On the second day of An Sheng's new appointment, the Second Prince gifted him a mansion.
It covered a massive area and was situated in an excellent location.
An Sheng gladly accepted it, expressing his gratitude for the reward.
Upon returning to his estate, he instructed Wu Da and Xiao Zhengzi to head over to the new mansion first to tidy things up. Meanwhile, he ordered the servants to pack up their current courtyard so the whole family could move over.
A Mei hadn't expected her husband to return home by noon. Originally, she had been feeling shy and timid toward An Sheng because of what happened last night, intentionally hiding far away from him. But upon suddenly hearing that her husband had brought people back and announced they were moving, A Mei quickly slid over to An Sheng's side. Her large eyes were filled with confusion. "Husband, why are we suddenly moving?"
An Sheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Usually, A Mei loved to stick close to him, but today when he returned, she had been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding him. An Sheng knew exactly why she was feeling awkward. He had frightened her a little. Even though he had tried to restrain himself last night, he had still gone somewhat overboard. Recalling A Mei's pitiful, delicate appearance as she cried and begged for mercy later on, An Sheng felt a surge of tender affection and love.
Reaching out with his large hand, An Sheng smoothly and quietly enveloped both of A Mei's small hands.
Preoccupied with her own thoughts, A Mei only felt that her husband's hands were scorching hot, so hot that they made her small face flush. She couldn't help but shrink back a little, but her hands were firmly imprisoned by her husband; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull them away.
A Mei looked left and right, complaining in a soft, delicate voice, "Oh my, there are so many people around!"
Feeling the soft and smooth texture of A Mei's small hands, An Sheng gently caressed them. Hearing her words, he chuckled, raised an eyebrow, and said, "I am holding my own wife's hand. What does it have to do with anyone else?"
A Mei shot him a sideways glance, her watery eyes carrying a mix of shyness and embarrassment. "Godfather is still here, it's so embarrassing!"
A smile played on An Sheng's lips as he replied dismissively, "Seeing us so affectionate with each other will only make Godfather happier."
A Mei's little heart was suddenly struck by the word 'affectionate' from her husband's mouth. She felt a secret thrill of joy and happiness, and her previous awkwardness was thrown far away.
Blushing and lowering her head, she obediently let her husband hold her hands.
Just then, her husband's uniquely warm breath brushed against the tips of A Mei's now completely red ears. "As soon as I returned, I saw you hiding from me. Are you holding a grudge against me? Could it be that I didn't serve my wife well last night?"
A Mei froze, taking a long moment to digest his words. When she finally realized what her husband meant, she was instantly filled with both shame and anger. What did he mean by not serving her well? It was clearly her who couldn't take it anymore, yet he just kept going... A Mei took a deep breath, shaking the images out of her mind, her lips trembling. "Husband, you, you..."
An Sheng deliberately teased A Mei. He nodded meaningfully and said slowly, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Hmm, it seems I truly didn't serve you well. Don't worry, A Mei, I will redouble my efforts tonight and make sure to serve my wife perfectly."
A Mei's face flushed completely red. She was shocked by her husband's reckless and shameless remarks.
Finally, she couldn't help but accuse him, "You are too much, husband! You are bullying A Mei!"
Looking down at A Mei's adorable, indignant expression, An Sheng let out a low laugh. If there weren't outsiders present and his wife's thin skin hadn't clearly reached its limit, An Sheng would have definitely pulled her into his arms for a thorough kissing and fondling.
Still refusing to let A Mei off the hook, An Sheng said with a serious face, "I just want to bully you."
A Mei felt entirely overwhelmed.
Seeing that A Mei's eyes were about to turn red, An Sheng hurriedly coaxed her, "Oh, I'm just joking with you. You are my precious darling. I can't even find enough time to dote on you, how could I possibly bully you!"
A Mei glared at An Sheng and muttered sullenly, "You are bullying me."
An Sheng lowered his head and quickly kissed A Mei's lips, whispering, "Intimacy between husband and wife naturally doesn't count as bullying. It is an expression of our harmonious and deep love."
Half-believing and half-doubting, A Mei secretly glanced at her husband and pouted her small lips. "Is that so?"
An Sheng replied righteously, "Of course it is. When have I ever told a lie?"
A Mei lowered her head and gave a soft "Mm."
An Sheng felt his heart melt. Knowing that he shouldn't tease his wife any further, he quickly changed the subject to answer A Mei's previous question. "The Second Prince gifted me a mansion. I know of that place, and it is indeed very nice. We'll pack up and move over today."
A Mei let out an "Oh," her gaze falling upon their small courtyard, revealing her reluctance to leave.
An Sheng looked at A Mei and asked softly, "What's wrong? Reluctant to leave?"
A Mei nodded. "A Mei has lived here ever since marrying you, husband. I've grown attached to this place."
An Sheng's heart warmed. He let go of A Mei's small hands and, with a sweep of his arm, gently pulled her into his embrace. "My status is different now. This courtyard is simply too small; we had to move to a larger mansion sooner or later. When we first got married, I told you that Godfather prefers quiet, so we didn't buy any maids or servants, planning to purchase them later. The situation is different now. You are now the wife of a Commander, so you naturally need to have the proper prestige. Isn't the whole reason I strive for a successful career so that you and Godfather can live a good life?"
Speaking up to this point, An Sheng met A Mei's dazed expression. He raised an eyebrow and slowly lectured, "I also told you before that I am a eunuch. The way I operate involves being sharp and mean, haggling over every penny, throwing my weight around, being treacherous and cunning, and accepting bribes. That still holds true today. Even though I am now appointed as a Commander, no matter what I do or how I do it, whether my actions are good or bad, the world will still view me in that light. Since that's the case, I naturally won't disappoint the world."
"Since you are my wife, and I know your temperament is soft, I won't ask you to learn how to throw your weight around. But as long as I am capable, a life of luxury, fine food and beautiful clothing, and flocks of servants are the guarantees I will provide for you."
An Sheng spoke very slowly and in plain terms. A Mei listened carefully and attentively. When he finished, A Mei's eyes curved into crescents. She lifted her head from An Sheng's embrace, her sparkling eyes meeting his deep gaze.
This was what A Mei said: "Husband, you are truly amazing!"
An Sheng raised his eyebrows, thoroughly enjoying the compliment.
"But..." A Mei started to say, her small face falling again. Her thoughts weren't on flocks of servants or fine food and clothing. Looking both guilty and shy, she peeked at An Sheng before lowering her eyelids, looking heavily preoccupied.
An Sheng narrowed his eyes. "But what?"
A Mei spoke sullenly, "A Mei heard in the past that all those government officials have flocks of wives and concubines, embracing women left and right. Now that you have also become an official, husband, could you..."
With a smile on his lips, An Sheng asked in a low voice, "Could I what?"
A Mei's eyes instantly turned red. "Could you not be like that? Just the thought of my husband having other women makes A Mei feel an indescribable pain in her heart."
An Sheng's heart softened. Before he could speak, he saw A Mei, who had been on the verge of tears, suddenly huff. Her previously moist eyes became fierce and bright. "A Mei forbids you from learning from those other officials! If you dare to bring another woman home, A Mei, along with Godfather, my father, and Douzi, will chase her out!"
An Sheng: ...
