An Jiu’s lips curved slightly upward but hidden beneath her veil, Mei Jiu couldn’t see.

“You’ve been talking about me, but how are you doing now?” Mei Jiu asked.

“Very well,” An Jiu paused before continuing, “I’ve joined the Crane Control Army. Sooner or later, I’ll find out about your mother’s whereabouts. You…”

She suddenly didn’t know how to continue. Should Mei Yanran be informed about this?

Tears glistened in Mei Jiu’s eyes. “Don’t tell her about this for now. If you have a chance to leave, take her far away from all this trouble. Help me support her in her old age. Even if… your reincarnation here was heaven’s arrangement and you don’t owe me anything, this body is still flesh from her flesh.”

“Do you understand your current situation?” An Jiu asked.

If Mei Jiu didn’t know, she would surely think about serving Mei Yanran for life, rather than making such a decision without hesitation.

“I was reincarnated as a shadow agent. If the Emperor hadn’t become suspicious of the Hua family, he wouldn’t have assigned me here. And the Hua family might already know about this.” As Mei Jiu spoke, her face grew increasingly pale. She forced a smile and added, “This is all just my guess.”

An Jiu looked at her for a moment, then remarked with some emotion, “So some fools are only fools because they haven’t been placed in the right time and place.”

Mei Jiu sighed helplessly, accustomed to An Jiu’s way of speaking.

“What do you plan to do?” An Jiu suddenly wanted to know what path Mei Jiu would choose.

Mei Jiu replied, “I don’t want to get involved with the Crane Control Army. Since I married him, he will be my husband for life. I should follow him in life and death.”

An Jiu sensed an eighth-rank martial artist quietly approaching. Her heart skipped a beat as she said, “He won’t trust you.”

“I know,” Mei Jiu clutched the handkerchief in her hand tightly, a gesture she often made when sad. “If I treat him with sincerity, eventually he will trust me. Even if I knew how to scheme, I wouldn’t use such tactics.”

“Why not?”

“When it comes to cunning, a hundred Mei Jius combined couldn’t match Hua Dalang. Moreover, you know me – in matters of the heart, any calculation would hurt me more than it would benefit me. I’d harm myself before I could harm others.” Mei Jiu looked at her and said softly, “I’m stupid, aren’t I?”

An Jiu shook her head. “No, I have a feeling this is the smartest moment in both your lifetimes combined.”

This comment, while seemingly praise at first glance, felt increasingly off upon further reflection…

Mei Jiu knew that An Jiu was typically blunt, and for her to say something like this was already quite an effort. She didn’t dare to expect more.

“Since you understand everything in your heart, and I’ve said what I needed to say, you should weigh your options carefully,” An Jiu stood up. “I’m leaving now.”

Mei Jiu quickly grabbed her hand. “Don’t go. An Jiu, please stay and talk with me for a while. Even though I can think things through, I still feel very anxious.”

The timid nature Mei Jiu had developed since childhood was deeply ingrained in her bones. It wouldn’t disappear completely just because she had a moment of clarity. She needed to gather the courage to move forward, but when she grasped a lifeline, she was reluctant to let go.

“You must walk your path,” An Jiu looked down at her. “I can’t help you.”

“I know…” Mei Jiu murmured, “I just want you to keep me company and talk with me occasionally.”

“Do you know my current identity?” An Jiu asked.

She was now a shadow agent of the Crane Control Army. If Hua Rongtian found out his wife was frequently meeting with a shadow agent, how would he react? Their marriage had already gotten off to a bad start; if things continued like this, their relationship would only worsen.

“To be honest, I don’t have high hopes for this marriage,” An Jiu candidly shared her thoughts with Mei Jiu. “But you don’t have a better path right now, so I reluctantly agree with you taking this gamble. You have until I find your mother. If you decide to leave with me then, I’ll take you away.”

Mei Jiu released her hand and nodded tearfully.

As An Jiu reached the door, she paused and turned back, saying, “Actually, I don’t have high hopes for any marriage.”

An Jiu added this last sentence mainly to avoid crushing Mei Jiu’s confidence, letting her know that it was just her personal opinion and hoping it wouldn’t influence her.

Mei Jiu watched as An Jiu walked into the dazzling sunlight, her silhouette fading into whiteness before disappearing into the bushes. Reflecting on An Jiu’s last words, a faint smile spread across Mei Jiu’s face as she whispered, “You’ve changed too.”

The spring breeze caressed her face.

An Jiu left the Hua residence and looked back. Midway through her conversation with Mei Jiu, she noticed an eighth-rank expert quietly lurking nearby. At that time, Mei Jiu was expressing her intention to follow Hua Rongtian for life, so An Jiu didn’t speak up, allowing Mei Jiu to continue.

In broad daylight, with the Hua residence heavily guarded, an eighth-rank martial artist couldn’t move freely unless they belonged to the Hua family. Letting him overhear Mei Jiu’s words might help Hua Rongtian ease his mind a bit!

“Yo!” Hua Rongjian’s voice came from the wall opposite.

An Jiu looked up, meeting his radiant smile. “Looking back step by step, are you reluctant to leave this young master?”

Passersby on the street, seeing Hua Rongjian teasing a young woman, found it unremarkable.

An Jiu ignored him and continued walking south.

Hua Rongjian leaped down from the wall, dusting himself off before following her. “Mei Fourteen, what exactly did you say to my girl?”

“The truth,” An Jiu replied.

“That girl is usually so lively and cheerful, but today she came back and ran to her room, crying her eyes out,” Hua Rongjian wasn’t worried about Chunmeng, just unbearably curious. “It was just a blink of an eye, how did you make her cry?”

“How is it my fault she cried?” An Jiu didn’t even look at him. “I just said her name sounds like ‘spring dream’ or ‘spring awakening’. Wasn’t it you who gave her that name?”

An Jiu vaguely knew the customs here. Many servant girls’ names were chosen according to their masters’ preferences, and this name was undoubtedly Hua Er’s handiwork.

“Huh? Just that? That girl has studied for a few days; how could she not know the true meaning and origin of this name? You must have said something else!” Hua Rongjian insisted.

“I didn’t,” An Jiu told him firmly. “Even a servant girl doesn’t trust you. It shows your character is quite questionable.”

“My character is questionable? Why don’t you ask around!” Hua Rongjian fumed. “This young master might be a bit unrestrained, but I’ve never done anything as low as stealing chickens or pulling up garlic sprouts!”

“No need to ask around,” An Jiu quickened her pace as she entered a dark alley, leaving him behind. “Your deeds that have lowered the moral standards of the entire Bianjing are there for all to see.”

Hua Er, panting, heard this and wanted to rush up and grapple with her, but he couldn’t catch up. He silently cursed himself for living too dissolutely lately. “Mei Fourteen, stop right there!”

An Jiu spread her spiritual sense, confirming no one was around. She then pulled off her outer dress and threw it towards Hua Rongjian. In her agile inner garments, she nimbly scaled a high wall.

The dress landed perfectly on Hua Rongjian’s face. He angrily pulled it off and chased after her.

After climbing over the wall, he was shocked to find himself in a government compound!

“Insolent commoner! How dare you trespass into a government office!” A nearby guard shouted, charging towards him with a sword. Within moments, the guard was upon him.

Hua Rongjian’s foot slipped, and he fell from the wall. He quickly turned and fled, cursing, “Damn it! No wonder this wall was higher than the others!”