Chapter 56 (Combined chapters, including a bonus chapter with 1k nutrient solution^^)
The reputation of the third prince of the Li family has changed drastically; the past claims about him being a troublemaker have now completely disappeared.
The young man, named Zhu You, was a resident of Chentang Pass. He and Miss Shen from East Street were childhood sweethearts, their relationship blossoming into marriage. Through a matchmaker, both families had already set an auspicious date. However, a few days prior, Zhu You had gone to the goldsmith's workshop to collect the gold earrings as part of his betrothal gifts. Since the workshop was near the pass, he decided to catch some fish in the river to make soup for his beloved. Unfortunately, he slipped on a stone that day and dropped the betrothal gifts into the river. Zhu You watched helplessly as a fish swallowed the gold ornaments, then twisted its body and swam away; he couldn't catch it.
He went to explain to Miss Chen, soaking wet, but she didn't believe him.
"She resented me for going back on my word at the last minute," Zhu You said, her eyes filled with tears. "She said I was unwilling to betroth her and welcome her into the family, so I made up this whole show to deceive her."
Even after hearing the end, Nezha didn't feel sorry for him at all.
The twins, standing nearby, were so embarrassed that they forgot their own cat was missing.
They said to each other, "Big brother, my mother said that you shouldn't marry someone like you."
"You're too stupid, you're not fit to be a husband!"
The young man was struck dumb by the two children's rejection. He visibly slumped down, his face clouded with despair.
Nezha thought that he and Pingyu were childhood sweethearts.
But he wouldn't lose the betrothal gifts; if anyone tried to steal them, whether it was fish or something else, he would kill them.
The more he compared himself to others, the more he realized how outstanding he was.
Nezha nodded in satisfaction.
"What kind of gold jewelry do you give your wife? Are you only giving her one item?" he asked.
"The gold jewelry as betrothal gifts..." Zhu You was puzzled, but recalled, "I usually give her things too. How can someone be stingy with their sweetheart? But the gold jewelry was provided by my parents. Both of our families are ordinary people. The Shen family said that one piece of gold jewelry would be enough, and the rest could be discussed later."
It turns out that gift-giving is also an important part of the wedding process.
Then ask, "What's her favorite gift from you?"
"It seems she was happiest when she received my wood carving," the young man said, then became embarrassed. "My family are carpenters. Although I'm not as skilled as my father, I'm good at making small things. I carved a wooden statue of her and engraved her name on it."
Zhu You kept something to himself and said some rather cheesy things when he gave the gift.
hey-hey.
A flood of sweet memories rushed back, making the contrast with their now shattered relationship all the more heartbreaking. He hadn't even noticed when the Universe Ring had loosened. With that, the young man collapsed to his knees against the tree trunk. The twins helped wipe away his tears, and Nezha's heart trembled. He wondered, could it be that all people who grow up together do things exactly the same way?
Zhu You's wood carvings are made of wood, and his soon-to-be-completed lightning-struck wood carving is also made of wood.
It was also carved by hand.
However, Ping Yu's name hasn't been marked yet; he'll have to add it when he gets back.
Thinking of this, Nezha put his mind at ease. If he were to become engaged to Pingyu, he would be extremely attentive to every detail and would never cause any trouble.
only.
Prevention is better than cure.
What should you do now?
He wanted to hear Zhu You's follow-up measures for reference.
The young man said dejectedly, "No matter what, Sister Shen looked really heartbroken that day. I'm afraid this marriage can't happen. If there's still a chance, I won't try to kill myself."
"It's just that you're lacking gold, I'll give it to you."
He casually pulled out a few gold leaves and flashed them at Zhu You's eyes. But the young man shook his head and refused, saying, "That's not it."
.
Pingyu, on the other end, was also listening to the girl's sobs.
Zhu Lang, the childhood sweetheart of Chen Canjuan, has become disloyal.
“Who would drop gold jewelry into a fish’s belly?” Miss Shen burst into tears: “He clearly gave it to someone else and told me a lie! He couldn’t have come up with a more sophisticated excuse to coax me like a child.”
Pingyu dared not speak recklessly.
It's important to understand that humans are incredibly diverse. There are even dramas where someone finds a friend's ring to use on a girl, only to have their crush put it on their girlfriend's finger to confirm it. I heard that Zhu Lang was soaking wet when he came to lie; maybe he really was just a clueless, naive guy.
She just kept crying, and the big yellow dog circled around the girl.
Suddenly, a chipped bowl appeared on the table. The girl poured a bowl of water and suggested, "How about I go with you to see that Brother Zhu?"
Tears fell into the bowl. Miss Chen raised her head and met the girl's earnest eyes.
Ping Yu said, "After all, we have to return Dahuang to him. What if he gets eaten by someone if he runs around like a dog?"
In chaotic times, people can even eat their own kind, so eating dogs isn't unusual. The thought of the little dog circling her being eaten sent a chill down her spine. She shook her head vigorously, and Ping Yu added fuel to the fire: "Besides, we can't let Da Huang keep running to your house. We need to make that clear to Brother Zhu."
"I'll stay with you, sister, and support you. Okay?"
The Five Coins Everything Shop was already a well-known name in Chentang Pass, and Shen Canjuan naturally knew that the person in front of her was her boss.
She thought: What noble lady spends her days sharing the burdens of commoners?
No wonder she plays with the Third Prince; this pretty little girl is a freak too.
Shen Canjuan bit her lip and remained silent, nodding reluctantly.
She had to hide behind a girl; she's really getting more and more out of touch with reality.
The girl rose from the prayer mat, and Da Huang stopped moving as well. Its bright eyes darted between the two women, unsure of what they were up to. Ping Yu leaned down and asked, "Da Huang, will you take us to your master?"
"Woof." You finally agreed to go!
The big dog kept turning back to signal the two to follow.
The Shen family lived on East Street, and Da Huang led them up to the main road. The road leading out of the gate was a straight path that led to the area outside the pass.
She wondered how things were going with Nezha, and then took the initiative to start a conversation: "Sister, have you thought about how you're going to tell Brother Zhu after you meet him?"
"I..." She was already nervous about facing the man she loved, and Pingyu's question only made her more uneasy: "I haven't decided yet..."
“Our families are on good terms, and I’ve known Zhu Lang since I was five. We grew up together, and when Zhu Lang said he wanted to marry me, I was only about your age. Before that incident, we had never argued like this…” Shen Canjuan looked dazed, a fleeting look of surprise crossing her face: “I never thought of severing ties with Zhu Lang.”
The scene from three months ago reappeared in Pingyu's mind. Subtly, she recalled her conversation with Nezha that day.
In ancient times, people matured and were born prematurely; some girls were betrothed before they even reached marriageable age. Ping Yu wasn't surprised at all that the young man surnamed Zhu would say such things to Shen Canjuan at the age of eleven. Nezha was also at the age of just beginning to understand human affairs, but since that day, he had never mentioned marriage or taking a wife again.
She guessed that the other person was just childish, only enthusiastic for a short time and would forget about it soon.
Now that the Shen and Zhu families are there for reference, Ping Yu can't help but put himself and Nezha into the picture.
If Nezha dropped the betrothal gifts into the belly of a fish during the marriage proposal, would she believe it?
She thought she would burst out laughing; even the all-powerful Nezha could do something so embarrassing.
To be honest, Pingyu couldn't imagine that scene.
After all, Nezha entrusted all his money to her for safekeeping when he was in Cihangwu!
All the money is with Pingyu, so it won't get lost.
Gradually, Pingyu became immersed in his own world.
"The boss?"
"Young Master!"
ah!
She shuddered and looked up sharply.
Shen Canjuan looked at her suspiciously and asked, "Young Master, what were you thinking about just now?"
She had to call out twice to bring her soul back.
"nothing."
Pingyu was shocked to realize that he had naturally assumed that the person standing next to Nezha was himself.
How could such a thing happen?
"By the way, Sister Chen, did you say anything to me just now?"
It must be because neither of them had any other friends, and they only had each other as a reference.
Children's minds are scattered, and they will inevitably get distracted at times.
Shen Canjuan didn't think much of it and repeated what she had just said: "I'm telling you, if you choose a husband in the future, you can't choose someone so unreliable."
"She didn't have the chance to choose someone like that."
Nezha's voice rang out, neither too loud nor too soft.
What do you mean by "no chance"?
Before Pingyu could even process what was happening, another, slightly older voice followed: "Sister Chen..."
The nascent confusion was instantly forgotten when interrupted by others.
"Nezha!" "Zhu Lang?"
It turns out that Dahuang had already stopped.
They were taken to the border region and met the two men on the same riverbank.
Young men and women came together, and girls and boys gathered together.
Dahuang went to Zhu You's side, and Nezha was a little surprised: This is actually his dog.
Like master, like dog; ridiculously stupid.
"In the end, we still found a place to go," Pingyu said, glancing to the side. The twins were hiding behind a tree, looking quite secretive.
No one was missing, no one was missing an arm or a leg, and no one was crying.
That's great!
"You don't want this?" He was displeased that Pingyu was looking at others as soon as he arrived, and his tone was unfriendly.
Her cheek tightened, and Nezha reached out and turned her face back. Pingyu blinked innocently, ignoring his words.
She countered, "Where's the cat?"
Nezha paused, then released his grip. He was unusually guilty, his gaze darting around, completely forgetting about the incident.
In the eerie silence and staring contest, the twins suddenly called out.
"Sister Dongjia, Third Prince, come here quickly!"
The little girls waved to them, as if summoning small animals.
Pingyu and Nezha were exhausted, but they still took a step and walked towards that direction.
As soon as they landed, they understood why they had been called here.
Four heads popped out one after another, listening to the two people slowly recount their love, hate, and grudges.
"What are you doing here?"
Miss Shen glanced at the river, then turned her gaze back and said, "Are you going to catch fish again?"
Zhu You didn't want the other person to know about her suicide attempt, so she nodded silently.
Pingyu whispered to Nezha, "I remember he wasn't mute."
“He’s just a coward,” Nezha said incisively.
When Shen Canjuan arrived, she still held onto hope, but seeing Zhu You's state, her enthusiasm waned. On the way here, their past had replayed in the young woman's mind. How difficult it was to sever all ties with the past! Shen knew Zhu You wasn't that kind of person, so she would listen if he offered an explanation. But the young man before her looked utterly dejected, as if he had given up the struggle—this was hardly the behavior of a true man.
She subconsciously looked at Pingyu.
The girl was taken aback when she received the gaze. She quickly returned the look with an encouraging one.
Having received approval, Miss Shen closed her eyes and hardened her heart: "Zhu Lang, don't come looking for me anymore, and keep Da Huang on a leash so it doesn't come. Our engagement is hereby terminated..."
Woof!
The image blurred and then disappeared rapidly.
All sound went out, and Pingyu suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.
Then the hem of her skirt was pulled forward.
I feel dizzy and lightheaded.
Upon hearing the dog bark, Pingyu had only one thought:
I was wrecked by the Universiade!!
Before Shen Canjuan could finish speaking, Dahuang suddenly fell ill and shot towards Pingyu like a bullet.
"Hello!?"
He forgot about the Qiankun Ring and reached out his hand towards Pingyu.
The outstretched hand was like a piece of driftwood at sea when someone is drowning, and Ping Yu grabbed it.
A dog was dragging two children along, running wildly towards the river like a kite in flight.
The sound howled in the wind, and it looked like it was about to plunge into the river. Pingyu shouted to Nezha, "Make it stop!?"
Why does the dog want to follow its owner when he's about to jump into the river?
"etc"
Nezha paused in his movement of raising the ring, noticing something standing in the river. He squinted; it was a black cat standing in the river. Water splashed, wetting the cat's fur and washing away all the filth. The stains dissolved in the river, making the lower half of the cat clean and revealing its original color.
It wasn't a black cat after all; it was just a dirty tabby cat.
The twins caught up and pointed at the cat, shouting in unison, "Mimi!"
The cat, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, suddenly appeared on its own.
It didn't get lost at all; the cat abandoned its human!
Amidst the chaos, the Heavenly Silk Ribbon emerged from the forest. The red ribbon plunged into the river, stirring up countless eddies.
The cat remained motionless in the vortex.
"The Universe Ring cannot be used."
Pingyu: "It will hurt it!"
As they spoke, the dog braked abruptly at the riverbank. The immense force propelled Pingyu and Nezha towards the river, a powerful spray of water hitting them. The Hun Tian Ling, abandoning its pursuit of the cat, infused itself with spiritual power, widening and lengthening to engulf the two like a tongue. The magical artifact wrapped them in a crimson cocoon and slammed into the river, creating a splash and raising high waves. As the water droplets fell, countless hard, dark objects also plummeted downwards. Upon closer inspection, they were fish, shrimp, clams, and tiny crabs...
The twins stared blankly at the sky.
It's raining fresh rain from the sky!
The magic ribbon was removed, and the two were soaked by the pouring river rain.
Hair and clothes clung to the skin.
Pingyu sneezed and suddenly felt a heavy weight in his arms.
Looking down, she saw the cat carrying a fish in her arms.
"Mimi, are you here to hunt?"
She tried to hug the cat, but failed. Its grime was completely washed away, and the tabby cat released the fish, tossed it into her arms, and jumped out.
Nezha grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck, and the two of them looked at the fish that had been thrown in.
Zhu You's gold jewelry was swallowed by a fish, could it be...?
Startled, Shen and Zhu rushed over.
Are you alright?
The girl sank into the river.
Nezha brushed away the girl's outstretched hand and helped Pingyu up himself.
The girl was holding the fish and kept sneezing.
She felt a chill run through her body and had a bad feeling.
Nezha frowned: "Let's go back to the manor first."
If a person is weak, prolonged soaking in water can allow dampness to enter the body, making them susceptible to colds.
The cat was thrown into the twins' arms, and the boy took the girl away without saying a word.
No one stopped them.
The two of them were perfectly fine when they left, but returned home soaked to the bone.
The green-clad figure, who had been waiting for a long time, let out a sharp, explosive cry: "What's going on?!"
The servants in the Lin household were busy boiling water and preparing clothes.
By evening, they had finally gotten the two of them ready.
Pingyu held a bowl of ginger soup, took a sip, and stuck out a bit of his tongue.
It's so spicy! It's so hot!
There was no one in the house. She looked around and tried to pour the ginger soup into the potted plant so that her taste buds could be relieved.
"Drink it all."
The trouble had barely begun when Nezha pushed open the door and entered.
He was outside the house the whole time, how did he know she was going to throw away the medicine?
Pingyu muttered twice and returned to the couch: "I was worried that the money tree in the room was thirsty."
"The green coat was just watered today."
As she got closer, she noticed that the boy was also carrying a tray.
"What's this?"
She turned from sitting to kneeling, supporting herself and craning her neck to look around.
A clean seashell rests on a plate, its interior gleaming, and a pair of gold earrings sit quietly beside it.
Nezha said, "The slave found it inside when the cook was gutting the fish."
The fish that the cat brought were taken back to their house.
All things have a spirit, and a cat wouldn't give gifts for no reason. Thinking that Zhu You's betrothal gifts had been eaten by fish, Ping Yu had an idea.
Sure enough, this fish was the culprit that caused the marriage agreement between the Zhu and Shen families to be null and void.
"We should give this to Sister Chen now."
As Pingyu spoke, he was about to get out of bed.
Nezha's eyelids twitched, and the Qiankun Ring tightened around her waist and bound her to the bed.
“Their engagement is off, there’s no rush,” he said. “You should rest first, and go tomorrow.”
“No.” Ping Yu struggled to explain: “This is irrefutable proof that Zhu You did not lie. Sending it over might give them some leeway.”
Do you think Zhu You is good enough for her?
Nezha had previously disliked Pingyu when he heard him talk about Zhu You, so why was he suddenly so enthusiastic?
Whether we are good enough or not is not up to us to decide.
Unable to break free of the Qiankun Ring, she could only lie on her back, looking at the roof and saying, "At least Miss Shen should know that this is a misunderstanding."
"It is fate that Jin Ding will be delivered to us. Let's go with the flow and let her make her own choice after the misunderstanding is cleared up."
Do not interfere, but do not hide anything either.
Once the golden nail returns to its master, whether they marry or not will be irrelevant to her and Nezha.
Nezha pondered for a moment and then made a decision: "Where is the Shen family?"
"You're going by yourself?" Pingyu asked, a little worried.
“I’ll go.” He took the seashell and said, “It’s chilly; you can’t go out anymore. But what’s so difficult about returning the gold jewelry?”
They have never worked separately since the shop opened.
Ping hesitated for a moment before giving the address.
The Lin family mansion was separated from the Shen family mansion by a street. When Nezha arrived, Shen Canjuan was boiling water outside.
She was a little surprised to see Nezha. Even though the boy's reputation had improved, she was still a little intimidated by him.
"Third Prince, what brings you here?"
Could it be that they're seeking revenge because of the drowning incident? Miss Shen was nervous.
The boy straightened his arm and presented his clenched fist to her.
Miss Shen was confused and waited for his explanation.
The fingers slowly released in front of her eyes, revealing the seashell in Nezha's palm.
The setting sun cast its golden rays, making the girl squint.
This is......
That familiar gold nail is now inside the shell.
"Take it out of the fish's belly, it's yours." He knew little, but he understood.
Zhu You was not lying; the betrothal gifts were indeed swallowed by the fish.
Shen Canjuan stared at the golden nail, but had no intention of taking it back from the boy.
She didn't react, and Nezha patiently waited.
After a long pause, the girl shook her head.
"Third Prince, may I...?"
Shen Canjuan stopped abruptly mid-sentence. Remembering the rules of the Five Coins Everything Shop, she hurriedly ran back inside.
She walked out in the blink of an eye and placed something in the boy's hand.
Besides the seashell containing the golden nail, Nezha now has five more cowrie shells in his hand.
The Five-Coin Shop only accepts five shell coins for any matter.
“This is the payment,” the girl smiled at him with a hint of bitterness. “Could you please ask the Third Prince to return the gold nail to Brother Zhu for me?”
The way they address each other has already been changed, and there's no room for maneuver in this matter.
"Why?" Nezha asked, puzzled. "Didn't you two disagree because of the betrothal gifts? Now that the golden nail has returned, it proves that what he said was true. Why do you still want to break off the engagement?"
When he offered to give Zhu Youjin to help him in his emergency, the young man repeatedly refused.
If there is a deficiency, fill it in; if there is no deficiency, combine them.
Nezha didn't understand the complicated relationship between Chen and Zhu.
Even with immense power, he is still a child.
Military treatises, historical records, and strategies—perhaps reading them will make them understandable.
But people are not.
Nezha's childlike question softened Miss Shen's expression.
She explained to him in detail: "My decision to annul my engagement with Brother Zhu has nothing to do with whether or not Jin Ding exists."
"The betrothal gifts can be robbed or stolen, but they must never be swallowed by a fish."
Nezha was bewildered.
“In life and in business, we can see the big picture from small things. He said he went to the river to make fish soup for me, but he didn’t realize that he was carrying betrothal gifts and the river was so turbulent. If he was not careful, something unexpected would have happened. The loss of the gold nail is not my fault, nor the river’s fault, nor the fish that suffered an undeserved misfortune, but his fault.”
"It's his fault for not prioritizing things."
"I don't want to."
The girl was sorrowful, yet resolute.
To be a good husband, one must not be unable to distinguish between primary and secondary responsibilities, nor be dull-witted, but be capable of undertaking great tasks.
Three months ago, Pingyu said that she didn't like people who would argue with their wives and were domineering.
Nezha thought: All of this is irrelevant to me. He was born better than ordinary people and was also more intelligent than others. He was the reincarnation of the Spirit Pearl, shouldering a destiny that mortals could hardly match. He was also not one to quarrel, and would always ask for the other person's opinion first before making a decision.
Who can compare to him in Chentang Pass?
Seeing the expression on the girl's face, Nezha picked up the cowrie shell in his palm and returned it.
He said, "I will help you return the things to Zhu You, but don't take this one."
"Hmm?" she asked, handing over the payment.
"I have something to ask you."
Before the other could answer, Nezha blurted out, "Since you and Zhu You were engaged, you must have been in love with each other. So, what does it feel like to fall in love with someone? And what does it feel like to stop liking them?"
He asked Pingyu three months ago, but did not get a good answer.
They were all children, and they didn't understand these things clearly.
If he asked his mother, she would definitely make a big fuss and send a message to the Lin family to discuss the matter. His brothers were all blockheads, none of them were of any use.
Now that a suitable candidate has been found, Nezha should seize the opportunity to ask him for clarification.
Hearing "love" and "affection" from a child's mouth is quite amusing. Such a vast topic is like a choking biscuit, difficult even for adults to digest. When Zhu You said he wanted to marry her, he was about the same age as Nezha. Shen Canjuan felt a surge of nostalgia and didn't take it as mere childish banter. The palm-leaf fan that had been fanning the stove stopped, and the fire crackled as it burned the dry wood. The two, one big and one small, stood in the courtyard, milky steam rising and bathing them in the twilight.
Miss Shen asked, "Do you like Xiao Dongjia?"
“That’s why I’m asking you, precisely because I don’t know,” Nezha replied. “I asked her, and she said that liking someone makes your heart race.”
“But I didn’t feel that way when I saw her,” the boy said, touching his chest. “Not even once.”
"That's because you're still young and haven't grown up yet."
The girl bent down to look him in the eye:
"If you like someone, you'll miss them when you're apart."
They never separated.
"When I see other people around her, I also feel annoyed."
When they met by the river today, he disliked that Ping Yu first focused his gaze on the twins.
"I want him to be well, I want him to be happy, I wish I could crawl into his head and know what he thinks every day."
When Pingyu said those stupid things, he really wanted to open the other person's head and see what was inside.
Nezha lowered his eyes. If that's the case, then he must like Pingyu.
The days before we met are as thin as the mist in the air, as if they could be forgotten with a mere wave of the hand.
The giant python, the yellow-mouthed goblet, the Compassionate Dock, the Balai in my dream...
Once you start reminiscing, the only time you can clearly recall is the time you spent with that person.
“But who knows what will happen in the future?” Seeing the boy deep in thought, Miss Shen changed the subject: “You are both still children, and the years ahead are long. No one can predict what will happen when we grow up. Zhu You and I used to be together every day, but we had to separate because of the differences between men and women and our concerns. Now the marriage has fallen through. When we were young, who would have thought that things would come to this?”
"But we won't separate."
Having sorted out his thoughts, Nezha declared, "Even if I die, I will stay with her."
A casual remark sent a chill down Chen Canjuan's spine. She carefully observed the boy's expression, trying to discern that it was merely a childish prank. But Nezha's expression remained indifferent, his eyes fierce and menacing, a dark undercurrent lurking within. The infamous rumors that had circulated about him in the past inappropriately surfaced in the girl's ears. She gave a dry laugh: "Is...is that so? But, separation is sometimes a good thing..."
"?"
"Spending so much time together makes it hard to get used to being apart. Third Prince, you're still young. But in the future, when you want to be sure of your own feelings..."
Locked on by Nezha's gaze, Miss Shen took a deep breath and said:
You need to break up with her first.
"When separation becomes the norm, and when you still miss the other person, that's when it truly means you like them."
Author's Note: Mini-Theater:
After returning home, Nezha carved Pingyu's name on the lightning-struck wooden flying knife in his room.
After he finished carving, he discovered that the perfectly good names had inexplicably turned into simple line drawings of puppies.
He pondered for a long time before finally deciding to lie to Pingyu, saying that this was the Divine Beast Creek.
I don't like splitting chapters into two, so bonus chapters are always combined into one. The next bonus chapter will be added to my 2k nutrient solution!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
