Hooking a Wealthy Thousand-Gold Fish, You Can Always Find Good Things at Street Stalls

"Mm-hm..."

Xiao Wu nodded gently. Looking around the little courtyard that belonged to them, her eyes curved into crescents. She did not find anything improper about "sleeping together."

"Brother," Xiao Wu suddenly remembered something and tugged on Zhao Linchuan's sleeve. "Can I grow some carrots in the vegetable patch out back?"

"Do as you like." Zhao Linchuan spoke gently and reached out to rub her head. "Plant whatever you want. Just don't forget to let your brother have a taste when it's time to harvest."

"Then I'll go buy some carrot seeds tomorrow!"

Xiao Wu immediately perked up, her eyes shining as she clenched her little fists and declared solemnly:

"I'm going to plant carrots all over the vegetable patch out back!"

"Not a single weed will be left!"

"Then we'll go to the market together tomorrow." Zhao Linchuan picked up the conversation. "We can buy some daily necessities and furniture while we're there. We also need a few pots, bowls, and utensils. Right now, we can't even boil a pot of hot water at home."

"Then let's go to bed early today and get up early tomorrow."

As she spoke, Xiao Wu headed toward the bathroom, undoing the buttons of her outer robe as she walked.

"I'm going to bathe first. You go make the bed!"

Watching her back, Zhao Linchuan joked, "Be careful not to fall into the bath barrel and get stuck in there..."

About fifteen minutes later.

Fresh from her bath, Xiao Wu wore a pink little robe.

She slowly entered the bedroom and saw that Zhao Linchuan had already made the bed neatly. She untied her little robe, casually draped it over the back of a chair, then lifted the blanket and slipped underneath.

A small mound quickly rose beneath the covers, with only a fluffy little head exposed.

A moment later, Zhao Linchuan hurriedly washed up and strode into the bedroom.

"Brother, I've warmed up the bed for you. Come on!" Xiao Wu patted the space beside her and called enthusiastically.

"I'm coming." Zhao Linchuan lifted the covers and was about to lie down when his gaze was suddenly drawn to a patch of smooth, fair skin. His entire body stiffened.

"Xiao Wu," he said somewhat unnaturally, "didn't I buy you pajamas? Why aren't you wearing them?"

"We've been traveling lately, and sleeping in clothes all the time feels too stuffy." Xiao Wu explained with a grin. "I wanted to relax. Why wear so much at home?"

"Th-then, all right."

Zhao Linchuan hesitated, then slowly removed his outer robe. Wearing only his inner garments, he slipped under the covers and tried to stay as close to the edge of the bed as possible.

About fifteen minutes later, Xiao Wu still could not fall asleep.

One moment, she lay facing the ceiling and stared at the rafters. The next, she turned to face the wall. Then she kicked the blanket aside before pulling it back over herself again.

Zhao Linchuan was already getting drowsy when he suddenly felt a warm breath by his ear.

At some point, Xiao Wu had moved closer. She leaned over beside his ear and asked curiously:

"Brother, what exactly is that thing between your thighs?"

"Why don't I have one?"

"???"

Zhao Linchuan's drowsiness instantly vanished without a trace. He turned onto his side with his back to her, his voice somewhat stiff.

"It's late. Get some rest. I'll tell you later."

"Oh..." Xiao Wu answered and obediently closed her eyes.

But before long, she started tossing and turning again.

"Brother, are you asleep?"

"Brother...?"

When Zhao Linchuan did not respond, Xiao Wu instinctively assumed that he had fallen asleep.

She turned on her side and looked at Zhao Linchuan's back. Her big eyes glittered in the darkness as they rolled around.

Then, she suddenly slipped soundlessly beneath the covers.

The next instant—

"Aah—!"

An incomparably agonized scream erupted from Zhao Linchuan and Xiao Wu's room, startling several sparrows from the jujube tree in the courtyard and sending them flapping away.

What followed was Zhao Linchuan's angry, frantic scolding.

"What are you doing?!"

Then came a muffled explanation, interspersed with Xiao Wu's half-understanding responses of "Huh?!," "Oh...," "Ah...?," "Ohhh," and "So that's how it is..."

Finally came a string of apologies.

The commotion in the bedroom continued until late into the night before gradually settling down.

The next day, at noon.

The market was packed with people and bustling with activity.

Vendors selling vegetables, meat, cloth, candied hawthorns... their cries rose and fell one after another.

Zhao Linchuan and Xiao Wu walked side by side, weaving through the crowd.

The two spent the entire morning browsing the market, buying everything they needed at home and plenty they did not.

Pots, bowls, ladles, tables, chairs, bedding, pillowcases, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar—they even bought several pots of autumn chrysanthemums in full bloom to place on the windowsill.

"Brother, why did you buy so many lumps of iron?" Xiao Wu asked as she walked beside Zhao Linchuan. "We don't need that stuff at home, do we? Or are you planning to become a blacksmith?"

"They're for fishing." Zhao Linchuan smiled mysteriously. "I'm going to use them to make a huge 'fishhook' and hook a 'Wealthy Thousand-Gold Fish.'"

"How big would that fish have to be?" Xiao Wu tilted her head up slightly, trying hard to imagine it as she gestured. "Wouldn't it have to be as big as a three-story building?"

"Not that big." Zhao Linchuan thought for a moment, then reached out and patted her head. "She's probably about the same size as you right now."

"Huh?"

Xiao Wu became even more confused. Her large eyes were filled with puzzlement as she looked down at herself, unable to make sense of it no matter how hard she thought.

"Then why buy so many lumps of iron? Are you going to beat her to death?"

"You'll find out later."

As they spoke, Zhao Linchuan and Xiao Wu passed a street stall.

The stall had been casually set up by the roadside, with a grimy old cloth spread on the ground and assorted miscellaneous goods scattered across it.

Zhao Linchuan's attention was caught by a blue pouch in the corner of the stall.

The pouch was roughly the size of two adult palms. It was entirely dark blue, with a thin leather cord tied around its opening.

It looked like a sachet meant to hang from one's waist, utterly inconspicuous.

Zhao Linchuan led Xiao Wu over to the street stall, crouched down, picked up the blue pouch, and turned it over in his hands as he examined it.

"Sir, how much is this pouch?" he asked casually.

The stall owner was a thin, wizened old man dozing beneath a crooked willow tree. Hearing the question, he opened his bleary eyes, glanced at the item in Zhao Linchuan's hand, and answered offhandedly:

"Ah, little friend, if you like it, take it for three Silver Soul Coins."

Perhaps afraid Zhao Linchuan would find it too expensive and decide against buying it, he quickly sat upright and began boasting.

"This thing is quite rare, let me tell you. Among those noble lords and ladies living in Heaven Dou City, who doesn't have a sachet like this hanging from their waist?"

"Take it home and wear it at your waist. When you go out and meet the girls in the village, how impressive would that look?"

Seeing that Zhao Linchuan had no reaction, he lowered the price again.

"If you truly want it, I'll let you have it for two Silver Soul Coins. I'm selling it at a loss, just consider it making a friend."