Xiao Pei opened his mouth to press her for the question but Du Juan just turned away from him, her attention seamlessly captured by the gnarled stall owner.
"Forget I just said that," she said quickly, the words tossed over her shoulder like a discarded wrapper.
Her entire deanor shifted as she leaned over the stall’s counter, her eyes scanning the bizarre array of roots and barks. "Now, what do we have here? A spiritual bitterness root, and is that... molten elderleaf bark? Excellent! Just the things I’m looking for."
She carried on chatting lightly, pointing things out on the shelves, asking questions as though Xiao Pei hadn’t spoken at all, derailing his urgent thoughts with casual ease.
"Du Juan, hey! this is important," he pressed, his voice tight. "I need an answer."
Du Juan released an exaggerated sigh, finally turning back to him.
Impatience flickered in her eyes for a brief nanosecond before her expression smoothed again.
She tipped her chin toward the shopkeeper, who was busy wrapping the two items she had selected.
"Do you mind?" she murmured, her tone cool but edged, as though daring him to keep pushing in front of an audience.
Xiao Pei followed her gaze to the attentive stall owner and understood.
"We’ll talk about this in private," he muttered, clamming up and shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Thank you," Du Juan said, her voice regaining its elegant composure.
She accepted the small packet and raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "And how much for these treasures?"
"Two spirit stones, ma’am," the owner said, flashing a gap-toothed grin that was more predatory than friendly.
Du Juan’s smile slipped, her expression cooling into sharp displeasure as she fixed the shopkeeper with a look that could have cut glass.
Then, with deliberate calm, she spoke, each word dripping with disdainful finality.
"Two? That’s daylight robbery." Her eyes narrowed, and the corners of her lips curved in the faintest mockery of a smile.
"How about this, I’ll give you half a spirit stone. Not a copper more."
The stall owner’s grin vanished, replaced by a scowl.
He slamd a hand on the counter, making the vials rattle. "Are you out of your goddamn mind? You think you can scam so openly?"
Unfazed, Du Juan ignored his outburst. Her fingers danced over another specin, plucking a twisted, dirt-caked root that vaguely resembled a ginseng.
She brought it to her nose, gave a delicate sniff, and imdiately recoiled, her beautiful features twisting into a mask of pure disgust. "Ugh! What in the heavens is this... thing?"
"That? One and a half spirit stones. And—" his fingers tapped the counter as if sealing a bargain—"I’ll even throw in the other two from earlier. A special price, just for a discerning custor like yourself."
"You drive a hard bargain," she retorted, holding the root between her thumb and forefinger as if it were a dead insect.
"What even is this herb that you think it’s worth a single spirit stone, let alone more?" She dangled it, watching his reaction closely.
"
"It’s a magical herb! Cures every disease! Take the lot for one and a half, my final offer!" the shopkeeper blustered, puffing his chest.
Du Juan clicked her tongue, her words laced with a lilting cadence that carried a faint, mocking drawl. "Tsk, cures every disease, ya say? Hah, ya think I’m so wide-eyed fool?"
Without waiting for him to sputter a reply, her hand darted forward with lightning speed, plucking another odd, twisty weed from the display.
She held it up between two fingers, grinning as if she’d found treasure.
"This one’s comin’ with too. Looks delightfully weird, don’t it?"
This ti, the owner moved quickly, snatching it back from her hand and examining it with sudden suspicion.
"What d’you need all these for, anyway?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Aye, since when is my business yours?" she retorted, placing a hand on her hip.
Before he could form a reply, she leaned in conspiratorially, her voice dropping to a confidential whisper.
"Whatever," she drawled, waving her hand dismissively. "I’m just an apprentice alchemist, aye? My master sent out huntin’ for so... interesting herbs to play with."
Her eyes glead, "So, what d’you say, old coot? You hand all this for free, and I’ll drop a few good words in master’s ear. His patronage’s worth more than a couple o’ shabby spirit stones, don’t ya think?"
The owner studied her for a long, silent mont, his greed warring with his skepticism.
Finally, he shoved the herbs back toward her. "Flattery won’t fill my purse. That’ll be three spirit stones."
"Tsk! What a greedy old codger ye are," she scolded, shaking her head as if in mock disappointnt. "I’ll do ye two an’ a half."
Then, as if the words had slipped wrong from her tongue, her eyes went wide,
"No, no! I an two! Two, I said!"
Seeing his opening, the owner pounced. "Two and a half it is! If you don’t want it, don’t take it."
Du Juan clicked her tongue again, a sharp sound of feigned exasperation.
With a show of great reluctance, she reached into her pouch and produced two and a half spirit stones, holding them out.
But as her other hand darted to grab the herbs, the owner yanked the packet back, his gap-toothed grin returning in full force.
"My bad, esteed alchemist," he said, oozing false apology. "I ant three."
In a flash, Du Juan snatched her spirit stones back.
Her polite facade shattered, replaced by icy fury. "Ya think yours is the only stall with weird weeds? Hah! Good luck with your business!"
She turned on her heel and delivered a sharp, sideways kick to Xiao Pei’s shin. "Co on, let’s go!"
As they turned to storm off, the stall owner’s bravado crumbled like wet paper.
What he had smugly marked as easy prey was slipping through his fingers, his "sure sale" vanishing with every step they took down the street.
"Okay! Okay!" he called out, desperation cracking his voice. "Two and a half! A fair price!"
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