Chapter 738: The Plump Girl Ruyi

The Plump Girl had been sold to the manor as a maid at a young age. When they were captured, the master only paid the ransom for the young miss, abandoning her here. She had written to her parents, but no one ever came for her.

She couldn't return to the manor, and dreaded going back to her parents even more. Having served in the manor for so long, she knew exactly how returning home would end: she would simply be sent right back to Lin Manor, or sold off to yet another household.

The Plump Girl looked at Chen Changsheng. "Can I follow you?"

Chen Changsheng glanced at her. "If you follow This Chen, you won't get enough to eat."

The Plump Girl paused and lowered her head. "Where are you going?"

She likely thought Chen Changsheng considered her a burden.

"South. As for exactly where, This Chen can't say."

"Can I just follow you for part of the way? Just a short stretch. I won't follow you for too long, I just..."

Her voice trailed off, her head dropping lower. "I just need to find a place to settle down."

Chen Changsheng thought it over. "That's fine."

"Thank you so much," she said gratefully.

The Old Dragon King shot Chen Changsheng a look. "You really do have the heart of a bodhisattva."

Chen Changsheng met the Old Dragon King's gaze. "A chance meeting is still a kind of fate."

"Yes, yes, fate, fate, fate," the Old Dragon King grumbled. "No one carries more fate than you, Chen Changsheng."

Chen Changsheng smiled, offering no rebuttal. As he saw it, the road ahead was dull enough; why not find a travel companion?

The Old Dragon King let out a breath. "This old man has a myriad of affairs to attend to, so I won't dawdle with you any longer. When you reach the Tongtian River later on, remember to come find me. Mo Yuan is there too."

Chen Changsheng nodded. "I will."

"Nine out of ten sentences you speak are lies, Chen Changsheng. Heaven knows if you'll actually show up." The Old Dragon King waved a hand dismissively. "Never mind. This old man is magnanimous and won't bicker with you."

Chen Changsheng chuckled, still not arguing the point.

With a wave of his hand, the Old Dragon King bid his farewell. He had intended to take to the skies, but after a glance at the Plump Girl, he opted to walk down the mountain instead. He strolled until he stepped behind a cluster of trees, slipping completely out of sight.

"Let's go too."

Snapping back to attention, the Plump Girl nodded. "Alright."

Chen Changsheng led the way. The mountain path was steep, yet he walked it as though treading on flat ground.

The Plump Girl followed behind, her heart trembling every time she looked at the steep path ahead.

By the time they finally reached the flat ground at the base of the mountain, she was panting heavily, her forehead beaded with sweat.

"Phew..."

She glanced ahead. "That grandpa walked so fast. He's already gone."

Chen Changsheng smiled. "His footwork isn't bad."

The Plump Girl nodded, then asked, "Master, you seemed very close with that grandpa. Is he related to you?"

"Master?"

"That's right. Even if I'm only following you temporarily, you're the master and I'm the servant. Calling you 'Master' is only proper."

Afraid he might worry, she quickly added, "Don't worry, Master. Once I find a place to settle, I absolutely won't bother you anymore."

Chen Changsheng smiled. "Suit yourself."

"Mhm."

The Plump Girl blinked. "Master, you still haven't answered."

"You mean my relationship with him?"

"Mhm."

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment. "That's genuinely hard to describe."

"Why's that?" the Plump Girl asked, blinking.

Chen Changsheng thought about it and said, "Basically, he doesn't wish me well, and I don't wish him well either. If he ran into bad luck, This Chen would definitely go laugh at his misfortune—just like how he suddenly ran over here to laugh at mine."

The Plump Girl stared blankly.

After pondering this for a long time, she suddenly blurted out, "A love-hate relationship?"

Chen Changsheng froze at those words, then hastily shook his head.

No matter how you looked at it, that phrase was incredibly wrong.

Chen Changsheng waved his hand. "Let's go, let's go. Keep walking."

"Mhm."

The Plump Girl obediently followed behind Chen Changsheng. She was hungry, and the long trek down the mountain had drained what little strength she had left, yet she didn't utter a single word of complaint.

After walking under the scorching sun for a long time, they finally spotted a Market Town. They went inside to rest their feet and drank a bowl of cold herbal tea.

The Plump Girl drank bowl after bowl. It couldn't fill her stomach, but drinking more at least helped fend off the hunger.

Chen Changsheng gave her a look. "Does drinking tea fill you up?"

The Plump Girl paused and shook her head.

Chen Changsheng asked, "Then why do you keep drinking? Do you not want to eat?"

The Plump Girl froze at this. "Eat?"

"Yes."

"Master, you still have money?"

"I do."

"Huh?"

The Plump Girl hesitated before asking, "But didn't the mountain bandits take all the money earlier? Where did you get money to eat, Master?"

"Don't worry about that," Chen Changsheng said.

The Plump Girl stopped. A sudden possibility sprang to her mind, and she lowered her head. "Master, a fat maid like me isn't wanted by anyone. I... I can't even cover the cost of a meal..."

Chen Changsheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Who said I was going to use you to pay for the meal?"

The Plump Girl blinked. "Then... then..."

Chen Changsheng raised a hand and reached into his sleeve.

When he opened his palm again, a silver ingot sat in the center of his hand.

"Look at this. What is it?"

The Plump Girl stared blankly for a moment, then opened her mouth and said, "Silver taels!"

"Where did you get that, Master?"

"I picked it up."

"How come I didn't see you pick up any silver taels?"

"There are plenty of things you don't know. Come on, let's go eat. We need full stomachs to have the strength to hit the road."

"Master."

"What is it now?"

"You can't say 'eat your fill to hit the road.' It's a taboo."

"Alright, alright, I'll phrase it differently next time."

"Mhm."

It wasn't some grand feast at a fancy restaurant. It was just a roadside noodle stall serving Yangchun Noodles: a few vegetable leaves, a dab of lard, and a pinch of salt, all piled onto the noodles to make a simple bowl.

It didn't have much depth of flavor, but the lard was wonderfully fragrant.

To the Plump Girl, who hadn't had a proper meal in a long time, this simple bowl of noodles tasted like the finest delicacy in the world.

After finishing her bowl, she still craved more, but was too embarrassed to ask for seconds. She just kept her head down in silence.

Seeing this, Chen Changsheng called out, "Another bowl of noodles, please."

The Plump Girl hurriedly waved her hands. "Master, I—I'm full."

Chen Changsheng smiled. "This Chen isn't full."

"Oh..." The Plump Girl nodded, falling silent once more.

But when the steaming bowl arrived, Chen Changsheng pushed it right in front of the Plump Girl.

The Plump Girl stared at it, stunned.

"What are you staring at?" Chen Changsheng asked. "If you're not full, pick up your chopsticks."

"Didn't you say you ordered it for yourself, Master?"

"I was just teasing you."

The Plump Girl pursed her lips at those words. She looked down at the noodles on the table, hesitating.

"If you don't eat it now, you won't get another chance," Chen Changsheng said.

Only then did she pick up her chopsticks.

After she finished this bowl of noodles, her stomach finally felt settled.

"You're a really good person, Master."

"Am I?" Chen Changsheng chuckled. "Now that you mention it, This Chen still doesn't know your name."

The Plump Girl looked up. "Master, my name is Ruyi."

"Oh?"

"Is something wrong?"

"This Chen knew a young girl named Ruyi years ago. What a coincidence."

"Oh..." the Plump Girl said. "Wouldn't that be confusing? Why don't you give me a new name, Master? The First Madam gave me this name anyway, and since I'm not a maid in that manor anymore, it doesn't matter."