Back at the tofu shop, she instructed Ziwu to have a stranger deliver the news about the child to Doctor Zhang.
He then locked himself in the room and busied himself until it got dark before he had a moment to rest.
She asked Ziwu to prepare a jar of strong liquor and pour it into the hot water of her bathtub. When she emerged, she looked like a fairy descended to earth, even more beautiful than before.
Even Zi Wu was stunned. Compared to the last time her master revealed her true face, this time she was even more charming, with graceful eyes and a beauty that made it impossible to look away.
Su Ruanruan played with Bai Ruan in the room for a while, and then read a book at the table for half an hour.
The moonlight was cold and clear, and the weather was getting colder and colder.
Su Ruanruan pulled her cloak tighter around herself, slowly sat down in the octagonal pavilion in the courtyard, and looked up at the scattered stars.
Ziwu hung several lanterns in the octagonal pavilion and moved in two braziers that were burning brightly.
Su Ruanruan placed the zither she was holding on the table, her fingertips plucked the strings, producing a few melodious sounds. She straightened her body, and once again plucked the strings with her delicate hands, the music sounding like pearls falling onto a jade plate.
But as she played, the melody shifted, becoming low and mournful, as if she were weeping and lamenting, as if she had many grievances that she could not tell anyone.
Ziwu listened attentively, somewhat bewildered. How could her master, with his background, know how to play the zither?
However, as curious as she was, it was none of her business to ask about her master's affairs; she only needed to do her job well.
She went off to attend to other matters and left the octagonal pavilion.
When she returned, Su Ruanruan had her head down, unable to hide her desolation.
"Why did you come back again? It's cold outside, you don't need to stay with me."
"Master, Officer Huo has arrived. He asked me what you were doing and brought you some things."
"If you refuse to see him, just say that Su Ruanruan has already gone to sleep and it's inconvenient for her to see him. Please ask him to go back."
After Zi Wu left, Su Ruanruan touched the strings of her zither again. Recalling the past, a tear fell onto the table, and she looked up to wipe away her wet eyes.
By the dim light, I could see a figure on the wall.
Just as he was about to call for help, the man spoke first, "It's me, Huo Yan, the head constable of the yamen."
Su Ruanruan quickly covered her mouth; thank goodness, she almost let her original voice slip out.
If Huo Yan heard her voice, he would know that she was Su Ruanruan.
Su Ruanruan then adopted the same tone she used when she saw him at the tofu shop last time, "It's late and the dew is heavy. I wonder what brings Officer Huo here?"
Huo Yan was leaning against the wall listening to the zither when he was discovered, so he jumped down from the wall.
He took a few steps forward and leaned against the bare peach tree, carrying two oil paper packages in his hands.
He looked at the stunningly beautiful woman in the octagonal pavilion, some distance away from him. The soft light of the lanterns shone on her, giving her a beautiful yet desolate air.
He knew very little about the mysterious owner of the tofu shop, only that she, like Su Ruanruan, was shrouded in mystery.
He held up the oil paper package in his hand and shook it. "I bought some food for Ruan Ruan. Since she's already asleep, I won't disturb her peaceful sleep."
"Then you can go," Su Ruanruan said.
Huo Yan hung the oil paper package on a tree branch and then sat down opposite her.
Why aren't you leaving yet?
Huo Yan took out a thousand taels of silver from his pocket and placed it on the table. "Could you sell me this tofu shop?"
Su Ruanruan remembered what he had said that day: he would buy the tofu shop and give it to her.
She curled her lips coldly, "Could it be that Officer Huo can't stay in the government office anymore? He's even interested in a small business like a tofu shop?"
Huo Yan narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced at the woman opposite him a few more times.
She felt very familiar to him, not at all like a second meeting.
For some reason, seeing her is like seeing Su Ruanruan.
Su Ruanruan felt very uncomfortable under his gaze, afraid that he would point at her and say: "Su Ruanruan, it's you!"
She cleared her throat. "Could it be that Huo Yan has some ulterior motives because of my beauty?"
Huo Yan said calmly, "Although I, Huo, can hardly be considered a gentleman, I don't just look at everyone. I just think you look familiar."
"Would the owner be willing to part with this tofu shop and let me have it? If you think the price is not right, then you can name your price."
"Why is Officer Huo fixated on my little tofu shop? There are plenty of much bigger businesses out there. You should go back."
"To be honest, young lady, I want to buy this tofu shop to give to a young lady."
Su Ruanruan looked at him with an "I knew it" expression, "Su Ruanruan?"
"Exactly."
Who is she to you?
"The woman I like."
Su Ruanruan, "!"
"You like her?" Su Ruanruan asked.
Huo Yan pondered for a moment. He had never known what that inexplicable feeling was before, but at this moment, he was certain that after he had let go of his feelings for Rou'er, he had fallen in love with her.
"Yes, I'm sure, I've fallen for her."
Su Ruanruan never thought about starting a new relationship; her heart, already riddled with wounds, could no longer hold anyone else.
She felt only gratitude towards Huo Yan for saving and helping her on numerous occasions.
Between her and him, it was nothing more than a fleeting affair.
She knew he had no wives or concubines, no other women around him, and no bad habits.
He's a pretty good bed partner.
Just a bed partner, nothing more.
Once he gets married, she will no longer have any contact with him.
Now he actually says he likes her?
But she will never love anyone else in this life, nor will she ever marry anyone else.
"So what if she likes someone? As far as I know, she's been hurt by someone else and probably won't like anyone else again. Why should Officer Huo make himself unhappy?"
"There's a lot of gossip outside, saying that Su Ruanruan and Officer Huo have been having an affair for a long time. Could it be that you really want to... marry her because of this rumor?"
Huo Yan tapped his fingers on the table repeatedly. "The rumors might not be false. She's turned against the Su family now, and she's just a helpless orphan. I can't stand seeing others bully her. I just want to give her a status, a place to shelter her from the wind and rain..."
Although she couldn't possibly agree, Su Ruanruan still wanted to know who he was...
"Are you really going to marry her?"
Huo Yan looked at the dark night. Given her status, she could never be his wife. All he could offer was...
"concubine."
Just one word, and it's fried until soft and tender on the outside and crispy on the inside.
She never expected that the identity Huo Yan mentioned would be that of a concubine.
What's the difference between a concubine and a mistress? She's not even as good as Bai Baixu's second wife.
Although she knew she would never become Huo Yan's concubine, just hearing him say that made it impossible for her to remain calm.
Knowing that he had such thoughts, Su Ruanruan could no longer continue with him.
There are plenty of men in the world; if one fails, you can always find another.
Su Ruanruan pushed the silver note back, "Officer Huo, please go back."
"I will not sell this tofu shop, not for any amount of money."
Having said that, he pulled his cloak tighter around himself, turned and left.
Huo Yan turned around and looked at her back. Her figure really resembled Su Ruanruan.
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