“Qu Yao, have you found any news of him?” After asking, she silently smiled, knowing that if there were news, Qu Yao would have reported immediately.
“Master, the master might no longer be in Huan City.”
“Where could he go? Wan City’s Xu family?”
Qu Yao was silent for a moment: “I’ve already sent a letter to Wan City.”
“She stood and walked out, turning at the door to instruct the guard who had been silently following: ‘Do not follow.’
Qu Yao stopped, speaking softly to her retreating back: ‘Forgive my overstepping. Please take care, master.’
‘Mm.’
She made a nasal sound as a response. Qu Yao watched her back gradually blur into the distance, her brow furrowing. Was her master, whom she had followed without ever experiencing setbacks, now experiencing her first life disappointment? Such a feeling, how tormenting…
Her steps unconsciously turned toward the small secluded pavilion. That delicate and troublesome Miss Yan had finally been lying honestly in bed and not pestering her as before. It was time to re-examine her injuries and change her medicine.
Within the small secluded pavilion, two old jujube trees stood. Yan Ziyan, feeling melancholic and lonely with no companion, asked a small servant to move a reclining chair, lazily reclining beneath the dense jujube tree’s shade for a nap.
Hearing heavy footsteps, she lightly laughed without raising her eyes: ‘Foolish Wood, you’re here!’
Qu Yao did not respond. The beautiful woman under the big tree lay languidly on her side, her delicate purple brocade robe wrapping her slender figure, with the collar slightly turned, silk stockings draped at a corner, her fair wrist gently adjusting to find a more comfortable position.”
Without opening her sparkling eyes, this voice already seemed intimately familiar.
Qu Yao’s eyebrows furrowed momentarily, feeling somewhat powerless, yet her heart relaxed.
After waiting a while without her speaking, Yan Ziyan opened her eyes and sat up, casually putting on her shoes and making space: “Any news yet?”
Under her repeated gestures, Qu Yao pursed her lips and sat down, nodding.
The expected result made Yan Ziyan sigh wistfully. She tilted her head, clapped her hands, and smiled lightly: “Since there’s no one at the cliff, I believe he is definitely alive.”
Qu Yao could not understand her overly optimistic nature, but nodded again. Yan Ziyan casually picked up the small butterfly cup from the stone table, tossing a few jujubes into her mouth and chewing happily. Seeing the foolish wood sitting stiffly beside her, she quickly grabbed her hand and stuffed some in: “Here, they’re really delicious!”
Qu Yao hesitated, unable to resist Yan Ziyan’s sparkling eyes, and raised her hand to feed herself one, chewing and swallowing.
Yan Ziyan became even happier: “Sweet, right?”
“Mm.”
To demonstrate her sincerity, as Yan Ziyan ate one jujube after another, the dates in her hand also went through a complete cycle.
“Starting tomorrow, you can walk around freely. I’ll change your medicine.”
Don’t argue with the servant, drink it yourself.” She thought for a moment and added a threat: “Otherwise, you won’t get to eat Chef Liang’s pastries!”
Yan Ziyan turned to look at her, then silently lowered her head, softly saying: “I’m going to leave…”
“What?”
This news was unexpected. Qu Yao’s low voice suddenly rose, staring directly at her. Yan Ziyan was startled, carefully looking at her, realizing her own impropriety. She turned away, calming her emotions and asked in a deep voice: “You… are leaving?”
“I’m very grateful for the care I’ve received from the Qu family, but I’ve been out too long and must return. You’re all busy, so I won’t disturb you. When I find my family, I’ll have them send someone to look for Wan.”
Qu Yao suddenly grabbed her wrist, frowning: “You’re still injured.”
“It’s fine! I won’t go far. My family will definitely come to pick me up. They’re probably used to me being like this. I won’t die.”
“Is that so?” Qu Yao’s heart turned cold, suddenly awakening and releasing her wrist, looking at her smiling face, feeling something slowly sinking in her heart. She stood up, her expression solemn: “Then that’s good, Miss Yan. Take care.”
After finishing, she turned and left Yan Ziyan’s sight. Yan Ziyan suddenly stood up, aggrieved and stammering: “Hey! I still have so many parting words to say…”
Qu Yao left quickly, her pace accelerating, her heart sinking.
“Foolish Wood, Foolish Wood!”
Yan Ziyan ran out from the pavilion, her clear voice hard to ignore. Qu Yao turned with a stern expression, asking directly: “Does Miss Yan have something else?”
Although she always had this cold, hard expression, Yan Ziyan felt she was suppressing some anger and said awkwardly: “I want to give you a gift.”
She pulled out a smooth, round pearl from her sleeve. Qu Yao coldly laughed: “Miss Yan is generous, giving pearls to everyone?”
Not understanding why she suddenly became so antagonistic, Yan Ziyan couldn’t help feeling hurt and aggrieved. She tore off the jade pendant from her waist and threw it heavily: “I wanted to give you this! Why are you so cold to me? I know I’m troublesome, but after being together so long, can’t you treat me like a friend!”
Qu Yao numbly caught the jade pendant, unable to speak.
Knowing the person opposite was still watching her, she slowly put away the luminous jade pendant and respectfully bowed: “Miss Yan is noble. Qu Yao, a mere guard, cannot aspire to such heights.”
She turned coldly and left decisively. Yan Ziyan recalled the back that had ignored her that day, feeling inexplicably sad, standing in a daze before slowly returning.
As night was about to fall, Xu Wanzhi was sleeping soundly on his side. Suddenly, the door latch slightly moved, and a black shadow silently entered, walking towards the bed.
His alertness wasn’t bad, and recently learning martial arts from Ding Xiangwei had made his mind even clearer. If he couldn’t sense someone staring at him, he would definitely be in trouble!
“Who?!” He sat up, pulling the blanket and staring intently at the black shadow in the distance. The black shadow, illuminated by the moonlight, looked at him with interest. Seeing him awake without realizing he had an uninvited guest, she laughed lightly: “When did Three Hearts Sect get such a beauty? Seems like Xiao Wei has been randomly picking up things again.”
Xu Wanzhi immediately recognized her voice: “Senior Sister of Xiang Wei?”
The black shadow laughed: “Indeed, something Xiao Wei picked up.”
Being awakened in the middle of the night to discuss such topics, Xu Wanzhi had no interest. Hearing such words, he coldly laughed: “I don’t care who you are. Whatever matters exist can wait until tomorrow. Right now, please leave immediately.”
“I thought all women were as well-behaved as Xiang Wei. You’re probably not a woman.”
The black shadow was sarcastically criticized for distorting a woman’s dignity. She raised her long, delicate eyebrows meaningfully and deliberately provoked him: “A beauty with interesting words and actions, just a bit too sharp.” So Xiao Wei liked this type?
Xu Wanzhi had no intention of playing word games with her and, suppressing the anger of being disturbed in the middle of the night, asked again: “Are you leaving or not?”
“No!” she answered decisively.
“Then do as you please!” Xu Wanzhi sneered coldly, heavily pulling down the usually loosely hung mosquito net and turning over to sleep deeply.
“You actually—” the black shadow’s voice rose, staring wide-eyed at the even less distinct figure behind the curtain, greatly shocked. He—he actually fell asleep so calmly in front of a strange, beautiful, charming woman?!
The black shadow took a few steps forward, then retreated three steps back. The person on the bed seemed to have completely lost vigilance, not moving at all.
