"Oh, my dear lady, please don't follow me to the latrine."
An Sheng's face looked faintly green with exasperation.
The reason was simple: the three days of rest had passed in the blink of an eye.
Tomorrow was the day his leave ended and he had to attend the morning court.
Ever since they finished dinner, A Mei had been following An Sheng like a shadow. Of course, whether he was resting or attending to official duties, An Sheng was naturally happy to have A Mei by his side.
However, looking at A Mei right now, who wanted to follow him even to the latrine, An Sheng felt a slight headache coming on, finding it both helpless and amusing.
A Mei blinked and said in a crisp voice, "Husband, you go in. A Mei will just wait for you at the door."
An Sheng took a deep breath and patiently coaxed her in a gentle voice, "Be a good girl, A Mei. Now that the Inner Depot is on the right track and the new Emperor has successfully ascended the throne and taken power, I promise you that I will never be so busy that you won't see me for a whole day like before."
A Mei looked delighted and nodded repeatedly, but she still had no intention of walking away. She tugged at An Sheng's sleeve and said sweetly, "But A Mei just wants to stick to you, Husband."
An Sheng rubbed his forehead, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He pulled A Mei into his arms, his hands deliberately kneading her slender waist.
A Mei lay against An Sheng's chest, wriggling and giggling, "Husband, it tickles. Don't, don't pinch there..."
Only then did An Sheng release her. He held A Mei's shoulders, turned her around so her back was to him, and pointed toward the bathing room. Leaning down, he breathed into her ear, "I know A Mei wants to be with me all the time, but you shouldn't wait here by the latrine. Go to the bathing room and take a bath first. I will come over and wash with you in a moment. Be a good girl and listen to me."
A Mei finally let out an oh, pouted her small lips, and cast a reluctant glance at An Sheng. "Alright then, A Mei will go bathe first. You must come over quickly, Husband."
An Sheng watched A Mei leave and let out a helpless sigh, but in his heart, the skies were clear and bright, and the corners of his lips curled into a joyful smile.
Listening to An Sheng, A Mei went to the bathing room, dawdled as she took off her clothes, and climbed into the bathtub. Just as she immersed herself in the warm water, the sound of the door opening came from outside the folding screen. An Sheng had entered.
As soon as An Sheng entered the bathing room, he heard A Mei's cheerful voice coming from behind the screen.
"Husband, the water temperature is perfect. A Mei even specifically instructed the maids to put in lots of flower petals. Hurry up, take off your clothes, and come soak in the bath."
An Sheng untied his belt as he walked around the screen. What met his eyes was A Mei's small face, flushed red from the hot steam. She was completely submerged in the water, leaving only her slender neck and head exposed. Hearing the noise, she turned her head to look at him, her wet eyes filled with the reliance and joy that An Sheng was so familiar with.
An Sheng took off his clothes piece by piece and draped them over the screen. The bathtub was not small; it was just the right size for two people. A Mei shifted inward, and once her husband stepped in and sat down, she snuggled up to his side. Her wet, slippery little hands scooped up the warm water and gently splashed it onto An Sheng's chest, then lifted her wet hands to his nose.
"Husband, smell this. It's very fragrant with the flower petals in it."
An Sheng grabbed A Mei's small hands, while his other hand reached into the water to wrap around her waist. With a gentle pull, A Mei was swept into his embrace, resting against his chest.
Something seemed to surge in the depths of An Sheng's eyes. He lowered his head, pressing close to A Mei's damp neck, and took a slow, deep sniff. His voice carried a hint of hoarseness. "Yes, it is indeed very fragrant."
At his actions, A Mei felt her sensitive neck grow ticklish and hot, and her little face couldn't help but burn up.
She let out a small gasp and spoke shyly, her little hands gently pushing against An Sheng's chest. "Husband, I didn't mean for you to smell A Mei. A Mei meant that the water is very fragrant."
An Sheng lowered his gaze to meet A Mei's shy and timid eyes. His face looked serious, but his mouth said, "I am not wrong. A Mei is fragrant, fragrant everywhere, and I like it very much."
A Mei was shocked by her husband's words, which carried an inexplicable sense of lust.
Her already rosy complexion suddenly turned even redder. After a long moment, A Mei finally opened her mouth: "When Husband speaks like this, it makes A Mei feel so embarrassed."
An Sheng held A Mei tightly. The warm sensation of their large areas of skin touching made An Sheng feel incredibly comfortable. He sighed in contentment and said, "What is there to be embarrassed about? Besides, is there any part of your body that I haven't smelled or kissed?"
A Mei reached out and suddenly covered An Sheng's mouth, both shy and annoyed. "Oh, Husband, stop talking. When you say things out loud like that, it makes A Mei feel even more bashful than when you kiss me."
An Sheng continued to tease her, whispering lowly, "I am only stating facts. Why don't you tell me why you feel so bashful?"
For a moment, A Mei was both shy and indignant. Meeting An Sheng's half-smiling eyes, she simply raised her arms to cling to his neck, pouted her small mouth, and said delicately, "A Mei won't say it."
Knowing when to stop, An Sheng coaxed, "Alright, alright, we won't talk about it then."
As he spoke, An Sheng secured A Mei against his body with one hand, while his other hand caressed her soft, delicate curves.
"Have you washed your back? Do you want me to scrub it for you?"
A Mei shook her head, bringing her small face close to nuzzle against An Sheng's cheek, and said obediently, "I didn't sweat, so I'm not dirty. A quick rinse is enough, no need for Husband to scrub. A Mei is done washing; let A Mei scrub Husband's back."
An Sheng asked, "You're all done washing?"
"Mhm, A Mei is done washing."
Intense passion suddenly surged in An Sheng's deep black eyes. He spoke leisurely, "Good, then I will be quicker, otherwise the water will get cold."
Before A Mei could figure out whether her husband's 'be quicker' meant she should scrub his back faster or he would wash faster, the back of her head was supported by An Sheng's large hand. A Mei only had time to let out a muffled sound before her lips and tongue were completely sealed by his.
In her ears was the sound of An Sheng's ragged, hurried breathing. His aggressive and scorching kisses came crashing down on her, leaving A Mei feeling dazed and dizzy.
"Ah... Husband... wait a moment..."
Broken sounds escaped from A Mei's throat.
A Mei grew anxious. She raised her small fists and pounded on An Sheng's shoulders, finally getting a chance to catch her breath.
A Mei was kissed until her entire body went limp. She glared at An Sheng complainingly. In truth, ever since A Mei had fainted in the hot spring once, she disliked doing intimate things with her husband in the water. Blinking her eyes, A Mei suddenly had a bright idea. She softly clung to An Sheng's neck and whined coquettishly, "Husband, A Mei is so tired from soaking. Can you carry A Mei back to the room?"
Feeling unsatisfied, An Sheng let her go and reached out to wipe the moisture from A Mei's plump lips. It took him a long while to suppress the explosive lust before he finally uttered, "Alright."
As his voice fell, An Sheng stood up, seemingly calm. He fetched the bath robes, carefully dried both of their bodies, and put on their clothes. Only then did he bend down, sweep A Mei into his arms, and walk toward the bedroom.
...
