Shocking! In this matriarchal society, every man wants to marry me!

Xia Lan looked at the ten wooden skewers with some surprise. With these ten wooden skewers, she could lie in bed and sleep all day, or have a delicious meal. Just thinking about it made the pain in her body disappear immediately.

Zhongtian took the remaining 15 sticks and went to find Chai Xiao, giving her one as well. Chai Xiao then led Zhongtian to find the yamen runner who had given the wooden sticks. The runner looked very familiar; it was Wan Jiajia.

Wan Jiajia still had some impression of Zhong Tian, ​​but it was unusual for a newcomer to collect ten slips of paper so quickly. However, she didn't ask. After confirming that the wooden slips were not fake, Zhong Tian was allowed to leave.

Zhongtian rushed to the inn and was shocked to find that Le Xingxi was not staying in her room, but standing outside looking rather forlorn.

Upon seeing Zhongtian, he felt extremely wronged, and tears instantly filled his eyes. He rushed forward and hugged Zhongtian: "Zhongtian, you're finally out! I've suffered so much, you know? I was kicked out by the boss!"

Zhongtian carefully examined Le Xingxi.

Le Xingxi's once round face is now thin with a pointed chin, her big eyes have become even bigger, and her complexion is unnaturally pale.

Zhongtian hurriedly asked, "What exactly happened?"

"This inn in Daming Prefecture is a total rip-off," Le Xingxi said indignantly. "Du Chen and Guo Mao settled me in the inn and then left. Guo Mao went back to the capital to report, and Du Chen went back to Lizhen to continue his investigation, leaving me alone in the inn to wait for you!"

"The innkeeper is a treacherous person who treats people differently based on their status. Once the women around me left, he started to bully me, a man from out of town!"

"The food was very expensive, and I spent all my money in two days. When I ran out of money, they asked me for wooden skewers. I didn't have any wooden skewers! So the innkeeper kicked me out without any politeness."

Zhongtian touched Le Xingxi's hand; it was cool. He wondered how long Le Xingxi had been outside.

To make matters worse, Le Xingxi's stomach was growling loudly, and she blushed instantly, saying aggrievedly, "I haven't eaten anything all day since I was kicked out."

Night fell, and a few scattered stars twinkled in the sky.

Zhongtian looked around and saw that most of the shops were closed, with only a small wonton stall on the street still busy with people.

Zhongtian pulled Le Xingxi to the wonton stall. There was only one candle flickering, and an old man was cooking wontons. The unique aroma of the wontons made Le Xingxi's stomach rumble even louder.

Zhong Tian asked loudly, "Boss, how much is a bowl of wontons?"

The shopkeeper chuckled and said, "No money needed, just three wooden skewers."

“…Three!” Zhongtian hesitated for a moment: “Boss, one bowl, please.”

A bowl of wontons was served shortly, topped with a few scallions, looking incredibly appetizing. Zhongtian placed the soup spoon in Le Xingxi's hand. "Xingxi, have some," Zhongtian said.

"Zhongniang, haven't you eaten either?" Le Xingxi asked, looking at Zhong Tian, ​​even though she hadn't eaten.

"Of course I've eaten. I've eaten before coming to see you."

Le Xingxi's eyes were full of suspicion, but he did not expose him. He simply called the owner over and brought another bowl, dividing a few pieces into Zhongtian's bowl: "Zhongniang, I can't eat by myself. Have one with me. If you don't eat, I won't eat either!"

Zhongtian nodded: "Okay."

One for you, one for me, one for you, one for me.

The two of them quickly finished the small bowl of wontons. Zhongtian then called the owner to add more free noodle soup, and the two of them shared the soup until they were half full.

This wonton soup wasn't any better than the ones made by the chefs at Yuefu, but it warmed my stomach and my heart.

The two walked into the street, watching the increasingly sparse crowds. "Zhongniang, where will I stay tonight?" This practical question made their steps grow heavier.

Le Xingxi has nowhere to go tonight. Zhongtian only has two wooden sticks in his hand, and there is no inn that can take Le Xingxi in.

Zhongtian took Le Xingxi to a farmer's house and exchanged two wooden sticks for clean and warm bedding. He then led Le Xingxi to a dilapidated temple, a fact he had inadvertently revealed while traveling with Guo Mao.

Zhongtian silently started a fire in the dilapidated temple, cleaned up, spread soft, fluffy weeds, laid out bedding, and smiled at Le Xingxi: "Xingxi, that's enough, come and rest."

Le Xingxi silently watched Zhong Tian's busy figure, then slowly walked up to Zhong Tian. He gently stroked Zhong Tian's eyes with his fingers and softly asked, "Zhong Niang, you've been crying."

Zhongtian unconsciously touched her eyes, only to find them wet. But she stubbornly denied it: "No, Xingxi, you're mistaken."

Le Xingxi wasn't mistaken; Zhongniang was indeed crying. He knew she was heartbroken for him. But it was alright.

"Xingxi, you should get some sleep."

Le Xingxi nervously grabbed Zhong Tian's hand: "Zhong Niang, where are you going?"

Zhongtian looked at Le Xingxi and gently patted his hand reassuringly: "There are often wolves and tigers in the wild. I'll go outside and watch over you." Zhongtian smiled gently: "Xingxi, goodnight, sweet dreams."

Nakata walked out.

The dilapidated temple had no door, and a biting cold wind blew in from outside. Le Xingxi could see Zhong Tian's clothes swaying gently in the wind.

Le Xingxi wanted to call Zhong Tian in and tell her that it was okay, they could stay together in this drafty, dilapidated temple, and he wouldn't mind.

However, he knew that Zhongtian would not agree. Although there were often ambiguous feelings between the two, Zhongniang would stop at the level of affection and act in accordance with propriety.

Even though the thorns from the weeds beneath her made Le Xingxi feel extremely uncomfortable, she felt reassured looking at Zhong Tian's back as he waited outside. She knew that Zhong Tian would protect her like a warrior.

These past few days, a wave of exhaustion washed over him, lulling him into a sweet dream.

Zhongtian turned her head and, by the light of the candle, saw Le Xingxi's peaceful sleeping face.

A bitter feeling welled up in her heart. Le Xingxi had overcome all obstacles to come for her, but Zhong Tian could not provide him with a good life. He had no food to fill his stomach and no place to live, so he had to live like a beggar in a dilapidated temple.

She thought that perhaps she needed to work harder to survive in this Daming Prefecture, to accomplish what she wanted to do, and to take care of the people she wanted to take care of!

She leaned against the corner of the wall, glanced at Le Xingxi one last time, and then closed her eyes.

It was broad daylight outside.

Le Xingxi went outside and saw Zhong Tian's sleeping face. He draped his clothes over Zhong Tian's body.

Suddenly, Le Xingxi's expression changed, and he quickly covered his mouth with his hand, coughing violently several times, spitting out a handful of blood.

He looked at Zhongtian nervously, but Zhongtian was still unconscious. He hurriedly wiped his hands with a handkerchief, but it stained Zhongtian's clothes with a few glaring bloodstains!