Chapter 24: Not Human

Su Tang turned her head to look.
Behind the nearby parasol tree, a small head peeked out, a hand covering her mouth as she giggled at Su Tang.
“Nannan!” Su Tang narrowed her eyes.
Little Nannan showed not a hint of fear, sticking out her tongue and making a funny face at her.
“Nannan?” Jingyuan’s gentle murmur seemed to drift on the wind and fall into Nannan’s ears. The child blinked and stepped out from behind the tree.
“Brother, sister.” Little Nannan offered a bow.
She looked the part, yet her movements were full of errors and omissions—evidently a skill she’d secretly learned by watching others.
The man watching from the corner seemed uneasy.
Su Tang walked over with a smile and patted Nannan’s head. “Such a good girl, do you know you were wrong?”
Nannan looked up and smiled at Su Tang, then walked straight over to where Jingyuan stood motionless.
Su Tang thought, Does this little girl also like handsome young men? Wait, what does she mean by ‘also’?
Jingyuan watched as Nannan approached, retrieving a woven bamboo duck from her small pouch.
Jingyuan raised his eyebrows.
It was just like the duck from the day before.
The little girl held the duck out with both hands. “For brother.”
Jingyuan glanced at the dumbfounded Su Tang, and accepted it.
The girl grinned. “Brother likes ducks; sister likes ducks too.”
“Yes, we both like ducks~” Su Tang said with a sigh.
Jingyuan looked at the beaming young girl and his lips curved in a gentle smile.
Facing him, Su Tang felt as if an entire grove of pear blossoms suddenly burst into bloom before her, faint fragrance drifting through a dreamlike haze.
No wonder her little husband rarely smiled.
Her heart felt as though something had gently stirred it, sending out small, trembling ripples. Yet before these ripples could spread, a cold voice fell like frost at her ear.
“So this is how you tricked her into buying such worthless trinkets?”
Her little husband was still smiling, the curve of his lips unchanged, but where a moment ago his smile was like a grove of blossoms, now it was as cold and sharp as frost.
With a casual flick of his wrist, the bamboo duck was tossed to the ground as if it were the most worthless thing.
Nannan stood there, stunned and foolish.
The man who had been watching hurried over.
The handsome young lord strode away without looking back.
Su Tang stood in a daze, not yet recovered.
What had just happened?
What was going on?

It wasn’t until she heard Nannan’s soft sobs that Su Tang hurried over to comfort her. The man had already gathered Nannan into his arms, apologizing repeatedly, “It’s our girl’s fault for being too naughty and bothering your esteemed lord. Please, young miss, forgive us.”
As he spoke, his eyes reddened.
Nannan buried her head in his shoulder, unseen, but Su Tang could well imagine the girl crying her heart out.
Back where she came from, wouldn’t the child’s parents be beside themselves? Wouldn’t they scold her ancestors for generations, all for having such a kind child?
Su Tang quickly said, “It’s my husband’s fault—he was angry at me. I’m the one who dragged Nannan into this.”
“No, no, it’s nothing to do with you, young miss. It’s my fault,” the man replied, carrying Nannan back to his stall, where someone was examining his bamboo wares.
When the customer left after a few questions, the man seemed to want to speak, but with Nannan in his arms, he could only sit back down in frustration. The neighboring vendors tried to cheer the girl, but she only buried her head further into her father’s embrace.
Picking up the little bamboo duck, Su Tang watched and cursed inwardly.
Her little husband’s temper was just like Dahei’s.
Neither of them were human.
Su Tang curved her lips in a gentle smile and walked straight to the stall.
The man looked at her, a wariness in his eyes that hadn’t been there the day before.
Su Tang’s smile grew even softer. “May I order two more bamboo plaques?”
The man was momentarily stunned, and in his arms, Nannan moved a little.
“What kind of plaques?” the man asked.
Su Tang’s voice was as soft as a spring breeze. “About this size…”
As she gestured, the man listened.
Soon, little Nannan quietly peeked out of her father’s arms, watching Su Tang.
Su Tang caught her glance and smiled, and Nannan quickly hid her face again.
Su Tang seemed not to mind and continued discussing the size and design of the plaques with the man.
She exhaled inwardly.
Clearly, coaxing the child back to cheerfulness would not be easy.
*
“…with lacquer, and the inscription in regular script. Five hundred cash—how about it?” Su Tang said.
The man quickly shook his head. “No need for so much, four hundred is enough.”
“But that won’t do. There’s the carving to arrange, and others to pay…”
“I’ve already earned some profit.”
“Then let me pay for the very best, all right?”
“…Very well.”
Seeing her insist, the man could only agree.
Su Tang gave him half a tael of silver, but the man accepted only two hundred cash, with the remaining three hundred to be paid upon completion in two days.
No written contract was made; but judging by the word of the nearby stallholders, such transactions were common and trustworthy.

Su Tang readily agreed.
Even if the man broke his word, it didn’t matter—she was only trying to cheer up a child.
Consider it a donation!
Yet, when she handed over the two hundred cash, the system’s “Daily Tasks” remained unchanged: “Cook a meal” and “Earn some silver” glowed dimly, while “Make a donation” stayed unmoved.
Two hundred cash—enough for several bowls of spicy soup!
Her little husband really was inhuman!
Su Tang forced a smile and turned for home.
Outside her house, the spicy soup stall had already packed up. The gate was tightly shut, and inside, even the big black dog—who must have known she was coming—was silent as ever.
Gritting her teeth, Su Tang shoved the door open.
Creak.
She pushed hard, but the gate was pulled open from within.
Caught off guard, Su Tang tumbled straight into the courtyard.
But just before she fell, she caught a glimpse of the fortune-teller Xuanji Zi standing at the entrance—the same old man she’d met just yesterday.
Oh no—
To Xuanji Zi’s left was the big black dog, tail wagging.
To the right was empty ground.
Twisting her body, Su Tang aimed her fall toward the empty side.
She couldn’t very well fall onto Xuanji Zi—if she used the old man to break her fall, he’d be so dizzy she’d owe a fortune in compensation.
If she landed on Dahei and got bitten again, that would only add insult to injury…
Su Tang marveled at how, even as she was about to hit the ground, she could still have so many thoughts.
Yet the expected pain never came. Instead, her vision blurred, something brushed her waist, and her body spun around.
Almost at the same moment, she heard Sister Li cry out in alarm, felt her wrist seized, and was pulled upright.
When her vision cleared, she was facing Li Qingtian’s anxious face.
“Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself anywhere?”
Su Tang shook her head in a daze, and turned to look back.
Xuanji Zi was still standing at the gate; seeing her turn, he gave her a gentle smile.
Su Tang: What just happened?