ABD - Chapter 12

He never expected Shen Xuan's man to be so handsome; he wondered who on earth was blind enough to fall for a poor, foolish Ger like Shen Xuan. 

Just by looking at the envious glances of the girls nearby, Wang Xiaolian knew what they were thinking. 

He had always been competitive, especially compared to Shen Xuan. Yet, compared to himself, who was marrying a scholar, the unmarried girls and Ger in the village seemed to envy Shen Xuan's marriage more!

"Look at Wang Xiaolian, he even dressed up specially today, but he was completely overshadowed by Shen Xuan."

"Shen Xuan didn't have a single fen of dowry, didn't he still find a good husband? Everyone has their own destiny; Wang Xiaolian lost this round."

"These past few days, all he talks about is his scholar gentleman, who knows what it'll be like after he marries? I think Shen Xuan's man is better, he's handsome and knows how to care for others."

"A scholar gentleman is a scholar gentleman, he has official status, how can he be the same as an ordinary commoner?" Wang Xiaolian couldn't help but say, hearing the whispers around him.

"But he didn't even get a bride price; it seems they only married you for the three mu of dowry land. What's there to be proud of?" someone immediately retorted.

"You're all just jealous of me!" Wang Xiaolian felt utterly humiliated, hating them fiercely. 

He thought it was all because that man had a strong life, surviving such severe injuries, which gave Shen Xuan a chance to rise. 

However, as soon as he thought about marrying the scholar gentleman soon, Wang Xiaolian felt a little better.

Scholar Sun, after all, held official status; when he went to the city and met officials, he didn't even have to kneel. 

This kind of dignity, how could a commoner like Shen Xuan's husband, who just had a few stinking coins, ever attain it? 

As long as he had the scholar's official status as his facade, Shen Xuan would never be able to overshadow him. 

Wang Xiaolian comforted himself, feeling much better, then hurried back home.

After all this commotion, the sky had gradually turned completely dark. The surrounding villagers finally went back to their respective homes.

***

"Finally, they're all gone!" Shen Xuan let out a long sigh, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and led the fed mule to the back of the house to tie it up. 

In the back courtyard, he was about to fetch firewood to cook when he saw Xue Fenglin follow him, taking the firewood from his hands. 

"Let me get it. Don't worry about such rough work anymore." 

Xue Fenglin took the firewood from Shen Xuan's hand without question, their hands touching. 

Xue Fenglin's palm was large and warm, completely enveloping Shen Xuan's hands. The subtle touch of their fingers gently brushing caused Shen Xuan's heart to skip a beat, and his face couldn't help but flush slightly.

He thought to himself, when Lin Ye was severely injured before, he had taken off all his clothes, and he himself had helped him wash bit by bit. 

What hadn't he seen? At that time, he was exceptionally calm, so why was he acting this way today? Why was he regressing?

Shen Xuan shook his head and walked into the kitchen, taking out the things he bought today from the bamboo basket: a lamb leg, an eggplant, a few potatoes, and some green vegetables. 

He first washed all these items thoroughly and prepared them, then slowly sliced them into thin pieces, two fingers wide and one finger long, and skewered them with bamboo sticks. 

It was very late already, and he didn't want to make anything too complicated, so he decided to make fried skewers with these ingredients.

Shen Xuan had Xue Fenglin light the stove, then placed an iron pot on it. After the iron pot heated up, he poured in some cooking oil, then added the newly bought bean paste from the afternoon, stirring it with salt, soy sauce, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, chili, cumin, and other seasonings until cooked. 

In a short while, the mixed seasonings emitted an exceptionally rich aroma, with the flavors of various ingredients blending perfectly, both vibrant and harmonious, making his mouth constantly water. 

When the seasonings were cooked, Shen Xuan scooped them out into a porcelain bowl and sprinkled some sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top. This would be the dipping sauce for their fried skewers.

Xue Fenglin had eaten many things in the capital, but this unique aroma was new to him. He hadn't eaten much for lunch, and his stomach was already rumbling with hunger. 

Now, just seeing the dipping sauce made it hard to control himself.

Seeing Xue Fenglin constantly swallowing, Shen Xuan smiled and used his chopsticks to pick up a little dipping sauce, bringing it to his mouth and asking, 

"Taste it, how's the saltiness?" Xue Fenglin looked at Shen Xuan, grabbed his wrist holding the chopsticks, and lowered his head to take a bite. 

A complex and rich aroma exploded in Xue Fenglin's mouth. The taste was both spicy and numbing, yet incredibly delicious, making him want another bite. 

"It's very tasty," Xue Fenglin said, licking his lips as he looked at Shen Xuan.

His face had now mostly returned to its original appearance, and just a simple lick of the lips was somewhat provocative. 

Shen Xuan felt his wrist, held by Xue Fenglin, grow hot and numb. He quickly pulled away, his face flushed. 

He thought to himself: it seems I really am a sucker for good looks; I have no resistance to a handsome face. 

It's a sin that Lin Ye looks like this, making my heart race. Seeing Shen Xuan blush, Xue Fenglin said nothing, only hooked his lips, stepped back, and said, 

"I'll help you wash the pot." Then he took the pot away and scrubbed it clean.

He put the cleaned pot back on the stove and added two more pieces of firewood underneath. 

Shen Xuan poured in some clear oil, then placed the prepared lamb skewers on it. 

This time he didn't add much clear oil, but the lamb skewers themselves had a small amount of fat. 

After frying for a while, the lamb aroma filled the air, and the fat melted into lamb oil, increasing the amount of oil in the pot.

At this point, Shen Xuan flipped the lamb skewers, and after frying both sides until fully cooked, he took all the skewers out and placed them on a plate. 

There was still some old oil mixed with lamb fat left in the pot, so Shen Xuan used that old oil to fry the remaining vegetables. 

The eggplant was added last, soaking up every drop of oil left in the pot. Shen Xuan then put them all on plates, placing the previously stir-fried dipping sauce beside them, and the fried skewers for the evening were ready.

"You can eat," Shen Xuan said to Xue Fenglin, then picked up a skewer, dipped it in some sauce, and offered it. 

This was Xue Fenglin's first time seeing this way of eating. He eagerly took a bite and found the lamb to be tender and smooth, the dipping sauce leaving a lingering fragrance in his mouth. The two combined were simply divine.

"So delicious," Shen Xuan also picked up a skewer and put it in his mouth. 

After a bite, he said, "It's been so long since I've eaten lamb; it's really too delicious. Next time if I have more time, I'll make you lamb soup." 

Xue Fenglin's heart warmed, and he nodded, saying, "Okay, then I'll wait for you to make it for me." 

In a short while, the two of them devoured all the fried skewers. Besides the lamb, the oil-soaked eggplant and potato slices were also particularly delicious, and even the green vegetables, which Xue Fenglin usually didn't care for, were eaten completely.

***

With chili and bean paste in the dipping sauce, Shen Xuan's lips were bright red from eating. He usually had a plain face, but now, after eating chili, it looked as if he had applied a layer of lip balm. 

His lips were slightly swollen, vividly red, looking very inviting to kiss. Shen Xuan got up to clear the dishes, his new clothes accentuating his waistline beautifully. 

Xue Fenglin watched him kneel on the ground, holding an iron hook, leaning forward to use the hook to extinguish the fire in the stove. .

His buttocks, encased in the jade green robe, displayed a very full and shapely form, suddenly making Xue Fenglin feel an unbearable itch in his heart.

He straightened his back, picked up the cool boiled water he had prepared during the day, and drank a large bowl. 

The clear water trickled down his chin and onto his chest, dampening his clothes. 

Xue Fenglin fretfully tugged at his collar for air but still couldn't stop feeling hot and bothered. Despite this, his gaze never left Shen Xuan. 

His mind was filled with a flurry of improper thoughts, each one enough to thoroughly exhaust Shen Xuan, thoughts that he absolutely could not voice.

When Shen Xuan finished extinguishing the stove fire, dusted off his sleeves, and got up from the ground, he noticed Xue Fenglin was sweating profusely, his collar open at his chest, looking very hot. 

"Are you that hot?" Shen Xuan looked at him with some confusion, wondering if he had put too much chili in the dipping sauce, perhaps making Lin Ye too spicy. 

"It's too hot today. I'm going to take a cool bath," Xue Fenglin said, his voice a little hoarse, as he got up and went towards the well in the back courtyard. 

Shen Xuan wisely didn't follow; since they lived together now, they took turns bathing with the well water, and there was already some unspoken understanding between them.

A few basins of cool water poured over his head finally relieved some of the heat on Xue Fenglin's body. 

He had seen plenty of things in the Marquis's residence, observing the old Marquis's many wives and concubines in the back courtyard, so he wasn't completely ignorant. 

As the Marquis's heir, upon reaching adulthood, the Marquis had already sent him a teaching concubine. 

However, because that maid was specifically found by Lady Bai from outside, Xue Fenglin dealt with her for a while, then found an excuse to sell her off.

As the Marquis's heir, he lacked influence at home. To establish himself in court, a powerful wife's family was indispensable. 

For this reason, Xue Fenglin had always kept his personal life clean to secure a high-status wife, never lingering in pleasure quarters even when socializing. 

He had always thought of himself as a person with few desires, believing that even after marrying, he would treat his wife with mutual respect. 

How could he have imagined that he would have such a day, where just one action from Shen Xuan could make him lose control?

"Wake up," Shen Xuan is just a country Ger, of no help to his official career, Xue Fenglin thought to himself. 

At the same time, a strong sense of shame rose from the bottom of his heart, enveloping him in a feeling of void and numbness. 

Xue Fenglin looked up at the moon in the sky. The moon was so white, so bright. Its pure moonlight fell upon him, casting a shadow behind him. 

It was precisely because of such bright moonlight that he could see the shameful dark shadow behind him...

Xue Fenglin finished his simple bath, changed back into his clothes, and returned to the front courtyard. 

He saw Shen Xuan walk out of the room, asking with some concern, 

"Are you alright? Did I put too much chili in the dipping sauce? I'll put less next time." 

"It's not about the chili," he said, sighing as he looked at Shen Xuan. 

"You go wash up, I'm fine now." Xue Fenglin greeted him, then went back inside and closed the door.

Earlier, Shen Xuan had undone his topknot and loosely tied his hair into a braid at the back of his head. 

Just seeing this, Xue Fenglin's mind was flooded with numerous improper thoughts about that beautiful hair scattered everywhere. 

The emotions he had finally managed to calm were now disturbed again.