To better stabilize Huangfu Jingchen’s injuries, Xia Wenjin decided not to rush into leaving, and stayed at the inn for an additional two days. Of course, it was also because she had matters to deal with and couldn’t leave imdiately.
Finally, they decided to set out the following day.
Huangfu Jingchen noticed that Xia Wenjin hadn’t ntioned parting ways, nor did she seem inclined to shake him off, which greatly improved his mood. He proactively suggested accompanying Xia Wenjin to browse the marketplace.
Seeing his enthusiasm, Xia Wenjin said: "What is it, have you been cooped up recovering from your injury for so long that you miss the hustle and bustle of the marketplace?"
Huangfu Jingchen responded: "Are you going or not?"
"Not going!"
She turned him down flatly, leaving Huangfu Jingchen quite disappointed. But thinking about how she had been taking care of him since his injury, going out daily, she indeed might not be interested in visiting the marketplace. He said: "If you’re not going, then so be it, let’s get so rest early!"
As Xia Wenjin watched him head back to the room, she asked: "Aren’t you going?"
"Not going!"
Xia Wenjin chuckled and said: "Why do you seem like a child, sulking?"
Huangfu Jingchen said: "I am not! Since you’re not going, there’s no point in going alone, so I won’t go. It has nothing to do with sulking. Besides, why would I sulk with you?"
Xia Wenjin said: "Alright, alright, let’s go together!"
"Weren’t you not wanting to go?"
"I’ve changed my mind now, alright?"
Huangfu Jingchen smiled broadly and said: "Alright! Let’s not have dinner at the inn, I’ll treat you to sothing delicious!"
Leaving the inn, the marketplace was still quite bustling, although not very large, especially towards the evening. The innkeeper had ntioned that the marketplace would close by the end of the hour of the rooster, which is during the first watch.
Not having dinner before heading out, they could browse for about an hour.
After recovering from his injuries, Huangfu Jingchen no longer appeared as weak as a gust of wind could knock him down. Instead, he was gentle and refined, with a scholarly air and a clear deanor, increasingly resembling a cultured and courteous scholar. If anyone knew that he once single-handedly faced seven first-rate assassins and survived, they would be amazed at the strength contained within this seemingly graceful body.
Xia Wenjin, with her striking features, wore n’s attire neatly. Although sowhat short, she had an undeniable aura.
Walking together, they drew frequent glances from passersby.
Huangfu Jingchen took Xia Wenjin to the best restaurant in town. While dining, the restaurant owner even sent over an extra dish.
Unexpectedly receiving a complintary dish, Huangfu Jingchen was quite surprised and said: "Wenjin, the hospitality here is wonderful!"
Xia Wenjin raised a brow at him: "Judging by your appearance, you seem like a young master from a noble family, have you never experienced eating without paying?"
Huangfu Jingchen shook his head, aside from being tricked into eating without paying by Xia Wenjin once, he indeed hadn’t tried it. He recalled a ti when he was twelve, dining in a Yunzhou restaurant, egged on by several peers, he ate without paying and even smashed the restaurant when the owner demanded paynt.
Afterward, he returned quite pleased with himself, feeling as though he’d accomplished sothing significant.
However, his mother found out about it.
His mother gave him a beating that still brings chills when he thinks of it. Later, she dragged him by the ear to the smashed restaurant, pointed to the trembling old owner and kicked him a few tis: "Does Cheng Prince Mansion starve you? Deprive you of clothing? Lack silver for you to spend? You haven’t learned anything else, but you did learn to bully others! Can’t you pay the bill? Do you not have money and want to cheat? Does your conscience not hurt? If you wish to bully, find soone equally strong and powerful to bully, then I might respect you as a tough guy. Bullying ordinary people, what kind of skill is that? Apologize, pay the bill, compensate, and if this happens again, I’ll give you to him as his son!"
He was forced to apologize, paid double the silver, and reimbursed for the broken items at an adjusted price.
Utterly humiliated.
The young boy, just beginning to feel strong self-esteem, felt deeply unsatisfied and went to complain to his father. In the end, his father nearly spanked him to pieces, glaring and scolding: "You little rascal, how dare you upset your mother like this, can’t you punish yourself? Why do you need your mother to exert such effort, what if she gets tired? What’s the point of having you? Upset your mother again, and I’ll send you to feed the horses!"
Then, his father turned to his still-angry mother: "Xiao Xue’er, next ti let handle this kind of rough task! Look at yourself, why do you need to do it personally? Once that rascal’s a bit older, we’ll send him to the military camp to raise horses, so he doesn’t always annoy you!"
The fathers of the three boys who bullied the old shop owner were summoned by his father and reprimanded. Moreover, each family was required to donate two hundred silver taels for charity.
True to his father’s words, he was sent to the military camp when he was thirteen and didn’t return until he was sixteen.
Over three years of military training transford him from a mischievous troublemaker into a steady young man, and he understood why his mother reacted the way she did.
Despite his noble identity and exceptional status, he no longer used his background to bully others.
Thinking of his father and mother, Huangfu Jingchen smiled slightly. All these years, now eighteen, his father still spoiled his mother to the bone. He missed them, along with his sister Li Ye and brother Haichen.
He glanced at Xia Wenjin, wondering if she would accept his invitation to visit Yunzhou with him?
He regretted feeling too rushed; last ti Xia Wenjin was willing to go to Yunzhou with him, he should have waited until they were there and then proceeded gradually.
Noticing Huangfu Jingchen staring at her, Xia Wenjin said: "Is there sothing dirty on my face?"
Huangfu Jingchen shook his head with a smile and said: "No." He picked up a piece of chicken and placed it in her bowl: "Eat more, you’ve lost a lot of weight!"
Xia Wenjin ate the chicken without complaint, not feeling particularly thin herself, but she wouldn’t waste the food.
Huangfu Jingchen focused on her wrist, which was still wrapped with a cloth. He said: "Has the injury on your wrist healed?"
Xia Wenjin waved her arm in front of him and said: "See, it’s healed." She casually pulled off the cloth, revealing only a scar. It ran horizontally, with new skin grown over it, appearing sowhat nacing against her fair wrist.
Huangfu Jingchen’s eyes deepened as he said: "How did you get your blood into my body?"
"Attach it, align the blood vessels, and then..." She paused suddenly, alert: "Who put blood into your body? Are you overthinking?"
Huangfu Jingchen felt validated in his previous suspicions, yet Xia Wenjin outright denied it. Since she was unwilling to admit it, he was satisfied with knowing inside, not pursuing the topic further.
He said: "Wenjin, should we skip Liangzhou and go to Yunzhou instead?"
Xia Wenjin paused for a mont, looked him in the eye with an odd expression, but didn’t speak.
Huangfu Jingchen, noticing her staring intently, touched his face wondering if a grain of rice had stuck there during dinner.
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