Chapter 536: Ends in Sadness |
Publish Time: 2026-06-30 21:32:00
A+A-Light Off<!--
«Chapter 536: Suffering a Mute Defeat
None »
Li Lao’er shook his head, but he didn’t think much about it.
‘Getting old, my memory fails.’
He handed the wine to Yu Hongjin and said, “Here, little girl, hold it steady.”
Yu Hongjin hugged the wine and smiled, ready to leave, when someone grabbed her clothes.
“Huh?”
Ruyi stared at her and said, “Hong Jin, Sister Yun told you not to drink. Yet here you are, sneaking around buying wine again.”
“Me, I… I…”
Yu Hongjin quickly stammered, “I’m not buying it for myself! It’s for… it’s for…”
“It’s for Sister Zhishu! Sister Zhishu wants some!”
Li Lao’er glanced over and, seeing the woman, said, “Isn’t this Steward Ruyi from the Embroidery Workshop?”
“Second Uncle Li.” Ruyi called out.
Li Lao’er chuckled and asked, “Here for the Temple Fair too?”
“Yes.” Ruyi smiled back.
Li Lao’er looked over and noticed the Man in Blue Robe beside Ruyi.
He paused and asked, “And this is…?”
Ruyi was about to explain.
But Li Lao’er made an “Oh…” sound.
He laughed, “You girl! Keeping things quiet, huh? And to think you once said you’d find a husband even better than Ping’an.”
Ruyi’s face flushed instantly.
“No, no no! You misunderstood, Brother Li Erge! He is…”
Ruyi tried explaining, but Chen Changsheng stepped forward.
Chen Changsheng asked, “Are you Li Erge, from the wine shop on the street outside Chuanfeng Lane?”
Li Lao’er paused, squinting as he examined the man.
Chen Changsheng said, “My uncle used to tell stories in Qingshan City. He often bought wine from you. Do you remember?”
Li Lao’er froze for a moment.
He thought hard, then suddenly realized.
“Ah!”
He slapped his forehead. “Yes, yes! Mr. Chen! Look at my terrible memory!”
“You are… Mr. Chen’s nephew?”
Chen Changsheng nodded. “I’ve heard Uncle speak of you before, Li Erge.”
Li Lao’er said, “No wonder you looked familiar! I think I saw you once before but didn’t recognize you then. Ah, old age is messing with my memory.”
Ruyi blinked at Uncle Chen, then understood.
Uncle Chen probably just didn’t want to scare people.
After all, more than ten years had passed…
Li Lao’er smiled warmly. “Back then, Mr. Chen would often stop by for a drink after leaving the Teahouse. Always just a small jug, never more, never less. Everyone always praised his storytelling. I wanted to go listen myself, but then… he left. Never told stories again after that.”
“My uncle had urgent business to attend to, so he left.”
“Is that how it was…”
Yu Hongjin watched them chatting happily.
Clutching her two jugs of wine, she tried to sneak away.
But as she took a step, Ruyi caught her again.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
Yu Hongjin’s eyes watered pitifully. “Have mercy, Sister Ruyi! Please! I…”
Her eyes suddenly widened, spotting the Tabby Cat on Ruyi’s shoulder.
“Stupid cat! You again!”
The Tabby Cat gazed at her, scraping its tongue over a paw.
Yu Hongjin pointed furiously. “You’re the one who scared me, little master last time!”
Lihua just watched silently.
Ruyi knocked lightly on Yu Hongjin’s forehead.
“Oww!”
Yu Hongjin rubbed her temple, whining. “Why did you hit me, Sister Ruyi?”
Ruyi crouched down, peering closely at Yu Hongjin’s face.
“Let your Sister Ruyi get a good look at this Fish Demon, hmm…”
Yu Hongjin paused. Her voice stumbled.
“Wh-what Fish Demon? What are you talking about, Sister?”
“Still pretending!”
Ruyi tugged her ear playfully. “I believed Sister Yun all this time. Never knew you were a monster disguised as a little girl.”
Yu Hongjin glared at the Tabby Cat. “You stupid cat! Did you tell her?!”
Lihua opened its mouth, revealing sharp teeth.
Yu Hongjin flinched and shuffled back half a step.
She was still a little scared.
Ruyi picked Yu Hongjin up. “Careful now. Don’t upset Lihua. It thought about eating you before.”
Yu Hongjin huffed. “It wouldn’t dare! Not even with ten extra guts! I’m way stronger than it!”
Lihua paused at these words. Before Yu Hongjin could react,
it clamped its teeth down on Yu Hongjin’s arm!
“AAAAHHH!!”
Yu Hongjin screeched. “Let go! LET GO!”
Ruyi quickly pulled them apart.
Tears welled in Yu Hongjin’s eyes from the pain. She felt deeply wronged.
“Just you wait!”
Yu Hongjin yelled, “I’m going back to get Sister Zhishu! She’ll teach you a lesson!”
Ruyi checked Yu Hongjin’s arm. There were faint tooth marks, but the skin wasn’t broken. Lihua was probably just trying to scare her.
Ruyi couldn’t help but chuckle. “Weren’t you just saying how much stronger you are than Lihua?”
Yu Hongjin’s little face instantly flushed red.
He could win, but…
He was still afraid.
She sobbed twice, grabbing two jars of wine and running away without looking back.
“I’m gonna tell on you!”
Ruyi couldn’t help but laugh, then turned to Lihua perched on her shoulder.
“Don’t do that next time. You really got me scared.”
Lihua pondered this before nodding slowly.
He hadn’t actually meant to eat Yu Hongjin — he’d already promised Good Human Chen.
But taking just one bite felt only fair.
Ruyi snapped out of her thoughts and glanced toward the wine stall.
Uncle Chen was chatting leisurely with Li Erge.
Mostly about the old days.
“You wouldn’t believe it,” Li Erge said, “those ‘Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio’ tales Mr. Chen told back then got published as a book later. Sold like crazy! Even high officials and nobles loved them. Some even offered fortunes just to meet Mr. Chen once. Shame no one ever managed to see him.”
“So… how is Mr. Chen these days?”
“Quite well. Found a quiet spot by mountains and water. Perfect for him.”
Li Lao’er chuckled, then sighed. “Hard to believe so many years have passed in a blink.”
He looked closely at Chen Changsheng. “Gotta say, you sure take after Mr. Chen. Dressed in that same Blue Robe… If you didn’t look so young, I’d have thought you were him.”
Chen Changsheng smiled faintly. “Spent years following Uncle around. Probably soaked up a bit of his manner.”
“No wonder then…”
After much reminiscing, the sky grew dark.
They bid farewell, and just before Chen Changsheng left, Li Lao’er handed him another wine jar.
“Take this. Mr. Chen always liked this brew. See if you agree.”
Chen Changsheng looked at the offered jar. “How can I accept this?”
“Nonsense! Take it! Back then, when Mr. Chen came to buy wine and I wanted to listen to his stories, I’d sometimes give him extra – an ounce or two free. But he was serious about balancing accounts. Always insisted on paying the difference.”
Li Lao’er grinned. “Mr. Chen… he was special.”
Chen Changsheng paused. A quiet regret stirred within him. He finally said, “In that case…”
“I’m accepting this on Uncle’s behalf.”
Li Lao’er beamed. “Perfect then.”
.
.
By the time they left, the street was empty.
Ruyi walked alongside Chen Changsheng, occasionally stealing glances at the stars and moon above.
She noticed Uncle Chen holding the wine jar, lost in thought.
“Uncle Chen?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you… do you feel sad?”
“Sad about what?”
“When people who remember you… can’t really know it’s you now.”
Seeing Chen Changsheng remained silent, Ruyi gently prodded.
“Uncle Chen?”
Chen Changsheng finally came back to himself, his voice distant.
“In the end… sadness catches us all.”
«Chapter 536: Suffering a Mute Defeat
Index
None »