To Hold One’s Joy

hapter 39-2: Thick-Skinned

The guard, concealed in the shadows, swallowed hard and finally couldn't resist reminding the man in scarlet beside him, "Master, should we continue our journey?"

Out of sight, out of mind![1]

"Let's take another look."

Guard: "..."

After hesitating momentarily, the guard spoke up again, "Master, why don't I go and purchase some food from them? It's already past mealtime..." The man in scarlet clothes nodded slightly, giving his permission.

The guard's mouth twitched, unsure if it was just his imagination, but he had a feeling that Master had been waiting for him to utter those words for a long time. With that, the guard walked towards Sheng Sanlang's party.

Sheng Sanlang's senses heightened as he heard the approaching footsteps. The person seemed vaguely familiar, and he strained his memory to recollect where he had seen him before. However, when he caught sight of the man in scarlet clothes accompanying the approaching guard, he was taken aback to the point where he almost dropped his pork knuckle.

"You—" He struggled to find the right words to address him.

Even though Sheng Sanlang had never left Jinsha County, he had heard of the renowned Kaiyang Wang. This was the Kaiyang Wang who had instilled fear in the people of Qi Nation and led a victorious campaign that forced the fierce Qi army to retreat beyond Alan Mountain. The northern border of Great Zhou would enjoy peace for several years thanks to that triumph. Rumor had it that Kaiyang Wang had a dark face akin to burning coals and stood an imposing nine feet tall. Did Hongdou truly recognize the right person?

"Apologies for the interruption, Gongzi. We happened to pass by here and found ourselves hungry. I was wondering if we could purchase food to satisfy our hunger," Kaiyang Wang's guard politely asked.

Sheng Sanlang, being straightforward, smiled upon hearing the request. "No need to be so polite. It's fate that brought us together. Please feel free to partake. We still have plenty of barbecue and bone soup available for you to enjoy." There was no need to dwell on the past[2]; he was not the one who had taken off Kaiyang Wang's belt anyway. Since the other party hadn't revealed his identity, Sheng Sanlang decided to play ignorant.

The guard glanced at the beggar pork knuckle in Sheng Sanlang's hand, "How about the pork knuckle—" Sheng Sanlang quickly interjected, "My Biaomei personally made these pork knuckles, so it would be inconvenient to offer them to strangers."

They unexpectedly had their eyes on the pork knuckles prepared specifically for him by Biaomei. Only four were in total, and two had already been shared with Hongdou and Ugly popo.

"Miss Luo and I shouldn't be considered strangers," the man in scarlet clothes approached and fixed his gaze on Luo Sheng's face. "I wonder if Miss Luo remembers?"

Luo Sheng stared back at Wei Han[3] expressionlessly. In her heart, she had already categorized Kaiyang Wang as an extremely dangerous individual. She had also learned his name from Hongdou.

Wei Qiang and Wei Han—two individuals associated with the surname "Wei." One had been responsible for the massacre of her entire family, while the other had appeared in the long-abandoned palace to attack Xiuyue. These events fueled her deep hatred for the surname "Wei". Did he still expect to enjoy the pork knuckle she had prepared? Dream on!

Luo Sheng and Wei Han locked eyes, both exuding unwavering determination. "I do recall certain past events, although I cannot guarantee the accuracy of my memories. Gongzi, do you truly wish for me to reveal them now?"

She is the notorious Miss Luo, faced off against Wei Han, the highly respected Kaiyang Wang of Great Zhou. If she were to disclose the story of Miss Luo taking off Kaiyang Wang's belt to the public, it was clear who would be more embarrassed. As expected, Wei Han fell silent upon hearing Luo Sheng's words.

Wei Han's guard beside him instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword. He thought: Miss Luo was too shameless, bullying his Master, whose skin was not as thick as hers. He really wanted to deliver a few strikes in revenge for his Master.

At that moment, Wei Han broke the silence and spoke calmly, "Miss Luo had taken off my belt, so I believe you should have a lasting impression of me."

"Cough cough cough—" Suddenly, a series of coughs erupted. Several guards blushed from choking after hearing Wei Han's words.

This time, Luo Sheng turned silent.

[1] 眼不見為凈 (yǎnbùjiànwéijìng): what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over
(they want the pork knuckle, but can’t have it, so it’s better not to look at it)

[2] Sheng Sanlang was referring to the belt incident

[3] Kaiyang Wang's name