The Second Young Master’s Obedient Husband : Chapter 27

The eighth day, the markets open.

Liang Yu hitched up the cart early and pulled Su Qingyu toward town. Liang Yu drove the cart, Su Qingyu sat beside him wrapped in that newly made padded jacket, holding a small hand warmer in his hands that Liang Yu had stuffed to him before leaving. He held a bundle in his arms, containing several good pelts that Liang Yu intended to sell.

When they reached town, the markets were open today and the crowds coming to trade were thick. The shops had all opened their doors, selling all manner of things, calls and shouts rising and falling one after another. It was very lively.

Liang Yu parked the cart behind a familiar shop, first went into a familiar fur shop to sell the pelts, and came out with a much fuller money pouch. He looked at Su Qingyu standing at the entrance looking all around, and the corner of his mouth curved up.

“Come, I’ll show you around.”

They had just entered the street when a smell hit them, mixed with cooking oil fumes, making one’s mouth water. Su Qingyu couldn’t help sniffing, his eyes glancing that way. It was a fried meatball stall, with a big oil wok set up, golden meatballs rolling in the oil, scooped out to drain, the aroma filling the air.

Liang Yu glanced at him, pulled him over, and fished out copper coins to buy a small packet.

“Try it.”

Su Qingyu held that packet of hot meatballs, blew on them, and took a bite. Crispy outside and tender inside, so hot he sucked in air but couldn’t bear to spit it out. After finishing one, the meatballs weren’t so hot anymore. Su Qingyu took one and fed it to Liang Yu’s mouth, looking at him with eager eyes.

Liang Yu looked at Su Qingyu’s appearance, the corner of his mouth curved up, opened his mouth and ate the food Su Qingyu fed him, then pulled him to keep walking forward.

Seeing a candied hawthorn seller, Liang Yu fished out money and bought two sticks of candied hawthorn, handing them to Su Qingyu. Su Qingyu had Liang Yu eat the first one, only then did he bite the second one himself. Clearly there were two sticks of candied hawthorn, yet they insisted on eating them by taking bites from each other.

Further ahead were fried cakes, then fried dough twists, then sugar roasted chestnuts. Liang Yu bought all the way along, and Su Qingyu’s hands were almost too full to hold anything. He said softly that it was enough, it was enough, but Liang Yu acted as if he hadn’t heard, buying whatever looked fresh.

“Second Brother Liang, it really is enough…”

“Eat what I tell you to eat.” Liang Yu stuffed over a packet of freshly roasted chestnuts. “When you finish, I’ll buy more.”

Su Qingyu pressed his lips together, peeled a chestnut and stuffed it into Liang Yu’s mouth, his eyes bright and sparkling.

A few more steps, and there was a pastry shop displaying all kinds of sweets. Liang Yu had Su Qingyu pick, but Su Qingyu shook his head and wouldn’t pick. So Liang Yu simply bought a bit of each kind, wrapped into one big packet, and had Su Qingyu hold it.

Su Qingyu held that packet of pastries and said, “Second Brother Liang, it’s too much…”

“Not too much.” Liang Yu pinched that face. “Eat slowly. Taste which ones you like, and next time I’ll buy more.”

Further ahead was a dried fruit shop, sweet and sour scents drifting over. This time Liang Yu didn’t even look at Su Qingyu, he directly bought some of each kind.

Coming out of the dried fruit shop, Liang Yu carried a big packet of dried fruit, together with the things in Su Qingyu’s arms all carried in his hands, pulling Su Qingyu to continue browsing.

Eating while walking, they walked until they reached a rouge shop. Liang Yu’s footsteps paused, he looked inside, then looked at Su Qingyu.

“Go in and look.”

Su Qingyu froze for a moment, and was pulled inside. The shop was fragrant, with big and small porcelain boxes arranged on the counter, dazzling to the eyes.

The shopkeeper was a woman around thirty, seeing two handsome young men enter, her eyes lit up, and she greeted them with a smile. “What would the two young gentlemen like to buy? We have fine rouge, lip balm, face powder, and newly arrived scented cream…”

Liang Yu pointed at the counter. “Pick out a few good ones.”

The shopkeeper understood, and eagerly took out several boxes. Su Qingyu looked at those bright red rouges, somewhat at a loss. He had never used these before.

Liang Yu glanced at him, found a place to put down the things in his hands, picked up a box and opened it, dipped his fingertip in a bit, and lightly dotted it on Su Qingyu’s cheek. That smear of red spread out, setting off that face to look even more tender and white, his complexion better as well.

“This one is good.” Liang Yu handed the box to the shopkeeper. “Wrap it up.”

He also picked a box of lip balm, a light pink color, said to be moist and pretty when rubbed on the lips. And a box of scented cream, said to moisturize the face, carrying a plum blossom fragrance.

The shopkeeper was all smiles, wrapping while praising. “The young gentleman has good taste. These are all newly arrived goods, made with ample materials, the prices are fair too…”

Su Qingyu stood at the side, his face red, but couldn’t help secretly smiling.

Coming out of the rouge shop, they walked to a general goods shop. Liang Yu bought quite a few things. Toothbrush, tooth powder, fine toothed comb, hair comb, and a bar of scented soap…

After finishing at the general goods shop, it was already midday.

Outside the sun was high in the sky, and there were even more people on the street. Liang Yu found a tea stall, ordered two bowls of tea, and sat down to rest.

Su Qingyu sat across from him, holding the tea bowl, drinking in small sips.

Liang Yu looked at that face, looked for a good while, then lowered his eyes, opened the pastry bag, and had Su Qingyu eat something to fill his stomach with the tea.

“Tired?”

Su Qingyu shook his head.

Liang Yu laughed, pushed the remaining pastries over. “Rest a bit, then we’ll walk more.”

After resting enough, they walked a bit more, buying some odds and ends.

Those small snacks Liang Yu bought weren’t large portions, the two of them shared eating them just to taste the flavor.

At noon Liang Yu brought Su Qingyu to eat in town. After walking so long, both of them wanted something soupy and wet to comfort their stomachs, so they found a wonton stall and sat down. The wonton seller was an old man with a young man, the wonton stall was full of seats, so the taste must be good.

They ordered two bowls of big meat wontons. The broth was bone broth, the wonton skins thin and the filling thick, sprinkled with chopped green onion, the aroma filling the air. Su Qingyu held the bowl, took a sip of soup, so hot he huffed air but couldn’t bear to put down the bowl.

Liang Yu looked at him like that, smiled, and lowered his head to eat his own.

Next to them was a flatbread stall, the aroma overbearing, freshly baked sesame flatbread, golden and crispy, sesame seeds densely packed. Liang Yu went to buy two and handed one to Su Qingyu. Su Qingyu broke open the bread, steam rose out, lowered his head and took a bite. The crust was so crispy it crumbled, the inside was soft, savory and just right. One bite of wonton soup and one bite of flatbread, it was incredibly fragrant. After finishing, Liang Yu paid the bill, and pulled him to keep walking forward.