Liu Bei POV

Haa… Haa… I heaved and puffed as I ran around and asked for instructions as I was not too familiar with the city. It took quite a bit effort until I finally got to the south of the city. Even though the city was not big, I was still rather exhausted and out of breath by the time I got there.

Hu~ I took a deep breath to calm myself as much as possible so that when I eventually met up with Yuan Zhi, I could have a proper discussion. As I thought so, I felt my racing heart and continued ahead in the market.

(TL note: These are poem lines in the next few conversations. My translations are by no means perfect. English is my first language and even then, I cannot even pa.s.s English literature. Moreover, the poem speaks of a woman’s feelings before and after a crisis in her love, something that I as a man cannot possibly understand. Therefore please do take the next few conversation lines with a pint of salt.)

“Longings that remain in the south of the great sea~~”

… Un? A yell pierced through the crowds and entered my ears just then. The volume was not loud but the tone was really unbearable. It sounded more like someone wailing or shrieking rather than singing. Eh, there really are all sorts in the market huh? I thought and decided to go elsewhere and void the singing.

“To the man I left behind, a double-pearled hairpin~”

Wu… The voice continued unabated and once again entered my ears without warning. This time, it was even more high-pitched and terrible. I looked around and saw that everyone was the same as well and seemed to be trying to get out of the area as soon as they can.

But it seems like this singing is actually rather familiar to me. I believe I have heard this singing once before. Back when I just left Teacher Shuijing.

… Yuan Zhi. I finally remembered who it was and immediately turned to head back to where the singing came from.

“Encased in jade just for him~”

Yes, the more I listen to it, the surer I am that it is Yuan Zhi. The lyrics are different from what she was singing before but only Yuan Zhi is capable of producing this sort of singing. I really cannot believe that this sort of nauseating singing is Han culture.

As I continued towards the singing, I found that I was walking against the flow of the entire crowd. However, it seems like no one has noticed me. The closer I got, the clearer the singing was and it seemed like I saw an illusion just as I went past the last pa.s.ser-by.

Ah. Right in front of me now was an empty s.p.a.ce, an island in the sea of people. It was not like people were surrounding the area, it was that no one wanted to come near it. And in the center of that small s.p.a.ce were 2 chairs and a table, on top of which was a gourd and a stack of bowls.

I looked up slightly and saw that there was a girl with white robes sitting at the table. She had a ponytail and a thin fringe with big eyes below her fringe that were looking listlessly at the table. Even so, those eyes were big, beautiful and bright. This girl was rather beautiful and if I did not have those unique characteristics to identify Yuan Zhi, I would have thought that this was the first time I met her.

Alright, I found her, let’s take a deep breath first.

Hu~ I have been sighing a lot today but this is the first sigh of relief. Yuan Zhi has not noticed me and is still fervently singing. I patiently endured it as I tidied my clothing and my hair.

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat and took out a few coins as I walked over, “How much for a bowl of sugar water?”

When she heard my voice, she jolted and continued to look down as she took the

gourd and poured a bowl before pus.h.i.+ng it towards me, “2 copper coins.”

“Alright.” I said and sat down opposite of where she sat and continued to stare at her. I then picked up the bowl and drank. Un, it’s the same as usual and great as ever.

However, under these circ.u.mstances, I really do not have the mood to enjoy it so I finished it in 1 go and set it down on the table as I continued to sit and ponder on where I ought to start.

“How did you find me?” Yuan Zhi spoke up first as she turned to the side and revealed a frown. She seemed like a high school-aged daughter who got caught running away from home by her father. Alright, maybe that was not a very appropriate a.n.a.logy.

“Because of this.” I said as I picked up her gourd and shook it in front of her, “There was no news about you after you left but I figured that if you were still in Xinye than you would definitely be doing something.”

And that something is definitely related to her sugar water. It’s lucky that today is a market day so it’s natural that Yuan Zhi would think about trying to sell some here.

“I see.” Yuan Zhi replied tiredly. She neither nodded nor seemed surprised Nd it felt like she was not particularly concerned or interested in my answer. Of course, given Yuan Zhi’s personality, she probably has some thoughts on what I said but she probably will not reveal them.

“Of course, it’s a lot easier said than done and I took a fair bit of time and effort to find you as there really are a lot of people out in the streets today.” I said as I looked about.

Because Yuan Zhi was no longer singing, the surrounding people closed in slightly. At the same time, my gra.s.s circlet was beginning to attract curious glances by the pa.s.sers-by again.

“But in the end, it was still Yuan Zhi yourself who helped me find you.” I said as calmly and naturally as possible, “Honestly, I was here thanks to your singing.”

“I see.” Yuan Zhi nodded, “Looks like my practice came in useful after all.”

I am sorry but I have to take responsibility and tell her the truth.

“But Xuan De’s train of thought was right. I do indeed like to make sugar water and sell it.” Just then, Yuan Zhi looked up at me with a melancholic expression. To be honest, I was not used to her staring at me with those big eyes of hers and had to look away.

“When I was young, my dream was to be the poster girl for my own shop that would sell sugar water.” Yuan Zhi said as she instinctively reached down and touched her gourd, “Back then, I thought it would be possible to live a safe, secure and stable life forever. So I thought that there would always be enough demand for something that was more of a want than a need like my sugar water and I would eventually be a renowned artiste with a sugar water franchise that would have shops all over the world.”

“I think that.i.t’s possible.” i nodded and smiled stiffly as I added, “a.s.suming you stop singing of course.”

“I think that it’s actually rather nice.” Yuan Zhi said with surprise.

“No no no.” I shook my head vigorously and did an ‘X’ with my srms. I really wonder where she gets that confidence from.

“Really… This is acturally very dishearteneing to hear.” Yuan Zhi said as she frowned but did not seem too downcast though she probably does feel that way.

When I saw this, I felt like I had said too much and hurriedly added, “But if you think about it, it was thanks to your unique melody that allowed me to find you here.”

“…” However, when she heard what I said, Yuan Zhi’s expression did not lighten up. In fact, it actually worsened.

“Did you know, Xuan De?” Just as I was wondering if I had something wrong and was trying to think how I ought to continue the conversation, Yuan Zhi looked at me seriously and spoke up in her level and calm voice, “You and I should have met here, like this.”

“Un? What do you mean?”

“What I mean is, you and I should not have met before Xinye.” Yuan Zhi said slowly and clearly as her eyes bulged, “Originally, we should have met in the market, and our first meeting should have like how it was today, you being drawn to me by my singing.”

“Eh?”

“Xuan De, y-you still d-don’t understand?” She stammered as her calm demeanor began to break down, “– I-I-I was just acting according to the script given to me.”

… Eh?

“What do you mean? Are you saying that our meeting and the strategies you gave me all pre-arranged?”

Hu… Yuan Zhi nodded and took a few deep breaths before she was able to calm down.