The weather is getting colder day by day.

　　”Honey, come and warm your feet.” Gu Zhao pushed Zhou Zhou to sit down first.

　　There were only the couple in the room. Without his father, Li Zhouzhou and his husband were much more comfortable. Gu Zhao carried the hot water bucket, scooped a ladle of water from the gourd, and asked, “How’s the temperature, wife?”

　　”It’s okay, husband.” Li Zhouzhou shook his feet.

　　Gu Zhao then sat down and put his feet into the basin, hissing from the heat. Li Zhouzhou was anxious and asked, “Are you burned?” He then remembered that his husband had delicate skin and had never done farm work, unlike him who was thick-skinned and not afraid of heat.

　　”It’s cold so it’s better to have a higher temperature. That’s all.” Gu Zhao slowly put his feet on his wife’s feet. He sat on a small stool while Zhou Zhou sat on the kang. When he raised his eyes and smiled while talking, he looked a bit pitiful and well-behaved. “Zhou Zhou, don’t you mind?”

　　He also touched Zhou Zhou’s feet with his toes.

　　Li Zhouzhou didn’t care at all. The anxiety and self-blame in his heart disappeared, leaving only the itch.

　　There were only two wooden basins at home, one for washing faces, feet and clothes, one for the husband and one for the father. This was the life in the ancient countryside, and the Li family was much better off than many other families.

　　After soaking his feet, Gu Zhao went to pour water, and Li Zhouzhou rarely did not rush to do it.

　　Gu Zhao was still wondering why Zhou Zhou was so well behaved today. He was wearing a jacket and splashing water in the vegetable garden in the backyard. When he came back from soaking his feet in the hot water, they were already cold. He fastened the bolt on the main room door and went into the inner room.

　　There was an oil lamp on the desk, providing a dim light.

　　”Husband, turn off the lights and go to sleep.”

　　”good.”

　　Gu Zhao took off his clothes, turned off the oil lamp, and climbed onto the kang in the dark. He opened the quilt a little, and as soon as he entered, he felt warm air, and then –

　　”Zhou Zhou?” Gu Zhao was stunned.

　　On weekdays, they both wore underwear, underpants and underwear when they went to bed. Gu Zhao was still stunned by the touch at this moment, while Li Zhouzhou endured the shame and got into his husband’s arms.

　　”Husband.” Li Zhouzhou said in a very low voice.

　　This action today was even more embarrassing and bold than when he took off his clothes in the bridal chamber. But Li Zhouzhou just wanted to be nice to his husband and be intimate with him.

　　It’s been two days since I last did it.

　　Gu Zhao was so aroused that sparks spread in his heart. He leaned over to kiss Zhou Zhou’s lips in the dark, and imitated Zhou Zhou’s soft voice, saying, “Wife.”

　　The two voices were small and sticky, forming a small world under the quilt.

　　Li Zhouzhou was slowly filled up from his heart to his body by his husband.

　　The next day, Li Zhouzhou woke up late for a rare occasion. He stayed in bed with his husband for a while, and only got dressed when it was light outside the window. He said, “Husband, lie down for a while.”

　　”No, I’ll get up and move around and review my lessons.” Gu Zhao shook his head.

　　Zhou Zhou was busy running the household, he could not be lazy and just enjoy himself. If housework was Zhou Zhou’s job, then studying for the imperial examination was his job.

　　Li Zhouzhou handed the warm clothes to his husband.

　　The couple dressed. Li Zhouzhou opened the window to ventilate, folded the quilt, and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. The breakfast was simple, with grain porridge and pickles. Gu Zhao was exercising in the yard, carrying an empty wooden barrel and running laps to stretch his body.

　　After breakfast, the sky was bright and Gu Zhao sat by the window reading.

　　Li Zhouzhou fetched water, fed the pigs and chickens, and washed clothes. After breakfast, Li Da carried a bamboo basket into the mountains early in the morning, cutting grass for the pigs and chopping some firewood along the way.

　　At noon, Li Da came back carrying a basket of pig feed and a bundle of firewood in each hand.

　　”Dad, should I kill a chicken?”

　　Li Da unloaded the firewood and said, “Kill it, don’t feel sorry for the firewood.”

　　During the slack season, Li Da would go and chop firewood for the family. In autumn, there were many dry branches on the mountains, so Li Da would go to the mountains to pick up some and pile them in the firewood room next to the kitchen. There was enough firewood and it was piled high, but this was not for Gu Zhao’s health. As the weather got colder, it seemed that the kang would have to be heated earlier this year.

　　His son-in-law was weak and could not stand the cold. Li Da thought about going to chop two more bundles of firewood in the afternoon.

　　Li Zhouzhou listened to his father, boiled a pot of hot water, and went to the backyard with a knife to kill the chickens. The chickens fluttered their wings, and Li Zhouzhou, with his good eyesight, caught the one that didn’t lay eggs, clamped its two arms with one hand, and pulled it out of the chicken coop.

　　Cut the neck with a knife, release the chicken blood, and collect it in a bowl.