At last having his wish fulfilled, Qin Ke slept soundly and warmly that night. He held his boneless-soft wife in his arms, the air faintly infused with the delicate fragrance of plum blossoms, and slept straight through until morning.
Outside, daylight had long since fully broken. The bed curtains were tightly drawn, leaving the interior dim beneath their cover.
Qin Ke reached out to feel beside him but grasped only emptiness. Blinking blearily, he hugged the quilt and rolled over—it was obvious that the person who had shared his pillow had already risen.
He stretched out an arm, pulled her pillow into his arms, and held it close, greedily breathing in the lingering scent she had left behind.
In that moment, he looked exactly like a guard dog protecting its territory, the pillow in his arms like a treasured bone he could not put down, its scent utterly intoxicating.
"Husband, it's already light out. Time to get up." Lu Youqing lifted the curtain, taking in the sight before her, a trace of laughter hidden in her voice.
After dozing a moment longer, Qin Ke fully woke. Seeing the brightness filtering in, he sat up and noticed that Lu Youqing was already neatly dressed, standing by the bed and hooking the bed curtains onto the side clasps.
The shyness from the previous night had vanished from her face, replaced by her usual cool composure. Yet Qin Ke could still glimpse, above the collar of her robe, the faint reddish marks he had left behind—tinged with subtle intimacy.
With the real person right there, how could Qin Ke possibly continue clutching a lifeless pillow? He stretched out his arm, wrapped it around her waist, and buried his face against her.
"Wife… wife…"
Lu Youqing paused, lowered her eyes gently, then raised her hand to stroke his hair, speaking softly, "Alright, get up now. Breakfast is ready."
"Then will you tie my hair for me?" Qin Ke asked, utterly delighted by her soothing words, his eyes narrowing happily.
"Alright."
Only after receiving that satisfying answer did Qin Ke finally let go. He dressed and then sat at her dressing table, gazing at her expectantly.
Lu Youqing stood behind him, her slender fingers threading through his glossy black hair with gentle, unhurried movements. She gathered it atop his head and bound it neatly with a silk ribbon.
Once properly arranged, he truly looked refined and jade-like, every inch a courteous gentleman.
After washing his face, Qin Ke pushed the door open. The sharp winter wind rushed in, sweeping away the last remnants of drowsiness.
Sunlight filtered through thin clouds and spilled across the land, draping the snow in a golden glow. The cold air was crisp and clean, and the distant mountains, dressed in snow, looked like a painting, gleaming beneath the sun.
Yet Qin Ke barely spared the post-snow scenery a glance. His gaze fixed instead on the small, slightly foolish snowman standing not far from the doorway.
It stood there quietly, guarding their home.
Han Qi, who was sweeping the path in the courtyard, noticed Qin Ke staring at the snowman and paused to explain, "This morning the madam had me carry it in from outside and place it here."
Qin Ke laughed, his smile bright and sparkling like scattered stars.
So this is what it feels like to be doted on by one's wife—truly wonderful.
Feeling deeply cherished, Qin Ke looked at Han Qi, Nanqiao, and the others—still single—and unconsciously carried himself with a hint of smugness, even deliberately showing off the matching ring on his hand.
Nanqiao and Han Qi could only feel that their master was acting inexplicably strange that day.
Unable to properly show off or receive any envious looks, Qin Ke decided they were simply not on the same wavelength. With a flick of his sleeve, he stalked off in mild irritation.
Watching Qin Ke walk away with an unmistakable spring in his step, Pei Xiu glanced at the snowman in the courtyard—something even a three-year-old could have built better—and a faint smile crept into her eyes.
"Pei Xiu, these are the horses and carriages we'll need for the journey after the new year. Could you check whether anything's missing?" Lu Youqing asked Pei Xiu, who had just entered the study.
Receiving no immediate reply, Lu Youqing looked up in mild confusion.
Pei Xiu was staring at her intently.
"Pei Xiu?"
"There's no issue. Madam's arrangements are very thorough," Pei Xiu replied, snapping back to attention and withdrawing her gaze from the faint red mark behind Lu Youqing's ear.
She was no naïve youth like Nanqiao and the others. She had seen similar marks before—on her own lady.
As Pei Xiu finished discussing travel arrangements and prepared to leave, she paused at the doorway. Hesitating briefly, she could not resist turning back with a smile tinged with teasing.
"Congratulations to Madam and Master on becoming truly united."
Lu Youqing's face flushed red at once.
Unaware that his wife was being teased, Qin Ke had already gone out to handle practical matters. Since they were moving away, he needed to inform the village head, and also ask him to keep an eye on the house. After all, they might return someday—this place held many precious memories for him and Lu Youqing.
Naturally, he could not ask the village head to do this for nothing. Helping once was goodwill, but over time, such goodwill wore thin.
Moreover, he did not share deep ties with the village head.
Since Nanqiao had decided to bring her mother along to Liangzhou, the village fields would need new arrangements.
The village paths were blanketed in uncleared snow. Qin Ke's footsteps crunched softly as he went to knock on the village head's door.
When Qin Ke first mentioned moving after the new year, Village Head Wu had been surprised. But considering that Madam Lu had passed the xiucai exam and might pursue an official career, he expressed understanding.
However, when Qin Ke said he intended to lease out his land, with all annual rent going to the village—for road repairs or to build a school for the children's education—Village Head Wu leapt to his feet, stepped forward, and grasped Qin Ke's hands tightly, his eyes crinkling with joy.
"Qin Ke, I knew you were destined for greatness! Even after making your fortune, you still think of the villagers—your ancestors must be smiling from their graves!"
After the autumn harvest, Qin Ke had already hired villagers to plow fields, build warm sheds, and provided many job opportunities with generous wages. This allowed villagers to live more comfortably that year, no longer relying solely on their crops, and many families could even afford to eat meat regularly.
Now he was offering to repair roads and build a school.
Their village had always been poor. They could never afford a teacher, and any child who wished to study had to travel to a neighboring village and pay tuition—something very few families could manage.
Qin Ke listened as the village head praised him endlessly.
No wonder he had served as village head for so many years—he knew how to bend when needed, even at his age, flattering without hesitation.
But Qin Ke truly wanted to help. Life here was simply too harsh. In winter, families ate only two meals a day to save grain, and few could afford to burn charcoal for warmth. Every aspect of daily life was difficult.
Money, to him now, was merely a number. Helping others mattered far more.
---
Advance Chapters available on Ko-Fi and Patreon!
ko-fi.com/rabi08
[email protected]/Rabi08