Upon hearing the muscular woman's name, Evan clapped his hands together, his eyes lighting up with a brilliance that made the surrounding women catch their breath. "I knew it! I've heard of Miss Lu's reputation for a long time. They say you're a force of nature, but seeing you in the flesh... you really are as extraordinary as the legends claim."
"Oh?" Lu Zhi leaned on her heavy iron staff, a grin splitting her rugged, handsome face. "The fame of this humble traveler has reached the ears of a beauty such as yourself?"
"Of course. Who hasn't heard of your strength and your noble path?" As he spoke, Evan reached under the stall, pulling out a small cache of cakes and a handful of fat, glistening strawberries he had hidden away.
"The cakes were officially sold out, and these were meant for our own lunch," Evan said, his voice dropping into a smooth, intimate register. "But since I've had the honor of meeting you, it would be my pleasure to treat you. I hope you don't find our humble fare beneath you."
He sliced a cake, stuffed it with spicy fried green peppers, and handed it to the monk. His fingers brushed against her calloused palm, a brief spark of contact that made the powerful woman blink in surprise.
Lu Zhi had spent her life making friends, but they were always rough-and-tumble warriors or simple village women. She had never been approached by a man so devastatingly handsome, let alone one who looked at her without fear and offered her his own food. She felt a rare flush of heat creep up her neck.
"Thank you, sir. You are too kind," she said, taking a massive bite. The contrast of the savory crust, the spicy kick of the peppers, and the lingering sweetness of the bread made her shiver. "This... this is incredible!"
"If you like it, Master Lu, please—take them all." Evan quickly assembled the remaining cakes, topping them with the fresh strawberries and wrapping them in yellow oil paper. He pressed the bundle into her hands, his touch lingering just a second too long to be accidental.
"Wait, let me pay—" Lu Zhi fumbled at her waist, her face suddenly clouding over. "My purse... it's gone. Those damn pickpockets in the crowd must have clipped it while I was distracted." She looked at Evan, her expression one of deep embarrassment. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm penniless at the moment. If you can wait, I'll find a friend to borrow from—"
Elara opened her mouth to speak, her frugal heart jumping at the loss of profit, but Evan stepped in front of her.
"It doesn't matter," Evan said, his voice like velvet. "Consider these a gift from a friend."
"I couldn't! It's not right," Lu Zhi protested.
Evan leaned in closer, his eyes locked onto hers, radiating a magnetic charm. "Miss Lu, I've heard of your honor. I'm not selling you bread; I'm making a friend. These cakes are worth pennies, but the friendship of a woman like you? That's worth more than all the silver in the kingdom."
Lu Zhi was floored. She had traveled across provinces and met countless people, but never a man with such a bold, thoughtful mind. "I have never met a man like you, Young Master. Fine! I accept! Hahaha!" Her hearty laugh echoed through the street.
"Since Sister Lu is willing to call me a friend, you must accept them, or I'll think you don't like my cooking."
"How could I not? Since it's my brother's wish, I'll accept shamelessly. Tell me, brother, what is your name?"
"Evan."
"Evan. I'll remember that. Next time we meet, the wine and the meal are on me!"
As Lu Zhi strode away, her iron staff clanging against the cobblestones, Evan returned to the stall with a satisfied smirk. He turned to Elara, only to find her face clouded, her lips pressed into a thin, bitter line.
"What's wrong? You look like you just swallowed a lemon," Evan teased.
"Nothing. Let's go home," Elara snapped. She hoisted her shoulder pole with a jerky, angry motion and started walking.
Evan followed closely, humming to himself. As they neared their gate, he noticed a figure lurking by their door, leaning against the wood and peering through the cracks like a common thief.
"Someone's at the door," Evan noted.
"It looks like Ann," Elara muttered.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Evan shouted.
Ann jumped nearly a foot into the air, spinning around with a guilty start. When she saw the couple, her eyes darted frantically. "Oh! You're back! I... I was just wondering why the door was locked!"
Evan recognized her instantly—the hungry-eyed woman from Mrs. Gable's house. You really can't wait to get your hands on me, can you? he thought, his gaze turning icy. "What are you doing sneaking around our house, Ann?"
"Cakes!" she stammered, pointing at Elara's empty basket. "I wanted to buy some cakes."
"Cakes? Why didn't you go to the market stall like everyone else?"
"I... well, I was just at Mrs. Gable's house discussing... uh, marriage business! I got hungry and remembered you lived right here. But the door was shut."
Evan snorted. This woman is a terrible liar. "The cakes are sold out. You'd better head to the market if you're still hungry."
"Right! Of course! Sorry to bother you!" Ann turned and bolted, her heels clicking rapidly on the dirt road.
"Sneaky," Evan remarked as they entered the house. "She doesn't look like a good person at all."
"Ignore her," Elara said, her voice small.
Evan went to the kitchen to prepare lunch. He took the cold, braised pork from the cellar—the fat now a firm, white jelly—and tossed it into a hot pan with fresh greens. The kitchen was soon filled with a rich, smoky sizzle as the fat melted back into a shimmering, savory sauce.
"Business was amazing today," Evan said, stirring the pan. "If we do this every day, you could retire by next month."
"Yeah," Elara replied. She was sitting by the fire, her knees pulled to her chest, staring into the flames with a hollow, depressed look in her eyes.
Evan paused, setting the spatula down. He walked over and knelt beside her. "What's on your mind? You've been in a lost state since we left the stall. Talk to me."
Elara hesitated, her voice trembling. "That monk... are you familiar with her?"
"Lu Zhi? Oh, I'm very familiar with her," Evan said, his voice full of genuine admiration. "I've known of her since I was a child."
"Since childhood?" Elara's heart sank.
"Well, today was the first time we met in person, but she's everything I imagined. Strong, classy, powerful... the kind of woman who makes you feel safe just by standing near her. She's truly attractive in her own way."
Evan was thinking of the novel—of Lu Zhi's legendary feats—but the words landed like poisoned arrows in Elara's heart.
"So... do you like her?" Elara whispered.
"I like her! Who wouldn't?" Evan laughed. "Every man in the world would want a woman like Lu Zhi."
He likes her.
The words echoed in Elara's head. A wave of suffocating sadness and sour jealousy washed over her. She had spent the last few days starting to believe his sweet words, but here he was, fawning over a wandering monk after meeting her for ten minutes.
She didn't get angry. She didn't have the confidence for anger. She just felt the familiar, crushing weight of her own inadequacy. She buried her face between her thighs, her small frame beginning to shake with silent sobs. He likes strong women. Of course he does. Why would a man like him settle for someone broken like me?
Evan realized his mistake the moment he saw her shoulders tremble. Shit, I'm an idiot, he thought. I'm talking about a fictional legend, but to her, I'm just a husband talking about another woman.
He moved instantly, squatting in front of her and gently forcing her to look up. Her petite, pretty face was a mess of tears, her eyes red and pleading.
"Hey, hey... what's this? Why are you crying?" Evan asked, his voice softening into a low, heart-melting murmur. He reached out, his thumbs gently wiping the tears from her cheeks.