After breakfast, the two went to a tailor shop on the street.
Upon seeing the two, the tailor said, "You two have come at just the right time. My family has just received a new batch of fabrics, so you can take your time to choose."
"Yes, I'm here to make new clothes for my younger brother. Could you help me take his measurements?" Su Yan said to the tailor.
"Okay." The tailor replied, and took the ruler to measure Xie Chen's size.
As soon as Su Yan approached Xie Chen, Xie Chen hid behind Su Yan.
Su Yan smiled awkwardly: "My younger brother is timid and shy around strangers."
"Uh, well..."
“It’s alright, I’ll talk to him.” Su Yan said, turning to face Xie Chen. “Don’t be afraid, your brother is right here with you. If you don’t let the tailor take your measurements, how will he make you new clothes?”
Xie Chen shook his head, deliberately avoiding the tailor.
“What are you afraid of? I’m right here. What can a tailor do to you?” Su Yan said again.
Xie Chen clung to Su Yan's sleeve, preventing the tailor from getting close.
The tailor said helplessly, "Your brother is both timid and stubborn. How can we make new clothes without having someone take his measurements?"
Upon hearing this, Su Yan couldn't help but snap, "Xie Chen, let go of me right now! Get the tailor to take your measurements, or I won't make you any new clothes!"
Tears welled up in Xie Chen's big, dark eyes again.
Even though he was about to cry, he still clung tightly to Su Yan's sleeve and wouldn't let go.
Su Yan couldn't bear to see him cry, and immediately lost his temper: "Okay, okay, brother won't be mean to you. Be good and don't cry."
The tailor standing nearby said, "Your brother only lets you get close. How about I give you the ruler, and you measure him and tell me the measurement, okay?"
Su Yan immediately nodded: "That's a good idea. Give me the ruler."
The tailor handed the ruler to Su Yan. After taking it, he was about to ask Xie Chen to stand still so he could measure him, but before he could even speak, Xie Chen was already standing perfectly straight.
Su Yan smiled helplessly, and then began to measure Xie Chen's temperature.
After taking the measurements, the tailor had Su Yan take Xie Chen to choose the fabric.
"Do you like this?" Su Yan asked.
Xie Chen shook his head.
"And this one?" Su Yan asked again.
Xie Chen shook his head again.
What about this one?
"..."
"This should be fine, right?"
"..."
"You brat, are your standards really that high? There are so many new materials here, and not a single one of them is to your liking?!" Su Yan was utterly speechless.
But Xie Chen slowly stretched out his little hand and pointed at him with his index finger.
He glanced down at himself and then asked, "You want me to wear this?"
Xie Chen nodded, then turned his index finger and pointed to himself.
Su Yan was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "You still want the kind you're wearing?"
Xie Chen nodded again.
Chapter 5 Side Story: Dust and Smoke (Part 5)
"Alright, alright, you should have said so earlier. I've been pointing here for ages." Su Yan shook his head and then said to the tailor, "My brother doesn't like the new fabric, so we'll make the old fabric. The kind I'm wearing and the kind he's wearing, make a set of the same."
The tailor nodded: "Okay, okay, then come pick it up the day after tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll come the day after tomorrow." After paying the deposit, Su Yan led Xie Chen away.
After leaving the tailor shop, the two walked down the street.
Xie Chen stayed close to Su Yan, watching everyone who passed by him warily.
Su Yan thought that since he was out, he might as well secretly stock up on some food, since Xie Chen had eaten all the snacks he had hoarded.
So he led Xie Chen to the plum stall: "Boss, please pack a separate order of dried plums for me, and then grab some of the other plums as well, and pack them together in one order."
"Okay," the stall owner replied, then quickly packed it up.
"Boss, can I try two?" Su Yan asked.
"Sure, sure," the stall owner nodded as he packed the food.
Su Yan then picked up two dried plums, put one in his own mouth, and put the other into Xie Chen's mouth.
"Okay, here you go." The stall owner handed the packaged plums to Su Yan, who paid and then handed the plums to Xie Chen, saying, "Hold this for your brother."
Xie Chen immediately scooped the plums into his arms, as if afraid someone would snatch them away.
Afterwards, Su Yan bought a bunch of snacks, including pastries, shortbread, and candy. This time, several of his assistants helped carry them, so he bought more than usual.
"Hey, when we get back, let's be quick on our feet and run back to our room in one go. We can't let anyone see us, understand?" Su Yan instructed.
Xie Chen nodded, looking as if he was determined to complete the task.
Su Yan smiled with satisfaction: "What an obedient and good child!"
The two returned to Xuanyuan Pavilion and were about to rush back to their room when they heard a cold voice: "Su Yan, what are you doing sneaking around in broad daylight?"
Upon hearing the sound, Su Yan shuddered in fright, and the bag of snacks he had hidden fell to the ground at his feet.
He kept his head down, not daring to look up at the person walking in front of him, his voice trembling: "Sect Master... why did you have time to come here today?"
Feng Muting glanced at him: "What, did I arrive at the wrong time?"
"No, no." Su Yan broke out in a cold sweat from nervousness.
Xie Chen, on the other hand, stared blankly at Feng Muting.
Feng Muting noticed Xie Chen and raised an eyebrow: "This is Xie Chen, who just arrived?"
“Yes,” Su Yan replied.
"He's quite a promising assassin," Feng Muting said, looking at Xie Chen's calm and fearless demeanor. "You'll have to train him well."
"Yes, yes." Su Yan lowered his head, his eyes fixed on the bag of food in front of him, praying that Feng Muting would just leave and not notice it.
However, how could Feng Muting not notice? After speaking, he shifted his gaze to the bag of food and asked, "What's that?"
"It was just... just a bag of pastries that I bought," Su Yan replied timidly.
"It's not like I forbid people from eating in the pavilion. It's just a bag of pastries. Is it really necessary to scare you like that?" Feng Muting said disdainfully.
Su Yan immediately smiled apologetically and said, "It's because the Pavilion Master's aura is too strong. I'm afraid when I see the Pavilion Master."
"You're the best at flattery." Feng Muting snorted and prepared to turn and leave.
When Su Yan saw him turn to leave, he quickly squatted down to pick up the bag of pastries. But as soon as he squatted down, thud, thud, thud, the other bags of food he was hiding on his body all fell out without him noticing.
Su Yan's lips twitched, and then he stiffly raised his head, only to see Feng Muting staring at him.
Chapter 6 Side Story: Dust and Smoke (Part 6)
Feng Muting looked at Su Yan, who was frantically trying to pick up the packets of food, and asked, "Did I, the Pavilion Master, stop you from eating and leave you hungry, or what?"
"No, it's...it's my subordinate..." Su Yan was so embarrassed he wanted to dig a hole and bury himself.
Before he could finish speaking, several thumping sounds were heard, and Xie Chen threw the bags of food he had been hiding on the ground.
Su Yan's lips twitched again. He thought to himself, what is this brat trying to do? Does he think he's not embarrassed enough and wants to make him even more embarrassed?
Feng Muting looked at Xie Chen, and before he could ask a question, Xie Chen said, "Sect Master, these are all food that my brother bought for me. He said I'm still growing, but he's afraid that if others see them, they'll say I'm greedy, so he's hiding them like this and doesn't dare let anyone see them."
"Is that so?" Feng Muting raised an eyebrow and questioned.
"Yes," Xie Chen replied expressionlessly, without the slightest panic.
Su Yan looked at Xie Chen, who was standing to the side trying to exonerate him, with some surprise. He had thought Xie Chen was mute, but it turned out he could speak.
Moreover, in order to help him, he actually dared to lie to Feng Muting.
That's incredibly bold.
Seeing Xie Chen's calm and fearless demeanor, Su Yan couldn't help but feel a little disgusted with himself.
Seeing Xie Chen like this, Feng Muting was even more "disgusted" with Su Yan: "Look at him, so calm at such a young age. If it weren't for your good nature and patience, which is why I entrusted him to you, I would have been worried that you would have ruined such a good seedling."
Su Yan curled his lip: "It's not that I'm cowardly, it's that I'm afraid."
"Is there a difference?" Feng Muting asked back.
"..." Su Yan was speechless.
"Alright, pick everything up. Are you going to sell it on the ground?" After saying that, Feng Muting turned and left.
This time, Su Yan waited until Feng Muting was far away before daring to reach out and pick it up.
Xie Chen also squatted down to help pick them up.
Back in the room, the two put the food on the table. Su Yan said, "Xie Chen, thank you for what happened earlier. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know how to tell the Pavilion Master. Even if I told the truth, the Pavilion Master wouldn't have done anything, at most he would have scolded me a few times, but it would still have been very embarrassing."
Xie Chen shook his head.
Seeing this, Su Yan said again, "Aren't you usually quite eloquent? Why aren't you saying anything now?"
Xie Chen stared at him, remaining silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Brother..."
Su Yan laughed, then reached out and patted his head: "Good boy!"
From then on, Xie Chen was willing to speak, but only to Su Yan.
He remained silent even in front of others.
Six months later.
After Su Yan helped Xie Chen take a bath, he dressed him, only to find that the clothes were too short.