What was wrong with Zhang Ping? Always finding a way to get himself into trouble, uncaring of the consequences. The irritation, rooted in worry, that Chen Chou felt every time Minister Wang returned a sullen Zhang Ping to him was insurmountable. Was he trying to be killed, right after evading death countless times already?

"What a foolish man," he grumbled under his breath. His pouting and complaints had persisted up until midday, shown in the way he furiously kneaded at the noodle dough. "Never thinking of the consequences.. Does he think at all?"

He glowered at his and Zhang Ping's shared home, half wondering what he was up to now, half thinking about how to scold him. Who snooped outside the palace on a guy feeling? Idiots, that was who! To Chen Chou, Zhang Ping fit that category.

Still grumbling and huffing all his complaints that he wouldn't actually voice to Zhang Ping, he had yet to notice the customer awkwardly waiting for him to notice, standing on the other side of his noodle stand.