After taking the medicine prescribed by the doctor, A Mei felt her stomach cramps ease significantly by the second day. She felt well enough to walk around normally, but An Sheng forbade it. He stubbornly kept her tucked in bed for two whole days.
When they finally set off on the third day, he even went so far as to line her carriage seat with thick blankets and plush cushions.
A Mei watched him, her heart swelling with sweetness, but she still spoke up somewhat bashfully, "Husband, I am truly not that fragile."
An Sheng, however, replied with utter seriousness, "Your mother passed away early, so there are many things you don't know. No one taught you how to properly nourish and care for your body, which is why you suffer from these abdominal pains. From now on, you must rest well and slowly nurse yourself back to health. In short, just listen to me and you won't go wrong."
Hearing her husband's words, A Mei's heart melted into a puddle of absolute warmth.
She then watched as her husband retrieved an object from his sleeve and handed it to her.
"Place this over your stomach."
"What is this?" A Mei looked curiously at the small, oval-shaped silver box. The base of its handle was engraved with auspicious cloud patterns, and its lid featured a hollowed-out honeycomb design adorned with blue enamel accents. It was exquisitely crafted. Even more fascinating were the faint wisps of white smoke drifting from the central air holes. The moment her fingers brushed against it, she couldn't help but let out a soft gasp of surprise.
"Husband, why is it warm?"
Seeing her bright, watery eyes wide with pleasant surprise, An Sheng felt a deep surge of tender affection. He explained patiently, "This is a hand warmer. It's a novelty that just became popular over the last couple of years. During the winter, noble ladies and misses hold them to keep their hands warm."
"It holds silver charcoal inside, and these vents here can be used to adjust the temperature," An Sheng explained, pointing out each feature to A Mei.
A Mei was utterly fascinated. She examined it from every angle, unable to hold back her praise. "It is so beautiful. The craftsmanship is simply divine."
An Sheng gave a soft chuckle. "It is just an object. Look at how silly you are acting."
A Mei pouted her lips. "But it really is beautiful! My husband gave it to me, and I love it so much." Saying so, she cradled it in her hands, refusing to let go.
An Sheng rubbed his forehead, exasperated but fond. "I didn't give this to you just to look at, I gave it to you to warm your stomach. Hurry up and place it over your belly."
"Oh." A Mei quickly rested it against her lower abdomen. The soothing heat seeped through her clothes, and she narrowed her eyes in pure comfort.
"Husband, it feels so nice."
An Sheng was highly amused by her lively, adorable demeanor, relieved to see that her cramps had indeed improved significantly.
An Sheng's heart fluttered. Reaching out, he pulled A Mei into his arms, thoroughly caressing and kissing her. It wasn't until she was lying limply against his chest, panting softly with a hazy look in her eyes, that he finally pulled his lips away to give her a chance to catch her breath.
Her face flushed crimson, A Mei leaned weakly against her husband's lap. With both hands holding the hand warmer against her stomach, she blinked up at An Sheng, her eyes sparkling.
A dark, intense glint flashed through An Sheng's eyes. His voice was hoarse as he spoke bluntly, "Enough, stop tempting me. You are on your monthly cycle; we cannot perform our marital duties."
A Mei felt a sudden flush of embarrassment at being seen through. Blushing deeply, she squirmed slightly and closed her eyes. Though shy, she didn't try to hide her feelings, complaining in a sweet, coquettish voice, "It was my husband who provoked me first."
An Sheng raised an eyebrow. Snapping the ledger in his hand shut, he tossed it aside and leaned down close to her. His warm breath brushed against the reddened tips of her ears. "I rarely see you this proactive on a normal day. It seems your courage has grown."
Ignoring her furiously blushing cheeks, An Sheng paused for a moment before adding, "Just now, when I was kissing you, you even knew how to tangle your tongue with mine."
A Mei felt as if her entire body had caught fire. The heat was simply unbearable, yes, it was definitely all this hand warmer's fault. It was far too hot! Setting the hand warmer aside, she rolled off her back from where she rested on his lap and turned onto her side. Letting out a soft cry, she pouted playfully, "Husband, you should hurry up and read your ledger. I am sleepy and need to rest for a while."
But An Sheng refused to let her off so easily. Reaching out, he scooped her up entirely, pulling her back into his embrace. A teasing smile played on his lips. "Who was it that said earlier she couldn't sleep after being stuck in bed for two days? And now you're suddenly sleepy again?"
Pushed to the absolute limits of her shyness, A Mei's boldness flared. She simply threw her arms around An Sheng's neck, pressing her lips together in silence. Her shy, dewy eyes stared up at him with utter innocence, without the slightest trace of sleepiness to be found.
An Sheng's eyes darkened slightly. "Well now, you little brat, you actually dare to lie to me? Do you believe I won't punish you?"
Hearing her husband threaten her with punishment, A Mei felt a flutter of apprehension. She explained in a soft, sweet voice, "Husband, please don't punish me. I won't dare do it again."
A fleeting trace of tenderness softened An Sheng's eyes, though his lips stubbornly declared, "No. You must be punished."
