Chapter 110
The three of them eventually settled down at a restaurant in the west of the city that was said to be famous for its roasted lamb leg.
The restaurant was called "Zui Xian Ju" (Drunken Immortal Abode), a two-story building with upturned eaves and red lanterns hanging at the entrance.
It was lunchtime, and the lobby was bustling with noise. Waiters with white towels draped over their shoulders and trays on their backs darted between tables and chairs, their shouts rising and falling.
"Please come in, sir! There are still seats available in the private rooms upstairs!"
"Alright! One serving of braised duck with soy sauce! And one steamed sea bass!"
Sheng Xuan greeted them familiarly, "Waiter! A private room upstairs! By the window!"
"Alright! Please come upstairs, gentlemen!" The waiter led them upstairs with a smile.
The second floor was indeed much quieter, and the window seats offered an excellent view, overlooking the bustling street below. The carved window frames were half-open, and a gentle breeze carried the aroma of food and the hustle and bustle of the marketplace.
Sheng Xuan slammed his hand on the table with great enthusiasm: "Waiter! First, bring me your best roasted lamb leg! A big one! Then, a pot of the finest Daughter's Red wine! And..." He rattled off a string of dishes, all of them meaty and hearty.
The waiter quickly took notes, his face beaming with joy: "Alright! Please wait a moment, sir. The roasted lamb leg is freshly roasted, so it will take a while. The other dishes will be here shortly!"
After Sheng Xuan finished ordering, Xiao Qiyun casually added, "Add two more vegetable dishes, something light."
"Alright! And one serving each of stir-fried seasonal vegetables and cold shredded vegetables salad!" The waiter responded and quickly turned to go downstairs.
While waiting for the food, Sheng Xuan, unable to stay idle, began to vividly recount the anecdotes he had heard at the drill ground, gesturing wildly.
Su Zhelan listened with her chin in her hand, occasionally chuckling.
Xiao Qiyun quietly poured tea, pushing the first cup in front of Su Zhelan, and then poured a cup for himself and Sheng Xuan.
Before long, the cold dishes and vegetarian dishes arrived. A little while later, accompanied by a rich aroma of meat and the sizzling sound of oil, the waiter arrived carrying a huge tray, calling out loudly, "Sir, you've been waiting a long time! The roasted lamb leg is here—!"
A golden-brown, crispy, and glistening leg of lamb, as long as a forearm, was brought out on an iron rack, steaming hot and its aroma instantly filling the entire private room.
The lamb leg has a crispy skin, sprinkled with cumin and chili powder, and the fat is still sizzling, dripping onto the charcoal fire below, igniting small flames and releasing an even richer aroma.
Sheng Xuan's eyes widened, and he eagerly picked up the knife next to him, shouting, "Let me do it! Let me do it!" He aimed at the fattest piece of leg meat, tore it off with force, and put it into Su Zhelan's bowl without thinking: "Try it! This piece is the most tender!"
Su Zhelan looked at the glistening, almost fist-sized chunk of meat in the bowl, and couldn't help but laugh and cry: "Sheng Xuan, this is too much..."
"Not much, not much! You need to eat more to replenish your energy! Your appetite needs to keep up!" Sheng Xuan tore off another piece and stuffed it into his mouth, panting as it burned. He chewed and mumbled, "Delicious! So delicious!"
Xiao Qiyun didn't say anything, but picked up his chopsticks and precisely picked off a small piece of roasted, fragrant, and perfectly balanced fat and lean meat from the huge piece of mutton in Su Zhelan's bowl. The outer skin was golden and crispy, while the inside was tender and juicy. He placed it on the small plate in front of Su Zhelan.
Su Zhelan paused for a moment, glancing at the perfectly sized, easy-to-eat piece of meat on the plate, then at Xiao Qiyun's calm, expressionless face, a slight blush creeping onto her ears. She picked up the piece of meat and ate it in small bites; it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, truly delicious.
The meal was lively and satisfying. Sheng Xuan devoured the food, and Su Zhelan also had a rare big appetite, while Xiao Qiyun ate slowly and deliberately, occasionally refilling Su Zhelan's tea, or subtly pushing the plate towards him when he looked at a dish a little further away.
After dinner, Sheng Xuan took them to the South Market to listen to storytelling. The storyteller was telling the climax of the tale of chivalrous heroes traveling the world with their swords when he slammed his gavel with a deafening roar.
Sheng Xuan listened intently, occasionally clapping his hands in approval.
Su Zhelan listened intently, her eyes sparkling. Xiao Qiyun sat beside Su Zhelan, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the boy's focused profile. In the dim light of the storytelling hall, the softness in his eyes was warmer than the candlelight.
As the sun set, the noise gradually subsided on the way back.
Sheng Xuan was still excitedly reminiscing about the storyteller's plot, gesturing wildly as he imitated the swordsman's moves, making "hey ha" sounds.
Su Zhelan walked quietly, a faint smile on his lips. The evening breeze ruffled the stray hairs on his forehead, carrying the warmth of everyday life. He gazed greedily at the clear street scene before him.
As the tall gate of the General's Mansion gradually came into view in the twilight, Su Zhelan stopped and turned to Sheng Xuan and Xiao Qiyun: "I want to go to the pharmacy first to deliver the things to my master and master's husband."
He pointed to his chest, where he kept the bracelet for Su Yan and the dagger for Gu Linzhao.
Sheng Xuan immediately perked up and put his arm around Su Zhelan's shoulder again: "Great! Let's go together! We'll see what Gu Linzhao's expression is when he receives that little trinket!" He looked excited, as if he were watching a good show.
Xiao Qiyun didn't speak, but his gaze fell on Su Zhelan's face, and he nodded almost imperceptibly, which was taken as acquiescence.
So the three of them turned a corner and headed towards the medicine courtyard. The old locust tree at the entrance of the medicine courtyard cast a deep shadow in the twilight, and the familiar fragrance of herbs wafted from the courtyard.
Su Zhelan knocked on the courtyard gate, and Gu Linzhao's slightly lazy voice came from inside: "Who is it? It's so late..."
The door creaked open, and Gu Linzhao poked his head out. Seeing the three people outside, he raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Zhelan, didn't I tell you to go back and rest?"
His gaze swept over Su Zhelan's face, which was noticeably more energetic than in the afternoon, and then looked at Sheng Xuan and Xiao Qiyun following behind.
Su Zhelan smiled, took out the sandalwood bracelet wrapped in a handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it to him with both hands: "Master, this is for Master. I saw it while shopping this afternoon and thought... it suits Master quite well." His tone carried a hint of nervousness that was barely perceptible.
Gu Linzhao took the handkerchief pouch, immediately feeling the warm, smooth texture of the wood. He opened the pouch and saw the dark brown, clearly patterned sandalwood bracelet. His eyes lit up, then a mischievous smile appeared on his lips: "Oh? For that old fogey? Not bad, kid, you know how to pick!"
He picked up the bracelet, looked at it in the twilight, and then brought it closer to smell it. "Hmm, that guy will definitely like it!" he said, playing with the bracelet as he spoke, clearly very satisfied.
“Master, this… is for you.” Su Zhelan took out another handkerchief pouch, inside which was the small fish-skin sheathed dagger.
Gu Linzhao's eyes lit up even more: "Oh? There's a share for me too?"
He took the dagger, pulled it out a little, saw the worn blade, and burst into laughter, "Hahaha! This thing is good! Small and exquisite, and quite handsome!"
He then flicked the turquoise with his finger. "It would be great as a letter opener, or as a belt ornament! Much more interesting than an old-fashioned bracelet!"
He glanced smugly in the direction of the pharmacy, clearly already imagining how to show off to Su Yan.
"Gu Linzhao, who's outside?" Su Yan's voice came from the pharmacy, tinged with displeasure at being disturbed.
"Your good apprentice! He's brought you some good stuff!" Gu Linzhao called out, then winked at Su Zhelan, "Come on, let's go in and let that guy have a look!"
The three followed Gu Linzhao into the pharmacy.
Su Yan was standing in front of the medicine cabinet organizing herbs when he heard the noise. He turned around, his brows furrowing slightly as usual: "Didn't I tell you to go back and rest? What are you doing here again?"
His gaze fell on Su Zhelan with a hint of scrutiny, but seeing that Su Zhelan's complexion was still good and her eyes were clear, his brows relaxed slightly.
“Master,” Su Zhelan stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"I went out for a stroll this afternoon and saw this... I thought you might find it useful." He took the bracelet from Gu Linzhao and handed it to Su Yan with both hands.
Su Yan's gaze fell on the bracelet; the dark brown sandalwood beads gleamed with a warm luster in the twilight. He silently accepted it, his fingertips tracing the smooth surface of the beads, feeling their weight and the faint scent of sandalwood.
He raised his eyes and looked at Su Zhelan, the boy's eyes filled with a hint of expectation and barely perceptible nervousness.
Su Yan didn't say anything, but simply put the bracelet on his left wrist. The dark brown beads complemented his well-defined wrist, creating an unexpectedly harmonious look.
"Hmm." Su Yan responded softly, accepting the bracelet. He lowered his sleeve, covering the bracelet, but the heavy warmth seemed to travel from his wrist all the way to his heart.
"How about it? Zhelan has good taste, right?" Gu Linzhao proudly waved the small dagger in his hand. "Look! I have one too! It's much more interesting than your string of wooden beads!"
He deliberately twirled the dagger between his fingers, the turquoise gleaming faintly in the twilight.
Su Yan glanced at the gaudy little trinket in Gu Linzhao's hand, then looked at the area on his wrist covered by his sleeve. His lips twitched almost imperceptibly downwards, but he didn't refute Gu Linzhao. Instead, he addressed Su Zhelan...
"The things have been delivered, and I appreciate the sentiment. It's getting dark, so hurry back and rest. Don't take advantage of feeling better to wander around aimlessly. Get some rest for a few days." Although his tone was still as serious as usual, his concern was clearly evident.
"Okay, Master." Su Zhelan watched Su Yan put on the bracelet and saw how much Gu Linzhao loved the dagger. A weight was lifted from her heart, and a relaxed smile appeared on her face.
Sheng Xuan, watching from the side, couldn't help but laugh. She moved closer to Gu Linzhao and said, "Gu Linzhao, this little knife is really nice! Can I play with it?"
Gu Linzhao immediately hid the dagger behind his back: "Get out of here! This was a gift from Zhelan! Don't let me break it!"
He carefully fastened the dagger to his belt, even adjusting its position to make it more conspicuous.
Seeing their reactions, Su Zhelan felt a warm glow in his heart. He bowed again, saying, "Master, Master's husband, then this disciple will take his leave."
"Go on, go on!" Gu Linzhao waved his hand. "Remember to get some rest!"
Su Yan nodded slightly.
The three of them walked out of the medicine courtyard. It was already completely dark, and lanterns were being lit all over the general's mansion.
Su Zhelan let out a long sigh of relief. The fatigue of the day seemed to finally come over her, but she felt incredibly relaxed and satisfied.
"Are you satisfied now?" Sheng Xuan nudged Su Zhelan's shoulder and said with a grin.
Su Zhelan smiled but didn't say anything. The excitement of the day had worn off, and the fatigue that had accumulated in her body began to surge up, especially the physical exertion from the test sparring match in the afternoon, which was now truly showing its effects.
He couldn't help but yawn slightly, and a little bit of moisture welled up in the corner of his eyes.
This subtle movement did not escape Xiao Qiyun's notice. He took a half-step closer without making a sound, his arm lightly resting on Su Zhelan's side, and whispered, "Tired?"
Su Zhelan nodded somewhat shyly: "Um... a little."
Soon, the familiar silhouette of Sogyokin came into view.
The courtyard gate was ajar, and warm candlelight shone from inside, clearly lit in advance by the servants.
Sheng Xuan pushed open the door and, with practiced ease, half-helped and half-pushed Su Zhelan into the inner room: "We're here! Hurry up, wash up, and get some rest."
Su Zhelan was pushed to sit on the edge of the bed, feeling weak all over, almost too weak to even lift her arm. He rubbed his temples and said softly, "Let me sit for a while..."
Before Sheng Xuan could say anything more, Xiao Qiyun had already walked in, closed the courtyard gate behind him, shutting out the chill from outside. He walked to the table, picked up the teapot that was warming on the stove, poured a cup of warm water, and held it to Su Zhelan's lips: "Drink some water first."
Su Zhelan took a few sips of warm water from his hand, the warm water sliding down her throat and slightly relieving her fatigue. She looked up at Xiao Qiyun, her eyes filled with a soft, dependent gaze: "Thank you."
Sheng Xuan walked around the room, went behind the screen and looked around, then exclaimed, "The water is all ready! Zhe Lan, go take a medicinal bath to relax!" He pointed to the bathtub behind the screen, which was steaming and smelled faintly of herbs.
Su Zhelan looked at the steaming hot bathtub and was indeed tempted, but she felt languid all over, as if the strength to even lift her hand had been drained away.
He rubbed his stiff neck, his voice tinged with weariness: "Um... I'll go in a bit."
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