บท 88: Short Respite

Since both Shen Tianyu and Rong Jian has registered, they had the whole week of registration off. Little did they know, or cared, their incident at the registration center had spread across the whole capital city within a day.

"A-Jian, a-Jian, let's go out today!" Shen Tianyu shouted at Rong Jian across the Audience Hall wearing a simple yet luxurious dress and her fox mask.

"Again? Didn't we shop until the sun went down yesterday?" He laughed behind his golden mask.

"But the capital, Jing City, is so big, how could we see all of it in just a few days?" Shen Tianyu replied back.

"Alright, alright. I'll, of course, accompany Tian'er wherever you go."

"Yay!" Shen Tianyu threw her hands up and cheered before she sped walked to the entrance of the Audience Hall. "Come on!" She beckoned.

Rong Jian could only get up form the couch and follow her outside. 'Being so active is also good. People her age should be active.' He thought to himself.

They went outside to look at different shops and chatted. They were some people that stared at them, probably because of their masks, but they didn't pay the, any attention. Most people didn't see the o mind, store owners treated them the same. Even if they thought the couple was eccentric, they wouldn't voice it. This was the capital city of Jing Lan, everyone was too busy to pay too much attention to a masked couple. There was no need to talk about Rong Jian as that golden mask was perpetually glued to his face. Despite all the time they spent together and his confession, Shen Tianyu has never once seen his whole face. As for why Shen Tianyu wore a mask...

'There was that commotion at the registration center... I don't want people to recognize me and cause trouble... besides, it looks fun!' Was what she thought as she put the mask on.

For a whole week, the couple went around exploring the capital and eating at various restaurants form low to high end famous restaurants that the rich frequented. Though their clothes were simple looking, the materials were not cheap. Shopkeepers could tell they weren't poor with just a glance no matter how much they tried to hide it. The same could be said of the nobility of the capital. Because of that, they had no trouble in the high-end restaurants that the rich frequented. On the other hand, they had a few ruffians try to cause trouble for them when they went to the low end restaurants.

'I have to say, ruffians and robbers these days have really become stupid. There's no way a wealthy couple would be let outside without a few guards to accompany them, hidden or not. If they were allowed outside, didn't it mean they had means of protection?' Shen Tianyu thought to herself one time.

Some times, Shen Tianyu would feel like being active for once and eat with some ruffians herself. Other times, it was Rong Jian who dealt with them, trying to display a cool and quiet image in front of his future wife, an image completely opposite of how he usually acts, making it not that convincing. Instead, it earned him the admiration and love of other ladies nearby, which in turn, earned him glaring daggers from both his wife and other men, not that he cared about the latter.

The last day of the rest week was a rest day because that was when Luo Shue would be coming out of secluded cultivation. Shen Tianyu woke up in the afternoon that day and waited for her medic genius underling to come out.

"Shue'er! I missed you!" Shen Tianyu pounced toward Luo Shue as soon as she saw her. Out of instinct, Luo Shue swatted at her, causing her to fall on the ground, flat on her face.

"Uwu... how can you be so mean to the Miss that picked you up, raised you, and introduced you to such a good Master?" Shen Tianyu cried as she crawled up from the ground.

"I apologize, it was merely an instinct you had drilled into me." Luo Shue bowed at the waist and apologized to Shen Tianyu who was still sitting on the ground.

"Boo, you're not sorry at all! Hmph! I even woke up early to wait for you!" Shen Tianyu crossed her arms and turned her face away in an angry pout.

"You woke up later today than you did the other days." Rong Jian teased her.

"Hey! Whose side are you on!"

"I am merely stating the facts."

"A husband must always stand on his woman's side in an argument with others!"

"Yes, yes. Tian'er is right. Miss Luo is really cruel. Now, now don't sulk, you"be been waiting for today."

Luo Shue has already walked to a couch and sat down by the time Shen Tianyu got up form the floor and patted her clothes.

"It's still noon, let's go to a good restaurant to celebrate! Just the three of us!" Shen Tianyu immediately switched gears.

"Whatever Miss says."

"I will always follow Tian'er" were the responses she got. So she went upstairs to get her mask and came down again wearing it.

Luo Shue did not care either way, so when they walked down the streets, it was Luo Shue being stared at the most, being a companion of a masked couple but not wearing a mask.

The three ate at a high end restaurant the couple had visited before to partake in the noon meal. They had already been there once and there really weren't many people going to eat in masks combined with the fact that not even a whole week had passed, the shopkeepers and waiters recognized the right away. Just like before they got a private room and managed to eat in peace. The nobility of Jing City, unlike that Junzhu(1) Wen Ya, were smart and didn't look for trouble with outsiders.