Chapter 8

A Chan saw the two of them out. As she turned back, she saw the owner of the neighboring bookshop coming toward his store, happily carrying two paper-wrapped parcels.

When he saw A Chan, he greeted her warmly. "Miss Ji."

"Boss Xu, what delicious treat did you manage to buy?" A Chan asked with a smile.

A Chan had only met Boss Xu once, that very morning, but Ji Chan had known him for quite some time.

When she had first moved here, Boss Xu had seen that she was alone and seemed not to know her way around. Worried something might happen to her, he had taken her shopping around the street for many daily necessities.

The rice, flour, charcoal, and firewood in her home had all been bought with Boss Xu accompanying Ji Chan.

Ji Chan had offered him one tael of silver as thanks, but he refused to accept it. In the end, she treated him to the lamb buns Granny Huang sold on the street, and they had parted as happy as could be.

That was how A Chan learned that Boss Xu was a kind man—and a real foodie.

"Old Man Hu set up a stall at the end of the street and started selling smoked chicken. His smoked chicken is second to none. And look, I was lucky enough to snag two today."

As he spoke, he lifted the paper parcels in his hands.

Though they were some distance apart, the aroma of chicken still reached A Chan's nose. She turned and closed the door, then said to Boss Xu, "Could you watch the door for me? I'm going to buy some too."

"Go on, go on!"

Watching A Chan gather up her skirt and hurry toward the end of the street, Boss Xu said to the shop assistant who had come out, "Miss Ji seems a lot more cheerful than before."

The young assistant also peered out, then muttered under his breath, "The two Mingjing Division Guards who brought Miss Ji back just now looked fierce. I wonder what kind of person Miss Ji is."

A Chan had no idea what Boss Xu and the assistant were wondering about. By the time she reached the end of the street, a crowd had already gathered in front of Old Man Hu's stall.

Some complained that the smoked chicken was too expensive, but still refused to leave. Others simply bought bowls of plain noodles from the stall next door and ate while breathing in the chicken's aroma, enjoying their noodles all the same.

A Chan waited in line for almost an hour before she finally bought half a smoked chicken.

Old Man Hu's smoked chicken smelled incredible, but it was far too expensive. Half a chicken had cost her a full thirty copper coins.

For the first time, A Chan felt a fierce urge to make money. As a Fox Demon, surely she ought to be able to afford chicken.

Old Man Hu had said that smoked chicken tasted even better once it had cooled, so A Chan didn't hurry to eat it. She was going to the Zhao Manor tomorrow and needed to finish making the Scented Pouch today.

She had set her spices on the new table she'd bought that day, along with a few tools. She went over, sorted everything out, and picked out the spices she needed one by one.

Spices could be made into all sorts of things, including Incense Sticks, coiled incense, and Scented Pills. Scented Pouches were among the easiest to make.

But the hardest part of learning perfumery was still blending the formulas. Fortunately, Lady Xiao Lin had only asked for an insect-repelling scent, and the ingredients were common and easy to mix.

A Chan took Mugwort Leaf, mint, Dried Tangerine Peel, and four other spices, ground them into powder one by one, and mixed them in equal proportions. She put the blend into the Cotton Bag, then tucked it inside the Scented Pouch she had bought outside.

All seven spices repelled mosquitoes. Their scents were a little sharp, but once blended together, they were strong without being pungent. Most people should be able to tolerate them.

After finishing the Scented Pouch, A Chan glanced at the sky. Without realizing it, the afternoon had already passed its midpoint. The sky outside had grown dark, and the wind had started to blow.

Only then did she notice how hungry she was. She had bought half a smoked chicken; if she made some flatbreads tonight, she would have a meal.

A Chan had thought it would be easy, but she had overestimated her cooking skills.

Making flatbreads meant kneading dough. If it was too runny, she added flour; if there was too much flour, she added water. By the time she finally got the dough right, the small ball she had estimated would make enough for one person to eat twice had become a huge lump, enough to last at least two days.

Never mind, she thought, trying to make the best of it. She could make hand-pulled noodles tomorrow.

By the time she came out of the kitchen carrying six cooked flatbreads, each as big as her face, half an hour had passed.

She lit the oil lamp and set the flatbreads and the torn-up smoked chicken side by side on the table. The aroma of chicken wafted through the room. A Chan hadn't even had time to reach for it when suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" She went to the door but didn't remove the bolt.

"Open up." The person outside didn't give his name or say who he was, and his tone was anything but friendly. But A Chan recognized his voice.

She slid back the bolt and opened the door. Standing outside was none other than the Mingjing Division's Pacification Commissioner, whom she hadn't seen in days.

She had thought that something she said during the day might bring this lord to her door. She just hadn't expected him to ignore all propriety and show up at her home at a time like this.

"Please come in, my lord." After grumbling to herself, A Chan still ushered him inside with proper deference.

Bai Xiuming crossed the threshold and entered the empty room. His gaze swept around before finally settling on the two plates on the table.

Seeing him staring at her dinner, A Chan asked reluctantly, "My lord, have you not eaten yet? Would you like to join me?"

Bai Xiuming looked at the plate of flatbreads, each a different size and thickness, one side burnt black, and expressionlessly looked away.

So he wasn't going to eat, A Chan thought. She brought over the only stool in the room. "Please sit, my lord."

Bai Xiuming didn't sit. He merely looked her over for a moment before asking, "Did you tell Feng Yang about the Snow Needle Snake?"

A Chan admitted it readily. "I did. I happened to have that Strange Snake in my memories, so I told Lord Feng about it."

"Feng Yang is grateful to you."

"I'm glad I could help Lord Feng," A Chan replied modestly.

But in the next moment, his tone turned cold and sinister. "Did you help him for his sake?"

A Chan wanted to say yes, but she had already suffered at this man's hands. The lesson had been painful, so she chose to stay silent.

The wick of the oil lamp on the table crackled. Its dim, yellow light fell across Bai Xiuming, and his shadow looked like a ferocious beast poised to devour someone, claws bared.

A Chan said nothing. He remained silent too, as if waiting for her answer.

With no other choice, A Chan admitted, "I helped Lord Feng because I wanted to use his status to keep Xue Mingtang off my back. My lord must know that he wants to kill me and still hasn't given up."

Bai Xiuming asked again, "Why were you in the West Market?"

"Buying spices." She pointed to the wooden stand in the corner, where the spices and the Scented Pouch she had made were piled. "I studied perfumery before, and thought I could use it to make a living, so I went there to buy some spices. Who knew I'd run into the Mingjing Division making an arrest?"

"Such a coincidence?"

His tone made it clear that he didn't believe her.

A Chan finally understood. He had come here specifically because he suspected she had something to do with the Strange Snake.

She was at a loss. She had long since seen this man's temper for herself. He wouldn't listen to reason; he only trusted his own judgment.

Rather than argue with him, she might as well try something else.

"It was a coincidence, but there was another reason I helped Lord Feng." A Chan's bright eyes settled on Bai Xiuming.

Bai Xiuming turned his head toward her, as though waiting to hear her excuse.

"I guessed Lord Feng would tell you what happened today, and that you might come looking for me."

"And then?"

"Then I'd have a chance to win your favor."

"Win my favor?" Bai Xiuming found the idea absurd. "What are you planning to use to win my favor?"

Their gazes met. Bai Xiuming's eyes were deep and unfathomable, as if he could see straight into A Chan's heart. She looked away and pointed at the table, grasping for an idea. Her voice was a little uncertain. "That?"

Thirty copper coins' worth of sincerity was already plenty. That smoked chicken smelled so good; if she were trying to win herself over, half of one would be enough. But Bai Xiuming looked at the plate of flatbreads.

He fell silent. Countless people in Shangjing City wanted to win his favor. Some offered rare beasts and strange treasures, others gold and silver, and peerless beauties were nothing unusual either. This was the first time he had seen anyone try such an unconventional approach—attempting to conquer him with terrible cooking.

"...You'd better keep your flatbreads for yourself."

"Huh?" A Chan stared at him blankly.

Bai Xiuming ignored her and continued, "Don't leave Shangjing for now. If needed, I'll have you assist with the investigation."

"Don't worry, my lord." Where else could she go if she left Shangjing?

"If I discover that you're connected to this case..." Bai Xiuming said, each word deliberate, "your maternal grandfather's family won't just be exiled. I wouldn't hesitate to bring them back and put them on trial again."

A Chan's heart lurched. Ji Chan knew only that her maternal grandfather's family had brought disaster upon themselves and been exiled overnight. She didn't know what had actually happened.

From what Bai Xiuming had said, it seemed to be connected to this case. Since it involved a Strange Snake, the case was probably no simple matter.

And even after all this time since Ji Chan's maternal family had been exiled, the case was still under investigation.

"You must be joking, my lord. I really was just passing by."

"See that you were."

Bai Xiuming turned to leave. He had barely gone a few steps and had just touched the door when he heard A Chan's sweet, gentle voice behind him. "This is our second meeting, but I still don't know your name, my lord."

Bai Xiuming said, "You don't need to know."

"Then at least tell me your surname, my lord?"

"..."

"Am I not even worthy of knowing your surname?" Her voice took on the faintest hint of a sob.

So affected, Bai Xiuming thought. But before crossing the threshold, he still gave her a single word. "Bai."

After closing the door, A Chan let out a breath. She had finally sent the Plague god away.

Bai, huh? With a heart that black.

When you helped someone, you didn't expect them to repay you; at the very least, they should remember your kindness. But this man had gone straight to suspecting her.

Bai Xiuming stepped into the deep darkness of night, the cold wind lifting the hem of his robe.

He hadn't gone far when Feng Yang, who had been waiting outside, came forward. "My lord, the men assigned to watch the Zhao and Xue families are in place."

"Send two more to keep an eye on her. Find out whether the Lin Family has contacted her."

"Yes, my lord."