RIIDMDR chapter 71

 

After rushing around in the formation for several days, Nan Xu finally had the rare chance to sleep well in his own bed. With no one to disturb him, he slept in and woke up to find the sun already high in the sky.

In the summer heat, Nan Xu rubbed his eyes and wiped the slight sweat from his forehead. Supporting himself on his arms, he sat up. There was no sound in the courtyard or inside the house. He pushed open the door and went out. Zhi Xing was sitting on the doorstep, body curled close to the doorframe, reading a book.
You An, for some reason, had come to sit next to him, weaving something with a few pieces of grass in his hand.

On the table inside the house, there was half a watermelon with red flesh and few seeds. It looked cool and appetizing.

The sound of Nan Xu pushing the door startled the two demons on the doorstep. They both turned their heads. When Zhi Xing saw Nan Xu, he couldn’t help but smile. “Is the innkeeper awake? Are you tired? There’s still porridge simmering in the pot. I’ll bring it to you. I’ll also stir-fry some side dishes to go with it.”

Without waiting for a reply, he set the book down and ran to the kitchen, looking as if he had been restrained for a long time and was finally free.

Nan Xu’s suspicious gaze fell on You An. He wasn’t very familiar with Ting Chuan’s nephew, so he refrained from asking, “Did you bully Zhi Xing?” However, You An, being examined so carefully by his “aunt,” straightened his usually lazy back a little. After all, he was his uncle’s beloved, so he had to show him some respect.

You An’s gaze wandered. Nan Xu noticed his restraint, touched the stray hair on his head, and bypassed him to wash up in the courtyard.

Ting Chuan’s whereabouts were unknown again. The courtyard was empty, not even Guan’er’s figure could be seen.

After washing up, Nan Xu found Zhi Xing happily waving a spatula around in the kitchen. He loved to cook. Nan Xu looked around but couldn’t find anything he could help with, so he went out to cut the watermelon on the table.

“You An, have some watermelon,” Nan Xu called out.

You An leaned on the doorstep, swinging a foxtail grass in his hand, and didn’t look up. “Uncle won’t let me eat it. Half of the watermelon on the table is for you.”

Nan Xu was slightly surprised. He took a bite of the watermelon in his hand. It was sweet and cool, Ting Chuan must have chilled it in the well that morning. The first bite cooled his mouth all the way down to his stomach—very refreshing—driving away half the morning heat. He sighed and said indistinctly, “Eat. There are still plenty in the field.”

“Yes, that’s what I said too. Uncle told me to eat from the field,” You An replied faintly.

Hearing his neutral tone, Nan Xu thought of Ting Chuan expressionlessly silencing his nephew. He couldn’t help but smile.

“Later, I’ll pick a few from the field and put them in the well for you so you can enjoy them in the afternoon,” Nan Xu said, not bothering to be polite.

Zhi Xing was carrying a clay pot out. Upon hearing Nan Xu, he said irritably, “He had Zhuang Wu move more than ten watermelons here early this morning. They’re all in the well now.”

Nan Xu looked at You An in surprise. “You can eat that many?”

It wasn’t that he felt sorry for the watermelons. The seeds from the system were high quality, and the Zhuang brothers tended to the fields daily. The watermelons were big and sweet. Even if the inn staff ate as much as they wanted, they couldn’t finish them all.

You An had traveled for many years without restraint. He clearly treated this place as his own home and felt no shame. He replied straightforwardly, “Of course I can’t eat them all. But these watermelons taste amazing! I’ve never had sweeter ones. Tomorrow, Uncle and I are going down the mountain. We’ll take some with us. If there are any leftovers, we’ll bring them back for the little foxes in the mountains to try.”

He said this matter-of-factly. Zhi Xing was even more annoyed. This fox demon was greedy. It was fine if he ate here, but he was thinking of taking some away.

However, Nan Xu and Zhi Xing had completely different concerns. You An could take as many watermelons as he wanted, but Ting Chuan was going down the mountain.

He remembered spending seven or eight days crouching by the mountain path to lure Ting Chuan into the mountains to complete his task. He promised all sorts of benefits, but only ever provided “room and lodging”. He hadn’t signed a labor contract with Ting Chuan for fear of being trapped and had never asked how long Ting Chuan would stay.

Days went by, and he never thought about it, assuming Ting Chuan would never leave. It was only today, when he heard You An mention it, that he realized Zhu Yu Mountain was only his residence. Visitors only stayed temporarily. Ting Chuan had his own home.

Nan Xu didn’t know how he felt now—as if something had been taken from him, leaving him with an uneasy emptiness. The watermelon he had just enjoyed no longer tasted as sweet.

“You’re going down the mountain tomorrow?” Nan Xu asked.

You An looked slightly puzzled. “Yes, didn’t Uncle tell you yesterday?”

Nan Xu shook his head. “He probably forgot,” he said.

You An thought it was a bit strange, but the feeling passed quickly. After all, it was rare for Uncle to take action, so a minor oversight was normal.

Zhi Xing placed a clay pot of porridge on the table, then returned to retrieve pickles and stir-fried vegetables. While bringing bowls and chopsticks to Nan Xu, You An called from the kitchen, “Little Hedgehog, bring another set. I’ll accompany the innkeeper for another round.”

Zhi Xing returned with only Nan Xu’s set, ignoring You An’s call. You An muttered to himself, noting that the little hedgehog’s ears weren’t very sharp. The usually gentle and shy Zhi Xing placed the bowl in front of Nan Xu and scolded him. “You already ate three bowls of porridge early this morning and almost finished what was meant for the innkeeper. Now you want to snatch his breakfast? You sure eat a lot, you fox.”

Nan Xu, who rarely saw Zhi Xing scold someone, found it interesting. He served himself a bowl of porridge and had no intention of intervening. The two were like schoolchildren arguing; they shouted fiercely, but there was little real anger. Besides, there was enough porridge in the pot for him for the whole day—it wasn’t as exaggerated as Zhi Xing said. Zhi Xing was probably just venting because You An had bullied him before.

You An was scolded by the Little Hedgehog demon and felt confused, touching his chin. Not knowing what he had done wrong, he glanced at Zhi Xing several times to gauge his anger. Finally, he said, “The porridge is delicious, though watery and not very filling. Watching the innkeeper eat made me a little tempted. If you won’t get me a bowl, I’ll get it myself.”

He stood up, saw Zhi Xing’s wide-open dark eyes, and added, “Just a small bowl to satisfy your craving.”

Zhi Xing was probably taken aback by You An’s foolish and pitiful demeanor and was speechless for a moment.

You An tentatively took a few steps forward. Seeing that Zhi Xing didn’t stop him, You An strode into the kitchen. He had wandered in several times earlier while Zhi Xing was cooking, so he knew the layout well. He got a set of bowls and chopsticks, served himself a bowl of porridge, and enjoyed eating it.

Seeing this scene, which could rival a food streamer’s, Nan Xu’s mood improved somewhat. You An finished his bowl of porridge with the side dishes.

Afterwards, You An’s mouth was idle again. Seeing Nan Xu bring bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen, You An teased Zhi Xing. “You little hedgehog, yesterday you were shy and avoided me. Now that the innkeeper is back, you dare to yell at me. Two faces, huh?”

Zhi Xing cleaned the table without looking up. “Yesterday, you were all high and mighty. Why do you turn into a tail-wagging little fox in front of your uncle? And you dare say I have two faces?”

You An was momentarily stumped, staring at Zhi Xing with his peach-blossom eyes. He thought, He’s bold. It’s better if he stays at Aunt’s inn. If he ever comes down the mountain and I encounter him, I could make this little hedgehog cry.

The two continued bickering. Sounds from the main hall occasionally reached them, but Nan Xu couldn’t focus. While washing dishes, his gaze often drifted toward the courtyard gate out the window. With the sun so high in the sky, Ting Chuan had not returned yet.

Nan Xu and You An drank porridge for half the morning. Zhi Xing wasn’t hungry. By noon, with Ting Chuan still absent, Nan Xu didn’t bother making lunch. Instead, he and Zhi Xing played chess on a small table in the hall. He had explained the rules when they made the chessboard, and they had played once before going to bed. There was no need to teach again.

They were both beginners and evenly matched. You An watched, and after two rounds, he had a good grasp of the rules. Seeing that You An wanted to play, Nan Xu offered him his seat.

Honestly, Nan Xu wasn’t very interested in chess today. It was just a way to pass the time. Usually, when Ting Chuan was away for a long time and didn’t return for lunch, Nan Xu didn’t worry. But today, he couldn’t stop thinking about why he hadn’t come back yet.

Even before Ting Chuan left, Nan Xu felt reluctant.

Sitting in the reclining chair, Nan Xu sighed, thinking that he needed to let go of these emotions sooner or later, or he wouldn’t be able to endure life on the mountain.

Finally, at dusk, Nan Xu saw Ting Chuan return, the one he had missed all day. Ting Chuan carried many hunted animals, some alive and some dead. He tossed them all into a corner, hurriedly used a cleansing talisman, and finally looked at Nan Xu, exhaling deeply.

Nan Xu looked at Tingchuan’s tall, slender figure and couldn’t help but chuckle. Old demons usually had a sense of steadiness, but Ting Chuan didn’t seem to have much of it.

The sunset bathed the entire courtyard in golden light. Nan Xu stood under the eaves; behind him, the two rivals continued their fierce chess battle. Across the courtyard, he and Ting Chuan locked eyes. Their brief peace was interrupted by Guan’er rushing in.

Ting Chuan slowly walked to Nan Xu to watch the sunset together. Softly, he said, “Tomorrow, You An and I will go down the mountain to Donghai Mountain. Today, I hunted enough wild animals for you to eat at the inn for a while. Guan’er is capable now, but I know you won’t trust him alone in the mountains. I’ve spoken to the canines at the foot of the mountain, and they’ll protect it. Any wild prey will be brought to the mountain for your guests. It’s hot in the summer, and your facial wound hasn’t healed completely yet. Avoid too much sun.”

Nan Xu listened to Tingchuan’s words, a sense of loss spreading through him. He tilted his head to look at Tingchuan, wondering why he had made all these plans for him before leaving.