Chapter 24
Grandma Chen was very reserved when she first arrived.
Chang Le Inn is not a grand place; it's just a two-story wooden building. Upon entering, you'll find a simply furnished main room with a few tables and chairs.
But in her eyes, it was already the epitome of luxury.
She came from a poor village, where she had to carry water and chop firewood from a young age, her face to the soil. Her house didn't even have a proper window. Now that she could make a living in such a clean and bright place, she couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.
She was only in her early forties, but the wind and sun had etched her with the appearance of an old woman.
The people at the inn treated her very well.
She also knew that wiping tables every day was the easiest job.
Moreover, she was even able to sit at the table and eat with the host family.
Therefore, she was very respectful to everyone, and couldn't help but nod and bow, bending her already hunched back even lower.
"Grandma, don't bow. We're all friends. Aren't you tired?" Yao Liuliu didn't care about seniority. She only respected the elderly and cared for the young to a certain extent, which is why she couldn't stand this subservient manner.
"That's not good..." Grandma Chen was embarrassed and somewhat frightened.
"Bending over too much is bad for your back. You don't want to spend money to see a doctor later, do you?"
“…”
Touched on her sore spot, Grandma Chen quietly straightened her back a little.
Xu Dahe was much gentler than Yao Liuliu. Even though he already took on a lot of chores, he would still help his grandmother with some more when he had free time.
Grandma Chen also liked this young man very much; he was handsome and hardworking.
Sometimes when I look at him, I think of my two sons…
I don't want to think about it anymore.
The saying "raising children to provide for old age" refers to protecting one's father, not her.
Those two heartless bastards who killed Tian Dao wanted to send her back to her old man to continue serving him, and then they even accused her of being unruly.
She couldn't live like this anymore, even if she spent an extra penny on a sesame seed cake, she would still get beaten up.
This place is still the best.
Everyone in the inn was good-looking and seemed to be on good terms with the government officials.
That day, a tall and burly man returned, who seemed to be one of the men they had seen at the city gate. That evening, a large group of people had a big meal together and drank alcohol.
Grandma Chen hasn't drunk alcohol in a very long time.
The last time, it seems, was when my son got married and I asked for a drink.
The liquor here is very strong, but she doesn't know what kind of liquor is good; maybe all liquors are strong.
Others say it's good wine, so it must be very good.
But she couldn't drink much, and soon felt dizzy and lightheaded.
Gong Er was enjoying his drink when he looked up and saw Granny Chen holding a wine jar, nodding repeatedly.
"Grandma, Grandma!" he shouted, waking her up.
"What's wrong?"
Grandma Chen had drunk too much and forgot her respectful manners.
How's this wine?
"good."
"Right!" Gong Er said proudly, even though he hadn't brewed it himself. "Good wine deserves strong drinkers, Grandma should drink more!"
Xu Dahe was genuinely worried that Grandma had drunk too much, and his eyes darted nervously between the two of them, trying to stop her silently.
"Me? I didn't." Grandma Chen waved her hand, smiling sheepishly. "I recently met a fiery woman; she had such a good temper!"
"Oh? Who is it?" Gong Er asked curiously.
"It was a girl surnamed Zhou. When she saw the bruises on my face, she kicked my old man, hahahahaha..."
Grandma Chen seemed to be telling a huge joke, laughing so hard she was doubled over.
"Oh, who is this chivalrous lady? Her temperament is just to my liking."
“I don’t recognize her. It was just a group of people who came through the fields and passed by our village. She also has a younger brother. They went north.”
Qiu Chiyan looked up; the setup and timing did resemble Zhou Siyao's.
He looked at Shen Yu, who was listening intently, seemingly unaware of what was happening.
Grandma Chen's eyelids were heavy, and she was still muttering, "That girl is so good. She told me that if you get hit, you should hit back and not tolerate it... But I've tolerated it my whole life. She's the first person to tell me that I don't have to tolerate it... I've wanted to stop tolerating it for a long time!"
As she was talking, she fell asleep.
She's usually timid and submissive, but after a few drinks, she transforms into a female knight-errant.
"I'll take Grandma back and settle her in," Xu Dahe said, taking the initiative to take care of Grandma.
Yao Liuliu and Gong Er drank for a while, and then went to sleep while still slightly tipsy.
Zhao Ze lost the rock-paper-scissors game, so he has to wash all the dishes tonight.
Because of Grandma Chen's arrival, there weren't enough rooms in the backyard, so Xu Dahe and Gong Er had to share a room, Grandma Chen stayed in the room that Xu Dahe used to have, and Qiu Chiyan moved into the guest room.
Yao Liuliu stayed in Shen Yu's room and slept with her.
Everyone else was fast asleep, but Qiu Chiyan quietly left Shen Yu behind.
"What's this?"
Shen Yu unfolded the long cloth bag that Qiu Chiyan had given her; inside was a bamboo hairpin.
The hairpin is smooth and warm to the touch, with the head carved into the shape of a bamboo leaf. It is elegant and not flashy, and has a subtle, cool sheen.
"So beautiful!" She held it in her hand and played with it, but when she touched the bamboo leaves, Qiu Chiyan blocked her way.
"Be careful, there are three bamboo dew needles hidden inside."
"Bamboo Dew Needle? Where did you get such a valuable item?"
Bamboo Dew Needle is made from Xiangfei Cold Bamboo, a type of bamboo that is as hard as iron but extremely light, and it is extremely difficult to find even one in a hundred years.
If made into a concealed weapon, once it pierces a person's body and draws blood, the cold air can instantly penetrate the body, causing injury not on the outside but inside.
This needle is priceless; I've heard that some people can't buy it even if they spend ten thousand taels of silver.
Qiu Chiyan gently turned the mechanism and demonstrated to her: "Not long ago, I went to Wanggui City on the pretext of an old case. Someone offered to help, and I accepted them all."
Shen Yu blinked: "Officer Qiu, did you embezzle?"
"No." Qiu Chiyan chuckled. "It's my own money. Since I'm going to stay in Sanhe Town for so long, I need to have some savings. I had someone send it to me when I first arrived."
Is this accumulation of "points"?
Shen Yu was unusually speechless. She had used all the living expenses her parents gave her to take over this small inn. The money Qiu Chiyan spent on a single stroll was enough to buy an entire street.
"So, what about the money you sent Constable Yan to gather information at Misty Rain Pavilion...?"
"It's mine too, but they can't bear to spend it."
"Officer Qiu, you're the one who's been hiding your true abilities!"
Qiu Chiyan put the hairpin away, holding it in his hand and suddenly became a little reserved: "Although I don't know if you are good with hidden weapons, it's better to be prepared, and... I think this hairpin is quite pretty."
"...Wearing an entire street on your head...?" Shen Yu said whatever came to mind, startling the other person with her words.
"I just felt it suited you perfectly!" Qiu Chiyan quickly explained, "Whether it's valuable or not is less important than your happiness!"
Qiu Chiyan rarely experienced this feeling of complete disconnect between his brain and mouth; his brain was his brain, and his mouth was his mouth, each doing its own thing.
What to say next, and what should be said, is no longer something that can be resolved through thinking.
But Shen Yu simply tilted her head, her lips curving into a smile that seemed to be blurred by candlelight: "Of course I'm happy to receive a gift."
“…That’s good.” Qiu Chiyan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a chill run down his spine, but he was still trying to think of a better explanation. “Actually, there’s no need to feel guilty. I was just thinking that if you like going out, it’s good for you to have some self-defense. It’s the best of both worlds.”
"Okay, thank you."
Shen Yu was not a carefree person who regarded money as dirt. She was content with enough money to eat and drink, and saving money did not leave any significant mark on her short life.
But when she actually had a lot of money, she felt uneasy.
Unexpectedly, even a young master has to do the menial work of the Six Doors these days.
"Didn't your colleagues and superiors find it strange that you're investigating cases at your own expense?" Shen Yu asked jokingly, tucking the hairpin into her hair, causing the mirror-like bamboo leaves to sway slightly. "Does it look good?"
"…Um."
He hesitated for a moment before remembering her question, and coughed lightly: "Although my parents died early and most of my business was taken back by the elders of my clan, I was fortunate enough to be pitied by my maternal grandfather, who left me some money to live on. I told my master about it before I went to the Six Doors, and I don't pay for all cases myself; most of them are handled through the official accounts."
This was the first time he had brought up his own affairs on his own initiative.
Shen Yu gave an "oh," her eyes flickered, and she didn't ask any more questions: "So you became a constable just so you'd have something to do?"
"I guess so." Qiu Chiyan admitted without hesitation, "Back then, I did think that if I was going to take on a master, I should take on a powerful one. Because of my maternal grandfather's connections, I knew the chief constable of the Six Doors. I pestered him for two years before he finally accepted me."
"You're still going to keep pestering me?" Shen Yu couldn't quite imagine what it would be like for him to act like this.
“…I was naive back then, and only now do I realize how annoying I was.” Qiu Chiyan laughed awkwardly. “But that’s probably why, when my master took me as his disciple, what he said to me was different from what he said to others.”
What did he say?
"He always talked to others about being dedicated to serving the people and being loyal to his country, but he told me in private that life is a long journey, and one must face one's true self and not care about the opinions of others."
"You must have had a really tough childhood, having to make a living every day, even if it meant not steaming buns." Shen Yu slumped onto the table, idly lifting the cloth strips wrapping the gifts.
Qiu Chiyan had to admit that Shen Yu's occasional bursts of sharpness were like her sword.
A boy who is ostracized by his family is prone to overthinking and always wants to do something earth-shattering to make people notice him.
The candlelight flickered, and he looked at Shen Yu's profile, the firelight casting a glimmer of light on her eyelashes.
He chuckled softly, "It's good that I've survived until now. Growing up is much easier than when I was a child."
"If others heard you say that, countless people would say you're a brat spouting nonsense."
"So I've given it to you. The shopkeeper is magnanimous and of course won't mind."
Shen Yu chuckled twice, stood up, and folded the strip of cloth: "The Hundred Gates Sacrifice Ceremony will begin in six days. Do you think I should close for two days to avoid being too busy?"
"Let's wait and see, we don't know if it can be held as scheduled."
Shen Yu leaned closer again: "Do you know any inside information?"
"It's not exactly inside information, but the matters concerning Zhenyue Hall and Guanzhong Knife Society haven't been resolved yet. Huo Ningyu has arrived in Sanhe Town but hasn't made it public about the robbery he encountered on the road that day. There are too many unresolved issues. Can they really start as scheduled?"
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