The Daily Life Of Mei Furen Doting On Her Husband - Chapter 156

Wu Zhen lifted the lid and took a deep sniff. “Your madam’s winemaking skills have improved again. This wine is made from the plums by the lake. The aroma is slightly different.”

The servant laughed, “As expected of you, Miss. You can tell just by smelling it. If it were me, they’d all smell the same. How can anyone tell the difference?”

After serving the wine, the servant left. Wu Zhen turned and noticed that Mei Zhuyu had put down his chopsticks and was quietly watching her. Wu Zhen coughed again, a little awkwardly. “I won’t drink it. I’ll just leave it here to smell.”

Mei Zhuyu sighed softly. “If you really want to drink, just have one glass. It should be fine.” He couldn’t bear to see the longing in her eyes.

Wu Zhen’s expression grew serious. “How can it be okay? I can’t drink.” Nevertheless, she poured a glass of wine and pushed it in front of Mei Zhuyu. “You drink it. Think of it as drinking for me.”

Mei Zhuyu hesitated but eventually took the glass and drank. Over the past year, Wu Zhen had taught him how to properly taste wine, and though he wasn’t as skilled as his teacher, he had become quite good at discerning its quality.

Wu Zhen sighed regretfully. “You drank it all in one gulp! How much of the flavor did you miss? This kind of wine should be sipped slowly, savoring each bit.”

Without warning, she leaned over and kissed him on the lips.

Stepping back, Wu Zhen smiled mischievously. “Isn’t the wine a little sweet? That’s strange. Did they change the recipe?” 

She glanced at the bowl of hibiscus soup Mei Zhuyu had been eating from and suddenly realized, “Ah, you ate the hibiscus soup first! That’s why the wine tasted sweet.”

“Wrong move, wrong move,” she muttered playfully, handing him a glass of water. “Rinse your mouth, then drink another glass of wine, so I can taste it properly.”

Mei Zhuyu sat there, speechless.

With a long sigh, Mei Zhuyu reached for the glass of water and placed it on the small table beside him. He then took the pot of wine, stood up, and walked outside. After a moment, he returned empty-handed, sat back down in his original spot, and finished the remaining half spoonful of sweet hibiscus soup from his bowl. Then, he lifted Wu Zhen’s chin, leaned over, and kissed her softly.

After releasing her, Mei Zhuyu continued to eat. Though his expression remained neutral, a slight blush colored his ears. Wu Zhen, on the other hand, held her chin with one hand and smiled brightly at him, playfully smacking her lips. “Don’t you think today’s lotus soup is too sweet?” She asked.

Mei Zhuyu scooped her a generous bowl of lotus soup.

Wu Zhen clicked her tongue, teasing, “Fine, just don’t talk to me.” She picked up the bowl and began eating slowly.

Mei Zhuyu pursed his lips, a small smile glimmering in his eyes. “Eat more, Big Sister.”

Wu Zhen suddenly choked, coughing lightly. “Pfft! Cough, cough!”

When they finally left the garden, Wu Zhen had someone bring a cart filled with wine. Seeing the surprise on Mei Zhuyu’s face, she replied without missing a beat, “This is the wine to entertain guests for the baby’s one-month celebration.”

Using that as an excuse, she had accumulated a vast collection of wine from various places, filling an entire room in the backyard of the Mei family’s house.

“In addition to the one-month celebration, there’s also the one-year celebration. It’s better to prepare early, so you won’t be caught off guard when the time comes,” she insisted. Wu Zhen’s foresight was a little excessive, but Mei Zhuyu had no valid reason to stop her, so he let her proceed. Yet every time he saw her gaze lingering on the room where the wine was stored, he couldn’t help but sigh.

“If you really want to drink, you can have a little. I won’t tell anyone,” he suggested.

Wu Zhen wiped her mouth, refusing with righteous indignation. “I said I don’t want to drink, so don’t tempt me to make a mistake!” She thought to herself how ironic it was that her sister had tasked her husband to keep her in check, yet he so easily turned into an accomplice. She resolved to rely on her own willpower, determined not to give in.

As the New Year approached, Wu Zhen found herself unable to relax or sleep in. This time of year was always her busiest, filled with obligations and etiquette exchanges. With friends scattered all over Chang’an, it was essential to visit one another. Various gatherings filled her calendar; everyone traveled throughout the year, and when they finally returned for the New Year, it was only natural to come together to drink and share stories.

It just so happened that the Monster Market was also busy during the New Year. After winter, all things wither. If the monsters and ghosts living in the wilderness wanted to attract some popularity, they had to find ways to sneak into Chang’an City. If they were peaceful, it was fine. Wu Zhen usually turned a blind eye and let them spend the winter in Chang’an City. But the trouble was with those who were not peaceful. After entering the city, if they caused trouble and harmed people everywhere, they needed to be taken care of.

Mei Zhuyu naturally would not let her catch monsters alone and took on almost all of the tasks single-handedly. In that way, Wu Zhen, who had to brave the severe cold every winter night to beat monsters throughout Chang’an City, only needed to stroll around a few times that year and did not need to do anything herself.

After a busy New Year, before the court opened, everyone enjoyed the leisure and excitement unique to the season. Wu Zhen, as usual, woke up all the guards at the gate of the Monster Market and asked them to patrol around to replace her and the Snake Lord’s work so they could enjoy a few days of leisure.

Her belly was already very big, and one day Mei Zhuyu suddenly noticed a small bulge on her belly. Undrrnhis stunned eyes, Wu Zhen patted her belly affectionately and said, “Stop making trouble; be quiet.”

Mei Zhuyu asked, “Does the child move?”

Wu Zhen replied, “Of course. The child has already started moving a long time ago.”

Mei Zhuyu inquired, “…Is it trying to get out?”

Wu Zhen reassured him, “It’s not time for it to come out yet. I think he’s just bored.”

Mei Zhuyu stared at her belly but didn’t see any movement. He was a little confused. “Why have I never seen the child move before?”

Wu Zhen didn’t know either. “Actually, the child is always very well-behaved when you’re around and usually doesn’t move.” Seeing Mei Zhuyu’s subtle expression, Wu Zhen couldn’t help but laugh and praised him, “You’re worthy of being my husband. It is afraid of you even before it is born!”

Taoist Master Mei didn’t want his own children to be scared of him at all, but that couldn’t be seen on his face.

Taoist Master Mei was in a low mood until the night of the Lantern Festival, when Wu Zhen and he took to the streets. The Lantern Festival was the most lively festival of the year, even more lively than the Chinese New Year. During the Chinese New Year, everyone stayed at home to have a meal with their families, while during the Lantern Festival, everyone went out of their homes to celebrate with people.

The huge lantern wheel lighthouse had already been hung, and even the trees on both sides were adorned with colorful lanterns. In front of many houses, people set up altars to worship.