Chapter 49 The Rich Man Remarries

After a while, two steaming bowls of clear noodle soup were placed on the wooden table.

Poached eggs rested in the clear, hot broth, garnished with bright green scallions; it was seasoned only with salt, simple to a fault.

Chen Mu didn't say a word. He picked up a pair of chopsticks, wiped them on the hem of his clothes, and picked up a bowl to eat on his own.

Although Jiang Huoyu was so hungry she felt like her chest was sticking to her back, her face fell when she saw the bland, watery noodles.

"Just this? Clear noodle soup? And only one egg? Chen Mu, aren't you being a bit too stingy? You are a dignified official of the Demon Suppression Division, and this is what you eat?"

Chen Mu didn't reply. It was his first time in this courtyard as well, and it was fortunate enough to find food in the kitchen; how could he afford to be picky?

So, without looking at her, he took a bite of the poached egg.

The egg was cooked just right; the white had set into a soft, tender mass, while the yolk was as rich as honey, slowly oozing over the pearly white noodles, looking exceptionally delicious.

Even the usually picky Jiang Huoyu couldn't help but lean in to smell it at the sight, then used her chopsticks to lift some noodles into her mouth.

It seemed tastier than she had imagined. Jiang Huoyu's brows relaxed, and she stopped complaining, digging in with gusto.

The black cat jumped down from her arms, looking up and meowing incessantly. Seeing its owner completely unmoved, it lay down dejectedly, its tail slapping against the floor one beat at a time.

Having finished eating in a rush, Jiang Huoyu patted her stomach in satisfaction and pointed unceremoniously at the bedroom.

"Where am I sleeping tonight? Your shabby courtyard only has one room?"

Chen Mu pointed to the stack of dry firewood in the corner of the courtyard, "There."

"What? You want me to sleep on a pile of firewood? Chen Mu! Do you have any sense of chivalry at all?"

Jiang Huoyu's eyes widened, finding Chen Mu's decision unbelievable.

According to the tropes in plays, shouldn't the other person politely give up the bedroom at this moment, then go to the firewood pile, holding his sword, to pine away at the moon?

Why was it that when it was his turn, he pointed at the firewood pile with such righteousness, looking like it was only natural?

Jiang Huoyu pointed at herself, then at the firewood pile, her voice rising several notches in anger.

"Chen Mu! You really want me to sleep there? I am a young lady, after all!"

Chen Mu cleared the bowls without looking up.

"For those who practice martial arts, the sky is the quilt and the earth is the bed. The firewood pile is dry; it's better than damp ground."

"If you aren't willing, turn right when you go out; there's an inn not far away that hasn't closed yet."

Jiang Huoyu was so angry her teeth ached. Looking at Chen Mu's cold face, she knew there was no point in saying more.

She carried the cat to the firewood pile, disdainfully pushed aside some to make a relatively flat spot, lay down fully clothed, and muttered under her breath.

"Heh, destined to be alone for a lifetime..."

Chen Mu couldn't be bothered to pay her any mind. He returned to the bedroom, bolted the door, but couldn't fall asleep for a long time.

Zhao Xiong, Jiang Huoyu, bear paw gloves, Beimang Sect...

Various questions swirled in his mind until he finally managed to fall asleep in the middle of the night.

...

The next day, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Chen Mu woke up early.

He pushed open the door. Jiang Huoyu was still curled up on her side in the firewood pile, fast asleep.

The black cat was being held in her arms for warmth; hearing the movement, it looked up vigilantly, staring at Chen Mu.

Chen Mu had no intention of waking her. After a quick wash, he went out. He really didn't want to have too much entanglement with her and wanted to slip away early.

He only hoped that she would be sensible enough to leave on her own after waking up.

Yunmeng was already quite lively in the early morning; white steam rose from breakfast stalls, vegetable farmers carried their poles and shouted their wares energetically, and the common folk rushing to work were all in a hurry.

Chen Mu walked along the street toward the county government office. After only a few steps, he faintly heard the familiar commotion again.

It was still the sound of gongs and drums, very similar to what he had heard at Yanbin Restaurant yesterday, but it seemed even livelier than yesterday.

Chen Mu subconsciously looked back and saw two large red bridal sedans following behind a procession.

Marrying... two at once? And making such a big scene?

The common folk on both sides of the street also stopped to watch, pointing and discussing.

"Tsk, why is it Squire Zhao's family again? Didn't they just hold a wedding yesterday, and now they're marrying again today?"

"It's different. Yesterday was for his daughter's wedding; today, Squire Zhao is taking concubines for himself, and two at once!"

"Indeed. And both of them are girls from Chunyue Pavilion, and they are absolutely stunning beauties."

"This Squire Zhao is really something. Yesterday he married an Xianggu, and today he's taking in two prostitutes. Could it be he wants to open a brothel in his house?"

"Hush... keep your voice down. They have power and influence; us common folk can't afford to provoke them..."

Chen Mu frowned slightly, his pace slowing involuntarily.

An Xianggu getting married, prostitutes leaving their profession, and both marrying into the same family in succession?

He faintly felt that something was wrong, but this was, after all, a private family matter for the common folk and did not violate the law. As a runner for the Demon Suppression Division, he had no authority to intervene and didn't want to create unnecessary trouble.

Shaking his head, he stopped overthinking and continued forward.

When he arrived at the gate of the Demon Suppression Division, he happened to run into Liu Ziming, who was still walking a bit awkwardly.

Liu Ziming's face was still pale from a hangover, but his spirits were quite good. As soon as he saw Chen Mu, he grinned and came over.

"Morning, Chen Mu. You were really impressive yesterday. Head Constable Wang finally took a hit from you, and you even made the County Magistrate bleed a fortune. I admire you, brother, I truly admire you!"

Chen Mu nodded indifferently and glanced at the other man's leg, "How is your leg injury?"

"Much better. In a few more days of rest, I'll be able to get rid of this damn crutch!"

As they spoke, the two walked into the county government office.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was unusually oppressive.

Xu Changze sat in the main seat with a gloomy expression, holding a teacup but not taking a sip for a long time.

Head Constable Wang stood with his hands down to the side, looking at his nose and heart. When he saw Chen Mu, a flash of undisguised malice flitted across his eyes, but he quickly lowered his head to hide it.

"Is everyone here?"

Xu Changze's gaze swept over everyone in the hall, lingering on Chen Mu for a moment, then he cleared his throat and spoke slowly.

"Recently, it has not been peaceful inside and outside of Yunmeng. Although the demon infestation in Sangye Village has been eliminated, the aftershocks have not yet subsided. You must all strengthen patrols and strictly guard against demons and evil spirits taking advantage of the situation to cause chaos!"

As he said this, he looked at Chen Mu again. The gloom on his face did not diminish, but his words were full of praise.

"Chen Mu has performed meritorious service in eliminating demons this time. I have already drafted a report and will submit it to the Prefecture in the coming days. You must take him as an example, perform your duties faithfully, and protect the region!"

Sparse murmurs of agreement sounded in the hall. Chen Mu's expression didn't change, but he sneered inwardly.

What a sly old fox. He spoke more beautifully than anyone, but every word was setting him up as an enemy. The people around him looked at him with a bit more wariness in their eyes.

Then, Xu Changze changed the subject, his tone becoming serious again.

"In half a month, the Special Envoy from the Prefecture will arrive in our Yunmeng to inspect the city's security and demon issues. Although Yunmeng is small, we absolutely cannot lose face in front of the Special Envoy!"

"Everyone must pull themselves together, manage your own jurisdictions well, and ensure that things remain calm during this period. Do not let any trouble arise."

"If anyone causes trouble at this critical juncture and ruins the reputation of the entire Yunmeng, don't blame me for being heartless!"

These words were spoken sternly, and everyone lowered their heads in assent.

Xu Changze nodded with satisfaction, gave a few more instructions on scheduling matters, and then let everyone leave.

Just as Chen Mu was about to stand up and leave, Xu Changze suddenly called him back.

Chen Mu looked up, meeting the other's meaningful gaze.

This old fox... he really wouldn't let him off easily.