Two days later, Ping'an's wound had completely healed, so the lovers decided to take a walk in the street. They stopped in front of the Sunrise Inn. There were still people standing in line, eager to enter. At this time of year, the inn was typically very busy.
"Do you want to go in?" Guo Baiyu asked Ping'an.
"It's okay. Let's go back," Ping'an replied, a faint shadow crossing her face.
"I heard that today is the last day of the festival. Are you sure you don't want to stay longer?" Zhao Renshu asked, hopeful.
"You have eaten enough food. Are you still not satisfied?" Ping'an teased, knowing his obsession with meat.
"If you are tired, it is better for us to take a break; we can come back in the evening," Zhao Renshu suggested, trying to persuade her.
"It's still early, we can walk more," Ping'an insisted, wanting to explore.
"How is your wound?" Guo Baiyu asked, concerned.
"It's healing. You did a great job," Ping'an complimented, touching her shoulder.
"It's not me. Thanks to the healer," Guo Baiyu corrected modestly. "I believe the wound will heal completely in two days."
"Next time, if we stop there, we need to get more of those ointment," Zhao Renshu mused, remembering the Centaur Valley.
"What is it?" Guo Baiyu asked, intrigued.
"Pure healer's blood," Zhao Renshu replied with a smirk.
"You are so ridiculous," Guo Baiyu scoffed, shaking his head.
When the lovers peeked inside Sunrise Inn, they saw two people surrounded by a group of people, creating a commotion.
"Is that the person who pretended to be you in Waterfall City?" Ping'an asked, looking at Zhao Renshu, a hint of recognition in her eyes.
"Urgh....." Zhao Renshu furiously stormed into the inn, propelled by a surge of annoyance. Guo Baiyu and Ping'an had no choice but to follow Zhao Renshu into the bustling Sunrise Inn.
Everything in the inn was the same, from the paintings and writing on the walls to the tables and chairs. None of the waiters recognized Ping'an, not even Xiong Lifeng, the innkeeper's daughter. The impostor, slightly older than Zhao Renshu and with a darker complexion and black hair, was bragging about himself while sitting opposite Xiong Lifeng and Madam Xiong. His characteristics were clearly not as refined as Zhao Renshu's.
"Miss Xiong, the rumors about your beauty are absolutely correct," the Impostor gushed, reaching out and grabbing Xiong Lifeng's left hand.
"Thank you," Xiong Lifeng replied, blushing.
"Miss Xiong, Hunter Zhao Renshu and you are a perfect match," one of the male customers chimed in, supporting the impostor.
"Your family already has wealth. You should consider marrying someone who can protect you," Male Customer Two added, urging the match.
An angry Zhao Renshu stepped onto the front line. He stood face to face with the impostor, leaving his brother and wife behind the large group of people gathered around Xiong Lifeng, Madam Xiong, and the impostor.
The group of people surrounding the impostor, including Madam Xiong and Xiong Lifeng, began to shout in unison, "Say yes! Say yes! Say yes! Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!"
Zhao Renshu hit hard on the table and shouted, "No!"
Everyone stopped shouting, and every eye in the inn was fixed on Zhao Renshu.
"Who are you? Why did you say no?" a Male Customer asked, bewildered.
"Get lost, homeless!" Male Customer Three sneered, trying to push Zhao Renshu away.
Zhao Renshu ignored him, looking directly at the impostor. "What is your name?"
"Zhao Renshu," the Impostor replied confidently.
"Really? Who is your master?" Zhao Renshu pressed, his eyes narrowing.
"My master has passed away," the Impostor replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Zhao Renshu nodded slowly. "Since you are Zhao Renshu, who is Ping'an to you?"
"Um... I don't follow," the Impostor stammered, caught off guard.
"Miss Xiong and Madam Xiong, you do know who Ping'an is, right?" Zhao Renshu asked, turning to the mother and daughter.
"What does this have to do with her?" Madam Xiong asked, confused.
"If you don't know who Ping'an is," Zhao Renshu stated, his voice firm, "then you are not the real Zhao Renshu."
"I am the real Zhao Renshu!" the Impostor insisted, his face reddening. "You are just a homeless man, get out of here!"
"Miss Xiong, if you marry this fake Zhao Renshu, you will be devastated when you learn the truth," Zhao Renshu warned her.
"Don't cause trouble, homeless, otherwise I won't go easy on you," the Impostor threatened.
"The real Zhao Renshu should know who Ping'an is," Zhao Renshu continued, unperturbed. "But if you don't know, then you must be fake."
"Who is this Ping'an then?" the Impostor demanded, growing more agitated.
Zhao Renshu smirked, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. "Zhao Renshu's wife."
The impostor's face turned pale, realizing he was cornered. "Who are you?" he whispered.
From behind the group of people, a woman's voice called out, clear and sharp. "Because he is the real Zhao Renshu." Huang Hongse walked over and looked directly at Zhao Renshu, a determined glint in her eyes.
Everyone gasped, then looked in the direction of the voice, and Xiong Lifeng quickly pulled her hand away from the impostor.
The Huang sisters, Lim Peizhi, Fang Yaoting, Guo Longtong, and his three friends walked into the inn, ready for a confrontation.
"Childe Guo," Madam Xiong stammered, recognizing Guo Longtong.
"She is absolutely correct," Guo Longtong affirmed, pointing to the impostor. "He is a fake!"
Huang Hongse looked at the impostor, her expression cold. "Do you want to say, or should I say?"
"I'm not afraid of any of you," the Impostor blustered, standing up and taking out a talisman.
"You should be very scared of us," Huang Hongse said coldly, looking him directly in the eye.
Guo Longtong was deeply impressed by Huang Hongse's heroic actions. He had never met a fearless woman like Huang Hongse. Standing next to her, he felt very happy and excited.
"The last time you were in Waterfall City, I already looked you up," Huang Yueliang stated, her voice calm and authoritative. "You are Yang Delun, twenty-eight years old, from Capital City."
Yang Delun froze, completely exposed. "How?"
"I made it easy for you last time, but not today," Zhao Renshu sneered. He rushed over, grabbed Yang Delun's front collar, and threw him toward the door.
The customers in the dining hall, realizing the deception, shouted, "Impostor, get out of our town!"
Yang Delun ran out of the inn in shame, disappearing into the street.
Madam Xiong applauded and said, "The real Zhao Renshu rescued my daughter from the fake Zhao Renshu. Is this a heroic act? Since we are talking about marriage, I approve of the marriage between my daughter and the hunter Zhao Renshu!"
"Really?" Zhao Renshu asked, a mischievous glint in his eye, playing along.
"Yes," Madam Xiong replied, beaming.
"How about holding a big celebration party tonight?" Zhao Renshu suggested.
"It's a bit rushed tonight... how about two days from now?" Madam Xiong considered.
Ping'an walked up to Zhao Renshu, putting a hand on his arm. "Renshu, enough. Let's go," she urged softly.
"You....." Madam Xiong began, pointing her finger at Ping'an in disbelief. "You are still alive?"
"Of course she is still alive," Zhao Renshu retorted, his voice filled with pride. "She has the great Zhao Renshu as her husband; nothing will happen to her." He walked behind her, put his arm on her waist, and rested his chin on her right shoulder. "Don't worry, we won't stay here for too long."
Xiong Lifeng stared at Guo Baiyu, a flicker of recognition and longing in her eyes. "Childe Guo."
"Miss Xiong," Guo Baiyu acknowledged with a slight nod.
The lovers and their friends walked out the door, leaving Madam Xiong and Xiong Lifeng behind.
"Brainless people," Zhao Renshu murmured, shaking his head in amusement.
The group of friends walked into the street.
"Baiyu, I will show them around," Guo Longtong said to Guo Baiyu. "We are going to take a boat out on the lake."
"Ping'an is not better yet, so you guys go ahead and have fun," Guo Baiyu replied, indicating he would stay with Ping'an.
"Okay," Guo Longtong agreed.
The group of friends disappeared in the opposite direction.
Zhao Renshu looked at Ping'an. "Let's go try some noodles."
The lovers walked around for a while until Zhao Renshu chose a noodle stall. They sat at a small, square, knee-high table with low stools on each side and ordered noodles. Guo Baiyu sat on the right side of Ping'an, and Zhao Renshu sat on her left. The noodle stall owner put the noodle bowls on the small table.
"Enjoy," the Vendor Owner said with a friendly smile.
The lovers ate their noodles, watching the people enjoying themselves on the busy street.
Zhao Renshu looked at Guo Baiyu. "Are you going to eat those meatballs?"
"Go ahead," Guo Baiyu replied, pushing his bowl of noodles forward.
Zhao Renshu stretched out his hand and grabbed three meatballs from Guo Baiyu's noodle bowl. Just as he was about to sit back, a small knife flew directly towards Ping'an. Guo Baiyu reacted instantly, pushing Ping'an backward, then catching her fall with his left foot. The knife missed Ping'an, so it flew directly to the back of the customer sitting behind Ping'an. Zhao Renshu, with lightning speed, sent out one chopstick and knocked the flying knife away. The incident happened so fast that the crowded streets were full of people, and they didn't even know who the assassin was.
"Hu Qingge," Zhao Renshu muttered, his eyes narrowing. He got up and looked around, searching for her.
"Don't draw conclusions," Guo Baiyu said, his voice calm. "Whoever it was, is long gone."
"If it's not Hu Qingge, it must be Wu Xiangmei or your family," Zhao Renshu insisted, turning to Guo Baiyu, his voice sharp. "I tell you now, if someone dares to hurt Ping'an, I don't care if it is your family, I will kill them without hesitation."
"Renshu, don't talk to Baiyu like that," Ping'an said softly, pulling his hand. "If we can forgive them, then we will forgive them."
Zhao Renshu sat back down, a frustrated sigh escaping him. "I am worried about you."
"I know that you are worried about me," Ping'an replied, her voice gentle. "We are disciples of Master Zhao; we should follow his teachings."
Zhao Renshu looked at Guo Baiyu firmly. "I told Baiyu in advance, so he doesn't get mad at me when the time comes."
Guo Baiyu looked directly at Zhao Renshu, his gaze steady. "If that time comes, I won't stop you." He continued to eat noodles, as if nothing had happened, his trust in Zhao Renshu absolute.