The next morning, Jiang Chenghan woke up on time as usual, but with a warm and fragrant beauty in his arms—and given how rare it was to feel so relaxed and comfortable after nearly a month—he couldn’t help but indulge a little in the cozy warmth of the bed. He allowed himself this small luxury, holding Yan Jingshu as they slept in for once. By the time they both finally woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
"Let’s not cook today. We’ll eat out, and I’ll take you around the city to get familiar with it," Jiang Chenghan said to Yan Jingshu, who was getting dressed after they got up.
"Alright." Yan Jingshu was already familiar with Ningcheng, but he wouldn’t refuse Jiang Chenghan’s suggestion. Besides, no matter where they went or what they did, as long as he was with Jiang Chenghan, it was fine.
Compared to the capital, Ningcheng was naturally small—not even half its size—but it still had its own bustling streets and shops. Worried that Yan Jingshu might be hungry, Jiang Chenghan first took him to the city’s best restaurant—Xian Ke Lai.
[仙客来 (xiān kè lái): immortal guests arrive]
Though it wasn’t peak dining hours, the manager, having opened the doors, naturally wouldn’t turn customers away. Jiang Chenghan assumed Yan Jingshu would prefer a private room for quiet, but in the end, Yan Jingshu chose a table by the window in the main hall and ordered a few signature dishes from the waiter.
While waiting, Jiang Chenghan began introducing Ningcheng to Yan Jingshu, occasionally sharing amusing anecdotes from his time there. Yan Jingshu listened with fascination, finding it all quite entertaining.
Since there weren’t many customers at the time, their food arrived quickly. The two, feeling hungry by then, ate leisurely without much conversation. As they ate, Jiang Chenghan subtly noted which dishes Yan Jingshu ate more of, which he barely touched, and which he avoided entirely, committing it all to memory.
After leaving the restaurant, they strolled through the streets. Since Xi Muyuan and the others wouldn’t arrive in Ningcheng for some time, they needed to buy daily necessities. Additionally, someone was needed at home to handle chores like cleaning and laundry. Once Jiang Chenghan’s marital leave ended, he’d have to resume his duties and wouldn’t be home often to do much work, and Yan Jingshu wasn’t suited for heavy labor either, so they’d have to hire some help.
As they shopped, they left deposits and addresses with the shops to have their purchases delivered home since carrying everything wasn’t convenient. Then, they headed to the yahang.
[牙行 (yá háng): A historical Chinese brokerage agency that mediated transactions, including the hiring of servants, laborers, and the sale of goods (e.g., livestock, property). While it arranged contracts for indentured servants, it was distinct from outright slave trading, operating under government-regulated terms.]
Recalling the two people Jiang Chenghan had arranged for him in his past life, Yan Jingshu told the yahang manager he wanted two shuang’ers around fourteen or fifteen years old, preferably brothers, who were literate and not too unattractive.
This stumped the manager. Shuang’ers were already rare, let alone a pair of literate brothers. After much thought, he couldn’t think of anyone who fit the criteria and had to apologize, instead recommending a few candidates who met some of Yan Jingshu’s requirements.
Yan Jingshu had come specifically for those brothers, so he was disappointed. But since he’d arrived in Ningcheng months earlier than before, perhaps that was why things had changed. He didn’t insist and gave up on his original plan for now, settling instead for hiring an honest and capable middle-aged couple recommended by the manager to handle household chores.
Leaving the yahang, they headed home since they’d already bought everything they needed. On the way, they passed a stall selling roasted chestnuts.
The fragrant aroma caught Yan Jingshu’s attention, and Jiang Chenghan noticed, walking over to buy a bag. Yan Jingshu felt a little embarrassed, thinking that at his age, he shouldn’t be craving snacks meant for children. But when Jiang Chenghan peeled a chestnut and held it out to him, he couldn’t resist, opening his mouth to take it directly. The sweet, soft flavor of the chestnut instantly spread in his mouth.
The chestnut was quite large, puffing out Yan Jingshu’s cheek slightly as he chewed, making him look like a greedy little squirrel. Jiang Chenghan couldn’t help but smile, but the lingering warmth and dampness on his fingers from feeding Yan Jingshu darkened his gaze for a fleeting moment.
Keeping his expression neutral, Jiang Chenghan continued peeling chestnuts for Yan Jingshu. After eating a few, Yan Jingshu grew embarrassed and tried peeling one for Jiang Chenghan in return. But whether it was his clumsiness or the chestnut’s stubborn shell, he not only failed to peel it but also cut his finger deeply on the sharp edge, leaving a glaring red mark.
Jiang Chenghan quickly tossed the chestnut aside and carefully inspected Yan Jingshu’s hand, relieved to see no bleeding. After that, he refused to let Yan Jingshu peel any more chestnuts.
Yan Jingshu couldn’t wrestle the bag away from Jiang Chenghan, so he had no choice but to obey. Still, he couldn’t bear to be the only one eating and insisted Jiang Chenghan have some too.
They took turns eating until the bag was nearly empty, just as they reached their doorstep. There, Yan Jingshu spotted a young woman, about seventeen or eighteen, dressed in plain hemp clothing yet still exuding a delicate beauty, standing at their gate as if she’d been waiting for a long time.
The moment Yan Jingshu and Jiang Chenghan noticed her, she saw them too. Yan Jingshu clearly observed how her eyes brightened when they landed on Jiang Chenghan—only to freeze the instant she noticed Yan Jingshu beside him.
Yan Jingshu was certain he’d never seen this woman in his past life. Pressing his lips together, he turned a questioning gaze toward Jiang Chenghan.
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