Chapter 49.1

Qin Qingman noticed the brief flash of shyness in Wei Ling’s expression, but she nodded firmly in the end. “The hot water isn’t enough, and boiling more would be too much trouble. Let’s wash together. Afterward, we can get on the kang quickly; Chuchu is still waiting for us.”

From the west room, Chuchu’s voice came in a timely manner: “Sis, Brother-in-law, hurry up! If you don’t come soon, I’ll fall asleep.”

“Then go ahead and sleep.” Qin Qingman quickly responded, taking the opportunity to ease her own nervousness.

Seeing how openly Qin Qingman was acting, Wei Ling, of course, didn’t refuse.

He moved a small stool and sat down opposite her, rolling up his pants cuffs, then took off his shoes and socks. A few seconds later, his feet were revealed. “Wife, should I take your shoes off?” he asked, not planning to put his feet in the basin first.

“I’ll do it myself, you go ahead and wash. The water will get cold soon.”

Qin Qingman couldn’t bring herself to have Wei Ling take off her shoes, so she quickly took matters into her own hands.

The foot basin was wooden, large, about two feet high, and could hold plenty of water. After removing her shoes and socks, Qin Qingman placed her feet on the edge of the basin and rolled up her pants cuffs.

She was wearing thick cotton pants for winter, which looked bulky, but once the cuffs were rolled up, her slender, fair calves were revealed—smooth and well-proportioned, very beautiful.

Wei Ling couldn’t help but watch Qin Qingman. Of course, he noticed her tempting calves.

“Ah Ling, hurry up and wash.” Qin Qingman, noticing that Wei Ling’s feet were still not in the basin, knew he was waiting for her. She didn’t want to drag it out, so she placed both her feet in the basin. The water was pleasantly warm, covering her feet and easing the discomfort of having worn shoes all day.

Soaking her feet in the winter not only improved circulation but also brought a sense of relaxation, and she urged Wei Ling to quickly put his feet in as well.

The basin was big enough that even with both pairs of feet in it, they wouldn’t be cramped.

This was how she usually washed her feet with Chuchu.

Wei Ling’s gaze remained fixed on Qin Qingman’s feet. Unlike the delicate feet of noblewomen from centuries ago, her feet weren’t large, but rather naturally small, with perfect bones, even muscles, and a graceful appearance.

Her toenails were healthy, a soft pink color.

Though Qin Qingman appeared calm, she was extremely sensitive to Wei Ling’s gaze. As soon as his eyes lingered on her feet for a moment, her face flushed, and her toes turned pink. Embarrassed and irritated, she quickly kicked him with her foot.

“Mm.” Wei Ling snapped out of his thoughts and hurriedly placed his own feet in the basin.

The warm water felt incredibly soothing on Wei Ling’s feet. He felt as though his entire body was being elevated, and a lazy smile spread across his face.

Qin Qingman washed her feet daily, so they were impeccably clean. At that moment, she was too lazy to use her hands to stir the water, so she alternated between resting her left foot on her right and her right foot on her left, gently stirring the water with her feet.

This action caused the water in the basin to ripple.

The ripples splashed over to Wei Ling’s feet.

Wei Ling glanced at his feet, then finally decided to go ahead and rub them. His feet weren’t particularly dirty, but the rubbing helped to relax the muscles.

While Wei Ling was focused on washing his own feet, Qin Qingman’s gaze quietly shifted to his feet.

His feet were much larger than hers and noticeably longer. She had assumed his feet would be rough, like his hands, with calluses, but to her surprise, they were smooth and white, only slightly darker than her own. The two pairs of feet, side by side in the warm water, created a harmonious, almost couple-like aesthetic.

This made Qin Qingman feel a bit warm.

Wei Ling finished washing his feet quickly, in just a minute, then looked at Qin Qingman’s feet. “Wife, let me massage your feet?” he asked.

“No need.”

Qin Qingman was too shy to let Wei Ling wash her feet, so she quickly raised her foot, preparing to dry it and put on her shoes.

“Wife, massaging the acupressure points on your feet can help prevent frostbite and relieve fatigue.” Wei Ling said, not giving her a chance to refuse. He gently grabbed her left foot.

“Mm!”

Qin Qingman was startled, her scalp tingling, but she understood Wei Ling’s intention. She wasn’t sure how to decline.

“Wife, I’ll be gentle.” Wei Ling assured her. At that moment, he had no ulterior thoughts; he simply wanted to massage her feet.

After living in this world for a year, he had changed in many ways.

Had he still been the noble heir from his past life, he would never have washed anyone’s feet. But when it came to Qin Qingman, he was more than willing. In fact, he saw washing her feet as a way to strengthen their bond.

“Alright… fine.” Qin Qingman finally relented. Her left foot was already in his hands, and rejecting him at this point would have felt insincere, so she nodded and gave in.

“Wife, I’ll be careful not to hurt you.”

Wei Ling thought that Qin Qingman was afraid of pain, so he comforted her and then began to wash and massage her feet.

The hot water, along with Wei Ling’s fingers skillfully applying varying pressure, really helped to relieve fatigue.

As soon as Qin Qingman felt a few presses, she immediately recognized the benefit and looked at Wei Ling with bright eyes as he continued massaging her feet.

Her small and beautiful feet, calloused from work, obediently let him move them however he wished.

A few seconds later, Qin Qingman was so comfortable that her toes curled involuntarily.

Those who had never had their feet massaged could never understand just how wonderful it was. This comfort, starting from the feet and reaching the heart, made the entire body relax.

Wei Ling didn’t massage one foot for long, only about a minute, before placing it back in the foot basin, allowing the hot water to soothe it.

Now, there was no need for Wei Ling to do anything more. Qin Qingman naturally placed her right foot in his palm. Although her face was still a little red, it was as if a boundary had been moved—once the limit was pushed back, everything became much easier.

Wei Ling glanced at Qin Qingman affectionately, then silently began to massage her right foot.

Once done, he took a foot towel from the side and carefully dried the water off Qin Qingman’s feet, then applied clam oil to them.

Clam oil was a great, affordable product that everyone could use as a winter moisturizer.

“Ah Ling, you should put some clam oil on your feet too.” Qin Qingman said, noticing that Wei Ling had finished wiping her feet and was about to put on slippers. She hurriedly reminded him.

In the northeastern region, there was no such thing as overprotecting one’s hands and feet.

“Okay.” Wei Ling paused for a second before happily accepting the clam oil that Qin Qingman handed to him.

“Ah Ling, I knitted you a pair of woolen socks. Let me go get them for you. It’s cold here, and we should wear socks before bed.” Qin Qingman said as she tidied herself up, washed her hands, and then went into the western room.

Wei Ling hadn’t expected Qin Qingman to knit him socks. He glanced at the new slippers by the foot basin and couldn’t help but smile.

The more his wife cared for him, the happier he felt.

Qin Qingman quickly returned, holding a pair of brand new woolen socks. She had knitted them during her free time.

Wei Ling took the soft socks with warmth spreading through his heart.

He knew that his wife cared deeply for him.

After putting on the new socks, Wei Ling didn’t let Qin Qingman do anything else. He carried the heavy foot basin outside to empty the water. Afterward, he filled it with fresh water and cleaned it thoroughly before bringing it back to the living room and adding a scoop of clean water.

The living room often required a stove fire to keep warm, and with the high temperature and dry air, the wooden foot basin’s seams were prone to cracking. Only by placing water in the basin could it prevent leakage.

“Ah Ling, let’s go back to the room.”

As Wei Ling was tidying up the foot basin, Qin Qingman also closed off the stove.

“Mhm, let’s go.” After washing his hands, Wei Ling dried them and went to take the oil lamp.

Ever since the last time Qin Qingman nearly burned her hand on the flame, Wei Ling had always been the one to handle the oil lamp last.

“I bought a kerosene lamp last time. We’ll switch to it tomorrow.” Qin Qingman said to Wei Ling, who was holding the oil lamp.

The kerosene lamp, with its lampshade, was windproof and prevented oil from splashing, making it much safer and more convenient for Chuchu. Qin Qingman had long wanted to replace their oil lamp with one.

“Okay, we’ll switch it tomorrow. If it’s not enough, we can go buy more. The Supply and Marketing Cooperative in town should have some.” Wei Ling said after checking the doors and windows, following Qin Qingman back to their room.

As soon as they entered the western room, they saw Chuchu, who had already fallen asleep.

No wonder the room felt so quiet—it turned out the little one had fallen asleep after being too warm in bed.

“Chuchu will definitely blame you tomorrow.” Qin Qingman smiled, glancing at Wei Ling.

Wei Ling felt wronged. He hadn’t delayed for long, but who knew the child would fall asleep so easily? It seemed he would have to apologize tomorrow. After thinking for a moment, he said, “We’ll make ice lanterns tomorrow.” Since they had already brought back the ice, it would be a shame not to turn it into something.

“Okay, we’ll make ice lanterns tomorrow.”

Qin Qingman still had a childlike spirit. She wasn’t sure if making ice lanterns was popular in this era, but she knew that in later years, Harbin’s ice lanterns were very famous.

Every winter, Harbin became a magical winter wonderland with various ice lanterns and ice sculptures.

With Chuchu asleep, it was impossible for the couple to go to bed so early. It was probably not even eight o’clock yet. The child had likely fallen asleep so early from exhaustion after a full day of play, but for the adults, the night had only just begun.

Qin Qingman glanced at the two bedding sets lying next to each other. After sharing a bed with Wei Ling the previous night, she had come to accept the idea of sleeping together.

She took off her shoes, put on her freshly changed socks, and climbed into bed.

“Ah Ling, let’s do some more knitting.” Qin Qingman instructed Wei Ling.

“Okay.” Wei Ling placed the oil lamp on the bed’s headboard and climbed into bed as well.

The couple sat facing each other on the bed, starting to knit while speaking softly. There were many things to discuss—things they had bought for the home that still needed to be organized, as well as the plan to repair the house next year. They had countless topics to talk about.

“Wife, I noticed we don’t have a wardrobe. Should we buy a large freestanding wardrobe?”

Wei Ling looked at the only table in the room, which was piled high with things, and then glanced at the large wooden chest at the end of the bed.

He had only brought a portion of his belongings from the dormitory, leaving many items behind. If he brought everything, there wouldn’t be enough space to store them without a wardrobe.

Qin Qingman followed Wei Ling’s gaze to the wooden chest.

This large wooden chest had belonged to her parents when they got married. It was over twenty years old, but it had been well-maintained. Though it was the color of raw wood, it still looked as if it were new. She believed it could last for another hundred years without any issues.

However, the chest did have its limitations.

All their clothes had to be folded to fit, and if they accumulated too much, there wouldn’t be enough room. The fabric they had bought earlier now had to be placed on top of the chest, covered with clean old cloths to protect it from dust.

“I remember there’s someone in the village who makes wardrobes, and their workmanship is really good. We don’t need to buy one; I’ll go over tomorrow to talk to them. We can order a batch of furniture. Since it’s winter and there’s no field work, they should be able to finish it quickly.” Qin Qingman said. She trusted the craftsmanship of rural people and knew their work could be just as good, if not better, than what was available at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. The best part was that they could have the furniture tailored to their specific needs.

“Wife, then ask them tomorrow. We can prepare all the new furniture for the house in advance, and once the house is done next year, we can move in right away.”

Wei Ling’s eyes glowed with excitement as he spoke.

He was a normal man, and of course, he wanted his wife and child to be warm and comfortable at home.

Living in the Qin family’s house, even though they slept on the same kang, there was no way to break through the last barrier.

Qin Qingman looked into Wei Ling’s eyes and blushed. She could tell what he was longing for.

It was a normal man’s desire.

Qin Qingman nodded, silently agreeing with Wei Ling’s thoughts. They were married now, and sooner or later, they would take that final step.

When it came to the new house, both of them had their own ideas about its construction. In their minds, they each envisioned the perfect home.

Wei Ling thought about the grand Duke’s residence from his past life. Though they couldn’t build an entire Duke’s house, at least they could design a home that referenced his own courtyard, incorporating the local architectural style to create a house that matched his vision.

Qin Qingman also had her own ideas.

Although the Qin family house was relatively convenient, there were still many inconveniences for her, such as the toilet, the bathroom, the kitchen, and other small details that needed improvement. If she could design the new house herself, it would be far more comfortable to live in.

As their ideas took shape, the couple began to speak softly to each other.

With each exchange, their ideal home gradually took form in their minds.

“Once the house is built, we can plant all kinds of flowers in the yard. When they bloom, it will definitely be beautiful. We can even plant fruit trees, and when they bear fruit, we’ll be able to eat all kinds of fruits.” Qin Qingman said, her eyes sparkling with longing.

Her vision of the future was so beautiful that, for a moment, she stopped knitting the yarn in her hands.

“Okay, we’ll plant whatever you want.” Wei Ling replied.

His gaze towards Qin Qingman was filled with affection. He had originally thought that his vision for their home was already beautiful, but with his wife’s ideas added in, he felt that this would be the home they both loved. It would be more practical and even more beautiful.

The thought of it made him long to have their new home right now.

“Wife, I have a somewhat distant relationship with my family. We might live here on this land for many years. Do you regret it?” Wei Ling set the yarn aside and took Qin Qingman’s hand.

The better his wife was, the more he felt indebted.

“You silly.” Qin Qingman teased him, giving him a playful look. She extended a slender finger to poke his forehead and said, “I’m from this land. It gave birth to me and raised me, how could I ever hate it?”

Though the winters on this land were long and cold, when spring came, everything would come to life, revealing the most beautiful scenery.

Having seen the prosperity of the future, Qin Qingman didn’t feel that she was sacrificing anything. She loved this land.

“Wife, I was the one who was foolish.” Wei Ling said, understanding her passion for this land as soon as she poked his forehead.

Wrapping his hand around Qin Qingman’s finger, he drew closer to her.

At the sound of Wei Ling moving closer, Qin Qingman instinctively glanced at the side where Chuchu lay. The child was lying flat, limbs sprawled out, making the cutest little snores. He wasn’t in the slightest bit disturbed by the conversation between Qin Qingman and Wei Ling.

“Wife.” Wei Ling murmured, pulling Qin Qingman into his embrace.

“Ah… Ah Ling, it’s getting late. Let’s sleep.” Qin Qingman said, her heart racing at each of Wei Ling’s closeness. His looks, his scent, his build—everything about him drew her in deeply, and she worried she might lose control and push him down.

Wei Ling lowered his eyelids, gazing down at Qin Qingman as she leaned against his chest.

His wife wasn’t particularly short, but when held in his arms, she always felt delicate and small.

Perhaps it was because her frame wasn’t large and she appeared slender, but when in his arms, she felt surprisingly full.

“Wife, can you sleep?” Wei Ling suddenly whispered in Qin Qingman’s ear.

Qin Qingman’s face flushed bright red.

She glared at Wei Ling shyly, and after a moment, a smile spread across her face. “Ah Ling.” her voice trailed off at the end, rising enticingly in a way that made one’s heart itch.

Now, it was Wei Ling’s turn to feel his heart race. With anticipation, his gaze lingered on Qin Qingman’s red lips.

Her lips were full, a soft pink color.

They looked so tempting that he wanted to kiss them.

As this thought crossed his mind, Wei Ling slowly lowered his head.

With his handsome face drawing closer and closer, Qin Qingman, red-faced and nervous, felt her palms sweating. She waited for the impending contact.

But in the end, Wei Ling’s lips stopped just beside hers.

They didn’t touch, but they were so close, almost there.

They could both feel each other’s breath, and the beats of each other’s hearts.

“Wife, it’s late. Let’s sleep.” Wei Ling said, pulling back just in time.

Qin Qingman couldn’t believe that Wei Ling had done something like that. Looking into his eyes, she saw a trace of amusement, and it dawned on her that she had been teased. But now, how could she let him have the last laugh?

Her eyes curved into a sweet smile. “Okay, let’s sleep.”

As she finished speaking, her finger casually brushed across Wei Ling’s chest.

The room was comfortably warm, and neither of them wore thick clothes. Wei Ling, in particular, wore only a green shirt, and as Qin Qingman’s finger slid across his chest, his muscles tensed, and a tingling sensation spread throughout his body.

This side of Qin Qingman was something Wei Ling had never seen before.

This side was enchanting, and also tempting.

“Wife.” Wei Ling’s blood pressure rose, his breath becoming heavy with desire.

Qin Qingman did not respond to Wei Ling. Instead, her palm naturally brushed over his body as she sat down on her bed, beginning to remove her clothes.

A sweater came off, clumsily yet full of allure.

The faint, concealed curves only sparked further speculation.

Wei Ling’s eyes reddened slightly from the rising blood pressure. At that moment, he regretted it—regretted teasing Qin Qingman earlier. He had seen how shy she was and had wanted to tease her, but now, it seemed he had been the one teased. He had been ‘punished.’

His Wife was a bit too vengeful.

Underneath the sweater, Qin Qingman wore a close-fitting undergarment. It wasn’t tight, but neither was it loose. Without the sweater’s cover, her curves were fully revealed.

Her good figure was now exposed to Wei Ling’s gaze.

Wei Ling’s breath became even more rushed. He wanted to look away, but he couldn’t bring himself to.

“Ah Ling, take your clothes off and let’s sleep.” Qin Qingman’s big, watery eyes were filled with allure, still teasing him.

Had it not been for Chuchu sleeping not far away, Wei Ling truly would have pounced on his Wife. How could she be so bad, how could she seduce him like this?

How could she make him love her so much?

His whole body was tense, and Wei Ling felt himself sweating.

But his Wife didn’t spare him. After taking off her clothes, Qin Qingman began removing her pants.

Her cotton pants were slowly pulled down…

“I’m going to the bathroom.” Wei Ling’s earlobes were now bright red, and he could no longer bear to look. He jumped down from the bed, hurriedly put on his slippers, and rushed out of the room. He needed to calm down—if he stayed even a second longer, he might end up with a nosebleed from his excitement.

At the same time, he knew Qin Qingman was retaliating. She would never really strip in front of him. Even if she did, her cotton pants were still there, with an extra layer of underwear underneath. He absolutely wouldn’t see anything he shouldn’t.

Wei Ling’s rational mind understood that, but he couldn’t control his thoughts.

His mind was now filled with fantasies.

It was just like when he had caught a glimpse of her at the hot spring lake. Even though it had been a fleeting look, it had stayed with him. Every time he saw Qin Qingman, that image would uncontrollably resurface in his mind.

His Wife was a temptress.

With a face as pure as an angel, a temptress.

Wei Ling stood outside the house, trying to calm himself. Inside, Qin Qingman quickly removed her cotton pants and crawled into bed.

Her face was as red as an apple.

Although she had seemed calm and collected while ‘punishing’ Wei Ling earlier, her fingers had been trembling. If it hadn’t been for a surge of ‘courage’ holding her back, she would have exposed herself long ago.

Covering her face, Qin Qingman marveled at the situation.

She had never imagined that one day she would retaliate against her own husband in such a way.

It was, in fact, quite amusing.

From Wei Ling’s reaction, it seemed he didn’t have much experience either. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so clumsy, struggling to figure out their emotions.

Thinking of this, Qin Qingman couldn’t help but laugh.

At the same time, she pulled the blanket over her head.

Wei Ling didn’t stay outside for long. The outdoor temperature was well below freezing, around minus twenty degrees, and standing out there for a minute or two helped him regain his composure.

He quietly closed the door and returned to the west room.

Instead of immediately jumping into bed, he began tidying up the yarn. Once the yarn was neatly put away, the chill in his body had faded. Only then did he prepare to get into bed and sleep.

He wore a sleeveless undershirt under his shirt.

It was perfectly fine to sleep in just the undershirt after removing the shirt. In those days, no one was particular about changing into sleepwear. With the scarcity of resources, few people had fancy pajamas.

Wei Ling folded his shirt neatly, then glanced at his pants. Ultimately, he didn’t remove them right away. Instead, he blew out the oil lamp and, sensing that Qin Qingman was not yet asleep, took off his pants in the dark.

After being seduced by his Wife once, he wasn’t quite as confident anymore.

Just as he was about to close his eyes and fall asleep, a hot body rolled into his blanket.

Facing Qin Qingman’s body pressing closer to his, Wei Ling’s body, which had just calmed down, immediately became charged with energy again.

He opened his eyes in the dark, his hands clenching into fists.

He knew his Wife’s ‘punishment’ wasn’t over yet.

In the darkness, Qin Qingman didn’t speak. Instead, she pressed her body tightly against Wei Ling’s, her arms wrapping around him to hold him, much like she would hold her large cushion in a past life, even her legs entwining with his.

There’s a saying in later generations: as long as you’re not embarrassed, it’s others who will feel embarrassed.

Qin Qingman thought that as long as she was unaffected, it was the others who would be.

After all, she would have to get used to it sooner or later.

Now that she had come to terms with it, Qin Qingman hugged Wei Ling, trying to calm her racing heart. She slowly closed her eyes, trusting the man she was holding.

Her breath was filled with Wei Ling’s scent, a strong, masculine scent.

It was intoxicating, yet comforting.

Qin Qingman’s heartbeat, which had been racing, gradually slowed down, returning to normal, and soon, she fell into a peaceful sleep.

Qin Qingman had fallen asleep, but Wei Ling kept his eyes open, staring at the dark ceiling and smiling.

His relationship with his Wife had taken another step forward.

Although it had been tormenting, it brought him an incomparable sense of peace.