Xiao Jinyu gave a slight nod. "Alright..."
Chu Chu waved the yam in her hand. "Then I'll make some pork rib and yam soup. You need to eat some meat."
"Alright."
The moment Xiao Jinyu agreed, Chu Chu's eyebrows and eyes immediately curved into a smile. All her caution, nervousness, worry, and fear vanished without a trace. Hugging the yam and carrying the ribs, she bounced off to make the soup, as if the pitiful girl who had made him shake his head in sympathy had never existed at all.
Watching her chat cheerfully with the two guards while busily working, Xiao Jinyu rubbed his temples after a long moment. Earlier... he must have been dizzy and seen wrong.
The two guards steamed a pot of rice and stewed a pot of cabbage with tofu. Since it seemed unlikely the prince would eat anything they prepared, filling their own stomachs was the practical thing to do.
Both were already halfway through their bowls when Chu Chu lifted the lid of the soup pot. They immediately lost their appetite.
Compared to the aroma wafting from the soup pot, they truly didn't know how to describe what they were holding in their bowls...
Chu Chu served a bowl for Xiao Jinyu and gave each of them one as well. Without hesitation, they set aside their bowls of cabbage-tofu rice.
Under Chu Chu's expectant gaze, Xiao Jinyu picked up a spoon. Just as he swallowed his first mouthful of soup, Chu Chu eagerly asked, "Is it delicious?"
Xiao Jinyu nodded sincerely but remained silent, scooping up a piece of soft, stewed yam to chew slowly. The rich flavor teased his taste buds, which had grown dull from disuse over the past few days. After finishing one piece of yam, Xiao Jinyu officially realized he was hungry—very hungry—and began eating, one bite after another.
Having never seen him eat so enthusiastically during their journey, Chu Chu said delightedly, "I learned this from my father."
"Your father must be an excellent cook."
While admiring how elegantly Xiao Jinyu nibbled on a rib, as if composing poetry, Chu Chu replied, "Not exactly. Actually, my grandmother is the best cook in our family—everything she makes is delicious. My father only excels at making this rib soup because he makes it often." After a pause, she added, "He cooks it every time he finishes handling a corpse."
The two guards' faces instantly darkened, a mouthful of soup stuck in their throats—unable to swallow yet afraid to spit it out. Xiao Jinyu's hand holding the spoon stiffened, momentarily undecided about whether to continue gnawing on that rib.
Chu Chu added another sentence, "He says this is called 'ashes to ashes, dust to dust.'"
Xiao Jinyu silently put the spoon back into his bowl.
"Are you full?"
"Mm..."
Before Xiao Jinyu could set down his bowl, the village chief entered with a smile. "Both rooms are ready. Boss An and his wife can take one room, and the two strong men can share the other. The village houses are small, so please make do for the night."
Xiao Jinyu paused for a moment before setting down his bowl. "Thank you for your trouble..." Turning to Chu Chu, he said, "I'm going to the carriage to check the accounts. Don't wait up for me tonight."
Chu Chu didn't understand at first, but the village chief interjected, "Money is a small matter; health is what's important. Since Boss An is ill, you should rest well tonight and attend to business tomorrow when you're refreshed."
"These are official matters. They can't be neglected."
Only then did Chu Chu realize he probably had official documents to review again. "I understand."
"You two take good care of your mistress. There's no need to follow me."The guard had no choice but to quickly swallow the soup in his mouth. "Yes, Wang Ye."
Since Wang Ye said not to wait, then she wouldn't wait. Chu Chu had already burrowed into bed early and blown out the lamp, though she still left more than half of the quilt empty. He only said not to wait, but didn't say he wasn't coming. He was ill—she couldn't let him catch a chill.
The village chief's family had stuffed their quilts with fresh cotton from that year, making them soft and warm. Chu Chu fell into a deep sleep shortly after lying down and slept soundly until daybreak. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the large empty side of the quilt remained vacant, and the bedsheet beneath was still smooth and tidy, showing no signs of anyone having slept there.
Chu Chu remembered that he processed documents very quickly—those two or three files in the carriage wouldn't have been enough to keep him occupied all night. Could there be some major case?
Chu Chu scrambled out of bed, quickly got ready, and had just run out of the room when she saw Xiao Jin Yu sitting in the living room. The village chief was animatedly explaining something to him with gestures, while Xiao Jin Yu listened quietly, a somewhat stiff smile on his exhausted face.
Seeing Chu Chu emerge, Xiao Jin Yu lightly coughed twice to interrupt the village chief, his voice slightly hoarse. "Thank you for your guidance, sir. Once we enter Shengzhou, I will make sure to visit each of the places you mentioned... We are grateful for your hospitality. I, An, must take my leave now."
Seeing Xiao Jin Yu bow in courtesy, the village chief quickly stood up. "Why leave so early? You haven't even had breakfast. Stay and eat before you go."
Xiao Jin Yu glanced at Chu Chu, whose face still carried a trace of sleepiness. "Our journey has already been delayed; we won't trouble you further... You mentioned earlier that the soup dumplings at Yongxiang Lou in Shangyuan County are a unique delicacy of Shengzhou. I shall take my wife there to try them."
The village chief's eyes crinkled into slits as he smiled. "Very well, then I won't keep you any longer... Once you enter the city gate, head south, and it's not far—right on the edge of the county town, perfect for breakfast! Also, the Sweet and Sour Ribs at Gathered Fragrance Pavilion in Shangyuan County—that's the proprietor's signature dish. You won't find any better in the entire county. Your wife is sure to love it!"
"Thank you, sir. I, An, will remember that."
☆、23 Sweet and Sour Ribs (Three)
After Xiao Jin Yu was helped into the carriage by the guard, he lay down directly on the couch, closing his eyes without a word.
Chu Chu thought he was tired from staying up late and wanted to sleep, so she sat quietly by his side, watching him.
During these days confined in the carriage, with nothing else to do, she had often watched him. She realized he looked his best when he was sound asleep—unlike when he was awake, always frowning and wearing a cold expression. When he slept, he resembled a baby less than a year old, peaceful and serene as if the world's joys and sorrows had nothing to do with him. Sometimes, a faint, elusive smile would linger on his rose-petal-like lips, so beautiful it felt as if one's heart would melt.
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