The journey to Wen town was a fair distance.
Lai Yiteng felt relief when he finally saw the outline of houses in the distance, some stray chickens waddling about and puffs of smoke in the air. The soles of his feet were getting tired from the hike and his breathing a little weary. He never felt quite right these days, some unshakable exhaustion hanging over him like a curse, but he supposed that was to be expected.
"Yi'er…" started Xian Wu, only a stride or two behind. "Pass me your luggage and I'll carry it until we reach the inn."
Lai Yiteng was instantly on guard and gripped his knife tightly.
"You are planning to rob me!"
Xian Wu was both vaguely confused and alarmed.
"What...? We just had a long conversation about how I'm going to teach you martial arts. Sheesh, Where's your logic to think that?" he sighed. "Anyway, your breathing is becoming a little faint, it seems you need to rest longer. Come on, just pass it over."
Lai Yiteng scoffed. He could only believe that Xian Wu was truly idle and bored if he had the spare time to listen to his breathing. Maybe he was even a pervert.
Nevertheless, he unfastened the tie over his shoulder and tossed his sack of luggage behind him. The money pouch was kept at his waist and his erhu on his back, as they were things he would never allow another to look after. Xian Wu already wasted his money once, how could he let him get his grubby spend-thrift hands on it again?!
But it was true that his burden felt slightly lighter afterwards.
The city was very lively this evening. Many farming folk were coming in on carts with straw and grain, and quite a few street-stall restaurants were open.
Xian Wu did not own a penny to his name at the moment, and so Lai Yiteng used his money to reserve rooms at an inn, then they went out to buy dinner.
The streets were rather crowded.
With hurried footsteps and chatter all around, Lai Yiteng was particularly edgy within the crowd. Screaming children playing with wooden sword caught his eye, and one tall and buff man who bumped against his shoulder made his nerves tight.
He had to stay observant.
Fortunately he was able to hone in on a place selling rice dumplings, freshly steamed and wrapped in bamboo leaves, and bought two. He found some steamed mantou next, with succulent meat filling, then a kumquat. He suddenly acknowledged Xian Wu's presence to hand him these items. Even if the man was a bit obnoxious, at least he made a good pack mule.
Lai Yiteng just said, "This is all I can afford you."
He was turning back toward the inn when Xian Wu quietly stepped in front of him.
"That's all you're buying? I thought these were just snacks for tonight! ...what about sitting down at the inn for a meal?"
Lai Yiteng nodded methodically as though he understood. "Don't worry, I'll just have a rice dumpling. You are free to partake in the rest. I'm your disciple now, so I can't be entirely ungrateful."
Xian Wu squinted at him...why is it that Lai Yiteng is so particular about this, but addressing him with respect was impossible?! He stared at the two plain rice dumplings that were meant to be Lai Yiteng's full meal for the day with escalating inner concern and disbelief.
"Really? You're kidding right?"
Lai Yiteng showed no signs of jokes or giggles.
Xian Wu was aghast. He did not think raising a teenager would be this difficult!
"Quick, hand over some money," he commanded. "I'll get something else."
This had the opposite effect. Lai Yiteng defensively protected his money pouch, tucking it further away into his clothes. His tone was wrought with bitterness.
"I must ration spending since I can't perform for a time after offending that Chu Heng. Now I have to feed you, too. Really, and you wonder why I don't call you shifu…it's because you're a loafer."
"..."
T-This brat...he wanted the Lai Yiteng from the past back! The one who chattered silly stories and was haughty, yet innocent and dumb. But there was no changing what's come to pass.
"Hahaha..." Xian Wu's laughter turned flatter by the note until he eventually just settled on a forced smile. "Yi'er, I think you're misunderstanding something. I'm not some misfit from Graceful Dragon Sect. No matter how bad an impression you have of that place, I get a salary and have savings, so naturally you'll be getting an allowance in the future, too. You don't have to worry about spending this money right now."
Lai Yiteng was going to object when he felt the clothes near his waist become lighter. He frantically patted his sash, but the pouch of money was gone. He looked back up to see Xian Wu's figure swaggering off to a nearby food stand.
That bastard actually stole his money so fast he couldn't prevent it!
Xian Wu's figure was very tall, and with that messy hair knotted into a braid, somehow charismatic, so he was easy to follow even with the crowd.
Lai Yiteng immediately rushed to reclaim his money.
In the meantime, Xian Wu met with a food stall owner who was a plump and animated man. He was chatting it up with him as a welcomed break from Lai Yiteng's attitude.
What Xian Wu didn't expect was the stall owner to gasp and covered his mouth when he saw Lai Yiteng appear. 'Saw' as in glimpse his rosy lips and flawless figure through the veil. Although slightly tall for a woman, the stall owner could only fantasize about the hidden face beyond.
Lai Yiteng was fixing an intent gaze on Xian Wu.
"Oh my, oh my," said the stall owner said to Xian Wu. "Mister, this must be your wife. I can just tell from her steps alone that she must be exceedingly beautiful. It's no wonder she wears a veil! Good fortune onto you, truly."
"..."
Xian Wu, just a moment ago, had lied about having a wife and three kids in order to bargain a better price on his purchase, but now there was a massive misunderstanding.
He wanted to correct the shop owner, he really did! Tell him that Lai Yiteng was 100% a man with a bitter and occasionally vulgar tongue. But, Lai Yiteng was technically trying to wear a disguise, so...
Lai Yiteng, fortunately, didn't seem to be paying attention or perhaps didn't care as he lunged for Xian Wu's hand with the money pouch.
The shop owner smiled ear to ear, then exclaimed, "Oh heaven's, she's a tigress! Well, there's no disapproval of that here, this is a very accepting town," he began to fan himself with a hand. "And I see with that erhu she even knows the art of music…what a lucky man you are! If only my wife was just as--"
Suddenly a woman came out from the crowd like a curse. She glared at the shop owner with vehemence and shrieked, "What are trying to say, you old sod?! Do you have a problem with your beautiful wife?"
"Uh...of course not, darling! You're perfect."
That shop owner was cutting a sorry figure. Who knows what awaited him when he got home.
"I better shut up," he told Xian Wu. "Here, take an extra pack of dumplings. Enjoy your married life."
Xian Wu cringed but nevertheless accepted the handout and gave his thanks. But wasn't this shop owner too brazen in his words? Several other customers in line were also giving envious remarks.
...
Lai Yiteng had taken back his money pouch and escaped into the inn before Xian Wu could misuse it again. After all this he could not help but rub his throat and cough a little again. It was still sore from the hot and dry air today.
A nearby miss cleaning the inn floor glanced up at Lai Yiteng hesitantly, then came over. She had a cute frame with twin braids and heart-shaped face.
"Honored guest, are you all right?" she chirped.
Lai Yiteng coughed one last time.
"It's no problem."
But that young girl seemed concerned and insisted on supporting Lai Yiteng's arm as he went up the stairs to his room. Xian Wu, who just stepped in from the random barrage of questions from passerby on the street, saw this and raised an eyebrow.
The young girl asked Lai Yiteng, "Miss, would you have me brew some tea for you? Perhaps something soft on the throat?"
Lai Yiteng shook his head. "Don't bother yourself."
"It wouldn't be a bother," she said. "I can go get a kettle and be right back!"
The girl bowed her head cheerily then left before Lai Yiteng could refuse again.
Oh well. Lai Yiteng kicked off his shoes in his room, threw off his hat and outer robe, then flopped onto the floor. He rolled over once.
Why the floor and not the bed, one might wonder?
Because the floor was colder and harder, just what Lai Yiteng preferred. He did not like beds because they would give him a sense of false safety. They must be avoided. He would only sit on them sometimes to do things like eating or reading.
The girl soon came with a hot tea pot. Lai Yiteng set it on the table after she'd gone and went back to sprawling on the floor, neglecting to drink any of it.
When would this long day end?