My delicate husband

“When I first met Zhu Ziyi, I was 14, the same age as you are now, and Ziyi was 12.

We all learned the craft from Han the bricklayer who had returned from the capital. He had participated in the renovation of the imperial palace before and was the most capable person in Yunling County in building houses. At that time, many people wanted to learn the craft from him. As he was old, he wanted to find an apprentice to inherit his legacy. He issued a notice to select from the whole county, and he would give two taels of silver to the selected one.

Now, anyone who has children at home would send them to Master Han's doorstep. Master Han was very strict. He set a date for a two-day assessment and chose Ziyi and me from more than hundreds of children.

My family was poor, and my parents had too many children to support. I had been very strong since I was young, so they tried to send me to Master Han to see if I could make a living. At that time, my family really needed the two taels of silver. Now I don’t know why Master Han took a fancy to me.

Ziyi is different. He is the youngest son of Mr. Zhu from the neighboring Yunmeng County. He has been loved since childhood. His brothers have inherited their father's business and made some achievements, so there are not so many restrictions on him. He likes house construction and is very talented in this area. His father used his connections to send him here. He originally wanted him to study for a few years and did not expect him to achieve anything.

When you first met him, he looked a lot like you, fair and tender, but also quirky and high-spirited, though a little spoiled, or rather tsundere.

My master's family was not well off, the bed and quilt were hard, and he was not used to it. In addition, he had never left his parents, so he always cried secretly in his quilt when he slept at night. At that time, I hated him very much. I hated this little boy who didn't understand the sufferings of the world.

Every day when I woke up and saw his red eyes, I couldn't help but mock him. He also couldn't help but belittle me, disliking the fact that I was dark-skinned, spoke vulgarly, and dressed shabbily.

Of course, I envied him back then, but I was also poor, sensitive, and self-conscious. Even though we lived in the same house, we weren't close; we felt more like enemies.

I was really afraid of being hungry, so I tried my best to behave in front of my master, just to stay and have a full meal. He hated my flattery. I don't know why a few steamed buns from him made me lose my backbone. He studied house construction because he really liked it, but I did it to survive.

But sometimes I have to admit that he is such a pampered little boy who always likes to wear white satin. He will cry if the bed is a little hard, but he can deal with bricks and tiles under the scorching sun and work all day without complaining. He pursues perfection and is willing to spend more time and energy to do his best, while I consider interests and just make sure not to make mistakes.

I don't have as much talent as he does, nor do I have as much time and money as he does. All my efforts during that time were just to stay alive and let my parents live a good life. We had different pursuits.

When did our relationship start to improve? It was probably because he injured his hand and always cried while washing clothes. I didn't know why I couldn't bear it, so I helped him wash the clothes. After that, he changed. He started to take the initiative to chat with me and share delicious food with me.

He began to treat me as a friend, no longer disliked my vulgarity, and even liked to talk to me about house design. At first, I was just perfunctory, but he didn't notice at all and still insisted on chatting with me. Gradually, I began to respond to him, and our topics became more and more extensive, and we began to talk about everything.

For four years, more than 1,400 days and nights, we spent time together at my master's house, advancing and retreating together.

He would buy me food and clothes, guide me in drawing, teach me how to read, and reason with me. He loved reading travelogues and always told me about the world outside Yunling County. He also promised to take me to see different scenery.

He was very different back then. Back then, his eyes were full of poetry, distant places, and ideals. He was truly invincible back then.

I would wash his clothes, take him to the countryside, climb trees, catch fish, work in the fields, and farm, allowing him to experience a life he had never experienced before. He was very particular about being well-behaved and would even play around with me, stealing Master Han's steamed buns to eat, and we even stole Master Han's roasted chicken and got beaten together.

We got to know each other better and better, and began to appreciate each other. Originally, we regarded each other as best brothers, but I don’t know when this feeling changed.

I will always remember that night. It was the Lantern Festival. We went to the lantern festival together and also agreed to release lanterns by the river.

He was wearing white satin and had a dark blue headband on his head. That day was his 15th birthday. I accompanied him to release lanterns. He kissed me by the river and said he liked me and asked me to be with him.

His eyes were so bright that all the lanterns were dimmed in front of him. His face was also red, but he was very brave. He looked me straight in the eyes and waited for an answer.

I could clearly hear my own heartbeat, and I knew that I liked him too, so I kissed him back, and that was the day we got together.

I also knew that he had a wife to whom he had been engaged since childhood, and he said he would break off his engagement with her, and I believed him.

For more than a year after that, we were very happy. While completing the master's tasks, we kissed and hugged each other in different places. At that time, we didn't care about the worldly perspective. I felt that we would definitely be together. He was the meaning of my life and the light of my life.

Later, we learned everything and the master let us leave. He said he wanted to go home and tell his parents that he wanted to marry me, so I waited for him in Yunling County.

I did wait for him, wait until he said that I was delaying him, wait until he said that I was a stain on his life, wait until I wanted to watch him get married and have children with my own eyes.

I went to his wedding day. Do you know how beautiful he looked in his wedding dress?

I've seen him in all sorts of ways, but I'm not qualified to see him in his happy clothes.

In the end, I didn't have the courage to watch him get married with others. I don't know how long I stood outside the Zhu family's house.

I know he has his own difficulties, but he doesn't want to tell me, or maybe it's just an excuse I made up for us.

He said his life was like building a house, and my presence had caused it to become crooked. Now he wanted to straighten it out and get back on the right path. I was a mistake in his life.

Later, I fulfilled our promise alone. I wandered around and visited the scenic spots he described, but they were not as beautiful as he said. However, I did make a group of brothers who were willing to die for me. I don’t know why, but in the end I took them back to Yunling County.

I knew I couldn't let him go, and I wanted to see him, but I never thought I would see him again.

When you came to see me that day, I had a hunch that I would meet the person I wanted to see, so I asked a few more questions, but I didn't expect it was really him.

When I saw him again, I thought I had let it go, but I still felt resentment and hatred. It turned out that I had never gotten over it.

But now I am heartbroken. I just saw him hugging his wife with his eyes full of heartache. Their family is very harmonious. He should be very happy. Otherwise, how could such a delicate person like him survive such a hard life.

I should let it go too. I'm 27 now, and it's been 13 years. He got over it a long time ago, but I trapped myself for 13 years.

In a person’s lifetime, we don’t know how many 13 years we will have. It’s time for me to live my own life well.

Well, that’s all, nothing much actually.”

Lan An just patted Brother Xie on the shoulder without saying anything. Zhang Xiaomo also looked at Brother Xie with sympathy. Lan An understood now. No wonder when Brother Xia took him to see Brother Xie, the first sentence he said was that he hadn't let it go after all these years.

As expected, it’s better not to meet anyone too amazing when you are young, otherwise everyone you meet in the future will be just mediocre.

"Okay, I should be the one feeling sad. Why are you looking so downcast? I should go back to build a house and start making more money. I want to get married too."

"Okay, I'll give you a raise, and if I find someone suitable, I'll introduce you to someone."

Brother Xie calmed down and went to work. His brothers knew that he was unhappy, so they made jokes to cheer him up.

When I was young, I met someone who really gave me the courage to do anything for him.

Lan An couldn't understand it. If Zhang Xiaomo got married, would he let go? He definitely wouldn't have before, but what about now? Maybe. He seemed to understand Brother Xie a little. How could you let go of watching your beloved marry and have children when you loved him the most?

"An'an, what are you thinking about?"

"Brother Xiaomo, I will never let you marry and have children in the future."

"Silly An'an, you are my wife, and you have to give birth to my children in the future."

After finishing work today, Lan An explained some things to Brother Xu and told him that he would not return to the village for a week. The task of building the house would be left to Brother Xu. However, Guo Ge'er would stay here for a week and temporarily live in Aunt Wang's house. Lan An had explained everything.

Rambo also understood how difficult it was for Brother Xu, so he borrowed the cook from Brother Xia's yard to help cook for a week. Lan An was also considering buying slaves, and planned to take advantage of this week to visit the dental clinic.

On the carriage back to the county town, there were only Lan An and Zhang Xiaomo. Guo Ge'er took Xiao Hui and stayed at Aunt Wang's house.

In the carriage, Zhang Xiaomo leaned on Lan'an's shoulder and fell asleep soundly. He hadn't had a good rest for two days, and he was busy all day today. He was really tired.

An hour later, the carriage stopped at the gate of Brother Xia's courtyard. Zhang Xiaomo was still asleep, so Lan An carried him out of the carriage.

Lan An carried Zhang Xiaomo back to the room, gently helped him take off his outer robe, covered him with a quilt, and left the room after he fell asleep soundly.

"Master An, you are finally back."

"Bai Lu, what's wrong?"

"During your absence, Master Mo refused to eat or sleep and just sat in the hall waiting for you. Master Guo was completely helpless, and we were even more powerless to persuade him."

"Okay, I get it. I won't leave for the next few days, but I'll have to trouble Aunt Laurel to go to the countryside and help me cook for a week."

"I'll take care of this little thing."

Lan Euan took out the bear meat that had not been eaten before and started to cook porridge. It would be better to drink some porridge if it was difficult to digest at night.

Lan An also did not forget to start boiling the medicinal bath water. She would wake up Zhang Xiaomo to take a medicinal bath later. Lan An felt reluctant, but the medicinal bath could not be interrupted.

"Brother Xiaomo, get up and take a medicinal bath."

"An An, I'm sleepy~ Sleep a little longer~"

"When the water gets cold, be good and I'll carry you straight into the bathroom."

"Sleepy~An An~Hug~"

Lan An carried the person into the bathroom and slowly put him into the bathtub. As soon as he entered, Zhang Xiaomo broke out in cold sweat due to the pain. Lan An quickly kissed the back of Zhang Xiaomo's hand.

"Brother Xiaomo, hold on a little longer~"

"An An, it hurts, it really hurts~"

"I know you're in pain. Please, hold on a little longer. We won't feel any pain anymore."

Zhang Xiaomo was still murmuring in pain, and Lan An was crying in distress. He finally understood what it meant to be powerless.

After taking the medicinal bath, Lan An quickly washed Zhang Xiaomo clean. His sprained foot began to hurt because he accidentally used too much force just now. Fortunately, Zhang Xiaomo was too tired and fell asleep in Lan An's arms.

Lan An gently wiped Zhang Xiaomo's hair with a towel. Zhang Xiaomo did not wake up and slept soundly with his head resting on Lan An's shoulder.

Lan An took almost an hour to dry Zhang Xiaomo's hair to 70%. It was getting late, so he slowly coaxed her to lie down on the bed. He wanted to go into the space immediately to soak in the spiritual spring water.

An hour later, Lan An came out of the space after soaking. Zhang Xiaomo was still asleep. Lan An was a little hungry, so he drank a bowl of porridge, wiped his hair simply, and went to bed.

He didn't sleep well during the two days of separation from Zhang Xiaomo. He instinctively took off Zhang Xiaomo's underwear and fell asleep sucking her collarbone.