Xavi looked around the house that had been completely transformed after he and his wife spent the afternoon shopping.
As he gazed at Jewel—graceful, gentle, and incredibly beautiful—all the worries and feelings of insecurity and unfairness that had filled his heart earlier faded away.
He couldn't stop himself from wanting to get closer to her. Maybe he had already fallen into the warmth that Jewel gave off, without even realizing it.
He wasn't sure when exactly he became so drawn to this feeling. Maybe it was when she pulled him to the dining table without caring about what others might think. Or maybe it was when she earned money and handed it over to him without a second thought. Or perhaps it was the way she always spoke to him with such genuine respect and care.
He had never dared to hope for much in life. As long as he had enough food and clothes, he felt that was enough. Just getting through each day was already good enough for him.
But after marrying Jewel, he hadn't suffered a single bit at his father-in-law's house. Jewel treated him with care, and her father was kind and easygoing. No one had ever looked down on him or treated him the way she did—with such love and kindness.
Now, he had dreams. He felt hopeful about life. He wanted to hold on tightly to the happiness he had now, even if it turned out to be nothing more than a beautiful dream.
"What are you thinking about? I've been waiting for you! I still have something for you," Jewel said cheerfully, pulling out a delicate silver bracelet from her sleeve. She took Xavi's hand and gently slid the bracelet onto his wrist.
"I also picked one out for your father. His is a bit thicker and looks more elegant. Yours is more delicate and suits your age better."
As she spoke with a warm smile, she carefully helped Xavi wear the bracelet, her touch gentle, as if afraid of hurting him.
"Take a look, Xavi. Do you like it?"
Xavi hadn't expected this at all. Jewel even bought jewelry for him! No wonder she mentioned earlier that they had spent over sixty taels of silver. Now there were only a little over forty taels left. They had only spent about six taels on all the household supplies that filled an entire cart. That meant each pair of bracelets cost around six or seven taels.
That was almost two years' worth of living expenses. He thought Jewel would only buy something like that for her father.
He thought back to everything Jewel had done for him since she woke up today: letting him eat at the table with her, giving him and her father the special dishes she had prepared for herself, handing him all the silver to keep, and now even buying jewelry for him…
Xavi felt deeply touched. What had he done to deserve such kindness?
"Xavi, I know I wasn't there when we got married, and the wedding was simple. You must have felt wronged. Now that I'm awake, I promise to treat you well from now on. We don't have a lot of money right now, so I could only afford silver bracelets. But in the future, we'll live better, and I'll buy you even nicer things."
Jewel spoke softly, her voice filled with sincerity.
Xavi couldn't hold back the emotions swirling in his heart anymore. Before she could react, he suddenly threw himself into her arms!
Jewel felt the small, thin arms wrap tightly around her waist, as if he were searching for comfort and safety. She gently placed her warm hand on his back, holding him close. The two of them stayed that way for a long time, unmoving.
"Thank you, Jewel. I never felt wronged."
Xavi lifted his wrist, looking at the glowing silver bamboo bracelet Jewel had chosen for him. His voice was soft and tender, making her heart ache.
"You must be tired from running around with me all day. It's late—let's get some rest, okay?" Jewel said gently, guiding Xavi toward the bed. She helped him sit down and bent down to take off his shoes and socks.
"Jewel, you don't have to do that! I can do it myself!"
Xavi was surprised at how naturally she was taking care of him.
"Just sit still. Be good."
She helped him take off his shoes. "Now go lie inside."
Xavi obediently climbed into the bed and snuggled into the inner side. Jewel took off her outer robe, blew out the soft, warm lamp, and lay down beside him. Looking at the small, fragile figure curled up near the edge of the bed, her heart filled with tenderness.
The boy was still so young, and yet he was already married. In her world, boys his age should be carefree and happy. But at least... the one he married was her.
In the future, she would make up for everything he had missed. She would heal his wounds and give him a life full of happiness and love.
"Xavi, come here."
Jewel wanted to hold him close and give him a sense of safety.
Hearing her call, Xavi hesitated for a moment.
"Don't be afraid, Xavi. I just want to hold you," Jewel said softly, reaching out to gently run her fingers through his hair. His cheeks turned red. Slowly, he moved toward her and lay quietly in her arms, too shy to move.
Seeing his nervousness and fear, she gently stroked his head and reassured him, "Don't be scared. I won't do anything you don't want." She tucked him in carefully and then closed her eyes to rest.
Realizing she really didn't have any other intentions, Xavi finally relaxed. But for some reason, he still felt a strange sense of disappointment in his heart…
Moonlight spilled in through the window. In the quiet night, only the soft sounds of insects could be heard from the courtyard.
With the gentle scent of Jewel around him, Xavi lay in her warm arms and felt completely safe. He slept peacefully through the night without a single dream.
When she heard his soft and even breathing, Jewel slowly opened her eyes. The little one was sleeping soundly in her arms. She looked down and gently kissed his forehead.
She once thought that, as a strong woman, she might never find someone she both liked and was compatible with. But who would've guessed that one strange night of drinking would send her into another world—where she became the head of a household and met a man named Xavi in this female-led society?
He was a wonderful man—optimistic, hardworking, and strong. He had his own thoughts and never blindly followed others. He stayed true to himself, calm and steady even when things got tough. Men like him were rare.
In the days to come, she wanted to grow their love after marriage. They would face everything together, never be apart, and walk through life hand in hand.
Looking at the peaceful Xavi sleeping beside her, Jewel smiled softly. It felt like the emotional emptiness from her past life was now completely filled. The part of her heart that had been missing was finally whole.
From now on, she would never be alone again. In this world, there would be someone to share her joys and sorrows, to go through both hardship and happiness by her side. And in a world full of lights, there would be one shining just for her.
They were husband and wife, trusting and loving each other. Tonight, they shared a bed, wrapped in warmth and comfort.
...
In the morning, birds chirped cheerfully in the courtyard, welcoming a new day. Jewel slowly opened her eyes, feeling something heavy pressing down on her.
Turns out, her little husband had wrapped himself around her like an octopus, his warm breath tickling her neck…
No wonder she had dreamt of… what was it again?
Hmm… she couldn't remember clearly… maybe she was carrying a heavy rock and walking a long way?
Looking at the small figure clinging to her, Jewel couldn't help but laugh softly. Forget it. Xavi must have been exhausted from running all over with her yesterday. She didn't have the heart to wake him, so she stayed still.
She closed her eyes again, thinking about what she should do today…
Maybe it was time to find a proper job. She couldn't just rely on a few ginseng roots from the space forever. Now that she had a family, she needed to start working soon—so they could have a stable source of income.