Chapter 29: Variables

When the sun came up and Zhu Xianyao awoke, she discovered that Su Chen was no longer by her side.

She got out of bed and washed up, just so happening to run into Su Chen on his way back.

He seemed as if he was quite travel-worn, but in his hand he held an oiled parchment pouch.

When he saw Zhu Xianyao, Su Chen said, “You woke up a bit earlier than I expected, but thankfully I managed to make it back in time. Here, for you.”

He handed over the oiled parchment pouch in his hand to Zhu Xianyao.

Zhu Xianyao opened it and glanced inside, then cried out in surprise, “Falling Horse Alley’s Thousand-Layer Pastry and egg pancakes? How did you know I like to eat those things?”

“Of course I asked your subordinates. What would be the point in having a mouth otherwise?” Su Chen chuckled.

Zhu Xianyao’s face sank slightly. “The Falling Horse Alley is under the Rong Clan’s control. You went there again?”

Zhu Xianyao appeared to be unhappy, but her words were filled with concern and care.

“Oh, I just happened to be passing by,” Su Chen carelessly replied.

“Passing by?” Zhu Xianyao was stunned. “So then where did you go exactly?”

“Of course to the Rong Clan,” Su Chen replied matter-of-factly.

“What!?” Zhu Xianyao was badly startled.

Are you crazy?

She instinctively asked, “What were you doing at the Rong Clan?”

“I went to go investigate why exactly they would...