After seeing Xiao Ba fall asleep, Luo Yang finally took off his clothes.

His right arm was completely bruised!

The bone felt as if someone was pricking it with needles, one jab after another.

It hurt terribly.

He gritted his teeth to keep from making any sound. After rubbing it a few times, he put his clothes back on and looked toward the room where light was shining.

Suddenly remembering something!

He walked to the door, intending to push it open, but his hand raised in midair paused.

After all, a young lady was living inside. Usually it would be fine, but to push the door open now—what if he happened to see something he shouldn’t? Wouldn’t he be…

An image popped into his mind, stirring wild imaginings.

Before the image could develop further, he quickly shook his head and pulled his thoughts back.

Then he turned his ear to press against the door.

Listening for any movement inside.

But no sound came from within.

Had she fallen asleep so quickly?

He knocked on the door and asked: “Miss, are you asleep?”

“…” No response.

“I saw you twisted your ankle. There’s a bottle of medicine under the table inside that’s specifically for reducing bruising.”

“…”

“Did you hear me? If you heard me, answer!” Right after asking, he regretted it, thinking to himself that the young lady was mute. Swallowing, he said: “Well, you don’t have to answer, but you should take out that bottle of medicine from under the table.”

My, what a kind-hearted person!

Knowing the lady had twisted her ankle, he was telling her to take it out and apply it.

The woman inside hadn’t rested yet. After hearing the voice outside, she rummaged under the table and indeed found a bottle of medicine.

It was for treating bruises and injuries.

She thought to herself that this young man had a good heart—he’d provided her a place to stay, and now was giving her medicine for her twisted ankle.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to thank him—

The next second, a voice came from the doorway: “Um, I have an injury on my arm and need to apply medicine. If it’s convenient, pass it out to me.”

Pff!

A mouthful of fresh blood.

The woman’s brow furrowed slightly.

Although she had already applied her own medicine when she first entered the room, upon hearing these words from the man outside the door, blood still “spurted” from her chest.

She couldn’t help but smile.

No wonder he was still a street hustler—he didn’t know the first thing about being considerate to women. He was destined to remain a bachelor.

After thinking about it, she took the medicine and opened the door.

Luo Yang stood at the doorway, his face stretched in a smile.

Shamelessly!

The woman stuffed the medicine into his hand, and without another word, turned around and closed the door.

A series of clean and efficient movements!

Luo Yang stood at the door holding the medicine bottle, stunned.

The smile on his face hadn’t had time to fade yet.

After remaining frozen for a good while, he let his face droop, feeling that his cheeks had become sore from smiling. He rubbed them with his hand, then called through the door: “Thanks.”

Then he went off to apply the medicine holding the bottle.

Inside the room, the woman sat at the table. After the person outside had gone far away, she gazed at the faintly flickering candlelight before her, her eyes gradually becoming somber. She reached up and removed the cloth covering her face and head.

A clean face was reflected in the candlelight!

Three years had passed, and she hadn’t changed at all!

She was still that delicate-featured painter from back then—Ji Yunshu!

She had been searching throughout the Huyi territory for three years, a full three years, yet news of Jingrong remained like a grain of sand in the deep sea—so minuscule as to be utterly without trace.

A month ago, she had ventured deep into the Northern Frontier desert and found her way to this place.

And this Zhu New City, situated on the Northern Frontier border of the Huyi territory, was her last hope!

Over these years, she would occasionally write letters to Bai Yin at the Marquis of Nanguo’s manor in Gaoding, asking for news, but even though Bai Yin and the Marquis of Nanguo had dispatched many soldiers to search secretly, they had all come up empty-handed.

Actually, she knew that in those people’s eyes, Jingrong had already perished in that great fire three years ago.

Everyone thought she was being too stubborn!

Too grief-stricken!

And thus had never accepted that heartbreaking fact.

But Ji Yunshu was very clear-headed. She knew what she was doing.

Knew what she was searching for.

And knew that Jingrong must still be alive.

Right now, he was surely waiting for her somewhere!

This conviction had never diminished.

And it was this conviction that sustained her!

She took a deep breath and gradually unfurled the scroll placed before her.

On it was prominently painted a portrait of Jingrong’s handsome and spirited appearance.

His brows, his eyes, his nose, his mouth… deeply imprinted in her heart.

Never forgotten!

For three years, she had also carried this portrait throughout the Huyi territory, searching and asking all along the way…

“Jingrong, where exactly are you?”

She held the portrait, her eyes growing moist.

She firmly believed that one day, she would search for him and find him.

And bring him home!

…

Early the next morning.

Dawn was just breaking. Ji Yunshu actually hadn’t rested at all.

She had sat at the table for the entire night. Seeing that daybreak was approaching, she put the light-colored cloth back on, covering her head and face.

Firstly, this was to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Secondly, the wind and sand were strong in Zhu New City, so this could also help shield against it.

She gathered up her pitiful few belongings and pushed open the door to leave.

Planning to depart from this place!

Just as she reached the narrow courtyard entrance, she saw two… corpse-like things lying sprawled haphazardly under the shed beside it.

Luo Yang was sleeping spread-eagled, with one foot resting on poor Xiao Ba!

Their sleeping postures were absolutely hideous!

Ji Yunshu couldn’t help but shake her head!

She had originally planned to just leave it at that and go.

But then she reconsidered… Although last night she had inexplicably been injured by that person’s collision, inexplicably been carried here, and even more inexplicably been taken for a mute, she was too lazy to quibble about all that. On the contrary, given yesterday’s circumstances, the fact that she could stay here meant that person had helped her after all.

So she took out some broken silver and quietly placed it on the wooden plank where Luo Yang was sleeping.

After that, she left.

Zhu New City wasn’t large, and there weren’t too many locals, but traveling merchants passed through in an endless stream.

Perfect—Ji Yunshu could carefully inquire around.

After all, those who traveled far and wide had seen many people. Perhaps they really had seen Jingrong!

She took the portrait and asked around everywhere, but everyone shook their heads.

All said they didn’t recognize him!

Eventually, people stopped wanting to deal with her.

She could only sit down at a nearby teahouse to rest temporarily.

She would wait until there were more people in the city and then ask around some more.

…

At this time, when Luo Yang and Xiao Ba got up, day had just fully broken.

Luo Yang turned over and nearly rolled off the wooden plank.

Suddenly he felt as if something was pressing on his chest, making it hurt!

“Eh? What is this?” He squinted his sleepy eyes and got up from the wooden plank.

Looking down, he saw those pieces of broken silver.

Wow!

His face full of astonishment, he picked them up, first holding them up to the light to examine them, then biting them with his teeth.

Confirmed they were silver!

No way?

“My god, silver actually falls from the sky? And it just happened to fall right into my arms? Is this real or fake?” Luo Yang kicked the still-sleeping Xiao Ba with a suspicious air.

Xiao Ba was immediately kicked to the ground.

“Ah! Ow!”