Fortune Across the World

Chapter 136: Carving Deep Emotions in Ulan's Sands (Part 2)

Over the course of several days, Fu Ruqing successfully negotiated a trade agreement with the merchant king, finalizing all the details. On their ninth day in Ulan City, Ding Qiyu finally had the opportunity to take her beloved Qing'er out to explore the exotic local sights.

After lunch, Ding Qiyu and Fu Ruqing prepared to head out. Qing'er wore a veil to protect her face from the desert wind and sand. Ding Qiyu carefully helped her put on a light sun cloak over her dress and led her out of the merchant king's palace.

To avoid the awkwardness of their previous outing at the flower festival, Silver Sui chose not to accompany them. With the young master by her side and plenty of hidden guards watching from the shadows, she had no worries.

The two stepped out onto the bustling sandy streets of Ulan City. The city was blessed with its usual clear blue skies, the sun high and bright. Ulan City, a major city in the eastern part of Xuanzhou, was lively with activity: street vendors with curled mustaches hawked uniquely shaped pottery; women in gauzy dresses browsed household goods along the street; and a busker with a tilted hat played a snake flute, his black, glossy serpent swaying to the music.

Holding Qing'er's hand, Ding Qiyu was excitedly taking in all the sights. She was curious about the snake dance, but her little companion clung to her arm upon spotting the slithering creature in the basket. Knowing Qing'er disliked such creepy creatures, Ding Qiyu quickly led her away, pointing out interesting trinkets at the stalls to distract her.

In the past, there had been no large-scale trade between the Great Qian and Xuanzhou, only a few clever merchants who smuggled goods across the border to do small business. Thus, the people of Ulan City rarely saw anyone from the Great Qian. While Ding Qiyu and Fu Ruqing enjoyed the exotic atmosphere, the locals were equally fascinated by this "little couple" from the grand nation of the Great Qian. The residents, aware of the impending trade with the Great Qian, speculated that these two must be important figures from the Great Qian's trading delegation.

Seeing Qing'er's curiosity, Ding Qiyu purchased a bag of particularly enticing fruits—plump, purple-red gems resembling grapes but with a teardrop shape, like perfect amethyst sculptures. She led Qing'er to a street corner, peeled one, and gently fed the juicy purple flesh to Qing'er, reattaching the veil afterward. "How is it? Is it tasty?" she asked eagerly.

The fruit was refreshing and juicy, sweet and tangy, a delight in the arid heat. Each bite sent a thrill through Fu Ruqing's taste buds. Coupled with Ding Qiyu's tender care, her heart and lips were filled with sweetness and satisfaction. She nodded, "Yes, it's delicious. You should try it too." With that, Fu Ruqing reached to peel one for Ding Qiyu.

Ding Qiyu dodged her hand, "Haha, let me do it. The juice will make your hands sticky." She quickly peeled another and popped it into her mouth, the sharp tang exploding across her palate, leaving her momentarily speechless. She strained to keep a straight face, not wanting to show discomfort and ruin Qing'er's enjoyment. After a moment, she managed to say, "Ha, it's quite good. Refreshing..." The fruit's tartness was overwhelming, yet Qing'er seemed to genuinely enjoy it. Unwilling to believe it, Ding Qiyu tried another, only to swallow it quickly to avoid the sourness. She marveled at Qing'er's tolerance for sourness.

Unaware of Ding Qiyu's struggle, Fu Ruqing assumed her eagerness was due to shared enjoyment of the fruit. "You should eat more. We can buy more to take back later," she suggested, relishing the sweet and tangy flavor, though mindful of the inconvenience her veil posed for eating in public.