Chapter 158: Past Events, and Xie Yan (3)

Xie Yan saw Shen Shuangning return with a deathly pale face and asked, "What happened?"

The room had no lights; they could only barely see each other's expressions by moonlight.

Shen Shuangning's voice trembled as she repeated the conversation she had overheard.

"... They actually eat people; this is too terrifying."

After hearing her words, Xie Yan was not particularly surprised and said slowly, "If they made a living from ordinary hunting, the house should be full of animal hides and drying meat jerky. But here they only have a few low-quality hides, and the stove shows no signs of processing game."

"Besides, we've crossed the mountains all the way and haven't even seen a wild rabbit; how could this barren mountain have enough living creatures to sustain them through winter? It's not hard to guess what they live on."

"Moreover, food is scarce in winter, yet they killed a chicken to entertain strangers—what kind of generous household does that?"

"Besides, this house is drafty on all sides, its furnishings are shabby; it looks nothing like a place to receive guests, more like a pen for raising piglets. They certainly aren't the first to have lived here."

Shen Shuangning's face grew paler and paler; she unconsciously hugged herself, as if that could dispel the chill that had seeped into her bones.

Seeing her so frightened, Xie Yan said no more, only in a gentle voice: "Don't be afraid; just pretend you know nothing, first keep them calm. Did you bring the herbs?"

Shen Shuangning then remembered she had come to steal something; she nodded and poured out a messy heap of herbs from her sleeve.

She thought Xie Yan wanted the herbs to treat her injury, but he picked through them, selected two stalks, and then patiently said to her.

"This stalk is dodder grass; it looks ordinary, but it is actually a natural anesthetic."

Xie Yan then picked up another stalk bearing small white flowers and continued, "This is orchid grass; it has a fresh fragrance, and drinking it as tea can calm the spirit. Tomorrow go to the kitchen, boil water, steep this orchid grass, and drink it—make sure the mistress sees you."

Shen Shuangning froze, blinked, and asked, "Let her see? Why?"

"If she asks, you say it's a complexion‑preserving remedy commonly used by noble ladies of Jingcheng; given how she's been sizing up your appearance, she'll surely be curious." Xie Yan said.

Shen Shuangning said, "You mean… let her also want to drink it?"

Xie Yan nodded: "Exactly."

Shen Shuangning asked again, "And what about that old man?"

Xie Yan said, "I have my own way; just listen to me..."

Shen Shuangning had never done such a scheming thing before; she felt both nervous and afraid.

After Xie Yan finished explaining the plan in detail, he clutched the quilt and got off the bed, but as soon as he rose he couldn't help coughing a few times.

Seeing this, Shen Shuangning hurriedly called out to him, "You're sick; don't go sleep over there—this bed is small, but we can squeeze in."

She shifted over on the bed, making half a space free.

Xie Yan turned to look at her, fell silent for a moment, then did not approach, merely saying softly, "Men and women should keep apart; it's improper."

Hearing this, Shen Shuangning couldn't help wondering: This person is strange—earlier, in the mountains, we slept out in the wind and dew, leaning on each other for warmth, and he never once said it was improper.

Now she didn't mind it, but this grown man was acting all coy, insisting on strict gender boundaries, which made her seem improper instead.

Or perhaps he's already married? That's why he minds?

As for the man before her, Shen Shuangning knows little about him and doesn't wish to delve deeper.

She probed with a question: "You… are you married? Do you have a wife?"

Xie Yan replied, "No."

Shen Shuangning breathed a sigh of relief, seeing him stand still, and then took the initiative to gather the quilt: "How about this—tonight I'll sleep over there, you take the bed."

Xie Yan said nothing and let her do as she wished.

The night passed uneventfully.

The next day, snow was still falling, blanketing the entire mountaintop thick and solid.

Following the plan, Shen Shuangning steeped orchid grass in hot water and drank it; the old aunt saw this and, sure enough, became curious.

Shen Shuangning then told her it was a complexion‑preserving secret used by noble ladies of Jingcheng, adding embellishments that she used to have a face full of blemishes, and only by drinking this religiously every day did she achieve her current appearance.

Since every woman loves beauty, the old aunt, who already envied Shen Shuangning's looks, saw her skin was smooth and supple, heard her speak with confidence, and immediately believed most of it.

Over the next two days, she indeed drank orchid grass water each day; her complexion did become somewhat ruddier—whether it was an illusion or not, even the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes seemed to have faded a little.

Moreover, with Shen Shuangning praising her as looking ten or more years younger, she instantly came to fully believe in this "beauty secret."

The old aunt, beaming from the praise, said, "This orchid grass used to grow all over the mountains; who would have thought it had such benefits? It's only people like you from Jingcheng who know how to make use of it."

As she spoke, the aunt glanced at the silly boy sitting on the threshold chewing his fingers, her gaze darkened, and she asked, "I don't suppose you have any other secret recipes, miss?"

Shen Shuangning also glanced at the simpleton and replied, "Which aspect are you interested in?"

These past few days, the wind and snow have been fierce; the old man can't go out hunting, so he's currently up on the roof repairing it.

The aunt pulled Shen Shuangning aside and whispered, "It's the secret for bearing sons."

Shen Shuangning feigned hesitation: "This……"

Seeing an opportunity, the aunt shoved a pancake into Shen Shuangning's embrace and said, "I won't hide it from you—this boy Gou Sheng… you've seen him; I just want to have another normal, healthy son who can support us in our old age."

"You newlyweds are so lovey‑dovey," the aunt leaned in, lowering her voice further, "Surely your elders must have passed down the secret for bearing sons? To be frank, I already heard the noises from your room last night—the walls are thin; it's impossible not to hear."

Even though she knew that night was just an act, Shen Shuangning, as an unmarried lady who had not yet left her chambers, couldn't withstand such teasing.

The maiden's face instantly flushed red.

At that moment, a gaze fell from beneath the eaves.

Xie Yan's injury had mostly healed, though his complexion remained pallid; he was now standing under the corridor to catch some air.

He stood tall and straight, graceful as jade; even in the plainest clothes, his warm, serene aura remained undiminished, and there in the swirling snow he resembled a proud plum blossom defying the frost, possessing its own noble bearing.

Shen Shuangning looked his way and happened to meet his deep eyes.

The maiden's face was crimson, her brows and eyes still tinged with unabated shyness; against the wind and snow she glowed like a peach blossom in March.

A strange feeling stirred in Xie Yan's heart; his fingers twitched slightly, then he forced himself to look away.

"The elders in my family did mention a few things, but this requires the man's cooperation..." Shen Shuangning withdrew her gaze and said to the aunt.

The simpleton Gou Sheng was especially fond of playing with Xie Yan; every dawn he would run outside to wait for him to come out.

At first the old man would stop him, and each time Gou Sheng tried to approach Xie Yan he would sternly shout, "Come back!"

After all, in his eyes Xie Yan was merely "food" to be slaughtered; there was no need to let his son have too much contact with him.

Although Gou Sheng was stupid, he was terribly afraid of his father; whenever he was scolded, he would feel wronged and shrink his neck, shuffling back into the room, looking back three times with each step.

Only after he discovered that Xie Yan had actually taught Gou Sheng to read did his attitude toward Xie Yan become much kinder, and he no longer hindered Gou Sheng.

Xie Yan thus became Gou Sheng's 'teacher'.

Gou Sheng grew ever more attached to Xie Yan, even during meals stuffing the wild fruit from his own bowl into Xie Yan's and stammering, 'Teacher, eat.'

Xie Yan never refused, smiling as he accepted it.

Seeing this, Gou Sheng's parents felt relieved and gradually let down their guard toward Xie Yan.

That day, as Gou Sheng was writing crooked characters with a twig in the courtyard, Xie Yan stood nearby watching; Shen Shuangning happened to go back inside; Gou Sheng looked up, glanced, and then whispered to Xie Yan:

"Wife... Gou Sheng's wife!" he said, his tone rather proud.

"Is that so?" Xie Yan said, hands behind his back, smiling faintly, "A toad wants to eat swan meat. What makes you think you deserve it?"

Gou Sheng didn't understand what it meant, but seeing the teacher smile, he also laughed foolishly: "Wife... beautiful... my... oh!"

Xie Yan kicked Gou Sheng from behind, and Gou Sheng fell flat on his face.

Thus they passed seven days in peace.

On the morning of the seventh day, Xie Yan opened the window; a cold wind bore fresh air inside, bringing the particular chill that follows snow.

He gazed at the white snow illuminated by sunlight outside the window and softly said, "The snow has stopped; the sun has come out."

Shen Shuangning was curled up in the blankets, lazing in bed, only half her head showing, her black hair spread over the pillow.

As early as three or four days before, after she had slept on that grass pile and been bitten by some unknown small insects, her body broke out in red and swollen bumps that were itchy and painful, so she returned to bed to sleep.

Although the two had shared a bed and pillow for several days, they still kept their distance, each covering themselves with their own blanket.

Upon hearing Xie Yan say "The snow has stopped," Shen Shuangning, who was still lazing in bed, bolted upright and instantly became fully awake.

The snow stopping meant they could soon leave this place.

At the same time, it also meant that those two man-eating demons were preparing to strike.