Time Traveling: the Only Beloved Husband

When Shen Xiangyan returned with vegetable porridge and a few side dishes, he saw Xia Rong lying obediently on the bed waiting for him, which made him nod in satisfaction. After setting up the small kang table for him, he handed over the vegetable porridge. Watching Xia Rong devour the porridge eagerly, Shen Xiangyan couldn’t help but smile. Using his chopsticks, he picked out some of Xia Rong’s favorite side dishes and put them into the porridge bowl. He felt that if he didn’t feed Xia Rong, given his current shy demeanor, he would probably just bury his face in the bowl and eat.

In the past few days, Shen Xiangyan had replaced the herbal tea Xia Rong drank daily with beneficial red date tea. In Fengyu Kingdom, in households with some status, if such a situation arose, the couple would have to sleep separately. Xia Rong mentioned it quietly once, but before he could finish, Shen Xiangyan rejected the idea. How could he and Xiaorong sleep separately? Fortunately, in Shen’s household, they were the only masters, so no one could say anything.

Xia Rong naturally listened to the Lord in everything, and Xia Rong didn’t want to sleep separately from the Lord in the first place. Now, sleeping beside his Lord at night was like sleeping next to a natural heater. Xia Rong felt especially warm and secure every night. So, after mentioning it once and being opposed by the Lord, he naturally wouldn’t bring it up again. Thus, the two of them continued to cuddle together every night.

After Xia Rong’s first menstruation, it was time to prepare for the New Year. This was Shen Xiangyan’s first New Year in this time and space, and it was also their first New Year together. There were many things to prepare for the New Year, but fortunately, Shen Xiangyan was enthusiastic about it. He personally supervised every aspect of the preparation, determined to ensure that their first New Year together would be flawless and without any mishaps.

Shen Xiangyan didn’t understand many of the customs for celebrating the New Year in this place, but fortunately, there were the Feng family and the Chen family. They were experienced elders, and with their guidance, Shen Xiangyan easily caught on and directed everyone in their tasks. Under Shen Xiangyan’s arrangements, Xiangzilai’s business also started a pre-New Year’s sales event, such as buying perfume and receiving fragrant ointment for free, deluxe perfume gift sets with more exquisite packaging, and even receiving a lottery ticket for every fifty-two purchased, and so on. This promotion doubled Xiangzilai’s profits for the month before the New Year.

On the 23rd of the twelfth month, it was the day the Kitchen God ascended to heaven. Early in the morning, Rong prepared some sacrificial sugar made from corn and millet mixed with roasted sesame. As dusk fell, Shen Xiangyan took his family to the kitchen, set up the altar, lit the incense burner, and offered various prepared offerings and fruits. After burning incense, they burned the Kitchen God’s image and the paper horse, symbolizing sending off the Kitchen God to report to the Jade Emperor, hoping for auspiciousness and safety for the family in the coming year.

Then they could distribute the prepared sacrificial sugar for everyone to eat. Xia Rong deliberately put a piece into Lord’s mouth. Shen Xiangyan, who didn’t particularly like sweets, didn’t stop him. The sweet taste mixed with the fragrance of sesame melted in his mouth, and he surprisingly found it quite enjoyable.

On the 24th of the twelfth month, also known as Dust Sweeping Day, it was a busy day for everyone in the mansion. Although Shen’s mansion only had two masters so far, and there weren’t many servants needed for daily service, during this end-of-year cleaning, they found that they didn’t have enough hands. They not only had to clean various utensils and wash bedding and curtains but also had to sweep every corner of the courtyard spotlessly clean. Even Shen Xiangyan and Xia Rong helped out on this day. Of course, under the servants’ repeated objections, the two masters ultimately only did some light tasks, but let’s not mention that.

In the following days, the household had to purchase a large amount of New Year goods every day, including various snacks, dried fruits, as well as poultry and fish. Shen Xiangyan also bought a large piece of fresh venison in town, planning to cook it fresh on the thirtieth day of the month. The mansion also invited people from the Embroidered Pavilion to make several sets of new clothes for Xia Rong and Shen Xiangyan. Even each servant was provided with two sets of new clothes.

As the days passed quickly, on the thirtieth day of the month, Shen Xiangyan and Xia Rong got up early to change into their new clothes. They then put up Spring Festival couplets and auspicious banners together, and pasted the New Year paintings cut from red paper by He Xin and He Miao one by one. Red lanterns of various sizes were hung throughout the mansion, creating a festive atmosphere.

On this day, the Shen family prepared twenty-two dishes. Before the meal, the servants bowed to the two masters and offered blessings. Shen Xiangyan and Xia Rong then distributed red envelopes filled with silver coins to everyone. The servants who received the red envelopes were all smiling happily. After these rituals, dinner began. The New Year’s Eve dinner was a tradition, and with so many dishes, everyone surely couldn’t finish them all, but what mattered was the joy and bustle of the occasion.

After dinner, Shen Xiangyan wrapped Xia Rong in a blanket and let him sit on his lap. They listened to the crackling of firecrackers outside together as they welcomed the New Year. Shen Xiangyan fed Xia Rong chestnuts one by one, watching him chew like a little squirrel. At this moment, he felt that the emptiness of his thirty years in his previous life had been filled in these few months. Tonight, as they welcomed the New Year together, the happiness in their hearts was so full it was about to overflow. Shen Xiangyan kissed Xia Rong, who still had bits of chestnut on his mouth, and then continued to feed him.

By the time it was close to midnight, Xia Rong was already nodding off. It was understandable; they would have been asleep by this time on a usual night. Shen Xiangyan gently tapped Xia Rong’s nose and asked with a smile, “Rong’er, should I carry you back to sleep first?”

Xia Rong’s face was full of disagreement when he was awakened. He hugged Lord’s neck tightly, refusing with a clear intent, “No, I want to stay up for the New Year with Lord.”

“Alright, alright, then Rong’er won’t sleep. Let’s stay up together.” That night, he selfishly wanted Xia Rong to stay with him. Afraid that Xia Rong would doze off, Shen Xiangyan asked He Xin to fetch some fireworks sticks, and they set them off in the courtyard.

Until they heard the distant, melodious tolling of the twelve o’clock bells, Xia Rong abandoned the still-burning fireworks stick in his hand and ran towards him. Against the backdrop of the increasingly loud firecrackers, Shen Xiangyan heard Xia Rong’s slightly soft voice saying loudly to him, “Happy New Year.” At that moment, Shen Xiangyan clearly heard his heartbeat. It was fast and powerful, like a deer running flat on the ground. He hugged Xia Rong as he ran towards him, and he heard his own voice, “Rong’er, thank you, and Happy New Year.”

Xia Rong was carried into the room by Lord. When he was placed on the bed, he was still thinking about what New Year gift Lord had for him. Just now, when Shen Xiangyan picked him up, he whispered something about having a surprise as his New Year gift. Seeing Shen Xiangyan take out a key from the small cabinet on his dressing table and use it to unlock a hidden compartment on the side of the bed, Xia Rong looked at the inconspicuous pear wood box in confusion.

“Rong’er, this is our family’s assets. I’m entrusting it to you from now on.” After saying this, Shen Xiangyan took out a smaller key from the dark green embroidered lotus-patterned purse Xia Rong made for him and placed it in Xia Rong’s hand.

Curiously, Xia Rong used the small key to unlock the copper lock on the pear wood box. Inside, there were five one-thousand-liang and three one-hundred-liang silver notes, as well as the title deed for the current residence and the contracts for the servants in the mansion.

Wide-eyed, Xia Rong stared at the pile of items. He couldn’t believe there was so much money in the house. Startled, Xia Rong closed the wooden box with a snap. “Lord, I can’t handle these. It’s better if you manage them yourself.”

Shen Xiangyan put his index finger on Xia Rong’s lips and made a “shh” gesture. “Darling, other wives in other families fight to manage these things. But when it comes to my darling, I have to take the initiative to hand them over, and you even refuse them.”

Xia Rong looked conflicted. He wanted to continue declining, but Shen Xiangyan continued, “Furthermore, this is my New Year gift to you. In the future, when I earn money, I’ll give it all to you. Won’t it be nice if you save them up?”

Seeing Xia Rong remain silent, Shen Xiangyan asked, “Rong’er, don’t you like my gift?”

“It’s not that, I…”

“Since it’s not, it means you accept it. No backing out. Remember to give me pocket money regularly from now on.” Shen Xiangyan patiently continued, “Think about it, if I need money and it’s in your hands, could you refuse me?” Xia Rong immediately shook his head. “In that case, what’s the difference in who keeps this box, right?”

Feeling a bit duped, Xia Rong reluctantly accepted the box, thinking that he was just helping Lord manage it. He reasoned that when the Lord needed money, he would definitely give it to him. After locking the box again and returning it to the hidden compartment, he placed one key back on the dressing table and hid the other key close to himself. Xia Rong thought to himself how fortunate it was that the hidden compartment was in the bed. Otherwise, he would have worried even about sleeping.

That night, Shen Xiangyan held Xia Rong in his arms. Even after Xia Rong fell asleep, Shen Xiangyan found himself unable to sleep. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to sleep; his body just wouldn’t let him. He smelled Xia Rong’s scent and gazed at the curtains on the bed and the plate of venison on the table. How could he have eaten so little? He had eaten so much; it was practically a death sentence. Originally, he could endure just hugging and kissing each night, but now, it seemed he was suffering the consequences of his own actions.

Unable to sleep, Young Master Shen carefully got up to avoid waking Xia Rong. After relieving himself behind the screen, he returned to bed to continue holding Xia Rong. As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn’t help but think that such aphrodisiacs were off-limits until his little husband grew up. It was unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable.