The people downstairs were all talking among themselves.
After taking a bath and drinking Spiritual Spring water upstairs, Shen Qingyao flashed back into her room at the inn.
It was already getting late. It was time for lunch, and the little guy next door was probably hungry by now.
Thinking that he was already eleven years old but only as tall as an eight- or nine-year-old child, Shen Qingyao couldn’t help but gently shake her head.
She opened the door, intending to ask Leng Xingchen to tell the waiter to bring their meal upstairs.
She also wanted him to ask for two buckets of hot water afterward. She had already bathed inside her Space, but she still needed to let others think she had bathed normally.
The moment she stepped out of her room, the door next door opened as well.
Leng Xingchen hurried out and asked, “Elder Sister, do you need something?”
He had been resting on the bed when he heard her door open. The instant he heard it, he rushed outside.
Anything that needed doing, he wanted to do himself. There was no need to trouble his elder sister.
Shen Qingyao paused for a moment. Seeing him like this amused her a little.
He really was trying to take every task for himself.
She found it quite satisfying, though her face remained expressionless.
“Go downstairs and ask the waiter to bring up three dishes and one soup. Have everything sent to your room. It’s time for lunch.”
After saying that, Shen Qingyao turned and went back into her room.
“Okay, Elder Sister,” Leng Xingchen answered softly from behind her.
He closed his door and hurried downstairs.
Before long, steaming hot, fragrant dishes were brought up.
“Please enjoy your meal, honored guests.”
After setting the food on the table, the waiter didn’t linger and immediately went downstairs.
On the table were two bowls of rice, a plate of stir-fried greens, a serving of braised pork, a plate of braised pork ribs, and a lotus root soup.
The dishes looked quite good. The only question was how they tasted.
Shen Qingyao sat down and picked up a piece of pork rib first.
The taste was ordinary.
It wasn’t especially delicious, but it wasn’t bad either.
In short, it was perfectly edible.
Leng Xingchen thoughtfully scooped her a bowl of lotus root soup first.
“Elder Sister, have some soup.”
Shen Qingyao accepted the bowl he handed over.
“Thank you.”
Leng Xingchen quickly waved both hands.
“No need to thank me. No need.”
Seeing his reaction, Shen Qingyao pointed to the stool across from her.
“Sit down and eat.”
Leng Xingchen nodded obediently, sat down, and began eating.
After finishing her meal, Shen Qingyao returned to her room because she had noticed that Leng Xingchen ate very slowly.
It seemed as though he was waiting for her to finish before eating properly.
Pretending not to notice, she finished half a bowl of rice before standing up.
“I’m full. Take your time eating. After you’re done, go downstairs and ask the waiter for two buckets of hot water. It’s time for us to wash up.”
With that, Shen Qingyao turned and walked toward the door.
“Okay, Elder Sister.”
Leng Xingchen immediately stood up, swallowed the food in his mouth, and hurriedly answered.
After seeing Shen Qingyao out, he closed the door.
He then finished every bit of the remaining food, including the half bowl of rice Shen Qingyao had left behind.
He ate until he was a little too full and rubbed his slightly swollen stomach.
A silly but blissfully happy smile spread across his face.
These past few days, following Elder Sister, he had finally been able to eat his fill.
It was wonderful.
Thinking back to after his adoptive parents died…
Forget about eating until he was full—even having a little food was already considered lucky.
After his adoptive parents passed away, everyone in the village called him a jinx.
They claimed that it was because they had taken him in that his adoptive parents died one after another.
But Leng Xingchen knew the real reason they said that.
The village chief wanted to seize his adoptive parents’ house.
He was just a child and had no way to resist.
All he could do was take the dozen or so copper coins left at home and leave the village.
After leaving, he tried every possible way to stay alive.
Even when he had food, he never dared eat it all at once.
Only when he was starving and couldn’t bear it anymore would he take a single bite to ease his hunger.
Leng Xingchen stood up, placed the empty bowls and plates onto the tray, and carried them downstairs.
When the waiter saw him coming down with the tray, he immediately walked over.
He didn’t neglect him just because he was only a child.
“Sir, just leave it to me.”
The waiter wore a polite professional smile.
Leng Xingchen handed him the tray and said, “Waiter, could you please bring two buckets of hot water to the second floor?”
The waiter nodded immediately.
“Certainly!”
Just as Leng Xingchen returned to the second floor, Shen Qingyao opened her door and walked out.
She was holding a set of clothes in her hands and handed them to him.
Without a word, Leng Xingchen immediately reached out to accept them.
These were clothes given to him by Elder Sister.
Seeing how obedient he was, Shen Qingyao felt quite pleased.
“Change into a fresh set after your bath. These belonged to my late elder brother. Wear them for now. This afternoon I’ll take you to buy a few new outfits.”
The clothes really had belonged to the original owner’s elder brother.
Although her brothers weren’t actually dead, in Shen Qingyao’s heart, they already were.
Leng Xingchen accepted the clothes without the slightest bit of disgust that they had once belonged to someone deceased.
Instead, he treasured them dearly.
Really?
Elder Sister treated him far too well.
He didn’t mind at all that the clothes had belonged to someone who had died.
Instead, he felt genuinely happy.
The fact that she was willing to give him her late brother’s clothes filled him with gratitude.
Still…
Why had Elder Sister been carrying her late brother’s clothes in her bundle all this time?
How strange.
Could it be that she wanted to keep them with her as a way of remembering her brother?
It seemed that Elder Sister must have been extremely close to him.
Meanwhile, at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Yunjing, the Third Young Master, Shen Yunyang, suddenly sneezed hard before rubbing his nose.
“Who’s talking behind my back?”
He muttered to himself before cheerfully going back to teasing his cricket without a care in the world.
Back at the inn, Leng Xingchen hurriedly waved his hands.
“Elder Sister, there’s no need to buy me new clothes. Having two sets to change between is enough.”
Leng Xingchen couldn’t help reaching out to stroke the fabric of the clothes. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
The material felt so nice.
Just from the touch alone, he could tell these clothes were countless times better than the ones he used to wear.
It had been a very long time since he had worn clothes this nice.
Shen Qingyao raised her eyes and glanced at him calmly.
“What did I just tell you? Have you already forgotten?”
Oh no!
I’m so useless.
How did I make Elder Sister angry again?
Leng Xingchen immediately remembered what she had said earlier. Realizing he had spoken out of turn again, he hurriedly apologized.
“I’m sorry, Elder Sister. I promise I won’t do it again.”
“Just don’t let it happen again.”
After saying that, Shen Qingyao turned around and returned to her room.
The two of them soon finished bathing, changed into clean clothes, took an afternoon nap, and then left the inn to buy some daily necessities.
They first went to a clothing shop, where Shen Qingyao bought Leng Xingchen four sets of clothes to change into.
She also bought him two sets of underclothes, two pairs of shoes, and several pairs of socks.
It was too much.
She had bought far too many things.
Why was Elder Sister buying him so much?
Leng Xingchen wanted to say something, but the moment he remembered what Shen Qingyao had told him earlier, he immediately shut his mouth.
Still, he silently engraved her kindness deep into his heart.
After leaving the clothing shop, they turned the corner and went into the pastry shop next door.
There, they bought several kinds of pastries, including osmanthus cakes, mung bean cakes, and glutinous rice cakes.
After buying the pastries, the two of them went to the grain shop and bought rice, millet, and flour.
Of course, they didn’t buy much—only three or four jin of each.
Looking at all the large and small bundles Leng Xingchen was carrying, Shen Qingyao felt they had bought enough.
“That’s about everything. We’ll come back tomorrow if we need anything else. Let’s return to the inn for today.”
She made no move to help carry the bags because she knew that even if she offered, Leng Xingchen would never let her carry anything.
Besides, she didn’t really want to carry them anyway.
The two returned to the inn and placed everything in Leng Xingchen’s room.
After opening the door, they walked inside together and put everything on the table.
Shen Qingyao took two books from inside her robe and handed them to him.
“These are for you. Start studying them from today onward.”
Leng Xingchen accepted the books, lowered his head to look at the covers, and discovered they were introductory martial arts manuals.
His eyes lit up with delight.
“Thank you, Elder Sister! I’ll study them diligently.”
He had thought Elder Sister had forgotten about it.
He hadn’t expected her to remember after all.
He would definitely practice hard.
Then he would avenge himself and protect Elder Sister.
Early the next morning, they wandered around the city again.
Perhaps women were simply born to enjoy shopping and spending money.
This time, they bought peanuts, melon seeds, and malt candy.
Leng Xingchen carried everything as they walked forward, but before long, someone stepped in front of them and blocked their way.
It was a man with an ordinary face, an average build, and a black mole at the corner of his mouth.
He stopped in front of Shen Qingyao.
“Miss, would I have the honor of inviting you to a meal?”
The man grinned, revealing a row of crooked teeth.
Thinking he looked charming, he brushed aside the loose strands of hair on his forehead, deliberately straightened his expensive clothes, and winked at Shen Qingyao.
Ugh.
What an eyesore.
She never imagined that one day she would actually be flirted with.
She didn’t even know whether she should feel happy or upset.
Leng Xingchen immediately stepped in front of Shen Qingyao, shielding her as he stared at the man with guarded eyes.
“My Elder Sister isn’t free.”
This man was so ugly.
How did he even have the nerve to strike up a conversation with Elder Sister?
How shameless.
A trace of coldness flashed through the man’s eyes before the fake smile returned to his face.
“Kid, your sister hasn’t even said anything yet. Why is a little brat like you sticking your nose into grown-up business?”
Shen Qingyao looked at the small figure standing protectively in front of her.
A hint of amusement flashed through her eyes, and the corners of her lips unconsciously curved into a beautiful smile.
Not bad, kid.
At least he knew to protect her.
That alone proved he definitely wasn’t an ungrateful wretch.
If he were the ungrateful type, knowing he couldn’t beat the other man, he would have hidden long ago.
There was no way he would still be thinking about protecting her.
Unfortunately, the man across from them happened to catch Shen Qingyao’s smile.
He was instantly dumbfounded.
What a beautiful woman.
I have to marry her and make her my tenth concubine.
“Brat! Your sister smiled just now. That means she agreed. Hurry up and get out of the way. Don’t ruin the chance for me and your sister to get to know each other.”
The man smugly assumed that the beauty’s smile had been directed at him.
Leng Xingchen frowned deeply.
Where did this man get such ridiculous confidence?
Did he really think Elder Sister wanted to have a meal with him?
He refused to believe that she would ever fancy a toad like this.
“You’re lying. Elder Sister would never have a meal with a man like you.”
Leng Xingchen refuted him without hesitation.
“You…”
The man’s temper flared.
This little brat really had no sense at all.
If he weren’t the beauty’s younger brother, why would he waste so much time arguing with him here?
“Beautiful lady, you’ve agreed, haven’t you? Let me introduce myself. My name is Li Zhiyuan, the son of Steward Li from the eastern part of the city. How about it? Follow me, and I’ll make sure you live a life of luxury.”
The man ignored Leng Xingchen entirely and fixed his gaze on Shen Qingyao.
Beautiful.
She was simply too beautiful.
This was the first time he had ever seen such an exquisite woman.
None of the women he had married before could compare to the beauty standing before him.
The difference in appearance wasn’t just slight—it was worlds apart.