Vol 4 Chapter 34.3 (1/2)

VOLUME 4 EXTRA STORY PART 3: DON’T TELL ME THIS IS THE EXTRA STORY OF VOLUME 4

That said, when you think about it, it’s almost impossible to have a good time in this era. Naturally there were no amus.e.m.e.nt parks, theatres or arcades in the last years of the Eastern Han. People were thankful just to have peace and stability.

Moreover, I don’t quite know what girls of this era like to do or where they like to go. I could only keep an eye out as we went along, and hope to find a place which was filled with women.

And now, we had walked into the street which sold cooked food.

“Wasn’t Xuan De going to buy ingredients? Why have we left before buying anything?”

“Un, we can always buy them on the way back.” I said and looked at the roadside stalls here and there, “Eh… Why isn’t there anything suitable…”

Hai, if I knew it would be like this, I should have asked someone along the way first. What should I do now? Even though Feng Xian looks normal now, doubt has probably begun to sprout on her heart.

Un? … There’s fragrant smell of something sweet being cooked.

I followed the scent, and found an old man sitting by the road as he swirled a yellowish-white soup in a pot.

“Umm, what are you selling here?”

“Malt sugar…” He said, without taking his eyes off the pot, “It’s 3 coins for 1 bowl. The ones that are done are right this way.”

(TL: It’s that thick yellow thing you eat on a stick. Not sure if it exists in Western countries but it’s basically thick viscous lump of sugar you eat. Diabetes-causing, but worth it.)

I looked at where he pointed at and saw neat rows of bowls containing some viscous material that shone with a slightly yellowish gleam.

Un? Is this candy? Feels like this is some sort of thick broth.

(TL: Not sure why he doesn’t know what this is, but it’s probably because the malt sugar candy in that era has a lot less sugar due to scarcity and looks more liquid than solid.)

“Feng Xian, have you had this before?”

“Un…” I turned and saw that she was looking at the sticky, viscous material in the bowl as she shook her head.

“Want to try it?”

“Ah… But…” Feng Xian frowned as she shook her sleeve.

Ah right, money!

As I remembered this, I hurriedly felt the pockets in my sleeves. If I remember correctly, Yun Chang seems to have given me some coins that last time.

“Umm… Ah, got it. I’ll have 2 bowls, please.”

“Un, so sweet!”

We were now walking along as we ate after taking 2 bowls from the old man. And Feng Xian praised the candy with every mouth she took.

“Sweet huh…” I wasn’t actually too satisfied with its sweetness. It felt a lot more bland than what I was used to in the contemporary era. But I was still very satisfied with how refres.h.i.+ng and smooth the candy was.

“Thank you Xuan De.” All of a sudden, Feng Xian thanked me.

“It’s nothing. Shouldn’t the guy pay when going out with a girl?”

That is what I was taught at least.

(TL: Bit rich to say that when your money came from another woman…)