Chapter 2

All the servants were knocked to the ground.

Xiao Wanling cleared her throat. “Are you Brother Shen?”

Shen Qing stopped mid-motion. He gave one last kick to the thug nearest him, then nodded.

The girl before him wore a white short jacket over a pale green skirt. Her long black hair was loosely tied at the back with a branch of forsythia. She looked like a solitary gardenia blooming in the early morning mist of the mountains.

Only up close did he notice several claw-like scratches across her face and bruises circling her neck.

Shen Qing’s heart twisted with guilt. “I’m sorry! I came too late!”

Suddenly, he turned, grabbed one of the fallen servants by the collar, and punched him hard enough to knock out a tooth. Then he shouted, “You’re going to the authorities! You dare lay hands on a woman—are you animals?!”

The servant, dazed but still conscious, figured going to the authorities was better than getting beaten to death. Besides, their contract of sale was already in the master’s hands. This big oaf wouldn’t be able to pull any tricks and would likely end up compensating them for their troubles.

Shen Qing bent down to speak softly to Xiao Wanling, but as his eyes scanned her again, his face darkened. He strode toward the servants once more, fists clenching audibly.

“You abducted a decent woman, stole her money, and tried to force her into prostitution! And you dared to do it on the Prince Jin’s land?”

His words carried a chilling weight. The scent of blood still lingered, and his aura exuded killing intent. The servants sensed danger and immediately turned to flee.

Even the Prince Jin was mentioned—they were definitely not sticking around for an official visit. Their boss, Madam Xu, may have bribed a few people, but their business was shady. And this wasn’t even their turf.

Shen Qing caught two of the fleeing servants and knocked them unconscious.

The town was more than sixty miles away, and judging from the worn soles of Xiao Wanling’s shoes, she could barely walk. Better to go to the local village head instead.

Shen Qing grabbed the two black-and-blue servants and set off quickly. Xiao Wanling had to grit her teeth to keep up, her mind racing to come up with a believable backstory.

The troublesome part was that Madam Xu’s people still had her contract of sale.

“We’re here!”

Her thoughts were cut off as Shen Qing pushed open the door.

A group of villagers had gathered and curiously stared at Xiao Wanling.

“Who are you? We have never seen you before.”

A boy of around five, with two braids and a chubby face, tilted his head as he looked at her. His big, bright eyes made him look adorably innocent.

Xiao Wanling replied gently, “I came to find Shen Qing.”

Xue Cui, sharp-tongued and hostile, snapped, “Don’t talk to her! She might be a kidnapper!”

The little boy frowned. “But Auntie, she’s so pretty—why would someone that pretty want to kidnap kids?”

Xue Cui scowled. “Pretty women are all bad!”

Xiao Wanling felt the hostility and was baffled. “Don’t go poisoning children’s minds like that.”

Xue Cui glared at her. Normally, whether children or young wives, anyone would be frightened with that glare and would shrink back in fear.

But Xiao Wanling rolled her eyes right back at her.

That really enraged Xue Cui. And from that moment on, their grudge was born.

In this village, women wore rough linen and hemp clothes. Why should she get to wear fine cotton? With a face that pale and delicate—what was she if not a bad woman?

“Shameless! Pah—”

Xiao Wanling responded, “A filthy heart sees filth in everyone else.”

Xue Cui, backed by a household full of strong brothers, was used to throwing her weight around. Their mother, Mrs. Liu, spoiled them blindly, making her all the more domineering.

Someone in the crowd who didn’t get along with Xue Cui murmured, “She’s right.”

That humiliated Xue Cui even more. She lunged, fingers reaching to scratch Xiao Wanling’s face.

Shen Qing walked out at just that moment. He saw Xue Cui spit at his future wife and raise her hand to strike.

He stepped in front of Xiao Wanling, grabbed Xue Cui’s hand, and flung her aside.

She fell hard on her backside. Laughter erupted around her. Her face turned beet red with rage and embarrassment.

Worse, Shen Qing had dared to lay hands on her.

“Shen Qing! You hit me?! I’m telling my parents!”

She scrambled up and ran off crying. Her little nephew, knowing she was going to lodge a dramatic complaint, quickly followed her home.

Shen Qing turned to Xiao Wanling and said softly, “The village head would like to speak with you.”

Xiao Wanling nodded and followed him inside.

The village head and his wife had silver hair on their temples, had kind eyes, and wore simple homespun clothing.

Shen Qing threw the two unconscious men on the floor and closed the door.

A candle lit the room. The village head took out two pieces of jade and fit them together perfectly. The dragon and phoenix design matched seamlessly.

His wife smiled and said, “A perfect pair, no mistake about it.”

This was their acknowledgment of her. Xiao Wanling finally let out a breath of relief.

The village head gave a small nod. “It’s a shame your parents are gone. Qishan Village is in dire need of a doctor. You’ve been immersed in medicine since young—do study well and carry on your late mother’s craft.”

Xiao Wanling’s heart jumped, but she smiled and nodded, silently accepting the role.

The village head’s wife came closer, examining her carefully. “Lady Xiao is a real beauty! Shen Qing may be a bit rough, but he’s a good man. Let’s keep what happened today quiet. It’s not good for a young lady’s reputation. Shen Qing—now that you’re getting married, don’t be too rough anymore.”

Shen Qing gave a solemn nod, mentally taking it to heart. He pleaded with the village head to help prepare her identification documents as soon as possible and get them registered with the local authorities.

The village head accepted the payment, then quickly gathered a few clansmen and dragged the two servants away.

The village head’s wife smiled and invited them to stay for dinner.

Shen Qing declined. He brought Xiao Wanling home. Before long, word had spread through the entire village: Shen Qing was marrying a beautiful wife.

Shen Qing lived on the mountainside behind the village. His house sat on a flat patch of land. It looked like it had been abandoned for some time. Weeds grew up to their waists.

He paused mid-step and signaled for Xiao Wanling to stay quiet.

He had locked the door before leaving, but now it stood ajar. No one usually came here.

Shen Qing entered quickly and checked under the bed. The small jar he had used to store savings was gone.

Ten taels of silver, half a guan in cash, some dried meat, and valuable pelts—all of it had been stolen. It had taken him so long to save up that much. To say he wasn’t heartbroken would’ve been a lie.

He already had a suspect in mind.

Footsteps sounded outside, along with a nervous voice: “Something missing? Is the money still there?”

Xiao Wanling had just seen him give the village head two taels of silver—everything here needed greasing and bribes.

Shen Qing muttered, “Gone. I’ll earn it again.”

Xiao Wanling suspected the theft was somehow connected to her. “There are still things in the mountains we can sell. I’ll go with you and help.”

The wind blew. The wooden house creaked. The window showed signs of being pried open, the shutters already broken.

Inside, there was only one bed, one table, and a single stool.

In a dusty corner sat a wooden basin. There were no cloths or water—no signs of a kitchen fire either.

Xiao Wanling cleared her throat. “Where’s the water jar?”

After his parents died, the village people had mocked Shen Qing as a wild child. Over time, he avoided others and rarely left the mountain.

He had only come down this time to pay the military tax and had stumbled upon the chaos by chance. He couldn’t bear to imagine what might’ve happened to her had he arrived too late.

Xiao Wanling saw him dazed and guessed he was still upset about the money. “Where’s the water jar? Is there water here?”

He snapped out of it and took the basin. “I’ll go fetch some. You rest.”

Xiao Wanling was relieved. The mountain trails were rough so her legs were aching. She swept the dust off the bed with straw and sat down.

Shen Qing went back and forth several times, filling the water jar behind the house. He brought in a basin of water and placed it on the table.

Xiao Wanling tore a piece off her skirt and wiped her face.

Then she scrubbed the table and bed. When she stepped out to dump the water, she saw Shen Qing starting a fire with three large stones as a makeshift stove.

They ate grilled fish—charred and fragrant, though unsalted. Not delicious, but edible. Shen Qing finished the remaining three and even gnawed the tail she had left.

Xiao Wanling quietly took note: Easy to feed. Easy to live with.

Shen Qing shaved wild grass to dry in the sun, caught more fish to smoke, and cut two wrist-thick bamboo tubes. They each busied themselves with their own tasks.

Xiao Wanling weeded and patched the window with hemp rope.

In the grass, she found a stone mill and some pottery jars.

She boiled water in a clay pot, added wood ash and chopped mulberry leaves with Shen Qing’s knife then she wrapped the boiled leaves in cloth, squeezed and filtered them out while mixing it in the lye water. Then she boiled it, and let it sit to cool.

Shen Qing watched in awe as she turned ordinary leaves into Immortal Tofu.

Xiao Wanling cut the tofu into cubes and mentioned she’d look for honey or other seasonings in the forest—maybe gather some wild greens.

Shen Qing pushed down his curiosity. Glancing at her shortened skirt hem, he said, “It’s too late. Mountain roads are dangerous at night. I’ll go tomorrow. You should rest.”

Xiao Wanling was already exhausted. She yawned. Her clothes clung with sweat and carried a sour smell.

She saw Shen Qing wash his face and arms outside, then dumped a basin of water over his head and dried off before carrying a bundle of hay back inside to sleep.

She didn’t want to just wipe down with a basin. “Brother Shen, do you have a bathtub?”

Shen Qing froze, ears turning red. “No… I’ll buy one tomorrow after I return from the mountains.”

He’d seen weddings in the village from afar—new furniture, new clothes, bedding—he had none of it. Worse, he’d even suspected her.

He set the hay beside the bed. “I’ll take you to the river. We can get a tub later.”

Xiao Wanling tugged at her sticky clothes. “Life will get better. We’ll work hard together.”

Shen Qing’s nose tingled. Not wanting her to see, he walked quickly ahead.

The golden sun had dipped beyond the mountains, casting orange hues across the sky.

From a distance, Shen Qing stood guard at the trailhead.

Behind the willow trees, Xiao Wanling undressed and slipped into the river, washing her body. The water, warmed by the sun, felt comforting.

She rinsed her hair, refreshed and clean, then draped her short jacket over her wet clothes.

Back at the house, Shen Qing started a fire for her. She had no spare clothes.

Xiao Wanling chewed on a blade of grass, fanned out her skirt to help it dry faster.

Shen Qing turned away, washed her jacket clean, and hurried back inside to hang it up.

When her clothes were finally dry, she buried the fire under ash and returned to the house by moonlight. Shen Qing had already fallen asleep.

She climbed into bed and fell asleep instantly.

The creaky wooden bed let out a groan and fell silent. In the darkness, Shen Qing opened his eyes.

He turned to look at the figure beside him. Her hair spread over her shoulders, soft breaths escaping her lips.

Shen Qing’s thoughts churned.

She knew how to recognize whitegrass, how to find honey and cornelian cherries, and even how to make Immortal Tofu. How could a girl from the Central Plains know so much?

But he had nothing worth remembering. It felt like all his years had been wasted.

In the stillness of the night, a figure slipped out. The door creaked softly shut.

Xiao Wanling slept until morning. When she awoke, Shen Qing was gone. She dressed in her now-dry clothes.

She used soaked willow twigs to brush her teeth, chewed two sweet whitegrass roots, and made a mental note to dig up more for snacks later.

She made more Immortal Tofu and remembered seeing stevia last night—perfect for syrup. She also wanted more whitegrass.

Xiao Wanling had been so focused on digging that she lost track of time. Only when the sunlight scorched her back did she snap out of it. She quickened her pace, heading home. Had Shen Qing returned yet?

——

The door of the small wooden house was still shut. Shen Qing paused at the doorstep, assuming Xiao Wanling was still asleep. He turned and walked toward the stone stove, thinking he’d roast some fish so it would be ready when she woke.

Then, he caught sight of a pot of Immortal Tofu.

A jolt of panic struck him.

He hurried toward the house and pushed the door open—only to find it empty.

Bitterness rose in his chest.

So she really left…?

Of course—why would someone like her stay and suffer a hard life with someone like him?

Translator’s Note:-   

I have completed the translation of this novel. Regular updates will be 5 chapters a week on every sunday.

If you want to read all the chapters in one go, you can purchase them on my Ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/cupcaketsl or unlock through the coins on this site (as some of my readers were asking if I had an advance chapter thing) 

Immortal Tofu :-