Due to the long delay in Lindong, both Emperor Chengde and the Inner Factory were in urgent need of An Sheng's return to the capital.
Unlike the leisurely journey on the way there, where they enjoyed the scenery and took their time, the return journey was mainly about hurrying.
As the official documents and correspondence increased, and the official duties that needed to be annotated and handled became more and more cumbersome, An Sheng became visibly busier.
Sometimes he was so busy that he couldn't even have meals on time.
Whenever this happened, A Mei would be very well - behaved and never disturb An Sheng. She would just, depending on the situation, grind ink or pour water for her husband. When she was bored, she would read books or write, and more often than not, she would secretly stare at An Sheng with a look of little happiness and admiration, lost in a daze.
In A Mei's heart, she always knew that her husband was a man who did great things. The busier he was, the more capable he was.
One day, when the entourage reached an evening, they happened to arrive at a post station.
An Sheng gave an order that they would not continue on the road that night and would rest there.
A Mei originally thought they would continue to travel at night. Hearing this, her eyes lit up. Her eyebrows curved as she looked at An Sheng. Her bright eyes seemed to be filled with a pool of lake water. She smiled and whispered in surprise, "Great! Then I can take a bath tonight. Oh, I've been on the road for these days, and I'm almost stinking."
"How could that be?" An Sheng twitched the corner of his mouth, with a indulgent smile. He put down the letter in his hand, stretched out his long arm, and suddenly pulled her into his arms. He stared into A Mei's eyes, then gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. Then he buried his face in her neck and took a deep breath, sighing, "My wife actually smells so nice."
A Mei only felt that her neck was hot and itchy. She let out a charming giggle, and her little face instantly turned red. She softly coquettishly said, "It's so itchy. Don't do this, husband."
An Sheng didn't continue to tease her. He lovingly reached out his hand to caress A Mei's little face. There was a hint of pity in his deep eyes. "My wife has been traveling with me day and night these days. You've suffered a lot."
These words sounded extremely sweet to A Mei's ears. Her husband loved and cared for her so much. For a moment, she was both touched and overjoyed. She couldn't help but softly coquettishly say, "Oh, look at what you're saying, husband. It seems like I'm so delicate. We're sitting in the carriage, not walking or running. How could I be tired? Moreover, as long as my husband is by my side, even if I suffer, I'm happy."
Hearing these words, the corners of An Sheng's mouth curled up high. He reached out and tapped the tip of A Mei's nose. His tone was lazy and happy. "My wife really has a sweet mouth."
A Mei blinked, frowned slightly, glared at An Sheng, and pouted. "What do you mean by'sweet'? I'm telling the truth. Well, does husband think I'm deliberately saying this to coax you?"
An Sheng's eye corner twitched. Immediately, he let out an "ouch" and quickly coaxed, "How could I? I don't mean that. I'm just so happy and sweet - hearted after hearing what my wife said that I said that. Don't think too much, wife."
As soon as he said this, An Sheng saw A Mei pursed her lips and smiled. He felt relieved, and his eyebrows became even softer. Holding her, he continued to coax gently, "Moreover, my wife has always been delicate and precious. With such tender skin, isn't it suffering to travel like this? Naturally, I feel sorry for you. Later, I'll personally serve you to take a bath, give you a massage on your waist, and loosen your muscles to make it up to you, okay?"
These words made A Mei's heart flutter. She nodded vigorously with joy. Her body leaned softly against An Sheng's chest. Her voice was soft, full of happiness and anticipation. "Well, then I'll also scrub your back and serve you well, husband."
