I Only Choked on Noodles, Why Am I Here?! [BL]

Chapter 46: Chapter 46 – The Elder’s Token

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Among the various hair ribbons hanging from the wooden rack, one caught Han Yan’s eye.

It was a silver-white silk ribbon, smooth and finely woven. Delicate patterns had been embroidered along the edges with pale blue threads, giving it a simple yet elegant appearance.

Han Yan paused.

The color would pair well with the pale blue cloth he had just purchased. It was not too eye-catching, but it carried a quiet elegance that suited Lin Xin’s gentle temperament.

For some reason, he imagined Lin Xin wearing it, his long light-colored hair tied neatly with the silk ribbon.

The image lingered in his mind for a moment.

Lin Xin had always been simple in his needs. Even the cloth strips he used to tie his hair were plain and worn from repeated use.

This ribbon was a small thing, but it would be a little more fitting for him.

Before he realized it, Han Yan had already stepped closer.

The stall owner immediately smiled.

"Young Master has a good eye. This silk ribbon came from the prefectural city. The embroidery was done by a skilled craftswoman."

Han Yan picked it up and examined it.

The workmanship was indeed excellent.

"How much?"

"Seventy copper coins."

Han Yan raised an eyebrow.

The price was not cheap for a single ribbon.

The stall owner quickly explained,

"The silk is of good quality, and the embroidery alone took several days to complete."

Han Yan remained silent for a moment before saying,

"Fifty."

The stall owner’s smile stiffened.

"Young Master, that is too much of a cut."

"Fifty-five."

"Sixty-eight."

"Fifty-five."

The two continued bargaining for a short while.

In the end, the stall owner sighed.

"Fine. Sixty copper coins. I won’t earn much from this sale."

Han Yan nodded and paid before carefully placing the silk ribbon inside his robe, treating the small gift with unusual care.

After carefully placing the ribbon with his other purchases, he continued deeper into the market.

A faint smile appeared in his eyes.

Lin Xin would probably like it.

By the time everything had been bought, the silver pouch hanging at Han Yan’s waist felt much lighter than before.

Even so, he felt no regret.

The household now had enough rice, flour, noodles, meat, seasonings, lamp oil, clothing material, and daily necessities to live comfortably for quite some time.

The silver had been spent well, and with the shopping finally complete, Han Yan allowed himself a moment of satisfaction.

The afternoon sun hung high overhead as merchants loudly called out to passing customers.

Not far away, an elderly farmer sat beside several bamboo baskets.

Soft chirping sounds continuously drifted from within.

Han Yan lowered his gaze and discovered that the baskets were filled with fluffy yellow chicks.

The tiny creatures huddled together, occasionally pecking at the scattered grains inside the basket.

His eyes brightened slightly.

Keeping chickens would be beneficial in the long run.

Not only could they provide eggs in the future, but they could also be sold or used for meat once they matured.

After a brief moment of consideration, Han Yan walked over.

"How much for the chicks, Senior?"

The old farmer looked up and smiled.

"Eight copper coins each."

Han Yan nodded.

The price was reasonable.

"I’ll take twenty."

The old farmer’s eyes widened in surprise.

Twenty chicks was not a small purchase.

Still, he quickly recovered and happily began gathering them into a larger bamboo basket.

The chicks chirped noisily as they were transferred one after another.

After counting them carefully, Han Yan paid one hundred and sixty copper coins.

When the transaction was complete, the old farmer even added a handful of feed free of charge.

"Raise them well," he said with a smile.

Han Yan thanked him and accepted the basket.

The constant chirping echoed beside him as he continued through the market.

Looking at the lively little creatures, he felt somewhat satisfied.

With these chicks, the household would have another source of food and income in the future.

The basket of chicks chirped noisily at Han Yan’s side as he made his way through the crowded market.

Since there was still some time before meeting Wei Jun, he walked at an unhurried pace.

The afternoon marketplace was even busier than before.

Vendors loudly advertised their goods while customers moved from stall to stall.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted ahead.

"What do you mean you don’t know where it went?!"

A sharp voice rose above the crowd.

Many people immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to look.

Han Yan’s steps came to a halt.

A large circle had already formed around the disturbance.

His attention was immediately drawn toward the commotion.

Adjusting the basket in his hand, he walked closer.

At the center of the crowd stood a familiar figure.

It was the old man he had seen earlier sitting inside the carriage.

The old man’s clothes were simple but clean.

His back remained straight despite his age.

At that moment, however, his expression was rather helpless.

Opposite him stood a middle-aged man dressed in expensive robes.

The man pointed accusingly at the old man.

"You were standing closest to me!"

"I checked my waist pouch only moments later and the silver was gone!"

"If it wasn’t you, then who was it?!"

The crowd instantly burst into discussion.

"A thief?"

"Someone stole silver?"

Several suspicious gazes landed on the old man.

The old man frowned.

"I have already told you."

"I did not take your silver."

The wealthy man sneered.

"Then why were you standing beside me?"

"Why did you leave immediately afterward?"

The old man replied calmly.

"I left because I had business elsewhere."

"Must I seek your permission before walking away?"

The wealthy man’s face darkened.

"What nonsense!"

"You old thief!"

"I knew something was strange about you from the moment I saw you!"

The crowd grew increasingly noisy.

"Maybe he really took it."

"People nowadays can look honest but hide evil intentions."

"That’s true."

One accusation after another filled the air.

The old man’s expression remained composed, but his eyes had gradually turned cold.

Han Yan quietly observed from the edge of the crowd.

Something felt wrong.

The wealthy man seemed far too certain.

More importantly, if the old man truly intended to steal, would he remain standing here arguing with everyone?

At that moment, another voice rang out.

"Search him!"

The speaker pointed directly at the old man.

"If he’s innocent, why not let everyone search him?"

Many people immediately agreed.

"Search him!"

"Then the truth will come out!"

The wealthy man’s eyes brightened.

"Exactly!"

He stepped forward.

"Hand over the silver and I’ll pretend this never happened."

The old man’s gaze sharpened.

"I said I did not take it."

"Whether you believe me or not is your problem."

The wealthy man laughed angrily.

"Everyone heard that!"

"Look at his attitude!"

"If he isn’t guilty, why is he acting so arrogantly?"

The crowd’s suspicion deepened.

Some people even began pointing fingers.

Han Yan finally stepped forward.

"May I ask a question?"

His calm voice wasn’t loud.

Yet somehow, it cut through the noise.

The crowd instinctively turned toward him.

The wealthy man frowned.

"And who are you? Are you in league with him?"

Han Yan ignored the hostility.

Instead, he looked directly at him.

"You claim your silver was stolen."

"How much was it?"

The wealthy man immediately answered impatiently.

"Three taels."

Han Yan nodded.

"When did you discover it was missing?"

The man hesitated.

"About a quarter of an hour ago."

"And when did you last check your pouch?"

"Roughly the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense before that."

Han Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"In other words, for nearly a quarter of an hour, you had no way of knowing when the silver went missing."

The wealthy man’s expression stiffened.

"What does that matter?"

"It matters greatly."

Han Yan replied calmly.

"You are accusing this elder because he happened to stand beside you."

"But according to your own words, you cannot prove the silver disappeared while he was nearby."

The crowd immediately quieted.

Many people exchanged glances. That seemed reasonable.

The wealthy man’s face darkened.

"Even so, he is the most suspicious!"

Han Yan smiled faintly.

"Most suspicious?"

"Then allow me another question."

"If a thief successfully stole three taels of silver, would he remain standing in the marketplace waiting to be accused?"

The crowd froze.

The wealthy man opened his mouth.

No words came out.

Han Yan continued.

"Furthermore, if the silver is hidden on his person, searching him would reveal everything."

"So why would he calmly remain here while dozens of people surround him?"

The crowd immediately erupted.

"That’s true!"

"I didn’t think of that."

"A thief would have run long ago."

"Exactly!"

The momentum of the discussion began to shift.

The wealthy man’s face became increasingly ugly.

Han Yan wasn’t finished.

His gaze casually swept across the man’s waist.

Then he asked,

"By the way, what color is your pouch?"

The wealthy man blinked confused.

"Why do you ask? The pouch is blue."

Han Yan pointed.

"Then perhaps you should look behind you."

The man turned instinctively.

A blue waist pouch hung from a wooden corner of a nearby stall.

Apparently, it had become caught there when someone brushed past earlier.

The entire marketplace fell silent.

The wealthy man’s eyes widened.

He rushed over and grabbed it.

Opening the pouch, he immediately froze.

The silver was still inside.

Not a single coin was missing.

For a moment, the atmosphere became extremely awkward.

The crowd stared.

Then someone burst out laughing.

"Hahaha!"

"So it was there the whole time!"

"You nearly wronged an innocent person!"

"All that shouting for nothing!"

The wealthy man’s face alternated between red and white. It was quite a spectacle to behold.

He looked as though he wished the ground would swallow him whole.

The old man merely watched quietly.

Han Yan spoke calmly.

"Before accusing someone, it is best to find evidence first."

"Otherwise, a few careless words may ruin another person’s reputation."

The crowd nodded repeatedly.

The wealthy man lowered his head, unable to argue.

Under countless criticizing gazes, he could only stammer an apology before hurriedly fleeing the scene.

The surrounding spectators gradually dispersed.

Peace returned to the marketplace once more.

The old man looked at Han Yan.

For the first time, a faint smile appeared in his eyes.

"Young man."

"You have a sharp mind."

Han Yan simply smiled.

"It was nothing."

The old man looked at Han Yan for a long moment.

The faint smile in his eyes deepened slightly.

"Young man, your sense of reason is rare."

Before Han Yan could respond, the old man reached into his sleeve.

When his hand emerged, a small object rested in his palm.

"This old man does not like owing favors."

"Take this."

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