Chapter 624 His Daughter

"..." It's not excessive, but it's not like him.

He hugged her without even asking for her permission.

Song Chunxue had never hugged anyone like this before, and she found it hard to describe the feeling.

Heart to heart, all I could hear was the drumbeat of my own heart.

Unexpectedly, Xie's thin and bony chest was also broad and warm, which made people feel at ease.

Although their closeness felt somewhat forced, she experienced a thrill she had never felt in her past life.

No wonder people laugh at her; although she has many children and grandchildren, she has never experienced a love tribulation.

How many people who are illiterate and marry only to fill their stomachs and continue their lineage can truly understand this feeling of sweetness like honey and sourness like hawthorn?

After a while, he slowly released her.

His steps were a little hurried. "Get some rest."

The voice has changed too.

Watching him walk out quickly, Song Chunxue gave a soft "hmm" and unconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand.

No wonder so many people, knowing that love won't last, still rush headlong into it like moths to a flame.

This feeling surpasses countless fine wines and delicacies; a myriad of flavors linger in the heart, making it all the more alluring.

...

When they arrived in the capital, it was already July.

As the carriage slowly entered the towering and majestic capital city, Song Chunxue first heard the cries of pear vendors.

It turns out she could understand the Beijing dialect.

It just takes a little while to get used to it before you can hear everything.

"I won't go to the Xie residence with you. Let's just find an inn. Otherwise, it will cause you trouble." She also felt more comfortable staying outside. Along the way, she found out that the Xie family was actually a large family, but Xie Zheng was rather unconventional and didn't like being bound by his clan, which was why he didn't want to return to the capital.

If the Xie family finds out that Xie Zheng brought a woman with him, who knows how many people will come to give her a hard time.

As a woman who has lived a whole life, it's easy to imagine what the future holds.

"Let's stay at your residence for today. Didn't you say before that you're my female bodyguard to the public? How can you protect my safety if you stay at an inn?" Xie Zheng raised his hand and held the back of her hand. "If you want to stay at an inn in a few days, I won't stop you."

"But……"

"Spring snow..."

"You should still call me Sister Song. Be careful at home."

Xie Zheng nodded, "Okay, I've got it. Do you want to eat roast duck?"

"No, I want to eat sour dumplings."

"But we don't have it here. We should have sour soup noodles. Liu Chunshu can also make vinegar noodle toppings, is that okay?"

Song Chunxue patted his arm and laughed, "Liu Chunshu is just as tired from his journey as we are. It's not too late to let him cook tomorrow. It's just that it's hard to say if others ask. Let's just eat whatever we have."

As she spoke, Song Chunxue took out a small medicine packet from her bundle.

"Have someone cook some for us to drink. It can help relieve the discomfort caused by the change in environment. My senior brother gave me this prescription, and I got the medicine a couple of days ago."

Xie Zheng took it, gripping her hand tightly, his emotions a mix of feelings, but mostly excitement.

This was the first time someone had accompanied him to the capital, and this person was the one he loved.

"Speaking of which, this is the first time we've held hands like this. Your hands don't look like they've ever done any rough work; they're so soft. They say people with soft hands are either rich or noble."

Song Chunxue's palms felt a little itchy from being scratched. "Don't let anyone see, or you'll get a sty."

“It’s nothing shameful, just holding hands.” Xie Zheng held her fingers and couldn’t help but sigh. “Sigh, you’re getting old, and you still have to secretly talk about love with people. This is not like you at all.”

The carriage wheels rolled along the street, neither fast nor slow, without any bumps. Song Chunxue lifted a corner of the curtain to look out. The capital city was indeed prosperous. She felt that the people on the street were generally dressed in gorgeous clothes and looked more imposing.

Moreover, it was very crowded with people coming and going, like a market.

"Yes, today is market day. You really know how to manage your finances; you're very perceptive about these things."

Song Chunxue nodded, "Yes, I'm just a farmer. Speaking of which, should we go to the market first and see how bustling your capital's markets are before we go back?"

Xie Zheng readily agreed, "Okay, I'll go take a look."

The carriage stopped at a secluded spot on the street corner, and the two of them got out.

Song Chunxue specially changed into a more presentable outfit today. It was a simple dress in a soft, jade-colored silk that Xie Zheng had given her before. It wouldn't be too hot to wear in this weather, and it would be convenient to go out. From a distance, she looked very dashing.

She used a jade hairpin given to her by Xie Zheng to tie up her long hair. She had no other hair ornaments, and her simple and plain style made her neck appear long and her back straight, exuding the unique spirit of a cultivator.

Stepping off the carriage, one is immediately struck by the sight of a grove of tall bamboo.

Xie Zheng raised his hand to help her, but Song Chunxue glanced at him.

"What's there to be afraid of? I haven't been in the capital for many years. No one will recognize me."

Song Chunxue nimbly jumped off the carriage. "It's best to be careful."

Xie Zheng was not a nobody in the capital. After all, someone like him, who was repeatedly demoted because of his unyielding character, must have had many friends, but not few people knew him.

They walked along the bustling street, one on each side, and Song Chunxue was filled with emotion.

"As expected of the capital, the streets sell all kinds of things, and wheat is more expensive, while coarse grains are scarce."

"This is the first time I've ever seen uncooked rice. It's so white. You can tell it will smell delicious when cooked. I didn't expect rice to be so expensive. No wonder people in my hometown eat coarse grains and can't afford refined grains."

"Hey, what's this?"

"We encountered quite a few acrobatic performances along the way. Sure enough, the people here live in peace and contentment, and everyone is doing well. It looks like a peaceful and prosperous era. Places for eating, drinking, and having fun are everywhere. What were you thinking? When you were demoted to our place before, did you cry at night? Sometimes we didn't even have enough clean water."

She was just a country bumpkin seeing the world for the first time in the capital, and she could discuss anything she saw with him.

Xie Zheng answered them all very patiently.

"It's alright, but when I first got there my lips got so dry they started to peel. I couldn't drink water for several days, and I had to drink water several times a night. My tongue hurt so much from the dryness and inflammation that I didn't dare to eat anything. An old lady brought me a bowl of rice water and that's how I felt better."

"The first time I drank it, I thought it was sour and slightly smelly. The second time, I went to a noodle shop and had a bowl of fermented noodle soup, and I thought it was especially delicious."

Song Chunxue was craving it; in this hot weather, she wanted to eat fermented noodle soup the most.

I heard someone calling "Dad" in my ear, and it was getting closer and closer.

She joked, "What kind of father is so carefree? He's been calling me 'daughter' for ages..."

"Father, Father, when did you return?"

The next moment, a richly dressed woman ran up to them, sweating profusely, and then grabbed Xie Zheng's arm with teary eyes.

"Father, why didn't you look for me after you returned to the capital? Don't you even think of your daughter!"

"..." Song Chunxue was extremely embarrassed and quickly moved to the side, making her look more like Xie Zheng's attendant.

The father and daughter looked very alike. Xie Zheng was also a loving father in front of his daughter, gentle and kind, and took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears.