmm. My wife is right. That’s exactly how it is.”
