Chapter 46: Brown Sugar Ginger Tea

On most people’s wedding night, it’s like a fire fueled by dry wood, but on Jiang Qian and Han Shiguo’s wedding night, the two simply held each other and slept peacefully.

However, since they had napped quite a bit in the afternoon, they weren’t feeling too sleepy just yet.

As they lay down, they started chatting.

Jiang Qian was nestled in Han Shiguo’s arms, and she began talking about her high school days.

But she didn’t say much, mostly listening to Han Shiguo talk about his years in the army.

She actually enjoyed listening to these stories quite a lot.

But when Jiang Qian heard about the dangers Han Shiguo faced during his missions, her heart skipped a beat.

“Don’t worry, it’s all part of the job,” Han Shiguo said with a comforting smile.

Jiang Qian, however, couldn’t bring herself to smile. Leaning against his chest, she said, “When you’re out there, you have to be extra careful. You’re not alone anymore—you have me, and in the future, we’ll have children too. You need to think about us.”

Han Shiguo’s heart softened. “I know. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll grow old with you.”

Regretting that he’d scared her by bringing up such topics, he quickly changed the subject. “There are plenty of fun things that happen during our training too…”

Jiang Qian quietly listened as Han Shiguo spoke, occasionally asking a question or two. Since there wasn’t much else they could do, they simply lay under the covers, chatting.

But even so, the feeling was quite different.

And Han Shiguo wasn’t as well-behaved as he seemed. He didn’t want to be, either—after all, this was his wife, whom he had rightfully married and brought home. Even if nothing serious could happen, he still wanted to enjoy some “interest.”

What had started as an intention to sleep peacefully eventually stirred some passion before they finally settled down.

That night, without a doubt, was the sweetest one Han Shiguo had experienced since becoming an adult.

It was only after having a wife that he realized just how wonderfully fragrant she was, and how comforting it felt to hold her while sleeping!

It was no wonder that Han Shiguo’s married comrades had always advised him, saying that arranged marriages weren’t necessarily a bad thing.

In the freezing cold, having a wife beside you in bed was a completely different experience. They urged him to marry quickly—staying single forever wasn’t the way to go.

Han Shiguo hadn’t understood that before, but now he did. They were right—having a wife was indeed wonderful!

Before getting married, Jiang Qian always slept alone. Only during the coldest months, around November and December, would she call her niece Jiang Weihong to sleep with her, because otherwise, it was simply too cold.

But Jiang Qian felt like she would never be cold again—Han Shiguo was practically like a furnace.

Sometimes, she couldn’t help but try to move away from him, but he would always pull her back into his arms from behind. In moments like that, Jiang Qian found herself completely powerless to resist.

Being held from behind by him gave Jiang Qian an overwhelming sense of security!

But… his hands were a little too mischievous.

Jiang Qian gently took his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. “My stomach feels a bit uncomfortable. Can you rub it for me?” She was experiencing a slight, dull ache.

It wasn’t anything unusual for women—her monthly cycle was regular, but she still felt a bit of discomfort when it arrived.

“I’ll go make you some brown sugar ginger tea!” Han Shiguo immediately offered.

“No need,” Jiang Qian chuckled. “It’s so late already, don’t go to the trouble. I don’t even feel like drinking it right now. You can make it for me tomorrow.”

But Han Shiguo was already up, opening the cabinet to get the brown sugar. “It’s not that late—it’s not even eight o’clock yet. Just wait a minute.”

Han Shiguo took the brown sugar and went straight to the kitchen to make the ginger tea for her. His mother, who hadn’t gone to bed yet, heard the noise and came out to see what was going on. When she asked, she quickly understood the situation.

Looking at her son’s eager yet slightly awkward manner, she couldn’t help but find it amusing, though she didn’t say anything to his face. She just couldn’t resist telling Han Shiguo’s father about it afterward.

Han Shiguo’s father chuckled and said, “At his age, finally marrying a wife—let him be.”

To Han Shiguo’s father, who had married at seventeen, twenty-six indeed seemed like quite an age to finally settle down.

Han Shiguo’s mother, smiling, added, “Jiang Qian’s situation reminds me of when I married you. And you, you old rascal, didn’t make me any brown sugar ginger tea either!”

Back then, when she married Han Shiguo’s father, she’d also had her cycle at the time.

Han Shiguo’s father could only sigh, “…Talking is one thing, but why are you bringing up old stuff?”

“At that time, even having enough food was a problem. Where would I have found brown sugar to make you ginger tea?”

Han Shiguo’s mother reminisced with a heartfelt sigh, “True enough, we were really poor back then…”

And just like that, their conversation turned into a reflection on their hardships and sweet memories. They had indeed gone through hard times, but there were sweet moments, too.

“Shiguo is so filial, and he doesn’t want us working ourselves to the bone. He gives us a hundred a year. Old man, you should start taking it easy,” Han Shiguo’s mother said with a smile.

Her son’s thoughtfulness made his father just as happy. With a contented tone, Han Shiguo’s father replied, “I know my limits. When I can’t work anymore, I’ll stop. But for now, I’m still fine.”

“You just don’t want to admit you’re getting older.”

“I’m not even sixty yet. I’m not old at all. We’ll talk about it when I’m sixty,” Han Shiguo’s father said, feeling good about his health and having no concerns.

Meanwhile, after finishing the ginger tea, Han Shiguo brought it back to his wife.

Jiang Qian felt a bit embarrassed. She had overheard her mother-in-law’s voice earlier, so she knew her mother-in-law was aware of what was happening.

“Mother is actually happy that I know how to care for my wife. She even praised me,” Han Shiguo reassured her, trying to ease her embarrassment.

As a new bride, Jiang Qian wasn’t yet used to accepting such attention with ease. “Next time, don’t make this so late,” she said.

“Alright, I’ll make it for you earlier next time,” Han Shiguo agreed with a smile.

Jiang Qian drank the ginger tea while it was still warm, and sure enough, as the tea settled in her stomach, she felt a comforting warmth spread through her body.

Later, as they lay down to sleep, Han Shiguo gently massaged her belly and coaxed her softly, “Go to sleep now. Tomorrow, I’ll make you some steamed buns to eat.”

When Jiang Qian had her period, her body tended to get tired easily, so she soon fell asleep.

By the time she woke up, it was already the next day, and outside, the sound of Li Xia scolding and hitting her child could be heard.

She was disciplining her younger son, Han Jiawei.

The reason? Han Shiguo had gone out early in the morning to buy meat and was now making fresh, fragrant buns. The smell was irresistible, and Han Jiawei couldn’t help but beg for some.

However, since the family had split up the day before, Han Shiguo didn’t plan on sharing. He especially didn’t want to indulge his sister-in-law, Li Xia.

So, even though his nephew Han Jiawei was crying for the buns, Han Shiguo paid him no mind. He simply brought the steaming buns back inside.

“Wife, you’re awake?” Han Shiguo greeted her with a smile.

“What’s going on outside? Waking up so early just to scold the child?” Jiang Qian asked.

Han Shiguo chuckled and nodded towards the buns. Jiang Qian immediately understood, though like him, she didn’t plan on paying any attention to it.

Since they had already split up, it was time to keep things separate and let everyone live their own lives.

Besides, neither she nor Han Shiguo intended to live in hardship. Was she supposed to give in every time someone threw a tantrum?

If Li Xia had been a decent person, that would have been one thing, but on her very first day in the family, she had sent her daughter to assert dominance. And now she wanted to eat buns?

“Have you sent them to your parents yet?” Jiang Qian simply asked about his parents.

“I’ve already sent them,” Han Shiguo replied, of course not forgetting that detail.

Jiang Qian nodded and went out to brush her teeth and wash her face.

When Li Xia saw her come out, she started making sarcastic comments to her younger son, “Eating buns, eating buns… Do you think you’re that lucky?”

Jiang Qian remained calm, brushing her teeth and washing her face without paying any attention to her. Afterward, she went back to her room to eat her buns, completely ignoring Li Xia’s words.

Li Xia, on the other hand, was so furious that her face nearly twisted with anger!