Chapter 18: A Fuse

"Miss, if you'd like, you can eat lunch at our house. This saves you some time, since you won't have to make your way back to the city. It's just a small meal from our humble house though, so it might be different from your usual meals." As they walked out of Hua House, Madam Lao spoke enthusiastically.

Madam Lao had thought that the Madam of Hua house would at least have the courtesy to offer them lunch. However, she and her daughter-in-law were instead immersed in discussing  moving details and did not have any ounce of consideration, no longer paying any attention to them. Really ah. Madam Lao's heart felt sorry for Su Shuilian.

"No need, Aunt Lao. We still need to return to the inn in the city and settle the room fees. Moreover, we also need to purchase some necessities like toiletries tomorrow. But I will remember your kindness in my heart. Here is a silver. It's only worth a few coppers, but I hope you can take it. If not for you and Mister Lao, we still would still be wandering cluelessly around this town like a headless fly." As Su Shuilian said her thanks, she naturally pulled out a small piece of silver and placed it into Madam Lao's hands. She had deliberately put this silver piece in her sleeve for this purpose.

In the beginning, Su Shuilian had eleven small silver pieces in total. Of the two smallest pieces of silver, one had been given to the driver and the other had been spent on the lantern and small snacks during the festival. The three bigger pieces had been used as deposit for the inn. Instead of putting these six remaining silver pieces with the silver ingots in her purse, she had  put them in the pocket of her sleeve purse for situations such as these.  

"No no no, girl what are you saying? For us to have helped, it was fate. I cannot take this money. If I did, even my husband would not have the face to look at me." Aunt Lao quickly returned Su Shuilian's silver piece. If word got out that she had been given a piece of silver just for leading the way, wouldn't her family be gossiped as being greedy?

"If you insist, then how about you accompany us towards the exit? When I get back to the city, I'll purchase some things for you as gifts." Madam Lao was so insistent on not talking the silver, perhaps she didn't dare to take it. In any event, Su Shuilian did not force it on her and returned the silver back into her sleeves and offered the alternative with a smile.

"This girl is too generous." Madam Lao turned red, but quickly accepted. Internally, she was very happy with Su Shuilian's persistent att.i.tude. Thinking of the offer to purchase some items, Madam Lao quickly calculated what she'd like for her house. If she could get herself a few ceramic dishes, that would be great! Even a few cotton towels or a new basin would also be good.

With this thought, the three people and two wolves made their way to the entrance of Fan Luo Town near that pond.

"Aunt Lao, you can go back. You have already gone through a lot of trouble today." Su Shuilian said a few words to Madam Lao before parting ways to head to Fan Luo City with Lin Si Yao and the two wolves.

Midway, Lin Si Yao naturally picked her up  and with a few jumps, quickly returned to their inn.

They made it in time for  the last seating for the afternoon meal. After they had finished, they made their way to their own rooms to take a rest. Since it was a hot summer afternoon, rather than tire oneself out in the heat, why not rest till evening. This way, they can take a refres.h.i.+ng stroll outside during the cooler temperatures.

—

"In the end, the money was just spent like that." As Su Shuilian gently pinched her empty sleeve pockets, she turned to Lin Si Yao who was carrying multiple pieces of luggage of various sizes. With an apologetic look, she sighed and added, "I actually wanted to buy ourselves two additional sets of clothing each, but I didn't think that just the furniture and such would already cost us the rest of the six silver pieces."

Lin Si Yao lifted his brow, his lips curved up into a slight smile. His heart was filled with a warmth that he hadn't felt in a long time. She said that she was going to buy him clothes… Other than his old lord (of Feng Yao Court), no one else had cared for his life, let alone picked out clothing for him.

"Are you tired? How about I carry two?" Looking at Lin Si Yao carrying so much and then at herself who had nothing, Su Shuilian felt very embarra.s.sed.

"No need." Lin Si Yao naturally denied her. However, he couldn't bear to see her dejected and remorseful face, so he voiced a request that even he himself found to be vaguely ambiguous. "Help me fold up my sleeves."

"Oh, ok." When Su Shuilian heard his words, she quickly cast aside her guilty thoughts and quickly went up to him. His long sleeves made it difficult for him to hold the bags so she helped fold them to his elbows. This way, it was not as hot and should feel more refres.h.i.+ng.

Just by tilting down his head, Lin Si Yao could smell the sweet and pleasant scent of Su Shuilian. Restraining himself, Lin Si Yao tightly suppressed his heart's inexplicably growing desire. After Su Shuilian finished rolling up his sleeves, she was just about to step back when she heard an extremely sweet voice greeting Lin Si Yao from behind. "Gongzi, do you still recognize this humble girl?"

Su Shuilian looked curiously at the glamorously dressed woman in front of her. The girl eagerly took the initiative to greet the now cold-faced Lin Si Yao. She continued on, "This humble girl's name is Lu Wan'er from the Lu House of North Street. During the seventh day of the seventh month, this humble girl wanted to give you a flower, but did not expect Gongzi to leave early. Today… although this humble girl rarely goes out … was lucky enough to have met Gongzi. Would it be possible to invite Gongzi to Xinhua (Apricot Blossom) Pavilion for a get-together?"

Lu Wan'er raised her charmingly seductive voice as she boldly insisted on inviting Lin Si Yao out.

This was this man she had already set her heart on at first glance. When she had been walking on the tall stilts, she had picked out his extraordinarily handsome yet indifferent face from the crowd despite the distance. It was at that moment that her heart had throbbed like never before. Because she had failed to give him a flower, Lu Wan'er had been depressed for days. Even though rich suitors constantly flocked to her side, Lu Wan'er couldn't help but constantly long for the man she had only seen once.

Lu Wan'er had thought that she'd never see him again and had spent her days locked inside. After a few days, she had finally decided to go out for a walk, but did not expect to be so lucky as to meet him again. 'This must have been destined, right?' Lu Wan'er excitedly thought. She could not wait to jump into his embrace and dominate this man who had caused her mind to go crazy for him.

Lin Si Yao's body suddenly seemed to exude cold air as he suppressed the urge to wave his hand and shake off this lunatic who had come out of nowhere. Displeased, he ignored her as he brushed by and said to Su Shuilian, "Go back", as he lead the way back to the inn.

Su Shuilian blinked a few times before she turned to look back at Lu Wan'er. Lu Wan'er was shocked by Lin Si Yao's unhesitantly cold response to her. When she came to her senses, Lu Wan'er quickly turned and glared at Su Shuilian. Su Shuilian returned her glare with a smile and, turning around, no longer paid her any mind as she quickly ran to catch up with Lin Si Yao to return to the inn.