TRWSB – Chapter 130 Unexpected Meetings and Humble Beginnings

Title: “Unexpected Meetings and Humble Beginnings”

After meeting the female mercenary leader, Yun Hu seemed as though he had been injected with boundless energy. Though he wasn’t fond of speaking with Yun Cui or Qi Shaorong, he constantly clung to Zhuang Hao.

“Hey, little thief, wasn’t the leader stunning? My life’s goal is to marry her,” Yun Hu said, full of enthusiasm.

Zhuang Hao glanced at Yun Hu and replied indifferently, “Not stunning. She’s just average.”

Offended, Yun Hu glared at him. “Listen here, little thief! You can insult me, but don’t you dare insult the leader. She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen!”

Zhuang Hao couldn’t help but think to himself, This guy’s world is really small.

“Have you seen someone prettier?” Yun Hu asked skeptically.

Zhuang Hao nodded. “Yes.”

“Who?” Yun Hu demanded.

“My wife,” Zhuang Hao answered calmly, his eyes flicking briefly to Qi Shaorong.

“And who’s your wife?” Yun Hu pressed on.

Zhuang Hao hesitated, knowing Qi Shaorong was in disguise, and simply replied, “You’ll find out later.”

Yun Hu scoffed, suddenly struck by an idea. “Oh, I get it. Your family went broke, and your wife ran off, didn’t she?”

Taking a deep breath, Zhuang Hao tried to suppress his irritation.

Yun Hu patted Zhuang Hao on the shoulder in mock sympathy. “A beautiful wife is pointless if you can’t keep her. Take it easy, kid. Life goes on.”

Hearing this, Qi Shaorong couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Strangely, seeing Qi Shaorong’s smile made Zhuang Hao feel that his current predicament wasn’t so bad after all.

That night, Zhuang Hao and Qi Shaorong sat back-to-back in the courtyard.

“How long has it been?” Qi Shaorong asked lazily.

“Sixteen days,” Zhuang Hao replied.

“Sixteen days? It feels like sixteen years,” Qi Shaorong sighed wistfully.

Zhuang Hao chuckled softly. “Honestly, I think it’s not so bad.”

Qi Shaorong turned to him, concerned. “Are you sick? Why are you talking nonsense? Have you been under too much stress lately?”

Shaking his head, Zhuang Hao replied, “No, I just feel like we’re relying on each other to survive, and that’s… comforting.”

Qi Shaorong gave him a side-eye and shook his head. “You really know how to adapt. But if someone recognizes you in this state, it’ll be quite the story.”

Zhuang Hao avoided the topic, gazing up at the night sky. “The stars are beautiful tonight, don’t you think?”

“Didn’t know you liked stargazing,” Qi Shaorong said with a wry smile. “Not much entertainment in this world, huh?”

“I didn’t care for it before,” Zhuang Hao admitted, “but now I do—because you’re here with me.”

Qi Shaorong sighed. “Get some rest. We’ve got vegetable-picking duty tomorrow.”

Zhuang Hao winced. “…Right.”

The next morning, Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao, with baskets in hand, followed Yun Cui and Yun Hu out of the forest, only to stumble upon a caravan parked outside.

A familiar figure stepped out of the group, and Qi Shaorong froze.

From the moment he’d lost his magical power, Qi Shaorong had dreaded running into someone he knew. Now that it was happening, he couldn’t help feeling self-conscious.

Zhuang Qian, dressed as a merchant, stood still, staring at his brother in disbelief. The Zhuang Hao he remembered was always impeccably dressed, exuding an air of nobility. Now, this “noble” figure wore patched clothes and had messy hair, utterly unrecognizable.

“You two know each other?” Yun Cui asked curiously.

Zhuang Hao nodded. “Before my family fell from grace, we were a fairly prominent household. He’s a distant relative.”

Zhuang Qian’s eyes flickered with resentment—his own brother had reduced him to a mere “distant relative”! Despite his irritation, Zhuang Qian played along. “Cousin, what happened to you?”

“Family went bankrupt. This is what’s left of me,” Zhuang Hao replied dryly.

Zhuang Qian could hardly believe his ears. Back at home, this statement would have earned his brother a good scolding.

Grabbing Zhuang Hao’s hand, Zhuang Qian said earnestly, “Cousin, when I heard about your family’s misfortune, I couldn’t sit still. I came as fast as I could, but I was still too late to prevent your suffering. Come with me—I’ll make sure you’re taken care of. You’ll never go hungry as long as I’m around.”

Yun Hu sidled up to Zhuang Hao, whispering, “Hey, little thief, your relative looks rich!”

Without missing a beat, Zhuang Hao replied, “He is.”

Yun Hu sighed in envy. “If you go with him, you’ll probably get to eat pork every day!”

Zhuang Qian, overhearing, smiled politely. “Don’t worry, cousin. My household may not be wealthy, but we can definitely afford pork.”

Yun Hu stared at Zhuang Qian in admiration. “You’re so loyal, young master!”

“Of course! Loyalty is everything in business. My cousin took care of me in the past; now it’s my turn to return the favor,” Zhuang Qian declared.

With Zhuang Qian’s arrival, Zhuang Hao opted not to return to the Yun household, choosing instead to camp with the caravan.

Yun Hu trailed after Yun Cui, visibly dejected. “Sis, are those two really leaving?”

Yun Cui glanced at him. “You’re attached to them, aren’t you?”

Scratching his head, Yun Hu admitted, “It was kind of fun having two people follow me around like little brothers.”

Yun Cui sighed. “Those two aren’t ordinary. There must have been a reason they stayed with us.”

Yun Hu puffed out his cheeks in envy. “That little thief has hit the jackpot now—he’ll get to eat meat every day. Why don’t we have rich relatives like that?”

Rolling her eyes, Yun Cui muttered, “Is meat the only thing you think about?”

“Young Master, have some tea,” Qi Heng said, handing Qi Shaorong a cup.

Qi Shaorong eagerly held the tea in his hands, his expression radiant. “Ah Heng, you’re the best! It feels like a lifetime since I last had your tea. Drinking this… I finally feel human again.”

Qi Heng smiled gently. “Young Master, you’re exaggerating.”

“How did you end up with Zhuang Qian?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Qi Heng shrugged lightly. “Although we both left the capital, we traveled separately. But by coincidence, we reunited here.”

Qi Shaorong simply nodded in response.

Zhuang Qian crouched in front of Zhuang Hao, scrutinizing him with a puzzled expression. “Big Brother, why are you dressed like this? Your clothes… they reek!”

“These clothes are just fine,” Zhuang Hao replied. Initially, the rough attire had been uncomfortable, but over time, he had grown used to it. He even thought to himself: These clothes aren’t the worst—nothing compares to that blanket’s unbearable stench.

Zhuang Qian looked at Zhuang Hao in disbelief. “When did your taste degrade so much that you think these clothes are ‘fine’?”

Qi Shaorong tilted his head playfully. “Don’t underestimate those clothes! Your brother sacrificed his dignity for them.”

Zhuang Hao shot Qi Shaorong a glare. “…”

Confused, Zhuang Qian turned to Qi Shaorong. “Young Master Qi, what’s going on?”

Qi Shaorong eagerly recounted the series of misadventures he and Zhuang Hao had endured, speaking with a mix of enthusiasm and mirth.

Zhuang Hao, watching Qi Shaorong’s animated retelling, couldn’t help but feel conflicted. Our hardships were anything but amusing, yet he’s acting as though it were some grand adventure. He wasn’t exactly thriving during that time either!

Zhuang Qian frowned deeply as he processed the story, then turned to Qi Shaorong. “Young Master Qi, you’re saying my brother got caught stealing clothes and ended up forced into labor?”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “That’s right!”

“You can’t be serious! Just because my brother broke off the engagement, doesn’t mean you get to smear his reputation like this! You two were engaged, after all. If my brother looks bad, it reflects poorly on you too!” Zhuang Qian said indignantly.

Qi Shaorong blinked, momentarily stunned. Is my reputation really that bad?

Zhuang Hao burst into laughter, while Qi Shaorong shot him an exasperated look, lightly smacking his shoulder in retaliation.

Qi Shaorong turned to Qi Heng. “When can we return to our homeland?”

“Not in the next few days, I’m afraid. We’ll need to wait until both you and Young Master Zhuang have regained your strength,” Qi Heng replied.

“Why?” Qi Shaorong asked, frowning.

Qi Heng explained, “We’re currently in the Red Moon Wastelands. This area is a chaotic borderland where people from Yuan, Rong, and Li countries intermingle. It’s a lawless territory. Normally, that wouldn’t be an issue, but Rong has set up checkpoints along the way. I suspect they’re targeting you and Young Master Zhuang specifically.”

“Why would they do that?” Qi Shaorong questioned.

With a faint smile, Qi Heng replied, “The ruler of Rong is ambitious and harbors designs on neighboring territories. You and Young Master Zhuang are seen as rising threats. If the two of you were to reach your full potential, it would spell trouble for their plans.”

Qi Shaorong sighed heavily. Why am I always caught in the crossfire of major powers’ struggles?

Seeing his young master’s distressed expression, Qi Heng reassured him. “Don’t worry, Young Master. Once you and Young Master Zhuang regain your strength, crossing the checkpoints will be a trivial matter. For now, though, we must remain low-profile.”

Qi Shaorong nodded, though his mood remained somber.

That night, Zhuang Hao and Qi Shaorong set up a tent to camp outdoors. Though the tent was simple, it was a relief to sleep under blankets that no longer carried the unpleasant “meaty” smell. For the first time in a while, both enjoyed a peaceful night’s rest.