TSMDH 3
Chapter 3: Adam’s Apple – First Blushed, Then Trembled
“Yan Yao, Zhao Nian just speaks bluntly. In his heart, he's worried about you. Don’t overthink it.”
“We grew up together. No matter who we marry in the future, our bond won’t change.”
Yan Yao, dressed in plain white, kept shedding tears under the consoling voices. After everyone had left, he picked up a bronze mirror to look at his eyes.
Because of Ji Zhao Nian’s instigation, his eyes were a bit swollen from crying today.
“Qiu Yu.”
“Young Master.”
“Go run into Young Master Wu’s servant by chance and say that I’ve been craving plum blossom noodle soup, but I haven’t been able to find any winter plum blossoms.”
Qiu Yu laughed. “Young Master, you’re really mad at Young Master Ji today.”
Everyone knew Ji Zhao Nian had fallen for Young Master Wu at first sight. It was well known that Ji harbored feelings for him, but Young Master Wu happened to like their own young master instead.
Those winter plum blossoms were something Ji Zhao Nian had preserved with great care, picked in the snow and stored in an ice cellar. Earlier, he’d said he’d plucked dozens, but now only one remained in good condition. The rest had been damaged.
If Wu asked for plum blossoms, Ji Zhao Nian would surely give the best ones, though he’d probably cry over it for several days.
Qiu Yu had just stepped over the threshold when Yan Yao put the mirror down and said, “Forget it, come back.”
This marriage matter was already annoying enough. He didn’t have the energy to keep fighting with Ji Zhao Nian.
On the table, the peach blossom pastries were tied with red string. Yan Yao stared at them for a long while.
This engagement came too suddenly. He had initially thought it was another trick by his stepmother, but after some digging, he found out it wasn’t. Even the stepmother was unaware and seemed more shocked than he was.
Which meant the decision came from his father.
After losing his mother, Yan Yao had been raised by his great-uncle, though he only lived under his care until the age of seven, before the old man passed away.
His great-uncle had once said that Yan Yao had a delicate and thoughtful heart.
If this marriage had been orchestrated by his stepmother, it would have been easier to reject. But since it was his father's will...
Then things would be difficult.
Geng Yao carried Hou Ge'er home, only to be met with a filthy rag flying at his face.
Mother Geng stood with arms akimbo, demanding to know why he borrowed money.
Hui Niang stood outside the door, not daring to lift her head. She was a soft-spoken girl who turned red whenever she lied. After a few questions from her mother-in-law, her face flushed, and she spilled everything about Geng Yao borrowing money.
Geng Yao had a splitting headache. He took several hits from his mother but still didn’t say what he needed the money for.
After chasing them outside, Mother Geng grabbed Hou Ge'er and asked him a few questions. Upon learning the truth, she laughed out of sheer frustration. “This foolish child. Why didn’t he just say so?”
“Still talking about breaking off the engagement, yet here he is already trying to please his future husband.” She sighed. “My silly boy is finally growing up.”
She stood up and said to Hui Niang, “You’ve been saving your personal funds for a while. Tonight, I’ll give you thirty coins. Don’t tell that brat. I want to see how he plans to pay you back.”
Hui Niang quickly said it wasn’t necessary, but after failing to decline twice, she finally said, “Then once Second Brother pays me back, I’ll give the money back to you, Mother.”
It had rained a few days ago, taking the edge off the sweltering summer heat. Though Ning’an was just a county, it was so well located that its prosperity rivaled that of a prefecture.
The markets were lively. Yong’an Avenue was full of scholars and wealthy merchants, while Southeast Avenue was crowded with commoners in coarse hemp clothing.
Yan Yao seldom came here, but today he brought Qiu Yu along.
Two days earlier, he had someone book a room at an inn across the street from a butcher stall. After getting off the carriage, he went directly upstairs.
He opened the window, sat down, and removed his gauzy face veil, quietly observing the butcher stall below.
After half an hour, only two women had been busying about the stall. Yan Yao thought he probably wouldn’t see the man today.
Just as he was about to leave, a figure stepped out from the back. The older woman called him “Second” and ordered him to debone the meat.
Yan Yao sat back down silently and stole a few glances. First he blushed, then his hands began to tremble.
This so-called pig butcher wasn’t ugly at all. In fact, he was remarkably handsome, tall and broad-shouldered, exuding a heroic presence. That was what made Yan Yao blush.
But the man's physique was truly daunting. From appearance alone: nearly nine feet tall, thick brows, deep-set eyes, the body of a tiger, arms like an ape, a barrel chest and a wolf’s waist... honestly intimidating.
Yan Yao reached for his tea to calm himself, but scalded fingers told him just how tense he had become.
It was summer, and people wore little. The butcher’s large, sweeping movements caused his chest to bulge and contract in ways that made Yan Yao’s heart tremble.
He was so slender, and the man was like a mountain. If they truly got married, could he even survive one slap from him?
Geng Yao held a butcher knife. In front of him was a long table with strips of pork.
An old woman with white hair spent quite a while picking through the meat before finally selecting a large bone. Of the five, only that one had a bit of meat left on it.
She thought to herself, the young man at the stall may look fierce, but he had a gentle temperament. She’d taken her time, and he hadn’t rushed her.
Geng Yao nodded to Hou Ge'er to collect the money.
The old woman teased him with a few playful remarks, and he smiled. “Would you like me to chop it up for you?”
As he spoke, he glanced up again at the second floor. That delicate young man had been sitting there for over half the day, his gaze subtle but repeatedly drifting toward the stall...
Or rather, toward Geng Yao himself. Though he lacked spiritual sensitivity, he wasn’t oblivious. Otherwise, he'd have died many times over by now.
But seeing no malicious intent, he let it slide. Probably just a bored rich kid who’d never seen a butcher stall before.
The old woman said happily, “You can help chop it up too?”
“Yes. How many pieces do you want?”
She measured out about five pieces with her hand along the bone.
She was quite pleased, both because it saved effort and also because it spared wear on the kitchen knife. A good cleaver cost a fair bit.
Five pieces would last five days. Even if bones had little meat, they still held flavor.
Geng Yao had once been a blade cultivator. Now wielding a pig butcher’s knife, his skills were still sharp.
His cuts were like shooting stars—fast and precise, leaving no splinters of bone behind.
The knife gleamed coldly under the sunlight and happened to reflect straight toward the second floor across the street.
Yan Yao held a handkerchief to his chest, his heart quivering from fright.
This pig butcher looked like a beast. If he flew into a rage, with his servants and guards not around...
He could lose his life.
Everyone said Yan Yao had a good temperament, but only he knew how unruly he could be.
He was good at pretending. But if he ever slipped and angered this brute...
And if they actually married, they’d be sharing a bed. Sleeping next to someone like this would be like lying with a wild animal. How could he sleep at night?
He had to break off the engagement, no matter what.
The crowd came and went. Because Geng Yao offered to chop bones for customers, the large bones sold exceptionally well today, and the meat sold faster than usual too.
“Young man, how much for this piece?”
Geng Yao covered the meat with cloth and said, “That one’s not for sale.”
Yan Yao’s pale hand held a spoon as he pondered how to back out of the engagement. Time passed unknowingly.
He set the spoon down and went downstairs.
“Second Uncle, why won’t you sell it?” Hou Ge'er asked after the customer left.
Second Uncle was so tall, he couldn’t even see his face.
Geng Yao bent down. “Tonight, tell Grandma this piece fell on the floor and we didn’t notice. Let her cook it.”
To repay debts, the family had been scrimping for days. It had been nearly ten days since they last ate meat.
Hou Ge'er swallowed hard and nodded vigorously.
Second Uncle left a big piece of meat for them.
This street was very lively. Among the many passersby, few wore veils. Just as Geng Yao warned Hou Ge'er not to say a word, he straightened up and saw someone standing at the stall.
A veil of sheer white covered the man’s face. He was slender, his black hair slipping over his shoulders in the breeze.
Geng Yao’s brow twitched. He was surprised—it was the young master who’d been watching from across the street all day.
“Looking to buy meat? Sorry, we’re sold out.”
Yan Yao pointed to the piece under the cloth. Behind him, Qiu Yu huffed, “We heard everything.”
The amusement in Geng Yao’s eyes faded. “And?”
So what if they had?
Her tone was unfriendly. Geng Yao had no desire to talk further. He carried an air of coldness, as if he might punch someone at any moment.
Qiu Yu was so intimidated she dared not speak again. Yan Yao was slightly better, but not by much.
Just as Yan Yao was about to leave, someone behind him said, “Yan Yao, are you here to see your future husband?”
Geng Yao’s bride-to-be was from the Yan family. Her nickname was Ah Yao...
Yan Yao?
Geng Yao suddenly felt like he was being toyed with. If he hadn’t misheard, then the one in front of him wearing the veil was his fiancée.
Thinking back to their interaction just now, her first impression of him couldn’t have been good.
1: Poor. Can’t even afford meat.
2: Immoral. Lied to his family just to sneak some meat.
But... Geng Yao broke out in a cold sweat. His bride’s build...
Wasn’t she a bit tall? Looked to be about 179 cm.
Normal. Totally normal... Right?
Yan Yao stiffened. When he turned, Ji Zhao Nian had already entered with a group of followers.
“Yan Yao, this is your pig butcher fiancé?”
To gain the upper hand, Ji Zhao Nian had brought a bunch of yes-men today. All of them chimed in.
“Who would’ve thought Uncle Yan had such a cruel heart, actually willing to marry Yan Yao into a family like this? I heard even their house was bought with borrowed money.”
“Worse than farmers in the countryside! At least they have a hut and two plots of land.”
“So this is the Yan family’s in-law. I’ll tell my cook to buy meat from your family from now on.”
The mocking voices continued. Though they were from different classes, Geng Yao didn’t want Yan Yao to be ridiculed like this.
But before he could speak, Yan Yao gently turned and said to him, “Young Master Geng, do you remember the delivery list? This is Young Master Sun of the Sun family, the one who owns the Sun Restaurant. They go through at least five pigs a day, sometimes more. Be sure to deliver the meat tomorrow.”
He lifted the veil and smiled warmly at the young master of the Sun family. “We’ve known each other since childhood. I’m grateful for your support of the Geng family’s business. I’ll be sure to ask Uncle Geng to offer you a discount.”
Then he turned to the others. “I deeply appreciate everyone’s friendship. If anyone else wants to support the Geng family’s business, please let us know so the young master here can prepare the orders for tomorrow.”
His eyes sparkled with confidence. A customer next door was so busy staring at him that he didn’t catch the tofu from the shopkeeper. It smashed to pieces on the ground.
Geng Yao’s gaze landed on Yan Yao’s slender neck.
No, it was on that prominent adam’s apple.
