{"id":3131,"date":"2026-05-04T03:12:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T03:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pursuit-of-jade-04\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T03:12:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T03:12:46","slug":"pursuit-of-jade-04","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/es\/chapter\/pursuit-of-jade-04\/","title":{"rendered":"Pursuit Of Jade 04"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 4: He Dreamed of Her

Fan Changyu found a bamboo basket and scooped out the richly braised offal, letting it drain. The aroma of spices and meat blended perfectly, and the glossy sauce coating it looked far better than anything she had seen at the cooked food stalls earlier that day.

Changning stretched on tiptoe to peek at the stove. Seeing that it was all offal, she looked disappointed. \u201cThere\u2019s no pig ears\u2026\u201d

She liked pig ears best.

Fan Changyu poked the large intestine and stomach lightly with her chopsticks; they were so tender that they yielded easily. \u201cWe\u2019ll have intestine noodles tonight. Tomorrow I\u2019ll braise pig ears.\u201d

Changning\u2019s eyes lit up again.

While the fire was still strong, Fan Changyu ladled out some of the braising liquid, washed the pot clean, and boiled water again. She cooked enough noodles for five people.

She told Changning, \u201cGo tell Aunt Zhao not to cook supper tonight. We\u2019ll eat together later.\u201d

Changning obediently agreed and ran next door to pass along the message.

Cooking noodles didn\u2019t take long. Fan Changyu prepared four large bowls and one small bowl in advance, adding seasonings to each. To make them more fragrant, she scooped a spoonful of rendered pork fat into each bowl. Once she poured in the boiling noodle broth, the fat melted instantly, releasing a rich aroma.

Her preparation was simple: she added the noodles, topped them with chopped, tender pieces of braised intestine, and sprinkled chopped scallions on top.

If it had been her mother, she would have simmered a pot of rich stock and used that instead of plain broth\u2014it would have been even more delicious.

Fan Changyu placed Changning\u2019s bowl on the table for her to eat first, then carried the three large bowls to the neighboring house.

\u2014

The wooden stairs connecting the attic and the ground floor creaked softly under steady, light footsteps. When he heard them, Xie Zheng opened his eyes.

A moment later, the woman\u2019s voice sounded from outside the door. \u201cAre you awake?\u201d

\u201cThe door isn\u2019t locked,\u201d Xie Zheng replied.

His voice was still hoarse, but much improved from the day before.

Fan Changyu nudged the door open with her arm, holding an oil lamp in one hand and a steaming bowl of noodles in the other. \u201cI just heard from Aunt Zhao that this morning a big hawk suddenly swooped down and crashed straight into the window downstairs, breaking it. What a strange thing.\u201d

Xie Zheng pressed his lips together and said nothing.

He hadn\u2019t expected that sea falcon to be so foolish\u2014at the sound of his whistle, it had dived straight down without hesitation.

Fan Changyu glanced at his face. Though still pale, he looked much better than yesterday.

She was already used to his taciturn nature. Setting the oil lamp on the table, she said, \u201cFortunately, the bird didn\u2019t hurt anyone. Uncle Zhao will fix the window downstairs when he has time. This attic is a bit small, but at least it\u2019s quiet.\u201d

Xie Zheng finally responded with a faint \u201cMm.\u201d

Fan Changyu handed him the bowl. \u201cI made some noodles. Make do with it.\u201d

Xie Zheng had already caught the scent. The unfamiliar topping on the noodles was the very source of the rich aroma that had drifted through the entire alley earlier.

The smell only intensified the hunger in his stomach. After days of bitter medicine and bland porridge, this bowl of noodles might as well have been a delicacy.

He thanked her, took the bowl, and began eating.

The noodles were smooth, the broth rich. Though made with ordinary flour, it tasted better than any noodles he had eaten before. The meat on top was tender yet springy, bursting with flavor.

Even though he had tasted many delicacies in his life, he couldn\u2019t tell what it was.

\u201cWhat is this?\u201d he asked.

Fan Changyu, about to hurry back to her own bowl, answered, \u201cIntestine.\u201d

Xie Zheng\u2019s chopsticks paused midair. At the word \u201cintestine,\u201d he already had a bad feeling.

Seeing his confusion, she clarified more plainly, \u201cPig intestines.\u201d

His expression changed instantly.

Fan Changyu had seen people who disliked offal, but judging from how he had eaten earlier, he hadn\u2019t seemed to find it unpleasant. Now, seeing his face turn so grim, she couldn\u2019t understand why. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d

\u201cNothing.\u201d

The words came out with difficulty.

Xie Zheng silently took several deep breaths before suppressing the wave of nausea.

Still thinking of her own bowl of noodles, Fan Changyu said, \u201cI\u2019ll head back first. Just leave the bowl on the cabinet when you\u2019re done\u2014Aunt Zhao will come up to collect it later.\u201d

The door clicked shut, followed by the sound of her footsteps descending the stairs.

Xie Zheng looked at the bowl in his hands, frowning as he hesitated.

He wasn\u2019t delicate. In the past, during harsh campaigns, he had eaten bark and roots\u2014but never the intestines of animals.

Pig intestines? Weren\u2019t those\u2026 where filth was stored?

Just the thought made it hard to swallow.

But considering his injuries, this was the most substantial meal he had been given in days.

After struggling for a long while, he finally lifted his chopsticks again and stiffly brought the noodles to his mouth.

When heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a man, it first tests his resolve\u2026

\u2026It actually tasted quite good.

\u2014

That night, Xie Zheng\u2014who rarely dreamed\u2014found himself dreaming of the woman who had saved him.

In the dream, she cheerfully drove a pig along. Suddenly, she pulled out a large knife, slit open the pig\u2019s belly, and yanked out a long length of intestine, holding it up to him. \u201cThis is intestine. I\u2019ll cook it for you.\u201d

The pig\u2019s squeals in the dream overlapped with real sounds, jolting him awake.

He realized he was lying on the bed.

The pig next door was still squealing. He glanced outside\u2014the sky was just beginning to lighten.

There were already sounds from downstairs; the old couple must have woken up to help the woman slaughter the pig.

Thinking of his dream, Xie Zheng\u2019s expression darkened.

Driving pigs, killing pigs, pig intestines\u2026 everything about that woman seemed tied to pigs.

He pressed his fingers to his brow and closed his eyes again, trying to block out the piercing squeals outside.

Just endure a few more days. The sea falcon had already carried his message back. His former subordinates would arrive soon, and he would be able to leave this place.

He would leave behind a generous sum of money for the woman and the elderly couple as repayment.

\u2014

In the backyard of the Fan residence, Fan Changyu had already tied the pig firmly to the slaughtering bench.

She had inherited her father\u2019s strength. A pig that normally required several men to restrain could be held down by her alone.

The slaughtering bench in her home wasn\u2019t wooden\u2014it was a stone slab specially made for the purpose. Once the pig was tied to it, no matter how much it struggled, it couldn\u2019t move at all.

With a swift motion, she plunged the long, sharp knife into the pig\u2019s throat, nearly up to the hilt. The piercing squeal stopped abruptly as blood poured out, filling the basin beneath the bench.

A clean kill was considered auspicious, and the more blood drained, the better.

Seeing the full basin of blood, Aunt Zhao smiled. \u201cThat\u2019s enough blood to last several days.\u201d

Fan Changyu didn\u2019t respond. Pulling out the knife, her expression was unusually cold. Specks of blood dotted her face and sleeves.

Whenever she slaughtered a pig, she seemed like a different person\u2014someone not to be approached lightly, carrying the fierce aura of one accustomed to killing.

After draining the blood, she untied the pig and dragged it to the large pot of boiling water. She scalded the skin, then began scraping off the hair.

Changning peeked from the doorway. Aunt Zhao said, \u201cGo play outside, child. Don\u2019t watch this, or you\u2019ll have nightmares.\u201d

\u201cI\u2019m not scared,\u201d Changning muttered, though she still shuffled away.

Fan Changyu rinsed the pig clean, then, without much help, hoisted it up onto an iron hook in the courtyard and split it in half with a cleaving knife.

One half remained hanging, while the other was carried to a makeshift chopping board to be cut into portions.

The Zhao couple watched in stunned silence. \u201cThis girl really takes after her father\u2026\u201d

After finishing, Fan Changyu hurried to load the meat onto a cart for sale. The twenty jin ordered by the restaurant cook yesterday, she entrusted to Uncle Zhao to deliver.

She also added some braised offal for him\u2014not to curry favor, but simply to thank him for his support.

When she arrived at the market, she was among the early ones. Only a few stalls had opened, with butchers arranging their meat.

Some acquaintances were surprised. \u201cOh? Changyu, reopening your family\u2019s shop?\u201d

She answered cheerfully, \u201cYes.\u201d

Opening the doors that had been shut for over a month, she found everything inside neatly arranged as it had been during her father\u2019s time, though covered with a thin layer of dust.

Thinking of him, her chest tightened, but she quickly pushed the feeling aside and got to work cleaning before laying out the fresh pork and the braised offal.

By mid-morning, customers began to trickle in.

Her shop had a prime location, and compared to the burly butchers nearby, her presence drew attention. Some customers, thinking her easier to bargain with, stopped to ask about prices.

Smiling, she quoted her prices and added, \u201cToday is our reopening\u2014buy one jin of pork and get one liang of braised offal free, for good luck.\u201d

Hearing this, many customers were tempted and decided to buy from her.

Business picked up quickly, making her stall the busiest.

Across the street, a butcher glared and shouted, \u201cGirl, you can\u2019t break the rules! Everyone sells at the same price\u2014what\u2019s this about giving extras?\u201d

Fan Changyu replied calmly, \u201cUncle Guo, I\u2019m selling at the same price as everyone else. How am I breaking any rules? It\u2019s just a reopening promotion. Or do you think I\u2019m easy to bully because I\u2019m an orphan?\u201d

Unable to argue, the man flushed red. \u201cYou\u2019ve got quite the tongue!\u201d

Another butcher stepped in to mediate, and the matter was dropped.

Fan Changyu continued selling, and soon most of her pork was gone.

After closing shop, she packed her tools and headed to the livestock market again, her money pouch now heavy.

As she left the market, she quickly calculated her profits\u2014over two strings of coins, with more to come from selling the head and offal.

Just then, she heard someone calling urgently behind her. \u201cChangyu! Changyu!\u201d

Turning around, she saw Uncle Zhao running toward her, his face full of panic.

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d she asked.

Breathless, he said, \u201cHurry home\u2014your uncle brought people from the gambling house. They\u2019ve smashed your door and are searching everywhere for the land deeds. Your aunt and I couldn\u2019t stop them!\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-3131","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3131"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3132,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3131\/revisions\/3132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=3131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}