[MXTX] Three Times the Love

Chapter 24 - Protect You From the Dogs

The next afternoon harboured a great shower.

Rain drops showered from the clouds and onto the land, perjuring dirt and soaking it into an ashy mush. A droplet of water slid upon a man's cheek, then finally letting go and falling into the ground.

The man stood in the rain, still and quiet.

Today, he wasn't trying to gain money by selling products at his stall. Instead, he was busy thinking twice and reflecting his own actions.

When the three couples found the man, they were astonished to find... that man was the shopkeeper who sold them tanghulu!

"...is this sir alright?" Shen Qingqiu asked.

The three couples stood underneath an umbrella, each couple sharing one. Shen Qingqiu chose a green umbrella, which matched his Sect's aesthetics. Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian wanted to pick a red one, but was defeated by Hua Cheng, who took the red umbrella before he could and shot a threatening glare. In the end, Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian shared a white umbrella.

"Oh, great cultivators..." The tanghulu shopkeeper sobbed. "I'm afraid that I won't be selling tanghulu's today. If your children still want some... perhaps come back tomorrow?"

Xie Lian's face flushed red. Children!?! The three junior disciples were not their children!

But none of the three couples refuted.

"We're just walking around to take a stroll." Wei Wuxian coughed. "We're not here to buy tanghulu's, but shopkeeper, how come you look so down?"

The tanghulu shopkeeper suppressed his sigh. "It's fine. It's nothing you fellow youngsters can fix."

Xie Lian stiffened when he was labelled as a "youngster".

The rain dropped on the surface of the umbrella, pitter and pattering continuously. The sky was loomed over by dark and gloomy clouds, exemplifying the current mood of the tanghulu shopkeeper.

"Hey!" Wei Wuxian huffed. "You shouldn't underestimate us. Who knows, we might be able to help solve your problems."

The tanghulu shopkeeper laughed heartily.

He then patted his beer belly, "Alright alright. I'll tell you what's on my mind."

Last afternoon, the tanghulu shopkeeper had been accompanying his wife shopping. They'd purchased several tea snacks, in hoping that their sole son would enjoy the small treat. Later on, they'd spent so much money on purchasing textbooks, which were for the purpose of their son's studying. They wanted their son to become a scholar and earn enough money to have a good living.

Who knew what happened, but since explaining their plans for the son, the boy stormed off. He said something along the lines of "I can decide my own dreams and future!" before leaving.

It seemed like their son was truly angry. At a young age of thirteen, it was the beginning of his rebellion.

"Oh, I was in my rebellious phase around that age as well." Wei Wuxian offhandedly commented.

The tanghulu shopkeeper's eyes had softened.

He continued the story.

After their sole son left, he told his wife that it'd be a good idea to let him cool his head off. Instead, his idea was proven to be untrustworthy, as it has been an entire day since the son had left. The tanghulu shopkeeper and his wife had already asked guards to search for their son.

Their son couldn't have gone far.

Following up, the tanghulu shopkeeper's wife was so angry at him that she stormed off as well. The wife said she didn't want to see him for the rest of the day.