"Xiaoyan, Xiaoming, Xiao Zheng, why are you here?" Madam Liang said, shoving the shovel she was holding into the snowdrift.
"We just came from Aunt Pan's place. We have something to tell you, Big Mama, so we came," Shen Xiaoyan said with a smile.
"What is it?" Madam Liang immediately asked upon hearing they had something for her.
Shen Xiaoyan merely smiled and said nothing. She walked over, took Madam Liang's hand, and led her into the courtyard. The two walked until they reached the eaves of the house before Shen Xiaoyan stopped and prepared to speak.
"Let's go, Xiaoyan. Let's go inside and talk. It's getting late. Why don't you stay for dinner?"
Madam Liang said, pulling Shen Xiaoyan towards the house.
Shen Xiaoyan quickly refused, "Big Mama, I really have something to tell you. As for dinner, there's no rush. When things are less busy, I'll definitely come for meals every day until I eat you poor."
"Oh my, such a big talk. With your small physique, you'll eat me poor?" Madam Pan said with a laugh.
"Don't look at me being thin, I have a very big appetite," Shen Xiaoyan also said with a smile.
"Oh dear, I'm afraid you can't eat that much?" Madam Liang was amused by Shen Xiaoyan's words. "I'm not afraid of anything else, but we farmers have plenty of grain. I don't believe you can eat our entire year's supply of food by yourself."
"I naturally can't eat it all by myself, but with so many people in Big Mama's family, surely you can finish it," Shen Xiaoyan said earnestly.
Madam Liang looked at Shen Xiaoyan with some surprise. She didn't understand what Shen Xiaoyan meant by her words.
"I came to tell you, Big Mama, that if possible, you should buy some grain and cotton clothes to prepare. This year's winter is very cold," Shen Xiaoyan said with a sigh.
Madam Liang listened and remained silent for a long time, just looking at Shen Xiaoyan. Finally, she nodded, "Alright."
Regarding Shen Xiaoyan, although she had never been as close to Shen Xiaoyan as Madam Pan, she had always greatly believed in Shen Xiaoyan's words.
This was not just because Shen Xiaoyan was doing better, but because Shen Xiaoyan always gave her a feeling of trustworthiness.
She just felt that it was definitely not wrong to trust Shen Xiaoyan.
"That's good. Then, Big Mama, we'll be leaving now." Shen Xiaoyan was very happy to see Madam Liang agree so readily.
Regardless of her past or present life, she had always liked people who spoke and acted decisively because she felt that interacting with such people was the easiest.
"Aren't you staying for dinner before you go?" Madam Liang asked with a smile.
"I'm afraid I'll eat you poor," Shen Xiaoyan said, winking playfully.
"The snow is getting heavier. If you want to go back, hurry up. Otherwise, it will be even harder to find your way later," Madam Liang said, not taking Shen Xiaoyan's teasing to heart, and reminded her carefully.
"Thank you, Big Mama. I know. You should also go back inside as soon as you're done. It's very cold outside," Shen Xiaoyan replied.
As they spoke, they walked out of the main gate. At the gate, Zheng Wei and Shen Xiaoming were already waiting for Shen Xiaoyan.
After saying goodbye to Madam Liang and the others, the three quickly headed home.
Even so, they had turned into snowmen by the time they got home.
The three took off their skis, quickly walked up the steps, entered the main gate, and then hurried from the corridor to the main courtyard.
Reaching the door of the east wing, Shen Xiaoyan said to Shen Xiaoming, "Xiaoming, hurry back to your room to change clothes and take a hot bath."
"Mhm, Big Sister's husband, you should also go back and change your clothes quickly," Shen Xiaoming said.
After speaking, the three of them went back to their respective rooms.
As soon as they entered the main gate earlier, Shen Xiaoyan had already asked the servants in the front yard to fetch some hot water.
Indeed, by the time they entered their rooms, servants carrying hot and cold water followed them in.
Shen Xiaoyan told them to put the water down and then sent them back to the front yard.
"Big Sister, you take the children to play in the west side room."
Shen Xiaoyan said to Zheng Wei as she took off her clothes.
She wasn't asking a question, nor was she stating a fact. It was as if she was talking to herself or answering Zheng Wei's unspoken question.
"Mhm, don't worry about that for now. Hurry up and wash up," Zheng Wei urged Shen Xiaoyan.
Although he knew Shen Xiaoyan's physique was very good and that she wouldn't get sick easily because she often drank the immortal spring water, he couldn't help but worry about her health, afraid she might feel even slightly unwell.
"Let's go, we'll wash together." Shen Xiaoyan finished taking off her outer clothes, leaving only a pure white inner garment. She walked slowly to Zheng Wei and said to him.
"Oh?" Zheng Wei looked at Shen Xiaoyan with great interest. "Mimi, do you want to have a romantic bath together?"
Shen Xiaoyan didn't dodge and nodded very seriously, "Yes, I think it's time for us to have a romantic bath together."
Upon hearing Shen Xiaoyan's words, Zheng Wei's eyes deepened, and his throat involuntarily moved.
"You said it, Mimi. Don't regret it," he said, his voice hoarse.
Shen Xiaoyan smiled at Zheng Wei, her eyes and brows full of allure. "Of course not."
Seeing this, Zheng Wei could no longer bear to wait. He quickly stripped off his clothes and pulled Shen Xiaoyan into the bathroom.
Shen Xiaoyan didn't take off her clothes either, entering the bathtub in her inner garment.
The pure white cotton inner garment clung tightly to Shen Xiaoyan's body when it met the water.
The garment that could have covered Shen Xiaoyan's fair skin became almost transparent after coming into contact with water.
Shen Xiaoyan leaned against the side of the bathtub, tilted her head back, and sighed comfortably.
"Ah..."
Zheng Wei had been watching Shen Xiaoyan's every move. His already patient heart vanished without a trace upon hearing Shen Xiaoyan's comfortable sigh.
He strode to the side of the bathtub, lifted his long leg high, and stepped directly into the bathtub.
Shen Xiaoyan saw this and thought to herself, it's really good to have long legs. She didn't even need that small wooden stool to get into the bathtub.
Zheng Wei entered the bathtub and was positioned at Shen Xiaoyan's feet.
Because the bathtub was large enough, even with Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei sitting inside together, there was still plenty of space.
"Mimi," Zheng Wei called out in a low voice.
"Mhm?"
Shen Xiaoyan had closed her eyes when Zheng Wei entered the bathtub. Hearing him call her, she didn't open her eyes but lazily let out a mhm sound from her nose.
"Mimi..." Zheng Wei called out again when Shen Xiaoyan didn't respond, his voice a little louder but filled with endless affection.
"Mhm?"
Shen Xiaoyan's eyes flickered open, and she looked at Zheng Wei with some strangeness. What was wrong?
"Didn't you want a romantic bath together?"
"Yes," Shen Xiaoyan said, cupping hot water in her hands and splashing it towards Zheng Wei. "Aren't we having one now?"
Zheng Wei: ...
Had he misunderstood Shen Xiaoyan's meaning, or did Shen Xiaoyan simply not understand the meaning of a romantic bath?
"What do you think a romantic bath is?" With the mindset of asking when one doesn't understand, Zheng Wei finally voiced his confusion.
"Isn't it when the male mandarin duck and the female mandarin duck bathe together?" Shen Xiaoyan said very seriously, also giving Zheng Wei a look that said 'you're so stupid.'
Zheng Wei was stunned by Shen Xiaoyan's understanding. He hadn't expected Shen Xiaoyan to interpret "romantic bath" this way. Should he explain it to her properly?
"Actually... a romantic bath has another meaning. Do you want me to tell you?"
After much deliberation, Zheng Wei decided to give Shen Xiaoyan a proper explanation.
It wasn't that he was being a know-it-all, but if he didn't say anything, he was afraid he would be the one suffering in the end.
However, he still overestimated himself and underestimated Shen Xiaoyan.
Shen Xiaoyan suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze sharp and clear, completely unlike her previous drowsy appearance.