After arguing with the voice for some time, Yun Zhen left.
He really wanted to believe the old man in the well, but he was deceived in the end.
"Sigh, I should listen to Old Wei and stop messing around!"
The shop had more customers than usual these past few days. Aunty Lu, the proprietor of the shop, could barely handle it. Yun Zhen messing around in the forest these past few days left her short-handed, which brought quite some trouble.
Yun Zhen quickly made his way towards a makeshift stone cottage at the periphery of the village. That was his home, and even though it wasn't much, it made him feel blessed for having a roof over his head.
After washing up and removing the dirt from his legs, he scrambled towards the restaurant.
The noodle shop, a one-story building with an old tiled roof and slightly grey walls, was located in the southern side, near a road that ran through the village and was constantly packed with travelers and merchants.
Yun Zhen quickly made a roundabout and sneaked in through the back door, nimbly making his way over sacks of flour, arriving in the kitchen.
An old man known as Old Wei was chopping vegetables, while a younger man that looked to be in his early-twenties was preparing the broth. He was Old Wei's grandson, Wei Lin. At the storefront, a middle-aged woman with long, slightly-greyed black hair was holding six cups in a single hand and five steaming pots of soup in the other. Her dark eyes were vibrant, though a faint trace of fatigue could be seen between her brows.
She moved with grace among the tightly packed tables. Some newcomers even looked at her in surprise. 'How could a mere waitress move like that?' they wondered as they greedily devoured their food.
Yun Zhen was accustomed to this.
It had to be said that his respect for Aunty Lu was immeasurable. After spending 4 years working for her, he learned that she was originally a highly sought-after courtesan in her youth, one who had earned enough money to buy her freedom simply by playing the Qin!
Some old customers knew about this story, and often came by the shop to ask her to play a piece, only to be laughed at and dismissed by Aunty Lu, who would say that she wasn't in her prime anymore.
At this time, the old man noticed Yun Zhen from the corner of his eye. Letting out a chuckle, he asked, "Did you visit that mystic well of yours again?"
Yun Zhen jumped like a cat whose tail has been stepped on. "Grandpa Wei, don't make fun of me!"
"Keke, Grandpa is right, who asked you to spout nonsense at the guarding post a few days ago? Not only did those warriors find nothing, but they also came by to ask for you!" Wei Lin said, shooting him a mirthful look.
Yun Zhen immediately turned gloomy. Being reminded of that event made him want to find a hole to crawl into.
'Not only could those good-for-nothing guards not see the well, but they also came back and scolded Aunty Lu for raising someone like me,' Yun Zhen lamented as he picked up a knife and started peeling radishes in a corner.
As he peeled with unblinking focus, he gnashed his teeth in secret. 'Raising a little lying snake, was it? Guard Post Commander, just you wait!'