"This method was thought up by my A-Qian. If any deserves a title, it's him." Chen Liejiu hadn't let success go to his head. It wasn't his merit, so he didn't want it. "Besides, me becoming a Township Lord would affect A-Qian's exam prospects."
Chen Liejiu had inquired. Theoretically, his title wouldn't prevent Xu Huaiqian from taking the exams, but a noble's husband taking the exams was different from a commoner doing so.
Even if he passed, he likely wouldn't be given a position with real power.
He didn't know if his little husband wanted real power, but seeing how hard he was studying for the exams, it would be a great loss if he ended up with a powerless post.
Every: "..." They were even more jealous of Xu Huaiqian!
Faced with such a huge temptation, Chen Liejiu had refused for Xu Huaiqian's sake. They couldn't imagine anything in this world that would make Chen Liejiu abandon Xu Huaiqian.
"A-Jiu!" Xu Huaiqian was deeply moved. He held Chen Liejiu's hand. "It's alright. If something like this happens again, just accept it." He didn't mind living off his wife's success, nor did he mind lacking real power. He didn't even mind his wife using his achievements. They were a united pair. A man who could rely on his wife was the most glorious!
"What are you thinking? I'm still waiting for you to get me that Tanhua Third Place rank!" Chen Liejiu truly didn't mind. A Township Lord? He'd inquired; the tax revenue from township was only a few dozen to a few hundred taels—less than his annual income from selling bricks!
He remembered Xu Huaiqian's vivid description: after achieving the Tanhua rank, parading through the streets on horseback, with his looks, surely many would throw fruits and flowers into his carriage.
Xu Huaiqian had said he would bring back all the scented sachets, flowers, and fruits people gave him to scent his clothes, feed him, and make floral teas.
This would be his Tanhua Fruit Tea! Different from any other!
Inspired, Chen Liejiu had secretly stockpiled dried flowers to make sachets, ready to pelt Xu Huaiqian from end of the street to the other when he achieved the Tanhua rank.
"Oh, right." Xu Huaiqian remembered. He was the man destined to be Tanhua! He held Chen Liejiu's hand and promised, "A-Jiu, don't worry. I will definitely get that Tanhua rank for you."
Chen Liejiu trusted him completely. "I believe in you!"
Their affectionate display made the onlookers feel a bit warm-eyed. Knowing the young couple, reunited after a long separation, would want some private time, they tactfully prepared to take their leave.
"With the exams approaching, inns in the capital are packed," Chen Liejiu, ever considerate, said. "It would be hard to find a place now. Please stay here."
They had only seen the exterior of the residence, not the interiors yet. He couldn't let them leave just like that.
"Brother Liejiu, is it alright for me too?" Sheng Yunjin asked. Pei Wangshu and the others had no home in the capital, so staying here made sense. But he had a home in the capital; was it appropriate for him to stay as well?
But Chen Liejiu's place was so beautiful, and there were no troublesome relatives around. It felt comfortable just being here.
"Of course it's alright!" Chen Liejiu glanced at Sheng Yunjin's slightly protruding belly, feeling a touch of envy. "The journey was long and tiring. The little needs rest too. Go pick a courtyard you like."
Chen Liejiu's residence was a three-section compound with several courtyards. His family couldn't possibly use them all, and he had specifically kept some available for Xu Huaiqian's friends.
"Brother Liejiu, you're the best!" If Xu Huaiqian weren't watching so intently from the side, Sheng Yunjin would have hugged Chen Liejiu. "We'll go choose a courtyard now and won't disturb you two any longer!"
There were so many beautiful courtyards outside! Which should he choose?!
Sheng Yunjin finished speaking and pulled Duan Youyan away. Duan Youyan looked back at Xu Huaiqian with an apologetic smile.
Seeing them leave, Meng Fangxun, Pei Wangshu, and Zhang Bingwen also stood up. "We'll go too!"
"Sister-in-law and I will go as well." Chen Xiaomei had been captivated by the courtyards outside. Hearing they could finally choose , she didn't hesitate and pulled Wang Wanwan away.
Once all the "obstacles" had left, Xu Huaiqian pulled Chen Liejiu into his arms and nuzzled against him. Three months apart felt like an eternity; he had missed him terribly.
"Was the journey hard?" Chen Liejiu nuzzled back into Xu Huaiqian's embrace. Not touching his little husband for three months had made his temper worse lately. Only now, feeling his little husband's familiar presence, did that restless feeling fade.
"It was awful!" Now that Chen Liejiu asked, Xu Huaiqian poured out his grievances. "I got seasick! As soon as the boat moved, I felt dizzy. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep properly. Look how much weight I've lost."
Xu Huaiqian pulled open his collar to show the collarbs that had finally gained a little meat, now sunken again.
"It's cold," Chen Liejiu said, quickly pulling his clothes back together after a glance. "Don't undo your clothes."
February in the capital was freezing.
He had just held his little husband's hand; his palms were icy cold. He was really worried his little husband couldn't handle this temperature.
"The cold is okay, I can warm up," Xu Huaiqian said, the seasickness probably still lingering, making him less sensitive to the cold. "But that feeling of wanting to vomit but not being able to was especially miserable."
"Are you still feeling unwell now?" Chen Liejiu pressed his cheek against Xu Huaiqian's handsome face, his heart aching for him.
"Yes," Xu Huaiqian nodded, complaining to Chen Liejiu. "The roads to the capital are terrible."
From the suburban dock to the city itself was at least a day's journey, and the roads were old dirt paths, nowhere near as smooth as the coal cinder roads Chen Liejiu had built for Xu Huaiqian.
Already dizzy from disembarking, Xu Huaiqian was jolted unbearably by the bumpy ride, feeling utterly miserable.
Wang Wanwan and Chen Xiaomei in the carriage were so frightened they barely dared to breathe, carefully tending to him the whole way.
Thankfully, Duan Youyan, who knew medicine, was with them. He used acupuncture along the way to relieve the symptoms, otherwise Xu Huaiqian was sure he'd be lying flat by now.
It was so hard, so hard, so hard.
Without his wife by his side, Xu Huaiqian felt every minute and second was agony, as if his internal organs were being squeezed.
When Chen Liejiu was with him, when had he ever suffered like this?
To reach his wife's embrace sor, Xu Huaiqian had endured the illness, seasickness, physical discomfort, and all the misery, urging the carriage driver to hurry into the capital.
From getting off the carriage until now, he had been forcing himself to hold on.
"I'll fix them!" Chen Liejiu hugged Xu Huaiqian tightly, his heart breaking. "Tomorrow I'll go ask how to repair the roads from the capital suburbs. From now on, wherever you go, I'll build the roads for you."
Chen Liejiu blamed himself for being careless. He was used to rough conditions and didn't find the roads problematic when he arrived, his mind solely on Xu Huaiqian's house. He forgot his little husband, accustomed to smooth coal cinder roads, would definitely find these dirt roads uncomfortable.
He must remember: wherever he goes, he must build good roads for Xu Huaiqian.
"It's fine, I made it through." Without Chen Liejiu saying, Xu Huaiqian knew his wife's funds were probably depleted. Where would the my for road repairs come from? Anyway, he had endured it, so why worry about the roads now? "I want to sleep."
The journey was so jarring he hadn't slept well. Now with Chen Liejiu beside him, he wanted to sleep properly and regain his energy.
"Okay." Their location was very close to their room, and there was no else around. Chen Liejiu simply picked Xu Huaiqian up and carried him into the room.
Being carried into the room by his wife, who was a head shorter, Xu Huaiqian felt a little embarrassed. As soon as he landed on the bed, he burrowed under the covers. Looking around the room, he saw the furnishings were exactly as he had whispered to Chen Liejiu about, and his face flushed.
He had said he wanted the room covered in wool carpets, a long desk that could hold many things, a beautifully carved large bed, and a reclining couch for resting anytime. Chen Liejiu had accomplished it all.
"Do you like it?" Chen Liejiu crouched by the bedside, talking to Xu Huaiqian.
Xu Huaiqian nodded. "I like it."
The house in Xinghua Village was too small; even with my, they couldn't have d this there. Chen Liejiu had asked Xu Huaiqian what he liked, promising to arrange another home for him in the future.
Back then, Xu Huaiqian whispering intimately in his ear was so adorable. When Chen Liejiu arrived in the capital, he forgot almost everything else, but he remembered every single of Xu Huaiqian's requests clearly.
"A-Jiu, you're so good to me." Lying on the bed, Xu Huaiqian looked at Chen Liejiu and sighed sincerely. He doubted there was any in the world who treated him better than his wife.
Although his grandfather in his previous life was also very good to him, apart from raising him, he never cared for him with the meticulous attention Chen Liejiu did.
"You're very good too." Chen Liejiu couldn't help but kiss his little husband's cheek. By marrying into his family, Xu Huaiqian never interfered with him. He enabled Chen Liejiu, a somewhat worldly but rough man, to journey from a small mountain village to this bustling capital, to speak with the Emperor and high officials without any timidity. All this confidence was given to him by Xu Huaiqian.
"We're both good!" Xu Huaiqian kissed Chen Liejiu back, savoring this intimate time together after their long separation, which felt sweeter than a newlywed's reunion.
"Mm." Chen Liejiu gently pecked Xu Huaiqian's lips. His little husband's beauty, especially when he was unwell, was so captivating it made want to ravish him. But Chen Liejiu couldn't be rough, so he could only satisfy his craving gently like this. "Go to sleep quickly. When you wake up, I'll take you to eat delicious food."
"Oh." Xu Huaiqian closed his eyes, then opened them again as if remembering something. "Sleeping al is a bit cold. Stay with me."
"Okay." Hearing this, Chen Liejiu immediately slipped under the covers and hugged Xu Huaiqian.
"It's still a bit cold." For some reason, although he hadn't felt cold earlier, now lying in bed, he felt drafts everywhere.
Chen Liejiu slid his hand under Xu Huaiqian's clothes and touched his skin. "It is a bit cold."
Xu Huaiqian looked at Chen Liejiu. "What should we do?" He couldn't sleep if he was cold.
"Like this." Chen Liejiu smiled, then without hesitation, took off both their clothes, pressing their skin together to warm Xu Huaiqian with his own body heat. "Isn't it warmer now?"
Xu Huaiqian pressed tightly against his wife, his ears burning. "It's not cold anymore." It was just so embarrassing.
"Since it's not cold, sleep now." Chen Liejiu held the smooth-skinned Xu Huaiqian and gently coaxed him to sleep.
At first, Xu Huaiqian felt shy feeling his wife's body heat. But as his body gradually warmed up and fatigue set in, he grew drowsy and began to drift off.
Just then, Chen Liejiu called softly, "A-Qian."
Xu Huaiqian murmured a soft response. "Hmm?"
"Should I warm your fingers too?"
How do you warm fingers?