The Eldest Brother is Handsome but Sick. - Chapter 21

A Day Out in the Sun

“Give me a bag of the fruits in the very center, and for the others, pick one of each to pack together.”

In front of a shop, Yan Jin held a sugar painting in his left hand and waved his right hand grandly, calling out to the owner with quite the heroic flair. Meanwhile, Su Huai, who followed behind him, had already become a human luggage rack; his arms were filled with everything from clothes and jewelry to pastries.

“Can you even finish all this?” Su Huai asked as he took the bag of assorted fruits from the owner. “Try not to overeat.”

“It’s not just for me; isn’t there you as well?” Yan Jin reached back and stuffed the sugar painting into Su Huai’s mouth, lightening his own load to head toward the next shop.

He had changed into a pale yellow robe with narrow sleeves, his hair bound in a golden crown. It was a rare, clean, and crisp look for him.

Back at the Hall of Three Lives, Yan Jin’s clothes often had color, but they were never as vibrant as they were at this moment. Standing in the brilliant sunlight with a brisk pace, a smile rippled from his clear eyes, spreading across his face until it landed on his slightly upturned lips. He truly looked like a celestial young lord from out of this world.

This is his original appearance.

Su Huai was momentarily dazed by the sight. He walked right into the doorframe while exiting the shop, only then snapping back to his senses. Whatever he was thinking of caused his cheeks to turn a sudden, deep red, making even the items in his hands feel scorching hot.

A small piece was missing from the sugar painting in his mouth. Had Yan Jin… just taken a bite earlier?

This suspicion was quickly confirmed when Yan Jin turned back, a small piece of sugar pinched between his fingers.

Oh… it was snapped off, not bitten.

Su Huai’s face stopped flushing, his heart stopped racing, and even the sugar painting in his mouth lost its flavor. He followed behind Yan Jin in silence, looking for all the world like a big rabbit with drooping ears on a rainy day.

The Red String of Memory

“Su Huai, let me show you something.” Suddenly, Yan Jin leaned in mysteriously. Su Huai instinctively followed the sound.

He was more than half a head taller than Yan Jin; as soon as he looked down, he met those sparkling eyes. In an instant, every word he intended to say was forgotten, and he could only manage a dazed, “Mm?”

Yan Jin pulled a red string from the sachet at his waist, cradling it in his palms like a treasure to show Su Huai. “I didn’t get the chance to tell you before, but the red string has been found.” He then added regretfully, “It’s just been too long; the original weave has frayed a bit. I have to tie a few more knots to keep it together, and even then I’m afraid of losing it, so I have to keep it in this sachet.”

Su Huai’s gaze fell upon Yan Jin’s fair wrist.

His throat moved slightly. He remembered this red string. If for Yan Jin it was an object of childhood nostalgia, then for Su Huai, it was the carrier of those inexplicable, overwhelming youthful emotions.

Seeing such an object cherished by Yan Jin gave him the feeling that he was also being cherished by this man.

He let out a soft laugh, took the red string, and said warmly, “Let me weave it properly for you.”

When a person who rarely smiles does so, the sight is truly beautiful. Yan Jin blinked and turned away imperceptibly, feeling quite satisfied.

The sunlight is truly wonderful, Yan Jin thought.

After that, the two bought nothing more. Yan Jin felt a bit too full, so he walked side-by-side with Su Huai down the street to help his digestion. They rarely had such peaceful, leisurely time together and even more rarely did they spend it walking like this.

“I often wonder what we’ll be like when we’re old,” Yan Jin said.

The more a person desires something, the more they dwell on the outcome. For example, a scholar might fantasize about the glory following the imperial examinations; a weak and sickly person like him would often imagine an old age where he could die of natural causes.

Su Huai responded, “What would it be like?”

“Hmm… an old, white-haired Lin Jiebai causes trouble again, and I chase after him with a cane, staggering and cursing. My teeth are all gone and spit is flying everywhere ideally, I’d spray some right in Lin Jiebai’s face. Qingyan is there trying to mediate, and you, having grown used to it, lead the dog behind us until we’re done making a scene. Then the four of us head back to the Hall of Three Lives, still bickering.”

Four out of seven sentences mentioned Lin Jiebai. He was taking this opportunity to voice his dissatisfaction about Su Huai saying he would leave with Lin Jiebai acting even more childishly than a real child.

Su Huai didn’t expose him, simply adding, “What about Master?”

“Oh right, Master.” Yan Jin paused, then suddenly burst into a muffled laugh.

Su Huai’s brow jumped; he instinctively felt that what was coming wasn’t anything good. Sure enough, that perpetually irreverent “wooden club” chirped happily: “Do I even need to think about Master? By the time I’m so old my teeth are gone, the grass on Master’s grave will probably be as tall as you.”

Excellent. After mocking Lin Jiebai, he had moved on to indiscriminate attacks.

The Encounter with “Master Hu”

Su Huai was about to retort when a shout came from the side.

“You two young masters over there, would you like your fortunes told?”

Not far off at the entrance of an alley sat a man. He wore tattered Taoist robes, and his hair was a messy, tangled clump. He sat with his legs crossed, one shoe dangling precariously from his toe. Beside him was a small stall with an equally tattered banner that read: “Hu the Immortal.”

What a classic trope, what a classic name.

Yan Jin recalled the wuxia novels from his previous life; almost every single one had a “half-immortal” surnamed Hu.

Seeing them look over, “Hu the Immortal” uncrossed his legs, stood up, and wiped his face in one fluid motion. Yan Jin watched as he pulled a pair of bamboo clappers from his robes.

“Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho! Listen to me, you two! This Immortal Hu is a master of my craft; I’ll detail your luck, your woes, and your path! I read palms, I read faces I’ll tell you of your wealth and your romantic graces! I’ll divine if your next meal has meat to spare, or if a grand mansion is in your future care! If I’m wrong, not a penny do I take; if I’m right, a few copper coins for goodness’ sake! Don’t hesitate blessings and auspicious words will keep you safe!”

With a loud clack, Hu the Immortal closed his clappers and struck a “cool” pose. “If you don’t believe me, why not give it a try!”

“…” A deathly silence followed, as if even the warm sun had turned cold.

“Thank you for your kindness, Master, but I don’t believe in such things.” Yan Jin rubbed his arms, choosing to drag Su Huai away from this awkward situation.

My toes are about to dig out an entire palace from the ground!

“Hey, don’t go! Even if you don’t want a fortune, buying something is fine too!” Hu the Immortal lifted a cloth on his stall, revealing a layer of items beneath: a rattle-drum missing one side, a bamboo dragonfly snapped in half, a single shoe, and even a cloth tiger that was missing a leg. It was a pathetic sight.

Yan Jin took one look and tried to drag Su Huai away again.

Unexpectedly, after taking just one step, they were blocked by Hu the Immortal again. He pressed his palms together in a plea. “Please, have a look. I haven’t made a single sale in over two weeks. If this keeps up, I’ll starve on the streets.”

He scrutinized Yan Jin and Su Huai carefully. Sensing an opportunity, he pulled a wooden box from the pile of “trash” and said, “The two of you will definitely like this. I spent a fortune to get my hands on it.”

As he spoke, he opened the box. Yan Jin looked inside curiously. Almost instantly, his fair face turned bright red, the color spreading until his ears looked like they were dripping blood.

Behind him, Su Huai was about to step forward. Yan Jin’s internal alarm bells went off; he slammed the wooden box shut and reached back to cover Su Huai’s eyes.

“You’re just a kid! Don’t go being curious about things you shouldn’t be curious about!”