The agile magpie was thrown out, spun in the air, then flew back to perch on top of his head, squatting down with a smile: “Fine, I won’t go next time.”

“I didn’t say those words.”

“But I heard them.” She ruffled her wings and nestled obediently in front of his topknot, eyes squinting: “Being cared for feels so good.”

Shen Qiyuan fell silent.

He didn’t return to his manor but took her directly to Moon Gazing Pavilion.

Several people in the restaurant were sitting around the main hall with serious faces. Seeing him arrive, Zhou Tingchuan raised his hand in greeting: “My lord.”

Shen Qiyuan walked over and saw a piece of paper spread on the table with some small characters written on it.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

Zhou Tingchuan said, “Miss He encountered trouble today. If those foolish servants hadn’t come to collect things, Fuman and the others wouldn’t have known. To prevent such incidents again, Fuman suggested establishing a curfew. If anyone doesn’t return before curfew without prior notice, the remaining people will search for them. If they can’t be found, they’ll report to the authorities.”

“With the shopkeeper away, this is the best method,” Zheng Qingyi sighed.

Shen Qiyuan glanced at him and said flatly, “Your shopkeeper is just a young lady. Can’t you live your lives without her?”

“Of course, we must live, but having her around gives more peace of mind,” Qingyi muttered. “Haven’t seen her for several days now. Don’t know if the neighboring city is fun.”

“This curfew is useful for us, but what about the shopkeeper when she’s outside?” Zhao Yanning also said. “With her temper, who knows what trouble she might stir up?”

Fuman frowned and hit him: Crow’s mouth.

Tinglan stood up: “I’ll write a letter to ask when she’s coming back.”

“Hey, hey, don’t. She finally got to go out alone once—don’t make her think we’re rushing her.”

Ruyi listened from inside the birdcage, her heart stirring slightly.

She was accustomed to going alone and had never had any attachments. These mortals could be self-sufficient and didn’t necessarily need to depend on her, but they were like a nest of chicks, chirping and hoping for her return.

It was really… quite moving.

“Qingyi, what are you looking at?” Zhou Tingchuan came over. “Hey, my lord, when did you start playing with birds? And a magpie at that?”

Shen Qiyuan said vaguely, “Just caught it randomly.”

Qingyi stared at the bird in the cage, blinking: “I don’t know if I miss the shopkeeper too much, but even looking at this bird reminds me of her.”

Shen Qiyuan pursed his lips and displeasedly moved the cage farther away: “I came to tell you all that before she returns, if anything happens at the restaurant, just come find me at Shen Manor.”

“Thank you, my lord.” Zhao Yanning immediately applauded, and Fuman also bowed to him.

He looked at He Tinglan: “The Ningyuan Marquis will depart for Nine Rivers soon. You don’t need to worry about him causing you trouble again.”

He Tinglan raised her eyebrows in surprise: “There’s going to be warfare at the border?”

Shen Qiyuan tacitly agreed.

She frowned then relaxed: “I’m not worried about him causing trouble, but my mother… the old lady of the He family, she probably won’t let this go.”

The Marquis Manor’s expenses were tight, and the old lady had sold many things, but still couldn’t fill the hole at Baozhai Hall. She would come looking for Tinglan again. But since it was women’s affairs, it wasn’t convenient for Shen Qiyuan to intervene.

He Tinglan sighed then smiled: “No matter, I can handle it. At worst, I’ll just hide farther away.”

Ruyi in the cage wanted to say that if the old woman was shameless, then she should be more shameless—turn around and ask her for money to buy a house first. Since she claimed they were blood relatives, she surely couldn’t refuse to help at all. If she didn’t help, Tinglan could naturally reject her demands.

But when she opened her mouth, only a string of bird sounds came out.

Tinglan’s attention was drawn by the sound. She smiled and squatted in front of the cage: “What a beautiful magpie.”

“You think so too?” Qingyi said. “This bearing resembles our shopkeeper.”

Hearing this, Fuman and Yanning also gathered around. Yanning smiled in agreement: “Indeed, very similar.”

But Fuman’s face changed, and she instinctively looked at Shen Qiyuan.

This look was full of wariness and suspicion. Shen Qiyuan slightly raised his eyelids: “What?”

—My lord, may I speak with you privately?

Fuman gestured rapidly.

He stood up as requested and followed her to a corner.

—Has the shopkeeper turned into a magpie? Her eyes were anxious, her ten fingers flying.

Shen Qiyuan was somewhat surprised: “Why would you think that?”

—I’ve seen her… Fuman hesitated, didn’t finish the gesture, and changed her hand signs: If so, please tell me how to save her.

“Aren’t you afraid she’s a demon?” he asked tentatively.

Hua Fuman’s expression was very calm, as if she wasn’t surprised by this suggestion at all. She only gestured: There’s nothing to fear.

When they first met, she wasn’t in the form of an ordinary person. After being together for so long, Fuman knew deeply that no matter what Ruyi was, she wouldn’t harm them. God, demon, ghost, or spirit—it was all fine. As long as it was her, she would do everything possible to save her.

Shen Qiyuan’s gaze toward her softened by two degrees.

He said in a low voice: “Don’t worry, she’ll be fine in a few days.”

Fuman didn’t lower her guard and still stared at him steadily: Ruyi is a good girl. Please don’t bully her anymore, my lord.

Who’s bullying whom? Shen Qiyuan stared in disbelief. Wasn’t he the one who lowered his head every time? Wasn’t he the one who felt hurt? She was someone carefree enough to take male companions shopping—how could she be bullied?

But Fuman’s eyes were too serious, carrying a hint of heartache that made him fall silent.

In places he couldn’t see, was Liu Ruyi also quite sad?

His heart sank as he turned around, wanting to quickly get the birdcage—

Then he saw the magpie in the cage stretching her wing through the bamboo slats to scratch Qingyi’s chin.

Clearly just a bird, but her expression wasn’t quite proper, and she even whistled.

Qingyi was made to giggle by her teasing, his eyes bright as he said: “My lord, are you selling this magpie? I like her.”

Shen Qiyuan: “…”

The heartache that had just surfaced burst like a bubble on water and dissipated into nothing. He walked back expressionlessly and grabbed the birdcage: “Heartless thing, not worth anything at all. Not for sale.”

Ruyi was shaken dizzy by him and gripped the small bamboo perch, chattering in protest. Shen Qiyuan snorted coldly, covered the cage under his wide sleeve, and strode out of Moon Gazing Pavilion.

Zhou Tingchuan scratched his head in bewilderment: “Did you all smell something?”

Zhao Yanning nodded profoundly: “Quite sour.”

“Really? He’s jealous of a bird?” He Tinglan found it curious. “That’s a bird, not the shopkeeper.”

Fuman’s eyes filled with some amusement.

“Hey hey hey, if we have something to say, can’t we say it properly? Why are you shaking me?” Ruyi clung to the cage, very annoyed.

Shen Qiyuan sneered: “Why did you choose a magpie as your true form? Wouldn’t a butterfly be better—fluttering to every flower you see.”

Ruyi was torn between laughter and tears: “He just had rice grains on his chin.”

“What business is it of yours, a bird?” He angrily lifted the cage, his handsome face suddenly magnifying before her eyes. “You were blind when you were human, and even blinder after becoming a bird. Why don’t you turn into an earthworm and save yourself those two eye sockets?”