Notes on Longevity

Chapter 30: Chasing You'an Through the Maze, First Encounter with Jie Xiaoshuang

After Yang Youan entered the alley, he wandered aimlessly through several alley entrances. Only after he had shaken off the others did he slow down. However, he also discovered a problem: he seemed to be lost in the alley.

When he entered the alley, he didn't think much of it because there were bandits behind him. But after he entered the alley, he found that the alley was sometimes very long and sometimes very short. Moreover, at the end of each alley was a wall, and one end of the wall would always lead to another path connecting to other alley entrances.

And so, Yang Youan moved back and forth between several alleys and alley entrances. But to his surprise, at the next alley entrance, he came face to face with several bandits. Without thinking twice, Yang Youan turned and ran the moment he saw them.

The chase begins again.

Yang Youan walked around the alleyway once, and finally entered an alleyway that was relatively narrow compared to the other alleyways.

The alley was so narrow that only one person could pass through sideways, and the bandits chasing him were mostly burly and strong. Even if they spotted him, it would be very difficult for them to catch up. This was why Yang Youan chose this alley.

Yang Youan walked close to the wall, and after about ten steps, he noticed faint lights appearing in the distance. He was both delighted and startled, thinking: Finally, I've met someone else.

Just as he quickened his pace, he suddenly thought: If this person is also alone, wouldn't it endanger others if he were caught by bandits if he went out rashly?
So he had no choice but to stop, press himself against the wall, and look toward the light.

The narrow, long alleyway was cramped, but not far from Yang Youan, there was an alleyway entrance where lights were on, and the faint sounds of conversation could be heard:

"The place where this tailor lives is really hard to navigate; I always get lost every time I come here."

"But their sewing skills are excellent. Even though it's in a deep alley, there are quite a few people who come here every day to repair or order clothes, and some of them are even high-ranking officials and nobles."

“Miss, that’s true, but I always feel dizzy when I enter this alley. Especially when I look at these walls, I can never remember where I am.”

The man speaking to the woman was a strong young man who walked beside her, carrying a large red lantern in one hand and a knife in the other. Behind him followed a group of men of similar age, all carrying lanterns and knives.

The woman turned her head away, raised her face, and looked at him with a smile: "Alright, go into that alley, walk through that alley, and then go around in a circle to get out."

Upon hearing this, the man was overjoyed and immediately walked up to the woman, saying, "Finally, we can get out of here. I was about to throw up."

After saying that, he even made a gesture as if he was about to vomit.

The woman, amused by his appearance, raised her hand, covered her mouth, and laughed: "Stop joking, turn left after you go in."

"Alright!" The man put away his previous demeanor, turned around with a serious expression, and strode inside.

Meanwhile, the relentless pursuers finally reached the alleyway where Yang Youan had entered. Leaning against the wall, they complained to their leader, "Boss, let's stop chasing him. I'm getting dizzy from all this wandering around."

"Yeah, at worst I'll just get a scolding when I get back, I can't stand it anymore."

The leader of the bandits stood at the alley entrance, looking at his exhausted companions and shaking his head helplessly: "Forget it, let's not chase them anymore."

Upon hearing this, the group breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground.

"If we keep chasing him, we won't get the money, and we'll lose our lives first. How can that kid run so fast?" "Who knows? He looked so weak and unassuming, but I didn't expect him to be able to run faster than us."

After listening to the group's complaints, the leader of the bandits waited until he had caught his breath before saying to them, "Alright, stop complaining. Let's go back now. Don't let me run into him again, or I won't be satisfied until I eat his flesh and blood."

The words had barely left his lips when a glint of fire flashed in the corner of his eye. He looked towards the light at the alley entrance and saw Yang Youan with his back to him. A surge of rage welled up within him, and he drew his knife, ready to charge inside. But then he hesitated. Yang Youan wasn't carrying anything that could emit light. And the source of the light he had just glimpsed was in front of Yang Youan.

The man, carrying a lantern and a knife, quickly entered the narrow alley. Yang Youan stared at the approaching flames, his brow furrowed, thinking to himself: Don't come any closer.

But that wasn't the case at all. After the man entered the alley, he turned directly to the left. Yang Youan sighed when he saw this, but immediately covered his mouth. However, the man still heard the sigh.

The man suddenly turned around, his brows furrowed. He blocked the alley entrance, one hand holding a lantern high, the other hand pointing at the woman at the alley entrance, staring intently at Yang Youan.

Seeing this, Yang Youan felt utterly humiliated, unable to express his bitterness. The bandits were in hot pursuit, and now another man, also wielding a weapon, had appeared, and judging from his movements, this was not a single person.

"Who goes there?" the man shouted at Yang Youan.

Yang Youan bowed respectfully to the man, nervously replying, "I am Yang Youan, a candidate on my way to the capital for the imperial examinations. However, on my way back to the inn today, I was chased by bandits who wanted to steal my money and harm me. I had no choice but to hide here."

Seeing that this man's words did not seem like those of a bandit, Yang Youan said this in order to seek his help.

"What's wrong?" the woman at the alley entrance asked the man, her eyes full of confusion.

“Miss, a scholar is being chased by thugs and is hiding here,” the man said, lowering his arm.

"Scholar?" Upon hearing this, the woman walked to the man's side and looked into the narrow alley by the light.

The woman was half-turned to the side, and by the light, Yang Youan stared blankly at her face.

It was a face full of childlike innocence, and her blue dress, illuminated by the lamplight, made her face look quite adorable. She was much shorter than the man beside her.

Seeing Yang Youan looking at her like that, the woman blushed and lowered her head, but still said to Yang Youan in a childish voice, "Since you are a scholar and being chased by villains, then please come with us."

Yang Youan was taken aback at first, and a puzzled expression appeared on his face, but he quickly realized what was going on. He glanced back worriedly, and seeing that no one was following him, he slowly walked over.

Upon hearing this, the man turned around and said to one of the men at the entrance of the alley, "You lead the way."

"Yes." Another man responded, walked around the two men, and went to the front.

After Yang Youan approached, the man cautiously stood in front of the girl and said to him, "You follow behind me."

Yang Youan answered yes, and the group continued walking along the alley.

(End of this chapter)