Jiangnan
Upon arriving in Furong Town, Jiang Yi discovered that it resembled a water town in southern China, with every scene and object exuding an indescribable elegance and gentleness—a charm unique to the Jiangnan region.
Jiang Yi, a northerner in modern times, had always longed for the rainy Jiangnan region since childhood. Now, she was actually experiencing it firsthand, and she was incredibly excited.
It happened to be drizzling the day she arrived. Several painted boats on the lake carried tourists who listened to the rain, one or two old men wearing rain hats were fishing on the riverbank, pedestrians slowly passed by with oil-paper umbrellas, and people taking shelter from the rain in the teahouses chatted idly with the owners... It was exactly as she had imagined Jiangnan, not like the overdeveloped resorts of modern times, crowded with people, neon lights and cars filling the scenic area, and commercialization everywhere...
"He Lin, have you ever been to this Hibiscus Town before?"
"No."
"I love it here so much, it's so beautiful." Jiang Yi closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed, "The air seems to be filled with the fragrance of flowers and the taste of freedom. I declare that this is the real Jiangnan region in the rain."
He Lin's eyelids twitched a few times, and he grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her back down to the corridor.
"It's almost winter, so where's the fragrance of flowers coming from? By the way, if you keep getting soaked like this, you might catch a cold."
Jiang Yi's hands were icy cold. She wrapped her cloak tighter around herself and said nonchalantly, "It's alright. I'm not one of those rich young ladies. I'm not that delicate. What's a little rain?"
The name of this inn is quite good—Lai Cai Inn.
Most shops in the capital city would choose nice-sounding names, such as Tongfu or Laifu. Businesses value the coexistence of wealth and elegance. But this shop owner didn't bother with any pretense and simply named it Laicai. It may be a bit vulgar, but at least it's simple and clear, and you can see right through it at a glance.
Thanks to the name of the inn, Jiang Yi found it so interesting that she decided to stay there.
Since there weren't many rooms left, the caravan didn't stay with them, but instead chose to go to another inn next door.
"Hey sir, could you lend us two umbrellas?"
"Sure, please take it yourself. It's on the umbrella stand by the door."
"Okay, thank you."
Jiang Yi turned around and went into the shop to borrow two umbrellas from the waiter, giving one to He Lin.
"Since you have nothing to do at the inn anyway, why don't you come out for a walk with me?"
He Lin glanced at her helplessly. Jiang Yi pursed her lips and tilted her head. He reached out and took the umbrella, slowly opened it, and followed her.
Walking on the winding cobblestone path, which pointed in different directions, Jiang Yi almost slipped and fell after stepping down the steps. He Lin, who had been following behind her and watching the situation, rushed forward to help her up.
Jiang Yi laughed heartlessly, "Luckily, I had you, He Lin, otherwise this outfit of mine would be ruined."
He Lin, still worried, reminded him, "It's bound to be slippery after the rain, so be careful."
"Okay, I understand."
Most of the shops on the street were closed. On the way, we passed a shop selling gold, silver and jade jewelry. Perhaps because it was raining and there were few people, the proprietress warmly invited the two of us to come in and have a look. She said that if we found something we liked, we could buy it and take it home as a gift for our wives.
After being reminded, Jiang Yi suddenly realized that she was dressed as a man. Her original intention to go into the store immediately vanished. She politely declined the proprietress's offer and left with He Lin.
"He Lin, can I change back into women's clothes? Wearing ancient costumes would create a better atmosphere for this situation..."
"If you want, you can." He Lin looked at the person in front of him who was happily catching the rain, and then added quietly, "But you seem to have forgotten why we left the capital."
Jiang Yi was taken aback. Leaving Beijing? Because of the arrest warrant!
"Tsk, you're such a spoilsport!"
Seeing his attentive expression, Jiang Yi pouted and said irritably, "Fine, I won't change it then. So tell me, where are we going next? You don't mean you want me to wander the world with you, do you?"
He Lin scoffed, "You wish! Please get this straight, who's accompanying whom?"
"..."
Jiang Yi was speechless and dumbfounded by his words. She raised her hands in surrender: "I... you can stay with me, okay?"
This person is truly unwilling to suffer any loss. Not only does he hold grudges, but he also has a sharp tongue! His mouth is like it's been coated with poison, and its attack power is incredibly strong, which is completely inconsistent with his appearance.
Such a handsome man, but he has such an infuriating mouth. No wonder he rarely speaks, and when he does, it's enough to make people want to vomit blood!
Beautiful women never indulge in momentary verbal sparring.
Jiang Yi moved slowly under He Lin's umbrella, sharing it with him. Under the puzzled gazes of those around them, Jiang Yi blinked her innocent, large eyes, gently patted He Lin's chest, and said reproachfully, "Oh dear, young master~"
Those four short words sent shivers down He Lin's spine, his face a mask of resistance and a clear "stay away from me" expression.
"do what?"
"Can't you tell? I was molesting you!"
He Lin's lips twitched, and he grabbed her restless hand, "Speak properly, don't touch me."
"Oh." Jiang Yi pulled her hand back, closed her umbrella, and forced herself to take shelter under He Lin's umbrella. She said, "Look, now that we're so far from the capital, let's not dwell on those unhappy things. We're already out here, so let's have some fun. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste of all the hard work we've put in along the way? Let's go."
After Jiang Yi finished speaking, she took He Lin's arm and walked towards a pavilion in front of them.
The rain grew heavier, and the pattering raindrops on the umbrella created a chaotic symphony.
Upon reaching the pavilion, Jiang Yi patted the thin layer of mist clinging to her clothes, then looked up at the several painted boats on the lake. The swirling mist made it impossible to see if anyone was on board. Gradually, only a blurry silhouette of a small boat became visible, slowly shrinking to the size of a sesame seed…
"Hey, He Lin, did you say that 'spring waters are as blue as the sky, and painted boats sleep in the rain' describes this kind of scene?"
Unexpectedly, He Lin chuckled and looked up at the same spot as her: "You actually know this poem?"
"Hey, what are you saying? Are you looking down on me? I've been to school, you know!"
Even elementary school students can recite these poems fluently, so why is she, a university graduate, not worthy of them? Who does she think she is looking down on?
"Do you know what it means?"
“I know!” Jiang Yi cleared her throat and said, “It’s just about how the river water in spring is clear and green, far surpassing the blue of the sky, and you can fall asleep on the boat while listening to the rain outside.”
He Lin looked at her approvingly, as if he had just met her that day.
“That’s right. But as I said before, this is the ninth month of winter, so the context in which you recited this poem is not right.”
Jiang Yi was stunned for two or three seconds, then the corners of her mouth gradually widened, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Alright, now He Lin has another trait—being meticulous.
She nodded, and, imitating the servants in the manor, bowed and clasped her hands in greeting, saying with a smile, "Alright, young master, you are very knowledgeable and what you say is correct. I will definitely learn more from you in the future."
"..."
The first floor of the inn was brightly lit and noisy, filled with burly men eating and drinking, their arms around each other and raising their glasses to anyone they met.
That evening, Chief Escort Wang and his gang insisted on inviting He Lin to thank him for saving their lives. There was nothing they could do; these people were too enthusiastic, and He Lin and Jiang Yi simply sat down and ate together.
These镖客 (bodyguards/escorts) truly lived up to their reputation as江湖人士 (jianghu figures) who had traveled all over the country. Each of them could drink a huge amount of wine. Jiang Yi personally witnessed the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) opposite her carrying a jar of wine and chugging it down his throat. He didn't care at all that the wine was dripping down his clothes. After finishing the wine, he wiped his mouth, and his whole body exuded the two words "豪迈" (heroic and unrestrained)!
Jiang Yi sat in her seat, munching on sunflower seeds and watching the show. She wondered how much He Lin could drink. From the moment he sat down, Chief Escort Wang started pouring him drinks. While others drank from wine jars, he used a cup. But even the smallest cup couldn't withstand so many people toasting him. He was bound to get drunk tonight.
One of them, quite drunk, half-closed his eyes and, seeing Jiang Yi remain motionless, got up and went over to toast her, slurring, "Hey, Young Master He, why aren't you drinking? Do you look down on us?"
Jiang Yi played a trick, quickly pouring out the wine in her cup when no one was looking, and then, with her back to him, replaced it with tea. She stood up and offered a toast: "Brother, you've misunderstood. How could I look down on you? Here, I'll drink first as a sign of respect, and you can drink as you please."
After tilting his head back and drinking it all in one gulp, he didn't forget to turn the glass upside down so he could see it.
"You...you can't do this! This little bit of wine isn't enough!" The man frowned, put his arm around Jiang Yi's shoulder, and slammed a jar of wine onto the table in front of him with a "bang": "Come on, let's drink until we're drunk!"
The smell of alcohol was unbearable, and Jiang Yi tried to remove his arm, saying, "No, no, I can't hold my liquor. Go find someone else to drink with."
"Hey, you—"
He Lin had already noticed the situation here, so he walked straight over, grabbed the man's forearm, and took the arm off Jiang Yi's shoulder.
"He Lin, you've come at the right time, save me quickly." Jiang Yi spat out these words through gritted teeth, while constantly giving him meaningful glances.
He Lin glanced at her, then said to the drunken bodyguard, "Brother, she can't drink, I'll drink with you."
“Young Master He, if you ask me, you’re just too protective of your younger brother. Look at him, he’s all grown up and he can’t even drink alcohol. If word gets out… oh dear…”
As he was talking, he was almost kicked from behind and barely managed to stand up by grabbing the edge of the table.
Turning around, Wang Biaotou was swaying back and forth, holding a wine jar. He let out a loud burp and shouted, "What nonsense are you spouting, you little bastard? They can't drink, they don't want to drink with you, so who told you to come?"
"Hiccup, big brother..."
"Roll, roll, roll..."
After the man left, Chief Escort Wang walked unsteadily to Jiang Yi and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, young master. They were just rough men who didn't know how to speak properly. Please don't take it to heart. He didn't mean to offend you. I apologize on his behalf."
Jiang Yi laughed and said, "It's alright."
Wang, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), nodded: "Alright, it's getting late. We'll take our leave now, so as not to disturb your rest any longer. Farewell."
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