Sang Zhi’s soft, plump cheeks puffed out roundly…
She didn’t know why Jia Zhu’s expression had suddenly darkened.
She suspected it might be because she had said something wrong earlier.
Just as she was about to speak to separate herself from Jia Zhu,
a slightly flirtatious voice suddenly sounded from behind: “Jing Zhi, you walk too fast, I almost… Who is this?”
This was the first time Sang Zhi had encountered such a familiar Lang Jun. Before she could even speak, the newcomer had already stepped forward.
If not for Jia Zhu standing between them, he might have come even closer to take a good look.
Sang Zhi silently shifted her position, hiding herself behind Jia Zhu.
Seeing this, Xie Shi’an’s gaze playfully shifted to his friend.
As if understanding something, he nodded slowly, drawing out his tone: “Oh… It seems I’ve come at the wrong time.”
Pei He’an’s indifferent eyes glanced at him lightly, carrying a hint of warning.
He turned slightly to look at the person hiding behind him and said, “Don’t be afraid. This is Xie Shi’an, the second son of the Xie family, an old friend of mine.”
Xie Shi’an?
Sang Zhi knew a little about this person. If Jia Zhu was the untouchable cold snow atop the mountain, then Xie Shi’an was a playboy who lingered among the flowers.
There were countless tales of his romantic escapades alone.
Who in Jiankang City hadn’t heard of the name Xie Erlang?
Sang Zhi slowly stepped out from behind and bowed: “Greetings, Xie Erlang.”
A flicker of surprise flashed in Xie Shi’an’s eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
Pretending not to notice the pause in her tone, he smiled and said, “I see this young lady is so beautiful, yet I’ve never met her before. What a pity.”
Sang Zhi had met few people, and even fewer were willing to talk to her.
Xie Shi’an, on the other hand, was someone who interacted with young women all year round. In just a short while,
the faint dimples that had disappeared from Sang Zhi’s face reappeared, her eyes curved into crescents, and she seemed much more relaxed than when she was with him…
Pei He’an’s thin lips tightened slightly as he stepped forward to separate the two.
He said coldly to Xie Shi’an, “Don’t you have something to do today?”
Xie Shi’an seemed not to catch the underlying meaning in his friend’s words. The corners of his lips lifted slightly, adding even more charm to his captivating peach blossom eyes.
“Those trivial matters are nowhere near as important as you two. Meeting by chance is fate. I know of an exceptionally delicious pastry shop nearby. Would you like to go together?”
Sang Zhi instinctively looked up at Jia Zhu.
Jia Zhu was extremely busy; she didn’t know if he had time to spare for this.
If Jia Zhu didn’t go, naturally, she couldn’t go either.
“Why are you looking at him, young lady? He’s so cold and aloof. If he goes to the shop, people might think he’s there to cause trouble.”
This was the first time Sang Zhi had heard someone speak of him like this. She couldn’t help but curve her lips into a smile.
But she quickly composed herself, lowering her head as if nothing had happened.
However, Pei He’an, standing beside her, had already seen her actions clearly.
His pale fingers unconsciously fiddled with the Bodhi wristlet on his wrist.
“Then let’s go together.”
Yulu Pavilion.
While waiting for the pastries to arrive, Xie Shi’an’s eyes kept darting between the awkwardly seated Sang Zhi and his friend.
Without Xie Shi’an speaking, the atmosphere in the private room suddenly turned cold.
Sang Zhi lowered her head to look at the tablecloth spread on the table, intending to study the embroidery patterns on it.
But she really wasn’t cut out for this. After looking for a while, she felt dizzy. She would rather go to the kitchen and help out.
No one spoke up, so she lightly pinched her fingertip, stood, and said, "I'll go hurry them along."
After speaking, she ran off without looking back, as if someone were chasing her.
Seeing her leave, Xie Shi'an finally turned to his friend and said, "I never would have guessed that in just a few days, you've already hidden away a beauty."
Before his friend left Jiankang, he was absolutely certain there had been no trace of any woman around him.
But now, after only three or four days back, he had already broken his rule.
This was simply too fast.
Could it be that seeing Sanlang now married, he was in a hurry too?
"It's not what you think."
Hearing his friend's defense, Xie Shi'an looked at him with amusement. "I didn't even say it was like that, so why are you so quick to explain?"
"But you still haven't told me the lady's name, where she lives, or how you met. To catch your eye in just three or four days—she must be quite remarkable."
"However, I just observed for you—she seems quite concerned about you, glancing at you before making any decision. Don't keep such a tight rein on her; you should loosen up a bit."
Pei He'an's finger, resting on the teacup, paused for a moment before he replied coldly, "She is Sanlang's wife."
"Sanlang's… Sanlang's wife! The one Sanlang married is her?"
Xie Shi'an's expression nearly cracked at these words. After all, in his impression, Sanlang's wife should have been a woman with alluring eyes, captivating and enchanting.
How could she be that timid, fearful person from earlier?
No wonder his friend had acted that way—she was family.
Thankfully, his earlier words hadn't been overheard by anyone else, or it would have been a grave offense.
He complained somewhat resentfully to his friend, "Then why didn't you say so earlier?"
"You were too noisy."
Still, having seen Sanlang's hidden wife today, he noted that her temperament seemed quite opposite to Sanlang's.
But it was hard to say—perhaps they complemented each other.
"Never would have thought Sanlang would end up marrying such a wife, but she does seem quite gentle and obedient. I'm sure she'll take excellent care of Sanlang."
A cold smile tugged at the corner of Pei He'an's lips.
Indeed, after Sanlang received just a few lashes, she was already making soups and personally giving instructions.
Even a single meal had to be supervised by her personally—it was as meticulous as caring for an infant not yet a month old.
…
"Sanlang, it's been so long since you last came. I thought you had forgotten this place."
Although Pei Xiyue's injuries had improved somewhat, they were still not fully healed.
The more he thought about how A Xiong had punished him for this, the angrier he became.
After some persuasion from his friends, he changed locations and came to the Liujing River.
The Flower Queen, Nuyan, spoke softly and sweetly, her crimson gauze dress draping down to reveal her fair, jade-like arms.
She loosely wrapped her arms around Pei Xiyue's waist, her voice syrupy.
As if accusing a heartless man, she lightly tapped his chest.
Pei Xiyue was already in a foul mood today and pushed her away.
"Don't fuss."
Nuyan, born and raised on the Liujing River, was first-rate at reading people's expressions and immediately dropped her act.
Like a flower that understands words, she leaned gently against his shoulder.
"Sanlang, is something troubling you?"
Pei Xiyue couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly was bothering him.
He just felt that everything was off.
Seeing this, Nuyan gracefully rose and brought over the fish soup she had prepared earlier.
Xiaoyi said gently, "Sanlang, knowing you were coming, I specially prepared fish soup. This is fresh fish bought just today, freshly caught from the Bian River."
Sha Qiu, who was standing beside Pei Xiyue, suddenly stepped forward, blocking the fish soup, and said, "Lang Jun has injuries and cannot consume such inflammatory foods."
Pei Xiyue clicked his tongue in annoyance and suddenly kicked Sha Qiu.
The fewer people who knew about him being beaten, the better. Why was he spreading it around?
Besides, it was just a bowl of fish soup. What harm could it do?
But Sha Qiu insisted earnestly, "Before leaving, the lady instructed that Lang Jun has injuries and specifically warned against eating such things."
Hearing Sha Qiu's words, Pei Xiyue's eyebrows instantly furrowed.
Was he Sang Zhi's person or his own?
Why was he so obedient to Sang Zhi?
Nuyan, seeing the situation, quickly withdrew the fish soup in her hands, taking all the blame upon herself.
She then ordered a table of fine tea and food to be served.
Softly, she said, "Sanlang, don’t be angry. Sit down and have a meal."
Pei Xiyue ate absentmindedly, but the more he ate, the more flavorless it seemed.
Why wasn’t it as delicious as what Sang Zhi made?
And why was she meddling in his affairs? Did she really think she was his wife?
Even managing the people around him.
If this continued, wouldn’t her next step be to control him directly?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Without finishing the meal, he stormed back to the mansion with Sha Qiu.
Yuluge.
Sang Zhi waited until the pastries were served before following inside.
Earlier at Xiaguangge, the tael of silver she had brought remained unused. Later, she would go downstairs to settle the bill.
Once back at the mansion, she would return the remaining silver to Jia Zhu.
Xie Shi’an, having learned of Sang Zhi’s identity from a friend, became much more formal in his speech.
Seeing the pastries served, he smiled and said, "The most famous delicacy at Yuluge is this honey-glazed flaky pastry flower." Give it a try."
Sang Zhi had long been eyeing this pastry. Picking up a silver spoon, she gently scooped a small portion and savored it carefully.
It was smooth and creamy, with just the right amount of sweetness and a faint floral fragrance.
No wonder so many people loved it.
Truly worthy of being the signature dish.
Pei He’an inadvertently caught sight of the slight curve at the corner of the person beside him’s lips.
Like a squirrel in the mountains secretly nibbling on nuts, her soft cheeks puffed up roundly.
Just over a pastry, and she was this delighted.
After trying the novelty, Sang Zhi sampled other pastries under Xie Shi’an’s enthusiastic hospitality.
They were quite tasty, but they still fell short compared to the honey-glazed crispy flower pastry.
She wondered if she could recreate this in the mansion.
Sang Zhi took another bite, already having a rough idea of the ingredients needed, though the precise adjustments would require some experimentation.
Still, it shouldn’t be too far off.
Sang Zhi sat by the window and enjoyed quite a few pastries.
She couldn’t eat any more; too much would feel cloying.
Leaning to the side, she looked down at the bustling street below, where crowds continued to flow even at noon.
As mealtime approached, several street vendors set up stalls along the roadside.
Selling wontons and flatbreads.
Sang Zhi watched with great interest.
Suddenly, a familiar figure hurriedly passed by on the street.
Sang Zhi’s expression instantly changed.
Without another thought, she abruptly stood up and said, "Jia Zhu, Xie Lang Jun, I apologize, but I have urgent matters to attend to and must leave now."
After speaking, she glanced hurriedly at the figure about to disappear into the distance and rushed downstairs.
As for Xie Shi'an, seeing the other party leave in such a hurry, he craned his neck to look in the direction Sang Zhi had gone.
After watching for a long time, he finally understood why she had left.
A slight curve formed at the corner of his lips as he remarked, "No wonder she left in such a rush. Newlyweds are always like this, inseparable as two peas in a pod."
"Jing Zhi, look."
Unable to resist, Pei He'an's gaze involuntarily fell on the figure running down the street.
In a hurry, as if chasing after some treasure.
With just one glance, he withdrew his gaze.
His dark eyes were inscrutable, and the silver spoon in his hand clattered onto the plate.
This pastry was so cloyingly sweet, he couldn't fathom what was so appealing about it.
Only when the figure had completely disappeared from sight did Xie Shi'an shift his attention back.
Looking at his friend, as if recalling something, he suddenly laughed and said, "Jing Zhi, when I saw you standing with Sanlang's wife earlier, it truly startled me."
Pei He'an's cold, thin eyelids lifted slightly as he glanced at him.
"Boring."
Seeing this, Xie Shi'an grew even more enthusiastic and eagerly analyzed for his friend, "Don't doubt it, Jing Zhi. You're twenty-seven now, while she's only seventeen. If you had married early, your child might even be around her age."
A shadow flickered in Pei He'an's eyes as he stood up and said, "Noisy."
Xie Shi'an shrugged and followed his friend downstairs.
As they approached the counter to settle the bill, the waiter approached with a smile and said, "Gentlemen, the bill has already been taken care of."
Xie Shi'an's hand, holding the silver, paused mid-air as he asked with confusion, "Taken care of?"
"Yes, the lady who was with you earlier came down and settled it."
After speaking, the shopkeeper behind the counter cast a rather disdainful look at them.
Two grown men going out, yet a woman had to pay the bill—were they perhaps gigolos?
Though they did have some looks to them.
This was the first time Xie Shi'an had ever been treated by a woman, and he felt rather unsettled.
With mixed emotions, he put the silver back.
After the two had left, the waiter who had spoken earlier whispered to the shopkeeper, "I saw that lady chasing after another gentleman earlier. Could it be that these two didn't satisfy her, which is why she abandoned them?"
The shopkeeper shook his head and spoke with a hint of caution, "What do you know? No matter how good-looking they are, if they're just silver-plated pewter spearheads, it's all for nothing."
The somewhat naive waiter didn't understand the shopkeeper's words and asked humbly, "What does 'silver-plated pewter spearhead' mean?"
The shopkeeper shot him a glare and waved him away, saying, "Go on, go attend to the customers. Don't ask so many questions here."
After the waiter left, the shopkeeper glanced nervously at the two men again.
At such a distance, they probably couldn't hear, right?
Sang Zhi ultimately didn't have the same stamina as Pei Xiyue and could only chase after him for a short while before giving up.
Panting heavily, she stopped and began walking slowly back toward the mansion.
After finishing his business outside, Pei He'an finally made his way home.
Rubbing his temples, he let out a soft sigh.
As he passed by Linfeng Courtyard, he instinctively glanced inside.
With just one look, Pei He'an's footsteps halted once more.
Frowning slightly, he stared at the figure crouched by the doorway.
Small and curled up, the grayish shadows cast by the eaves nearly enveloped her entirely.
If one didn't look carefully, she would easily be overlooked.
Weren't you chasing after him to come back? How is it that now you can't even get through the door?
Sang Zhi didn't understand either, but she ultimately wasn't the type to dig to the bottom of things.
She had also grown accustomed to Lang Jun's unpredictable temperament.
Yet she still sensed the feeling of being watched by others, and lightly raised her eyes to look outside.
Instantly, she met Jia Zhu's deep, dark gaze.
It was as still as a bottomless, dark pool—no signs of life, yet no ripples either.
Sang Zhi abruptly stood up and bowed in greeting.
It felt just like being called upon by the teacher in school.
Seeing Jia Zhu about to turn and leave, Sang Zhi suddenly remembered something and spoke up: "Jia Zhu, wait."
Pei He'an paused at the doorway, already understanding.
She must have come to complain to him.
Sang Zhi hurried back to her room and counted out some silver from her accumulated pouch. Without taking the time to put it away properly, she rushed back out.
Approaching Jia Zhu, she somewhat awkwardly handed the silver back to him.
Softly, she said, "Today, thank you, Jia Zhu. This silver, I'm returning it to you."
Pei He'an's eyebrow lifted ever so slightly as he reached out and took it.
But looking at the neatly arranged three taels of broken silver in his hand, he suddenly spoke: "Today, you paid the bill at Yulu Pavilion. That amount should be deducted."
Sang Zhi quickly waved her hands. "No, no need. It was originally… to thank Jia Zhu."
After saying this, she felt her words sounded a bit stiff and hurriedly added, "Jia Zhu, how did you find the taste?"
Pei He'an felt the cloyingly sweet aroma seemed to rise again with her question.
"Acceptable."
Sang Zhi's eyes curved into crescents, and the dimples by her cheeks faintly appeared.
"I also thought it was delicious. Next time, I'll treat Jia Zhu again."
"No."
Hearing Jia Zhu refuse, the faintly emerging dimples instantly froze on Sang Zhi's face.
Her lips pressed tightly together as she quickly reflected.
She had been somewhat presumptuous, meeting Jia Zhu only a few times and already overstepping boundaries like this.
It really shouldn't have been this way.
"When leaving, the shopkeeper said I was the one you had reserved."
Sang Zhi abruptly lifted her head, a flush she hadn't noticed before spreading from her fair neck all the way to her forehead.
"He also said I was a silver spear that's actually pewter—unsatisfactory, which is why you left in such a hurry."
"Is that so?"
Author's Note:
Shopkeeper: I clearly said it about both of you!
Dà Péi: Sorry, I only heard the part about me.
Next chapter on Friday at 6 PM! [Fighting!]