bookbashuk Chapter 1036 The girl is thin-skinned
Chapter 1036 The girl is thin-skinned
The sound of water inside stopped.
After a moment, Su Wanwan's voice, slightly damp, came through: "Who?"
"I."
There was a moment of silence inside the room, as if she herself had paused, before she spoke again: "W-what are you doing here?"
"I'll leave you some things here. You go wash up, I'm not going in."
"What is it?"
"clothes."
Another silence fell.
Even Chu Yang felt that his words sounded odd. He cleared his throat, his tone still nonchalant: "Your old clothes are all worn out, so I'll bring you a new set. Leave the door a crack open and I'll put it on the table in the outer room."
There was a rustling sound inside.
After a long while, the door creaked open a crack. Steam slowly seeped out, carrying the damp warmth of her bath. Only one of her eyes was visible inside, the corner of it slightly red from the steam, and her hair clung damply to her cheek.
"...Go ahead and release it."
Chu Yang had only intended to toss his bundle on the table and leave, but that one glance made his Adam's apple inexplicably bob, and his steps slowed by half a beat. He pushed open the door and took half a step in, putting down his clothes. As soon as he looked up, he caught sight of her old clothes draped over the back of the chair behind the screen, the cuffs worn even more badly than he remembered.
"And this too." He put down the candied fruit and the medicine as well. "I'll apply the medicine later, let's eat first."
Su Wanwan responded softly from behind the door, "I know."
Chu Yang turned to leave, but as he reached the door, he suddenly heard her call his name again.
"Chu Yang".
"Um?"
She was half-hidden behind the door, her hair still wet, her fingers resting on the doorframe, her expression unusually unnatural: "...Thank you."
The thank you was said very softly, like a feather falling.
Chu Yang glanced at her, but still said rudely, "Thank you too early. If you can't wear it later, I'll have to take it back to change."
Su Wanwan, who was genuinely touched, almost laughed in exasperation upon hearing this: "Can't you be serious for once?"
"No." Chu Yang said, turned and left, but the corners of his lips curved slightly where she couldn't see.
The third floor remained lively at night.
While munching on a braised pork knuckle, Sun Wukong remarked to Tang Sanzang, "I can see that you're more attentive than anyone else now, brother."
Tang Sanzang picked up some food with his chopsticks and sighed softly, "Wukong, don't always tease Miss Su."
"I'm not joking, I'm telling the truth." Sun Wukong took a bite of his elbow. "Master, do you believe me or not, once that fox comes out tomorrow, I'll probably have to keep an eye on him for a long time."
Chu Yang expressionlessly shoved a steamed bun into his mouth: "Even if you eat it, it won't shut you up."
"Ugh—I guess I hit the nail on the head, that's why you're so angry!"
"If you say that again, I'll tie you to the same house as the white donkey."
"Don't be afraid!"
But the next morning, Sun Wukong's prediction came true.
Chu Yang hadn't gotten up that late, and just as he was coming downstairs, the door on the second floor creaked open.
Su Wanwan emerged from the house and stood in the morning light of the corridor, her hair loosely tied back with a single moon-white ribbon, a few strands falling down her temples. The smoky blue dress she wore last night suited her even better than Chu Yang had imagined; it made her skin appear even whiter and toned down her originally overly vibrant beauty, making her look clean and refreshing, as if she had washed away the dust of her journey, leaving only a clean and vibrant silhouette.
She was clearly a little uncomfortable too. She gently tugged at her sleeve and looked up to find Chu Yang standing at the top of the stairs watching her.
Their eyes met, and her ears turned slightly red: "...What are you looking at?"
Chu Yang snapped out of his daze and said slowly, "Let's see if you can even fit into it."
"Now you see it?"
"Um."
"Then why are you still standing there without saying anything?"
"It suits you well." He paused, then added, "It was worth the purchase."
Su Wanwan pursed her lips, unable to suppress her smile: "I knew I could wear it."
Sun Wukong then poked his head out, and upon seeing her, he immediately let out an exaggerated whistle: "Wow, that's more like it. The other day you were dressed like a drab little widow, I felt sorry for your face."
"You're the little widow," Su Wanwan glared at him.
"So what do I look like now?" Sun Wukong scratched his chin. "Like... um, finally starting to look a bit like a fox spirit."
Tang Sanzang emerged from behind and coughed lightly: "Wukong."
Sun Wukong chuckled and said nothing more.
Breakfast was laid out downstairs, including soy milk, hot porridge, side dishes, and steamed buns. When Su Wanwan sat down, the shopkeeper glanced at her a few more times, probably because he didn't expect that the girl who was covered in dust yesterday would look so radiant today after washing up and changing her clothes.
Chu Yang took in that look, frowned slightly, and raised his hand to block a steamer of buns in front of Su Wanwan, thus blocking the shopkeeper's view.
"Eat yours."
Su Wanwan looked down at the steamer of buns, and the corners of her mouth subtly curved up a little.
After the meal, Tang Sanzang originally planned to borrow a scripture hall in a temple in the city to sit for a while, and also to ask for another calming prescription for Su Wanwan. Sun Wukong, on the other hand, had already set his sights on the variety show troupe in the west of the city, and kept pestering Tang Sanzang to let him go and watch. Chu Yang thought about it and was happy to send the two of them away.
"Brother Monkey, accompany Master to the temple and check if there's anything unclean there. Linchuan Prefecture is crowded and chaotic; we don't want another 'Second Huiyueze' to appear."
Sun Wukong, with a cake still stuffed in his mouth, didn't object upon hearing this: "I know. And what about you?"
"I'll take her out for a walk."
Sun Wukong's eyes lit up, and he smiled meaningfully: "Spin around, oh—I understand."
"You don't know anything."
Tang Sanzang looked at Su Wanwan and said gently, "Female benefactor, your injuries have not fully healed. Please do not walk around for too long."
"I know," Chu Yang answered for her. "I'm just going to the street to buy some things."
Once Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong left, the area downstairs became much quieter.
Su Wanwan was slowly finishing the last half bowl of porridge when she saw him suddenly stand up. She looked up and asked, "You just said... you'd take me out for a walk?"
"Um."
"Where to?"
"Buy jewelry."
"what?"
She blurted out the word almost without thinking, her voice filled with surprise.
Chu Yang glanced at her: "What's wrong with you? You've changed your clothes, but you're still wearing that old hairband from yesterday. What do you look like?"
"But I already have a hairband." Su Wanwan subconsciously touched the moon-white one in her hair. "Besides, jewelry..."
"You don't like it?"
"It's not that I don't like it." She paused, then said softly, "It's just... there's no need."
Upon hearing this, Chu Yang slowly placed the teacup on the table.
"Who says it's unnecessary?"
"I……"
"You did a good job back at Yueze this time." He leaned back in his chair, looking at her. "I've always been fair in my rewards and punishments. You blocked that attack and almost got yourself killed, so you deserve a reward."
Su Wanwan was stunned.
She had thought that the new dress was enough. But she never expected that he would still remember the "reward".
She opened her mouth, and after a long while, she whispered, "But that day... it was what I was supposed to do."
"Come on," Chu Yang said. "When did you learn to be on the same page as your master? What's done is done, and what's rewarded is rewarded. Besides, you've been with us all this way, and you're dressed so shabbily. People will think I'm abusing a fox."
Su Wanwan was almost amused by the phrase "abusing the fox," but for some reason, her eyes felt a little hot.
She quickly lowered her head, pretending to scoop out some porridge from her bowl: "Then, then just a little bit will do."
"I decide how much to buy."
"Why are you so domineering?"
"You only found out today?"
She had nothing to say.
The two left the restaurant, and the streets were even more bustling than the day before.
Today happened to be market day in town, and the entire East Street was lined with stalls. Selling rouge, round fans, sachets, hairpins, earrings, and other jewelry, the wooden shelves were overflowing with a dazzling array of goods, shimmering in the sunlight. There were also women strolling with their children, and young ladies carrying brocade boxes selecting their dowry items; the whole street was so brightly lit it was almost blinding.
Su Wanwan initially thought Chu Yang was just saying it casually, but to her surprise, he actually took her to see each store one by one, looking even more serious than when buying talismans.
The first shop sold pieces inlaid with jewels and pure gold; there were so many pearls and jade that it was dazzling. The proprietress enthusiastically brought out a few: "This young lady is beautiful; these suit her best."
Chu Yang glanced at it and frowned: "Too heavy."
Su Wanwan actually thought the hairpin was quite expensive, but seeing his disdain, she remained silent.
The second shop had a more refined style, displaying a row of white jade hairpins, silver hair ornaments, and pearl earrings, which were more pleasing to the eye. The shopkeeper handed over a hair ornament inlaid with a small piece of green jade: "Young master, take a look at this one. It sways beautifully when you walk, and it suits a beautiful woman perfectly."
Chu Yang picked it up, looked at it, and then put it down: "It's shaking too much and getting in the way."
Boss: "..."
Su Wanwan stood to the side, wanting to laugh but not wanting to make it too obvious, so she lowered her head and pursed her lips.
Chu Yang finally stopped at a shop that wasn't the biggest at the end of the street.
This shop was quieter than the previous ones, with little shouting from the vendors. The items displayed in the cabinet were simple and unadorned: a few jade hairpins, a row of silver hairpins, and pendants made of South Sea pearls strung on fine chains. Under the light, they were lustrous, not dazzling, but pleasing to the eye.
The shop owner was an elderly woman who had a keen eye for people. When she saw them come in, she didn't shower them with compliments, but simply said gently, "Please take your time looking around."
This time, Chu Yang didn't rush to speak. His gaze slowly swept across the cabinet, finally landing on a hairpin.
The hairpin wasn't elaborate; it was simply carved from a single piece of pure white jade, with a half-open crabapple blossom at the end. The edges of the petals were lightly tinged with natural pink, as if it had just been touched by the colors of spring.
"Let's take this out and have a look."
The old woman took the hairpin and handed it to him.
Chu Yang weighed the item in his hand, then turned to look at Su Wanwan: "Come here."
"what?"
"Give it a try."
Su Wanwan had no choice but to take two steps closer. Chu Yang looked at the hairband on her hair, then suddenly raised his hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The movement was very natural, as if it were just to make it easier to see the length of the hairpin. But when his fingertips brushed against her earlobe, Su Wanwan still froze, even her breathing became shallow.
"Don't move," Chu Yang said.
"……oh."
He held the jade hairpin in her hair and examined it for a moment.
Sunlight streamed in obliquely from the doorway, falling on her face and the pale pink crabapple blossom, creating a surprisingly harmonious scene.
"This is good," he said.
The old woman smiled and nodded: "Young master has excellent taste. This piece is made from rare materials and has a refined design; it would be most suitable for a young lady."
Su Wanwan gazed at her reflection in the bronze mirror in the cabinet. The hairpin in the mirror, though only slightly angled, actually made her unable to look away. But her first thought wasn't liking it; rather—
This thing is probably very expensive.
She immediately whispered, "Let's forget about it."
Chu Yang didn't even turn his head: "Why?"
"Too expensive."
Did you ask the price?
"I can tell."
"It's obvious they can afford it."
"Can……"
"There's nothing wrong with it." Chu Yang put down the hairpin and pointed to a pair of small silver bell earrings next to him. "Wrap these up too."
Su Wanwan's eyes widened: "I don't even have pierced ears."
Chu Yang paused for a moment, then turned to look at her: "Really not?"
"no."
"Never mind then." He thought for a moment, then noticed a bracelet made of fine beads, the beads a very pale moon white, with a small red jade dot in the center, which suited her wrist quite well. "What about this one?"
Just as Su Wanwan was about to say no, the old woman smiled and said, "Young lady, your wrists are slender, this will look good on you."
"Give it a try," Chu Yang said.
This time, he simply reached out and fastened the bracelet to her wrist himself.
Su Wanwan's fingers were slender and white, her wrists delicate and graceful. The string of beads fit perfectly when she fastened it. She looked down at the small, gently swaying red jade on her wrist, and suddenly felt a pang in her heart, as if she had been gently pricked by a needle—not painful, but aching.
"What else do you want?" Chu Yang asked.
"No, I don't want it anymore," she said immediately.
"Really don't want it?"
"Really, no." She looked up at him, her voice even softer than before, "It's already too much."
Chu Yang glanced at her twice but didn't insist. He simply had the old woman wrap up the hairpin and bracelet together. When paying, Su Wanwan stood to the side, and upon hearing the price, her eyelashes trembled slightly.
Stepping out of the shop, the sun was shining brightly on the street.
Chu Yang handed her the bundle and casually said, "Take it."
Su Wanwan hugged the small package as if it were a precious, burning treasure, and after a long while said, "If you do this... I don't know how to return it to you."
"Who told you to pay it back?"
"We can't keep taking it for free."
"Then you should cook a couple more delicious meals from now on."
"that's all?"
"Or what, you want to use your body—"
"Shut up!"
Chu Yang laughed out loud, but he didn't actually finish the second half of his sentence.
They strolled around the streets for a while longer.
Chu Yang was never one to dawdle when buying things; if he liked something, he'd pay, and if not, he'd leave. But this time, accompanying Su Wanwan, he slowed down considerably. Passing a sugar figurine vendor, he casually bought her a fox-shaped one; passing a sachet vendor, she glanced at the small bag embroidered with bamboo leaves, and he had it bought; even passing a rouge stall, the stall owner casually remarked, "Young lady, you have fair skin; a little lipstick would enhance your complexion," and Chu Yang actually stopped to ask, "Which one is elegant?"
Su Wanwan blushed as she listened, and quickly pulled him forward, saying, "Don't buy this."
Why?
"What kind of grown man stands here picking out lip rouge?!"
"What's wrong with picking it?"
"It just won't work!"
The stall owner behind him laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight: "Young master, young lady is shy."
Chu Yang was dragged a few steps by her. When he looked back, Su Wanwan's ears were bright red. He had wanted to tease her again, but the words caught in his throat. He just chuckled softly and didn't turn back to buy anything. (End of Chapter)