"Great hero!" Zhang Xiaohua was somewhat puzzled and somewhat astonished. This girl could not possibly have seen him use his flying sword, nor had she seen him display qinggong or any other trace of martial arts. Why was she calling him a great hero?
Hearing her mistress call out, Xiao Juzi slipped aside and invited Zhang Xiaohua in.
Zhang Xiaohua entered the room and set the food box, writing brush, ink, and other items on the table. Lamps had already been lit inside. In the thin dusk and dim yellow lamplight, the entire little room was hazy. Miss Nie was curled up on the kang, lying against thick bedding with her upper body slightly raised, her jet-black eyes fixed unblinkingly upon Zhang Xiaohua.
Zhang Xiaohua coughed and said, "Miss, have you mistaken me for someone else? My name is Ren Xiaoyao. I am no great hero."
Xiao Juzi hurried over to introduce her mistress. "Oh, right, Ren Xiaoyao, I haven't introduced my mistress to you yet. My mistress's surname is Nie."
Zhang Xiaohua cupped his hands. "So it is Miss Nie. Xiao Juzi said that Miss Nie's health is still poor, and that you need medicine?"
Miss Nie nodded. "My surname is Nie, and my full name is Nie Qianyu. If you do not mind, great hero, you may call me Xiao Yu or Xiao Qian."
Zhang Xiaohua helplessly rubbed his nose. "Miss Nie is too polite. It would be better if I continued calling you Miss Nie. I am merely a country fellow with little worldly knowledge. You are a young lady from a wealthy household; I would not dare be so familiar."
Zhang Xiaohua called himself "this one" at every turn, terrified that Nie Qianyu would force the title of great hero onto him. Yet the more humble