Chapter 19

In the original story’s ending, Chu Yi’s victory over Xiao Changyuan was seventy percent due to fateful opportunities and thirty percent due to winning people’s hearts.
If Chu Yi had not obtained the martial arts inner strength and secret manuals from that reclusive master, he would never have emerged victorious in the end.
Yun Pianpian deeply despised Chu Yi.
Compared to Chu Yi, the current Xiao Changyuan, who obeyed her every wish, was practically an angel.
Moreover, a few days ago, she had used Xiao Changyuan as a poison tester. When he found out, not only was he not angry, but he willingly allowed himself to be bullied by her. She had even nearly caused him to lose a hand.
Recalling these events, Yun Pianpian felt overwhelmingly guilty. Now, she wanted to make amends and atone for her mistakes by helping Xiao Changyuan.
Yun Pianpian remembered that reclusive master lived at the foot of Lingxu Mountain.
It seemed it was time to find an opportunity to bring Xiao Changyuan to Lingxu Mountain to study under a master.
She couldn’t take Xiao Changyuan there immediately, as acting right after seeing the portrait might arouse his suspicion. It would be better to wait until spring, using a spring outing as a pretext to bring him to Lingxu Mountain for sightseeing and, incidentally, to seek apprenticeship.
So now, two tasks lay before Yun Pianpian.
The first task was to continue winning over Xiao Changyuan and become his cherished memory.
The second task was to help Xiao Changyuan obtain the martial arts manual and assist him in defeating Chu Yi.
Both tasks had to be completed within three years, because Xiao Changyuan would regain his memories after that time.
If Xiao Changyuan recovered his memories and discovered she wasn’t his wife, he would surely fly into a rage and annihilate her completely.
Yun Pianpian could only hope that, once Xiao Changyuan regained his memories, he would spare her life, or at least grant her an intact corpse, out of gratitude for helping him acquire the martial arts manual.
Thinking this, Yun Pianpian couldn’t help but feel like a far, sighted little genius.
She was even leaving herself a way out…
She truly was remarkable.
Yun Pianpian looked up at the missing person notice.
The man in the portrait was beautiful, yes, but soulless, nothing like Xiao Changyuan.
Ancient portraits, with their simple lines, could only roughly capture facial features and couldn’t accurately replicate someone’s likeness.
With such a vague portrait, it would be a miracle if anyone could find Xiao Changyuan…
Yun Pianpian felt reassured.
The two bought many daily necessities at the market and waited for Xie Yu at the agreed, upon spot. Xie Yu didn’t join them until late afternoon, handing over the money from selling the game to Yun Pianpian with a cheerful smile. “This makes three hundred coins in total, Sister Pianpian. You can count it if you like.”
Yun Pianpian and Xiao Changyuan had once sold game at the town market, where a whole basket had only fetched one hundred coins. Yet Xie Yu had managed to double that amount today, it seemed he really had some skill.
Yun Pianpian handed Xie Yu thirty coins. “This is your commission.”
Xie Yu accepted it with a grin. “Thank you, Sister Pianpian.”
The three of them rode back to Jiangjia Village on Xie Yu’s ox cart.
Yun Pianpian moved the supplies into the kitchen and began washing the hawthorn berries, removing their stems, and skewering the cleaned berries on bamboo sticks.
As a food expert, she naturally knew how to make candied hawthorns.
Candied hawthorns are best when made fresh and sold immediately. Worried about making mistakes, she decided to try making a batch today. If they turned out delicious, she would prepare a fresh batch tomorrow morning to sell in the county town.
Xiao Changyuan helped Yun Pianpian light the fire in the stove.
Yun Pianpian poured rock sugar and water into the pot and brought it to a boil over high heat. As the water gradually evaporated, the sugar began to bubble. She stirred for a while, cooking for roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn, until all the sugar had melted into a thick syrup.
She dipped a chopstick into the syrup and pulled out a transparent thread. Placing the chopstick into a small bowl of cold water, the syrup on it cooled and turned into a brittle candy, indicating the syrup was ready.
She poured sesame seeds into the pot, stirred them evenly, then dipped a skewer of hawthorns into the syrup, quickly lifting it out. The hawthorn berries were now coated in a layer of sesame, studded syrup, glistening like amber and looking incredibly appetizing.
Placing the finished candied hawthorns on the cutting board to cool, she worked swiftly and soon completed all of them. She even came up with the idea of making two skewers of candied tangerines. The bright orange tangerines paired with the vibrant red hawthorns made one’s mouth water.
Yun Pianpian took a bite of the candied hawthorn.
The sugar shell was crisp, the fruit soft and chewy, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour. The refreshing sweetness filled her mouth, leaving a lingering fragrance on her lips and teeth.
Yun Pianpian closed her eyes in delight, her almond, shaped eyes curving into crescents as she lavished praise on her own cooking skills.
“Heavens! How am I so good at making candied hawthorns?!”
Xiao Changyuan had always thought his wife enjoyed complimenting him.
He never expected her to be just as generous with self, praise.
Yun Pianpian eagerly handed a fresh skewer of candied hawthorn to Xiao Changyuan’s lips.
“Husband, try it quickly! It’s really delicious!”
Seeing the sparkle in Yun Pianpian’s eyes, Xiao Changyuan opened his mouth and took a bite of the candied hawthorn.
He didn’t like sweets, in fact, he could even say he disliked them.
But the sweets made by his wife seemed a little less detestable.
Yun Pianpian’s radiant almond eyes gazed at Xiao Changyuan expectantly.
“Isn’t it absolutely delicious?”
Those bright, sparkling eyes were brimming with a warmth and tenderness that seemed ready to overflow at any moment.
Xiao Changyuan felt that no one in this world could possibly disappoint his wife under her hopeful gaze.
“It’s delicious.”
Hearing Xiao Changyuan’s words, a brilliant smile spread across Yun Pianpian’s delicate face, her expression full of pride.
“I told you! My candied hawthorns are the best in the world!”
The batch of syrup yielded eight skewers of candied hawthorns. She and Xiao Changyuan each ate one, and worried about cavities from eating too many, she gave four skewers to Jiang Cuicui’s family. The remaining two, Yun Pianpian intended to give to Xie Yu.
Xiao Changyuan stopped her, his expression darkening.
“Why are you giving them to Xie Yu?”
He didn’t like Xie Yu and his brother Mu Bai, especially Mu Bai.
The sight of him was irritating.
Yun Pianpian replied matter, of, factly, “We always ride his ox cart. It’s only polite to give him a little gift in return.”
Xiao Changyuan said, “You’re not allowed to give it to him.”
Yun Pianpian frowned. “Why not?”
Xiao Changyuan stared at her for a long time.
After a while, he finally furrowed his brows and said, “Because I like eating them.”
Xiao Changyuan didn’t want to tell Yun Pianpian that he forbade her from giving any to Xie Yu simply because he disliked him.
He was afraid his wife would laugh at him.
Yun Pianpian was taken aback, never expecting the tyrant to have such a sweet tooth.
She earnestly advised him, “But you just had one stick. Eating too many sweets will give you cavities.”
Xiao Changyuan pressed his thin lips together, unwavering in his resolve.
“I want it.”
Yun Pianpian had never imagined that this cruel, bloodthirsty tyrant would be so obsessed with sweets.
Reluctantly, she handed him the two sticks of candied hawthorn and repeatedly reminded him, “Husband, make sure to brush your teeth carefully with a willow twig after eating. If you get a cavity, the pain can be unbearable.”
She spoke with the earnestness of someone who had learned from experience.
Xiao Changyuan looked at her expressionlessly.
“I know.”
As Yun Pianpian began cleaning the kitchen, she turned back and noticed Xiao Changyuan hadn’t touched the candied hawthorn.
“Husband, why haven’t you eaten it yet?”
Hearing this, Xiao Changyuan frowned slightly.
“I’ll eat it right away.”
He took a deep breath.
Slowly raised the bamboo skewer…as if steeling himself for a heroic sacrifice.
He lowered his head and took a bite of the candied hawthorn.
The sweetness of one stick was already the limit of what he could endure in his life.
The taste of the second stick made him feel as though he’d rather die.
After finishing both sticks in utter despair, his handsome face had turned pale, his mind grew somewhat hazy.
With a pallid complexion, he washed up, took off his shoes, climbed into bed, and lay down early, his vision darkening.
When Yun Pianpian climbed into bed later and saw Xiao Changyuan lying there, pale and unconscious, she found it rather strange.
“Why is he sleeping so early today…”