When Xie Queshan and Song Muchuan arrived at the neighborhood, Xie Sui’an’s brawl with the woman had already ended.
The woman across from her had her face scratched, her hair disheveled, and her fine clothes torn. Looking at Xie Sui’an, she also had a bruised and swollen face—not much better off.
To think that she was a close guard to the new monarch, a daughter raised by a great family, yet had gotten into a street fight with a woman. She had stubbornly refrained from using martial arts to bully others, fighting with hands and feet, pulling hair and slapping faces. For a moment, one couldn’t tell if she was a gentleman or a scoundrel.
The woman clearly hadn’t gained any advantage. Though they had been pulled apart, she still pointed at Xie Sui’an’s nose, cursing: “Let’s see which family dares marry a shrew like you! Something raised without a mother’s guidance!”
“What’s it to you? I’m not marrying into your family! Mind your foul mouth! If I hear you spouting nonsense again, I’ll tear your mouth apart!”
At this moment, Xie Sui’an was like a lit firecracker—anyone who touched her would get exploded on.
The accompanying maid dragged and pulled Xie Sui’an away. The two ran straight into Xie Queshan head-on. Song Muchuan was behind them playing the good man, using his most skilled method to coax those women into letting the matter rest.
Xie Sui’an glanced at Xie Queshan, her fierce demeanor obviously deflating at once, but she still ignored him and left with an affected swagger.
“What happened?” Xie Queshan quietly asked the maid.
It turned out that after Xie Sui’an had parted unhappily with Madam Gantang, she had gone out to the streets to clear her head and heard some gossiping women discussing Xie Queshan.
The common people still thought he was a traitor. The Qi soldiers had been completely annihilated, yet they heard he was still alive and well, so their words were quite harsh.
“…I think that kind of person should be torn apart by five horses and executed by slow slicing to satisfy our anger!”
As a result, Xie Sui’an went mad. She couldn’t be stopped and rushed forward to argue with them.
“What kind of person is he? Have you seen him? What do you know! You’re just spouting nonsense here, ruining someone’s reputation!”
“How do I not know! Isn’t he that infamous great traitor? He betrayed so many officers and soldiers, and he still has the face to live? Who are you anyway, speaking up for him? You’re not his lover, are you?!”
“Watch your filthy mouth!”
Then they started quarreling, and after a few disagreeable words, they began fighting in the street.
Xie Queshan was stunned speechless.
Little Six Xie ignored him and gave him no pleasant looks. He had thought she, like those people, wished he would die soon.
He had never imagined that she would actually get into a street fight for his insignificant reputation—clumsy and ridiculous.
Seeing Xie Queshan standing there dazed, Song Muchuan pushed him.
“Hurry up and go coax Little Six.”
Xie Queshan quickly caught up with Little Six. Though she had walked ahead early on, she was walking slowly, being stubborn as hell.
Xie Queshan didn’t know what to say and followed behind her with shortened steps. Suddenly he reached out his hand and, both angry and moved, pressed down on her head.
Xie Sui’an immediately bristled again, turning around huffily to glare at Xie Queshan.
“Don’t think I’ve forgiven you! I’m very hard to coax!”
Her fierce tone was accompanied by a muffled crying voice.
“Who wants to coax you? Don’t be so conceited.” Xie Queshan smiled.
…
The two siblings returned home, where the banquet in the dining hall had already been set.
Xie Jun and Old Madam Xie had both come. It had been a long time since the family had been so complete.
The feast was sumptuous with eight delicacies, steaming hot.
People seemed to be standing in fog, seeing everyone as blurry, with only the clamor from all directions surging forth.
“Oh my, my dear miss, where did you roll around to get covered in all this mud? Where’s your ladylike appearance?”
“Concubine, Sixth Girl definitely went out to fight with someone. You can’t beat her up anymore anyway, so save yourself the effort of nagging.”
“Exactly—I want to sit by the braised pork knuckle. I haven’t had a proper big meal in months. Those days of vegetarian meals and Buddha worship really weren’t fit for humans.”
“Little Six, you mustn’t be disrespectful to Buddha.”
Xie Sui’an stuck out her tongue and slipped over to sit beside Nanyi.
“Third Brother Xie, you sit down too.”
“Chao’en, come.” Xie Jun beckoned to Xie Queshan.
The surroundings suddenly quieted as everyone looked toward Xie Queshan, who was still standing stiffly.
Xie Queshan felt dazed—what evening was this? The fog was dispersing. Across the crowd he saw Nanyi’s face; she sat there distantly.
She was the only guest in this room, but she looked at him with warm eyes.
That was the gaze of loving someone without reservation, like a clear and warm spring that silently enveloped him with moistening care.
This gaze gave him enormous courage—he was someone worthy of being loved.
No more running away, no more pretending. This was his home.
Only then did he realize that all the gazes looking at him were warm. He had just momentarily felt estranged, but the smile on his face quickly became completely natural. Those memories deep in his bones were awakened again, boiling in every corner of his body.
There might have been many grudges in the past that were still hard to dispel upon reflection, but tonight, they could all be temporarily forgotten.
He slowly walked over and took his seat.
The table became lively again, filled with cheerful voices and laughter.