As night fell, the vast city of Nanhai lit up with countless red lanterns.
The crimson lanterns, as if enchanted, floated in mid-air.
They seemed to represent humanity, offering prayers to the heavens like sky lanterns.
Rising and falling, they illuminated the city of Nanhai in the darkness, making it resemble a celestial city.
Ali called me out to explore, saying he wanted to show me the unique beauty of Nanhai City.
Perhaps it was fate, but as soon as we reached the street, we heard someone roar.
"Get out!"
A crowd had gathered outside a small tavern, drawn by the commotion.
Their nonchalant expressions suggested they had witnessed such scenes frequently.
I peeked inside.
Several burly men were carrying a young man out of the establishment.
They swayed him from side to side before roughly tossing him onto the street.
They then quickly retreated into the tavern, hastily shutting the door, as if afraid he might return.
The man stumbled to his feet and, shamelessly, walked back towards the door.
He pounded on it, shouting loudly.
"Let me drink! Let me drink!"
No one inside responded.
After a while, seeing he was being ignored, he lost interest.
Staggering, he turned and walked onto the main street.
Upon closer inspection, I realized this was Liu Shinian, the scoundrel who had stolen my carriage!
After only a few days, how had he fallen into such a state?
Driven by curiosity and a hint of mischief, I approached him, intending to play a trick.
I haughtily blocked his path and asked.
"Do you remember who this beautiful lady is?"
He squinted, tilting his head slightly, and mumbled hazily.
"You, you look so familiar."
"That would be..."
Before I could finish, several women appeared from nowhere.
Veiled, they immediately took hold of Liu Shinian and led him away.
They paused by the tavern, then walked up to the door.
They handed a few gold coins to the young waiter at the entrance.
With a slight, apologetic bow, they hurried off with Liu Shinian.
"Who are those women? Is Liu Shinian in danger?"
Although Liu Shinian was roguish and annoying, seeing him taken away by strangers.
I felt a pang of concern.
"Judging by their attire, they must be from the Qingfang Tower."
Ali analyzed.
"Qingfang Tower? What kind of place is that?"
It didn't sound like a reputable establishment.
Ali couldn't help but chuckle softly and said.
"It's a place that men all favor."
"Ah!"
I immediately understood; it was a brothel.
"Is Xue Ji there as well?"
I asked, a little curious.
"No, Xue Ji is at the Qianji Palace."
"And what kind of place is Qianji Palace?"
From the name, it sounded like a grand and beautiful place.
"Most of the people who go there are renowned scholars, righteous individuals, and wealthy merchants."
Ali's tone carried a hint of admiration as he said this.
I looked at Ali, a suspicion dawning on me, and asked.
"How do you know about such places? Have you been there?"
Seeing my suspicion, Ali broke out in a cold sweat and quickly explained.
"How could I possibly go to such a place? I only heard about it from others."
"Then how do you know so much about their clothing and attire?"
Seeing I still didn't believe him, Ali told the truth.
"I accompanied an elder to Nanhai City once and saw the women from Qingfang Tower.
That's why I know a bit about it."
Hearing his explanation, I finally relaxed.
"Oh, it seems you are quite experienced."
This suddenly reminded me of Liu Shinian, and I couldn't help but comment.
"From what you're saying, Xue Ji lives in the most prosperous establishment in Nanhai City.
Does that mean Liu Shinian has no hope?
He doesn't seem like a wealthy man at all, no wonder he can't win Xue Ji over."
I even felt a bit of sympathy for him.
Ali didn't quite agree. He said.
"I've heard Xue Ji is a rare beauty who doesn't care for money or power.
She values destiny, and many wealthy men who wish to see her can only do so on major festivals."
"She's so mysterious, I'd love to meet her too."
"There will be opportunities. By the way, weren't we looking for Zhang Tianshi?"
Ali suddenly brought up the matter.
It was only then that I remembered. I slapped my forehead, finally recalling.
"Yes, I forgot! Let's ask around."
"Alright."
The plan to sightsee had quickly turned into a search for someone.
After asking around, no one recognized Zhang Tianshi.
Just then, a man picking his teeth.
And swaggering down the street, recognized us at a glance.
It was the swindler who had cheated us out of a lot of money in Dongyue Town.
He felt a surge of delight.
"Aren't these the two I conned out of money in Dongyue Town before?
I never expected to run into them here."
His eyes darted, and an idea immediately formed.
He then feigned weakness, staggering towards us.
As he got closer, he deliberately stumbled, his left foot crossing his right.
"Ouch!" he cried, falling onto Ali.
Ali looked confused and quickly helped him up, asking.
"Brother, what's wrong? Hey! What's wrong?"
To make his act more convincing, he pulled out a blood-stained handkerchief from his sleeve.
He coughed a few times, then deliberately spread his palm to show us.
Seeing the bloody handkerchief, I didn't suspect anything and exclaimed in surprise.
"He's bleeding!"
Ali looked down and saw it was true, then suggested.
"He looks weak, let's find a place to get him checked out."
"Okay."
As we spoke, I helped support the man, with Ali on the other side.
We carried him forward.
Seeing his plan about to succeed, he feigned weakness and said.
"No, no need. I, I can't, burden you two."
Ali comforted him.
"It's fate that we met. You look quite injured, let me take you to see a doctor."
He shook his body and said intermittently.
"I, I'm not, not sick.
I, I haven't, eaten, anything, for days, I'm starving."
It turned out to be hunger. But seeing his pale face and slurred speech.
It didn't look like starvation, and I concluded he was gravely ill, shaking my head.
"No, I saw you coughing blood, you really should get it checked."
But he insisted.
"I, I'm fine.
I just want, just want to eat, eat a meal, until I'm full."
I looked at Ali with some hesitation and asked.
"Ali, what should we do about this?"
Ali was also helpless, so he agreed to his wishes.
"Since he wants to eat, let's let him have a meal."
"Where should we go?"
The weakened man raised his hand slightly, pointing ahead.
"Up, up ahead, there's, there's a Yunxianglai."
"Yunxianglai? What kind of place is that?"
It didn't sound like a good place.
Ali said.
"It's a place to eat, let's take him there."
I nodded in agreement.
By the time we ambled to the entrance of Yunxianglai.
We saw that the entire establishment was packed with people.
A waiter rushed out and, seeing us with a weak patient.
Looked quite puzzled.
"Have you guests come to the wrong place?
We serve food here, not medical treatment."
I explained.
"We know, we've come here to eat."
The waiter became even more confused and suggested.
"Wouldn't you two prefer to take this young gentleman to see a doctor before dining?"
I waved my hand.
"He's just hungry, not sick. He'll be fine after eating."
The waiter still seemed unconvinced. He looked closely at the patient.
The man's face was pale, and he looked utterly weak.
He looked like someone in the last stages of illness, not at all like someone who was merely hungry.
Seeing that the waiter wasn't making any further moves, the man who was pretending to be ill prompted him.
"I, I haven't, haven't eaten, for days.
Quick, quick, let me eat, eat a bite."
The waiter finally believed him.
"It seems he's truly hungry.
I see there's an empty table upstairs, the three of you can go up and wait."
"Alright."
Ali and I started to enter the restaurant, but the waiter asked again.
"What would the three of you like to eat?"
Before Ali and I could decide, the man pretending to be ill spoke first.
"Just, just some simple, bring, bring some of the restaurant's signature dishes."
"Certainly, the three of you go upstairs and wait, the dishes will be here shortly."
With that, he turned and went to the kitchen to deliver the order.
Ali and I helped the man upstairs and found a spot by the railing.
And sat down.
Seeing his complexion slightly improve, I smiled.
"You haven't eaten for days, and you're already feeling a bit better just smelling the food."
He gave an awkward smile in response but said nothing more.
Ali asked him.
"We still don't know your name."
I poured him a cup of water. He drank it down in one gulp, then slowly said.
"My name is Bi Shouyuan."
"Bi Shouyuan, what a unique name."
I found it rather novel.
Ali also found it novel.
"Bi Shouyuan, truly novel, I've never heard such a peculiar name."
He chuckled.
"You wouldn't know, of course, because there aren't many people with the surname Bi."
We indeed hadn't heard of anyone named Bi.
I suddenly felt something strange, though I couldn't pinpoint what.
After thinking for a moment, I realized belatedly.
"You, you, you! You're alright now?"
Bi Shouyuan spread his hands and confessed with a smile.
"To be honest, I was so hungry I couldn't bear it any longer.
If not for your kind assistance, I might not have survived."
Just then, the waiter arrived with the dishes, shouting from afar.
"Dishes are here!"
He came to our table and placed the food down.
Upon seeing the table laden with various dishes.
Bi Shouyuan's mouth began to water, and he said without ceremony.
"Since the food is here, I won't be polite."
With that, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat voraciously.
As Ali and I were about to pick up our chopsticks.
We only saw the dishes rolling across the table and chopsticks placed haphazardly.
Bi Shouyuan wiped his mouth and thanked us.
"Thank you both, you are truly good people.
You eat slowly, I'll be going now."
With that, he darted downstairs like a gust of wind.
He let out a loud shout of "Refreshing!" and rushed out onto the street, disappearing.
Ali and I stared in stunned silence, the chopsticks still in our hands, not moving for a long time.
The waiter, having finished serving, hadn't yet left.
He asked us a bit sheepishly.
"Are the two guests ready to pay, or would you like to eat a bit longer?"
In response to his question, Ali and I snapped out of our daze and smiled wryly.
I quipped.
"Nanhai City truly has hidden talents.
I've never seen anyone eat so quickly before."
Ali couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Hahaha, he's indeed an unusual person, truly eye-opening."
He asked me.
"Mu Ye, do you still want to eat?"
I shook my head, having lost my appetite.
Ali then said to the waiter.
"Please settle the bill."
"Ah, certainly, that will be three hundred coins."
"Three hundred coins!"
I couldn't believe it and asked.
"Are you sure? Why is it so expensive?"
The waiter replied.
"Young lady, you ordered the restaurant's signature dishes.
Our restaurant is famous for its delicious food, and high officials and noblemen from the vicinity dine here.
Today's price is half of what it would normally be, as the owner saw you brought a patient.
Normally, it would cost over a thousand coins."
"What!"
I thought I must have misheard.
Ali took out gold coins from his pouch and counted them out to the waiter.
"See if this is enough?"
The waiter took the money, weighed it, and confirmed it was the correct amount. "Yes, it's enough."
Ali cupped his hands humbly and said.
"Please thank your owner for me.
If we had to produce a thousand gold coins, we truly wouldn't have it. Thank you for his generous donation."
Seeing his politeness, the waiter spoke truthfully.
"This young master is too kind, our owner is indeed benevolent.
He often offers discounts to those who are sick or in need, but compared to you, he still falls short.
You are true kind-hearted people, being so generous to a vagrant who couldn't afford a meal."
Ali, however, was unfazed.
"I knew he would be like this. Let's consider it a good deed."
"Indeed, please take care."
"Alright."
Ali pulled me and we went downstairs, leaving the restaurant.
I sighed helplessly, not having eaten, but having lost money.
Still, I supposed it was fine, could I get that money back?
I looked at Ali and asked.
"What should we do now?"
"Let's eat something first."
"Where will we eat?"
Ali took a large chicken leg from his pouch and handed it to me.
"I grabbed this upstairs earlier."
I was overjoyed and quickly asked him.
"What about you? What are you eating?"
He shook his head.
"I'm not hungry, you eat it."
I thought of a way.
"I'll eat the left side, and you eat the right side, so neither of us will be hungry."
Saying that, I took a bite and offered it to Ali.
Ali chuckled and took a bite, then offered it back to me.
We continued like this, taking bites from the chicken leg, you take one, I take one, as we returned to our inn.
Although we didn't eat our fill that night, we were still very happy.
In the latter half of the night, as the city fell silent and I was half-asleep.
I suddenly heard the sound of someone kicking a can.
I got up and opened the window, seeing a figure wandering on the street.
I initially didn't want to pay attention, but in my daze, I thought the figure resembled Liu Shinian.
So I got up and went downstairs to investigate.
Arriving on the street, I followed him for a while.
As I got closer, I realized it was indeed Liu Shinian, drunk again.
In the middle of the night, I didn't know where he was going.
I couldn't help but step forward and grab him, intending to lecture him.
Unexpectedly, he grabbed me with one hand, spun me around, and pinned me against the wall.
He leaned in, and I quickly pushed him away.
But he pulled me into his embrace, holding me incredibly tight.
He then rested his head on my shoulder, and in an instant, his breathing became rapid.
For some reason, my heart began to race, and my face involuntarily flushed.
He whispered in my ear.
"Liu Mu Ye, that fierce old woman, I think I saw her today.
Xue Ji, what should I do? Is she here to pester me?"
What! Old woman?
Upon hearing this, I was instantly enraged and roared.
"You shameless scoundrel, how dare you call me an old woman? I'll beat you to death!"
I made a fierce face and was about to bite him.
He suddenly leaned his head forward, coming incredibly close to me.
Suddenly, my mind went blank.
Even time seemed to stand still, and the surroundings became so quiet that only the sound of my heartbeat could be heard.
My nostrils were filled with the faint, pleasant scent emanating from him.
He pressed his face closer and closer to mine, tilting his head as if to kiss me.
I froze for a long moment before reacting, pushing him away forcefully.
Without hesitation, I stomped on his foot.
He cried out in pain, hopping on one leg, and instantly became much more sober.
After regaining his senses, he finally saw who was in front of him.
His eyes widened in anger, and he questioned me.
"You, you, you! It's you again, you wicked woman! What do you want to do to me!"
"I, I, I..."
He actually dared to play the victim, and I was momentarily speechless.
Then, in a fit of rage, I roared.
"I am not Xue Ji at all, you pervert! I'll beat you to death!"
With that, I threw a punch, knocking him unconscious to the ground, grabbed one of his feet, and dragged him back to the inn.