TAMW CH71

Extra: A Family of Three

By three years old, Qingming could already recite the Thousand Character Classic. Even the private tutor who came to the estate to begin his schooling remarked that the boy possessed rare, exceptional brilliance.

As both mother and father to the child, hearing the tutor lavish such praise brought a quiet pride to Yuqing’s heart.

Matters at the harbor were light today, sparing him from venturing out early. Having attended to the paperwork at home, he sat in the main hall savoring a warm cup of tea.

New Year’s Eve was just around the corner, and every household arrangement awaited the Madam’s final word. Yuqing figured this brief lull was the perfect chance to settle the holiday feast’s menu.

These days, the domestic staff far outnumbered the retinue from when his father was alive. Zhou Xiao fussed over every detail, carrying himself with the full, haughty airs of a grand patriarch; Yuqing often remarked that one could scarcely tell the man had ever studied abroad in France.

Their family had only three mouths to feed, so why on earth did they need nearly a hundred servants waiting on them? Zhou Xiao, however, claimed he was performing acts of charity.

In these times, war raged in some corners and bandits pillaged in others. Even Baizhou required the garrison’s presence to keep peace. For ordinary folk without wealth or backing, earning a bowl of rice was hard. Zhou Xiao reasoned that splitting the labor of thirty or forty servants among a hundred provided them with honest work and fed their families; was that not an act of boundless benevolence?

Confronted with such preposterous sophistry, Yuqing could only sigh with fond resignation.

Still, the Zhou estate was indeed vast, encompassing dozens of side courtyards alone, to say nothing of the rear gardens and servants’ quarters. Walking from the kitchens to the dining hall took half a stick of incense.

With so many hands employed this year, Yuqing’s duties had multiplied. Early that morning, he sat reviewing the festival gift ledger submitted by Butler Deng.

The Zhou family had few kin left, eliminating the need for formal social calls after New Year’s Eve; getting the feast right was all that mattered.

The menu featured nourishing medicinal broths and lavish delicacies, such as venison cake with snow clam and banquet braises. Beyond the table, holiday gifts had to be dispatched to the Baizhou military garrison, and year-end dividends had to be distributed to Chamber of Commerce shareholders after the new year.

As Yuqing turned the pages one by one, hurried footsteps echoed outside.

Hearing those brisk, eager strides, Yuqing did not even need to look up to know who it was. True enough, the man bounded into the hall, rubbing his palms warm before slipping them over the back of Yuqing’s neck. “Why did you rise so early? I rushed back to our bedchamber only to find it empty.”

“The first thing you do upon returning is sprint to the bedchamber. The Master dotes far too much on such improper pastimes,” Yuqing scolded gently, not bothering to lift his head.

Zhou Xiao admitted fault with a beaming grin, yet his fingers drifted toward a lock of Yuqing’s long hair, lifting it to his nose to inhale deeply. “What crime is there in doting upon one’s own wife?”

“Enough, do not fuss so early in the morning,” Yuqing raised a hand, blocking the clingy kisses pressing close. “Let me finish reviewing the ledger first.”

Disgruntled, Zhou Xiao tried ducking left and right, but Yuqing anticipated every move, blocking him at each turn. After all that effort, every single kiss landed squarely in Yuqing’s palm.

Resigned to the palm, Zhou Xiao buried his nose and lips into Yuqing’s hand, nuzzling like an eager hound until Yuqing’s hand was nearly rubbed raw.

Yuqing: “…”

“On my way here, I heard Qingming chanting the Thousand Character Classic in the study. His voice was delightfully crisp.”

At the mention of their son, the corners of Yuqing’s lips softened into an unbidden smile. “He is diligent.”

Watching him smile, Zhou Xiao’s own mouth turned down in a pout. Just as he was about to grumble over why the Madam only ever smiled for the child, Yuqing, as if reading his mind, unhurriedly closed the ledger. Catching Zhou Xiao’s nose between his thumb and forefinger, he gave it a gentle wiggle left and right. “He is the spitting image of the Master. Diligent, bound for greatness in the future.”

“Naturally,” Zhou Xiao preened with satisfaction.

Delighted that Yuqing’s focus had finally shifted to him, his grin widened. “I will review the gift list for you. A crate of white chocolate just arrived at the docks from Switzerland. You love sweets, come have a taste.”

Yuqing rubbed his temples. He knew that with Zhou Xiao hovering by his side, getting any more reading done was out of the question.

Zhou Xiao was relentlessly clingy. Whenever he was home, he shadowed Yuqing’s every step, trailing closer than Qingming had when first learning to walk. Walk too slowly, and he would scoop him into his arms for a round of nuzzling; walk too quickly, and he would whine that his wife was heartless.

With each passing day, this Master Zhou acted more like a toddler; three-year-old Qingming possessed far more composure.

Yuqing thought to himself that if word of this ever spread, not a soul in Baizhou would believe it.

Zhou Xiao’s reputation at the harbor was far more ruthless than his own. When it came to blood and force, he never hesitated. It was fortunate he had never joined the military, for with his volatile, unforgiving nature, even if the King of Heaven appeared, Zhou Xiao would likely declare that slaying the Heavenly King made him king instead, take his turn on the throne, and shoot him dead on the spot.

Last year, an old childhood classmate from a prominent local clan attempted to smuggle watch components through the docks to peddle in another province. Once Zhou Xiao caught him, the man escaped with his life, but was so thoroughly terrified that he swore off the trade entirely and quit business for good.

To the outside world, the two husbands had earned quite the reputation for cold ruthlessness. One hoarded the wealth while the other dealt out death. Even with a military commander stationed in Baizhou, the Zhou family reigned as the uncrowned rulers of the territory in the eyes of the common folk.

Yet this very man, upon stepping across his own threshold, reverted to someone not even three years old.

At times, Yuqing genuinely considered having Doctor Liu examine Zhou Xiao’s head, wondering if some shock during his years in France had afflicted his mind; otherwise, his temper and passions were far too volatile. In Zhou Xiao’s world, everything was strictly black or white, without room for any shade in between.

Yuqing rose to head toward the study. Reaching the threshold, he noticed no footsteps following and glanced back.

Zhou Xiao stood rooted where he was, his face a stormy mix of resentment and petulant grievance.

Yuqing: “…”

He had no choice but to turn back and take him by the hand.

Only then did Zhou Xiao brighten. The moment Yuqing’s fingers brushed his, Zhou Xiao’s large palm enveloped his hand completely, his broad frame pressing close. “Qingqing… I knew you loved me. We haven’t seen each other all morning, did you miss me?”

“Insisting on holding hands for such a short walk,” he rambled, coaxing himself into high spirits. “It clearly proves how much you missed me.”

Holding his hand as they walked, Yuqing’s shoulders shook with silent laughter at his shameless self-delusion. He thought to himself: Whatever he says, goes.

The two stepped across the threshold together. Sunlight poured over them, and catching the soft upward curve of Yuqing’s lips, Zhou Xiao could not help smiling along.

“Daddy, Mother~” Qingming called out in his crisp, piping voice. Held by Deng Yongquan’s hand, he hiked up the hem of his little riding jacket as he stepped over the threshold of the main courtyard.

Clearing the threshold, little Qingming broke into a run, shouting for his parents with all his might.

“Oof, Daddy’s precious boy.” As Qingming wrapped his arms around Yuqing’s leg, Zhou Xiao caught the toddler under the arms, tossing him high into the air and catching him securely.

Qingming squealed with delight, bursting into giggles as he landed back in his father’s arms.

Yuqing’s heart skipped a beat in fright, twisting Zhou Xiao’s ear with a scowl. “Do not drop him!”

“My good Madam, I was wrong,” Zhou Xiao hurriedly pleaded.

“Mother, Daddy was wrong,” Qingming piped up in his milky voice, pleading on his father’s behalf, his tiny teeth showing in an adorable grin.

“What did you learn today?” Yuqing asked.

“The tutor read the Three Character Classic with Qingming,” the boy answered obediently.

“Already on the Three Character Classic? Can you recognize the characters yet?” Yuqing pinched his chubby cheek.

“I can, but they aren’t as pretty as Mother’s writing.”

“Did that sweet little mouth eat sugar cakes this morning?” Yuqing chuckled softly.

Qingming had known how to read faces since infancy, endlessly endearing and impossible to put down.

In the past, Yuqing had fretted over whether he would make a capable parent. Now that the child was here, all worry had melted away; a parent’s instinctual love required no formal study, flowing naturally from within. Seeing the boy happy and thriving was all the peace of mind he needed.

“New Year’s Eve is almost upon us. Shall we have Mother lead us in writing a set of spring couplets?” Zhou Xiao kissed his son’s cheek.

“Yes!” Qingming clapped his hands. “Mother write!”

Yuqing cast Zhou Xiao a lingering, reproachful glance, chiding him silently for teasing in front of the child. Fortunately, Qingming was far too young to catch the playful undertones, his mind entirely focused on heading to the study to write.

In the study, Zhou Xiao ground the ink and prepared the brushes. Yuqing dipped the brush tip, looking up at Qingming munching on white chocolate by the brazier. “Eat less sweets, or you will have a toothache.”

“My good Madam,” Zhou Xiao whispered, gathering Yuqing’s long hair behind his shoulders. “It is New Year’s Eve, let the child enjoy himself. What harm is there in a few snacks?”

Leaning in from behind, he pressed a tender kiss against Yuqing’s cheek.

Brush in hand, the ink bloomed slightly across the red paper as Yuqing’s shoulder lifted. “You will make me ruin the calligraphy.”

“You write, I will just watch,” Zhou Xiao murmured, wrapping his arms around his waist.

Yuqing set brush to paper. His strokes were resolute and finely measured, fluid and sweeping, much like the man himself, possessing an arresting grace that drew the eye and held it fast.

While Yuqing wrote, Zhou Xiao embraced him from behind, alternately kneading his waist, resting his chin on his shoulder, and puffing warm breath against his ear, murmuring in a barely audible whisper: “Madam… my sweet Madam…”

The warm breath tickled Yuqing’s ear, making him want to tell him to behave. Yet Zhou Xiao spoke so softly that only the two of them could hear.

Glancing up, Qingming was sitting by the coals with his cheeks puffed round, stuffing white chocolate into his mouth while his parents weren’t watching, terrified they might confiscate the sweets at any moment.

It was as though the boy had been starved since birth, eating like a reincarnated hungry ghost, perpetually craving food, having grown into a sturdy little tub at such a tender age.

“He cannot hear, nor does he care to. He is just a little rascal who thinks only of eating,” Zhou Xiao whispered.

Yuqing shot him a reproachful glare. Before even laying the brush down, he turned his head and nipped lightly at Zhou Xiao’s lips, muttering a low scolding: “Just like his father, a hopeless glutton.”

Zhou Xiao adored being scolded by Yuqing like this, his heart melting into mush. “My sweet Madam…”

Yuqing could only tilt his face away from the barrage of kisses, the man’s hot, fevered breath fanning across his throat.

He actually felt fortunate that the child was in the study; otherwise, this shameless Master Zhou would have pushed his gown aside and slipped his hands inside without hesitation.

Then again, what difference did the child’s presence make? Zhou Xiao stood directly behind Yuqing; with Yuqing’s frame shielding him, what could the child possibly see?

“As long as the Madam does not find it a nuisance,” Zhou Xiao murmured against his earlobe. “Rushing back to the bedchamber this morning only to find it empty left my heart terribly despondent.”

Evidently, this greedy glutton intended to claim every debt owed right here and now.