Zhu Yun did not walk far; instead, he went across the street from the teahouse and stood with his arms crossed under the shadow of the signboard.
The bustling morning street was crowded, and pedestrians gradually noticed the glint of a long sword’s cold light peeking out.
First, their faces showed fear, then, as if prearranged, they slunk away, taking detours.
He paid no attention, his gaze passing through the wide-open door and settling on the girl.
Today, Luo Yan’s dress was not extravagant.
A simple wooden hairpin adorned her bun, but her black hair flowed like a waterfall, making her stand out amid the crowd.
Many at neighboring tables glanced discreetly her way, and upon recognizing her face, they could hardly conceal their admiration.
He frowned, regretting not choosing a larger teahouse, at least one with a private room curtained with gauze…
The jewelry pressed uncomfortably against his chest.
Zhu Yun stopped standing idly and took a shortcut toward the pawnshop.
Passing Ba Jiao Alley, he saw two children wearing masks chasing each other.
After a moment’s recognition, he realized one was pretending to be a righteous hero, the other a remnant of the Demon Sect, staging a dramatic battle.
The Demon Sect was a contemptuous name used by martial artists; before their downfall, they called themselves the Xishan Divine Sect.
The owner of Lan Yue Tower was the only daughter of the former sect leader.
Zhu Yun couldn’t help but sink into memories—
As a child, he didn’t understand why the tower owner hated his talent so fiercely, yet placed high hopes on him.
As the young master, he had the best martial arts manuals but endured the harshest punishments.
Only later did he realize the tower owner wanted him to restore the Divine Sect.
But why?
Zhu Yun was tired of her mood swings and weary of taking orders.
After learning that the martial world feared Lan Yue Tower, he first tried killing Jia Si and found it easy.
So, on another frustrating day, Zhu Yun drew his sword and attacked. After killing three top disciples, the tower owner personally forced down a concoction called Yuanyang Warm.
After that, he came to Qingyuan Village.
He originally planned to recover and then kill the Jia family’s grandfather and grandson to take over their house for rest.
Now the chance was gone, and the villagers recognized him.
To massacre the village recklessly would certainly attract the Yamen’s attention.
No one was killed, no house occupied, and no tasks were issued from the tower.
Zhu Yun found himself with nothing to do.
He remembered Liu Changsheng boasting about becoming a wealthy man, Wang Guyu wanting to be an accountant, even five-year-old Gu Yang aspiring to inherit his father’s legacy and hunt tigers in the mountains someday.
Everyone has a place to come from and go to—except him.
…
Even after leaving the pawnshop, Zhu Yun had yet to reach a conclusion.
He returned the way he came to the teahouse.
At the steps, a clerk was slacking off. He beckoned with a finger and handed over a black cloth bundle: “Give this to the girl in the water-green dress, about twelve or thirteen years old, the prettiest one.”
Though young, the boy’s presence was imposing. The clerk broke out in a cold sweat and respectfully asked, “Sir, do you mean… Miss Jia?”
The fake miss.
Zhu Yun inexplicably found it amusing and tugged at his lips, “Yes, Miss Jia.”
The clerk dared not delay and bowed before returning to the teahouse.
Seeing this, Zhu Yun also stepped away.
Turning around, he decided first to find a more luxurious residence and finish practicing the Shendu Nine Swords.
Then, he would rob all the famous martial arts manuals in the Jianghu to see if any suited him.
After that, he’d think things over.
The troublesome problem he had pondered for days finally had a direction, and Zhu Yun felt relieved, but his steps grew slower.
He deliberately avoided probing the reason, but his ears couldn’t help but perk up as shouts of hawkers, laughter, and disputes came from ahead—except there was no familiar footstep.
Had Luo Yan truly gotten carried away playing and completely forgotten him?
But any person receiving an unexpected treasure would surely react.
Besides, he never promised he’d return. She had no suspicion at all?
She really was, really was—
Zhu Yun couldn’t find the right word and clenched the last jewel on his sword hilt in anger.
He should have killed her.
With a stern face, he turned around, when suddenly, a sleeve of water-green fabric entered his sight, followed by the scent of chestnut cakes.
“I’m exhausted,” Luo Yan stopped half a step away, still catching her breath. Like presenting a treasure, she held up an oil-paper package. “Guess what this is?”
No sooner had she asked than she found it too hot to hold and shoved it into Zhu Yun’s arms.
Then she revealed the answer herself: “It’s the chestnut cake Changsheng mentioned. I waited nearly half an hour to buy it.”
The warmth seeped through the oil paper to his palm, burning softly, making his blood almost boil.
“What are you laughing at?” Luo Yan asked, surprised.
Zhu Yun’s expression stiffened as he avoided her gaze. “Why didn’t you stay in the teahouse?”
Luo Yan pouted, “The storyteller only told some romance stories about ‘Nong Yu Stealing Fragrance.’ It was better to come out shopping.”
Suddenly noticing Zhu Yun’s empty hands and unkempt sword, she gasped, “Were you robbed?”
“…”
The teahouse clerk, failing to find Miss Jia and fearing the youth might suddenly draw his sword and attack, crouched nervously nearby.
Seeing the young man and girl return together, he muttered several “Ancestors bless us” and hurried to hand over the items.
Luo Yan glanced at Zhu Yun instinctively: “What’s this?”
“We’ll see inside.”
This time, they asked for a quiet private room. Luo Yan unwrapped the package while walking and found two wooden boxes inside.
The upper box held jewelry—the very pieces Zhu Yun had pawned. The other was heavier. Once inside, she opened it to find it full of silver fragments, their gleam brightening her mood.
Luo Yan couldn’t help but exclaim, “Where did all this silver come from?”
“Smelted.”
She recalled that the official chest had more gold items than silver, so she brushed aside the silver fragments and truly found a gold bar two fingers wide.
Beneath it were several silver notes.
Seeing her suspicion, Zhu Yun removed his sword: “This sword was forged by Wanxing Manor, embedded with various gems that sparkle like stars when light shines on them. That’s how the manor got its name.”
Luo Yan understood: “You pawned the gems.”
“Mm.”
Knowing the origin of the fortune, Luo Yan’s worries settled. She fingered the dice-sized silver fragments, quietly rejoicing: “We’re rich.”
Zhu Yun watched her quietly playing, and a smile unknowingly spread in his eyes.
*
Jia Yufang returned to the clinic clutching the reward, seeing the two children sitting side by side under the window—one holding a book, the other writing, frowning while practicing calligraphy.
“Are you hungry?”
At this, Luo Yan snapped the book shut and pointed at the boxes nearby. “Grandmother, we’re rich!”
She vividly recounted to Jia Yufang how Zhu Yun was grateful for their lifesaving kindness, insisted on repaying with money, and bravely bargained at the pawnshop…
Zhu Yun handed over a cup of cold tea at the right moment.
Luo Yan drank it down with a “gulp gulp” and summed up: “One box is medicine given by the doctor, two boxes are books, and one box is for grandmother.”
Jia Yufang remembered the sword hilt had five or six embedded gems, now bare, and sighed, “Such good things, alas.”
“I’ll buy better ones for A Yun later.” Luo Yan linked arms with her grandmother as they left. “I want to eat Crystal Sashimi, and A Yun said he wants Wen Si Tofu.”
“Alright, let’s go to Laifu Restaurant.”
…
After the three of them ate their fill, braving the sun to the Xi Shi market to hire a carriage, then sending a message via the clinic to Wang Tianquan, they returned to the village with boxes in tow.
Luo Yan, afraid of the sun, was drowsy in the warm sunlight. Seeing Zhu Yun sitting upright, she nudged him: “Block the sun for me a bit.”
Zhu Yun didn’t refuse and spread the black cloth that had wrapped the boxes, letting her open her eyes properly.
“Your temper is quite good today.”
He chuckled lowly but offered no explanation.
Luo Yan almost thought she was seeing a ghost in broad daylight.
But thinking it over, Zhu Yun had only been in Qingyuan Village for three or four days; it was premature to define his temperament.
Maybe his previous gloom, sarcasm, and harshness came from illness, and now that he was healthy, he’d become sunny?
She quickly comforted herself, hiding in the shade and reported to her grandmother: “I invited Changsheng and the others to study at home, just in the shed, half an hour a day.”
“That’s good then.”
In the past, the Luo family had a private school for girls.
Jia Yufang didn’t know exactly what the young ladies studied, but hearing the word “study” made her feel the gap was closing and that even if she went underground someday, she could still explain it to the masters.
Once back in the village, she busied herself tidying tables and sewing cushions.
Luo Yan went into the study to organize supplies.
She divided pens, ink, paper, and inkstone into eight sets and sorted the books.
She was about to call Zhu Yun to help when she saw him removing his outer robe in front of her.
He was shy at the clinic during the day, but how had his personality changed so much at night…
Noticing her gaze, Zhu Yun raised an eyebrow: “Something wrong?”
“No, no.” Her eyes warmed, and she quickly looked down to busy herself while pondering if she should move the bookcase and other items to her own room.
Zhu Yun changed into his newly bought battle outfit, tightened his cuffs, and grabbed his sword as he went out.
Luo Yan exclaimed, “If you won’t help, fine, but you’re leaving me here alone to play!”
He couldn’t see what was so troublesome about a few books and pens but still put down his sword: “How do you want me to help?”
Unexpectedly, Luo Yan fell silent because she recalled Zhu Yun couldn’t read. But that was fine; she confidently said, “Sit next to me and talk. You can’t hog all the fun.”
“…”
“Where were you going just now?”
Zhu Yun rubbed his brow and explained lazily, “The east mountain is quiet; I’m going to practice swordsmanship there.”
Qingyuan Village was in the mountains, but there were still high peaks. Guyu’s father hunted prey from the east mountain.
Luo Yan didn’t dare let him go into beast territory and advised, “Grandmother is always quiet, and so am I. You should just practice behind the house.”
He asked with interest, “Quiet?”
“I’m not quiet?” Luo Yan raised her voice, showing an incredulous expression.
Zhu Yun exhaled lightly, trying not to laugh and annoy her, then said seriously, “You’re the quietest.”
“…”
Why did that sound insincere?
Still, Zhu Yun insisted on going up the mountain. He said his internal strength had fully recovered and the mountain beasts were nothing.
If he encountered one, he’d hunt it for an extra meal.
This time, Luo Yan didn’t question him because she remembered this world wasn’t the ancient history of old.
They already had anti-gravity; mere beasts were nothing.
She had just finished sorting, washed her hands, and told Zhu Yun, “I’m coming too.”
She noticed hesitation flash across his face.
But after returning from town, Zhu Yun’s temper had improved a lot; he answered questions and basically granted requests.
She silently counted in her heart:
One, two…
“Alright.”
Before Luo Yan could reach three, Zhu Yun spoke.