Huamanlou

Huamanlou was not just a tavern; it was an entire estate. Only the very front featured a slightly taller tavern building, while the back consisted of residential quarters. With blue bricks, grey tiles, and upturned eaves, two red lanterns hung at the entrance, their paper covers adorned with delicately painted orchids that looked incredibly lifelike.

A plaque hung over the lintel, bearing the three characters for “Huamanlou” written in a vigorous, sweeping hand with sharp, hooking strokes. It was hard to tell who had written it—could it have been Hua Er, or was it bought? Jiang Ci looked at Hua Er's petite frame and felt that the handwriting did not seem to match her.

The door was open, and the sound of Nannan's laughter drifted from within, accompanied by the pitter-patter of rapid footsteps running from one end of the corridor to the other, and then back again.

Hua Er stood at the entrance. She turned back to look at Jiang Ci, and Jiang Ci looked back at her. Hua Er opened her mouth as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed her words, offering a smile instead. “Come on in.” Hua Er stepped aside to make way, and Jiang Ci crossed the threshold with Lu Yan on her back. Hua Er followed close behind, watching Jiang Ci's back as she led her upstairs.

“Auntie Er!” Nannan ran down the stairs, still clutching her little plush doll, and dashed right up to Hua Er. Looking up, she said, “Auntie Er, you have blood on your face!” Hua Er touched her nose. The nosebleed from earlier had not been completely wiped away. She rubbed it with the back of her hand, looking rather embarrassed. “It's nothing, just too much internal heat,” she grumbled, her eyes surreptitiously darting toward Jiang Ci.

Nannan followed her gaze and saw Jiang Ci and Lu Yan. Tilting her head, she recognized the man on Jiang Ci's back. “It's the uncle who bought the Scar-Removal Ointment!” She ran over and looked up at Jiang Ci. “Auntie, is he asleep?”

Jiang Ci knelt down, letting Lu Yan rest against her shoulder, and stared blankly at Nannan. She was not very good at dealing with children. Was the Scar-Removal Ointment bought from Yao Wu?

But seeing Nannan looking up at her with such big, bright eyes, Jiang Ci hesitated before reaching out to gently pat her head. “Yes, he's asleep. He'll wake up in a few days.” Her voice carried a quiet resolve about the future.

Nannan nodded. “Then let him sleep. My daddy is asleep too.” She turned and pointed upstairs. “Daddy is sleeping too. Auntie Er said that once Daddy's wounds heal, his arm will grow back, and he'll be able to hold Nannan again. Auntie Er, is that true?”

Jiang Ci glanced at Hua Er, but Hua Er avoided her gaze. Jiang Ci did not know either, but she nodded anyway. “It will get better. Once your daddy's wounds heal, his arm will grow back.” Nannan smiled, her round little face beaming like a sweet glutinous rice ball.

Hearing the commotion, Hong Jiu came downstairs. She walked very slowly, one hand supporting herself against the wall and the other pressed against the wound under her ribs. Her face was still pale, and her lips lacked color.

She walked over to Jiang Ci, looking first at her and then at Lu Yan. Her mouth opened, but she could not find the words. She reached out and gently patted Jiang Ci on the shoulder. “It's good that you're here.” Her voice was somewhat raspy, as if something were blocking her throat. Chen San had already told them about Du Qi's decision to give Shiyi a final send-off. Seeing Jiang Ci now, she did not know what to say.

Jiang Ci looked at her, her eyes welling with tears once more. She had thought she had no tears left to cry, but seeing Hong Jiu brought them rushing back. She bit her lower lip, refusing to let them fall.

Lying in bed, Yao Wu had also heard the noise downstairs. He wanted to go down and see them, but he could not move. He raised his right hand and touched his empty left sleeve. His entire body ached; even the slightest movement brought sharp pain. But he had heard Lu Yan's name, and he knew they had arrived.

He smiled, the corners of his mouth curving high. Covering his eyes with his remaining hand, he laughed wildly, tears slipping through his fingers. He muttered to himself, “I knew you wouldn't die, you brat! I knew it!”

Chen San leaned against the wall with his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. His hand remained wrapped around the handle of his axe, gripping it tightly without a moment's relaxation, even though this place was safe enough.

Hua Er stood at the foot of the stairs, watching Jiang Ci for a long time. Suddenly, she spoke up. “Put him on a bed. Carrying him on your back all the time is no way to live.”

She walked over to Jiang Ci and reached out, wanting to help take Lu Yan from her, but Jiang Ci instinctively stepped aside to avoid her touch.

Hua Er knew that Jiang Ci was still wary because of Du Qi's warning not to trust them. She did not push the matter. Instead, she walked ahead and pushed open the first door on the right. “This room. Nannan doesn't stay here, so you can put him in here.”

Carrying Lu Yan on her back, Jiang Ci walked upstairs. As she passed by Hua Er, she paused for a moment. Looking at Hua Er, her lips parted slightly. “Thank you.”

Hua Er looked at her, thought for a moment, and said, “Don't thank me. Once he recovers, he'll have to pay me back.” Jiang Ci nodded and stepped into the room. Inside, there was a bed with neatly folded blankets.

Jiang Ci laid Lu Yan on the bed and tucked him in, brushing his hair aside to reveal his cracked face. The scabs had mostly fallen off, and the new skin underneath was pink and tender, like a freshly peeled egg.

Yet his eyes remained closed, his eyelashes perfectly still, and his breathing light. Jiang Ci sat by the bedside, staring at him. She reached out and gently touched his cheek. It was warm. She pulled her hand back, curling her fingers into a fist resting on her knee. Lowering her head, she stared at her hand, as if trying to preserve the warmth lingering on her fingertips.

Standing by the door, Hua Er leaned against the frame and watched her. A sudden wave of apprehension washed over her. Are they really not cultivation companions? But since Jiang Ci had said they weren't, then they weren't. Hua Er comforted herself with this thought, trying to convince herself.

Hong Jiu limped past her into the room, sitting down beside Jiang Ci and placing a hand on her shoulder. “You should rest too.” Jiang Ci looked up at Hong Jiu for a long moment, then nodded.

At this, Hua Er perked up. Her eyes gleamed as she grabbed Jiang Ci. “Come! You'll stay in this room!” She pulled Jiang Ci toward the innermost room. It was a bit cluttered, with account books and snacks piled on the table. The most conspicuous object was a massive, cold-gleaming crescent guandao resting on a weapon rack right in the middle of the room.

Jiang Ci did not mind at all, sitting down on the bed to rest, but Hong Jiu could not help but twitch her lips.

Hua Er gently pulled the door shut, leaving a tiny crack. Peering through the gap, she saw that Jiang Ci was already fast asleep, her fingers and body curled up slightly. Hua Er watched her for a long while before quietly closing the door completely.

That evening, Hong Jiu sat on her bed changing her bandages, grimacing in pain and muttering curses. Hua Er stood beside her, passing her gauze with hands sticky from ointment. “I don't get what you were thinking, taking a blade for someone else.” Hong Jiu rolled her eyes at her. “Didn't you just pay someone's entry fee? What were you thinking?” Suddenly, Hong Jiu grew suspicious. “Wait... you aren't after little Jiang Ci, are you?”

Hua Er instinctively turned her face away. “Is it that obvious?”

“Isn't she Shiyi's cultivation companion?”

“She said they aren't!”

Hong Jiu gave Hua Er a meaningful look. “Give it up. There's absolutely no way the two of you will work out.”

Hua Er glared back. “How do you know it won't work out? Back then, you were the one who insisted on joining the Joyous Union Sect and ended up abandoning people. Now you're trying to stop me from finding someone?”

Hong Jiu fell silent. Hua Er did not say anything more either, quietly continuing to apply the ointment...

Nannan leaned over Yao Wu's bedside, her tiny hand holding his finger. “Daddy, will that uncle wake up?”

Yao Wu stared at the ceiling. “He will.” Nannan asked again, “Then when he wakes up, will that auntie stop crying?” Yao Wu thought about it. “Probably.”

Nannan nodded thoughtfully. Pulling the blanket up to cover her fair, chubby little face, she closed her eyes with a sigh of relief.

In the night, a cool breeze slipped through the cracks of the window, causing the candle flame to flicker. Hua Er shut the window tightly and trimmed the wick. The flame danced for a moment before stabilizing. She stood by the window, gazing out at Everspring City.

Torches still flickered along the city walls, smoke continued to billow from the workshop chimneys, and in the distance, the searchlights of patrolling dharma ships swept across the sky, tracing wide arcs. It seemed no different from any other night.

Yet she suddenly felt that Huamanlou had never felt this full, nor this lively. A little noise was good. She didn't mind having a few more mouths to feed.