Shen Yao Xing swallowed the rice in her mouth and shook her head: “You’d better let her study more, studying is better than practicing martial arts.”

“Oh?” Mother Shen looked at her, saying neither coldly nor warmly: “Then why didn’t you study when I had you study every day before?”

Shen Yao Xing pretended not to hear, continuing to eat with her head down like a silly goose.

A hand stroked her back, and the young man’s gentle voice was in her ear: “Don’t rush, eat slowly.” Shen Yao Xing almost choked.

They didn’t stay at the Shen mansion for too long. After finishing the meal and talking with Mother Shen for a while, they left.

They didn’t take a carriage, but walked back on foot, treating it as an after-meal digestive walk.

The capital was quite lively today, with performances wherever there was open space.

Shen Yao Xing pulled Jiang Ming Yue into the crowd, watching several women performing chest-crushing stone breaking. They were all burly in build, lying on an iron board full of steel nails, with a thick stone slab pressing on their chests. A large iron hammer struck down on the stone slab, yet the women remained unharmed.

It turns out that chest-crushing stone breaking is not only a performance with a long history but also not limited to gender.

Shen Yao Xing ate a spicy pancake while watching with great interest. “They’re really amazing.” Jiang Ming Yue used a handkerchief to wipe the oil from the corner of her mouth, his tone slightly mocking: “Nothing but some thick-skinned, stinking women.” Shen Yao Xing glanced at him sideways, thankful that this person had power and status, otherwise with such a poisonous mouth, he would have been beaten long ago.

They watched until the performance ended, and Shen Yao Xing tossed over a silver ingot before dispersing with the crowd.

The two walked on the street, Shen Yao Xing still savoring the taste, when she suddenly saw a man in light green clothes walking towards her. Shen Yao Xing instinctively moved aside to make way, but heard the man call out.

“Miss, please wait.”

His voice was soft and gentle, easily evoking goodwill in people.

Shen Yao Xing looked around, making sure he was talking to her before speaking: “Do you need something?” Half of the green-clothed man’s face was hidden behind a thin veil, thinner than usual veils, the vague outline more likely to stir one’s heart. His eyes seemed shy, not daring to look at her directly, yet he mustered up courage to ask: “Pardon me for troubling you, miss, but could you tell me how to get to the Imperial Treasure Pavilion?” Shen Yao Xing raised her hand and pointed in a direction.

The green-clothed man continued softly and meekly, lowering his gaze submissively: “This servant has just arrived in the capital and is unfamiliar with many places. The miss is so kind, I wonder if you could…” Before he could finish, Shen Yao Xing refused: “No, I’m busy. You should ask someone else.” The green-clothed man’s face stiffened slightly. He was accompanied by a servant, clearly not from an ordinary family.

Jiang Ming Yue’s eyes darkened as he sized up the man, the jealousy and hatred in his chest almost impossible to suppress.

He had specially tied up the young woman’s hair before leaving home today, just to dispel some people’s annoying thoughts, but even so, there were still shameless scoundrels clinging to her.

The green-clothed man, repeatedly rejected, was unwilling to give up, feeling the chill from the white-clothed man’s gaze but still not willing to let go of such a good opportunity.

So he said a word of thanks, and as he walked past the young woman, he suddenly twisted his ankle and fell towards her.

Shen Yao Xing’s body shifted to the side, avoiding him with a look of alarm.

The green-clothed man fell completely to the ground, attracting the attention of others on the street, causing his face to alternately flush and pale.

The servant quickly came forward to help his young master up. The green-clothed man glared fiercely at Shen Yao Xing, and the master and servant quickly supported each other and walked away.

Shen Yao Xing shrugged, took the hand of the person beside her, and continued shopping.

Jiang Ming Yue’s expression didn’t ease despite the young woman’s refusal. The jealousy in his heart almost drowned him, and he opened his mouth with cold sarcasm: “With so many people coming and going on this street, he asks no one but you, how interesting.” “You should have shown compassion and led the way for him.”

“Oh, then I’ll go find him and show him the way.”

Shen Yao Xing was about to turn back without another word, but the man’s grip on her hand was death-tight, not allowing her to move even half a step.

She pouted and raised her chin, “If you say anything more, I’ll really go find someone.” Jiang Ming Yue pressed his lips tightly, turning his gaze away sulkily, not speaking again.

Shen Yao Xing took his hand again, walking and sighing: “He was just asking for directions, why are you so angry?” “Huh” Jiang Ming Yue sneered, “Those directions almost led into an embrace.” Shen Yao Xing also felt a bit awkward, after all, that man’s intentions had been too obvious earlier, it was hard to pretend nothing had happened.

“Forget it, I didn’t let him succeed anyway, let’s consider this matter over. Don’t think about killing someone because of this.” Shen Yao Xing understood what kind of person he was. Although he had changed compared to before, it’s hard to change one’s nature, and he had such a record, so it was hard to say.

Under the veil, a strange smile appeared on Jiang Ming Yue’s lips, his eyes cold, but his voice showed no abnormality, “It was just asking for directions, how could I be so petty? Besides, I promised you I wouldn’t kill again.” Shen Yao Xing was half-believing, half-doubting, but her attention was soon drawn to other things.

On the other side, in a private room of the Imperial Treasure Pavilion, a master and servant were fuming about what had just happened.

“Young Master, that woman was truly ungrateful. It was just asking for directions, yet she deliberately embarrassed you in public. Such demeanor surely cannot be the good match for you, Young Master.” “Shut up!” The green-clothed man glared at him venomously, only satisfied when he lowered his head and dared not speak.

Thinking of what had just happened, he was also furious. No woman had ever rejected him like this before. It was only because he saw her dressed well and looking pretty that he couldn’t resist his limited self-restraint.

He had come to the capital after much hardship just to cling to a bigger tree, but now he had hit a wall.

The servant carefully observed the man’s expression, afraid that in his extreme anger he might take it out on him again. In his heart, however, he was contemptuous. Just a brothel boy, if not for meeting a noble person, how could he have his current glory? A cheap harlot is just a cheap harlot, hiding under one tree’s shade but not content, always thinking of clinging to an even bigger one.

“Ahhh———”

A piercing scream interrupted the servant’s thoughts. His body shuddered, and when he looked up, he was so frightened his legs went weak and he almost couldn’t stand.

The green-clothed man’s veil had been torn off, his bloody and mangled face making it impossible to discern his original appearance. Something seemed to be gnawing at the skin on his face, inch by inch, fresh blood spilling all over the ground.

……

At this moment, Shen Yao Xing was squatting at a clay figurine stall, hands cupping her chin, asking the stall owner to make one figurine each in their likeness.

“Make them together,” Jiang Ming Yue, standing to the side, suddenly spoke.

Shen Yao Xing looked up at him in confusion.

Jiang Ming Yue’s dark, deep eyes, however, fell on the stall owner, his cold voice repeating: “Make our clay figurines together.”

When Shen Yao Xing saw the finished product, she scratched her head speechlessly, “These joined together aren’t as easy to carry as individual ones.”

Jiang Ming Yue took the clay figurines, his fingertips gently caressing the one resembling the young woman. A soft, watery light rippled in his dark eyes, “They’re very beautiful. I want to put them in the bedroom.”

“……”

Well, as long as you’re happy.