“Why buy so much?”
Although it was delicious, they couldn’t finish it, and it would be a waste.
After Xiao Shan finished picking, the cloth bag was full.
“I like to eat it.” He seemed to cherish it, his movements gentle.
This was the first time she knew he had such a favorite food. Xue Niang secretly noted it down.
“Now that we’re in the city, should we go see Linglong? I wonder if she’s feeling better?”
Xiao Shan frowned imperceptibly. Xue Niang seemed to like Qu Linglong quite a bit, but Qu Linglong’s identity was special, and he didn’t want to interact with her openly unless absolutely necessary.
“Let’s not go today. We still have a lot to buy, and your body can’t handle it. She has maids to take care of her; she’ll be fine.”
“Alright then.”
Xue Niang was slightly dejected. She took another bite of the candied hawthorn, her cheek puffing out. She rolled it around in her mouth like a candy until it melted, then chewed and ate it.
Xiao Shan swallowed again.
Xue Niang happened to see his moving Adam’s apple. “I told you we should buy two—”
“Chou Nu!”
A surprised, slightly hoarse female voice sounded from beside them.
“It really is you!”
The woman looked at Xue Niang with joy. Her thin, sallow, bitter melon-like face was filled with the happiness of a reunion after a long separation.
Xiao Shan’s mountain-like physique blocked Xue Niang. His sharp, icy gaze swept over the thin woman, as if it could pierce through flesh and bone.
The woman flinched back, dropping her basket of vegetables.
This man was too terrifying, more terrifying than her own man. It wasn’t his appearance, but his aura, which made it hard to breathe.
Was this the man who bought Chou Nu?
“Xiao Cui, it’s you!” Xue Niang stepped out from behind Xiao Shan, patted his arm, and explained, “She’s a girl we were locked up with before. She even gave me steamed buns.”
Xiao Shan’s expression softened slightly, but he remained tense. Hearing about her past, how could he have a good expression? Those were Xue Niang’s nightmares. Whether it was human traffickers or companions, it was best that they never appeared before her again!
“Chou…”
“She’s not Chou Nu, her name is Xue Niang!” Xiao Shan interrupted in a deep voice.
The woman named Xiao Cui shivered. “Xue, Xue Niang?”
“Yes, my name is Xue Niang now. Xiao Cui, are you well? How is that person treating you?”
Xue Niang remembered she was bought by a man who looked very fierce. She probably wasn’t having a good time. Xiao Cui’s body was thinner than before, and she wore poorly, like a man’s clothes.
Xiao Cui’s cheeks twitched involuntarily. She mumbled, “I, I’m alright.”
It was clear she wasn’t. After all, they had been locked up together. When she was starving, she had even thrown her half a steamed bun. Xue Niang felt sad.
“We bought some peaches. Take some to eat!” Xue Niang patted Xiao Shan’s arm, signaling him to open the bag.
Xiao Shan was unwilling to give these peaches to someone else and didn’t move for a long time.
When had this man become so stingy?
Seeing this, Xiao Cui hurriedly waved her hands. “No, no, I, I should go.”
She bent down to pick up the basket from the ground. Her trouser leg rode up, revealing a bruised ankle.
“Xiao Shan!” Xue Niang was a little anxious, her voice rising, attracting the attention of those around them.
Xiao Shan sighed and opened the bag.
Xue Niang quickly picked out a few peaches and put them in Xiao Cui’s basket, not forgetting to remind her, “They have fuzz on them. Wash them before you eat them.”
If not for his usual composure, Xiao Shan would have wanted to rub his forehead.
“Alright, it’s already noon. The shopkeeper at Fulai Restaurant has prepared our meal. If we don’t go soon, it will get cold.”
Xiao Shan took Xue Niang’s hand and pulled her along. In the crowd, he had already seen several people looking at Xue Niang.
“Then I’m leaving, Xiao Cui.”
Xue Niang turned back and waved to Xiao Cui.
Xiao Cui stared blankly as the two of them left. The man held the woman’s hand, shielding her in a safe position on the side of the road. The woman wore new clothes, a silver hairpin on her head, silver earrings, and held a candied hawthorn. She was plumper than before, glowing with fairness, her eyes no longer listless.
If not for the scar on her face, she wouldn’t have recognized her.
She even dared to scold the man loudly.
They were both men who looked terrifying, but why was the one she met so different?
“Xue Niang… that name, it’s truly beautiful!”
The peaches in the basket looked so beautiful, not a speck of dirt on them, just like the new Xue Niang. Her life was truly good.
Xue Niang finished her candied hawthorn and waved the bare bamboo skewer, her eyes asking Xiao Shan where to throw it.
Xiao Shan sighed, took it, and flicked it towards the pile of rotten cabbage discarded by the vegetable vendor by the roadside.
“Xue Niang, it’s best not to interact too much with people you knew in the past. People’s hearts are unpredictable; it’s best to live your own lives.”
If it were others, they would be eager to pretend not to know each other, as their past was not glorious. Who would want their past dug up after escaping it?
Xue Niang was kind-hearted and too sentimental.
She knew that the environment they were in before forced them to huddle together for warmth and support each other, because they were all weak.
But now it was different. That woman clearly wasn’t living well. Who would feel balanced when someone who was once equally miserable and pitiful had now escaped suffering?
Once people’s hearts were unbalanced, many delusions would arise.
He had gone from a humble orderly to a general. Had he not seen enough of such things?
In the world of crows, swans were guilty.
Xue Niang glanced sideways. “Xiao Shan, when I was close to death, she threw me a piece of steamed bun. Is it not even permissible to give a few peaches? At worst, consider those as what I ate, and these are all for you.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Xiao Shan was depressed. Forget it, forget it! Anyway, he probably wouldn’t run into that woman again.
“That’s exactly what you meant. You were reluctant to open this cloth bag just now. These peaches must be delicious to make someone like you, who doesn’t crave delicacies, cherish them so much.”
“They are delicious, but it’s not because of the peaches themselves. You’ll know later.”
Xiao Shan looked at Xue Niang profoundly, then led her into Fulai Restaurant.
Shopkeeper Feng was settling accounts with a guest. Seeing Xiao Shan enter, he quickly called out, “Six, take Brother Xiao to the Peony Pavilion upstairs!”
“Yes, sir! Esteemed Warrior Xiao, please! The meal will be here shortly! The shopkeeper already gave the order.”
Six led Xiao Shan and Xue Niang upstairs.
“Wow, that fellow just now looked so imposing. What’s on that young lady’s face? It’s quite scary.”
The guest put away the change he received and chatted with the shopkeeper.
Shopkeeper Feng smiled and said, “Sir, if you meet him again, be polite. He’s a man who can punch a fierce tiger to death. A true man!”
“Oh? It’s him? He is indeed as fierce as the rumors say.”
Shopkeeper Feng looked at the guest who hadn’t settled his bill yet. He probably wouldn’t finish anytime soon, so he planned to go to the Peony Pavilion first.
He had always respected Xiao Shan. The other day, after returning from Bozi Village with Nan Pei, he had said that Xiao Shan was no ordinary person. Nan Pei had traveled extensively for many years. Before the wars, he had even been to the Turks and had dealt with generals stationed on the border. If he said someone was not ordinary, they must truly be extraordinary.
He should get to know him better.