Chapter 319 Sugar-Coated Haws

Chapter 319: Candied Hawthorn Skewers

Qiu Heng said, keeping her eyes fixed on Ling Yun’s face.

Ling Yun raised his eyebrows in surprise, showing a tolerant smile: “A Heng, where do you see the resemblance?”

“Maybe... it’s just a feeling.”

Ling Yun shook his head with amusement: “From what you’ve said before, Master Changqing is over sixty. How did you come to think we look alike? Is your big brother that old and solemn?”

Qiu Heng was stumped.

If the master were Prince Kang’s age—over twenty years younger than he actually is—she could barely convince herself that he had aged that quickly. However, forty years later, Brother Ling would only be in his sixties.

A person in their sixties, if well taken care of, couldn’t look that old. How could they possibly resemble the master?

A man over a hundred—that kind of decay came from the inside, shockingly stark, making one lament time’s cruelty.

“Brother Ling, Master Changqing might have ties to Prince Kang's residence. Could you help me look into it?”

Even if Brother Ling and Prince Kang had nothing to do with the master, A Fu’s existence wasn’t an illusion.

“Alright,” Ling Yun agreed readily. “The prince’s estates are not limited to the capital—there are many farms and properties elsewhere. I’ll start checking the staff. But it will take time.”

“I’m not in a hurry. I can wait.”

Not getting an answer from Ling Yun actually calmed Qiu Heng down.

Her impulsiveness and urgency came not only from discovering a lead on the master, but more importantly because it involved Brother Ling.

If Brother Ling were the master, why did the master keep her by his side for ten years without ever admitting it? Did he have no memories of his youth?

Apparently he didn’t. So why conceal it from her?

And was it really a coincidence that she met the master in Great Xia thirty years later, under the assumption that the master was Brother Ling?

The mere thought that the master could be Brother Ling flashed through her mind for just a second, yet it sent chills down her spine.

Thankfully, it was just an absurd guess.

Qiu Heng looked quietly at Ling Yun, her heart was filled with relief.

“A Heng, have you had dinner yet? Stay and eat with me.”

“No, it’s already dark. If I don’t go home, they’ll worry. I’ll come earlier another day.”

“Let me walk you out.”

Qiu Heng didn’t refuse. Ling Yun accompanied her all the way to the main gate.

“Brother Ling, go back now.”

Qiu Heng waved and stepped onto the street.

Ling Yun stood still for a moment before silently turning back inside.

By now, thousands of lights were lit. Food stalls lined both sides of the street, their savory aromas drifting on the muggy summer breeze to the noses of passersby, making mouths water.

Qiu Heng’s stomach was empty, but she didn’t feel like eating.

From discovering that Wu Qingzhou’s nephew A Fu was Uncle Fu, to coming to confirm with Brother Ling, her emotions had surged and fallen like mountain peaks, leaving her with a sluggish, worn-out feeling.

The person she sought was shrouded in mist, but at this point, she was no longer that determined to find him. What was in front of her gave her genuine warmth and comfort.

Footsteps approached, but she felt no wariness—the person approaching was someone she knew and trusted.

Qiu Heng turned.

“A Heng, what a coincidence.” Xue Han’s face lit up with pretended surprise.

Somehow, his clumsy attempt to act like the meeting was a coincidence snapped Qiu Heng out of that hollow emptiness, bringing a genuine smile to her eyes.

“Quite a coincidence. Not long ago, I bumped into Commander Hu on the street.”

Xue Han cleared his throat, naturally taking Qiu Heng’s hand: “When Hu Si said you went to Prince Kang's residence, I thought I’d wait for you and treat you to something to eat. You haven’t had dinner at the residence, have you?”

“No, I’m actually hungry.”

“Xue Han, I want to eat soup dumplings.”

While waiting for the soup dumplings, Xue Han ran to other stalls, bringing back grilled meat, fried dumplings, and cold drinks, covering the small table.

“I saw lotus-leaf fish buns and eel dumplings being sold well over there. Want to try some?”

Qiu Heng quickly waved her hands: “Let’s eat what we have first. If it’s not enough, we can go get some later.”

In the end, they didn’t have room for the fish buns or eel dumplings. When Qiu Heng wanted to have a bowl of frozen sweet balls, Xue Han pulled her away from the stall.

“It’s too much of a mix in the evening. Cold stuff might upset your stomach. Have this instead.” Xue Han handed her a string of bright red candied hawthorn skewers.

Qiu Heng took it with a smile.

To be honest, none of the street food was as good as Fang Zhou’s cooking, and she wasn’t really fixated on the frozen sweet balls.

The candied hawthorn was just as nice.

Seeing Qiu Heng so pleased, Xue Han's unease completely disappeared.

Hu Si really had been talking nonsense.

“Xue Han.”

“Hmm?”

The girl holding the candied hawthorn strolled ahead: “I’m not going to look for Master Changqing anymore.”

The crown prince had ascended the throne, the three traitors had been killed, Xue Quan had lost his influence as the “Hidden Prime Minister,” and the remaining traitor was far away at the border. Given the current situation, he could hardly stir up any trouble.

She no longer needed to ask the master whether she had done the right thing.

She had done well.

Once Prince Fu was executed, she would marry Xue Han and live an easy, ordinary life.

Just like today, just like this moment.

“If you don’t want to look, then don’t.” Xue Han smiled, tightening his hold on Qiu Heng’s hand.

A candied hawthorn skewer with two bites missing was handed over.

“Xue Han, want a bite?”

Xue Han was taken aback, then lowered his head and bit off one hawthorn berry.

The fruit, with a crispy sugar coating, was sweet and tart—a taste entirely different from red bean cake, but he liked both.

The two reached the gate of Earl Yongqing’s mansion, and the candied hawthorn skewer was finished.

“Go on in. You should head back and rest early too.”

Xue Han watched Qiu Heng enter the earl’s mansion, then turned and headed back. Before he knew it, he found himself at the candied hawthorn vendor.

“Young sir, want another one?” the vendor asked enthusiastically.

Xue Han was slightly startled. “You still remember that I bought one earlier?”

The vendor grinned. “With your good looks, of course I remember. The young lady by your side is also beautiful. You two are clearly a perfect match.”

Xue Han couldn’t help smiling. “Give me two, please.”

“Sure thing.”

Xue Han held the candied hawthorn skewers without eating and just walked along the street.

“Milord!”

Xue Han looked at Hu Si, who was grinning slyly. “Why are you still out here?”

“Just had a meal with the lads nearby.” Hu Si winked. “We all saw it, hehe.”

“Saw what?” Xue Han recalled bowing his head to eat the candied hawthorn from Qiu Heng’s hand, and his face felt a little warm.

“Saw you and Sixth Miss Qiu eating a bunch of stuff. You two sure can eat. And also saw—”

Xue Han shoved one candied hawthorn skewer into Hu Si’s hand. “Use your mouth to eat, and talk less.”

Hu Si took a bite of the candied hawthorn, then looked at Xue Han walking beside him holding the skewer, and suddenly felt something was off.

Two grown men walking together eating candied hawthorn skewers—does that seem right?

Qiu Heng returned to Lengxiang Residence. Fang Zhou approached her. “Miss, you’re back. The food’s still warm. I’ll go get it.”

“No need, I’ve eaten.”

Fang Zhou suddenly leaned in and used her finger to wipe the corner of Qiu Heng’s mouth. “Miss, you ate a candied hawthorn skewer!”

Qiu Heng: “...” She’d only eaten a candied hawthorn stick, not committed a crime.

“Miss went out just to stroll the night market and eat? Why didn’t you take me?” Fang Zhou asked, then suddenly clapped her hands. “So you were secretly meeting Master Xue!”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Qiu Heng quickly admitted and changed the topic. “Tomorrow Wu Qingzhou is bringing A Fu for lunch. Make extra good food.”

“Alright. But miss, why do you give A Fu special treatment?”

“A Fu... resembles someone I met during the time I was missing.”

Fang Zhou was stunned.

This was the first time the miss had voluntarily mentioned the time she was missing.

“Then—” Fang Zhou was a little nervous, though she didn’t know why.

Actually, she vaguely understood. The miss’s experience during those roughly ten days of disappearance was definitely not ordinary, maybe even involving fairy caves or the netherworld.

If the miss spoke it out loud, would something happen?

Fang Zhou suddenly hugged Qiu Heng. “Miss, I’m not curious at all. Let’s think about what to eat tomorrow instead. At A Fu’s age, he should like sweets. What do you think?”

Curiosity doesn’t matter. The most important thing is to always stay with the miss.