novelSusiti Chapter 532 She can no longer live without Qin Mu
Chapter 532 She can no longer live without Qin Mu
As dusk fell, lanterns lit up one by one on the street.
A warm, orange glow emanated from the shop entrance, spreading across the bluestone slabs.
The old man selling sugar figurines had packed up his stall, and the iron bucket selling roasted sweet potatoes had been extinguished, but the liveliness on the street hadn't dissipated; instead, it had gained a new vibrancy than during the day.
The sounds of string and wind instruments and the clinking of wine glasses emanated from the teahouses and restaurants along the street, while the roadside stalls offered a different kind of night market goods.
The wonton vendor set up his pot, and the braised pork vendor set up his stove. White steam rose from the edge of the pot, and when illuminated by the lanterns, it looked like wisps of warm yellow mist.
After crossing the arched bridge, Qin Mu and his group strolled along the riverbank for a while.
Strings of tiny lanterns hang from the willow trees on both sides of the river, like an orange-red river flowing through the branches.
A gentle evening breeze blew by, causing the lanterns to sway slightly. The light and shadow on the water's surface shattered into fragments, then slowly gathered again.
Han Xin'er's feet ached from walking, so she sat down on a stone bench under the roots of a willow tree, took off her shoes, and stepped barefoot onto the cool bluestone slabs, letting out a sigh of relief.
Su Wan squatted down beside her and retied her untied shoelaces.
Chen Wanqing stood in front of the railing by the river, gazing absently at the lights on the water. The moonlight and the lantern light mingled together, casting a warm glow on her profile.
Qin Mu stood a few steps away, watching the river flow under the bridge, the night breeze carrying moisture onto his face.
He didn't rush them, and waited until they had rested enough before speaking.
Where are some fun places to go in Zhenbei Town at night?
"You're familiar with it."
He asked Xu Fenghua this question.
Xu Fenghua was standing by the river, holding a lotus seedpod that had been peeled in half.
She paused slightly upon hearing Qin Mu's words, and thought about it seriously.
"At night... there's a night market on East Street, even more lively than during the day."
"They sell all sorts of things, and there are also some itinerant performers who set up stalls to sell their skills."
"There are several long-established restaurants on South Street with authentic flavors."
"There's a stage in the west of the city where operas and storytelling are performed in the evenings, making it quite lively."
"However..." she paused, "If you want to know the best place to eat it, there's a small shop in the south of the city, hidden in a small alley, that sells mutton soup."
"The lamb in the North is more fragrant than anywhere else. That restaurant's soup base has been simmering for over ten years; it's a classic broth. You can only get a table if you go at night."
Qin Mu glanced at her, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
"Did you used to go there often?"
Xu Fenghua lowered her head, turning the lotus seedpod in her hand.
"I used to go there occasionally."
"When you go, you don't let anyone follow you. You change into ordinary clothes, sit alone in a corner, finish your drink, and then leave."
As she spoke, there was a hint of nostalgia in her voice that she herself might not have been aware of.
"Not many people know about that shop; it's in a remote location, and most of the customers are acquaintances."
"But it tastes really good."
Qin Mu straightened up and patted the willow catkins that were stuck to his robe.
"Then let's go to that one."
"Lead the way."
Xu Fenghua was stunned for a moment, then looked up at him.
"Lead...lead the way?"
"What's wrong?"
"Don't you know the way?"
"I acknowledge it."
Her voice softened, tinged with a hint of uncertainty and hesitation, "I recognize him."
"But... I've never taken anyone out to eat there before."
Qin Mu didn't reply, but just smiled and turned to the others to say something.
"Let's go have some mutton soup."
The group walked south along the riverbank.
The further south you go in the city, the denser the lanterns become on the streets, and the more people there are.
The liveliness in the alley is different from that on the main street; it's more down-to-earth.
Small stalls selling charcoal-grilled skewers by the roadside sizzle and release oil, their aroma mingling with the smell of smoke, filling the entire alley.
Several people sat around a low table, eating skewers and drinking, their voices and laughter mingling together.
Further in, there was an old man playing the erhu sitting in front of a small tavern. The melody was lazy and casual, and mixed with the voices, it became a kind of background noise.
Xu Fenghua led the way, walking a half-beat faster than during the day, as if she were walking a path etched into her bones by muscle memory.
She walked into a narrow alley, with high courtyard walls on both sides, and only a narrow strip of night sky visible overhead.
After turning two corners and passing through an even narrower alley, the view suddenly opened up before us.
At the end of the alley was a small open space with a wooden door next to it. Above the door hung an old wooden plaque with illegible characters, and a paper lantern hung at the doorway, its dim, yellowish light exuding a quiet, warm atmosphere.
The wooden door was ajar, and a rich, fragrant aroma of mutton bone soup wafted out, steaming hot and tantalizing.
Xu Fenghua stopped at the door and turned to look at Qin Mu.
"This is it."
Qin Mu pushed open the door and went inside.
The shop wasn't big, with four or five low tables. The stove was located at the back, with a large iron pot steaming and the soup bubbling gently inside.
The owner was an elderly woman with a faded apron tied around her waist, chopping scallions on a cutting board.
She heard the door open, looked up, and her gaze slid from Qin Mu to the women behind him. She didn't show any surprise, but simply wiped her hands with her apron and asked a question.
"How many?"
"Sit over there, it's empty."
Qin Mu sat down at the table in the corner.
Xu Fenghua hesitated for a moment, then sat down opposite him. She hadn't taken off her veil yet, only revealing her eyes and forehead, with a thin layer of sweat on her forehead from the steam of the soup.
Jiang Zhaoyue, Han Xiner and the others sat around the two tables next to them.
The hot soup was served quickly in a large white porcelain bowl. The soup was clear and bright, with a thin layer of golden oil floating on top, and sprinkled with bright green scallions and finely chopped cilantro.
The mutton is stewed until tender and falls apart with the touch of chopsticks, melting in your mouth.
Paired with freshly baked flatbread, broken into pieces and soaked in the soup, it becomes soft and chewy after absorbing the broth, and every bite is bursting with freshness.
Han Xin'er ate without lifting her head, her cheeks puffed out like a little hamster.
Jiang Zhaoyue chewed slowly, took a sip of soup, and a hint of surprise appeared in her eyes.
Su Wan held the bowl and drank in small sips, refusing to put it down even when she burned herself.
Mingyue squatted on the bench, a bowl on her knees, drinking soup with her head down. Her slightly curly long hair fell down and covered her face, but her shoulders were noticeably more relaxed than during the day.
Xu Fenghua held the bowl of soup, looking down at the oil sloshing on the surface, but didn't drink it immediately.
She had eaten here countless times, but this time was different.
The soup tastes the same, the bowl is the same, and even the way they sprinkle scallions is the same.
But the person sitting opposite her was no longer herself; it was the one who had led her across the entire city to find this bowl of soup.
She lowered her head and took a sip.
The soup was piping hot, warming her from the tip of her tongue all the way to her stomach, making her eyes a little sore.
She quietly closed her eyes for a moment to suppress the sour feeling, and then continued to drink, sip by sip, very slowly, wanting to remember the taste of the soup for a longer time.
By the time we finished the mutton soup and came out, it was already very late at night.
Once out of the alley and back on the main street, the night market was bustling with activity.
The lanterns on the stalls stretched out in a continuous line, like a winding fire dragon traversing the entire city.
There were more people on the streets than during the day, and martial arts practitioners were everywhere.
There were young men carrying long spears, old men with gourds of wine hanging from their waists, groups of swordsmen laughing and joking, and solitary, silent knife-wielders.
People were having a martial arts match on the street corner, attracting a large crowd of spectators who cheered in waves.
Someone was selling weapons at a roadside stall, and the stall was crowded with people.
Someone was bragging outside the tavern that he was sure he'd make it into the top sixteen this time, while his companion laughed at him for being thrown off the stage in the first round last year.
The whole street was like a giant pot boiling over, bubbling and churning busily.
But as lively as it is, with so many people, all sorts of things inevitably come along.
As Qin Mu and his group passed a stone archway, two lean men suddenly darted out from the shadows at the street corner. They were wearing drab gray short-sleeved shirts and their faces were covered with black cloth, revealing only their eyes.
Each of them held a short knife in their hand, the blades gleaming coldly in the lantern light, like two snakes that had been lying in wait for a long time finally pouncing out.
One of them went straight behind Qin Mu, the tip of his knife aimed at the money pouch at his waist.
Another one blocked the alleyway, obstructing their path, and made a threatening gesture toward the group of women.
"Don't move."
"Leave the silver, and I'll spare your lives."
The man's voice was low and carried a seasoned ruthlessness; his eyes were like knives.
They were clearly not new to this kind of thing; they chose the crowded edges of the night market, acted quickly, grabbed what they wanted and ran, disappearing into the crowd so fast you couldn't even find them.
Qin Mu paused for a moment, without turning his head, but turned his face to the side and said softly as if he were talking to Xu Fenghua.
"Stand a little further back."
Before he could finish speaking, the two robbers had already moved.
Just as the hand that was about to slash at Qin Mu's waist with the knife exerted its force, another hand suddenly rose up, blocking the path of his blade.
He originally thought that the finger would be severed by this cut, but the moment the blade struck the hand, it felt like hitting an anvil, making his hand go numb.
His eyes widened in shock as he stared at the man in the moon-white robe before him.
Several sharp sounds came from the other alley entrance, followed by the dull thud of a heavy object hitting the ground.
Yunluan had already stood there at some point, the dark silver slender sword in her hand just sheathed, its blade reflecting the cold light of the street lamp.
Qin Mu did not turn around, standing quietly on the street, without moving an inch from beginning to end.
Only after the commotion in the street had completely subsided did he slowly turn around, as if nothing had happened.
Xu Fenghua stood a few steps behind him, her veil askew, revealing half of her pale face.
Her hands gripped her sleeves tightly, her knuckles turning white.
She saw it clearly: when the two robbers rushed out, the tip of their knives was only an arm's length away from Qin Mu's waist, but he didn't even blink twice. He simply raised his hand to block, without even turning around.
She lowered her head, her chest still rising and falling slightly.
Qin Mu walked back, stood in front of her, and looked down at her.
"Were you scared?"
Xu Fenghua shook her head, then nodded.
She couldn't tell if she was startled or not, but her heart was still pounding against her chest, feeling muffled.
Her grip on her sleeve slowly loosened.
After a long while, she finally spoke, her voice muffled as it came through the gauze scarf.
"Are you...are you alright?"
The last syllable of her voice rose slightly, carrying a hint of confirmation that she herself was unaware of.
Qin Mu looked at her; his eyes shone brightly in the night, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
"fine."
"Let's go, there's still plenty of time to explore."
He turned and continued walking forward, his pace still unhurried, as if nothing had happened.
Xu Fenghua followed him, took a few steps, secretly glanced at his profile, and then quickly looked away.
She knew perfectly well how strong Qin Mu was, and that he could crush those robbers with a flick of his wrist, but when the knife slashed towards his waist, her heart still clenched tightly.
In that instant, her mind went blank, with only one thought remaining: He can't be hurt.
It wasn't until he casually turned around and asked her if she was "frightened" that she realized her fingers, which were gripping her sleeve, had become stiff and numb.
She finally understood something.
She may never be able to leave him for the rest of her life.