Chapter 121 Dreams Come True

I originally wanted to invite Li Zhengyang to have hot pot, but then I thought, he's been at hot pot restaurants every day, he's probably pretty much used to it, so he probably doesn't really want to eat.

After everyone left, he started making hot pot.

The family didn't have a wide variety of dishes, but it was still quite plentiful. He cut two full plates of lamb and two full plates of beef, which should be enough for two people, but Xie Pei had a bigger appetite than the average person, so he wasn't sure if he could eat more. He simply added two more plates of beef.

There aren't many vegetables available in winter, just some Chinese cabbage and white radish. I made some frozen tofu on a whim a few days ago, which is perfect for eating. I also have some beef balls that I brought back from a hot pot restaurant, which I was planning to use to make soup, but now they're frozen solid.

I made two kinds of hot pot. He likes both the beef tallow and mutton soup ones. It's a bit troublesome to make them myself, but luckily Xie Pei helped out. It was ready by early afternoon.

Steam rose from the kitchen, and a fire was burning in the stove. Zhu Mingyue's forehead was covered in a fine layer of sweat. Xie Pei, who was prone to getting hot, was also in charge of tending the fire, and sweat streamed down his face.

Zhu Mingyue was surprised to have such an experience in such freezing weather, and he laughed. He wiped his forehead and then wiped the sweat from Xie Pei's brow.

"No kissing allowed."

While Zhu Mingyue was wiping his sweat, this guy wouldn't stop. Before he could react, he pecked him on the face, and then, not satisfied, tried to peck him on the lips.

Xie Peihe seemed to be addicted, especially to kissing. At first, Zhu Mingyue was shy, but she got used to it and became numb to it.

He doesn't object to such behavior, but if he doesn't stop him, Xie Pei can kiss him eight hundred times a day.

Xie Pei wasn't angry when he pushed him away; instead, he reached into the stove and pulled out a roasted sweet potato for him.

Zhu Mingyue asked with delight, "Where did these sweet potatoes come from?"

Xie Pei: "You like to eat it, so I bought it from Jizhou."

Zhu Mingyue followed his gaze and saw a small burlap sack piled up in the corner. He went over and opened it, and it was indeed full of sweet potatoes.

He remembered that sweet potatoes could be grown in any region, but strangely, Ganzhou only grew taro and not sweet potatoes. The taro was white-fleshed, dry and mealy, and tasteless. Its only advantage was that it was filling. Zhu Mingyue was already tired of it when she first arrived at the Xie family.

He must have just casually remarked that it would be nice if it were sweet potato.

I never expected that such a casual remark would be remembered by Xie Pei.

Zhu Mingyue was deeply moved and broke off half of the food, handing it to him: "You eat some too." He came all this way, and still remembered to bring this thing with him—how tiring!

Xie Pei didn't move: "I won't eat it, you eat it. Jizhou is famous for its sweet potatoes."

Sweet potatoes are about the length of a hand, and quite thin; eating just one wouldn't be enough to fill you up.

Zhu Mingyue didn't hesitate when he heard this. He took a small bite, and it was sweet and sticky, and not dry at all. He ate it before the first batch of vegetables in the hot pot were even cooked.

She licked her lips, still wanting more, and asked longingly, "Can I have roasted sweet potatoes again tomorrow?"

Xie Pei looked at him without saying a word.

Zhu Mingyue: ...

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and repeated, "I want to eat it again tomorrow, okay?"

Xie Pei was visibly satisfied: "Okay, I'll bake it for you tomorrow morning."

Zhu Mingyue sighed silently: Everything has a price tag; at the very least, wanting to snuggle in bed during the cold winter comes at a price.

In Xie Pei's eyes, a breakfast is essentially a kiss. Since Zhu Mingyue doesn't kiss him, he takes the initiative to ask for one himself.

Unlike a hot pot restaurant, their home was not furnished well, so the two of them could only eat around the stove.

However, the quiet atmosphere was quite pleasant. The frozen tofu was soaked in the broth and very flavorful. Zhu Mingyue ate quite a lot without realizing it. She was already full, but the mutton soup with radish was so delicious that she couldn't resist drinking another bowl of soup. After drinking it, she broke out in a light sweat.

Xie Pei is a complete carnivore. He doesn't like cabbage, radish, or tofu. Even a few plates of pure meat aren't enough for him. Zhu Mingyue had to cut another plate to barely finish him.

After the meal, Xie Pei washed the dishes as usual. Zhu Mingyue slumped in her chair, watching Xie Pei's busy figure with increasing fascination.

Xie Pei has the kind of figure that is truly broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted. He is tall and has long legs. You can see his muscle lines even through his clothes. Anyone who sees him would be envious.

Zhu Mingyue smacked her lips and couldn't help but touch her belly. Although her waist was thin, it was all soft flesh, and it would sink in if you poked it.

Comparisons are odious and can be detrimental; there's no point in comparing. Luckily, the person with such a great figure is her boyfriend, so she can't be jealous.

A dull heat was rising from her body, and the fire was really warming her. Zhu Mingyue wiped away her sweat and felt sticky all over, unable to stand it: "Xie Pei, I want to take a shower tonight."

Xie Pei immediately replied, "I'll cook for you after I wash the pot."

Zhu Mingyue kicked her calves a couple of times and casually asked, "Do you want to come along?"

Xie Pei paused in his washing of the pot, his tone somewhat enigmatic: "Together? Is that alright?"

Zhu Mingyue was baffled: "What's wrong with that?"

Xie Pei's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his voice slightly hoarse: "Okay."

There's a bathtub in the bathroom. When it's hot, you can take a quick shower without using much water. But in winter, if you want a more comfortable shower, you have to boil two pots of water for the bathtub.

Zhu Mingyue moved the stove into the bathroom and went to the bedroom to get a clean change of fur clothes. Soon after, Xie Pei brought in hot water and then dutifully went to fetch well water.

Well water was brought in, and Xie Pei also had a change of clothes in his hand. Zhu Mingyue assumed he would need them later, so she helped him put them on a hanger.

He then prepared to take off his outer garment. Halfway through, he sensed something was amiss and slowly turned his head: "Why aren't you going out yet?"

Xie Pei remained unmoved.

Zhu Mingyue said in a little hurry, "I want to take a shower!" She wanted to soak a little longer!

Xie Pei moved, but only with his hands. He was dressed lightly, unlike Zhu Mingyue who was wrapped up in layers of clothing like a ball, and his inner clothes were revealed in an instant.

Zhu Mingyue's alarm bells rang loudly: "What are you doing?"

Xie Pei looked innocent and said, slowly and deliberately, "I'll take a bath with you."

Then she added casually, "You said it."

Zhu Mingyue's vision went black. He had indeed said that, but this was not the same as that one!

He didn't have time to stop him; in a flash, Xie Pei was shirtless.

Looking at his muscular upper body, I was momentarily stunned, and then I saw that Xie Pei was only wearing a pair of fur trousers.

Stop! That's it!

Zhu Mingyue covered her face with her hands and cried out in despair, "Xie Pei, put it on quickly!"

For a long time, there was no movement from the bathroom.

He parted his fingers to create a gap, and peered out through it. Xie Pei was still shirtless, wearing only thin trousers, his muscles exposed to the cold air. Even Zhu Mingyue felt cold just looking at him.

He unconsciously softened his tone: "Why don't you wash first, I'll go out and wash after you're done."

He pursed his lips and walked towards the bathroom door.

When he passed Xie Peishi, Xie Peishi stopped him, saying, "You are a liar."

They even filed a lawsuit against him!

Zhu Mingyue was so shocked that she choked and couldn't speak for a long time.

"I broke my promise?"

Xie Pei's voice was deep and resonant. "Mm."

"I mean we shower every night, not what you think."

"Besides, what's so good about showering together? It's just one wooden tub, don't you find it crowded?"

Xie Pei: "Yes, I don't mind."

Zhu Mingyue: ... He couldn't understand why Xie Pei had such a strange obsession with taking a bath with him.

Although they are now in a relationship, showering together involves intimate physical contact, which he cannot tolerate! Just thinking about it makes him incredibly embarrassed.

Xie Pei's resentment was so intense it felt like it was about to burst through the roof. She gritted her teeth and whispered, "Aren't we lovers?"

“It’s different. We can do this after we get married.”

You said lovers are inseparable.

"I'm a conservative person, so if we get married in the future..."

"Then let's get married." Xie Pei's eyes gleamed like a hungry wolf.

Zhu Mingyue took a deep breath and said slowly, "I feel like I'm suddenly not so conservative anymore."

He resignedly unbuttoned his clothes, saying, "Let's wash together."

Xie Pei's eyes lit up with joy: "I'll help you." He then helped him untie the knot.

Zhu Mingyue was wearing too many clothes, and Xie Pei, who was already anxious, became increasingly impatient. He tried to untie and pull, breaking two of the five knots.

Those who knew would know that they were going to take a shower next, but those who didn't would think that they were going to do something that was inconvenient to describe.

Zhu Mingyue gritted her teeth: "What do you suggest we do?"

Xie Pei said in a deep voice, "I'll buy you a new one."

Zhu Mingyue huffed angrily, "Who asked you to buy me underwear!"

Xie Pei remained good-natured and patiently coaxed him, "I'll sew it for you."

A tall man, 1.9 meters tall, threading an embroidery needle under the lamp—just imagining it was quite comical. Before Zhu Mingyue could even laugh at him, she was suddenly lifted off the ground.

The last piece of clothing covering her body was suddenly torn off, leaving her completely naked in Xie Pei's arms.

Zhu Mingyue was so embarrassed that she couldn't speak, feeling like a kettle boiling over, with steam rising from the top of her head.

When Xie Pei put her into the slightly hot water, Zhu Mingyue quickly covered her embarrassing parts and, like a frightened hedgehog, buried her head and shut herself off.

Soon, Xie Pei's incredibly long legs took a step and stepped into the wooden barrel.

In a daze, Zhu Mingyue heard the sound of flowing water, and a warm current poured down her back.

Xie Pei is giving him a bath.

Realizing this, Zhu Mingyue immediately struggled for a moment: "I can take a shower, I can do it myself."

Xie Pei handed him the towel and shamelessly said, "Then you wash it for me."

Zhu Mingyue did wash him, but only his upper body; no matter how Xie Pei coaxed him, he resolutely refused to go any further down.

Xie Pei's skin was a light bronze color, which looked healthy under the firelight.

Zhu Mingyue gritted her teeth and vigorously rubbed his back, leaving large red marks. She discovered a pattern: with each rub, the muscles in his back seemed to undulate like mountain peaks.

He was so engrossed in observing that he even forgot to be shy and began to work diligently as a bathhouse attendant.

Even the most hardworking person gets tired eventually. He stopped, his hands aching. "Is this enough?"

Xie Pei, still wanting more, turned to face him directly: "I want some from the front too."

Zhu Mingyue was furious: "Xie Pei, are you a giant baby? Can't you rub the front yourself?"

Xie Pei couldn't be scolded, because if he did, he would sound aggrieved: "My hand is injured." Afraid that Xie Pei wouldn't believe him, he held out his hand, revealing a burn scar on his palm with a blister.

Zhu Mingyue didn't have time to scold him. She immediately threw down the towel, picked up his right hand, and asked him with concern, "What happened to your hand?"

Xie Pei explained casually, "I got burned by the charcoal while tending the fire."

Zhu Mingyue frowned: "How could you be so careless?" He couldn't imagine how his palm could touch charcoal while tending a fire, but Xie Pei's injury was right there, it wasn't faked.

Zhu Mingyue blew on it: "Does it hurt a lot?"

Xie Pei shook his head: "It's alright, it will hurt if I touch hot water."

Zhu Mingyue nodded, placed his hands on the rim of the basin, and buried her head in her work, scrubbing him vigorously.

"I'll only rub the top part for you; you can do the rest yourself."

Xie Pei, understanding and considerate, replied, "Okay."

As Zhu Mingyue washed, she noticed something was amiss. Looking down through the steam, she couldn't help but laugh.

Something that Zhu Mingyue dared not look directly at in his dreams now appeared arrogantly and blatantly in his sight.

An unusual touch came from her side. Zhu Mingyue paused for a moment, then whispered, "Xie Pei, you poked me."

As soon as she finished speaking, the sensation on her legs became even more pronounced, and her fair skin became slightly concave.

Zhu Mingyue swallowed hard, too embarrassed to move, so awkward he almost forgot to breathe. He swore that if his toes could grip the ground, he would dig three feet into the earth and hide underground forever.

"Xie Pei, can't you just soften your stance a little?"

If I say it out loud, I'll feel like an idiot. How can I soften my stance?

Xie Pei's voice became incredibly hoarse and deep: "It won't soften."

Zhu Mingyue tentatively asked, "Aren't you feeling unwell?"

Xie Pei's forehead veins were bulging, and his expression was extremely tense: "Yeah, it hurts."

Zhu Mingyue panicked and tried to get up from the bath: "Then you take care of it yourself."

Xie Pei moved his injured right hand, revealing the burn scar on his palm in a very deliberate manner.

Zhu Mingyue twitched her lips: "Please make good use of your left hand."

Xie Pei: "I'm not used to it."

Zhu Mingyue took a deep breath: "Then this is a good opportunity to practice."

Xie Pei's eyes pleaded: "A-Yue."

Fifteen minutes later, Zhu Mingyue sat in the wooden tub, the water churning and splashing with her movements.

The water was no longer warm, and the splashing water felt cold on his exposed skin, making him shiver immediately.

"Xie Pei, is it ready yet?" Zhu Mingyue felt a bit cold soaking in the water and couldn't help but urge him on.

His answer was Xie Pei's heavy breathing.

Xie Pei casually rested his arms on the edge of the tub, leaning against the side of the tub with a swagger. His muscles were bulging, and although the water had cooled down, he still looked incredibly hot.

Zhu Mingyue had a deep understanding of this heat; his palms were rubbed until they were red, as if they had been burned by the high temperature, and he suffered terribly.

Feeling a brief throbbing in her palm, Zhu Mingyue's eyes lit up, but a few seconds later her expression turned utterly lifeless.

Damn it, you bastard!

Is he even human? If he doesn't get his penis in place soon, he'll start to doubt his own skills.

Zhu Mingyue secretly became more competitive and sped up her pace.

Time ticked by. A muffled groan echoed from the cramped room.

The happiest person was Zhu Mingyue, whose face beamed with a victorious smile, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Then a subtle burning sensation came from my palm.

Zhu Mingyue cursed under her breath, but in order to get revenge, she pretended to be relaxed and said, "It's only been a quarter of an hour, nothing special, just average."

A rare hint of self-doubt appeared on Xie Pei's face. After a long while, his expression returned to normal, and he chuckled softly, "So-so?"

Zhu Mingyue nodded reluctantly, "Well, it's so-so."

"Who else have you been with?"

Zhu Mingyue recalled the days she took care of Brother Cui. She opened her mouth to speak but then swallowed her words. "Forget it," she thought, "this guy is just jealous. If I tell him, he'll cause a huge uproar."

He pursed his lips: "Mine."

Xie Pei chuckled softly, his gaze slowly shifting downwards.

Zhu Mingyue felt a chill beneath her and immediately covered herself. She looked at him with a panicked expression, afraid that he was up to something bad again.

After thinking about it, I realized that the bathtub was not safe at all, so I got up and pulled out a towel to wrap myself up tightly.

He glanced at Xie Pei, who was still lying in the bucket. The firelight cast flickering light on his face, making his restrained expression all the more apparent.

"The water's already cold, come out quickly!" Zhu Mingyue whispered.

Xie Pei's breathing was heavy: "I feel terrible."

Zhu Mingyue: !!!

He frantically threw on clothes in a panic, trying to run away, but it was too late.

Xie Pei took a long stride, splashing water in his wake, and quickly dressed himself, even faster than Zhu Mingyue. After dressing, he ignored Zhu Mingyue's reaction, picked her up, and carried her into the house.

The main house of the Xie family was brightly lit late at night.

The howling wind sounded like a low weeping, mixed with a barely perceptible sob, and dissipated into the endless darkness.