Chapter 13: The Outsider’s Ambitious Designs  

By now, A Chou understood everything perfectly.  

The Huo Family wanted to purchase that residence because Huo Erlang knew Xijin desired it—he was competing for it.  

His ambitious designs were now laid bare.  

Today, he had deliberately brought up the Provincial Examination with Xijin. Given Huo Erlang’s scholarly talents, passing the exam would be as easy as reaching into a bag—he would undoubtedly secure a place on the golden list.  

Once he achieved fame and returned in glory, he would then buy the residence Xijin coveted…  

Three years ago, Huo Erlang had suffered the loss of a marriage alliance. Since then, he had endured hardships and buried himself in study. Yet now, he was leisurely attending the lantern festival—clearly, he was confident of success.  

A cold glint flashed in A Chou’s eyes.  

However, Xijin remained oblivious to the complicated thoughts of these two men. She was utterly at ease, believing herself to be open and aboveboard.  

Meeting her former betrothed under the moonlight amid the festive lanterns, sharing a smile to bury past grievances, discussing his future prospects while admiring the lanterns—what a delightful occasion!  

She felt as though she could finally let go.  

Thus, she warmly said, “Come, come, let’s all sit down and eat together. There are plenty of side dishes here—we can sample all kinds. Erlang, don’t stand on ceremony. Today, our treat.”  

At her words, both men turned to look at her, their expressions inscrutable.  

Xijin blinked. “What’s wrong?”  

Under the dazzling lanterns, amid the lingering chill of early spring and the bustling crowd, both men fell silent.  

After a pause, it was A Chou who spoke first. “My wife is right. Erlang, today, we—as husband and wife—will host you. Consider it an early farewell in your honor.”  

Huo Erlang understood immediately. With just a few words, A Chou had relegated him to the status of an outsider, while he and Xijin stood united as a married couple.  

With a faint, forced smile, Huo Erlang replied, “Then I’ll graciously accept.”  

The three of them prepared to sit. A Chou found a clean spot for Xijin.  

Watching coldly from the side, Huo Erlang felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.  

He recalled the past when he and Xijin had been betrothed. Since they were formally engaged, certain formalities had been relaxed. He had even specially gifted her chrysanthemum lanterns and pastries during the Mid-Autumn Festival.  

Back then, when he delivered them, the two of them had lingered outside the Ning family’s alley, chatting. Xijin had been young then, charmingly naive, and they had talked happily.  

Just then, A Chou had arrived—apparently sent by the shop to deliver something to the Ning household.  

At the time, Huo Erlang hadn’t given A Chou a second thought. Who would pay attention to a mere shop assistant? He had casually greeted him and even tossed him a few coins to buy sweets.  

After A Chou entered the Ning residence, Xijin had watched his retreating figure and laughed, saying, “He’s always been so quiet. At first, I thought he was mute—who knew he could actually speak!”  

Huo Erlang still remembered Xijin’s tone and expression when she said those words—clearly, she hadn’t regarded A Chou as anything significant.  

Yet in just three short years, she had become the wife of that mute shop assistant!  

She had even borne him such a plump, adorable son!  

That lowly assistant, now blessed with a sweet and innocent woman like Xijin—who knew what depravities he indulged in with her behind closed doors—  

Huo Erlang’s gaze darkened abruptly, the glow of the city’s lanterns unable to penetrate the shadows in his eyes.  

Xijin, however, remained blissfully unaware. She had already eagerly made her way to the food stalls to pick out side dishes.

The flower stand carts displayed a dazzling variety of snacks at affordable prices. Side dishes like kidney, minced chicken, and fish buns cost only ten coppers each, while items such as soap cakes, mashed bean paste balls, and dripping butter abalone snails were priced at a mere three coppers. Maltose melon seeds and assorted candies were similarly cheap.

Each cart was surrounded by eager customers haggling over goods, the lively shouts and smoky aromas making mouths water.

At this moment, Huo Erlang was lost in thought with his head lowered, while A Chou held Mang Er in his arms to show him the lanterns.

Xijin casually asked, “What would you like to eat?”

Huo Erlang looked up, momentarily dazed, before replying, “Anything is fine.”

A Chou added, “Just order whatever.”

Xijin thought to herself, *Have these two men glued themselves to their seats? Can’t they even move?*

With no other choice, she took it upon herself to select the food. Since the prices were reasonable and she rarely treated others, she decided to be generous—she couldn’t afford to appear stingy, lest people pity her behind her back. That would be humiliating.

Xijin valued her pride.

So she ordered lavishly: sizzling pork skin, fried liver, brain meat, clams and crabs, along with various snacks like fish buns and kidney dishes. She also bought pear glutinous rice cakes, dumplings, and salted bean soup for herself.

As she was making her purchases, Mang Er toddled over. Having slipped from A Chou’s embrace, he had been drawn to a nearby lantern adorned with exquisite patterns. The lantern was indeed beautiful, its silk gauze painted with lifelike birds that seemed ready to take flight under the flickering light.

Finding the price reasonable, Xijin bought it for the child.

However, her small embroidered purse didn’t contain enough coins. She glanced meaningfully at A Chou, who immediately noticed and stepped forward to hand her his own silk pouch.

Only then could she complete the payment.

As she paid, she mused, *I used to think Huo Erlang was like an immortal descended from heaven, but now I wonder—is he too celestial? Even though I’m treating him, he can’t even pretend to reach for his purse? He could at least make a show of offering to pay—I wouldn’t have let him actually spend anything. Has studying made him oblivious to basic social graces?*

The more she thought about it, the more she concluded that no matter how handsome he was, he didn’t seem like someone suited for everyday life.

*My mother truly didn’t deceive me!*

After settling the bill, the vendors at the lantern market worked swiftly, assisted by nearby loafers, and soon the table was laden with an array of side dishes and snacks. Under the glow of the lanterns, the spread looked irresistibly delicious. Xijin and the others sat down to eat, with A Chou occasionally feeding bites to Mang Er.

They had secured a good spot—from here, they could admire the distant community fire performances in the suburbs and the lantern-lit boat plays on the nearby river.

Xijin ate quietly, enjoying the scenery, while Huo Erlang and A Chou chatted beside her. Though usually reticent, A Chou seemed in high spirits tonight, asking Huo Erlang about his plans for Yanjing City. Huo Erlang enthusiastically shared his preparations: renting accommodations, scouting examination venues, submitting documents for the prefectural examination to the Ministry of Rites, and making social calls—all of which involved intricate protocols.

As the conversation flowed, Huo Erlang mentioned a classmate who had secured a prestigious post by currying favor through an indirect connection to Prime Minister Han.

A Chou asked, “Prime Minister Han? Who is that?”

Huo Erlang smiled and said, “Brother Ning wouldn’t understand these matters. After all, this concerns court affairs. Prime Minister Han is deeply trusted by His Majesty—it’s not something we should casually discuss.”

Though he said this, since A Chou had asked, he gave a rough explanation anyway.

As a supplementary student of the Imperial Academy, he naturally ought to know more than A Chou.

Xijin listened from the side but found it rather dull, so she lowered her head to nibble on the various side dishes.

She particularly liked the roasted pork skin—thinly sliced, crisped to perfection, and sprinkled with five-spice salt. It was fragrant and savory without being greasy, utterly delicious.

As she ate, she gazed into the distance. The bridge was adorned with lanterns, while below, strings of star-like lights stretched like a long dragon.

She wondered what the Lantern Festival in Yanjing City might be like, what kind of lights they had there.

A Chou had said it was just more lanterns, bigger lanterns.

He made it sound simple, but having never seen them, how could she imagine how to make them bigger or more numerous? How could she fathom the dazzling spectacle of those lights?

Yet she also knew that in this lifetime, she’d likely never get the chance to see them.

Men doing business might travel to Yanjing City, but how could she? If Mang Er grew up to be as accomplished as Huo Erlang, she might have a chance—but that was just wishful thinking.

Lost in thought, she suddenly noticed a commotion in the distance. Startled, she looked over.

Flames shot into the sky, and crowds were pushing and shoving in panic. Voices shouted, “Fire! Fire!”

Xijin was immediately terrified. “Ah, a fire!”

Fires were common during the Lantern Festival. Even at home, a slight tilt of a candle in a rabbit lantern could easily start a blaze. On the streets, with so many lanterns, accidents happened often, and usually, officers were on standby to extinguish them quickly.

But this fire seemed to have erupted fiercely.

Huo Erlang frowned and stood up urgently. “Let’s go, now!”

A Chou scooped up Mang Er and grabbed Xijin’s hand, pulling her along as they ran.

Xijin cried out, “Our side dishes! And the lanterns!”

They had bought so much along the way, all left behind now.

A Chou’s expression was stern. “Leave them. Run!”

Xijin wanted to go back—those things had cost money! But when she glanced behind, the surging crowd was already in chaos, shoving and trampling. Some had fallen and couldn’t get up, wailing in despair.

Terrified, she abandoned any thought of the side dishes and ran with A Chou.

Officers had arrived, shouting to restore order, while watermen organized teams to fetch river water to douse the flames. But the crowd was already in disarray—children crying for their parents, adults wailing, the streets a mess of people running blindly. Some wept loudly, searching for lost children.

Xijin ran until she was gasping for breath, her throat burning. Still, she panted out a reminder: “Hold Mang Er tight!”

In such chaos, children could easily be snatched—a regret that would last a lifetime.

A Chou didn’t respond but tightened his grip on Mang Er, his other hand clasping hers as they sprinted.

Xijin stumbled along, barely keeping up. She marveled at how fast A Chou could run!

The streets were crowded with people, constantly bumping into each other. A Chou held Xijin’s hand, shielding her as they deftly maneuvered past the crowd.  

Finally, they turned into a quiet alley where few people lingered, allowing them to catch their breath.  

Xijin reached to take Mang Er from A Chou’s arms. The child was likely terrified, his wide eyes staring blankly at his parents, utterly bewildered by what had just happened.  

A Chou said, “I’ll keep holding him.”  

He had been running fast, carrying the child while pulling Xijin along, his voice slightly hoarse from exertion.  

Xijin gently patted Mang Er’s back, soothing him. As she did, the child suddenly said he was cold.  

She reached down and realized his shoes were missing—only his cloth socks remained, leaving his little feet freezing!  

Her heart ached. “Oh no, you must be freezing!”  

A Chou, who had been holding the child with one hand and guiding Xijin with the other, hadn’t noticed. Now, he cupped the tiny feet in his hands and tucked them against his chest. “It’s fine. We’ll warm him up.”  

Xijin continued to comfort Mang Er, relieved when his expression gradually eased.  

She immediately said, “Let’s hurry home. No more wandering around.”  

This wasn’t a festival—it was pure suffering.  

A Chou nodded. “If we follow this alley, we can circle around to East Street and get home. The main roads are too crowded today, and with this chaos, it’s better to take the quieter paths.”  

Xijin glanced at the disorderly streets, a mix of lingering fear and gratitude in her heart. “Thank goodness you reacted so quickly, just dropping everything and running—”  

Then she suddenly remembered Huo Erlang.  

Oh…  

She blinked, guilt and worry creeping in. “What about him? Is he alright?”  

A Chou replied, “I don’t know.”  

Xijin hesitated. “You don’t know…?”  

Please don’t let anything have happened to him!  

A Chou understood her concern. Meeting her gaze, he said matter-of-factly, “He’s a grown man, whole and healthy. Meanwhile, we have a child and a woman to protect. We could barely manage ourselves.”  

Xijin fell silent for a moment before nodding. “…You’re right.”  

Their little family of three had enough trouble looking after themselves. Huo Erlang was a capable man—he surely knew how to escape.  

So they couldn’t be blamed for leaving him behind!  

Xijin said, “Then let’s not worry about him. Let’s just go home!”  

A Chou took her hand. “Alright.”  

The couple finally returned home, stepping through their door with deep relief and contentment.  

Xijin thought to herself—no more pining after Huo Erlang. Even the charming loafers and scholars from those romantic tales held no appeal anymore. All she wanted was her family’s safety.  

As for Huo Erlang, yes, he was exceptional—brilliant and talented, with a promising future ahead. Reuniting with him had stirred regret, making her feel she’d missed her only chance to be an official’s wife.  

But people should know when to be content. A Chou treated her well, after all.  

Just then, Qiuling rushed over in tears, crying out in panic the moment she saw them: “Suier is missing! Suier is gone!”