Chapter 343: A Chance Encounter on the Street

The moonlight was so bright it illuminated even the colors of the grass and trees around them. On the primitive dirt road winding through the valley, there were no tall buildings, no neon lights—only the luminous moon above casting its glow. With no other light sources, the scene was serene and dreamlike.

Two figures walked along, the old hen now carried in the Daoist's hands, while the little girl transformed into a calico cat, padding alongside him in small steps. They walked on the main road, flanked by swaying reeds in full bloom, as if traversing a dreamscape.

The calico cat couldn’t help but ask, “Daoist priest, why did you come all the way out here?”

“I just walked here,” Song You replied.

“Why are you following me?”

“You know I love to witness lively events. Since this was your first time exorcizing an evil creature and battling a zombie at night, I couldn’t resist coming to see it for myself.”

“Daoist priests aren’t allowed to lie!”

“Of course.”

“Did you see anything?”

“I saw some of it. Not as clearly as those five who were closer, but I saw enough,” Song You said. “They must have enjoyed the spectacle thoroughly.”

“You saw some of it!”

“Still, it was quite an eye-opener!”

“Quite an eye-opener!”

“Yes, an eye-opener, a feast for the eyes indeed!”

“Then why didn’t you get closer?”

“It’s all because of you.”

“Me?”

The calico cat tilted her head as she walked, looking at him curiously.

“Lady Calico, you’re sharp and suspicious. What if you thought I didn’t trust your abilities?”

“...!”

The calico cat’s expression turned solemn in an instant—

The Daoist had seen right through her!

Lady Calico quickly averted her gaze, refusing to look at him. Her pace quickened as she scurried ahead of him, clearly flustered.

She couldn’t hide her thoughts from him...

She had indeed harbored some doubts about herself. She hadn’t expected him to notice, let alone to pick up on her overly cautious nature. Though she didn’t fully understand what he meant, she was sure it wasn’t a compliment. It felt as though he’d stepped on her tail, and in her panic, she immediately banished the faint trace of doubt from her mind.

After calming down for a while, she turned back and casually said to him, as though nothing had happened, “I trust you the most.”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

“Are you feeling a bit guilty?”

“No, I’m not!”

“Lady Calico, don’t lie to me.”

“I never lie!”

“Alright, then I’ll trust you, just as you trust me.”

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

“Phew...”

The calico cat let out a small sigh of relief, walking ahead to lick her paws as she waited for the Daoist. Then she resumed walking by his side. “So now that you’ve come out, who’s watching over the money we left at home?”

“I asked the neighbor heroine to look after it.”

“Oh...” Lady Calico visibly relaxed again.

The neighbor heroine was a trustworthy person—true to her word and not someone who would steal or cheat. Besides, she’d been quite idle recently, staying at home reading. She was capable and also loved listening to the goings-on next door, so there was no doubt she would keep the money safe.

Of course, the neighbor’s skills weren’t as great as her own.

“Daoist priest, let me tell you, I killed the zombie and will get 30 taels of silver. The villagers also hired another Daoist, but he didn’t do anything. He even said that he would give me all the money they collected.”

“That’s quite a large sum.”

“A very large sum!”

“And what do you plan to do with it?”

“Hide it!”

“Lady Calico, even at such a young age, you already know the importance of saving and managing finances. Truly remarkable,” the Daoist praised without hesitation. “But while saving is good, you should also spend some of it to reward yourself for earning such a big sum. That way, you’ll be even more motivated to earn more in the future.”

“Reward?”

“Treat yourself,” Song You explained. “For example, you could buy two jin of beef or a stick of candied hawthorn.”

“A stick of candied hawthorn!”

“You could even buy two sticks and share one with your student.”

“I’ll buy three sticks! I’ll share one with you!”

“Excellent idea...”

Under the moonlight in the silent, empty world of midnight, the Daoist and the cat walked and talked. They feared neither the long road, the late hour, nor the winter chill. Carefree, they found joy in each other’s company.

By the fifth watch, they had arrived outside the city.

But the gates were still closed at this hour.

Song You had no choice but to huddle under the city wall to rest. He cradled the hen in one arm and the cat in the other, watching as the moon sank below the horizon, the world grew darker, and the brilliant stars filled the sky.

He also saw vendors and traders arriving from various places before dawn, gathering outside the gates. They waited for the city to open while rubbing their hands together for warmth, chatting softly.

At the first crow of the rooster, the city gates opened. The merchants surged in, bringing life and bustle back to Changjing.

While Song You dozed for a brief moment, the cat by his side disappeared. When he saw her again, she had transformed back into her human form, carrying a small bundle of firewood tucked under her arm, walking toward him from a side path.

“...”

The Daoist couldn’t help but sigh. He picked up the hen beside him, took the little girl’s free hand—the one not holding the bundle of firewood—and walked into the city with the morning crowd.

The world at dawn felt brand new.

Anyone who usually slept until noon and happened to venture out early would surely discover a different side of their world. It was the same in this era. The early morning in Changjing was bursting with energy that amazed the Daoist.

Servants from restaurants and taverns bustled to buy the freshest ingredients, competing with the attendants of wealthy households. Young lads carrying hot water or breakfast dashed along the streets, delivering to the homes of some lazy master or mistress. The Daoist silently hoped Lady Calico wouldn’t learn about such ways to earn money, or her study time might shrink even further.

Meanwhile, those who had stayed up all night—whether lingering in brothels and taverns or gambling houses—were now wandering the streets. Some reeked of alcohol, others walked unsteadily, clearly drained.

The two groups mingled as they passed each other in the streets, creating a scene unique to Changjing.

The Daoist and the little girl were different. They hadn’t slept either, but they exuded vitality.

“Steamed cakes! Freshly steamed cakes!”

“Meat buns! Juicy pork buns!”

“Century eggs! Delicious immortal century eggs!”

The cacophony of vendors’ cries filled the air.

The Daoist suddenly stopped, his attention caught by a young woman’s slightly raw voice.

In a corner of an alley, a woman sat bundled in thick clothes. In front of her were two baskets and a clay jar. The jar contained a century egg mixture, one basket held pristine duck eggs, and the other was neatly arranged with wrapped century eggs. Wearing thick gloves, she skillfully wrapped the eggs while occasionally shouting to attract customers.

This was typical of century egg vendors in Changjing. Customers could buy ready-made eggs or bring their own to have them preserved.

This craft wasn’t very common, but century eggs had become popular in the capital, making it a profitable trade.

Through the crowd, Song You carefully observed the woman.

The little girl, one hand holding his, the other clutching the firewood, tilted her head upward to follow his gaze.

The woman appeared to be in her late teens, though her hair was styled in a married woman’s bun, suggesting she was already wed. Her clothing was relatively good—thick, warm, and without patches—better than most passersby. Her face was rosy and healthier-looking than many of the vendors and pedestrians, indicating she was doing reasonably well.

Certainly not badly.

“Hey, sir!” a voice suddenly called out from behind.

Song You turned to see the breakfast shop owner from across the street. The man, holding a bag of groceries, glanced at him and the little girl with surprise before greeting him warmly.

“Good morning.”

“Morning,” Song You replied with a smile.

“Sir, what’s this?” The shopkeeper looked them over, his eyes lingering on the hen in Song You’s hand and the firewood in the little girl’s arms. “Just came back from outside the city?”

“Yes, I made a trip out of town.”

“A trip out of town...”

“I went to a village to help exorcize an evil spirit. The villagers gave me a chicken as thanks. When we got back, the city gates weren’t open yet, so the little one, being frugal, went to gather some firewood instead of spending money to buy it,” Song You explained patiently.

“Why bother saving on such a small amount of firewood? It’s hardly enough to cook a meal.”

Song You agreed inwardly but, with Lady Calico right beside him, he replied, “Saving even a little is worthwhile.”

“And what are you looking at here? You’ve been standing here for quite a while!” the shopkeeper said, following Song You’s gaze to the woman wrapping century eggs. “Thinking of buying some century eggs?”

“I am, a little.”

“That young lady is quite skilled. The century eggs she makes are just right. As long as you follow the time she suggests, or buy the ones she’s already cured, they’re guaranteed to be neither too runny nor too dry. Ever since I started selling century egg porridge, I’ve always bought from her,” the shopkeeper said with a smile.

He added, “She’s hardworking and honest, and her business is thriving. You’d better move quickly, sir. If you’re even a little late, she’ll have sold out and gone home.”

“Sounds like she’s been selling century eggs for a while.”

“Ever since I started selling porridge, she’s been here. I heard she used to sell tofu, but making tofu is much tougher and doesn’t earn as much.”

“You seem familiar with her.”

“Not really, we just casually chatted while I was buying eggs.” The shopkeeper paused. “I heard she moved here from another place, with no parents. Fortunately, she has some relatives who helped her out. Eventually, someone arranged a match for her, and she married. Apparently, she married a scholar—seems like a knowledgeable fellow.”

“I see.”

“If you’re buying, just mention my name. You’ll get the same price I do.”

“Maybe next time. I’ve got too much to carry today.”

As they spoke, a man approached the woman from the house behind her.

He was dressed like a scholar.

The man brought her some vegetable balls. She paused her work to take off her gloves, accepting the food and eating while chatting with him. They seemed to be husband and wife.

Song You nodded to the shopkeeper, then picked up the chicken and led Lady Calico away.

“I think we’ve seen that woman before.”

“You have a great memory.”

“How much do you think the firewood I collected is worth?”

“Quite a bit,” Song You spoke as he glanced back.

The woman was still eating breakfast, and the shopkeeper had approached her. She seemed to think he was there to buy eggs and looked up to speak with him. However, the shopkeeper pointed behind him. The woman, puzzled, followed his gesture and turned to look. By then, the bustling morning streets of Changjing were so crowded that there was nothing to see anymore.

Song You couldn’t help but find it intriguing.

The intriguing part wasn’t just the encounter, but also that her livelihood in Changjing happened to involve selling century eggs—a peculiar yet fitting connection.