An Sheng was very busy today.
Extremely busy.
Besides the mountain of official documents piled before him, there were countless matters awaiting his final decision.
For the entire afternoon, A Mei watched her husband handle official business almost without pause, save for meals and tea. She could not help but feel sorry for him. She also understood better now why, in such poor spirits, he had lost his temper with his subordinates.
What A Mei did not know was this:
With her presiding over the Internal Affairs Office today, it had been the most peaceful day the office had seen in quite some time—and the most relaxed day its officials had enjoyed in ages.
By the time An Sheng finished his work, night had already fallen.
A Mei was fast asleep, her head resting on a desk nearby.
From where An Sheng stood, candlelight lay softly over her fair cheeks. In the gentle glow, her lightly fluttering lashes looked almost like a painting, making her seem all the more serene and tender. He stood there, gazing at her sleeping face for quite a while, his heart softening into a complete mess.
The moment A Mei fell into An Sheng’s arms, she woke.
Her eyes opened hazily, and her husband’s familiar scent filled her breath. Feeling him carry her toward the door, she shifted in his arms and could not help whispering, “Oh, Husband, why are you carrying me? Put me down quickly.”
Yet An Sheng held her even more securely. Lowering his eyes, he smiled and said in a soft voice, “My wife has worked hard today. I told you to return home and rest first, but you insisted on keeping me company. You must be exhausted.”
Remembering how she had said she would stay with him to the very end, only to fall asleep at the desk instead, A Mei felt a little embarrassed. In a small voice, she said, “Husband, I’m not tired. It’s just that I wasn’t able to help you with anything. Oh, you’ve been busy all day—don’t carry me anymore. It must be tiring. A Mei can walk by herself.”
“That won’t do!” An Sheng shook his head, his tone firm and impossible to refuse. “I’m carrying my wife. Be good. We’ll be home soon.”
A Mei blinked, pressed her lips together, and smiled sweetly. “Mm, all right. I’ll listen to you, Husband.”
“Oh, right—Husband, what time is it now? Are you finished with your work?”
“It has just turned seven in the evening. I’m finished. Are you hungry, my wife?”
A Mei blinked and nodded honestly. “Mm, a little. It’s already this late? Then surely Godfather and Douzi aren’t still waiting for us to return and have dinner together, are they?”
“Don’t worry, my wife. I sent someone back long ago to let them know.”
As they spoke, An Sheng carried her out through the gates of the Internal Affairs Office and into the carriage waiting outside. He gently set A Mei down and made sure she was seated comfortably.
“I knew you would be hungry,” he said. “The meal at the residence has already been prepared. Be good—bear with it a little longer.”
“Mm.”
When A Mei returned to the residence and saw the enormous spread of dishes covering the table, she was stunned.
Pointing at the table, she could not help raising her voice. “Wait, Husband—you’re sure it’s only the two of us eating?”
An Sheng nodded. “Mm. I specifically had the servants prepare it. They’re all dishes you usually like. Take a look—are you satisfied?”
A Mei cast An Sheng a disapproving glance, then looked down at the table, her expression turning solemn. “How could I not be satisfied? But even ten of me couldn’t finish all this. Husband, we’re just living our lives together behind closed doors. There’s really no need to be so extravagant. We may have plenty of money, but I know very well that it didn’t fall from the sky. You earned every bit of it through your own ability over all these years. How could I not understand how hard you’ve worked? As the Mistress of the An household, it’s only natural that I manage our affairs carefully and protect the family fortune for you.”
As A Mei spoke, she raised her eyes again—only to meet An Sheng’s indulgent, adoring, and endlessly gentle gaze. Her serious expression nearly crumbled. She cleared her throat softly, then deliberately put on a stern face.
“Husband, even though our family is wealthy, we still shouldn’t be so wasteful. But this is a one-time exception. There won’t be a next time, all right?”
Yet when A Mei’s gaze fell upon the Dongpo pork from Yunxiang Tower, the Eight-Treasure Duck, the crispy pork from Yuelai Pavilion, and the roast chicken from Fude House, her eyes lit up. The corners of her lips rose higher and higher, while her voice grew softer and softer. Finally, she broke into a giggle.
Her laughter rang like silver bells—clear and melodious, with a hint of sweetness, both delicate and soft.
“So my husband still remembers that A Mei once said she wanted to eat these.”
An Sheng took A Mei’s little hand and guided her to sit beside him. Then he picked up the bowls and chopsticks and began serving food onto her plate, his deep voice warm with affection.
“Of course I remember every word my wife says. There’s only one thing missing: the snowflake pudding, since it’s a chilled dessert. We didn’t prepare any this time. But don’t worry, once you’ve spent some more time taking care of your health, we’ll get you anything you want. How does that sound?”
A Mei’s eyes curved into crescents, and she smiled sweetly.
“All right.”
“After dinner, I’ll draw you a hot bath and help you get some rest early.”
“All right.”
…
After the two of them finished bathing and returned to their room, A Mei immediately flopped onto the bed, letting out a long, comfortable sigh.
She hadn’t actually done anything today, but she still felt rather tired.
An Sheng draped their outer garments over the clothes rack. Then he stood at the foot of the bed, his gaze intent and heated as it swept over the delicate, supple curves of A Mei’s body.
With his back to the candlelight, the expression on An Sheng’s face was impossible for A Mei to see clearly. She blinked. When she noticed that her husband still hadn’t moved, she decisively rolled toward the inside of the bed. Then, with her bright, limpid eyes fixed on him, she patted the pillow and silently urged him to lie down.
An Sheng’s lips curved upward.
“Mm.”
Though there was a smile at the corners of his mouth, anyone looking closely would have noticed that it was entirely different from his earlier tenderness. This smile carried a possessive, predatory desire.
An Sheng climbed onto the bed and turned to face A Mei. With one long arm, he drew her entire body into his embrace, then pulled the quilt over them both. Beneath it, his large hands settled onto her soft curves, stroking and kneading them repeatedly as his gaze grew increasingly dark and intense.
The little wife in his arms lifted her face. Her eyes flickered, and a faint blush spread across her cheeks. Though she knew perfectly well what he was doing, she asked in a soft, coy voice,
“What are you doing, husband?”
An Sheng arched a brow. His voice was slightly husky amid the soft rustling sounds as he countered, “What do you think?”
A Mei’s moist eyes shone even more brightly. She reached out and poked him in the chest, her voice soft and sweet. “Didn’t you say you were going back to the room early to rest, Husband? Why are you bullying me instead?”
An Sheng suddenly caught her mischievous finger in his hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it gently. “How could I bear to bully my wife?”
A Mei pouted. “How aren’t you? Then why are you taking off my clothes?”
The corners of An Sheng’s lips curled upward. He wore an expression of solemn sincerity, but his words were anything but. “Naturally, it’s to share in the delights of husband and wife with my lady. How could that be called bullying? I’m clearly serving my wife—making you feel good and happy.”
As he spoke, he effortlessly revealed, completely and without reserve, the soft, fragrant loveliness that belonged to him alone.
Then he rolled over and pressed her beneath him, lowering his head to kiss her plump, dewy lips. Their lips rubbed and entwined delicately before he trailed kisses down her neck, his breath warm against her skin. “Didn’t my wife already want this when we were at the Internal Factory today?”
A Mei was breathing lightly, her body trembling. At his words, she became both shy and indignant, refusing to admit it. “H-Husband is talking nonsense. I—I never wanted it!”
An Sheng exposed her thoughts in a single sentence. “How could you not have? You clearly did. Otherwise, why would you have said you didn’t want to do it on that cold, hard desk?”
A Mei: …
“Husband, y-you mustn’t say that anymore!” Flushed with embarrassment, A Mei reached up to push at his shoulder.
But An Sheng easily captured both her hands and pinned them above her head.
His breathing grew heavier, turbulent waves rising in his eyes, and his voice deepened. “Not only does my wife want it—I want it even more. If it weren’t for all the urgent official business today, I would have taken you right there at the Internal Factory.”
“Darling, I’ve suffered terribly having to hold back until now.”
A Mei: …
…
…
The two of them carried on until the latter half of the night.
By then, A Mei was drenched in fragrant perspiration and panting for breath. She lay limply in An Sheng’s arms, utterly exhausted. After a while, she struggled to lift her little face. Her wet eyes were hazy with fatigue as she began to complain in a spoiled, coquettish tone. “Husband, my waist is so sore.”
An Sheng, too, was covered in sweat.
First, he fetched a clean cloth and wiped them both down. Then his warm, broad hand settled on A Mei’s waist, gently massaging it.
“Be good. Let me rub it for you.”
“Mmm. Thank you, Husband. You’re so good to me.”
An Sheng felt as though his heart had melted.
The A Mei beneath him was so shy and alluring, yet also unusually obedient and adorable. Especially now, in her weak and thoroughly satisfied state, the sense of pride in him as a man swelled to unprecedented heights.
Unable to resist, An Sheng bent down again and gently bit her earlobe, delighted by the soft moan and trembling protest that came from the woman beneath him.
“Mm, no… I’m so tired, Husband. A Mei really can’t take any more.”
“Be good. I know you’re tired—we’ll just kiss.”
Out of the blue, An Sheng said, “A Mei, I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life. Do you believe me?”
A Mei froze for a moment, blinking once, then again. She nodded shyly. “I do.”
Then she softly called, “Husband~”
“Mm.”
“A Mei will be good to her husband for the rest of her life too. Does Husband believe A Mei?”
“I do.”
