Cao Xiaohan and Bai Yiyan arrived at the small courtyard where they would be staying for the next period. Opening the door was a teenage boy servant.
“You have arrived, Young Master. My name is Qian Er, and I am the sweeping boy here. This is Mama Guan, who is responsible for laundry and cooking. We have been waiting here for a long time.” Standing behind the boy was a plump, kind-related woman in her forties wearing coarse cloth garments.
“Well, from now on, you may address me as Young Master, and refer to him as Young Master Cao.” This was merely a temporary resting place for them, and these two had been hired temporarily, so Bai Yiyan did not care to say much more. Cao Xiaohan followed behind Bai Yiyan, looking the two over, and smiled at them when he heard Bai Yiyan’s introduction.
“Understood. Please step inside and rest, both Young Masters.” The boy servant was very attentive; the family offered a generous wage, and both he and Mama Guan were very satisfied with the job.
“Mama Guan, you can guide us inside. Qian Er, go untie the carriage outside and lead the horses to the stable.”
“Yes, Young Master.” Qian Er acknowledged the command, then turned and left.
As the two stepped through the gate, a tranquil and elegant small courtyard met their eyes. Cao Xiaohan fell in love with the place at first glance. The small courtyard resembled a miniature quadrangle, filled with green trees, flowers, and grass, making it quite serene and pleasant.
“Brother Bai, is this where we are going to live? It is truly wonderful!”
“Indeed. Now you can cook for me; I rather prefer the meals you make.” Bai Yiyan still remembered the surprisingly delicious meal the silly rabbit had cooked for him in the small mountain village of Ami County.
“Alright, as long as Brother Bai likes it, I will cook for you every day.” Cao Xiaohan was very happy that Bai Yiyan enjoyed his cooking.
“Then tonight’s dinner will be left in your hands. If it satisfies me, there is a temple fair in Anping City tomorrow, and I will take you to see it. How does that sound?”
“Alright, alright!” Hearing about a temple fair, Cao Xiaohan’s eyes immediately curved into smiles. He then began scheming in his mind about what dishes he should prepare.
“Two Young Masters, this old woman will show you around,” Mama Guan offered with a smile from the side, seeing that the two masters, though somewhat peculiar, seemed easy to get along with.
“Then I must trouble you, Mama Guan.” Cao Xiaohan was a well-mannered boy, and seeing that Mama Guan resembled a friendly neighborhood aunt, he flashed a bright smile at her.
“Young Master, this is only my duty.” Seeing the young master treat her with such courtesy, Mama Guan smiled even more broadly.
After the two of them finished looking around, the servant had already moved the luggage from the carriage into the rooms. Cao Xiaohan looked at his own bedroom and felt a wave of relief; if he had continued to sleep with Brother Bai, he truly did not know what kind of embarrassing things he might end up doing. What would he do if Brother Bai grew to despise him?
Bai Yiyan felt quite unaccustomed to his own empty bedroom. Without the silly rabbit around to tease, he felt as though something was missing. He could sense that the silly rabbit had feelings for him, yet for some reason, the boy kept evading him. After spending so many days together, he realized he had developed a fondness for this dopey, foolish rabbit, and the next challenge was figuring out how to entice him.
Thus, the two of them, each harboring their own hidden thoughts, began their joyful cohabitation.
After a busy morning and a midday meal together, Bai Yiyan went out to inspect his family’s businesses. Since he had come all this way, it would be unreasonable not to check on them. Cao Xiaohan, on the other hand, decided to let Mama Guan accompany him to buy groceries, determined to showcase his culinary skills for tomorrow’s temple fair. The poor, silly rabbit had never seriously stopped to think whether his movements were actually restricted; since no one was taking him, he could easily have gone by himself.
“Mama Guan, what ingredients do we currently have at home?” After Bai Yiyan left, Cao Xiaohan asked Mama Guan.
“Replying to the Young Master, we still have some Chinese cabbage, eggs, pork, and a bit of cured meat,” Mama Guan listed them one by one.
“Are there still vendors selling vegetables at this hour?” Cao Xiaohan thought for a moment; the ingredients at hand were not enough to make a proper meal, and he wanted to buy a few more things.
“There are some, but I wonder what the Young Master has in mind?” Mama Guan asked, confused.
“I want to go buy some more vegetables to make something delicious for Brother Bai tonight.”
“Young Master, you must not do that. This old woman can handle it. Or is it that the Young Master dislikes the meals this old woman cooks?”
“Mama Guan, I did not mean that at all. I simply want to cook a meal for Brother Bai myself. Please take me there now.”
Since Cao Xiaohan was now the master of the house, Mama Guan did not say anything further and led him outside. Along the way, Cao Xiaohan looked about curiously in wonder; he had not yet properly taken in the sights of Anping City since arriving. As a prefectural capital, it was far superior to Ami County, with bustling crowds on the streets and shops lining both sides, presenting a thoroughly prosperous scene.
The customs of the Mu Dynasty were open and progressive, and one could even spot young women dressed in bright, colorful attire walking along the streets. Cao Xiaohan also caught sight of a group of rugged, heavily armed men who looked far more like bandits than martial artists. However, he was too busy with purchasing ingredients to pay them any mind, and besides, those men looked rather unsightly with zero aesthetic value. It seemed this silly youngster was quite the superficial judge of appearances.
Just as he was lost in thought, a sharp cry erupted from the crowd. Cao Xiaohan snapped back to reality, only to see a fast-running horse galloping fiercely straight toward him, threatening to crash right into him. Paralyzed by fright, he could only stare blankly as the horse drew nearer and nearer. Just as he was about to be struck, the young man on horseback pulled violently on the reins, forcefully steering the horse’s head to the side.
Cao Xiaohan narrowly escaped disaster, but the rider was thrown from the saddle. At that moment, a group of servants and guards came running up from behind.
“Your Highness! Your Highness, are you alright?” Two servants stepped forward to help the young man up.
“This subordinate failed in his duty and startled Your Highness.” Seeing the Prince fall from his horse, a guard dropped to his knees to plead for mercy.
“It is nothing, you may rise. If there is a next time, you will be stripped of your rank and dismissed.” The young man who had been helped up possessed some martial arts skill and was not injured. His narrow eyes swept over the kneeling guards; his horse had been going steadily, yet for no apparent reason it suddenly bolted and nearly collided with a pedestrian, a matter well worth investigating.
“Thank you, Your Highness.” The group of guards expressed their gratitude and stood up.
“Hey, you blockhead! Why are you just standing in the middle of the road? Did you not see that you almost caused our Prince to get hurt?” A servant spotted the dazed Cao Xiaohan and pointed at him in angry accusation.
“What did you say? Clearly, it was you people riding recklessly through the streets who almost hurt my young master!” Mama Guan had been terrified out of her wits; if her young master had been injured, she would never have been able to face the head of the household. Acting out of momentary impulse, she completely disregarded the other party’s status.
“You ignorant commoner! Do you have any idea how noble our Prince is? How can you lump him together with ordinary rabble like yourselves?”
Cao Xiaohan had recovered his wits by this time, glaring angrily at the person opposite him. His expressive, lively eyes added plenty of vitality, enhancing his otherwise ordinary face.
“Is this what you call bullying the weak with power? I am the victim here! What are you yelling for? Do you think I am scared just because your voice is loud? This is a great chance for everyone to see how your Prince bullies ordinary citizens. How is it that someone who looks like a human being can utter such inhuman nonsense?” Cao Xiaohan was furious. This was a second chance at life he had fought hard to get, and he had no idea if he would ever get another opportunity if he lost this one. Having frequently shared tea with the Grim Reaper, he valued his life dearly.