Chapter 236 Even husking corn wasn't this difficult
Xu Jinnian and his companions could hear the conversation in the private room next door clearly.
They exchanged a glance, a hint of seriousness flashing across their faces.
The day before their departure, the four were summoned to Master Jiang's home. Master Jiang repeatedly instructed them to focus on preparing for the exam and not to participate in so-called poetry gatherings for the sake of some empty fame.
They were no fools to be chosen by Master Jiang. They gleaned insights into the complex power struggles within the capital from Master Jiang's words.
If they are not careful, even those who are merely successful candidates in the imperial examinations could become sacrifices in the power struggles among the upper classes.
The walls have ears, so the people at the table didn't say anything, just silently picked up their food and ate.
Before long, things quieted down next door, and the house became even quieter.
After finishing their meal, the group walked out of the restaurant. The rain had stopped, but the snow was falling heavier and heavier, covering the ground with a light layer of white.
Having no desire to continue shopping, they returned to the inn to rest early before the ground froze over.
The hems of their clothes and trouser legs were a little damp, so the couple changed into dry clothes and hung them by the fire pit to dry.
Sheng An pulled Xu Jinnian to sit on the edge of the bed, pulled the blanket over their laps, and said in a low voice:
“Princess Pingyuan’s actions in the capital have spread to places thousands of miles away, even at a time when scholars from all over the country are coming to the capital for the imperial examinations. I find this rather strange.”
Xu Jinnian reached out from under the blanket and wrapped his hand around Sheng An's cold little hand: "Your feeling is right."
Sheng An, caught up in the excitement of watching the drama unfold, lowered his voice again: "What's the purpose?"
Xu Jinnian, however, did not want to say more, uttering only four words: "I do not know."
Caught off guard by the melon seeds, Sheng An nearly choked to death, scratching her fingernail against the man's palm: "Who are you trying to fool?"
Xu Jin smiled and patted the soft bed: "This kind of weather is perfect for sleeping. An'an, aren't you sleepy?"
It would have been better if you hadn't mentioned it, because the moment you did, Sheng An felt sleepy.
She yawned, sprawled out on her back, and stared at the man with her big eyes: "Come on, help me undress."
Xu Jinnian was used to his wife's occasional pranks, and he readily lifted the blanket off his legs, his deep eyes brimming with laughter: "Yes, ma'am."
The man knelt on one knee on the edge of the bed, his long, slender hand resting on the woman's neck ring, slowly and methodically untying each bead.
It was an extremely proper action, yet it exuded a seductive charm. Sheng An's ears began to tingle, and her cheeks flushed without her realizing it.
Xu Jinnian seemed oblivious, smoothly removing Sheng An's outer garment and continuing his actions without a change in expression.
Looking at herself, bundled up in layers upon layers, and then at the man's serious, handsome face, Sheng An suddenly remembered a domineering CEO joke she had read in her past life.
Her face grew increasingly red, and her body trembled slightly, causing the entire bed to shake.
This was the first time Xu Jinnian had encountered such a situation, and he was momentarily bewildered, looking at Sheng An with a gaze full of doubt and inquiry.
"Ha ha ha ha--"
Sheng An could no longer hold back and suddenly burst into wild laughter, pounding the bed as he laughed until tears streamed down his face.
Xu Jinnian: "..."
Xu Jinnian helplessly pulled the blanket over his wife, sat on the edge of the bed and watched her laugh as she rolled around on the bed with doting eyes.
The commotion was quite loud; people in the neighboring guest rooms heard it.
Tan Zhenlin, who was standing closest, couldn't help but mutter, "What happy event has happened that makes your sister-in-law so happy!"
When the laughter finally stopped, Xu Jinnian brought a glass of warm water to Sheng An and asked, "Have you laughed enough?"
Sheng An realized that she had a low threshold for laughter, so she took the teacup and took a couple of sips to relieve the dryness in her throat, but did not explain to the curious man.
How do you explain that?
Could it be that when he took off his clothes, she remembered that joke about "the domineering CEO suddenly tearing open my fleece pants, cotton pants, wool pants, and long johns, and throwing my two pairs of cotton-padded snow boots on the ground, then tearing open my cotton-padded coat, cotton vest, sweater, sweater, long johns, and thermal underwear..."?
The CEO's entire clothes-tearing process was a spectacle of sparks and crackling sounds; it was more difficult than peeling corn!
Sheng An felt that she was a little inferior to the female lead in the joke. Her clothes, layer upon layer, did not generate static electricity, and there was no crackling sound to add to the excitement when she took them off.
Seeing that his wife wouldn't say anything and just kept smiling to herself, Xu Jinnian didn't force her. He smiled and ruffled her hair, then took off her hair ornament.
In an instant, his black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, shimmering with light.
Sheng An touched her smooth, long hair, blinking her eyes with great satisfaction.
After several years of growing my hair, I finally grew it long enough to be used in shampoo commercials, and I don't have any worries about hair loss or baldness. I couldn't be more satisfied!
Xu Jinnian was not sleepy. After Sheng An closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep, he went to the small study on the other side to read.
The couple did not disturb each other.
The snow fell for two days and one night, accumulating to a depth of a foot. Several dilapidated houses collapsed in the city, and everyone was busy shoveling snow.
Due to road blockages, Sheng An and his group did not rush to set off and stayed in Lucheng for a few more days.
After the sun came out, the snow melted, and the road was passable for horse-drawn carriages, they packed their luggage and boarded the passenger ship again.
After traveling for another four or five days, the two large ships arrived in Yongcheng, and it was time for Sheng'an and his party to part ways with Zheng Wenying.
After handing over the goods to the buyer, Zheng Wenying returned to the inn where she was staying and invited Sheng An and Xu Jinnian to dinner.
The couple naturally agreed and went with him to the largest restaurant in Yongcheng.
Zheng Wenying picked up her wine glass, stood up, and solemnly toasted them:
"Sister Sheng, Brother Xu, you are our family's benefactors. Without our meeting three years ago, I wouldn't be who I am today!"
Sheng An and Xu Jinnian exchanged a glance, then picked up their wine glasses and stood up.
Sheng An smiled and said, "We helped you back then because you deserved it. So your current situation is your own good fortune."
Zheng Wenying's eyes reddened, her lips trembled and she couldn't speak, so she simply tilted her head back and drank the wine in her glass in one gulp.
The most difficult moment of his life was not when both his parents passed away and he had to shoulder the burden of raising his younger siblings with his frail shoulders, but that helpless and desperate night three years ago.
If it weren't for Sister Sheng and Brother Xu's timely intervention, lending him thirty taels of silver as a lifeline without any guarantor, he couldn't guarantee what he might have done.
He didn't understand any other grand principles; he only knew that the couple in front of him were the benefactors of his life.
Although he is about to marry into the family and have a wife with the mental capacity of a five-year-old, having experienced the most desperate and helpless moments, these things mean nothing to him.
Living in the present and making sure that you and your siblings have a good life is the most important thing.
After the meal, Sheng An took out a gift he had prepared in advance and gave it to Zheng Wenying: "You are getting married soon, and your brother Xu and I are unable to come to congratulate you in person, so we can only give you this gift in advance."
Zheng Wenying was surprised that she would prepare a gift herself, and accepted it with both hands in delight: "Thank you, Sister Sheng, thank you, Brother Xu!"
Xu Jinnian patted him on the shoulder: "I wish you and your wife a long and happy marriage."
Zheng Wenying solemnly replied, "Yes!"
He cannot feel romantic love for his fiancée, whose mental age is only five, but he will keep his promise to take good care of her for the rest of his life.
When they have children in the future, he will teach them to be filial to their mother and never be ungrateful.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com