After Sheng Jun Chapter 4 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 4 Living in the Same Room (part 1)
In Jiang Xingzhi's impression, this was the first time he had seen the man so angry. Even when he had mistakenly thought Jiang Xingzhi was his enemy, he hadn't shown such strong emotional fluctuations.
Jiang Xingzhi studied the other's expression, "Did I say something to offend you?"
Could it be that he thought the phrase "robbery of wealth and beauty" meant they would split the blame equally...
Zhong Ming suppressed the churning emotions in his eyes, swallowing the words that were about to come out, and finally said hoarsely, "Jiang Xingzhi, don't say such things again."
...How serious, he even called him by his full name. Jiang Xingzhi nodded, "Alright."
Zhong Ming withdrew his gaze.
Three Foundation Building cultivators lay at their feet, anyone who took one look would know it was a crime scene, but neither of them was in a hurry to leave.
Zhong Ming kicked the burly man's arm, revealing a copper token tied around his waist. The sharp spiritual energy easily shattered the wrapping cloth, showing a clear character "Shang" on the token.
"People from the pawnshop."
Jiang Xingzhi walked over, and seeing that the other didn't pursue the topic further, he tactfully followed along, "It must have been the shopkeeper's idea."
"How should we handle this?" Zhong Ming asked.
Jiang Xingzhi noticed his gaze seemed to be glancing toward the river, and his brow twitched as he stopped the other's dangerous thoughts, "Let's keep them, they'll be useful."
Zhong Ming looked at him, "Useful?"
Jiang Xingzhi lifted his head slightly, his eyes filled with the reflected sunlight, and combined with the pleasant smile on his lips, it made the future seem full of endless hope.
He smiled, "They're hardworking middlemen."
The jade nine-linked rings came as a set - the higher they drove up the price of individual pieces early on, the more profit they would make when selling the complete set.
"They'll understand one day that the harder they work today, the wealthier I'll become."
Zhong Ming: "......"
When he looked down at the three people again, the coldness in Zhong Ming's eyes had turned to pity, as if he could already see rows of leeks growing vigorously under the sun.
He changed the subject, "Where to now?"
Jiang Xingzhi stepped over the three people on the ground and walked toward the busy city center, "Find an inn."
Inns had always been places where travelers came and went, and where small gossip circulated. They might hear more news about the "Torch Dragon appearing at Kouyue Sect."
He looked at Zhong Ming after speaking, "What about you?"
Zhong Ming smiled at him, "Naturally, I'm heading the same way."
"......" Heh, he knew it.
In the city, at the Yunchou Inn.
It was dinner time, and the inn was bustling with noise as various guests came and went, either staying or just stopping for a meal.
Jiang Xingzhi walked through the main hall to the counter, "Do you still have rooms available?"
His clothing was luxurious, with an indigo outer robe as light as clouds and a gleaming silver waistband. Standing among the crowded mass of people in the hall, he seemed to shine brighter than others.
The attendant immediately welcomed him warmly upon seeing him, "Yes, we do, honored guest! We still have several superior rooms on the third floor. If you need one, I can give you the best location."
"Then I'll take a superior room," Jiang Xingzhi took out money.
"One room or..." the attendant's eyes flitted toward the person behind him.
Jiang Xingzhi paused, turning to look at the man behind him—he had almost forgotten there was another person. Seeing that the other hadn't expressed his preference, Jiang Xingzhi wasn't sure if he planned to stay together or pay for his own room.
Surely he wouldn't be thick-skinned enough to make him get another superior room.
He hesitated, "You..."
Zhong Ming understood Jiang Xingzhi's unfinished meaning, "Superior rooms are spacious."
Implying that it could fit two people.
Jiang Xingzhi was momentarily speechless: this level of thick skin was... something else.
He turned back to the attendant and said, "One room." Seeing the attendant was about to suggest something, he quickly added, "To save money."
The attendant's face turned ashen, and he cast a few more glances at Jiang Xingzhi's luxurious clothing.
****
In the corner room on the third floor, a goose-yellow silk curtain hung outside the carved wooden bed, a hollow red copper incense burner sat on the desk, a huge screen painted with a landscape scene stood in the room, and a spacious redwood bathtub was placed behind it.
Jiang Xingzhi closed the door and looked around—it indeed met the standards of a superior room.
Zhong Ming raised his hand, and a gust of wind from his finger lifted open the carved window. The slanting sunset light entered the room, clearly showing it was a room facing away from the sun. He spoke, "The 'best location'?"
Jiang Xingzhi poured hot tea for both of them, "At least it's spacious enough to accommodate us."
Zhong Ming: "......"
A cup of hot tea was offered to him, and Jiang Xingzhi kindly changed the subject, "Would you like some?"
He asked casually, since someone as dignified as Bai Mu might not want to drink tea from a small inn.
But the other took it immediately, "Yes."
As they passed the cup, their fingertips touched, and Jiang Xingzhi's fingers, warmed by the tea, touched Zhong Ming's.
Finally, they weren't cold anymore. Zhong Ming paused and asked after taking a sip of tea, "Why is your body temperature so low?"
Before the other could speak, he added, "Don't say it's because of Icy skin and jade-like bones."
(TL: 冰肌玉骨 (bīng jī yù gǔ): "Icy skin and jade-like bones," a classical Chinese expression used to describe someone of exquisite beauty, often referring to delicate, flawless skin and a graceful, refined appearance.)
"..." With his routine predicted, Jiang Xingzhi took a sip of hot tea to calm himself, "As bright as ice and snow."
(TL: 冰雪聰明 (bīng xuě cōng míng): A phrase used to describe someone who is exceptionally intelligent, sharp, or quick-witted. It likens the person's intelligence to the purity and clarity of ice and snow, which is a poetic way of saying they possess a clear and brilliant mind.)
A cold laugh fell from above, "Heh."
It was the dinner rush hour, and the downstairs was noisy. Even through the floor, they could faintly hear the guests in the first-floor hall talking loudly, joking, and laughing.
Jiang Xingzhi stood up and walked downstairs, "It's one of the happiest moments of the day again."
Zhong Ming followed behind him, "One of?"