Chapter 57: The Warmth of Porridge and Lingering Shadows

“Fine, fine, you’re not hungry, but I certainly am, alright? I’m ready to head back and grab a bite.”

Only then did Lu Hongzhuang’s steps begin to slow.

Just as the two of them were about to turn towards Master Qian’s residence, they noticed a considerable crowd had gathered at the intersection ahead, seemingly out of nowhere.

The street, which had been utterly deserted moments before, now thrummed with an unexpected liveliness.

The crowd surged towards the archway at the town’s entrance, forming an extraordinarily long queue.

“What’s happening over there?” Lu Hongzhuang asked, a touch of curiosity in her voice.

“We’ll find out if we go take a look,” Su Qinghan replied, indicating the direction.

Lu Hongzhuang pushed her wheelchair, moving along with the stream of people.

As they drew closer, the scene became clearer.

Beneath the towering stone archway at the town entrance, several large cauldrons had been set up.

Steam billowed from the cauldrons, where pristine white rice porridge simmered, its fragrant aroma wafting through the air.

Master Qian and his daughter, Qian Xiaoxiao, both donned aprons and personally served porridge to the queuing townsfolk.

Xiao Li, the guard, stood nearby, maintaining order.

To Su Qinghan’s slight surprise, the queue wasn’t comprised solely of ragged, impoverished individuals.

Among them were porters in coarse linen tunics, shopkeepers in silken robes, and even a few scholars carrying their book satchels.

A shared weariness from their recent ordeal, coupled with a palpable uncertainty about the future, etched itself onto every face.

Though the wolf demon hadn’t breached the town’s defenses last night, it had severed the livelihoods of many.

Unable to leave the town, unable to work, people were gripped by fear, and shops remained shuttered.

In such a moment, a bowl of hot porridge offered the most tangible comfort.

As Su Qinghan observed this scene, the adage ‘When one achieves success, they should aid all under heaven’ resurfaced in her mind.

It became clear that helping the world didn’t always demand earth-shattering deeds.

Sometimes, a simple bowl of porridge, a kind word, was ample.

Witnessing this, much of the gloom in Lu Hongzhuang’s heart dissipated.

What she guarded, what she fought for, was precisely this most fundamental kindness.

Just then, a tiny figure squeezed its way out from the throng.

It was a child, perhaps five or six years old, clutching a chipped, coarse porcelain bowl brimming with white porridge.

He ran directly to Lu Hongzhuang, tilted his small face upwards, and held the bowl high.

“Big Sister, have some porridge!”

The child’s eyes sparkled, dark and bright, his face smudged with a touch of soot from the cooking pot.

Lu Hongzhuang, of course, recognized him.

He was the child from Niujia Village she’d seen last night, trembling uncontrollably as his mother clutched him tightly.

She saw the child’s parents nearby, offering her grateful, earnest smiles.

A wave of warmth instantly coursed through Lu Hongzhuang’s entire being.

This feeling of genuine gratitude from those she protected satisfied her far more than any commendation issued by the Demon Exorcism Division.

She knelt, gently stroking the child’s head, her voice imbued with a tenderness she rarely displayed.

“Sister isn’t hungry. You eat it yourself, so you can grow big and tall.”

“Grumble, grumble, grumble—”

Her reply was met by a rumbling stomach, even louder than before.

Lu Hongzhuang’s smile froze on her face.

The entire area fell silent for a beat, before a few irrepressible chuckles broke the stillness.

The child blinked his large eyes, his face radiating pure innocence.

“Big Sister, you’re lying!”

“Your tummy is rumbling so loudly!”

Boom!

Lu Hongzhuang felt her entire body ignite with heat.

Her image as a valiant heroine had utterly crumbled.

Just as she wished she could perform a disappearing act on the spot, a hand gently rested on her shoulder, where she was still bent over, conversing with the child.

Su Qinghan, at some point, had silently maneuvered her wheelchair to her side.

She leaned down, speaking softly to the child.

“Little one, this big sister here is a bit shy, you see, and easily embarrassed.”

She pointed to herself, then to Lu Hongzhuang, a faint smile gracing her lips.

“She has me, her elder sister, to cook delicious meals for her at home, which is why she’s leaving this bowl of porridge for you.”

“Hurry and drink it while it’s warm. If it gets cold, your tummy will hurt.”

Su Qinghan’s voice, cool and clear, carried a soothing power that instilled trust.

The child nodded, seemingly understanding yet not quite, then cradled the bowl and began to drink, taking small sips.

The surrounding townsfolk also smiled knowingly; their laughter now devoid of mockery, filled only with goodwill.

Lu Hongzhuang stared blankly at Su Qinghan beside her.

Bathed in the morning light, Su Qinghan’s exquisitely beautiful profile appeared as though gilded with a soft glow.

The phrase ‘I, her elder sister,’ felt like a pebble cast into the lake of Lu Hongzhuang’s heart, sending ripples outward in ever-widening circles.

Indeed.

She had Su Qinghan.

This Su Qinghan, who often teased her with disdain, yet always protected her in crucial moments.

A strange, bittersweet emotion spread through her chest.

‘Ah, this accursed gentleness…’

“Let’s go, home,” Su Qinghan said, patting her shoulder with a calm tone. “I’ll make you a bowl of noodles when we get back.”

“Mm.”

Lu Hongzhuang stood up, her cheeks still burning, yet she nodded obediently, then pushed the wheelchair and turned away from the crowd.

However, neither of them noticed.

Not far behind them, an inconspicuous man in plain cloth attire had observed their entire interaction.

He watched Su Qinghan in her wheelchair, then glanced at Lu Hongzhuang, who was clearly flustered. A chilling, sinister smile curled at the corner of his lips as he silently melted into the shadows of the street corner.

Almost simultaneously, Jiu Li’s warning echoed in Su Qinghan’s mind.

“[Qinghan! Be careful!]”

“[There’s a tail! That guy has a strong aura of malice; he’s likely a dangerous character.]”

Propping her chin on her hand, Su Qinghan cast a subtle glance from her wheelchair, and said,

“Let’s head back. I happen to be hungry as well.”

Lu Hongzhuang nodded, pushing Su Qinghan away from the town entrance.

On the way back to Master Qian’s residence, the streets remained quiet.

As Lu Hongzhuang pushed the wheelchair, much of her earlier embarrassment and vexation had been washed away by the warmth of the porridge stall.

Her words flowed more freely now, imbued with a touch of playful pride.

“See? Many of the townspeople still have warm hearts. Not like that fat fox of a magistrate, who’s full of wicked schemes.”

“This is truly the meaning behind what we in the Demon Exorcism Division protect.”

Su Qinghan leaned back in her wheelchair, offering no direct reply, only a lazy ‘Mm’ from her nose.

Her eyes half-closed, she savored the rare tranquility, the gentle rumble of her wheelchair over the cobblestones, and the considerably lighter breathing of the clumsy oaf behind her.

‘This is quite nice.’

Just then, Jiu Li’s voice resonated in her mind without warning.

“[Qinghan! Be aware, there’s more than one tail!]”

“[Another tail! The peddler on the street corner is also suspicious! He has a strong aura of malice; he’s definitely had blood on his hands!]”

Su Qinghan’s eyelashes fluttered almost imperceptibly, yet she didn’t open her eyes.

She didn’t even alter her sitting posture in the slightest.

‘Tails?’

‘Magistrate Jia’s people?’

‘They’re quite fast.’

Without betraying any emotion, she allowed Lu Hongzhuang to push her, turning into the alley leading to Master Qian’s residence.

Back at Master Qian’s residence, the guards in the courtyard quickly approached them upon seeing their return.

“Lady Lu, Miss Su.”

Su Qinghan raised a hand in acknowledgement, then asked directly,

“Where is the kitchen?”

The guard paused, then offered an eager smile. “Is Miss Su hungry? Please, just tell us what you wish to eat. The residence has dedicated chefs whose skills are truly excellent.”

Su Qinghan pondered for a moment, about to nod.

Since she had to eat anyway, having someone else prepare it was undoubtedly the most convenient option.

However, a flicker in her peripheral vision caught Lu Hongzhuang behind her; the eyes that had just been sparkling now dimmed instantly, and her lips gave a slight pout.

Her expression was precisely that of a large dog that hadn’t managed to beg for a bone.

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