That said, when you think about it, it’s almost impossible to have a good time in this era. Naturally there were no amus.e.m.e.nt parks, theatres or arcades in the last years of the Eastern Han. People were thankful just to have peace and stability.

Moreover, I don’t quite know what girls of this era like to do or where they like to go. I could only keep an eye out as we went along, and hope to find a place which was filled with women.

And now, we had walked into the street which sold cooked food.

“Wasn’t Xuan De going to buy ingredients? Why have we left before buying anything?”

“Un, we can always buy them on the way back.” I said and looked at the roadside stalls here and there, “Eh… Why isn’t there anything suitable…”

Hai, if I knew it would be like this, I should have asked someone along the way first. What should I do now? Even though Feng Xian looks normal now, doubt has probably begun to sprout on her heart.

Un? … There’s fragrant smell of something sweet being cooked.

I followed the scent, and found an old man sitting by the road as he swirled a yellowish-white soup in a pot.

“Umm, what are you selling here?”

“Malt sugar…” He said, without taking his eyes off the pot, “It’s 3 coins for 1 bowl. The ones that are done are right this way.”

(TL: It’s that thick yellow thing you eat on a stick. Not sure if it exists in Western countries but it’s basically thick viscous lump of sugar you eat. Diabetes-causing, but worth it.)

I looked at where he pointed at and saw neat rows of bowls containing some viscous material that shone with a slightly yellowish gleam.

Un? Is this candy? Feels like this is some sort of thick broth.

(TL: Not sure why he doesn’t know what this is, but it’s probably because the malt sugar candy in that era has a lot less sugar due to scarcity and looks more liquid than solid.)

“Feng Xian, have you had this before?”

“Un…” I turned and saw that she was looking at the sticky, viscous material in the bowl as she shook her head.

“Want to try it?”

“Ah… But…” Feng Xian frowned as she shook her sleeve.

Ah right, money!

As I remembered this, I hurriedly felt the pockets in my sleeves. If I remember correctly, Yun Chang seems to have given me some coins that last time.

“Umm… Ah, got it. I’ll have 2 bowls, please.”

“Un, so sweet!”

We were now walking along as we ate after taking 2 bowls from the old man. And Feng Xian praised the candy with every mouth she took.

“Sweet huh…” I wasn’t actually too satisfied with its sweetness. It felt a lot more bland than what I was used to in the contemporary era. But I was still very satisfied with how refres.h.i.+ng and smooth the candy was.

“Thank you Xuan De.” All of a sudden, Feng Xian thanked me.

“It’s nothing. Shouldn’t the guy pay when going out with a girl?”

That is what I was taught at least.

(TL: Bit rich to say that when your money came from another woman…)

“Wu…” Feng Xian didn’t reply immediately and turned her face away. After a long while, she finally squeezed some words out, “That sort of thinking is far too outdated, Xuan De.”

(TL: But she’s too happy at being treated as a girl.)

Seems like she did say something not long after we first met as well. Could it be that she’s angry?

I walked up to her as I ate, and stole a glance at Feng Xian. She still had a smile on as she ate, so she was still happy now.

Whatever happens, it’s good as long as she’s happy.

“Eh?! Isn’t this Lord Liu Bei?!” Just then, someone from a shop nearby ran up to me.

Most people know that I have taken over Xu state but since there was no television or photography in this era, nor do I usually declare my name in normal interactions, most ordinary folk don’t actually know what I look like.

“Umm, you know who I am?” I asked as I hurriedly saluted him when I saw that he had done so.

“I do I do, I have heard about you before after all.” The shopkeeper nodded before taking a look at Feng Xian beside me, “Is Lord Liu Bei bringing his wife around?”

*Clatter*…

“W, wife!” Feng Xian’s bowl slipped down her hands and she began taking deep breaths while she was frozen stiff when she heard this word.

Was Feng Xian angry?

“Umm, I’m not married yet.” I hurriedly explained, afraid that Feng Xian would flare up at the shopkeeper, and changed the topic, “What business are you in? What does your shop sell?”

“Ah, we’re a textile shop. We just brought in some fabric from Jiangdong so business has been good lately.” He ran to the shop and brought me a sample as he said so.

Ah, so it’s something like a clothing shop then.

“Ah yes, Feng Xian, do you only have clothes like these?”

“…” She was still frozen stiff.

“Feng Xian?” I asked again.

“Un!” Feng Xian finally recovered and frantically nodded, “Ah, un.”

That’s a little too plain for a girl’s wardrobe.

“Feng Xian, I’ll buy you a set of clothes.”

“Eh?!”

A girl should have more gorgeous clothes after all.

“I, I don’t need it! I’m not fit for such clothes.”

“How can that be?” I turned back and looked at the girl who was uncharacteristically shy, “Feng Xian is really beautiful.”

“Wu!”

Feng Xian seemed to stop resisting after that was easily pulled in by me.