Getting to know Zhao Xu
Is there some KPI she needs to achieve by picking up injured men? How come she encounters another injured man just by walking along normally?
Before Pei Qingwu could even complain, he heard the faint sound of hurried footsteps and a low, fierce shout coming from afar: "Search carefully! He must be in this alley. He can't have gone far; the blood trail ends here!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xu disregarded everything else and tightened his grip on her wrist even more: "Master Pei..."
Pei Qingwu's gaze swept across the depths of the alley. The narrow alley was so narrow that only two people could walk side by side. It was winding and secluded, filled with clutter, and there was nowhere to hide. It could be seen through at a glance. If they were allowed to come and search, Zhao Xu would surely be exposed.
Without much thought, Pei Qingwu grabbed Zhao Xu's hand that was covering his wound and forcefully pressed him towards himself.
Caught off guard, Zhao Xu staggered a step as she pulled him forcefully, his body almost pressed against hers, and the heavy smell of blood instantly enveloped her.
"Lower your head!" Pei Qingwu shouted urgently. Before Zhao Xu could react, he stood on tiptoe, stretched out his arms and suddenly hugged his neck, forcefully pressing his face against his neck.
At the same time, she suddenly yanked down the veil she was using to shield herself from the snow.
The wide hooded skirt, like a curtain that fell instantly, completely covered the upper bodies of the two people embracing, especially Zhao Xu's face, in the shadow of the narrow alley.
The snow-white veil brushed against Zhao Xu's cheek, causing his body to stiffen abruptly. His wound was squeezed and he felt a sharp pain, but he instantly understood Pei Qingwu's intention. He endured it and did not push her away. Instead, he cooperated by bending down slightly and burying his head deeper into her neck, pretending to be extremely intimate.
His broad back blocked most of Pei Qingwu's figure, as well as the wound under his ribs.
Shh...don't make a sound!
Pei Qingwu's voice trembled almost imperceptibly through the thin veil of the veil. Her heart pounded like a drum, yet she held him tightly, as if they were truly lovers deeply in love and inseparable.
Heavy footsteps, accompanied by the sound of weapons scraping against armor, approached rapidly.
"Boss! There's blood here!" a rough voice rang out.
"search!"
Several figures blocked the narrow alleyway entrance. The light from the torches suddenly rushed in, casting the two embracing figures onto the alley wall. Their shadows were stretched long, and through the thin gauze, they made Pei Qingwu's vision blurry.
Alarm bells rang in her mind. In a flash of inspiration, she raised her voice sharply, her tone clearly tearful and reproachful, her voice both delicate and trembling, desperately mimicking the taunts of young women quarreling with their lovers: "Waaah...you heartless thief! Dragging me out in this snowy weather! I'm freezing! Aren't you afraid I'll catch a cold and be too ashamed to face anyone tomorrow? You're just trying to fool me! That woman selling flatbreads glanced at you, and you're completely smitten? I don't care! This godforsaken place is cold and dark, I want to go home! Waaah..."
While pretending to cry, she lightly patted Zhao Xu's back a few times: "Hold me tighter! I'm freezing!"
This affected manner perfectly mimics the behavior of a jealous young woman having a secret rendezvous with her lover in a secluded place.
The pursuers, holding torches, were startled by the sudden appearance of the wild mandarin ducks and stopped in their tracks.
In the firelight, a man and a woman embraced tightly. The woman's face was obscured by a veil, revealing only her slender chin and snow-white wrists wrapped around the man's neck. The man seemed to be gently comforting her, burying his head deeply in the crook of her neck in an intimate and affectionate manner.
The leader of the men spat under his breath: "So he was just hiding here to have an affair!"
The other pursuer frowned and carefully scanned the two men's feet and surroundings by the firelight. Apart from some messy footprints, he did not find any new bloodstains.
The alley was too narrow, and the two men had blocked most of it, making it inconvenient to force our way in and search.
"The bloodstains stop here; that fellow must have used some method to stop it..." someone whispered.
The leading man's gaze swept over the two tightly embracing figures again, then he waved his hand impatiently: "Damn it, don't waste time here! Search elsewhere! Keep a close eye on the town gates and clinics!"
The footsteps and the firelight quickly receded into the distance, gradually disappearing into the depths of the wind-swept streets and alleys.
The alleyway returned to darkness and deathly silence.
Pei Qingwu's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and he almost collapsed.
She then realized that her back was soaked with cold sweat and her hands and feet were ice cold. Just as she was about to let go and push Zhao Xu away, her arms wrapped around his neck were gently pressed down by a warm, calloused hand.
"Please wait a moment, Master Pei." Zhao Xu's voice rang close to her ear, low and husky: "I'm afraid he might return, or perhaps he's left behind some spies."
The thought of this possibility made Pei Qingwu dare not move. He could only hold his breath and stiffly maintain the embracing posture.
A strong wind howled and swirled at the alley entrance, stirring up snowflakes on the ground. After an unknown amount of time, until he was sure there was no more noise outside, Zhao Xu's tense body slowly relaxed, and the pressure on her arm loosened.
He struggled to sit up, his wound aggravated, and he groaned as he staggered back a step, leaning against the opposite wall, panting heavily.
Pei Qingwu quickly let go, lifted the obstructing veil, and breathed in the cold air, feeling her cheeks burning.
"Master Pei..." Zhao Xu's voice was filled with deep apology and gratitude: "In this haste, I have tarnished your reputation. It was a helpless act, and I am deeply ashamed. I deserve to die for this!"
Pei Qingwu waved his hand, clutching his chest with lingering fear: "Young Master Zhao, you're too kind. In an emergency, one must act expediently. Saving your life is the most important thing. As for your reputation... consider it as if it's been chewed up by a dog..."
She tried to keep her tone light and ease the awkwardness.
Zhao Xu was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to be so open-minded and straightforward. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by a smile.
"I've long heard of Master Pei's reputation, and seeing him today, I can attest to his extraordinary character. Master Pei's kindness will be remembered by me." As he spoke, he fumbled in his pocket for a moment, then pulled out something and handed it over.
It is a small, exquisite white jade pendant, carved into the shape of a phoenix holding a lingzhi mushroom. The jade is warm and lustrous, and it even glows faintly in the dark. It is clearly an extraordinary object.
“This is my personal token. With this jade pendant, you may come to my residence at any time to find me. You may also use this jade ring to withdraw one hundred taels of silver from Hengtong Pawnshop in the city as a way to repay my life-saving grace tonight and as compensation.” He said solemnly, “In the future, if you have any requests, as long as they do not violate morality or the law, I will do my best to help you.”
She declined several times, but Zhao Xu insisted. Seeing his face growing paler from blood loss, she knew that further refusal would only delay his recovery.
"Very well." She carefully put the jade pendant into her sleeve: "I will keep it for now. My lord, please go and find a doctor quickly. Your injury cannot be delayed."
Zhao Xu gave her a deep look: "Take care, Master Pei."
Before he could finish speaking, he took a deep breath, his body as agile as a leopard, and quickly turned around. In a few leaps, he disappeared into the darkness and snow in the deeper alley, leaving no trace.
Only the faint smell of blood remaining in the air proved that the terrifying scene just now was not an illusion.
The alleyway fell completely silent.
Pei Qingwu leaned against the cold earthen wall, letting out a long breath of white air, feeling utterly exhausted.
"What's going on here..." She rubbed her temples and muttered helplessly, "First it was Aheng, then Zhao Xu... What kind of bad luck have I run into? I should be opening a clinic or a security escort agency!"
As she spoke, she shook her head, put her veil back on, tightened her clothes, and walked out of the dark alley.
After buying her things, she didn't dare to linger, afraid of picking up someone else on the way, and hurried home.
Inside the house, Yinlan boiled water for Qiantao to bathe. While she was bathing, she took a pomelo leaf and lightly slid it across Qiantao's body, saying with a smile, "This will cleanse away the bad luck brought from that filthy place, so that Qiantao's life will be smooth sailing from now on."
Amidst the swirling mist, Qian Tao's eyes reddened, and she remained silent, pursing her lips.
"Oh, the boss is back?"
Seeing Pei Qingwu take off his cloak and come in, Yinlan hurriedly greeted him: "Is the wind and snow getting heavier outside? Is Master freezing? You shouldn't go out in this cold weather..."
She chattered on and on while tidying up Pei Qingwu's clothes.
"It's alright, it's not very big, I've gotten used to it."
In modern times, she would be considered a northerner. Although Qinzhou is located in the northwest, its climate is closer to that of the south. This snowstorm is nothing compared to what she has ever seen before.
"Is the master hungry? I made some gourd head soup and bread soup. Lady Qiantao has just finished washing up. You can have some together to warm yourselves up."
Pei Qingwu was indeed hungry. After a long journey and rescuing Qian Tao and Zhao Xu, his emotions had been fluctuating, and he was bound to feel hungry.
"Okay." She nodded with a smile, and since Gu Heng wasn't there, she casually asked, "Where's Aheng? Where did Aheng go?"
“Oh, Ah Heng said you’ll definitely make more desserts when you come back, so he went to the kitchen to light a charcoal fire for you.”
"He's a good boy, though." Pei Qingwu sighed.
At this moment, Qian Tao had finished washing up. Yin Lan found her a plain cotton robe, which was slightly loose, but it couldn't hide her delicate beauty after washing away the makeup. Her black hair was slightly damp, and the moisture made her face look even whiter. Only the red marks around her eyes hadn't faded.
She stood quietly beside Pei Qingwu, her expression a mixture of unease and bewilderment, as if she had just left her cage.
Yinlan moved swiftly, placing two low tables together and carrying two steaming celadon bowls. The soup in the bowls was milky white and rich, with slices of gourd head cut diagonally floating on top, glistening with oil. It was accompanied by pieces of firm bread, broken into finger-tip sizes and soaked in the soup, garnished with bright green scallions, a few orange-red goji berries, and a few slices of tender pork belly.
The essence of bone broth, after being simmered for a long time, is rich and flavorful, mixed with the unique richness of the intestines, making one's mouth water.
"Sit down quickly and eat while it's hot," Pei Qingwu called to Qian Tao, then sat cross-legged on the felt mat himself.
After a long journey, the aroma is especially enticing.
Qiantao sat down as instructed and picked up a silver spoon to eat.
The moment it enters your mouth, the piping hot, rich broth soothes your stomach and intestines, its fresh aroma permeating your spine. The intestines are cleaned extremely thoroughly, without any unpleasant smell, and are soft, chewy, and tender, rich but not greasy. They have absorbed the essence of the bone broth, resulting in an exceptionally mellow flavor.
The bread pieces are soft on the outside and chewy on the inside, with a satisfying texture, and the delicious broth lingers between your teeth.
Pei Qingwu ate until his forehead was slightly sweaty, the aroma lingering in his mouth, and he couldn't help but praise, "Yinlan's cooking skills are getting better and better. This gourd head soup is authentic and the broth is delicious."
Yinlan, who was setting out chopsticks, smiled and said, "If you like it, then please have some more to warm your body."
Steam rose from the bowl, and the sound of wind and snow could be faintly heard outside.
Pei Qingwu watched Qian Tao eat in small bites, and when she seemed to be almost finished, he asked gently, "Lady Qian Tao, please forgive my abruptness, but may I ask where you are from? Do you still have any family ties?"
Qian Tao's hand holding the spoon trembled slightly, a drop of soup splashing onto the low table. Her head drooped even lower, her voice barely audible: "Reporting to the master, my surname is Cheng... I can't remember my given name anymore. I only remember that my home is in the countryside far from Qinzhou, and I only remember that I have a grandfather who has been in poor health for many years, bedridden, and needs medicine every day..."
At this point, she choked up, forcing herself to continue, "At that time, there was really no other way. The fields couldn't yield any grain, and medicine was expensive... Later, later they sold me..."
The young woman's voice was filled with sorrow, and she could no longer speak, only suppressed sobs remained.
Pei Qingwu felt a pang of sympathy. He put down the silver spoon, reached out, and gently wiped away the tears on Qian Tao's cheeks with his thumb: "Don't cry, don't cry. It's all in the past. Those filthy things and places have nothing to do with you anymore."
Qian Tao raised her tearful eyes and looked at Pei Qingwu.
Pei Qingwu met her gaze: "Yinlan used pomelo leaves to ward off bad luck for you, to welcome the new year. I also burned your indenture for you. From now on, you are free, a woman of good standing. This is where you will settle down from now on. We are all your family, and no one can force you to do anything you don't want to do."
Qiantao was stunned. Tears welled up in her eyes, and after her lips moved slightly, she finally bowed deeply, her forehead almost touching the edge of the low table: "I have no way to repay the kindness of my master in giving me a second chance. I am willing to serve you like a slave for the rest of my life, and repay your kindness with my life!"
Pei Qingwu reached out and helped her up: "No need for that. Get up quickly and finish this bowl of paomo. Once you're warm and have enough strength, you'll be ready for a smooth life ahead."
Qian Tao nodded vigorously, wiped her face hard with her sleeve, picked up the silver spoon again, scooped up a spoonful of bread soaked in thick soup and a piece of soft and glutinous intestine, and put it into her mouth.
After they finished eating, Pei Qingwu brought out bedding for Qian Tao to settle in.
Originally, there were only a few people, and the courtyard was enough to accommodate everyone. Gu Heng, being a man, slept in a separate small room, which Yin Lan could share with. But now that Qian Tao has joined them, it feels cramped no matter how you look at it.
Moving is an option, but Pei Qingwu is really reluctant to move because he's gotten used to the place and has developed an attachment to it.
It seems that no one lives next to this courtyard either. Why not save up enough money, find someone from the brokerage firm to buy it all, and expand it into a large courtyard? Anyway, I'll expand my business sooner or later.
With that thought in mind, Pei Qingwu told Qian Tao to get some sleep and then went to the kitchen to prepare some snacks to bring to Master Zhang the next day.
Inside the kitchen, a slender figure stood with his back to him, fiddling with the charcoal brazier.
"Ah Heng, aren't you asleep yet?"
Upon hearing this, the figure trembled violently, like a cat whose peaceful dream had been disturbed, and hurriedly turned around.
In the firelight, the boy's fair cheeks were flushed red from the heat, his eyes were somewhat evasive, and he said in a low voice, "Master, I... I'll wait for you... The charcoal fire has just started to burn brightly, it's perfect for making snacks."
Pei Qingwu approached, and the warmth of the charcoal fire immediately enveloped her. She looked at Gu Heng's slightly lowered profile, the candlelight casting a soft shadow under his long eyelashes, and chuckled, "It's not too late to make the desserts tomorrow. Go and rest, or you'll ruin your eyes."
"It's alright..." Gu Heng's voice was stubborn as he continued to fiddle with the embers in the charcoal brazier, the sparks crackling softly.
Just then, a very clear "gurgling" sound suddenly came from Gu Heng's abdomen, which was particularly loud in the quiet kitchen.
Gu Heng froze instantly, his ears turning bright red as if they were about to bleed. He was so embarrassed that he wished he could disappear into the ground, and he almost dropped the fire tongs in his hand.
He stood up abruptly, stammering, "I...I'll go back first..."
Pei Qingwu reacted quickly, grabbing his slightly cool wrist: "Where are you going? This is the time when you're growing and developing, isn't it normal to be hungry? Forcing yourself to endure it will only harm your health."
Gu Heng was held captive by her, unable to move. He felt a burning heat emanating from where she was holding him, a heat that seemed to reach his very heart. His head drooped even lower as he stammered, "I...I'm really not hungry..."
Words were pale and powerless, and another loud rumble in the stomach was the best counter-evidence.
"Stubborn." Pei Qingwu released his wrist, naturally rolled up the narrow sleeves of her ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), revealing half of her fair forearm.
She walked to the basket of miscellaneous items in the corner, bent down and picked out two plump and round taro: "Perfect, saves you the trouble of running back and forth. Sit down and warm yourself up first. I'll use this charcoal fire to roast two taro for you to eat, and then quickly make some pancakes. It'll be ready in no time."
Gu Heng sat down as instructed, curling up beside the warm charcoal brazier, but his gaze involuntarily followed Pei Qingwu's busy figure.
She deftly used fire tongs to dig two shallow holes on the edge of the charcoal brazier, buried the taro in them, and then covered them with a thin layer of hot ash.
As she moved, a wisp of hair fell beside her bun and swayed gently with her movements.
Soon, a strange aroma began to emerge from under the charcoal ash, a sweet fragrance amidst the burnt charcoal, growing stronger and stronger.
Carefully using the fire tongs to push aside the ashes, she revealed two taro roots that had been roasted to a golden brown. She picked one up, weighed it in her hand, and quickly tossed it between her hands a few times because it was too hot, before handing it to Gu Heng: "Here, be careful, it's hot. Eat slowly."
Gu Heng took it with both hands. The steaming taro had several cracks in its skin, revealing a snow-white, powdery core inside. After carefully breaking open the scalding hot skin, an even more fragrant steam rushed out.
The white taro flesh, steaming and trembling, is incredibly soft, sweet, and fragrant, with a unique charred aroma from charcoal.
"Is it good?" Pei Qingwu asked as she quickly kneaded a small ball of dough, rolled it into a thin sheet, scooped a spoonful of snow-white lard from the earthenware jar, spread it evenly on the dough, and sprinkled it with a pinch of fine salt and crushed black sesame seeds.
The griddle was already scorching hot from the charcoal fire, and the dough sizzled as it was spread out on it.
In an instant, the aroma of wheat mixed with the caramelized scent of lard exploded, forcefully overpowering the delicate fragrance of taro.
The pancake quickly changed color on the hot griddle, its edges curling up slightly, and countless tiny oil bubbles danced merrily on the surface of the pancake, sizzling loudly.
Pei Qingwu deftly flipped the pancake over, turning the other side into a tempting golden brown, with layers of flaky pastry clearly visible in the firelight.
In a short while, several golden, crispy, oily, and fragrant pancakes were stacked on a clean plate. Pei Qingwu picked up the top one and handed it to Gu Heng while it was still warm.
Gu Heng took the scalding hot pancake, bent down and took a big bite. The crust was crispy and crumbly, but the inside was chewy and savory.
He ate the pancake, then secretly glanced at Pei Qingwu again.
She was slightly bent over, intently checking the temperature of another taro by the light of the charcoal fire. The firelight danced in her clear eyes like stars falling into a deep pool.
The sounds of wind and snow were shut out by the thick doors and windows. In the small kitchen, there were only the occasional crackling of charcoal and the satisfied chewing sounds of the boy.
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