To Hold One’s Joy

  Chapter 29 Homecoming

  How could you be in a good mood?

  As she got closer and closer to home, she was afraid, apprehensive, anxious, and held a trace of luck, but she was not happy.

  Sheng Saburo was choked half to death, and said with a dry smile: "Cousin really knows how to joke."

   But facing the girl's deep eyes, Sheng Saburo couldn't stop laughing.

  Cousin Luo looked... as if really unhappy.

   But why is this, shouldn’t you be happy to be able to return to Beijing?

   "Then...why is my cousin in a bad mood?"

  Luo Sheng couldn't answer Sheng Sanlang's question, and glanced ahead: "I want to spend a few days in Nanyang City."

  Nanyang City?

  Sheng Saburo couldn't help frowning.

  Although Nanyang City is the next resting place, there is no need to stay for a few days, right?

   "Isn't my cousin in a hurry to go back to Beijing? Why do you want to play in Nanyang City?" Sheng Sanlang spoke bluntly, and asked if he had any doubts.

   "It's annoying to be on the road all the time."

  Sheng Saburo blinked: "Is the cousin feeling better after resting in Nanyang City for a few days?"

  If it wasn't for the hot pot fish that made him dream about, would he, a man, care about his cousin's mood?

   Certainly not!

  Sheng Saburo felt sad for himself.

  Luo Sheng saw that Sheng Sanlang was so obsessed with her feelings, and after a little thought, he understood the other party's thoughts, and said: "I'm going to play in Nanyang City for a few days, no matter whether I'm in a good mood or not, I will cook a dish for my third cousin."

  She likes equal exchange, and if Sheng Saburo provides her with convenience, she will return it with a delicious dish.

  Sheng Saburo beamed with joy: "Then it's a deal. Once a word is said, it's hard to follow—"

  Looking at Sheng Sanlang's outstretched hand, Luo Sheng held the corner of his lips, and reached out to give it a high-five: "Of course I won't break my promise."

  The girl's soft fingertips were slightly cool, but Sheng Saburo moved her hand away like a fire.

   Sheng Saburo with red ears raised his eyes to the sky.

  Forgot that the cousin is a girl for a moment, the cousin thought he wanted to take advantage of it, right?

  Looking at Luo Sheng calmly drinking the thick tea with downcast eyes, Sheng Sanlang had another strange thought: Heck, maybe he was taken advantage of...

   But he doesn't mind.

  The more Sheng Saburo thought about it, the redder his ears became.

   Hongdou rolled his eyes.

   This stupid big man is blushing, he thinks this beauty can make their girls fall in love?

   "Let's go." Luo Sheng got up and walked towards the carriage.

  Hongdou got into the carriage and sat beside Luo Sheng, noticing that her girl became more and more silent.

   "Girl, what's wrong with you?"

   "I'm homesick." Luo Sheng closed his eyes, "Call me when you get to Nanyang City."

   After sleeping, she has an answer no matter what, instead of being entangled all the way to suffocate her.

  The silence in the carriage was restored again, accompanied by the boring sound of the wheels creaking, and the faint fragrance made people drowsy.

   I don't know how long the carriage slowed down. Hongdou looked out and said happily, "Girl, Nanyang City is here!"

  Luo Sheng suddenly opened his eyes and looked out.

  In front of her was a majestic and simple city with mottled walls and tall gates. The three big characters "Nanyang City" suddenly broke into her sight.

  At this moment, Luo Sheng burst into tears.

  Nanyang City, Zhennan Prince's Mansion, she finally returned home.

  Seeing Luo Sheng crying, Hongdou panicked: "Girl, why are you crying?"

  Luo Sheng forced back tears, and said lightly: "It's just that the wind is blinding our eyes. Third cousin, let's go to the city."

   The group entered the city smoothly. Luo Sheng got out of the carriage and walked silently on the street.

  Sheng Saburo walked beside Luo Sheng, looking around curiously: "The city is not small, but it is not lively at all."

  For a young man who had never traveled far, this somewhat lonely city undoubtedly disappointed him.

  Luo Sheng walked forward without saying a word, feeling heavy every time he took a step.

   Nanyang City is where the Zhennan Prince's Mansion is located. In her memory, it has always been bustling, noisy, and full of vigor, and it is not like what she saw in front of her. There are obviously many people coming and going, but there is an indescribable depression.

  It seems that the tone of the whole city is heavy.

   This is not Nanyang City in her memory.

  Luo Sheng stopped suddenly, looking straight at somewhere.

   Sheng Saburo glanced in that direction.

  It was a vast mansion. The gate was locked, and two stone lions stood silently in front of the gate. The dusty lions silently told passers-by about the dilapidation of the mansion.

  Luo Sheng stared in a daze at the bluestone road in front of the door, which was supposed to be bright but now turned dark red.

  A pedestrian walked past Luo Sheng, and she grabbed her sleeve suddenly.

   It was a young man who was taken aback by Luo Sheng's sudden action, but when he was about to scold, he ran into the beautiful and sad eyes of the girl.

   The scolding was swallowed by the young man.

   "Where is this?" the girl asked softly.

  The young man glanced at the dilapidated palace, his face changed slightly: "This is the former Zhennan Palace, little lady, you'd better stay away from such an unlucky place."

   "Unlucky?"

   "Isn't it bad luck? I heard from the old people that the former King of Zhennan secretly colluded with the enemy and committed treason. Hundreds of people in the whole house were executed. After so many years, the bluestone is still red—"

   With a stabbing sound, the young man's sleeve was ripped off.

  The young man stared dumbfounded at the half sleeve in the girl's hand: "Young lady is so impatient..."

  Although this little lady is very beautiful, there seems to be something wrong with her mind—

   "My sister is naughty, brother, don't bother with her." Seeing that something was wrong, Sheng Sanlang hurriedly stuffed a dime into the young man's hand and sent him away.

  Luo Sheng still stood there dumbfounded, the words of the young man echoing over and over again in his mind.

  Collaborating with the enemy country, plotting rebellion, hundreds of people in the whole house were executed...

  A fishy sweetness welled up in her throat, making her eyes blurred, and she couldn't see clearly the mansion that was close at hand, let alone the dark red bluestone road.

   "Cousin, what's wrong with you?"

  Luo Sheng didn't respond, and walked straight to the carriage.

  Seeing Luo Sheng disappear at the door of the carriage, Sheng Sanlang looked at Hong Dou in confusion: "What's the matter with you girls?"

  Looking in a very bad mood...

  Hongdou thought for a while, and said: "Probably the city is broken, the house is broken, and the people are ugly, too disappointed."

   Sheng Saburo was silent.

   Apart from what this little maid said, it seems that there is no more reasonable explanation.

   Then do they want to stay overnight in Nanyang City?

   Taking a look at the sky, Sheng Saburo made a decision: Forget it, it’s getting late, so let’s stay here reluctantly.

   After inquiring about the best inn in the city, a group of people rushed over.

  The carriage stopped in front of the inn, but Luo Sheng did not get out of the carriage for a long time.

  Saburo Mori looked at Hongdou sitting outside the carriage with questioning eyes.

   Hongdou rolled her eyes angrily.

  Look at what she is doing, have you been kicked out by the girl to sit without seeing her?

  Sheng Saburo coughed through the car curtain: "Cousin, if you don't like this place, then let's continue on our way."

   Why didn't she come out suddenly? Is it so difficult to guess girls' minds?

   After an unknown amount of time, the light green curtain embroidered with bamboo patterns was raised, and Luo Sheng lowered his head and got out of the carriage.

  She walked in front of Sheng Saburo, her expression had regained her composure: "I like it very much, let's stay here."

  (end of this chapter)