Chapter 1732: Cherish Your Wife
Chapter 1732: Chapter 1732: Cherish Your Wife
"My lord is back." Nanny Tao and Sanqing were keeping watch over Gu Jinli. When they saw Qin San Lang return, they hurriedly stood up and saluted.
Qin San Lang looked at Nanny Tao, nodded, and lowered his voice a few degrees as he asked, "Why is Xiao Yu asleep at this hour? Has she been too tired lately?"
Nanny Tao nodded and told him about how Gu Jinli had been busy these days making goose down quilts and medicine.
Qin San Lang frowned as he listened, somewhat blaming Nanny Tao for not stopping Xiao Yu, letting her take on too much work.
But then he thought about how Xiao Yu was not someone you could talk out of things, and he didn’t want to scold anyone now and wake her up, so he only said, "Nanny, you’ve worked hard. After you bring up the food, go rest."
"Yes." Nanny Tao answered and went down with Sanqing.
Not long after, Erqing and Xiao Ji brought up the food and then went down as well.
Qin San Lang took off his outer clothes and changed into a silk robe laid out on the soft couch.
It was most likely specially prepared by Xiao Yu. In this kind of weather, wearing a sleep robe of this fabric was the most comfortable.
By the time Qin San Lang finished changing, Gu Jinli was still sleeping soundly, her little face flushed, her small mouth the color of peach blossoms, looking downright tasty.
His heart itched. He squatted down, lifted his head to kiss her, but just as he touched her she swung a slap at him. He reacted fast and caught her hand, inwardly pleased by her alertness, yet also pained that she couldn’t have a completely peaceful sleep.
Gu Jinli was still a bit groggy. Once she saw it was him, surprise flooded her eyes. "Brother Qin, you’re back!"
"Mm, I’m back." Qin San Lang stood up, sat down on the soft couch, and pulled her into his arms. "Call me husband."
Gu Jinli laughed, tipped her head back to look at him. "Husband!"
Her voice was cheerful and sweet, making him extremely happy.
"Wife." Qin San Lang called her, then lowered his head to kiss her again. This time he was no longer carefully holding back for fear of waking her, but driven by the surging excitement of a long separation. After just a shallow taste, he couldn’t help but scoop her up sideways and head into the inner room.
Gu Jinli was a little startled. Bro, you’re this straightforward? You’re not going to eat first? Coming back at this hour, you probably haven’t eaten, right? Doing this on an empty stomach, you’ll have no strength.
A shadow fell over her field of view as his body pressed down. His kisses, carrying his scent, fell all over her, cutting off her wild train of thought.
"Mmm~" Gu Jinli’s heart was racing. Even though they’d been married nearly a year, she still couldn’t help blushing every time it came to this.
He kissed her earlobe, watching her expression, and chuckled. "Xiao Yu looks so beautiful when she’s shy."
He didn’t use the word cute. In this moment, she wasn’t cute, she was beautiful—a kind of beauty that made a man desperately want to bully her!
Gu Jinli turned her head to look at his eyes. That hungry-wolf gaze made her blurt out, "Are... are you very hungry?"
He really looked like he was starving, urgently needing a meal.
Qin San Lang paused, glanced at her belly and asked, "Xiao Yu, are you hungry?"
Gu Jinli shook her head. "I’m not. This afternoon I ate two meat-filled moon cakes and two snow-skin moon cakes."
Four in total. She was still a bit full now.
Qin San Lang smiled. "Good."
Then he kissed her again, his tone laced with impatience. "I’m hungry. Very hungry!"
With that, he gave her no chance to divert him, pressing her down and kissing her until she was dazed. When her body trembled with desire, he took her hard, venting the longing of the past few months.
...
Gu Jinli felt she hadn’t eaten enough moon cakes that afternoon. Four weren’t enough; if she’d wolfed down eight, she might have lasted until midnight.
"Xiao Yu, stop eating drumsticks. It’s the middle of the night, they’re hard to digest. Have chicken congee. I’ve cooled it for you." Qin San Lang had put rice and water on the stove and boiled it into congee, then cooled it in a basin of cold water before bringing it over for her.
As he spoke, his arm wrapped around her waist, stroking lightly with greedy affection. He lowered his head and kissed her hair.
Gu Jinli took a fierce bite of the drumstick, lifted her head and glared at him. "This is the dinner I prepared. Who told you to turn it into a late-night snack?"
He’d worn her out. Her whole body was limp; she needed some solid meat to replenish her strength!
Hearing her soft, powerless voice, and seeing the lingering allure in her charming eyes, Qin San Lang’s mind started to wander again. But he couldn’t bear to wear her out any further, so he held himself back and coaxed, "Be good, don’t be mad. It’s my fault; I missed you too much."
The way he said it really pleased Gu Jinli, and she also felt sorry for how hard he’d had it at war. She handed him the drumstick. "Here, you eat it. After you sit for 30 minutes, go to sleep... You’ve gotten thinner. It must’ve been tough."
Seeing the concern in her eyes, Qin San Lang’s heart trembled. Just to be cared about by her made every hardship worth it.
"It wasn’t tough. I ate better than the other soldiers. Uncle Mu Tong secretly sent us supplies." Qin San Lang hugged her tighter, took the drumstick from her hand, and finished it in two bites.
After setting down the bone, he picked up the spoon and fed her congee. Seeing her obediently eat, he smiled and said, "Xiao Yu must be pampered."
He’d discovered something: you couldn’t be harsh with Xiao Yu. You had to coax her, spoil her. Then she’d feel embarrassed to throw a fuss and would go along with you.
Gu Jinli said, "Of course. A wife is supposed to be spoiled."
Qin San Lang laughed when he heard that. Seeing her so proud, his smile deepened and he held her close. "All right, I’ll keep spoiling Xiao Yu forever."
And when they had children in the future, he’d spoil her together with the children.
Thinking of children, Qin San Lang started looking forward to it, imagining how happy he’d be when Xiao Yu got pregnant.
After a moment he added, "Thank you, Xiao Yu, for letting me spoil you."
She had once thought about setting up a female household. In the Gu Family, she and Good Brother An basically had the final say, and Good Brother An hadn’t objected either. So if she’d wanted to set up her own household, adopt a few children, and live like that, it would have been doable.
But Xiao Yu fell in love with him, felt for him, didn’t want him living alone and unmarried, so she married him.
"Xiao Yu."
"Mm?"
"I like you."
Gu Jinli said, "I know. You’ve said it many times already."
Qin San Lang choked a little. "Xiao Yu, you have to say the same thing too."
Gu Jinli glanced at him. So he wants me to confess?
But...
"No. Too cheesy." Gu Jinli tried to sit up, but he’d worked her over a bit too hard, and she really had no strength. She could only order him around. "I’m full. I want to wash up and go to sleep."
They’d bathed before eating, so just rinsing her mouth and washing her hands and face would be enough before bed.
"I’ll go get water for you." Qin San Lang was a little disappointed, but still went to fetch hot water. After they rinsed their mouths and washed their faces together, he carried the water out.
By the time he came back, Gu Jinli had already rolled to the inside of the bed and gone to sleep.
Qin San Lang looked at her back, his heart both joyful and a little lost. Xiao Yu hadn’t even waited for him before falling asleep.
He went to check the doors and windows, then hung the Insect repellent Divine Medicine at the head of the bed. Once he got on the bed, he turned her around and tucked her into his arms to sleep. "Xiao Yu, good night."
Gu Jinli didn’t respond.
Not hearing her reply, Qin San Lang felt a bit hurt... She wouldn’t say she liked him, didn’t wait for him before sleeping, and wouldn’t answer him when he talked. Was she mad at him for being gone so long?
Just as his thoughts were spiraling, he suddenly heard her voice.
"Qin Mu, I like you."
Qin San Lang froze, then a surge of wild joy flooded his heart. He held her tighter, the corners of his lips lifting into a smile, and drifted off to sleep, utterly satisfied.