"Who are these two?"
The bearded man glanced over the provisions, satisfied with what he saw. Only then did he have time to notice the others. He keenly spotted two unfamiliar faces beside the young man. Though displeased, he didn't show it. The young man smiled and introduced them warmly.
"Let me introduce you. These are some new friends I've made..." The young man paused. It seemed he'd forgotten to ask what the heavenly-voiced ma'am was called.
Fortunately, Shen Tang noticed his awkwardness. With a natural expression, she bowed to the bearded man and introduced herself. "My surname is Shen."
"So the ma'am's surname is Shen. How lovely! And what's your name? Surely you don't have only a surname and no given name?" The young man couldn't help looking at Shen Tang with sympathy, as if to say, You poor thing. Shen Tang was about to answer when the bearded man scolded him.
Bearded Man: "How can you be so uncouth?"
The young man protested. "How am I uncouth?"
The bearded man rolled his eyes. "The women of the Central Plains aren't like ordinary barbarian women. They can't just tell anyone their names. At most, they'll tell you their surnames."
Shen Tang furrowed her brows slightly.
Though the bearded man had spoken in a relatively mild tone, his words still left a bad taste in her ears, laced with considerable malice. She watched the young man from the corner of her eye and saw that he was still smiling, not the least bit displeased.
Was this young man a complete blockhead?
He'd been called a "barbarian" to his face and still wasn't angry?
The young man looked as if he'd just learned something new. He apologized to Shen Tang, saying he hadn't known the custom and hoped she wouldn't take