Eighteen Dragons (2)

Actually, there was something she had always been curious about. Mister Long was a fully ripened fruit now, and while it was true that he was in half-dragon form, she hadn’t yet seen anything (Wow——). It didn’t mean that she wanted very much to see, but, it was just that, she was very curious.

The original book had not reached its conclusion, and there wasn’t anything in the plot about Mister Long doing this and that with Bai Shuiyao, she only read about Mister Long’s unreciprocated love for Bai Shuiyao, so she also didn’t know if he indeed did not have that kind of ability. Could it be that the legend of dragons having two (bleep——) was a lie? 

Mu Wanwan didn’t know how she went from thinking about making clothes for Mister Long to somehow thinking about Mister Long’s physiological health. By the time she came back to her senses, even her ears had become a little red. She shook her head and deeply felt that she was truly filthy, but still happily decided to buy some cloth in case of need.

In the end, she went to a relatively inexpensive shop and bought a large piece of cotton cloth. The boss was an honest sort, and returned her eight silver coins after accepting what was needed for the cloth. 

Mu Wanwan kept the silver coins carefully and went to the pharmacy to widen her horizons. The things in the pharmacy were very expensive, even a shabby-looking Grade 2 Baizhen fruit cost two low-grade spirit stones. She decided it would be better to not buy it, and only spent a silver coin to buy a bottle of medicated oil regular mortals used in the end. Her legs and lower abdomen were still a little sore, and there was so little of Mister Long’s ointment, she was afraid it wasn’t enough. 

By the time she finished shopping, it had grown late. Many hawkers and shops began selling food. The steamed buns and shaobing1 she hadn’t really been fond of eating back in modern times now smelled so good that her mouth watered.

“Delicious meat buns made of Grade 1 spirit pork~ Five copper coins each!”  

The boss’s cry was very loud; Mu Wanwan swallowed disgracefully, and her gaze turned uncontrollably to look——

The meat buns were made of spirit pork, and surely had thin dough and plenty of filling. Spirit pork was very tender—in one bite, fresh, savoury, fragrant, smooth and slightly hot juices would explode in one’s mouth. Accompanied with the sweetness of white dough, although a little oily, the large pieces of meat inside would fully satisfy one’s appetite…

Mu Wanwan gritted her teeth in agony, and simply ran towards the meat stall she remembered passing. What the heck, what steamed buns did she want to eat? She should just buy spirit pork directly, then stew soup when she returns to drink with Mister Long!

“Boss, how much is a catty of spirit pork?”

“Five silver coins a catty,” said the meat seller, a chubby aunty, cheerfully.

Mu Wanwan caught a glimpse of the bones that were casually laid by the side and tried bargaining, “Boss, how about giving me a few bones if I buy half a catty of meat?”

“Haha, nice try,” the boss laughed. “Bones are one silver coin a catty, non-negotiable.”

Mu Wanwan gritted her teeth. “Five silver coins, half a catty of meat, and four catties of bones.”

“No bargaining,” the boss continued to smile, not budging in the least.

In the end, although there was no gunpowder, the cruel war ended with the boss’s victory. Mu Wanwan spent three silver coins and bought a little bit of meat and two catties of bones. Considering that Mister Long was only able to swallow by instinct now, so eating meat might be tricky, she decided it would be better to buy more bones. 

By the time she left the market with the rather heavy basket on her back and met up with Hong Ye, who was waiting outside, it was already high noon.

“Madam, is the shopping done?” Hong Ye held the ox reins with one hand and glanced at the heavy-looking basket on Mu Wanwan’s back.

“Mm,” answered Mu Wanwan, and put the basket away. “Let’s go back quickly.”

Mister Long was still waiting for her at home.

“All right.” Hong Ye was not one to dawdle; when Mu Wanwan was properly seated, she began driving the ox cart back.

Mu Wanwan hammered her legs that were aching a little after she walked for a few hours. As she watched the elven market grow farther into the distance, she felt a little emotional; she didn’t know where to begin lamenting about the past few days she had.

The journey was a little long, and Mu Wanwan fell asleep in the ox cart with the basket in her arms. When she woke up, she had already passed through the enchantment of the tyrant’s manor and was about to arrive at the bedchamber.

“Madam, take care.”

After bidding Hong Ye farewell, Mu Wanwan carried the basket on her back, took out the key and opened the main door to the tyrant’s bedchamber.

As soon as she pushed the door open, she felt that something was amiss; there was a smell of decay in the air. 

Her first instinctive response was that the Grade 1 Spirit Pork she had just bought for three silver coins had gone bad, and even wanted to scold the boss for being a cheat, but when she checked, the meat in the basket hadn’t gone bad.

Oh no!

Mu Wanwan seemed have thought of something; after setting the basket down and shutting the door, she went hurriedly to the room——

It couldn’t be that, while she was away, that bad dragon, Ao Qin, came over to bully Mister Long, right? 

Footnotes:

1 Shaobing: 烧饼; A type of baked, unleavened, layered flatbread in Northern Chinese cuisine. Shaobing contains a variety of stuffings that can be grouped into two main flavours: savoury or sweet.

Join our Discord server for the latest news and announcement.