The Eastern Continent Swordsman
CH. 16 – Waiting for Answers

Shen Shen was busy covering his face with long strands of hair. As much as possible he did not want his face to be caught by the five people who a moment ago discussed about him and Yang Zi. When Zhou Fu told him that Zhou Fu was going to finish them all off, Shen Shen stepped on Zhou Fu's feet while shaking his head.

“Trust me, we better just shut up and not react!” Shen Shen spoke almost without a sound.

“Damn it, I shouldn't have needed your permission!” Zhou Fu clutched his hands tightly. Furious because he failed to fight. It would be fun if he could fight. What power, Shen Shen forbid it and he had to obey what the woman said.

Zhou Fu had promised his grandfather to obey Shen Shen if he was prevented from fighting. ‘A promise, however difficult it is to keep it must be kept. As such, you will be called a true man’ such were the words of Li Xian's grandfather who often appeared in Zhou Fu's head.

"Why, by the way, does my grandfather trust you so much more than he trusts me? Why should I obey you instead of the other way around?” Zhou Fu squinted his eyes at Shen Shen who was still busy covering his face.

Shen Shen turned his head slightly towards Zhou Fu, as he was about to answer the question, a horde of servants came to their table.

“Young master, this is the order of master and miss, enjoy.” Said a butler who was now beside Zhou Fu's and Shen Shen's table. The servant threw a smile at Shen Shen and Zhou Fu in turn. His head shook his head several times as he observed Shen Shen Shen's sour facial features.

“Ehm, are you two lovers fighting? Ah, hopefully this dish can warm your mood yes!” the butler thought that Shen Shen Shen's sour and slightly tense face was due to a fight with the man he was with, Zhou Fu. The butler patted Shen Shen on the shoulder and threw a smile before returning to the kitchen.

“Love?” Zhou Fu raised an eyebrow and turned his head to Shen Shen, his expression explaining that Zhou Fu needed an explanation from Shen Shen about the definition of a lover.

“Eat first, I will explain,” replied Shen Shen with a frown, both together with forest teenagers like Zhou Fu made Shen Shen have to explain about many things that should be trivial.

“Remember, you haven't explained what a comfort woman is either!” Zhou Fu recalled that Shen Shen seemed to avoid explaining the term while Zhou Fu was already curious as soon as the term was spoken by Shen Shen at the inn.

“Don't look at me, point your face at the table! See there are so many dishes you enjoy!” Shen Shen again dodged to explain about the comfort woman. For him, the explanation of this would be difficult to understand Zhou Fu because the teenager seemed to not even have a desire for women.

Zhou Fu directed his gaze to the dining table, his two eyes widened when he saw that there were countless dishes of food being served. For a moment, Zhou Fu forgot the terms that had disturbed his head. He had even forgotten his disappointment from failing to fight with the five people sitting opposite him. Instead, his mood changed to be very cheerful once he saw the various dishes presented at the dining table.

***

“After this we split up. I'm going back to headquarters to report that no woman has lost her way in Dozhu! Meanwhile, the three of you please continue the search for the three warriors from the North River sect, get out of this island and comb the nearby islands,” a person who seems to be the most senior gives orders to his friends.

“Good, Brother! Is brother going to port right now?” ask a member who seems to be the youngest and least talked before.

“No, ships in port will leave later tonight. At least I'll go around while gathering additional information. But, it's good that we part here! Long, come with me!” the senior stood up while inviting someone he called Long.

The three remaining people stood up and greeted him farewell. They sat back down after giving the farewells to two of his colleagues who had already walked out of the restaurant.

“How is this? I heard Jidong Island is the last island inhabited by humans. If we continue further, we will never meet human civilization again. Do you think a spoiled noble girl can survive alone if she gets lost on an uninhabited island?” one opened the conversation once his two seniors had already vanished from sight.

Hearing that people were still fussing about Shen Shen, Zhou Fu, who was still gnawing at the roast chicken, nudged Shen's shoulder with his elbow and asked slowly, “why are people taking too much care of your life? Are your whereabouts and your family very influential in Caihong?”

“Said, my father will be appointed governor in the near future. Looks like there's a party that fires beards because of this. I don't know, it's just my temporary and baseless suspicion,” replied Shen Shen who also spoke in a fairly quiet voice.

“Hey, boys.. It looks like you're not Dozhu natives. Where are you guys from?”

Zhou Fu looked up at the person who asked him to speak while Shen Shen was shocked like he was electrocuted. The girl let her long hair fall down to drown her face out of the questioner.

As soon as he saw who asked, Zhou Fu let out a long sigh because the questioner was indeed one of the members of the group who was looking for Shen Shen's whereabouts. The three people seemed to be about to step out of the restaurant but one of them seemed interested in the existence of Zhou Fu and Shen Shen who did look like strangers in Dozhu.

Zhou Fu was not used to lying, his eyes glanced up and then down, he was a little confused to answer the question that was actually not difficult to answer.

“Oh yes, I am not from Dozhu!” zhou Fu replied briefly, he was worried that if the answer was too long he would make a mistake.

“Well, where did you come from? You are young enough to wander alone,” the man continued his question. Interrogating some strangers is one of his habits as their group is indeed tasked with gathering information.

“I? I'm from Youhi island.”.

Shen Shen stepped on Zhou Fu's feet forcefully, making Zhou Fu gulp down and stop his speech for a moment.

“Youhi Island??? Ha ha ha, it looks like this brat has not woken up from his sleep yet! Everyone also knew that the island could not be inhabited by humans ha ha ha! Don't try to lie to us, quickly tell us where you came from!” the three men looked at each other before they finally laughed together again. They became even more interested in interrogating Zhou Fu.

“I've answered it. If you don't believe that's your right,” Zhou Fu replied.

“How arrogant are you, boy! Look me in the eye if I'm talking to you!” the man pulled Zhou Fu's shirt on his chest, lifted him in full force to make Zhou Fu's position, who had been sitting, stand up.

Zhou Fu's hands clutched tightly, he already wanted to fight with the men but of course he wouldn't do it as long as Shen Shen hadn't given permission.

“We do not disturb you gentlemen, please leave us and continue the journey sir,” Zhou Fu spoke in a tone made as relaxed and calm as possible.

“What if we want to disturb you? Ha ha ha!” the man grinned at the laughter of two other friends.

“True, it looks like I also need some entertainment. Let's teach this arrogant boy a lesson!” the fellow of the man who was gripping Zhou Fu's clothes chimed in.

Zhou Fu glanced at Shen Shen, hoping that the girl would immediately say the line she had been waiting for.