Twenty-three taels and five qian of silver.

Converted to copper coins — fifty-six thousand four hundred coins!

Chen Baoxiang’s monthly wage was only six hundred coins. For a single meal like this, she would have to scrimp and save without a single expense for seven or eight years.

Where was she going to find that kind of money?

“They — they should still be coming back,” she said to the server with a dry laugh. “Won’t you wait a little longer?”

The server rolled his eyes and smiled insincerely: “Whether they come back or not is not for me to say. But if you have no money, the authorities will certainly come.”

Handed over to the authorities? That would be so humiliating.

Chen Baoxiang hurriedly called out inwardly: Great Immortal, Great Immortal — can you conjure silver?

The Great Immortal replied with lazy indifference: I cannot.

It’s over.

In an instant, Chen Baoxiang had already mapped out the rest of her life — first take twenty lashes at the authorities’ office, then get hauled back to Zhaixing Tower to wash dishes, wash until she couldn’t wash anymore, then be pushed out to kneel on the street with a grass straw tag tucked in her hair, swaying in the wind —

That’s enough.

The Great Immortal interrupted her imaginings —

Take the paper and brush from his tray.

She asked miserably: Are we writing a debt contract? I can’t read.

How is it possible you can’t even read.

Zhang Zhixu grew even more contemptuous.

But taking into account that he himself had also eaten very happily from that meal, he still took the paper and brush, rolled up his sleeve, and began to write.

Lin Guilan and the others were waiting around the corner outside. They assumed Chen Baoxiang would be unable to get herself out of the situation — and once the server started shouting and scolding, Zhaixing Tower would certainly have a good spectacle for everyone to watch.

But as they waited, the server actually came out beaming, bowing back toward the room as he went: “Very good, I’ll go and put it on the running tab.”

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances and immediately pulled the server into a corner, asking in a low voice: “A running tab — whose tab is she putting it on?”

The server replied with smooth diplomacy: “Our establishment has rules — we can’t say. This guest — you wouldn’t want to offend the Zhang Family, would you?”

She’s actually putting it on the Zhang Family’s tab?

Lin Guilan’s eyes went wide. The others fell silent for a moment, then immediately began trimming their sails to the wind: “I always said she was telling the truth, didn’t I? What does it matter whether she comes from a wealthy background or not — what matters is that she really does know Zhang Zhixu.”

“Look how bedraggled Baoxiang still is. Server, quickly prepare a fine guest room — say it’s arranged by Li Fuyu of Pingxuan’s Li Family.”

“Hey, you’ve swooped in on my hosting — and now you’re rushing ahead to curry favor?”

“It was all of you doing the doubting. I never suspected her at all.”

The group argued without resolution and eventually dispersed in mutual displeasure.

Lin Guilan thought over the day’s events and felt deeply uneasy. She hurried back and had a servant pack up a fine set of clothing and accessories to send over as an apology.

Chen Baoxiang sat in the premium Tian-character guest room, gazing at the hairpins and brocade skirts before her, then at the steaming bathtub beside her — and let out another involuntary “Wow.”

“Great Immortal, what kind of incantation did you write just now? How did you get them to be so attentive?”

What incantation.

Zhang Zhixu shook his head: “Nobles from grand households do not carry much silver when they go out — they mostly put things on a running tab and have someone settle with the household afterward. To prevent being taken advantage of by cunning people, they typically set a string of secret codes, which are voided after being reconciled each month.”

What he had just written was the Zhang Family’s running account code.

“That can be done?” Chen Baoxiang’s eyes lit up at once. “So knowing this code, can’t we just buy things freely?”

“I can imitate Zhang Zhixu’s handwriting,” he said, with a slight cough. “But one or two notes is one thing — too many, and when they get sent over to the Zhang Mansion, if they don’t match up with Zhang Zhixu’s schedule, won’t we be exposed?”

Oh, that’s how it is.

Chen Baoxiang sighed with disappointment.

But in the blink of an eye, she was cheerful again: “I’m going to take a bath first!”

Zhang Zhixu was someone who had trained himself to control his emotions. He had controlled them for so long that in the end he felt nothing at all — gold and silver could not make him happy, fine clothes and silks would not stir any feeling in him.

But Chen Baoxiang was different. Her joy was from the heart — passionate and surging. Just thinking about how she could bathe on a winter’s day, and wear precious clothing and ornaments besides, made her feel as if she were about to take flight.

The corners of her mouth spread uncontrollably toward her ears; her heartbeat quickened; the blood flowing from her heart to her limbs pulsed hot, again and again in waves.

Zhang Zhixu was nearly drowned in this tide-like happiness.

He tried his best to steady his own mind and snapped at her in irritation: “Can you not compose yourself? What kind of state is this.”

“There’s only me here — who would I be composing myself for?” She flapped her sleeves and dived toward the bathtub.

“A noble person remains disciplined even in private.”

“What poison?” Chen Baoxiang startled, immediately crossing her arms over her chest in a defensive posture.

“…Not that kind of poison. I was talking about being disciplined in private, meaning — never mind.” He sighed.

A still well has always envied the rushing river. Now that such an opportunity had come, what harm was there in letting himself go for a few days?

He tried to loosen the resistance he had been holding against her emotions, letting her jump for joy, letting her —

Wait. Taking her clothes off?

Zhang Zhixu sensed that something was wrong, and shut his eyes swiftly.

“Hey, who put my lamp out?” Chen Baoxiang reached her hand out but could see nothing, and began groping around.

“Wash like this,” he said.

“But I can’t see anything — how am I supposed to wash?” she complained, and was about to open her eyes.

Zhang Zhixu picked up her waist sash and neatly tied it over her eyes.

Chen Baoxiang tilted her head and suddenly had a great realization: “So this is how the noble households show their refinement? When bathing they don’t want to see the grime on themselves, so they cover their eyes and let servants scrub them?”

“……”

He gritted his teeth. “Aren’t you cold? You still have time to stand out there talking.”

Chen Baoxiang hurriedly felt her way to the tub and climbed in.

Zhang Zhixu was a man with a sense of propriety. Although Chen Baoxiang didn’t treat him as a person, men and women were different, and one ought not look at what was improper — so he covered his eyes to avert his gaze, only hoping she would wash away the filth from her body, and spare him the discomfort of enduring it himself.

But what he never anticipated was that the moment his eyes were covered, touch became all the sharper.

When she scrubbed her arm, he could feel the shape of her arm.

When she scrubbed her calf, he could feel the shape of her calf.

When she reached up to scrub her torso —

“W-wait. Wait a moment.” He scrambled to stop her.

But it was too late. Rough fingertips glided across full, rounded contours — the delicate sensation of skin amplified in his mind; both sides gathered up heavily in her hands, slick and springy beneath the lathering of the bath powder.

Zhang Zhixu: “……”

Chen Baoxiang went on scrubbing herself in the most natural manner, asking as she scrubbed: “Wait for what?”

There was utter silence from all around. The Great Immortal made not a sound.

Chen Baoxiang continued to ramble on: “I’ve never bathed in winter before. This is so wonderfully warm — my hands and feet are heating up all over.”

“Once you’ve soaked for a while, use the bath powder to scrub again.”

“Great Immortal, what were you saying about these wealthy families… Hmm? Something just fell on my hand?”

Chen Baoxiang lifted the waist sash to reveal one eye, and exclaimed in surprise: “Great Immortal, my nose is bleeding!”