Chapter 28: Going to Town

[Page 1 of 3]

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

The rooster’s cry rang out, as though it meant to pierce the last remnant of darkness, or break straight through the vault of heaven.

In the east, the first light appeared, illuminating the distant mountain peaks before gradually spreading across the earth.

In an instant, the curtain of night receded, and daylight poured over the land.

Bang.

Zhang Hao pushed open the door and stretched heartily, then let out a somewhat weary yawn.

He had spent the entire night reading the Illustrated Records of Mountain Wanderings.

He had been searching for a way to marry the mountain’s treasured beauty.

Fortunately, the Illustrated Records of Mountain Wanderings contained a relevant account.

On the day the foxes held their wedding procession, one had to ascend the mountain and remain there for as long as possible, allowing the aura of an experienced mountain traveler to be gradually worn away while deepening the wild, mountain-bred air about oneself.

Then, through certain special methods, one had to completely conceal the aura of a human being, deceiving all the spirits and monsters of the mountains and wilderness, as well as the foxes.

After that, one had to find a way to infiltrate the fox wedding procession and hide among them.

So long as he was not exposed, he could wait until he saw the treasure before choosing the right moment to act.

Once he obtained the treasure, the wedding procession would inevitably descend into chaos. He would then have to find a way to escape amid the confusion.

The method sounded simple enough, but putting it into practice would be no different from snatching chestnuts from a fire or pulling a tooth from a tiger’s jaws.

It still required careful planning.

Creak.

At that moment, the door of the main room opened, and Li Siyu stepped over the threshold.

She wore a lightweight sapphire-blue embroidered jacket and skirt. Zhang Hao looked over instinctively, then paused.

The outfit was slightly loose, concealing part of Li Siyu’s perfect figure, yet it accentuated her unusual bearing. It lent her an air of refined freshness, while adding a touch of mature beauty.

His gaze moved upward.

Li Siyu’s complexion was rosy, without the slightest trace of illness. Neither her features nor her bearing suggested that she was sick in any way.

She was vastly different from before.

Previously, Li Siyu’s skin had been fair but lacked a healthy flush. A hint of weariness always seemed to gather between her brows and eyes. Her long hair appeared black and lustrous at first glance, yet it was visibly somewhat dry and unruly.

A person’s vitality and spirit—in other words, their overall condition—could be judged from several aspects.

The first was the complexion. A sallow face, or one that was excessively pale and lacked a healthy flush, suggested a hidden illness and poor health.

The second was the area around the brows and eyes. Ordinary people only knew that the eyes were the windows to the soul, but few realized that the body’s condition could also be judged from the expression around them.

The third was the hair. A healthy person’s hair would certainly be thick and dark. Even if it had not been washed for several days, it would not be dry or unruly.

Seeing Li Siyu in her current condition, Zhang Hao’s lips curved upward, and happiness welled up from the depths of his heart.

He knew that it was all due to the Dipsacus Root Soup.

Li Siyu’s body was quietly recovering.

He let out a long breath of relief.

[Page 1 of 3]

[Page 2 of 3]

This way, Li Siyu would not end up as she had in her previous life—working herself to exhaustion until her life finally withered away.

“You’re up early today,” Li Siyu said softly.

Zhang Hao nodded. “Yes. I got up early to breathe some fresh air.”

Li Siyu inclined her head lightly. “I’ll go make breakfast.”

With that, she headed toward the kitchen.

Having nothing else to do, Zhang Hao simply walked into the little courtyard and began following the body-tempering method recorded in the ancient texts, continuing to strengthen his physique.

To be honest, he was not tired at all. Even after staying awake all night, he felt no real fatigue.

His weariness came from spending the entire night reading ancient texts and studying how to obtain the treasure during the foxes’ wedding procession.

It was merely the result of overusing his mind. A little rest would restore him.

Before long, the fragrance of food drifted from the kitchen. At precisely the right moment, Zhang Hao ended his training stance, plunged into the kitchen, and helped Li Siyu arrange breakfast.

Breakfast was relatively simple that day.

Two plates of side dishes, two pieces of rice cake, and a bowl of leftover Dipsacus Root Soup from the night before.

Zhang Hao stared at the food on the table for a moment, then looked up at Li Siyu.

Before he could ask, she said, “You eat by yourself this morning. I have to go into town, so I won’t be having breakfast.”

Zhang Hao froze for a moment, then thought of something. “Are you going to the town hospital for a checkup today?”

In his previous life, Li Siyu had already suffered from a hidden illness before marrying him and needed regular hospital examinations.

After marrying him, however, she had been overworked. With her career only just getting started, she gradually stopped having time for medical checkups and continued to force herself onward.

In the end, she passed away after being tormented by her illness.

Li Siyu paused, a hint of surprise flashing through her eyes.

Not many people knew that she went to the hospital for regular examinations.

How did Zhang Hao know?

She did not dwell on it, however, and nodded.

“Wait for me. I gathered some medicinal herbs in the mountains yesterday. I’ll go into town with you and sell them while I’m there.”

As he spoke, Zhang Hao grabbed a rice cake and devoured it like a whirlwind.

Li Siyu pondered for a moment, then did not leave. Instead, she sat down at the table.

Before long, Zhang Hao quickly finished breakfast, tidied up, and returned to the side room. He took out the fleeceflower root and gastrodia he had gathered the previous day, then packed them into his travel bag.

Together with Li Siyu, he left the three-courtyard residence and walked toward the bus stop in Zhao Family Village.

Although Zhao Family Village lay in a remote area, several buses still passed through each day at set times.

For the villagers, this was essentially the only way to travel into town, and it cost just three yuan.

The two walked in silence, timing their arrival carefully. By the time they reached the stop, the bus had just pulled in. Once it had come to a halt and the dust had begun to settle, Li Siyu lifted her skirt and carefully stepped aboard, with Zhang Hao following close behind.

The moment they boarded, they felt countless eyes turn toward them.

Nearly every gaze was fixed on Li Siyu.

In the modern era, traditional Chinese clothing had long since become a niche fashion, and few people dared to wear it outside.

[Page 2 of 3]

[Page 3 of 3]

The main reason was that very few people could carry off its distinctive elegance.

Li Siyu, however, was among the rarest of the rare. She was one of those few who could bring out the proper character of almost any traditional garment. Coupled with her delicate oval face, every movement made her seem like a beauty stepping out of an ancient painting.

Naturally, she attracted attention wherever she went.

Li Siyu ignored the stares and found an empty pair of seats. She took the window seat, leaving the aisle seat for Zhang Hao.

Once Zhang Hao sat down, Li Siyu gazed out the window at Zhao Family Village receding into the distance, her thoughts scattering in every direction.

…

Clifffront Town.

“Fresh steamed buns! Just out of the oven, hot and fluffy!”

“Crispy baked cakes! No charge if you don’t like them!”

“Vegetables from my own fields, freshly dug up and guaranteed fresh!”

“Water chestnuts! Fresh water chestnuts—taste one before you buy!”

The broad avenue was crowded despite its spaciousness.

Zhang Hao and Li Siyu stepped down from the coach, greeted by waves of hawkers’ cries.

Along both sides of the street, shops stood shoulder to shoulder, their facades running all the way to the end of the road.

The vendors shouted over one another, hawking their wares in the hope of selling out early and returning home sooner to rest.

People carrying shoulder bags, holding vegetable baskets, or squatting before stalls to pick through the goods created a cacophony of voices. Their movements and manner were utterly lacking in order.

Yet that disorder was precisely the dominant melody of the place.

Zhang Hao stopped and looked around for a while.

Zhao Family Village really was too small. On ordinary days, he could hardly see anyone on its streets. The town was entirely different; people were everywhere.

As he remembered it, every village in the surrounding area came to Clifffront Town whenever they needed to purchase something. Even those seeking work came here, because Clifffront Town was the most developed place in the region and the destination where all the mountain villagers dreamed of settling.

However, housing prices in Clifffront Town were truly high. The cost of settling there was immense, so very few villagers from the mountain communities could actually afford to make it their home.

He soon drew his thoughts back and scanned both sides of the street, searching for an available stall.

After all, he had come to sell the fleeceflower root and gastrodia.

As he looked around, he was startled to discover that quite a few people were gazing in their direction.

Sure enough, nearly all of them were looking at Li Siyu.

Who could blame them? Her sapphire-blue traditional outfit was impossible to overlook.

“The hospital is over there. I can go by myself,” Li Siyu said softly.

Zhang Hao looked toward the hospital in the distance and nodded. “All right. I’ll sell the herbs here. When you finish your examination, call me. Or, if I sell everything first, I’ll come find you at the hospital.”

“All right.”

Li Siyu nodded and silently turned away. A hand emerged from her loose sleeve, lightly lifting her skirt as she walked toward the hospital.

Zhang Hao did not waste any time either. With his travel bag on his back, he turned and headed toward an empty space.