Pet Ancient Husband

Chapter 13: (Fire Yan's Lower Chapter)

Standing on the streets of what was once the Chiyan Dynasty and is now a territory of the Shengyuan Dynasty, I reminisced about the bustling and harmonious streets of the past. The market was filled with people, the shouts of enthusiastic vendors, and the playful laughter of children chasing each other. Everyone's face was a picture of happiness. But now, although the streets are still crowded, the vibrant red that once defined them is gone.

"Move it, move it! Hmph! A despicable Chi Nu dares to block my way. Where is your master? How does he teach his servants?" My thoughts were interrupted by the insulting voices behind me. I slowly turned my head, hiding the murderous intent in my eyes.

"Master! What a beauty!" A servant, dressed in shabby clothes, said to a man beside him who was fat and dressed in gaudy jewelry. The man leered at me. "I didn't expect to find such a pretty one among the Chi Nu. Why are you wearing men's clothes?" He frowned. "No matter, hehe! I don't mind. It's like trying something new." He walked up to me and reached out his fat hand to touch my face, speaking obscenely. A strong wave of anger surged inside me. I clenched my fists, but then remembered my master's words: I must not show my martial arts skills in public. I relaxed my hands and pretended to be scared.

"Look at this shy and charming face. With such a pretty face, if you just listen to me, I'll take good care of you, ha～" The man laughed wildly, patting my face. "Take her back to the mansion!" He then swaggered forward.

Two servants immediately came over and grabbed my hands, following the man. We didn't walk far before I was taken to a red gate with the word "Zhu Mansion" hanging high above it. I inwardly sneered, "What a fitting name for a pig's house!" Entering the mansion, I was met with a scene of vulgarity. I didn't pay attention; instead, I planned my revenge.

Suppressing my hatred, I changed into the women's clothes prepared by the man. What a perverted, lecherous pig! After changing, a timid maid came over and applied makeup for me. Once done, she left, probably to inform the lecher.

I waited quietly. The door creaked open, and the fat man waddled towards me. I pretended to be scared and hid behind the bed. When he wasn't looking, I slipped out the door. I calculated that he would send people to chase me. I nimbly dodged the oncoming servants, careful not to reveal my martial arts skills, and ran towards the main gate. I led them at a speed just fast enough to keep them chasing me into the nearby forest. That would be their grave, though it would tarnish the tranquil greenery.

"Stop right there, you wretched slave. When I catch you, I'll break your legs," the pursuers shouted.

The bustling street had been replaced by a green forest. I glanced around; there was no one in sight. I slowed down, knowing that once I went deeper, it would be time to deal with them. A cruel smile crept onto my face. Suddenly, a white figure appeared before me—it was a girl. I was startled and about to warn her to leave when she rushed to me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me into a crevice between two large rocks by the river. Without a word, she stripped off a layer of my outer clothing and threw it into the river. I stared at her in astonishment. She was beautiful! I looked down at her petite figure, which only reached my chest. A wave of protectiveness washed over me. Her small face was framed by lively eyes, long eyelashes fluttering, a delicate nose, and a pair of pink, pouting lips that were now panting from her run. Her light scent filled my nostrils. Strangely, she wore clothes I had never seen before, revealing a bit of her chest. A warmth spread through my lower body, and I forcibly suppressed it with my inner strength. What was happening to me? Just looking at her face caused a physical reaction. Where had my years of self-control gone? I wondered what kind of girl she was, so calm and unafraid in such a situation, with no suspicion of a stranger and dressed so oddly.

The men outside the crevice saw the floating clothes and left in a huff. I was still stunned, but she seemed to sense my gaze. She looked down at her chest, pulled up her collar nonchalantly, and said, "We're both women, it's okay!" Then she ran out.

She sat on the grass by the stream and patted the spot next to her. "Sit down and rest for a bit. Who were those people? Why were they chasing you?" She looked up at me with her delicate face.

She seemed to have mistaken me for a woman. I was hesitant about how to explain without startling her when she apologized, thinking I was mute. She asked if I could write, and I instinctively nodded. A strand of hair fell onto my face, and she brushed it away. For a moment, I was stunned, and she seemed startled by her own action, her hand frozen in place. My heart skipped a beat. At that moment, I knew she was the woman destined for me.

Suddenly, she looked puzzled and a bit scared, as if she had been frightened. She nervously asked, "What dynasty is it now?" I was confused but wrote "Shengyuan Dynasty" on the ground. Her expression grew even more tense, as if she was truly frightened. "What... what year is it?" She looked up at me hopefully.

I wrote, "Shengyuan 1011."

She paused, then grabbed my hand urgently. "It's not 2007 now, right? Have you heard of China?"

I shook my head in confusion. Although I had been out of the valley for a short time, I knew a lot about the outside world, but I had never heard of the place she mentioned. Her eyes dimmed, and her beautiful face was filled with despair. Looking at her teary, lovely face, I felt an inexplicable heartache. I reached out and patted her shoulder, wanting to let her know I would always be by her side. She looked up at me and gave me a bright smile, warming my heart. I knew that to keep that happy smile on her face, I would willingly give my life.

She told me her name was Ruo'er. When she spoke of the origin of her name, a hint of sadness crossed her face. Suddenly, she noticed the color of my hair and said she liked it. I pointed to my hair and asked if she didn't mind. She feigned curiosity and asked why she should. I told her my story, and to my surprise, she looked at me with determination and said, "I will protect you." Seeing her resolute expression despite her disheveled appearance, my heart was deeply warmed.

Suddenly, her stomach growled, and she playfully scolded it for not choosing a better time to protest. For the first time in eleven years, I felt the urge to smile. She complimented my beauty, unaware of how breathtakingly beautiful she looked at that moment.

I took her hand and led her out of the woods. The whispers of the people around us froze my expression. She seemed to sense it and gave me a reassuring look. Passing by a pawnshop, she stopped and pawned her hair accessory for a large sum of silver. She made a funny face at me, worried that the shopkeeper wouldn't give her the money. I shook my head, amused by her playful face, and told her that such things didn't happen in the Shengyuan Dynasty. I had to admit that the emperor of Shengyuan Dynasty had some remarkable qualities.

With the silver note in hand, she didn't rush to buy food. Instead, she wanted me to take her to the best tailor's shop to buy men's clothes. I felt a bit guilty, wondering if she had already guessed my identity. She playfully pulled down my face and said it would be more convenient to wear men's clothes. What kind of environment had shaped such an extraordinary woman? I was grateful to fate for bringing her into my life. Her presence filled the emptiness in my heart and made my life complete.

When we arrived at the largest tailor's shop in the Shengyuan Dynasty, "Nei Shang Fang," we were blocked by a disdainful gatekeeper. I was worried that she would be treated poorly, but she unexpectedly retorted to the servant with dignity. Her words drew many people's attention, including the third young master of the Rong family, one of the three wealthiest families in Shengyuan Dynasty. He was an outstanding man, and his possessiveness towards Ruo'er was obvious.

After settling the matter with Ah Fu, he offered to buy us everything we liked as an apology. It was truly a generous gesture from a wealthy family. Everyone knew that anything from "Nei Shang Fang" was worth a fortune, yet he gave it to us so readily