The Little Thief and the Young Miss’s Quzhou Adventure

On the way back home, Young Miss Bing and the little thief, Ye Di listened to the girl’s confession while being amazed at her audacity.

“I snuck into your room in the middle of the night, and your beauty captivated me. I was so enraptured that I decided to elope with you from Yicheng to Quzhou? Allow Niantang, you do have quite the imagination. Why not set up a stand by the road and tell jokes instead?”

Xu Niantang, having been deprived of her snacks, could only stand by helplessly, watching Ye Di chew on the pear blossom cake with gusto. She swallowed hard, muttering under her breath, “If you were nicer to me, I wouldn’t need to boast outside…”

Ye Di, unable to ignore her remark, turned and glared at her. “Xu Niantang, how can you say such cold words with that 36-degree mouth of yours? You think I’m not good to you? Who do you think this snack is for?”

Ye Di’s mention of the snacks only infuriated Xu Niantang further. She had been secretly drooling over them, and now her frustration boiled over. “You have the nerve to say that! Not only did you take away my snacks, but you’re eating them right in front of me!”

Ye Di chuckled. “Xu Niantang, I chased you for a thousand miles, clung to you relentlessly, and only then did you agree to let me follow you. I’ve handed over all financial control to you. How could you end up with no snack privileges?”

Xu Niantang was left speechless, her face falling as she regretted her outburst. Ye Di, noticing her distress, offered her a string of red candied haws. Xu Niantang hesitated, then bit into it, her expression softening despite her efforts to remain stoic.

“What are you, a dog? You’re supposed to bite the food, not my hand! You’ve gotten saliva all over me!”

…

Their days were filled with playful banter and occasional scuffles, but overall, life was peaceful. As time passed, Xu Niantang became familiar with all the famous dishes in the Quzhou restaurants, and even managed to negotiate a steady price of six cents and five coins for the weekly gossip papers. Yet, her martial arts skills remained limited to “hmm” and “ha”. Whenever Ye Di saw her posturing, he could envision at least a hundred ways to subdue her.

One morning, Ye Di woke Xu Niantang as usual. “Allow Niantang, your favorite crab meat buns are ready. If you don’t get up, I’ll eat them all.”

They had grown so comfortable with each other that they no longer felt the need for formalities. Xu Niantang never called him by his name, always referring to him as “bad guy”. Ye Di, on the other hand, enjoyed calling her by her name, finding it direct and affectionate, much like calling someone “Second Dog” or “Iron Egg”.

Seeing no reaction from Xu Niantang, Ye Di prodded her again. “Allow Niantang, the feather duster is within my reach. I advise you…”

A soft moan reached Ye Di’s ears. He leaned over the bed, noticing that Xu Niantang’s face was flushed, her brow furrowed, and her eyes tightly shut. He tried to pull down the blanket, but her hands clutched it tightly. Unable to move it, he felt her forehead, which was hot and slightly damp.

Ye Di quickly fetched a basin of water from the adjacent room and placed a wet cloth on her forehead. Leaning in, he asked softly, “Allow Niantang, can you hear me?”

“Mmm…”

Xu Niantang’s face was red, her lips pale, and her breathing rapid. She opened her eyes slightly, recognizing Ye Di, and managed a weak smile. “Bad guy, I’m fine…”

Ye Di gently held her cold hands. “Are you thirsty?”

Xu Niantang shook her head. “You must have caught a slight cold. I’ll go to Fang’s pharmacy to get you some medicine, and you’ll be better in no time.”

As Ye Di prepared to leave, Xu Niantang gripped his hand tightly. He turned to see her pale face, her eyes wide with worry, fear, and anxiety. Ye Di smiled reassuringly and sat back down on the bed, looking seriously into her eyes. “Then I’ll stay right here, I won’t go anywhere.”

After ensuring Xu Niantang was asleep, Ye Di went downstairs and informed the innkeeper that the guest was unwell and should not be disturbed. He then left for the pharmacy.

To his surprise, a long line stretched out the door, and the place was packed. Ye Di asked a man in line, “Brother, is the pharmacy always this busy?”

“I don’t know, but my wife and child have fevers, and today of all days, the line is endless. It’s driving me crazy.”

Ye Di noticed a pattern in the responses from those in line—everyone was experiencing similar symptoms of fever and chills. He suspected it might be an epidemic.

Despite the crowd, Ye Di waited in line and bought the medicine. Back at the inn, he brewed it for Xu Niantang, who drank it obediently. Her color improved slightly, and she clung to Ye Di’s hand, not letting go even while drinking the medicine.

Ye Di smiled. “You’re such a big girl, still acting like a baby.”

Xu Niantang, now sitting up in bed, looked at him with a hint of a smile. “I can’t help it…”

Ye Di said, “Allow Niantang, once you’re better, this little episode will be a powerful weapon in your arsenal. Everyone will see that the bad guy, who seems so cold, is actually just a tsundere. In critical moments, I’m the one doing all the work.”

Xu Niantang’s eyes sparkled, and a slight smile played on her lips. “Are you hungry?”

Xu Niantang only held his hand, shaking her head gently. “Then how about I tell you a story about the Flying Thief’s thousand-mile pursuit of his bride? Once upon a time, on a certain night, this thief sneaked into a young lady’s room…”

Xu Niantang listened contentedly, her colorless lips curving into a smile. Soon, she fell asleep again, her hand still clasped in Ye Di’s. Only then did he gently release her hand and quietly close the door.