Chapter 3: Absurd
Zhenxiang Temple was a small Daoist temple, and its incense offerings were never exactly booming.
It had only picked up about a year ago, after Pei Yan became a disciple in name only. Thanks to him running around taking jobs to earn money, things had improved quite a bit.
In just one short year, Pei Yan had made a name for himself in the city. Plenty of people knew that no matter how hard the job was, as long as there was money, he’d take it.
All because he was saving up to marry a wife.
“This time I caught a snake demon. Its cultivation wasn’t shallow, and its venomous fangs could kill a man in an instant. When we were tangled up fighting earlier, it flicked its tongue and lunged straight at me, its tail whipping the ground until rocks flew everywhere. I used every ounce of strength I had, circling it over and over before I barely managed to pin it down.”
As he spoke, he deliberately raised his hands to mime the fighting stances, his brows lifted with a bit of smugness. Out of the corner of his eye, he secretly watched the girl’s expression, just wanting her to know how impressive he was.
He Xi listened, completely absorbed.
When he said the snake demon was fierce, worry showed in her eyes, her brows knitting tight.
Only when he said he’d pinned it down did her brows relax slightly, but she still subconsciously grabbed his hand.
“What happened next? Did you subdue the snake demon?”
Pei Yan felt the pressure from her palm. His mimicking paused, and the corners of his mouth curved up uncontrollably.
He reined in some of his showiness, nodding with feigned composure, his gaze falling gently on her furrowed, not-yet-fully-relaxed brows.
“Don’t worry, it’s been dealt with properly. A mere snake demon can’t stump me.”
He turned his hand over and lightly clasped hers, his tone serious. “From now on, whenever I go out on a job, I’ll definitely come back safe. Don’t worry.”
He Xi hadn’t even spoken yet when he shook his head and changed his own words.
“But you can’t not worry about me at all. After all, I’m the person you like. But if you worry too much, you probably won’t eat well or sleep well again.”
Pei Yan raised his hand, lightly brushing the tip of her nose with his finger. He slowly swung their joined hands, a sly smile hidden in his eyes, his tone deliberately drawn out.
“So you’re only allowed to worry about me a little bit. Just that little bit is enough.”
He Xi laughed at his nonsense. She tilted her face up to look at him and said on purpose, “You were gone for three days this time, and I didn’t worry about you at all. Not even a little bit.”
Pei Yan didn’t get angry. He stared at her with great interest, the smile in his eyes rippling more obviously.
He leaned in slightly, his breath brushing lightly past her ear, his tone teasing. “Really, not even half a bit? I don’t believe it. I heard from the auntie selling vegetables at the city gate that a certain young lady from the academy comes to peer out the gate every single day, staying for ages before leaving.”
He Xi hadn’t expected to be “sold out” by the vegetable-selling auntie. Once again, she couldn’t win against him, so she turned her face away and refused to look at him.
She pulled her hand out of his grip, placed both hands on the stone table to prop up her chin, and said gloomily, “Anyway, you’re popular wherever you go. The whole city, top to bottom, is full of your informants.”
Pei Yan laughed brightly.
He’d solved plenty of problems caused by demons and monsters for people, so naturally everyone was happy to build good karma with him.
Just then, the sun dipped slightly, casting slanted light. Golden sunlight pierced through the branches and leaves, stabbing straight at He Xi’s eyes.
She squinted instinctively, her nose wrinkling. Just as she was about to turn her head to avoid it, a cool patch of shadow suddenly fell over her.
It was Pei Yan raising his hand.
He casually bent his right arm, his slender palm hovering above her head, his distinct knuckles curling slightly inward, blocking out all the blinding light for her.
Dappled spots of light filtered through the gaps in the leaves, landing on his pale wrist and lowered eyelashes, swaying into gentle, fragmented shadows.
The youth tilted his head slightly, looking down at the puffy-cheeked, sulky little girl. The smile in his eyes was so thick it was about to spill over.
The gloom in He Xi’s heart suddenly vanished without a trace. She stared at him blankly, lost in thought.
Pei Yan asked, “What’s wrong?”
He Xi reached out a hand and pressed it against his large hand hovering above her head. Then, finger by finger, she slid them into the gaps between his fingers, interlacing them tightly.
“Pei Yan, you’ve gotten tanned.”
Their hands locked together, the contrast between the light and dark skin tones was especially striking.
The neighboring county had seen clear skies these past few days. He’d been running around outside catching demons, and the backs of his hands were covered in a faint wheat color, his knuckles bearing thin calluses.
Her hands were fair and soft, completely enveloped by his broad, thick palm.
Pei Yan looked again at his fair, tender sweetheart and suddenly felt he was a bit rough and scruffy.
His tone was solemn. “I’ll whiten back up soon.”
He Xi knew he was rushing back and forth under the wind and sun just to scrape together the money to marry her as fast as possible. Her figure slowly leaned forward.
Pei Yan obligingly opened his arms, letting her lean into his embrace.
The bells on their bodies lightly clinked together, making fine, crisp chiming sounds, one overlapping the next, swaying softly in the warm breeze.
He Xi said, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t whiten back up.”
The bell sounds weren’t loud, but they were exceptionally pleasant. Accompanied by their steady breathing, they blended the peace and intimacy of this moment perfectly.
She murmured softly, “I like you anyway.”
The youth’s hand gently circled her waist, his chin resting lightly on the top of her head, his eyes full of brilliant starlight.
Just as the atmosphere was perfect, a calling voice came from not far away.
“A Xi, A Xi… A Xi, where did you run off to, girl!”
He Xi hurriedly pushed Pei Yan away. “It’s my dad, hurry up and go!”
Pei Yan thought to himself that Old Man He really picked the worst time to show up. But thinking about how marrying He Xi depended on Old Man He’s mood, he could only follow the force of her pulling him and stand up.
He Xi hurriedly stuffed all the snacks into Pei Yan’s hands, stomping her feet anxiously. “Hurry up and go! Don’t let my dad see you!”
Pei Yan turned to leave, then remembered he’d missed something. So he turned back, and while she was panicking and completely off guard, he quickly ducked his head and stole a kiss on her soft cheek.
The slightly cool touch flashed and vanished, carrying the youth’s reckless willfulness.
Only then did he tap his toe and leap up, cleanly jumping onto the high courtyard wall. He crouched on the wall’s edge, a corner of his robes flipped up by the wind.
He looked down at the flustered, red-faced little girl in the courtyard, his fingertips pinching the bulging bag of snacks. He didn’t forget to wave briskly at her, his smiling voice deliberately dragging out the tune.
“A Xi, next time I’ll come steal another kiss.”
As his words fell, his eyes brimming with sly, unrestrained amusement, the mischievous youth, secretly thrilled, didn’t wait for He Xi to react. He leaped, nimbly flipping over the wall, and slipped away silently.
Leaving behind only the courtyard breeze, and a scalding-cheeked, wildly-heartbeating little girl frozen in place with her hands covering her face.
“A Xi, so you were here. I called you for ages, why didn’t you answer once?”
He Xi obediently turned back around. “I just fell asleep leaning on the table, I didn’t hear you.”
He Ci walked closer slowly. His plain scholar’s robe was washed flat and clean, his black hair neatly tied up with a jade hairpin, his features clear and elegant.
His posture was upright, his whole body steeped in scholarly air. There wasn’t a hint of severity in his brows, only the unique gentleness of an elder.
He Ci’s gaze swept across the courtyard, then fell back on his daughter’s face. His tone was mild as he teased, “You actually fell asleep? Look how sleepy you are. Could it be you’ve been studying too hard lately?”
He Xi laughed dryly twice. “Maybe.”
He Ci said, “I heard that boy Pei Yan came back. He didn’t sneak over the wall to find you, did he?”
He Xi answered decisively, “Nope.”
He Ci glanced at the pits from the sugar-pickled green plums on the ground and smiled, letting out an “Oh.” “Good that he didn’t. Otherwise, if I saw him sneaking over to find you, I’d definitely break his legs.”