Before Ye Chuan could take Miaomiao’s pulse, Meng Ruji couldn’t withstand Miaomiao’s enthusiasm and was pulled onto the wooden cart by her. Then she watched Miaomiao grab the cart’s wheels and shout: “Giddyup! Giddyup!”

The wooden cart certainly wouldn’t indulge Miaomiao and remained motionless on the spot.

Miaomiao looked to Meng Ruji for help: “Brother Changyun, I don’t seem to know how to ride a horse.”

Everyone fell silent. Only “Brother Changyun,” after a brief identity crisis, turned to look at Tuzi with cold eyes and a heavy voice:

“Giddyup.”

Tuzi gritted his teeth, crawled to the front of the wooden cart himself, pulled the cart, and then ran off with his big feet.

What followed was Miaomiao’s delighted laughter echoing throughout the mountains.

Meng Ruji sat on the wooden cart, protecting Miaomiao from falling while staring into the distance with a lifeless expression.

Meng Ruji thought that, indeed, making money was never simple.

Every bite of flatbread, every piece of clothing – they all required paying a price to deserve eating!

With Tuzi pulling the cart, they ran several large circles around the ruined temple, taking in the wind. Miaomiao was so happy that in Meng Ruji’s arms… she fell asleep.

Taking advantage of her quiet state, Meng Ruji told Tuzi to quickly go get the luggage from the ruined temple, call Ye Chuan and Mu Sui, and continue toward Zhuliu City.

Here, Meng Ruji was taking care of the sleeping Miaomiao on the wooden cart.

There, Tuzi ran to the outside of the ruined temple, conveyed Meng Ruji’s “orders,” then went into the temple with his head down to pack the luggage.

Ye Chuan prepared to leave. After taking a few steps, he saw that Mu Sui was still standing in place, looking at the divine statue in the ruined temple without saying a word.

Ye Chuan was confused: “Young Master Mu? Aren’t you going to find Miss Meng?”

Mu Sui didn’t answer him and instead silently walked into the ruined temple.

Tuzi had shouldered all the luggage, carrying bundles here and there on his body. Turning around, he saw Mu Sui had come back in and was also a bit bewildered: “City lord brother, did you forget something?”

“Move aside.”

Tuzi obediently hopped outside the ruined temple. Looking back, he saw Mu Sui supporting the divine stone statue on the ground. The veins on his hands bulged, and with effort, he directly lifted the heavy stone statue upright.

With a “rumble,” the statue stood properly in front of the completely collapsed temple. The broken bricks and tiles on its body rolled to the ground, stirring up clouds of dust.

The divine statue was half-covered in mud, yet still stood high above, showing neither sorrow nor joy.

“Let’s go.” Mu Sui took one last look at the divine statue and turned to leave.

Tuzi quickly shouldered the things and followed.

But when Mu Sui passed by Ye Chuan, Ye Chuan looked at Mu Sui with extreme wariness: “Young Master Mu.” He called out coldly. “Earlier, when Miss Meng took shelter from the rain in this temple, it could be considered an understandable emergency. But what is the meaning of your actions?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“You are also a cultivator!” Ye Chuan became somewhat agitated. “Did no one in your ancestral sect ever suffer persecution from the gods?”

Mu Sui let out a scornful laugh and glanced at Ye Chuan. “Actually, no.”

Having said this, Mu Sui’s expression darkened as he continued walking forward.

Ye Chuan was left speechless on the spot. After remaining silent for a long while, he could only swallow the words in his stomach and follow.

Meng Ruji was still holding Miaomiao and waiting on the wooden cart. From afar, she saw Tuzi coming and waved: “Come quickly.”

Just as she lowered her hand, it was grasped by another soft hand.

Meng Ruji looked down to see Miaomiao holding her hand and placing it against her face, saying with closed eyes: “Brother Changyun, you’ve come back. That’s wonderful.”

Meng Ruji sighed.

She listened to Miaomiao continue chattering:

“When I was little, I thought those mounted soldiers looked so heroic. Later, when you became a soldier too, I thought you looked heroic as well. I always wanted to go horse riding with you, but each time you seemed to have very urgent matters and couldn’t take me. Then you left… and had even less time… But fortunately, today I finally got to ride a horse.”

Meng Ruji was curious: “Did I… go to war?”

“Mm.”

“Did I…” She hesitated but still asked, “Don’t come back?”

This seemed to touch a painful point in Miaomiao’s heart. She frowned, unwilling to answer, and her breathing became somewhat irregular.

Seeing that a beautiful dream was about to truly become a nightmare, Meng Ruji quickly called out: “Of course I came back! I was just about to take you horse riding and go home to get married. We’re about to set off!”

Only then did Miaomiao’s tightly furrowed brow relax slightly.

“Yes, we’re about to get married…” Her breathing became even, and she seemed to fall asleep again.

Only then did Meng Ruji breathe a slight sigh of relief. She guessed in her heart that it must be that the young soldier had gone and never returned, which was why Miaomiao had so many regrets.

When Tuzi returned and placed the things on the wooden cart, she immediately asked: “Where’s Ye Chuan?”

“Behind us,” Tuzi said. Having caused trouble, he began working diligently to make up for it, neatly arranging the bundled luggage on the cart.

Meng Ruji glanced at the two men who followed behind. Mu Sui’s face was sour, as always.

Meng Ruji paid him no mind.

Ye Chuan’s expression also wasn’t good. Meng Ruji didn’t think much about it, waving for him to come over and quickly take Miaomiao’s pulse to think of a countermeasure.

Ye Chuan had something on his mind, but didn’t show it. He still obediently came over to take Miaomiao’s pulse. After a thorough examination, under Meng Ruji’s expectant gaze, he said:

“She’s been affected by nightmare magic.”

“I know that. What next? How do we cure it?”

Ye Chuan held back for a long time: “To untie the bell, one must find the person who tied it.”

“I called Mo Li, but he won’t come out, no response. Just consider the bell-tier dead and think of another way to solve this.”

“Mm.” Ye Chuan nodded and recalled for a long time. “Nightmare magic is tied to a person’s deepest regrets and unfulfilled wishes. Perhaps if she achieves fulfillment in the dream, Miss Miaomiao might be freed.”

“Isn’t that stating the obvious?” Meng Ruji said. “Didn’t you see me coaxing her through several rounds of horse riding just to satisfy her and temporarily calm her down? I’m asking about other methods to make her more lucid.”

Then Ye Chuan fell silent.

“My fault for having such expectations.”

Meng Ruji let out a long sigh and pointed to the road ahead. “Let’s set off first. Your Zhuliu City is a trading place, so there should be many talented people, right? Can we find doctors who can heal and save people?” Meng Ruji asked Mu Sui.

Mu Sui didn’t answer. Tuzi, pulling the cart in front, rushed to respond:

“Of course there are! Our Zhuliu City has doctors and medicine sellers who are especially good at making pills. That pill for curing Nai River water poisoning was developed by our city lord brother with his team back in the day.”

Meng Ruji glanced at Mu Sui. Mu Sui crossed his arms as if he hadn’t heard, but he also didn’t stop Tuzi.

“It’s just that the pills the city lord’s brother makes are a bit expensive. In the time he’s been away, I’ve successfully brought down the pill prices!” Tuzi was very excited but immediately became dejected again. “But it doesn’t seem to make much money. The pharmacy manager told me…”

“Your tongue should be cut.”

Mu Sui coldly added this line.

Tuzi immediately shut his mouth.

But Meng Ruji heard something different in these words:

“You can talk to pharmacy managers? Can you set pill prices? Besides this, you can’t set prices for other things in Zhuliu City, can you?”

Meng Ruji tilted her head to examine Tuzi.

Tuzi looked at Mu Sui’s expression again and again, finally choosing to say nothing and silently pull the cart.

So Meng Ruji keenly sensed that this master-servant pair must be hiding something from her, but seeing Mu Sui’s mild reaction, it probably wasn’t anything major.

Anyway, they were going to Zhuliu City now. She’d investigate properly once they arrived.

Throughout the journey, Miaomiao’s emotions were very stable. She would sleep for a while, wake for a while. When asleep, she’d hold Meng Ruji’s hand, and when awake, she’d sit on the cart and look at the scenery.

She seemed like a girl full of anticipation, going home to get married, quiet and peaceful, neither crying nor making a fuss.

When tired from traveling, Meng Ruji would let both Tuzi and Miaomiao rest. Tuzi would sit aside to drink water, while Miaomiao would get off the cart to walk around.

When Meng Ruji had nothing to do, she’d pick flowers by the roadside and, like coaxing a child, weave a flower crown for Miaomiao to wear.

Miaomiao was delighted beyond measure, constantly praising how beautiful the flower crown “Brother Changyun” gave her was.

Tuzi was also full of envy, reluctantly saying: “The bad woman does have some skill at coaxing children.”

Ye Chuan also praised: “Miss Meng’s flower crown has its charm in color coordination and shape.”

Meng Ruji was very pleased with herself, then looked toward Mu Sui and deliberately asked him: “Is it pretty?”

Mu Sui turned his head away: “Mediocre.”

They’re just roadside wildflowers – what’s so pretty about them?

His facial expression almost said exactly that.

Meng Ruji didn’t argue with him. Back on the road, Miaomiao wore her flower crown and played with the grass cricket Meng Ruji had folded for her, beginning to hum folk tunes.

After humming twice, Meng Ruji learned it too and unconsciously began humming along with her.

Sometimes Miaomiao would hum the first line, and Meng Ruji would follow with the second line.

Meng Ruji would praise: “Miaomiao sings so beautifully.”

Ye Chuan would also chime in: “Indeed like a lark, lively and pleasing to the ear.”

Tuzi, pulling the cart, would also nod along: “It’s quite good!”

Only Mu Sui remained, silently saying nothing.

Meng Ruji would deliberately ask him: “Doesn’t the little tune sound good?”

“Just so-so,” Mu Sui would answer likewise.

Meng Ruji pursed her lips: “You’re so contrary. You won’t admit that flowers bloom beautifully or that people are interesting. Don’t you like anything?”

Tuzi, relaxed by the atmosphere along the way, directly answered: “Our city lord hates everything except money.”

Mu Sui neither denied this nor told Tuzi to shut up.

Meng Ruji looked into Mu Sui’s eyes: “You’re not cute at all.”

Having said this, she stopped paying attention to Mu Sui and continued humming songs with Miaomiao.

After singing more, Tuzi learned it too and hummed along a few lines. Ye Chuan also nodded to the rhythm.

Only Mu Sui craned his neck, looking into the distance, as if deaf, hearing nothing.

But his facial expression seemed somewhat gentler than usual.

When the melody reached its high notes and Tuzi couldn’t reach them and broke his voice, Miaomiao and Meng Ruji looked at each other and burst into hearty laughter.

Mu Sui also turned his head, and where no one could see, he lifted the corners of his mouth slightly.

This day, along the way, there were fragrant flowers and folk tunes.

It seemed like youthful years, carefree spring, caught in the best season, with several people traveling together through the most beautiful spring scenery in the world.

I… A-Jiu… got COVID again…

Yesterday I was bedridden, today I’m much better, making up for yesterday’s update.

The good thing is that this time the symptoms aren’t as severe as the first time, so I should recover quickly!

Everyone, please take care of your health too!