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"I heard from your teacher that they only sell steamed buns and hot water at the examination grounds. Take this fried rice in, and you can eat it after soaking it in hot water."

Xie Yao saw his younger brother unwrap a sweet rice dumpling, ignore him, and pass it straight to his husband. His heart ached a little, but on second thought, the deep affection between his brother and Jinian put him more at ease.

Zhou Jinian really did not like sweets, so he put down his chopsticks after eating just one small sweet rice dumpling. "Sweet rice dumplings are sticky and hard to digest. You should eat fewer too, Ninglang."

Xie Ning nodded obediently. After eating two small sweet rice dumplings dipped in sugar, he left the courtyard to help at the wonton stall rather than disturb their studies.

It was the second month, the season of flowers, and temperatures were low. Pedestrians wore padded jackets, while the wealthy also wore cloaks. The ground was frozen hard and gave off a chill.

Carrying the bowl in his arms, Xie Ning walked slowly, planting each step firmly. A few days earlier, he had walked too quickly and fallen. His backside had hurt for two days, and he had broken a whole stack of bowls, which had distressed him terribly.

The cold weather brought much more business to the wonton stall. Since they sold hot soup that warmed people through, the townsfolk doing manual work were quite willing to come for a bowl.

With some fat in their bellies, they had more strength to work.

"Are you cold? Why didn't you stay home?" Lin Jin went over and took the bowl from his arms. Inside were several plump sweet rice dumplings.

"I'm not cold. Jinian and my brother are studying, so I didn't want to disturb them at home." In truth, Xie Ning was terribly cold. He sat down beside the brazier and held out his hands to warm them. After the first snowfall, he had started sleeping in bed with Jinian.

A large brazier stood among the tables so customers could warm themselves while waiting for their wontons. Occasionally, someone came just for the warmth, but Zhou Sanfeng and his spouse were kindhearted and did not drive them away.

Lin Jin ladled a bowl of piping-hot fish soup for his son's spouse. "Then warm yourself here. I've roasted a sweet potato under the coals. Dig it out and eat it."

Xie Ning took the iron tongs and dug through the brazier. The sweet potato was still slightly firm when squeezed, but it was cooked through. Xie Ning especially liked them roasted to this point: starchy without being mushy, floury and sweet.

Feeling someone staring at him made Xie Ning very uncomfortable. He turned to look. Three men sat at a round table, and the one in the middle had a fat head and big ears. That fat man was the one staring at him.

This was not the plump customer's first visit, and Xie Ning recognized him. But the fat man's gaze made him feel like a fish on a chopping board.

He stared at him this way every time he came. Enduring his discomfort, Xie Ning turned his back and continued nibbling his roasted sweet potato.

The fat man was named Zhu Dachang, formerly of the Ministry of Revenue, and that fleeting glimpse had left him spellbound...

A few days earlier, Zhu Dachang had heard from his attendant that there was a wonton stall in northern Qingshui Town, with wontons made from fish and broth simmered from fish heads. In life, he prized beauty first and food second, so he had come that very evening to taste the delicacy.

As it happened, Lin Jin had gone home to cook dinner that day, leaving Xie Ning at the pot. After sitting down, Zhu Dachang looked around and was stunned by the profile of the person standing before the pot. He stared at him the entire time.

He immediately questioned his attendant and learned that the young man was already married. Zhu Dachang sighed. This young man was no longer untouched, so no matter how beautiful he was, he could not take him into his household as a concubine.

On his way back, he entered a pleasure house and called for the most alluring girl in the establishment for a bout of exertion, yet nothing felt satisfying.

After returning home, Zhu Dachang fell lovesick, and here he was at the wonton stall again.

He thought that the young man's husband was merely a lowly examination candidate, someone he, Zhu Dachang, did not take seriously. He could still have some fun with the beautiful young man.

Zhu Dachang gave a light cough. His attendant immediately understood and called out in a coarse voice, "Hey! Why hasn't this garlic been peeled? Young man, trouble yourself to peel this garlic."

The three members of the Zhou family froze, their movements stopping for a moment.

The attendant slapped the round table. "Don't you understand human speech?"

Zhou Sanfeng stopped fanning the fire and walked over with a smile. "Oh, honored guests, you've misunderstood. Our customers peel their own garlic. If we peeled it, we might dirty the cloves. If you don't mind, shall I peel it for you?"

The attendant blocked Zhou Sanfeng's hand as he reached for the garlic. "Go on, get away. You were just tending the fire with those hands. Have that young man peel it."

"You must be joking, honored guest. He is my son's spouse. There are distinctions to be observed." The smile left Zhou Sanfeng's face.

Zhu Dachang kicked his attendant beneath the table. The attendant was not quick-witted either, and could only shout insistently, "Peel the garlic!"

They were clearly looking for trouble. Xie Ning did not want to cause a disturbance either. He washed his hands in a nearby bucket, peeled five or six cloves of garlic where he stood, and put them in an empty bowl. In a calm voice, he said, "Father, given my position, it would be improper for me to take this over. Sorry for the trouble. My husband sent me to deliver rice dumplings, so I'll head home now."

"All right, hurry home," Zhou Sanfeng said quickly, going over to take the bowl.

Xie Ning had deliberately raised his voice so the customers around them could all hear. To Zhu Dachang, his clear, soft voice sounded like the notes of a stringed instrument, making his desire even harder to bear.

The peeled garlic they had asked for was placed on the table. The attendant was not quick-witted, and for the moment he could think of no further pretext for trouble, so he fell silent.

Zhu Dachang gazed longingly at the departing figure. The strands of Xie Ning's hair lifted by the cold wind were like seductive threads winding around Zhu Dachang's heartstrings, haunting his every thought and dream...

Xie Ning quickened his steps and hurried back to the courtyard.

That night, Xie Ning laid out two quilts and burrowed under one himself. Once Zhou Jinian had washed up, he slipped naturally beneath Xie Ning's quilt and held him tight.

"Hmm?" Xie Ning struggled a little. "You're leaving for the county town tomorrow for the academy examination. What if I chill you and give you a cold?"

"Then your husband will warm you up." Holding him close, Zhou Jinian slipped a hand inside.

"Mm..." Caught in his grasp, Xie Ning twisted, but in his heart he deeply cherished his husband's warm embrace. "Don't!"

Zhou Jinian moved over him and coaxed softly in a lowered voice, "Once I leave, I won't see you for almost ten days. Hurry and let your husband enjoy himself."

Xie Ning reached out to cover his mouth. His body had already gone limp from the heat, and he could only let Zhou Jinian do as he pleased.

Zhou Jinian's triumphant laughter was low and pleasing to the ear. Now and then, he asked a few dirty questions, making Xie Ning's face flush as heat surged through him.

Ever since Zhou Jinian had learned that his young spouse was actually more sensitive to the winter cold than ordinary people, he had increased his morning exercise. To strengthen his body and ward off chills, he also drank a bowl of ginger soup every day. After several months, he had grown used to his young spouse's body temperature. He was also very pleased that his young spouse finally no longer found him too hot.