Chapter 12 - The Cannon Fodder Little Fulang [Quick Transmigration]

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

After a night of rest, everyone set out the next morning. Most were visiting the capital for the first time, eager to explore and find the marketplace, as they preferred not to rely on inn meals every day—doing so would likely exhaust their funds by the end of the exams.

 

Even the teachers, who had visited the provincial capital before, went out to visit friends, taking advantage of their rare time in the city.

 

Wu Bai, his father, and Wu Kang'an joined the others in exploring the city.

 

As it happened, today was a market day, and the streets were even more bustling than the day before.

 

While they wandered, the three considered what small gifts they might bring back for their family. It didn't need to be anything extravagant—just something to show thoughtfulness would surely bring joy to Wu fulang and the rest.

 

For Father Wu and Wu Kang'an, the vibrant atmosphere of the capital was mesmerizing; they couldn't take it all in fast enough.

 

Wu Bai, on the other hand, remained calm. Having once lived in a city far grander than this one, he wasn't taken by the provincial capital's charm. Instead, his mind was occupied with devising ways to earn money without arousing the suspicion of his father and brother.

 

While his attention was absorbed by the people around him, searching for an opportunity, a carriage approached from behind. Its pace was slow, but Wu Bai, lost in thought, didn't notice it drawing close.

 

Father Wu and Wu Kang'an saw it, but their reaction was just a bit too slow, and with the dense crowd, they couldn't pull Wu Bai aside in time.

 

And so, Wu Bai was successfully bumped by the carriage.

 

The impact was minor; Wu Bai only stumbled to the ground and scraped his hand, but he quickly got to his feet.

 

The carriage driver, seeing that he'd accidentally struck someone—a delicate little ger, no less—broke out in a cold sweat.

 

Just then, the occupant inside the carriage, noticing the sudden stop, lifted the curtain, assuming they'd arrived at their destination. Instead, he found himself gazing into the eyes of the young ger standing just outside.

 

The one who opened the curtain was a young man, and upon spotting the small wound on Wu Bai's hand, he quickly surmised what must have happened. His brow furrowed slightly.

 

The driver, seeing his master's displeasure, quickly apologized. "Young master, I didn't mean it! The crowd is so thick, and I...I accidentally hit this young ger…"

 

The young man impatiently interrupted the driver, stepped out of the carriage, and addressed Wu Bai, who was still in a daze. "I am Xiao Zimo. My driver acted carelessly and unintentionally injured this young ger. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness."

 

The sight of the man's face left Wu Bai frozen with shock. He hadn't expected to see a face in this world identical to that of his husband.

 

Thinking it was just a coincidence—faces could resemble each other—Wu Bai told himself it meant nothing. But then, he heard the man introduce himself as Xiao Zimo.

 

At that moment, Wu Bai could no longer dismiss it as a mere coincidence.

 

Realizing that this man was, indeed, his husband Xiao Zimo, Wu Bai felt overwhelmed with joy. He could never have imagined that he and his husband would meet again in this life.

 

"Bai ger, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?" Father Wu and Wu Kang'an finally made their way through the crowd to Wu Bai's side.

 

Hearing his father's question jolted Wu Bai back to his senses. He had so many things he wanted to ask this Xiao Zimo before him, yet seeing the unfamiliarity in the young man's eyes, as if he was a total stranger to him, he suddenly felt at a loss for words.

 

Noticing that Wu Bai was staring at him in a daze, Xiao Zimo assumed that the young ger had been shaken by the accident. For reasons he couldn't quite explain, a glint of tenderness flashed in his eyes.

 

He quickly masked it, however. Observing the two men who had come to Wu Bai's side, he deduced they were acquainted, though he couldn't be sure of their exact relationship. The older man was likely a relative, but the younger man's connection to the little ger was less clear.

 

Catching himself lost in idle speculation, Xiao Zimo gave his head a slight shake, dispelling those odd feelings. He addressed them again, "This young ger's hand seems to be injured. I happen to be heading to a shop nearby—please, allow me to take you in my carriage. I'll have a doctor look at his injury once there. What do you say?"

 

Father Wu initially intended to decline, since it was only a small injury. He wasn't inclined to inconvenience someone who was clearly a person of wealth and influence. They could easily stop by a pharmacy later and buy some medicine.

 

But Wu Bai, realizing this man could very well be his husband, immediately nodded and agreed. "Thank you for your kindness, sir."

 

"It's the least I can do," Xiao Zimo replied graciously, extending a hand to help Wu Bai into the carriage.

 

Before he could reach Wu Bai, however, Wu Kang'an, a man of propriety, stepped in. Not wanting a stranger to help his younger brother into the carriage in public, he swiftly brushed Xiao Zimo aside and supported Wu Bai himself.

 

Xiao Zimo's hand hung awkwardly in the air before he drew it back with a wry smile. "My apologies for overstepping."

 

Seeing Wu Bai readily accept the offer, Father Wu could only follow suit and climbed into the carriage.

 

After a short while, the carriage came to a stop. As promised, Xiao Zimo's destination wasn't far, just around the corner.

 

They had arrived at a jade shop. Xiao Zimo immediately instructed the shop attendant to go to the medical clinic and call for a doctor.

 

Hearing Xiao Zimo request a doctor, the shopkeeper became visibly anxious. He hurried over and asked, "Young Master, are you unwell?"

 

"It's not for me. This young ger's hand is injured, so I wanted a doctor to check it," Xiao Zimo explained.

 

Following Xiao Zimo's gesture, the shopkeeper's gaze landed on Wu Bai, scrutinizing him closely.

 

The reason was simple. The young master, already nineteen, remained unmarried, much to his family's distress. Xiao Zimo's visit to Lizhou Prefecture was, in fact, partly an escape—from relatives back home who had attempted to arrange a marriage for him with someone he'd even never met.

 

Seeking to dissuade his family from their plans, he'd taken the opportunity to leave home under the pretense of conducting business.

 

What Xiao Zimo didn't know was that shortly after his arrival in Lizhou, this same shopkeeper had received a letter from his family in the capital. The letter, written by the family's fulang, urged the shopkeeper to advise Xiao Zimo to return home for the marriage they had carefully arranged for him.

 

Because of this letter, the shopkeeper couldn't help but scrutinize Wu Bai, trying to determine if his young master was interested in this young ger. If he was, the shopkeeper would need to report it to the family immediately, lest he be blamed for any future complications.

 

The shopkeeper, lost in his thoughts, didn't notice the discomfort his fixed gaze was causing Xiao Zimo and the others.

 

Father Wu, in particular, regretted bringing his son to this shop. The shopkeeper, around his own age, was staring unblinkingly at his much younger son, which didn't sit well with him.

 

Wu Bai also felt uneasy under the shopkeeper's scrutiny. Though he sensed no ill intentions, no one enjoyed being stared at so intently.

 

Noticing Wu Bai's frown, Xiao Zimo gave a low, deliberate cough, snapping the shopkeeper back to reality.

 

Realizing his behavior was inappropriate, the shopkeeper quickly apologized.

 

"Doctor, this way, please!" Just then, the attendant returned, leading a doctor into the shop.

 

The doctor glanced around, seeing a group of healthy-looking people with clear complexions, and suspected the patient might be in the back. "Where is the patient?" he asked.

 

Wu Bai started to raise his hand to indicate himself but hesitated upon noticing that the wound on his hand had already begun to scab. Embarrassed, he lowered his hand behind his back, as if to pretend he had nothing to do with it.

 

Xiao Zimo, standing beside him, caught the little gesture, a glimmer of amusement lighting up his eyes and curving his lips.

 

The shopkeeper, meanwhile, was stunned. He'd never seen his young master, known for his stoic demeanor since arriving in Lizhou, smile like that. It was as if he'd seen something extraordinary.

 

Realizing the shopkeeper's astonished gaze, Xiao Zimo quickly composed himself, turning to the doctor. "Doctor, my carriage accidentally struck this young ger earlier. Could you examine him for any internal injuries? His palm was also scraped—do you have any medicine for that?"

 

The doctor glanced at Wu Bai's face, which didn't appear to show signs of distress, but as a professional, he knew not to judge by appearance alone and proceeded with the examination.

 

He set his medicine box on a nearby table, placing a pulse pillow on the surface and inviting Wu Bai to sit.

 

After the examination, both Xiao Zimo and Wu Kang'an spoke at the same time: "Doctor, how is he?"

 

Realizing they'd spoken in unison, both men turned to look at each other, sparks of challenge flashing in their eyes.

 

In that moment, they both understood: here stood a rival for Bai ger.

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