The clapper board beat faster and faster, the storytelling lad swaying his head as he sang: "That night, red candles burned high, mandarin ducks lay entwined… Ouch!"
Someone threw something at him, hitting his tongue dead-on. His tongue root immediately swelled with a sharp, numbing pain, and he couldn't utter a single word.
He was about to curse in anger, but when he looked closely, he saw that the person had tossed over a piece of broken silver. His face immediately broke into a smile as he bent to pick it up, and naturally, the clapper board could no longer continue.
Just as it was about to get spicy and it stopped—Su Zhai felt a bit disappointed.
But glancing at the man beside her, she figured it was fine to let it go.
Shi Yeshan, however, brushed against the back of her hand and said calmly, "Wait here for me. I need to go find a friend nearby—just a small matter."
To go find a bit of trouble.
Su Zhai nodded. "Go ahead, then. I'll sit here a while longer."
This was her first time in the city, and it still felt somewhat novel.
Even just the Tianxiang Tower alone was far more luxurious than she had imagined. The diners here were well-dressed, and the streets outside were bustling—a picture of prosperous times.
The Cultivation World really was something else.
Shi Yeshan handed over his entire monthly salary without keeping a single coin for himself, and Su Zhai would always set aside a portion to give back to him as pocket money. He didn't care much about it himself, but he did spend it.
He wasn't particular about money—after all these years of work, he still hadn't bought a house in the city.
Today's meal had cost four or five days' worth of living expenses, and Su Zhai couldn't help but start mentally planning out the remaining silver for the month. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice when a dandy had sat down beside her.
He was a textbook dandy. A pink square scarf tied around his head, a folding fan in hand, and a lecherous look on his face.
Two shady-looking servants flanked him. The three of them had been eating on the second floor earlier, watching Su Zhai through a screen. When they saw she was alone, they eagerly rushed down, grinning as one of them spoke: "Heh heh, little lady, do you know where your husband has gone?"
His servant chimed in: "I saw it with my own eyes—he took a turn and headed straight for the Red Sleeve Pavilion~"
"Seems your husband is a regular there. What a waste—having a beauty like an immortal by his side," the dandy said, reaching for Su Zhai's hand resting on the table. She snatched it back quickly, but he leered as he stroked the still-warm spot where her hand had been. "If I had a wife like you, I'd never bear to pull out."
The words were too crude, and his two servants burst into raucous laughter.
The other diners recognized the dandy as a scion of the Yu Prince's household and hurriedly shuffled away.
Su Zhai also stood up and called out loudly, "Waiter, come settle the bill."
The dandy was slightly taken aback. He'd expected her to be frightened into stammering and trembling, but instead she dared to call for someone. He was impressed, clapping and laughing: "Good! I like this kind of tough beauty."
The waiter didn't dare come over, only standing at a distance with a troubled expression.
Su Zhai frowned and took two steps back, but the dandy's hand had already found her waist. He leaned in with ill intent, about to speak, when a slap cracked across his face.
Not an ordinary slap—a fierce gust of wind. When it landed, half the bones in his face shattered, and his teeth rattled loose in his mouth like a mouthful of pebbles.
His brains were scrambled too.
No one even knew what had happened. They only saw the man who had been so arrogant moments ago suddenly look as if his soul had been ripped out—eyes glazed and vacant, staggering a few steps.
Su Zhai quickly shoved him away hard and hurried toward the entrance of the restaurant, tugging at Shi Yeshan's sleeve and whispering, "Let's go."
Shi Yeshan remained fairly calm. "Let me settle the bill first."
"…You don't have any money on you." Su Zhai pulled a string of copper coins from her waist and tossed them toward the waiter. "Bill's settled."
The waiter didn't respond, not daring to take the money. He just bowed to the couple while sneakily glancing at the young master collapsed on the ground, writhing in agony, and didn't dare approach.
Anyone could tell something was wrong. The diners filtered out in twos and threes, deliberately angling their bodies away from Shi Yeshan as they left.
In an instant, the vast restaurant was left empty.
Even after paying, Su Zhai still couldn't pull Shi Yeshan away.
He was always one to hide his emotions, but every time he was displeased, Su Zhai could catch a faint scent—like the oppressive, yellow-gray gloom that blanketed the sky before a storm.
That unsettling atmosphere gradually filled the entire restaurant.
"What's wrong with this man?" Su Zhai asked stiffly. "Looks like he's about to die."
"Probably some latent illness about to strike him dead." Shi Yeshan said it lightly, placing a hand on Su Zhai's back and giving her a gentle push forward, saying calmly, "He offended you just now."
The two servants were ashen-faced. One held the young master's teeth in his hands, the other clutched the tongue he'd spat out. Neither knew what to do, huddled by their master's side, staring at Shi Yeshan in fear.
One of them mustered his courage: "Our young master is… is the nephew of the Yu Prince."
"What Demonic Arts have you used?! His Highness the Yu Prince will not let you get away with this."
Shi Yeshan's gaze was no less indifferent than if he were looking at a mongrel dog.
"I'm sorry." Su Zhai looked at Shi Yeshan and spoke very quietly. "…So what do we do now?"
Were they supposed to kill all three of these people?
But there had been plenty of witnesses just now—they could always be traced back to the two of them.
…Though, since when had Shi Yeshan become so formidable?
Shi Yeshan furrowed his brow at her words, quietly studying her pale face. His tone carried a hint of hesitation. "You? What are you sorry for?"
"Demon my ass." A cocky voice suddenly rang out from the rafters. "Your granny here is brimming with righteous energy—where the hell am I a demon?!"
The moment the words fell, both servants each took a slap to the face, staggering and collapsing to the ground, dizzy and disoriented.
Chu Yi landed from the rafters with an air of triumph, waving at Su Zhai. "Come here, give him a kick."
Su Zhai: "Huh?"
"Aren't they the ones who caused you trouble?" Chu Yi said impatiently. "Aren't you angry? Come on, let off some steam."
"…No need." Su Zhai glanced at the three people on the ground and forced a stiff smile. "They've been taught enough of a lesson. Let's not invite more trouble."
Chu Yi frowned. "Fine, whatever you say."
She still stepped forward and planted a foot on the young master's chin, though it felt like stepping into a pile of mud. She didn't seem to mind, only leaving a harsh warning: "You blind piece of trash—daring to harass an honest woman right under your granny's nose. Next time I see you, I'll beat you every single time! Remember that."
With that, she hurried back out without even saying goodbye to Su Zhai.
Su Zhai barely dared to breathe, thinking that her tenant was quite something. She'd have to be careful not to offend her in the future.
That big carp—if Chu Yi wanted to steal it, she could just let her.
Not wanting to linger, Su Zhai tugged at Shi Yeshan's sleeve and quietly slipped away.
She'd originally wanted to browse around the city, but after what had happened, her heart was unsettled. She told Shi Yeshan she wanted to go home, and he escorted her back to the carriage, ending what should have been a pleasant outing.
"Chu Yi is from the Immortal Gate. Her cultivation base is extremely high, and she doesn't harm people without cause." Shi Yeshan patted the back of Su Zhai's hand, his tone gentle. "Even royalty are only mortals—they wouldn't dare come looking for trouble with her."
Su Zhai finally breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. But was she following us the whole time? How did I not notice at all?"
Shi Yeshan hummed in acknowledgment. "Her mind is a bit strange."
He'd been somewhat distracted the whole ride, but Su Zhai was equally unsettled herself. After dropping her off at home, Shi Yeshan still needed to make a trip to the Sect, so he turned the carriage around at the gate.
Su Zhai stood at the courtyard entrance, patting the little horse's head. "Alright. Travel safely."
Her gaze was gentle, tinged with regret. "We spent a bit too much money today. We'll have to wait a while longer."
Shi Yeshan sat outside the carriage. "Wait for what?"
"To buy you a carriage." Su Zhai explained, "I've already saved up some money. Originally, by next month, I could have bought you a donkey cart to use for now. Then next year, once I have a bit more, I'd sell the donkey cart and trade up for a horse carriage. Then you'd have a proper carriage too."
But today, when she'd thrown money at that waiter, she'd been so eager to leave quickly that she'd tossed out extra without even asking the price.
Throwing money around had felt carefree in the moment—now the sting was setting in.
Few cultivators were as frugal as Shi Yeshan, not even owning a carriage at home. Su Zhai occasionally overheard the villagers gossiping about him, their tones mostly flippant, laced with a hint of contempt.
: The great immortal of Shushan Sect—sounds impressive, but he lives worse off than my household.
Anyone serving at a major Sect, if they had the inclination, had countless ways and means to line their pockets. Even a minor disciple was wealthier than a landlord, some even calling themselves immortals and looking down on mortals like livestock.
But Shi Yeshan had his own pride. He disdained such exploitation and graft, and he never looked down on ordinary people, always maintaining an even temper.
Yet it was precisely for this that he was looked down upon.
Su Zhai patted the little horse's head again and told Shi Yeshan to hurry along.
But the man leaned down toward her. He was still seated on the carriage, and Su Zhai instinctively rose on her tiptoes and tilted her head up. His lips brushed gently against her cheek.
It was a very light, very sweet kiss.
"Wait for me to come back. I'll be quick."
"No need to rush. Take your time on the road, there's no hurry." Su Zhai smiled shyly. "When have I ever not waited for you to come home?"