Chapter 23: The Black Bear

Chapter 23: The Black Bear

The summer heat was scorching, and the streets were mostly empty, with only a few scattered stalls still hawking their wares.

Chen Shuoan was so hot he felt like he was going insane.

Right now, all he wanted to do was eat and sleep—he couldn't care less about where these three fools were dragging him off to.

Zheng Yuanzhi led the way up front, while the other two each hooked an arm around Chen Shuoan's, hopping and skipping along like little girls out shopping.

Chen Shuoan: "..."

If they kept clinging to him like this, he was going to boil over from the heat.

His sharp eyes caught sight of a tiled entertainment hall at the end of the street, visible through the heat-distorted air.

"We're here." Zheng Yuanzhi looked at it from afar, his voice barely a whisper.

Chen Shuoan let out a scoff and said, "Amateur."

What?

What nonsense was he spouting now? What kind of gibberish was that?

Zheng Yuanzhi was utterly baffled—clearly disadvantaged by his lack of schooling—and led the group over there anyway.

The entertainment hall was grand in its decor, with a doorstep boldly made of gold bricks and green gauze curtains hanging on both sides embroidered with silver thread.

Chen Shuoan was taken aback by the grandeur, hesitating to even step through the doorway.

The shopkeeper inside saw them coming and immediately rushed out to greet them, his eyes crinkling into crescents as he smiled: "Young masters, you've finally arrived. Please, come in."

He then led them deeper inside. There were so many people standing along the way that Zheng Yuanzhi and the others could barely find room to step, let alone move forward.

Chen Shuoan was utterly stunned, and couldn't help but lightly tug at Li Wei's sleeve beside him, whispering, "What exactly is this place? Some kind of racket?"

Li Wei, on the other hand, was thrilled, saying, "There's a performance today—not singing or dancing, but animals."

Chen Shuoan understood and got excited too, never imagining he'd get to see a monkey show up close.

After the group finally squeezed their way out of the crowd and reached the private booth, Chen Shuoan spotted Qin Zhonglian.

"Yo, Brother Qin, long time no see! I've missed you so much!"

Chen Shuoan exclaimed in delight.

The tall figure by the window turned his head, his expression as aloof and arrogant as ever, and let out a cold laugh: "It's only been a day. If His Highness the Sixth Prince heard you say that, he'd probably give me the cold shoulder for days."

Chen Shuoan had no idea why the conversation had to veer toward Yuan Rang, so he just laughed it off with a vague "haha."

"We've got Brother Qin to thank for this—hooking us up with such a great spot, nice and quiet." Zhang Chenggong fanned himself wildly with his folding fan, drenched in sweat, not caring at all about his image as his black hair plastered all over his face.

Chen Shuoan caught sight of him and casually remarked, "Zhang Chenggong, there's a girl staring at you."

In that instant, Zhang Chenggong's celebrity image snapped right back into place. He closed his fan, elegantly swept the hair from his face, and said in an affected, smooth tone, "Where?"

He didn't see any girl—but he sure heard the other four's earth-shaking laughter.

Zhang Chenggong: "..."

I treat you like a brother, and you play me for a fool.

Zhang Chenggong heard his heart shatter.

He gritted his teeth, red-faced with embarrassment and rage, and lunged at Chen Shuoan: "Where the hell would a girl pop out from in a private booth?! Chen Shuoan, I'm gonna kill you today!"

Chen Shuoan burst out laughing and dodged behind Zheng Yuanzhi.

After all that commotion, everyone was starving, so they called for a servant to bring the food.

Qin Zhonglian was going for the last meatball in the bowl when he watched it get snatched right off his chopsticks and disappear straight into that thief Li Wei's mouth.

Qin Zhonglian: "..."

Damn, these bastards are worse than starving animals.

Li Wei was immensely proud of himself. Seeing Qin Zhonglian's face full of curses he couldn't seem to voice, he chewed his food and mumbled, "You little rascal, I guess I'll have to feed you myself."

With that, he picked up his chopsticks, scooped up a big pile of leafy greens, and plopped it into Qin Zhonglian's bowl, watching with satisfaction as his face turned as green as the vegetables.

Then, with zero regard for his own safety, he added: "Don't be ungrateful."

Zheng Yuanzhi, sitting across from him, finally snapped. His forehead veins popping, he furiously wiped the meat bits Li Wei had sprayed all over his face, his face iron-gray as he snarled, "Even food can't shut that filthy mouth of yours? Keep spraying food everywhere and I'll sew your damn mouth shut."

Before Zheng Yuanzhi could finish his scolding, Qin Zhonglian, who had also been fed up with Li Wei for a while, cracked his knuckles with a soft "crack, crack," reached out, grabbed Li Wei by the collar, and dragged him close, with a sinister grin: "Then let me teach you how to spell 'grateful' today."

Chen Shuoan and Zhang Chenggong were happy to watch the drama unfold—the thick tension in the air was the perfect appetizer.

By the time the five of them took their sweet time eating, the show downstairs was about to start.

Li Wei, who had just been thoroughly put in his place, sidled up to Chen Shuoan with a mysterious air and said, "The handlers running these shows are all Hu people. I saw one on the street yesterday—as tall as my family's gate and built like a bull."

"Hu people? All the way here to the Central Plains?"

Chen Shuoan was stunned.

"Nothing to be surprised about. Trade between the two regions has boomed in recent years, and Shuobei was the first place the court opened up to the Hu. By early this year, a few Hu had slowly started trickling into the capital," Qin Zhonglian explained. "But they can't stay long—these folks should be leaving in a few days."

No wonder so many people came to watch today's show.

Chen Shuoan nodded in understanding and focused on waiting for the performance to begin.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from downstairs, and Chen Shuoan stretched his neck to look down.

Well, well—the main event of the day was here.

It was a massive black bear, its huge snout tinged an unhealthy red, its eyes bloodshot, baring its teeth at the people below.

The bear's coat was thick and glossy, its head broad, jaw protruding, neck short and thick, with small ears and beady eyes, and powerful limbs with wide, heavy paws—a truly imposing sight.

Zhang Chenggong couldn't help shuddering at the sight, babbling, "What if it means no harm but doesn't know its own strength? What if it just wants to pat me, but one swipe and I'm dead?"

Chen Shuoan patted his shoulder to reassure him, then offered, "What to do? Give you a big funeral, per local custom."

Zhang Chenggong: "...Screw you."

Chen Shuoan settled into the soft cushion and started talking nonsense: "This kind of bear is actually timid and friendly to people—it doesn't bite. Slowly bring the back of your hand up to its mouth, and usually, once it gets a whiff of you, you're fine. If it does bite, then I guess I was wrong."

Zheng Yuanzhi: "..."

Zhang Chenggong: "..."

Qin Zhonglian: "..."

Li Wei: "..."

I'm so done. Last time I was this done was... last time.

"Truly, listening to you talk is like listening to a bunch of nothing." Li Wei said, as if a light bulb went off.

Zhang Chenggong had a lightbulb moment after hearing this, and even learned to connect the dots: "You can tell right away that Shuo'an was joking. Everyone should stay far away from wild beasts in daily life. Don't think the chance of being attacked by a fierce beast is small; danger is right beside you. Think back to the injuries Zheng Yuanzhi once suffered—always remind yourself, better safe than sorry."

Zheng Yuanzhi: "..."

Got bit by a wolf, and now a dog's gonna nag him about it forever.