Homecoming letter and wedding night
On the official road from Qingzhou to the capital, a blue-canopied carriage swiftly and steadily rolled over the melting spring snow.
Inside the carriage, Ling Zhan was still dressed in a neat blue robe, his expression aloof, though his brows bore the marks of his long journey. Beside him, Shen Yu leaned against the cushions, her small face showing fatigue, but her eyes shone brightly, a half-read strategy book lying open beside her.
In the provincial examination, Shen Yu's name appeared second on the list of successful candidates.
At the tender age of twelve, Ya Yuan had already caused a sensation throughout Linzhou Prefecture.
"Mother, what those headmasters from the prefectural city and the retired Grand Secretary Liu said..." Shen Yu raised her head, her voice clear yet possessing a maturity beyond her years, "What do you think about next year's imperial examination..."
Ling Zhan turned his gaze away from the car window: "They believe you can compete for the top three honors and achieve something unprecedented. What do you think?"
Shen Yu pursed his lips, his eyes resolute: "I want to give it a try. I am confident that my knowledge of the classics and my ability to write essays are second to none."
“If you want to, then do it,” Ling Zhan replied decisively. “After you return to the capital, great scholars will pave the way for you. You only need to focus on your studies.”
"Yes." Shen Yu nodded emphatically and buried himself in his book again.
Ling Zhan looked at his diligent appearance, a barely perceptible tenderness flashed in his eyes, which was then covered by calmness.
She raised her hand and casually brushed against the warm, smooth mutton-fat jade pendant at her waist.
The carriage traveled for several more days, and the capital region came into view.
The gates of Xishan Villa have long been wide open.
As soon as the carriage came to a stop, a figure swept out like a whirlwind.
"Madam! Yu'er!"
Shen Yan rushed to the carriage shaft, hurriedly lifted the curtain, her peach blossom eyes filled with longing. Her gaze immediately locked onto Ling Zhan, quickly scanning her from head to toe. Seeing that everything was alright, her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
"You're finally back! Was the journey tiring? Is Qingzhou cold? Did you eat well? How did Yu'er do on her exams?"
He fired off a barrage of questions, his voice slightly hoarse, and reached out to help Ling Zhan out of the car.
Ling Zhan grasped his hand, nimbly leaped down, and glanced at his thinner face: "All is well."
Shen Yu got out of the car and bowed, saying, "Father, I have not failed you." The good news about Ya Yuan made the young man's lips curl into a smile.
"Good! I knew my son was a reincarnation of the God of Literature!" Shen Yan patted Shen Yu's shoulder hard, her face full of pride, her eyes then fixed on Ling Zhan. "It's good that you're back... Hot water and food are ready in the kitchen, let's go inside!"
His joy infected Shen Xing and Shen Chen, who had run out, and the two older ones started chattering around their little brother, Xiao Shitou.
Shen Yan surrounded Ling Zhan with an almost greedy gaze, dispelling the desolation that had permeated the courtyard for over a month.
As Ling Zhan had predicted, the days that followed unfolded exactly as he had.
The news that Shen Yu had achieved the second-highest score in the provincial examination caused a stir in the capital once again.
Ya Yuan is not even thirteen years old! And he's in Qingzhou, a province renowned for its imperial examinations—what astonishing talent!
The threshold of Xishan Villa was almost worn out by the constant footsteps.
Scholars from the Hanlin Academy, doctors from the Imperial Academy, and even censors from the Censorate all came with the intention of testing him, and afterwards they all left with excitement and praise.
"My lord! My lady! Your son's talent is unparalleled in a century! It would be a great loss to the nation if he did not participate in this year's imperial examination!"
"The youngest person to achieve the highest honors in all three categories of the imperial examinations will surely make history! This is not only an honor for the Shen family, but also a momentous event for the literary world!"
Inside the main hall, several elderly ministers with white hair and beards were in high spirits.
Shen Yan sat in the main seat, listening to the praise. He was proud of his son, but also secretly annoyed that these old ministers occupied the main hall all day, greatly reducing his chances of speaking alone with his wife. He wore a polite smile, but his gaze would occasionally drift to Ling Zhan, who was sitting quietly sipping tea, seemingly having expected this.
After seeing off yet another group of great scholars, night had already fallen.
Ling Zhan stood up: "Come here for a moment."
Shen Yan's eyes lit up, and he immediately followed.
Entering the bedroom, Shen Yan was about to express her longing when she saw Ling Zhan take a heavy package from the bedside table and place it on the table.
"What is this?" Shen Yan asked, puzzled.
Ling Zhan unpacked the package. Inside were stacks of neatly arranged letters.
On the plain paper was his familiar handwriting, which read, "To my beloved wife, A-Zhan." At a glance, it was almost a small mountain of writing. Shen Yan's face instantly flushed red, her ears turning pink, and a hint of embarrassment flashed in her peach-blossom eyes: "M-Madam! These... I just wrote them randomly when I was bored..."
Ling Zhan raised his hand to stop him.
My fingertips traced the letters, feeling the strokes of the pen on different dates, and I remained silent for a moment.
In the candlelight, her delicate profile appeared slightly softer.
She looked up at the bewildered Shen Yan, her voice clear and firm: "All matters at home have been arranged properly. The children's education has been equally effective. The turmoil in the capital has been handled with composure."
She paused, looking into his eyes: "Shen Yan, you already meet the requirements to be the head of a family."
boom--
One sentence, like the strongest liquor, overwhelmed Shen Yan's entire sanity. A tremendous wave of joy washed over him! Head of the household! She had personally acknowledged him! Not based on the marriage certificate, not based on worldly titles, but truly recognizing his ability and responsibility as the pillar of this family!
Five years! This is the moment he's been waiting for!
He felt dizzy, his heart was pounding like a drum, and his fingertips trembled with excitement.
He opened his mouth, his throat choked with happiness, and his peach blossom eyes filled with a layer of moisture, shining brightly.
Only one thought was screaming in his mind: She approves of me! Does that mean... it's possible...?
Those two words, imbued with a burning warmth and vibrant color, almost conjured the most enchanting image in his mind. Just as he was completely captivated, pondering whether to take a bath first or say something to create a romantic atmosphere—
Ling Zhan, however, had already made a move.
She seemed not to have seen his stunned and bewildered expression, nor did she provide any prior warning.
Just as Shen Yan was still immersed in her fantasy, Ling Zhan stepped forward and struck with lightning speed!
"Hmm!"
Shen Yan suddenly felt the belt around his waist loosen, and the world spun around him!
He didn't see how she moved, but he felt a sudden, effortless movement, and he was lifted up by the waist and tossed onto the bed! His back sank into the soft bedding, and Chen Yan was stunned. His peach blossom eyes widened, and all the pink bubbles in his mind shattered.
etc? !
This is not what he imagined!
Shouldn't he be the one to take the initiative? Shouldn't he be the one to be affectionate and take things step by step?
He instinctively tried to struggle to his feet, seeking some imagined initiative, but saw Ling Zhan already kneeling on the edge of the bed, leaning over him. The scent of travel dust and the cold fragrance of plum blossoms instantly enveloped him. Those unfathomable black eyes were so close, filled not with intoxication or shyness, but with the focused and decisive gaze of a hunter locking onto its prey. The candlelight flickered behind her, casting a shadow that completely engulfed him.
"Madam? Wait, wait..." Shen Yan's words choked in his throat... Ling Zhan's fingers had already skillfully untied the belt of his outer robe, and his cool fingertips brushed against his burning skin, arousing a shiver.
"no……"
Shen Yan's voice was flustered, "A-Zhan...shouldn't this be..."
Should we take it slow? Should we let him...?
"No need for that."
Ling Zhan's cold voice interrupted him, his movements not pausing at all, "Since it has been approved, this is naturally the proper course of action."
"But..." Shen Yan still wanted to struggle for the initiative, but all her attempts were powerless in the face of Ling Zhan's kiss and aura. She even pulled a corner of the quilt over herself to keep him from catching a cold.
Everything happened too fast.
Shen Yan felt as if it were a bizarre yet real dream.
He had fantasized countless times about a wedding night and tender moments, but none of it happened!
Only the decisive, efficient, and direct approach of "returning to one's birth"!
The process was like a sudden storm, completely unexpected. She had the rhythm entirely under her control. Her senses were amplified: her slightly rapid breathing beside her ear, the cool smoothness of the satin beneath her fingertips and the heat of her skin, intertwining indescribable, complex sensations…
After an unknown amount of time, the wind stopped and the rain ceased.
Ling Zhan had already stood up, casually straightening his nightgown, his expression as calm as ever.
Only her slightly flushed ears and slightly faster breathing betrayed the subtle difference.
She glanced back at the bed.
He languidly sank into the brocade quilt, his black hair cascading down, his nightgown disheveled, revealing red marks on his collarbone and chest. His face was still flushed, his peach blossom eyes were moist and narrowed, the rouge at the corners of his eyes even deeper, as if he had been intoxicated by a rich wine. No longer was he simply dazed and lost in thought, but rather exuded a languid and dreamy quality, a silly yet sweet smile playing on his lips.
Ling Zhan raised an eyebrow slightly, bent down to pull up his clothes and cover him with the blanket, his movements clumsy but considerate.
"Go to sleep when you're tired," she instructed calmly.
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the washroom, leaving behind a room full of silence and Chen Yan lying on the bed, still savoring the moment and laughing like a child who had stolen the sweetest candy. Only when the sound of water came from the washroom did Chen Yan let out a long sigh of satisfaction.
He raised his slightly trembling arm and placed it on his forehead.
The throbbing beneath his skin had not yet subsided, and the subtle stinging sensations that once signified belonging and possession had now transformed into burning badges of honor. An unprecedented sense of happiness enveloped him like a warm spring, soothing every limb and bone.
That's it?
It wasn't the expected gradual advance, nor the imagined tenderness and affection; it even carried a touch of unexpected "roughness."
...But this feeling...
He licked his lips, still carrying her scent, a surge of emotion welling up in his chest—a profound sense of security, contentment, and sweet belonging. Like a ship that had been adrift for a long time finally entering a warm harbor, like him, this stubborn rock, finally being completely incorporated into her territory, branded with her mark.
Five years of anticipation and longing have been met with the most perfect response at this moment, in such an unexpected yet incredibly powerful way.
Face and substance, initiative and passivity—none of it matters in the face of this immense happiness.
The important thing is, she's his now. Completely.
And he was hers now.
Shen Yan abruptly pulled up the brocade quilt, which still carried her scent, and buried his burning face in it. In the darkness, he could no longer suppress his low, muffled laughter, filled with the foolishness of someone who had gotten what they wanted and overflowing sweetness.
Sure enough... it suits his wife's personality perfectly.
It was... better than he had ever imagined.
The lady's body is truly—amazing—!
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