The Daily Life Of Mei Furen Doting On Her Husband - Chapter 155

It seemed that from that day on, Mei Zhuyu often heard his colleagues talking about the Plum Garden—about which high-ranking officials and nobles had booked it, which famous musicians had been invited to sing there, how the price of the plum banquet had risen that year, and how the precious fragrant snow plums bloomed late.

Last winter, everyone seemed to talk about the same thing, but he had no memory of it. That year, probably because Wu Zhen had mentioned it earlier, Mei Zhuyu kept hearing news about the Plum Garden and realized just how popular it was in winter.

Most of the plum blossoms in the garden had bloomed, but Wu Zhen, who had once said she wanted to go there with him to appreciate the flowers, seemed to have forgotten about it and never brought it up again. Mei Zhuyu naturally couldn’t ask her to go out. Seeing her big belly, he couldn’t help but think it was better not to go. Every time Wu Zhen went out for a walk like that, he was very worried.

Wu Zhen was a person who paid attention to details. She had been thinking about the garden since the beginning of winter. The reason she hadn’t mentioned it was because she believed that appreciating plum blossoms required snow. Plum blossoms without snow lacked some charm, so she had been waiting for it to snow.

Finally, the first snow fell in Chang’an. Wu Zhen went to the Plum Garden herself and found the scenery pleasing to the eye. She then fulfilled her promise and went with Mei Zhuyu in a leisurely manner. She asked Minister Mei to take leave from the Ministry of Justice to go.

They booked the Plum Garden for a day, so there was no feasting or music in the garden. There was only a large area of plum trees blooming in the snow. It had snowed all night, and a layer of snow had accumulated on the branches and ground. The white snow fell on the branches and blended with the white plum blossoms. At first glance, it was hard to tell whether the white on the trees was snow or flowers.

Some fine snowflakes were still falling from the sky. Mei Zhuyu held an umbrella and walked with Wu Zhen through the middle of the plum garden. The snow there was soft and untouched. Wu Zhen had specifically asked people not to clean it. They walked on the snow, stepping on the soft white ground and inhaling the clear, cold plum fragrance. Even though the weather was cold, there was a sense of distant and quiet comfort.

Mei Zhuyu held Wu Zhen’s hand to prevent her from slipping on the snow. 

Wu Zhen wore a red skirt and a cape of the same color. Although she preferred the comfort and simplicity of men’s Hu clothing, she couldn’t tie the leather belt anymore after her belly grew bigger, so she had simply changed back to a loose skirt.

“The one ahead is red plum blossoms.” Wu Zhen was very familiar with the Plum Garden. In previous years, she had always been present at banquets there, so she was used to the scenery. That time, however, she came specifically to accompany Mei Zhuyu. She took him along the paths she thought had the best views and showed him more than a dozen different species of plum blossoms in the garden.

“I don’t know what kind of flowers you like, but since your last name is Mei, I’m sure you don’t hate plum blossoms.”

(梅: méi: plum flower)

Mei Zhuyu hadn’t cared about such things before, or rather, he never cared about the pleasure of enjoying life. His life was simple and monotonous. Apart from eliminating monsters and slaying evil, there was nothing interesting worth mentioning. But Wu Zhen was different. Everything in her world seemed interesting and worth taking the time to savor. Mei Zhuyu hadn’t cared before, but she did. Unconsciously, he began to recall these trivial matters, things he once thought were not worth mentioning, through her perspective.

He knew the taste of wine, knew the flowers blooming in all four seasons, and he may know more in the future.

The wind and snow suddenly picked up, and the plum tree became colder. Before Mei Zhuyu could even suggest seeking shelter, Wu Zhen touched his hand and asked with concern, “It’s suddenly windy, are you cold? Let’s go to the building and eat something to warm ourselves up. The dishes they prepared should be ready by now.”

With that, she led the way forward.

Mei Zhuyu silently supported her, shielding her as they walked steadily through the wind and snow. At the same time, he felt as though she had taken the words right out of his mouth.

Wu Zhen, sensing something, pinched his fingers and smiled. “I’m a few years older than you, so naturally, I have to take care of you. Why don’t you call me big sister?”

As she spoke jokingly, she wasn’t paying attention and accidentally slipped.

Mei Zhuyu quickly steadied her, then, without hesitation, picked her up and said softly, “…I’ll carry you this distance, big sister.”

To her surprise, he actually called her big sister. Wu Zhen was momentarily stunned, then started coughing violently, her cheeks reddening. Yet, despite coughing, she still wrapped her arms around Mei Zhuyu’s shoulders and laughed, “Ahem! Young Master, you’re so willing to grant my requests, I can’t help but push my luck!”

“Say it again, call me big sister again!”

Mei Zhuyu, unsure why he’d called her “sister” as if possessed by a ghost, came to his senses and met Wu Zhen’s mischievous gaze. He refused, heading toward the small building opposite the plum garden, while Wu Zhen teased him all the way. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and pressed her face against his chest. Wu Zhen could only laugh and let it go for now.

Inside the small building, the warmth welcomed them. An incense burner and charcoal basin filled the room, curtains were draped everywhere, and a blanket was spread beneath their feet. It was as warm as spring, and as they stepped out of the cold, their whole bodies relaxed instantly.

Dishes were served in the warm little building, and the two sat down at the table. Wu Zhen introduced each dish to Mei Zhuyu. Though there weren’t many, the portions were just enough for two people, and each dish was presented delicately, with perfect color, aroma, and taste. One dish in particular, Plum Blossoms in the Snow, stood out. White plum blossoms floated in a creamy fish soup, and at first, Mei Zhuyu thought they were real plum blossoms added for decoration. However, Wu Zhen smiled and scooped one out for him. When he tasted the flower, he discovered it was actually carved from tofu, crafted to look incredibly lifelike.

“How is it? Not bad, right? I came up with the idea for this dish last year, but they couldn’t pull it off then. I didn’t expect them to manage it this year. The flower looks good, though the flavor is still lacking a bit,” Wu Zhen remarked, tasting one with a serious expression.

Mei Zhuyu couldn’t tell what was missing, so he continued eating in silence, quietly observing. He still didn’t quite understand the refined tastes of those born and raised in Chang’an.

After they had eaten for a while, a servant brought a pot of wine, but Mei Zhuyu immediately said, “No wine today.”

The servant hesitated, but Wu Zhen coughed and waved her hand, saying, “It’s already here. Bring it over.” 

The servant smiled and continued to serve the wine, explaining, “We noticed you reserved the plum garden today, but didn’t request wine. Our madam was surprised, so she asked me to bring this pot of newly made wine.”