Time Traveling: the Only Beloved Husband

The next day, Shen Xiangyan took Xia Rong down the mountain in a carriage to return home. As soon as they arrived at the residence, a servant informed Shen Xiangyan that Shen An was waiting for him in the front hall with several managers. Shen Xiangyan frowned slightly upon hearing this. Reluctantly, he squeezed Xia Rong’s small hand and kissed his little cheek before unwillingly giving up on the idea of immediately going back to their room to study the small picture book together with his little husband.

Although Xia Rong sensitively noticed that his husband was unusually clingy today, he simply thought that Shen Xiangyan didn’t want to be apart from him. Little did he know that his long-abstinent “wolf” of a husband was eagerly planning to whisk him away to their nest, just waiting to fatten him up before enjoying the feast.

Back at the Begonia Courtyard, Xia Rong changed into loose casual clothes with the help of He Xin and He Miao. He then went to the yard to check on the two rabbits that his husband had bought for him when they first got married. Little White and Little Grey had definitely plumped up since they were first brought home. Luckily, they were originally chosen as pets suitable for the household, so they hadn’t grown out of proportion. They remained just as adorable and endearing as ever.

Having not seen them for two days, Xia Rong took the time to smooth the fur of each rabbit and fed them some vegetable leaves placed nearby. After washing his hands, he dragged out the chest his husband had bought for him from under the bed and pulled out an unread storybook. Curling up on the soft couch, he began reading. Xia Rong was recently engrossed in a story from “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio,” a tale about the love between a human and a ghost. He became so absorbed in the story that before he knew it, it was already time for dinner.

When He Xin and He Miao came to remind him that it was time for dinner, Xia Rong realized that his husband hadn’t come back all afternoon. Pouting unhappily, he asked, “Is my husband still busy?”

“Shen An left with his people a quarter of an hour ago, but the young master is still in the study. Should I go call him?” He Xin replied, her head bowed.

“No need, I’ll go find him myself.” Xia Rong put on his shoes and headed to the study to find his husband. Seeing their master jogging out the door, He Xin and He Miao quickly followed, fearing he might accidentally trip or fall.

Just as Shen Xiangyan finished putting away the account books that Shen An had brought over and stepped out of the study, he saw a figure in a snow-blue robe rush into his arms. The small, soft body burrowed into his embrace. Before he could see the face, he smelled the same faint white orchid fragrance that lingered on himself, which eased some of his fatigue from handling affairs all afternoon.

“Are you done with your work, husband? It’s time for dinner. I heard from He Xin that there’s sweet and sour ribs tonight, your favorite.” The voice was muffled since the speaker’s face was buried in his chest, but Shen Xiangyan heard it clearly. Knowing that his little husband wanted him to join for dinner, he happily accepted and instructed the servant to “set the meal,” then lifted his small husband and headed to the dining hall.

Being lifted in his husband’s arms in front of so many servants, Xia Rong opened his mouth but ultimately resigned himself to burying his head in his husband’s chest, pretending not to notice. Shen Xiangyan found this adorable, his heart melting at the sight. Although he was tempted to take him back to Begonia Courtyard right away and teach him some less-than-innocent things, he decided to feed him first, considering the weight in his arms.

After they finished dinner and bathed separately, Shen Xiangyan sat on the bed with Xia Rong nestled in his arms, his chin resting on his shoulder. He opened the book in front of Xia Rong, revealing clear and colorful drawings of different positions, each accompanied by detailed annotations on how to control oneself to avoid premature ejaculation and ensure the pleasure of the partner. What surprised him was that the illustrations depicted two men, but upon further thought, he realized it wasn’t so strange considering the existence of same-sex relationships in this era.

Xia Rong blushed and turned his head away after flipping through a few pages, refusing to look further. Shen Xiangyan, on the other hand, meticulously examined each page. Although he knew from his previous life that he was attracted to men and was aware of the sexual dynamics between men, he was curious about the differences between men and twins in this regard. Thus, this book proved to be quite helpful for him.

As Xia Rong closed his eyes, his mind was filled with images of the two figures intertwined intimately on the pages. He was momentarily overwhelmed by a rush of emotions, but as he calmed down, he suddenly realized that he and his husband hadn’t consummated their marriage yet. He wondered what had kept his husband from touching him for so long.

Shen Xiangyan quickly noticed Xia Rong’s unease and thought he might have been frightened, so he asked him what was wrong. Xia Rong bit his lip, recalling the words his husband had said to him yesterday. “Has my husband refrained from consummating our marriage for so long?”

Shen Xiangyan hesitated for a moment before explaining with a smile that it was because Xia Rong was still too young, and he was afraid that consummating their marriage too early would not be good for his health. Xia Rong first felt relieved upon hearing this, then deeply moved. Knowing that his husband had refrained from touching him for so long out of concern for his well-being, he felt there was no other husband in the world like him.

“Is Rong’er worried that I’m not interested in you? That’s really unfair to me, Rong’er. You have no idea how I’ve endured all this time. When you turn sixteen, I’ll make sure you know how much I desire you.” With a mischievous grin, he deliberately thrust forward, letting Xia Rong feel him. Though there was a lamb horn lamp lit in the room, it wasn’t as bright as during the day. In the dim light, Xia Rong couldn’t help but feel a sense of danger in his husband’s smile.

Due to their close proximity, the presence of something pressing against his back was particularly noticeable. If he had been unaware of what it was before, the recent content he had seen was still deeply ingrained in his mind. How could he not know what was pressing against him now? He stiffened, unsure of what to do.

Shen Xiangyan seemed to have a peculiar fondness for watching Xia Rong’s blush deepen, finding it even more endearing than usual. Thinking about the positions in the book that wouldn’t require him to deflower Xia Rong, he couldn’t resist teasing him, whispering in his ear, “Rong’er, it’s been hard for me to restrain myself. Can you help me out a bit?”

With that, he took Xia Rong’s small, limp hand and guided it towards himself. Xia Rong was startled by the sensation of his hand and instinctively tried to pull back, but Shen Xiangyan held onto him. “Rong’er, please help me. I’m really uncomfortable. Please.” His voice, slightly hoarse, sent shivers down Xia Rong’s spine. And so, Xia Rong was reluctantly persuaded by Shen Xiangyan to engage in an intimate moment. By the time the musky scent filled the air, Xia Rong’s hands were sore from exhaustion, and he didn’t even have the strength to complain.

Originally, Shen Xiangyan had considered going for another round, but seeing Xia Rong in this state made him feel sorry for him. He decided to let it go. Glancing at the illustrated book of different poses, he felt a bit restless, knowing there were still many positions to try in the future. However, he managed to restrain himself in the end. He called for a servant to bring water and cleaned himself up a bit before delicately wiping Xia Rong’s hands. Then, he extinguished the lamp, kissed Xia Rong’s forehead, and nestled the tired little husband in his arms to sleep.