Cake Fragrance (Part 3)
The lantern festival was bustling with activity, but the alley was unusually quiet.
When I looked up, I saw a girl who was also dressed in tattered clothes and looked like a beggar.
The girl took off the bag from her shoulders without saying a word, squatted down, untied the knot on it, and spread it on the ground.
There were very few items inside - a wooden comb with broken teeth, two sets of tattered clothes, and something wrapped in black cloth.
The girl rummaged through these things and found a pancake from under the black cloth. She took it out, dusted it, blew off the dust on it as hard as she could, and handed it to the girl.
The girl stretched out her dirty hands to take the pancake handed to her. After hesitating for a while, she couldn't resist her hunger and took a bite.
The pancake was cold and hard. It kept falling apart when I bit into it, and the sesame seeds inside were as hard as stone.
But for the girl who had not eaten for several days, this was like delicacies from land and sea.
While the girl was eating her biscuits, another girl came up to her and exclaimed, "Hey? How come you look exactly like me? No, no, there's a little difference. You're much thinner than me!"
The girl's sudden enthusiasm made her shrink a little tighter.
Seeing her fear, the girl then changed her tone to a kinder one.
"So what's your name? How old are you? Why are you wandering here? Where are your family members?"
The girl chewed her mouthful of pancake, straining her neck to force it down, choking a few times because the pancake was too dry. "My name is Gao Hui, and I'm twelve years old. I came to Tianling with my parents a few days ago, but I got lost and ended up here. I haven't eaten in three days."
The girl stroked Gao Hui's spine and explained her name: "My name is Gao Qing. I'm an orphan. I originally had no name or surname, but I aspired to reach great heights and see the vast ocean, so I gave myself a name. I don't know my birthday either. Although I look about your age, you should still call me Sister Qing."
"Sister Qing..." Gao Hui muttered to herself, then turned to be puzzled. "I see you're carrying a bag. Have you always been wandering for a living?"
"That's not the case. Compared to begging for money, I chose a more respectable way."
"A more respectable way?"
Seeing Gao Hui talking more, Gao Qing thought she had let down her guard, so he curled his lips and told her everything: "Robbing the rich to help the poor, is that decent?"
"What do you mean by robbing the rich to help the poor? How can you, at your size, do that? Besides, how can you, a young lady, have the courage to rob the rich to help the poor?"
Gao Qing's face lit up with annoyance after Gao Hui's words. He then stood up straight, hands on his hips, and said, "What's wrong with my height? I'm quite agile despite my size! Also, does this mean you're a coward? I think the young men in this city may have seen more rare things than I have!"
Gao Qing looked down upon Gao Hui with a righteous look on his face, and lingered in front of her angrily.
"But stealing is always wrong." Gao Hui sucked the biscuit crumbs left on her fingertips, then took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth.
"I understand, but I'm taking the dirty money of those rich people. If it's ill-gotten gains in their hands, it's also ill-gotten gains in my hands. You might as well give it to me!"
As he spoke, Gao Qing pretended to punch the air, said another word, and then kicked it again.
"Besides, I didn't use all the money I stole. Which beggar on the street didn't I help? They look down on the poor, but I, Gao Qing, do!" Gao Qing said to Gao Hui in a haughty tone, "If you really want to think I'm a thief, then don't call me a 'little thief'. It doesn't sound impressive. Calling me a 'big thief' sounds better!"
Influenced by Gao Qing's rapid-fire words, Gao Hui finally couldn't help laughing out loud.
Seeing her smile so cheerfully, Gao Qing's lips curled up involuntarily: "Look, you look so beautiful when you smile, why are you pouting? Right?"
When Gao Hui heard Gao Qing's words, the corners of her lips drooped.
Gao Qing leaned over, pulled up the two corners of the bundle, and folded it up again. "I should be leaving now. Here are some copper coins that should provide you with food and shelter for a few days. I guess your parents are looking for you. They should be able to find you in a few days. Take good care of yourself!"
Gao Hui caught the heavy purse Gao Qing threw to her. "I'm not from here. It would be difficult for my parents to come look for me."
"So where do you live?"
Gao Hui's eyes were shining, reflecting the brightest star in the night sky.
On this side, Xiao Lin followed Mu You's footsteps and stepped into the backyard of Liuxiangju.
Walking along the corridor and around a corner, the candlelight in Chu Mo's room was cast onto the bluestone pavement.
Fortunately, he was still awake.
Xiao Lin was timid and hid behind the door, not daring to knock. Mu You was different. He raised his hand and knocked on the door.
"Come in." Chu Mo's voice came from inside the room, and the quiet night made it seem even more ethereal.
After getting permission, the two of them stepped over the threshold.
Walking into the room, Chu Mo was sitting at the head of the bed. His hair, which was originally half-tied, was now spread out. However, even though his long hair was soft enough, it could not hide the demonic aura in his eyes.
"What's the matter? I'm going to bed." Seeing that they were still silent, Chu Mo took the initiative.
At this moment, Mu You finally came back to his senses from his dark eyes that were as still as a pool of stagnant water. He protected Xiao Lin with one hand and opened his mouth: "We want to know Gao Qing, where is Gao Qing?"
Mu You's outspokenness was a huge joke to Chu Mo.
He raised his left eyebrow slightly, revealing the demonic mole. Then, he raised the corner of his mouth with a hint of disdain and glanced at Mu You: "You hit the nail on the head, but the clues to solve the mystery are not cheap."
Good man, he's a complete profiteer with his head full of money! He's charging for this too? They haven't even officially started working yet, and they're already in debt.
But then he thought, if they didn't have this reminder, how long would they be wandering around like headless flies? Would time here be the same as in the real world? What if one day here meant the whole year?
The more he thought about it, the more panicked he became. This time, Xiao Lin was more straightforward than Mu You: "How much do you want?"
"Not much." Chu Mo took off his boots, put on his cloth socks, and put his feet on the mahogany footstool beside his bed, looking lazy and unrestrained. "Only five hundred coins."
"Five hundred wen?" Mu You shouted in shock, not caring at all about Chu Mo's expression. "Our combined daily wages are only four hundred wen, and you're asking for five hundred wen for just this piece of news? You're asking for too much!"
"Just five hundred coins, no bargaining."
"I can't give it to you."
"You are the one who solved the mystery. This clue is worthless to me."
Chu Mo's words were like a bucket of cold water, mercilessly extinguishing Mu You's previous spirit and making him, who was usually decisive and resolute, become hesitant for a moment.
Although Xiao Lin was standing at the back, she took the opportunity to glance at Mu You's expression. Seeing that he was still hesitant, she simply said, "Okay, five hundred coins is five hundred coins. Please tell us what happened."
Seeing Xiao Lin step forward, Mu You turned around and looked at her with a dull expression.
Chu Mo laughed loudly, and put his hands behind his back to hide the demon mole: "Tell me, what do you want to ask?"
"Who is Gao Qing?"
"Gao Qing, a beggar."
"Is she a thief or a beggar?"
“No one can define others. Human nature is often much more complicated than the identities that can be expressed in this era.”
Hearing this, Xiao Lin lowered his gaze, thinking for a moment. After a moment, he straightened his neck again: "Is she still alive?"
"nature."
"Where is she now?"
It was not until Xiao Lin asked this crucial question that Chu Mo put away his previous attitude of superiority, and his eyes were sharp again.
"Yunchong, a small town less than a hundred miles away from here."
Gao Hui repeated: "That's where I live."
After hearing this, Gao Qing pouted and looked like he was thinking.
"It's quite a distance..." Gao Qing pinched his chin, but then let go the next moment. "But I can't stay in this city any longer. It's time to go somewhere else to punish evil and promote good."
"Why can't you stay?"
"I've robbed too many houses. The government is looking for me everywhere. If the news that I was beaten to death by the officials hadn't been released these days, I'm afraid I would have had no peace."
Gao Hui said nothing and lowered her eyes.
After a moment, an idea struck her, and she grabbed Gao Qing's clothes and said, "Let's go to my house! Go to Yunchong! Hide there, I can still protect you."
Gao Hui's eyes were so clear that Gao Qing's attention was momentarily drawn to them.
Perhaps it was the warm lanterns that night, perhaps it was the identical looks that made them feel like old friends, or perhaps it was the lively singing and laughter that day, Gao Qing's smile was particularly gentle, and this feeling lingered in Gao Hui's fragmented memories.
---
The rising sun shines on the earth. Although the light is weak, it still has a deep and quiet feeling that belongs only to the early morning, which is very special.
The mornings in Tianling are extremely cold when spring comes, completely unlike the warmth in the south.
Last night, she and Mu You went to Chu Mo to ask about something and got a completely new answer - Yun Chong.
Chu Mo did not elaborate on this, but only told them that this was a small town, a small town that Tianling Imperial Capital had no intention of governing.
Xiao Lin thought, since he had the exact news, he might as well set off earlier to avoid wasting time in this city that was so far away.
So, that night, Xiao Lin bravely expressed his idea.
I thought I would be scolded by Chu Mo and that he would take the opportunity to blackmail me, but I didn't expect that he agreed so readily this time and didn't even ask for more money.
It seems that he also felt that the previous price of 500 Wen was too outrageous.
He just left without caring about the business. Xiao Lin really didn't understand what Chu Mo was thinking.
Chu Mo is the owner of the teahouse, so he can fall into a deep sleep, but Xiao Lin and Mu You are different. Early in the morning, a lot of people gathered at the door of the teahouse, including guests and other helpers.
Unable to sleep due to the noise, Xiao Lin had no choice but to get up with hazy eyes open. He lifted the door bolt alone, and endured the cold wind and setting sun to apologize to the people guarding outside the door.
He said he was here to be a waiter, but in fact he had not yet mastered the job of a waiter, but he was very good at the job of a slave.
According to what Chu Mo said last night, Liu Xiangju would be closed to visitors during this period of time, and he was also "merciful" and took Xiao Lin and Mu You to another place for a good time.
After hanging up the doorplate, Xiao Lin went to wash his face in a daze, and then walked to the back door.
She thought she had gotten up early enough, but after pushing open the small door, she stopped where she was.
Mu You and Chu Mo had already packed up and were standing on the path, each leading a horse. It seemed that they were waiting for her.
Xiao Lin glanced at the horse in front of Mu You. Now it seemed that the new horse they saw yesterday was probably the one prepared for them by Chu Mo.
But it doesn't seem likely that the horse is the same one. After all, it was summer when they arrived. It was not until Chu Mo waved his sleeves that they fell into the cold winter.
Thinking about it this way, the horse must have grown another half a year, so it looks a bit taller.
But had only half a year really passed? Could it be that in the blink of an eye, five or ten years had already slipped through my fingers?
Or maybe logically speaking, this story should have happened before she and Mu You traveled through time, so the horse shouldn't have reversed time and grown in the opposite direction...
I can't figure out the years and can't make sense of the context. It seems like an extremely unreal dream. Everything is both reasonable and absurd.
Thinking of this, Xiao Lin felt a surge of fear in his heart.
"What are you still standing there for? Get on the horse!" Mu You was just the opposite. He was full of enthusiasm and sat on the tall horse, looking as if he couldn't wait.
Mu You is an excellent rider and has won many equestrian competitions.
But Xiao Lin wouldn't do that, especially when she saw such a strong horse. Just by looking at it, she couldn't help but feel like backing off.
But she couldn't bear Mu You's urging any longer, so she had no choice but to climb up with his support and comfort: "I'm sitting down, let's go..."
This was the sentence Mu You was waiting for. Xiao Lin was even swaying slightly, trying to adjust to a more comfortable position, but his blood suddenly boiled. He shook the reins, leaped forward, and rushed straight to the gate of Tianling City.
He rode so fast that Xiao Lin, who was sitting behind him, subconsciously hugged his waist. The wind blocked his eyes, leaving only a narrow slit.
Mu You, who was sitting in the front and driving the horse, immediately felt Xiao Lin's tightly locked arms. He felt secretly happy and inadvertently shook the reins higher.
Seeing them like this, Chu Mo sighed softly and followed them slowly.
In ancient times, there were no cement roads like today. If you wanted to go somewhere else, you had to take a small road.
The two horses were running at an extremely fast speed, their hooves kicked up a cloud of dust, which made Xiao Lin in the back seat cough uncontrollably.
After traveling for half a day, Chu Mo decided to dismount and rest for a while in a small restaurant.
The restaurant was very small, and the flag it hung was made of torn rough cloth with the word "wine" written crookedly in ink on it. The color had faded a lot due to the sun and rain.
There are only two tables in the restaurant, and the dishes are just a few farm-style stir-fries. Forget about the alcohol. How can the white wine diluted with water taste good?
Unfortunately, there are no modern fruit juices or drinks here. If you don’t drink alcohol, you can only drink tea. But what’s infuriating is that tea is also bitter.
Xiao Lin was not used to the food but he didn't dare to say anything, so he just made do with it. But Mu You was different, he was straightforward and would speak out immediately if he was dissatisfied.
But today was different from usual. When Xiao Lin put down his chopsticks and prepared to wait for Mu You to shout first and then agree so that Chu Mo could change seats, Mu You actually gobbled up all the dishes and then immediately got up to look for fodder.
This time I finally understand why he doesn't mind this coarse food. I'm afraid the horse has already occupied all his thoughts.
Just as Xiao Lin turned back to eat with a look of helplessness on his face, the shop owner's roar cut through the sky, attracting the attention of all passers-by.
"How old are you? You just love to do these touching things! Return the buns!"
As far as the eye could see, the shop owner was grabbing a little girl by the collar with one hand, raising his arm with the other, with a ferocious look on his face, threatening her.
What does it look like to bully a little girl?
Xiao Lin was about to get up and go, but was stopped by Chu Mo. Her face froze for a moment, but seeing that Chu Mo remained indifferent, she had no choice but to sit down and continue eating the hard rice.
Who says he is the boss?
On the other side, the little girl twisted her body and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Who stole your things? There's nothing in this shabby tavern. What's there to steal?"
"You know we don't have anything here, why don't you return the buns!" The shop owner was even more annoyed when he heard this, "What little girl would be so unruly as you..."
"Listen carefully, I'm not going to change my name or surname! It's Gao Qing!"
Those two words were like thunder in Xiao Lin's ears. Even though there was a lot of noise around him, Xiao Lin's ears still received this tiny message.
Her chopsticks suddenly stopped in mid-air.
What? Gao Qing?
Xiao Lin's pupils shrank sharply, and he turned around to look at Gao Qing who was still struggling with the shop owner.
"I don't care about your status! Food needs money! You uneducated kid!" The shopkeeper had no intention of giving up. Even if it was just a bun, a bun that cost only a few cents, he still refused to give it away.
Gao Qing also felt justified, and a look of anger gradually appeared on her face. After smacking her lips, she suddenly took a bite of the bun in her hand.
The crystal clear and greasy gravy in the meat filling instantly flowed all over her lips. She pursed her lips, and the lubricating gravy flowed down her lips to the corners of her mouth and condensed. The sunlight reflected on the surface, creating a colorful oily sheen.
She licked it again with the tip of her tongue. The taste of the thick soup and the meat was so delicious that it lingered on her lips and teeth.
"You, you, you...how come you're eating it!" The shop owner stomped his feet excitedly.
"I didn't expect your place to be so poor, but the buns taste pretty good!"
Gao Qing opened his eyes with enjoyment, smiled at the shopkeeper, his eyes full of provocation: Now that I have eaten it, are you going to take it back and sell it?
The shopkeeper was immediately furious. Just as he was about to swing his arm towards Gao Qing's face, Xiao Lin grabbed his elbow from behind.
Seeing the shopkeeper being held back, Xiao Lin hurriedly spread out his palm and poured a few copper coins into the shopkeeper's hand: "Isn't it just a bun? I paid for her."
After receiving the deserved compensation, the shop owner put down his raised arm, and before leaving, he did not forget to make a face at them to scare them.
The more arrogant the shopkeeper became, the more resentful Gao Qing's expression became.
But for Xiao Lin, finding Gao Qing is more important than any dispute.
She was about to have a conversation with Gao Qing, but Gao Qing clenched his teeth and suddenly reached for his waist with one hand. In the blink of an eye, a black dagger appeared.
Her eyes widened, she bit her lips tightly, and with a flick of her wrist, the dagger stabbed Xiao Lin like a poisonous snake.
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