“Gong Xing’er.” Gong Xinyue sighed, looking helpless.

“Let go of Jiu’er, let her go, and she’ll be fine.”

Gong Xing’er immediately released Feng Jiu’er, looked up, and blinked. “Jiu’er, are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” Feng Jiu’er smiled lightly. “You’re called Xing’er?”

“Mm.” Gong Xing’er nodded. “Sister is the moon in ‘Xinyue,’ and I’m the star in ‘Xing’er.’ Stars can’t leave the moon, so I can’t leave sister.”

Gong Xing’er turned back and looped her arm through Gong Xinyue’s.

“The moon isn’t complete without the stars, so sister loves me the most.”

The girl’s pride didn’t seem forced at all. It was clear she truly loved Gong Xinyue and took pride in her.

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er nodded. “You’re just as good-looking as your sister.”

“Thank you, Jiu’er.” Gong Xing’er replied with a smile.

“Who exactly did you sneak out with?” Gong Xinyue lowered her eyes, frowning at Gong Xing’er.

“Just coming out here like this, without even disguising yourself — don’t you know it’s dangerous?”

“Sister, didn’t you say that with Dragon Shadow around, the world would be at peace? If the world is at peace, why can’t I come out?”

Pfft. Feng Jiu’er laughed softly.

“So that’s what your sister told you?” she asked.

“Mm-hm.” Gong Xing’er nodded eagerly. “Jiu’er, let me tell you, my sister, she—”

“Mmph…”

Gong Xing’er looked up to see Gong Xinyue’s hand clamped over her own mouth.

Her dark eyes blinked, quite lovely to look at.

“Sister… sister…”

“Quiet!” Gong Xinyue glanced around and lowered her voice in warning.

“Jiu’er’s identity, and the affairs of Dragon Shadow, aren’t to be spread around right now, understand?”

“Mm-hm.” Gong Xing’er’s eyes went wide as she nodded at Gong Xinyue.

Gong Xinyue took a deep breath before finally letting her go.

“I don’t care who brought you out here. If you don’t behave, I’ll have someone take you straight back.”

“Mm-hm.” Gong Xing’er pressed her lips tightly shut and nodded forcefully.

When she released her hands, her fair little face had turned red from her own pressing.

“Sister, don’t worry! I understand, I won’t talk nonsense again, please don’t send me back.”

Gong Xinyue glanced at Gong Xing’er’s outstretched hand, and Gong Xing’er immediately withdrew it, not daring to pull at her sister.

She forced a squint-eyed smile and turned back to Feng Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er, come on, I’ll take you in. I’ve been here for two days now, I know my way around.”

“All right.” Feng Jiu’er nodded.

With Gong Xinyue’s warning, Gong Xing’er had settled down a little, at least no longer bringing up Dragon Shadow.

But Feng Jiu’er noticed that this girl really did have boundless energy. Truly boundless — the extra-large kind.

“Jiu’er, Sister Qiao, look — up ahead is Inn Street.” Walking ahead, bouncing along, Gong Xing’er glanced back.

She had just led everyone on a walk through South Mountain Quiet Convent, and now she was leading them toward the inns.

South Mountain Quiet Convent hadn’t had many people, and it had been quiet — Feng Jiu’er hadn’t sensed anything strange about it. As first-time visitors posing as tourists, they had simply walked through and left.

“There are five inns there, each one beautifully decorated, each with its own character.”

“My favorite part is the street outside the inns — both sides are lined with little shops and stalls, all kinds of food.”

“Too bad, too bad I don’t have much money, so there’s a lot I can’t afford to eat.” The one speaking, of course, was the ever-lively Gong Xing’er.

She bounced along the whole way, like an adorable little white rabbit.

They crossed a lake, walked on a little further, and passed through a gate — suddenly, the place burst into liveliness.

Sure enough, it was a street bustling with people, comparable to the marketplace in the town outside.

What’s more, the people who came here dressed better than those outside. Correspondingly, whether shops or stalls, everything here was a notch more upscale than outside.

“Wow.” Gong Xing’er must have spotted something, because she immediately quickened her pace.

Under everyone’s gaze, she ran up to an old man holding a wooden rack.

“Why are the candied hawthorns here so big? They weren’t like this yesterday. Uncle, your candied hawthorns are so big, are they tasty?”

Gong Xinyue, watching her sister practically drooling, had no choice but to quicken her own pace too.

“Of course they’re tasty, little sister, want to try one?” the old man asked with a smile.

Gong Xing’er swallowed hard, nodded, then quickly shook her head.

“Can I try just one?” she said, gesturing with her small hand.

“Just one, I won’t eat much, just one, is that okay?”

“That won’t do.” The old man shook his head.

“My candied hawthorns are sold by the string. If I let you eat one, how am I supposed to sell the rest?”

“Is that so?” Gong Xing’er scratched her head. “Then what if I eat a whole string, is that all right?”

“If I finish a whole string, then you won’t have to worry about not being able to sell it, right?”

The old man frowned and shook his head, no longer looking at Gong Xing’er.

“The girl is pretty enough, but what a shame her head isn’t screwed on right!” he added with a soft sigh.

Gong Xing’er, however, just stared longingly at other people’s candied hawthorns, her eyes shining bright, paying no mind to the old man’s words.

“Can I? Can I?”

“Gong Xing’er.” Gong Xinyue stamped her foot in exasperation.

“Do you have any shame at all? We’re out in public!”

Angry as she was, Gong Xinyue was still mindful of her sister’s dignity in front of others. So she kept her voice down, and not many people heard.

Gong Xing’er turned, and seeing Gong Xinyue, her face immediately lit up with a smile.

“Sister.” She hurried over and took Gong Xinyue’s hand. “Sister, I want to eat candied hawthorns, can you buy me some?”

“I don’t have any money, sister’s the best, sister, hurry.”

Gong Xing’er tugged at Gong Xinyue, then immediately turned back to stare at the bright red candied hawthorns, as if afraid that looking away even for a moment would make them disappear.

Gong Xing’er smiled at the old man and said, “I have a sister, my sister will buy them for me.”

“Save me a big one, I want the biggest one.”

Just then, a few children came by pulling their parents along, and the old man had no time to attend to Gong Xing’er.

Only then did Gong Xing’er notice that her sister hadn’t moved at all. She turned to meet Gong Xinyue’s gaze.

“Xing’er, you’re sixteen already, can’t you grow up a little?” Gong Xinyue looked at her with an expression of hopeless exasperation.

“Sister, I have grown up.” Gong Xing’er nodded seriously. “I eat three bowls of rice every meal, I’ve really grown.”

“Sister, just give me the money, that’s fine — if you don’t want to go over there, I can go buy it myself.”

“Xing’er.” Gong Xinyue grew even more anxious.

In truth, she had her own private hopes. If only Gong Xing’er could show a little more responsibility, Gong Xinyue thought, she might be able to bring her sister into Dragon Shadow to help.

Yet even after not seeing her for a while, Gong Xinyue thought, this girl seems to have grown taller, but not one bit wiser.