“Ah~”
Sunlight filtered through the window, bringing a touch of warmth into the room. Meanwhile, the culprit behind everything from last night was currently stretching and yawning in bed.
His long hair fell loosely over his shoulders, his face wearing a hint of drowsy confusion as he had just woken up, giving his entire demeanor an air of indolence.
Jiang Moran felt immensely satisfied with this sleep. He didn't know when he had fallen in love with this feeling—waking up naturally every single day.
All that fighting and killing, all those schemes and plotting—they could all go straight to hell.
Downstairs, the waiter was wiping down a table. Seeing Jiang Moran sauntering down the stairs, he hurriedly stepped forward to greet him.
“Good morning, sir! Did you sleep well last night?”
“Not bad. As expected of Heaven Suite Number One.”
Hearing this, the waiter’s smile broadened even further as he showered him with warm pleasantries all the way to the doorway. After all, Heaven Suite Number One cost a whole hundred taels of silver per night.
In the early morning, Fengcheng was shrouded in a hazy mist, yet there were plenty of people on the streets. Many vendors had set up their stalls early and begun calling out their wares.
The market was bustling with people coming and going. Suddenly, the aroma of steamed buns drifted through the air, causing Jiang Moran to stop in his tracks.
“Ah, sir, would you like a couple to taste? These are freshly out of the steamer!” Seeing someone stop, the stall vendor quickly put on a warm, eager smile and greeted him enthusiastically.
“Give me one.”
“Right away, sir! That’ll be ten copper coins.”
Jiang Moran raised an eyebrow. A mere ten copper coins wasn't something he lacked, but a single steamed bun usually cost only two or three copper coins; he actually dared to ask for ten.
Still, he didn't feel like making a fuss. Tossing ten copper coins to the stall vendor, he figured he might as well taste what made this bun so special.
Nearby, idle passersby gathered, whispering in low voices about last night’s major event.
“Did you hear? That tyrannical young lord from the Prince's Residence is dead.”
“What?! When did this happen?”
“Just last night! A whole crowd saw him die, and the way he died was bizarre beyond words.”
Jiang Moran’s hand froze mid-motion, his pupils shrinking sharply.
Ten copper coins for a damn vegetable-filled bun?!
You bloody scammer!
In the end, amidst the owner’s painful wails, Jiang Moran sauntered away holding seven or eight steamed buns.
The young lord of the Prince's Residence brazenly snatching a civilian woman off the street... Tsk tsk tsk. What a chaotic world. He shook his head. Pacifying a world in chaos was better left to the Emperor; he was just an ordinary guy, after all...
Thud!
A somewhat youthful figure came flying out of a nearby shop, slamming heavily onto the ground. Dust billowed up, causing Jiang Moran’s lifted foot to pause slightly.
An extortion scam?
The thought flashed through his mind.
No, this wasn't an old man or an old woman. It was a girl of fifteen or sixteen, and she even looked a little familiar...
“You filthy beggar! If you dare come in and dirty my shop again, see if I don't break your legs!”
A shout rang out from inside the shop, followed by a middle-aged man with a hooked nose stepping out, his fierce, fleshy face inspiring dread in anyone who looked at him.
The girl coughed softly and slowly crawled up from the ground. However, her clothes were already ragged, and now, covered in dust, she looked all the more wretched.
She kept her head bowed, her bangs hanging down to obscure her entire face, making her features impossible to see clearly.
“Pui!”
The hooked-nosed man spat on the ground and walked back into the shop with a look of utter disgust.
Looking at this pitiful girl, Jiang Moran hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, walking straight past her. After all, stepping over someone would be a bit rude.
However, after taking only two steps, he stopped.
After pausing for a moment, he resumed walking forward again.
A moment later, he stopped once more.
In the end, Jiang Moran sighed, turning around helplessly. He saw the girl silently following behind him with her head bowed, keeping a distance of a single step.
Her left hand clasped her waist, and her gait was somewhat odd as she limped along, likely injured from that fall just now.
“Why are you following me... Wait, aren't you that little thief from yesterday?” Jiang Moran’s expression turned somewhat subtle. He had just let her off the hook last night, and he hadn't expected to meet her again today.
The girl merely nodded silently.
“Didn't I leave you some silver yesterday? How did you get yourself thrown out of a shop today?” Jiang Moran asked in confusion. Seeing how pitiful she was last night, he had casually tossed some loose silver on the ground. How had she ended up in such a wretched state today?
“Used it to buy medicine.”
“Oh. Are you sick?”
“My grandmother.”
“Well then, hurry back and take care of your grandmother,” Jiang Moran said, waving his hand, and turned to leave.
However, the girl continued following behind him. This time, he grew completely annoyed, a flash of coldness passing through his eyes.
The girl only felt a surge of tremendous force as she was slammed hard against the wall. A muffled groan escaped her lips as a large hand tightly gripped her neck, leaving her almost unable to breathe.
“Following me can get you killed. Aren't you afraid your grandmother will be left all alone in the cold?” Jiang Moran sneered, his gaze cold and pitiless, as if he might snap her slender neck in the next second.
“My... grandmother... died of illness... last night.”
Intermittent words squeezed out from the girl's mouth. Jiang Moran froze slightly. Looking into her eyes, he saw a watery mist spreading from the bottom of them, like grapes soaked in water, her eyelashes trembling softly as she blinked.
...Guilt +1.
Loosening his grip, the girl collapsed limply to the ground, clutching her neck as she gasped heavily for air. Her tearful, mournful appearance was truly heart-rending. Last night had been too dark for him to see clearly, and only now did he realize that she was actually a born beauty.
Even with her bangs hiding the side of her face, half of her features were still enough to stir pity.
Sigh, whatever. If she wants to follow, then let her follow.
With that thought, he paid her no more mind, turning and striding away. Seeing this, the girl hurriedly scrambled up from the ground, limping along as she tried her best to keep up.
“Catch.”
Jiang Moran casually tossed a steamed bun to her. Caught off guard, the girl was bumped on the head by the soft, fluffy bun before barely managing to catch it.
Clutching the bun in both hands, a warm sensation passed through her palms. The girl froze, and the mist that had been swirling in her eyes transformed into sparkling tears that slid down her cheeks.
She hadn't cried when she was caught stealing. She hadn't cried when she was beaten out of the shop. She hadn't cried when she couldn't afford medicine...
But at this moment, she wept.
When the world extends a bit of kindness to you, can you finally make peace with the world...?
...
Rate on N.U.
