Chapter 32
Shen Aheng's hands froze in the empty cabinet for a long time before he reacted belatedly.
There's really no more cake.
She stared at the empty cabinet for two seconds, exhaled lightly, reached out and slowly closed the cabinet door. There was a light "click" sound, which was particularly clear in the quiet kitchen.
Although he was still feeling slightly hungry, Shen Ah Heng didn't look for other food. He turned and walked out of the back kitchen, and without returning to the rocking chair in the front hall, he went straight back to his room.
Without even taking off his coat, he lifted the quilt and lay down in it, resting his head on the pillow and staring at the tent ceiling covered with cobwebs with his eyes open.
Until sleepiness slowly came over me, I closed my eyes and fell asleep, even in my dreams there was a sense of emptiness and hunger.
I slept until dawn.
The sunlight outside the window shone in through the window paper. When Shen Ahheng was sleeping soundly, there was a "dong dong dong" knock on the door outside the courtyard, one after another, very energetic.
Shen Ah Heng frowned and turned over. He didn't want to pay attention to it, but the knocking on the door became more and more urgent, making it impossible for him to sleep. In the end, he had no choice but to scratch his hair and walked out in his slippers.
Standing outside the door was Aunt Zhang from down the mountain, holding a bamboo basket. When she saw her open the door, a smile immediately broke out on her face: "Heng girl, I'm glad to see you at last! Are you finally back? I passed by here a while ago and saw the yard in such a mess, as if it had been robbed. I called out several times but no one answered, and I couldn't find you either. I was so scared!"
Shen Aheng paused, with no expression on his face, and could only respond vaguely: “Well, I’m back, it’s all over, nothing serious.”
Aunt Zhang didn't ask any more questions. After all, there were only a few families living in the mountains, and it was common for them to be robbed. So she handed the bamboo basket to her and said, "These are freshly picked vegetables from my garden. There's also a few handfuls of spinach and tender pea pods. They're all so juicy! They're delicious for stewing soup or cooking. I grew a lot at home, and I can't eat it all. I'm giving you some to try so you don't have time to pick up vegetables right after you get back."
Shen Ah Heng was stunned for a moment. Ever since her master passed away, she had always been bored in the temple fiddling with medicinal herbs and had little contact with the villagers down the mountain. She had never received such care. Looking at the basket full of tender vegetables that were so tender that they could squeeze out water, her face was a little stiff. She quickly said, "How can this be so embarrassing, Auntie? You can keep it for yourself!"
"Why are you being so polite to me?" Aunt Zhang waved her hand and glanced around the yard, as if searching for something. She then leaned over and asked, "By the way, where's your handsome, silly husband? Why can't I see him?"
"Husband... Lord?" Shen Ah Heng didn't react and repeated it subconsciously.
"Yes, that boy who always hangs out with you, the one with fair complexion and bright eyes, who looks like a fairy child and speaks softly. Why haven't I seen him?"
Shen Ah Heng's heart skipped a beat, and his fingers gripping the handle of the bamboo basket felt a little stiff.
Aunt Zhang continued, her tone full of praise: "That kid is such a good person! He often comes down the mountain to exchange vegetables with us. A while ago, when you were busy making medicine, he came down the mountain early every morning, either to help my family fetch water or to repair the fence for Uncle Li's family. When he exchanges vegetables, he always gives us an extra handful, saying that the aunts are hardworking in growing vegetables. Last time, when my grandson had a high fever, it was him who found the herbs for us, and he gave us detailed instructions. He is more considerate than his own daughter! He just asked us to keep it a secret from you, saying that we didn't dare to take your medicine before, and you would feel uncomfortable if you knew. I haven't seen him recently, and I'm wondering where he went?"
These words were like a thin needle, gently piercing Shen Aheng's heart, making her panic in pain.
She said that during the time he was around, the food at home was like Doraemon's treasure bag, always full of variety and never out of stock.
Shen Ah Heng's throat was a little tight, and the fingers holding the bamboo basket turned white. He forced a smile, and his voice was a little lower than usual: "He... He went out to do something, and he won't be back for a few days."
Aunt Zhang uttered an "oh" and a look of regret appeared on her face. "Okay then. If you need anything when he comes back, come down the mountain and tell me."
Shen Ah Heng nodded and responded.
Aunt Zhang gave a few more instructions before turning around and walking away slowly.
After Aunt Zhang left, Shen Aheng came back with the bamboo basket, put it on the table, looked at the neatly arranged green vegetables in the basket, and suddenly froze there, his eyes empty.
The words Aunt Zhang just said were still ringing in my ears. I remembered that in those frightening days, Ashina Yu would stand outside the courtyard gate every morning, holding a bamboo basket filled with fresh vegetables. She looked like a piece of cold jade immersed in the morning mist, and even the strands of hair hanging on her cheeks were clean.
Shen Ah Heng quickly turned his eyes away and tightened his grip on the bamboo basket, as if trying to suppress the surging emotions.
She carried the bamboo basket and walked to the back kitchen, put the vegetables on the stove, and was about to wash them, but out of habit she went to look for steamed buns or something in the wooden cabinet. She fumbled in the empty cabinet for a long time before she reacted.
Even the last bit of edible steamed buns is gone.
Shen Ah Heng turned and walked towards the stove. Just as he was about to get some water, his eyes swept to the base of the wall next to the stove.
In the dim light, a silver light flashed. It was a silver earring with fine patterns engraved on it and a cold glow on the edge.
She instantly remembered that when Ashina Yu was seriously injured, she saved him, half by threat and half by force, and took off his earring as a "reward", saying that she would keep it with her. Later, when he woke up, he agreed obediently and never mentioned going back.
They fled in a hurry that day and didn't expect that the pendant would fall here.
With just one glance, Shen Aheng's heart seemed to be hit by something, and the empty feeling that had been suppressed by her before suddenly came up.
She walked over, squatted down, and gently touched the pendant. The coolness of the metal instantly wrapped around her fingertips, just like the icy temperature that Ashina Yu had felt when she first rescued him.
She thought that if she cleaned up the yard and erased all traces of him, she could pretend that he had never been in this temple, and that the days when they picked herbs together and watched the sunset together were all fake.
But now even the last bit of his steamed buns was gone, but the earring that she had pulled off was still there, lying quietly under the stove, as if mocking her self-deception.
Shen Ah Heng looked at the empty kitchen, and thought of what Aunt Zhang had said just now. Then he looked at the yard where there was no sound at all. He suddenly felt that it was very cold in this mountain temple. Even the sound of the wind was desolate. He was afraid that he would be too cold to sleep at night.
Shen Ah Heng no longer cared about the dishes on the stove, and got up and walked towards his own room.
She searched through all the drawers and cabinets for a long time, and finally dragged out a wooden box from under the bed. When she opened it, she found a small wooden plaque inside, which was the tablet of her master.
Shen Ah Heng held the tablet in his arms, his fingertips gently rubbing the words engraved on it, his voice a little hoarse, and murmured: "Master, it's too quiet here, I can't stay here... I am an unfilial disciple, I want to learn from you and go out to explore. After a while, I will come back to accompany you."
After saying that, Shen Aheng kowtowed solemnly on the ground several times, wrapped the tablet again and again with soft cloth, put it back gently, packed a small bag simply, put in a few sets of clothes and the five thousand taels silver note, got up and left the mountain temple.
Three years later.
In late spring in March, the afterglow turned into beautiful colors, tinting the wooden windows of the "Shixiang Inn" with warmth. The noise from the lobby downstairs, the sounds of rock-paper-scissors, and the shouts of the waiters mixed together, filling the air with the scent of life.
As soon as Shen Ah Heng stepped into the inn with his medicine box, he heard shouts of "Another pot of wine" coming from the lobby.
She avoided the crowd, went up to the second floor, and when she reached her room, she closed the door with her hand, walked over, pulled off the medicine box that was hurting her shoulder, and put it on the table.
What made her most uncomfortable was the bra binder in her clothes, which was tight all day long. Every time she went out, whether on the road or at the doctor's office, her chest would feel stuffy and painful.
As the straps slid off, Shen Ah Heng couldn't help but bend over and breathe a sigh of relief, rubbing his sore chest. Even his shoulders and back slumped down, finally feeling a little relaxed as if the burden had been lifted off his shoulders.
Shen Ah Heng folded the bra and stuffed it into his bag, straightened the wrinkled collar of his men's clothes, and then went downstairs.
As soon as he stepped down the last step, the waiter Xiaowu, who was wiping the tables in the lobby, said "Hey!" and immediately put down the cloth in his hand. He smiled and came over, holding a freshly boiled teapot in his hand. "Young Master Shen, you're finally back! It's hot today, I left you some chrysanthemum tea to help you recover!"
Shen Ah Heng took the tea bowl with a smile, lowered his head and took a sip. The bitter taste of chrysanthemum mixed with a light aftertaste spread in his mouth, and the dryness from rushing for most of the day instantly dissipated. "Thank you, Xiao Wu, you are thoughtful and always remember that I like to drink this."
"What are you talking about!" Xiao Wu scratched his head and smiled innocently. "Last year, my mother had an acute chest pain. Thanks to your acupuncture, she was saved. This is just a small matter! Please sit by the window. The wind is light and it's quiet. I'll go to the kitchen and ask them to heat up your usual order of braised beef with soy sauce and stir-fried radish tops."
“Don’t worry, just warm up a pot of rice wine for me first.” Shen Ah Heng walked to his old seat and sat down, his eyes scanning the lobby.
The full house was full of guests eating and chatting lively. A table of peddlers gathered together to talk about what they had seen along the way. The merchants on the road were urging the waiter to serve the meal, and the aroma of food wafted over.
Shen Ah Heng was drinking the chrysanthemum tea slowly. Just as he was about to raise his hand to rub his waist which was sore from sitting for a long time, several low male voices suddenly came from the next table.
There were three men in shorts, eating around the table. Their voices were low, but the words "Your Majesty" and "Envoy from the Western Regions" could be clearly heard.
One of the bearded men took a bite of his food and mumbled, "Yesterday, I was delivering goods to the city gate and overheard a few runners chatting. They said that our emperor would soon be personally meeting with an envoy from the Western Regions. I heard that the envoy was sent by the Wulun Kingdom, and it was going to be a grand ceremony!"
A man in a blue cloth shirt nearby frowned and put down his chopsticks. "Wulun Country? Hasn't that country always been at odds with our border? They even detained several of our caravans in the past two years. Why are they sending envoys now? Could they have ulterior motives?"
"Who knows!" The third tall and thin man took a sip of wine and lowered his voice. "I also heard that the envoys were accompanied by some people wearing exotic clothes. They seemed to be from some kind of medicine... medicine sect. Last year, a merchant in our town who traveled to the Western Regions said that the sect was very powerful in Wulun Kingdom and their methods were quite ruthless. I heard that they had connections with the local royal family."
Shen Ah Heng's fingers trembled slightly while holding the tea bowl, and even his breathing slowed down for a beat.
Just as he was in a daze, Xiao Wu came over with warm rice wine. Seeing Shen Ah Heng staring at the table in a daze, he smiled and asked, "Mr. Shen, what's wrong with you? Are you tired?"
Shen Ah Heng suddenly came back to his senses, quickly loosened his grip on the tea bowl, and forced a smile: "It's okay, I was just thinking about the follow-up conditioning recipe of the old man outside the city. Is the dish ready? Thank you."
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