Chapter 30: We’ll Be Together Through Thick and Thin

Two red candles flickered in the cold kiln, their flames dancing erratically.

The low bed, built of rough stone, was cold and hard, draped with a dusty canopy patched with numerous repairs. Xu Wanning saw only that the canopy, though worn, was clean and tidy, with a faint scent of pine needles lingering in the air. As for the bed, it was a bit hard to sit on, but she had never seen anything like it before, and it felt quite novel.

They say that a beauty looks even more captivating under the light of a lamp. Xue Pinggui lifted her veil, revealing her shy and alluring face, and his heart skipped a beat.

It’s a pity it wasn’t Wang Baochuan marrying him. She would have been a vision of beauty, he thought wistfully.

“Xue Lang~” Xu Wanning’s voice, soft and melodious, sent shivers down his spine.

He sat down and carefully examined the beauty before him. Xu Wanning blushed under his gaze and shyly nestled in his arms.

“Wanning, will you regret marrying me?”

“Of course not. Being able to spend my life with Xue Lang is a dream come true.” Xu Wanning declared confidently.

Everything before her was as beautiful as a dream. How could she possibly regret it? It wasn’t just about angering her father and breaking ties with her family. Even if she had to betray the entire world, she would do it without hesitation.

Xue Pinggui held her tightly, and they slept together, fully clothed.

The next morning, Xu Wanning woke up early. She opened her eyes groggily, her whole body aching.

“Nuan Yu, I’m thirsty.”

She noticed that the person beside her immediately got up to get her water when he heard her voice.

Xue Pinggui poured her a cup of water in a dark brown porcelain bowl and carefully handed it to her. She saw Xue Pinggui and immediately woke up completely. Nuan Yu was still at the Xu Mansion and wasn’t with her.

“Wanning, drink some water.” He helped Xu Wanning sit up. A ripple of emotion ran through her heart. He was truly the man she loved, so kind to her.

In all of the world, where could one find a man so considerate of his wife?

She took a small sip. The water, left overnight, was cold, but her heart felt warm.

“Xue Lang, you’re so good to me.”

Thinking about how Xue Pinggui had wanted to be intimate with her last night, she felt a little scared. Xue Pinggui had immediately stopped and chosen to respect her, simply holding her and sleeping for the night. Her heart felt sweeter than honey.

In the morning, they ate some congee and mixed grain cakes. Xue Pinggui was worried that she wouldn’t like them, but she ate them with gusto. After all, she had never eaten such things at the Xu Mansion.

“Xue Lang, will you always be this good to me?”

“Of course, Wanning. If I ever betray you in this life, may I meet an untimely end.” Xue Pinggui held her close, promising with tender affection.

It started snowing in the capital again. The weather was very cold.

Wang Baochuan stood in her room, admiring the heavy snow outside. In her previous life, at this time, she was huddled in the cold kiln, burning charcoal that filled the air with choking smoke. Xue Pinggui braved the snow to chop wood, and she was moved to tears.

She realized that sometimes, stubborn people couldn’t be persuaded. Some hardships had to be experienced firsthand before they could be understood.

Qingqing added another pile of silver frost charcoal to the brazier. This type of charcoal burned for a long time, was smokeless, and had a faint scent of pine wood.

Wang Baochuan turned back to look at the brazier, puzzled, “Didn’t they say that it’s been snowing continuously in Qinzhou this winter, making the mountain roads impassable? Silver frost charcoal can’t be transported here, and it’s already in short supply in the capital. How come our mansion still has it?”

Qingqing replied truthfully, “Miss, not only in your room, but also in the rooms of the concubines in the back garden, they are all using it.”

“I specifically asked the steward. He said he happened to buy this batch of silver frost charcoal. He happened to meet a merchant from Qinzhou, and it was as if he was waiting for him specifically. He bought the last twenty baskets.”

It was fortunate that they had bought this silver frost charcoal this winter. Otherwise, if they had used other charcoal for warmth, it wouldn’t have been as comfortable.