Chapter 4
The next day, Huo Shu woke up early as usual and opened half the window. A damp osmanthus fragrance drifted in with the wind.
He leaned out to glance outside. The fog was thick, making it hard to see the scenery and objects in the yard clearly.
The air had grown somewhat chilly by now, but having long adapted to the drastic temperature differences between day and night in the northern regions, this slight cold was nothing to him.
After a simple breakfast, Huo Shu led his horse outside, where a hitched donkey cart was already waiting at the gate.
A round little figure clung to the cart’s handle, stretching a short leg in an attempt to climb inside. After several strenuous tries, the person finally managed to scramble in, flushed and panting from the effort.
Stubbornly refusing to fetch a small stool to help.
Compared to last night, the person was now bundled up in even thicker layers, looking even rounder.
A truly unique sight in autumn.
Huo Shu rarely laughed, but he couldn’t help tilting his head and touching his tall, cold nose bridge.
“Warrior Huo, let’s go.”
Huang Yinsheng, who was at the front, checked the reins and turned to call out to Huo Shu.
Huo Shu lowered his hand and gave a slight nod before mounting his horse.
The autumn morning breeze blew gently, rustling the cart’s curtain and occasionally flipping it open.
The Huang family’s donkey cart was old, patched up here and there, no longer as smooth as when it was first made.
Curled up inside, Ji Taoyu had been feeling a bit feverish, but the wind quickly chilled him again. He reached out to hold down the curtain, trying to block the draft.
As he leaned closer to the window, he caught sight of a round, sturdy horse’s rump through the half-open curtain. The long, sleek tail swung leisurely with each step.
Ji Taoyu froze. Horses were a rare sight for him, most rural families used oxen, donkeys, or mules for farming, while purebred horses were reserved for the wealthy in the city.
His health was poor, and even when he went to the city, he mostly stayed in the clinic helping his grandfather sort herbs. If he ever saw horses, it was always from a distance, never this close.
This black horse was strong and handsome, undeniably beautiful. Its vitality felt almost tangible, making his heartbeat quicken.
“Want to ride?”
Hearing the voice, Ji Taoyu abruptly looked up. His savior sat straight-backed on the horse, those intimidating eyes now fixed on him.
Ji Taoyu shrank his neck and quickly shook his head.
He didn’t even dare ride the family’s donkey or ox. Once, as a child, his father had lifted him onto an ox’s back, and he’d cried in fear, earning a scolding from his mother. How could he possibly ride such a spirited horse?
Huo Shu noticed the ger’s face, now mostly back to its normal color under the cloak, though his complexion was still poor - like a pear petal half-transparent from being soaked in rain.
His wide, innocent eyes kept shaking his head, the triangular cloak making him look like a wriggling zongzi.
Huo Shu said nothing, turning back to leisurely guide his horse, though the loosely held reins tightened slightly, slowing the black horse’s pace.
The horse’s rump outside the curtain was suddenly replaced by an iron-strong waist. Seeing this, Ji Taoyu pursed his lips, first retracting his impolite gaze before silently lowering the curtain.
Huo Shu glanced at the tightly closed curtain now separating them, his brow twitching imperceptibly.
Ji Taoyu leaned back inside the cart, hugging a small pillow stuffed with fabric scraps, using his shoulder to pin down the fluttering curtain.
The cart rocked gently, and he thought about dozing off again. The cold last night had given him a recurring low fever, and he hadn’t slept well, leaving Brother Huangqi to take care of him all night.
He tried dozing left and right but couldn’t fall asleep.
The cart was stuffy, and the longer he stayed inside, the more stifling it became. Eventually, he lifted the curtain again.
Yet the man on horseback was still framed in the window.
Recalling their encounter on the main road, Taoyu’s curiosity got the better of him. He murmured, “Are you from the north, Warrior?”
Huo Shu was idly taking in the scenery of Tongzhou city amid the clamor of breakfast vendors when he heard a soft voice distinctly different from the coarse shouts around him.
But he didn’t turn his head or glance sideways.
“Mn.”
Ji Taoyu’s eyes lifted in surprise, he hadn’t expected the man to hear his whisper amid the noise. But he really was stern.
“Grandfather mentioned you’re looking for someone. Did you come south specifically for that?”
“Never been to the south before. I thought I’d check it out.”
“Tongzhou has plenty of food and entertainment. Once you find the person, you should take the chance to explore.”
“Mn.”
There it was again.
Ji Taoyu blinked at the man, who still hadn’t turned his head. He wondered who this person was searching for, if it was someone from their village, he might know something.
But the man didn’t seem keen on conversation, so Ji Taoyu decided not to pry.
Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the man might still be upset with him from yesterday.
After a moment’s hesitation, he said softly, “My name is Ji Taoyu.”
Huo Shu suddenly turned his head. Their eyes met, and Ji Taoyu’s breath hitched. He quickly hid his face behind the pillow and retreated into the cart.
But this time he didn’t close the curtain.
Huo Shu’s lips parted slightly, but noticing they had already left the city, the noise around them fading, he glanced at Huang Yinsheng driving the cart ahead and decided against speaking further.
Donkey carts weren’t as fast as horses, but walking to Mingxun Village would take just over an hour, while the cart made it in less than half that time.
No comments:
Post a Comment