Xu Laifeng’s group didn’t know where they were headed, but they had left the city early. The escort named Tong ordered over a dozen steamed buns in one breath. The others didn’t sit down but just stood outside the canopy waiting, looking as though they planned to continue traveling.

Originally, they hadn’t paid attention to the other customers. However… in the early morning when the sky hadn’t yet fully brightened, there was already a table with a young man and woman sitting outside the canopy—it was hard not to notice. Xu Laifeng only glanced at Changling’s back once before curiously walking over.

Changling had been keeping him in her peripheral vision the whole time. When she heard footsteps approaching, her chopsticks involuntarily tightened—had he recognized her?

Xu Laifeng stopped beside the table, looked up and down at the dishes on the table, pointed at the small piece of fried pancake remaining on the plate, and asked, “What’s wrapped inside this pancake?”

Ye Qi answered amiably, “Stir-fried minced meat, chives, and bean sprouts. The flavor is even richer when dipped in soybean paste.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Laifeng immediately turned back. “Tong Yuan, add a few more fried pancakes—with sauce!”

Escort Tong acknowledged and went back inside to add the order with the shopkeeper. After Xu Laifeng returned Ye Qi’s polite smile, he took another look at Changling and praised, “You two are truly a talented man and beautiful woman—just like fried pancake with soybean paste, a perfect match, a perfect match.”

Changling: “…”

Was something wrong with this man’s brain?

Ye Qi replied with pleasure, “You flatter us, you flatter us.”

After picking up their buns and pancakes, the group hurriedly rode away. As soon as they left, Ye Qi asked, “You didn’t fight him when you went masked to kill Jing Wuwei, did you?”

Just from her expression earlier, Ye Qi could guess they had crossed hands. Changling couldn’t help but be surprised. “How did you know?”

“People who catch your attention can only be divided into two types—those you’ve fought and those you’ve taught martial arts to, right?” Ye Qi leisurely scooped up and sipped some soup. “That fellow just now had steady, grounded steps—clearly a master. But you didn’t even turn your head, which shows you recognized him, but he didn’t recognize you, meaning you were masked. I heard the Jing family had an intruder break in a few days ago who vanished in the blink of an eye. That was your handiwork, wasn’t it?”

Last time she had thought Xu Laifeng had the ability to deduce much from little, but comparing the two, that was still nothing compared to this.

Changling set down her chopsticks and said flatly, “That man is called Xu Laifeng.”

Ye Qi gave a long, drawn-out “Oh.” “The Island Master of East Sea Island.”

“What, is his reputation that great?”

“Not particularly great, but I’ve heard that this young island master has been obsessed with martial arts since childhood. His father spent thousands in gold and silver collecting quite a few martial arts manuals—both orthodox and unorthodox, accepting all comers. As for what level he’s practiced to, I haven’t heard. What do you think of his martial arts?”

Changling considered her words carefully. “Unfathomable.”

“If even you say that…” Ye Qi quietly sighed and asked, “You mentioned earlier that Jing Can also intends to compete for the Alliance Leader position. These people couldn’t all be hired guns for Jing Wuwei, could they?”

Changling shot him a look that said “Is there anything you can’t guess?” and thought for a moment. “This time I heard some things about the folding fan…”

More customers were approaching from ahead. Ye Qi put down a few copper coins, stood up and said, “Come on, let’s walk and talk on the way.”

This was the first time Ye Qi had heard the legend concerning Wu Run. When he heard about “the pact of the eight sect masters,” he immediately understood. “So that Fu fellow wants to find the other half of the folding fan through this method…”

Changling didn’t understand. “But my eldest brother never mentioned anything about the folding fan to me. How did he know about it…”

The relationships within were intricate and complex. Ye Qi was leading two horses by himself and had to constantly dodge the coming and going of carts and horses on the road. For the moment, he couldn’t see through it all and could only say, “Let me go home and sort through all this properly…”

On the main street, it really wasn’t convenient to discuss these matters. Changling didn’t say more. After walking for a while, she suddenly thought of something else and asked, “How exactly did you recognize me?”

Ye Qi said leisurely, “I guessed.”

“That day, I clearly told you I wasn’t her… you didn’t doubt it even a little?”

Seeing her bewildered expression, Ye Qi couldn’t help but smile. “Haven’t you thought about what the normal reaction should have been if you really weren’t the Second Young Master himself after hearing what I said to you?”

Changling stared blankly. “Normal reaction?”

“You should have asked me, ‘Hey, how do you know she’s a woman?’ Or you would have treated me like an idiot and said, ‘Are you blind? I’m a woman.'” As Ye Qi spoke, his expression became quite animated as he gave a “demonstration.” “Instead, you just said, ‘I’m very sorry.’ Ha! Wasn’t that like protesting too much?”

“…”

“Besides, you care so much about what happened back then. A few days ago you were clinging to me asking this and that. But after I told you so much, you weren’t curious at all and just turned around and left. What does that indicate? Hmm?”

Fine. When it came to lying and detecting lies, this young marquis had truly become an expert.

“However,” Ye Qi smiled for a moment, then switched the topic back. “I never got around to asking—how exactly did you survive? Where have you been all these years? And your appearance…”

Before he could finish his questions, Changling snatched one of the horse reins from his hand, raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Aren’t you supposed to be prophetic? Take a guess. There’s a reward if you’re right.”

Ye Qi: “…”

He realized that if he acted too smug, Second Young Master Yue might trip him up out of jealousy over his intelligence.

Seeing the young marquis at a loss for words, Changling’s mood immediately improved. She mounted her horse in one fluid motion. Ye Qi watched her back, the smile still lingering at the corners of his mouth, his gaze unconsciously softening. Seeing her ride ahead on her own, he hurried to say, “Hey, are you going back to Qingcheng Academy? Let’s go together.”

When they returned to Qingcheng Academy, the students had all gotten up and begun their morning exercises. Changling didn’t want to attract attention, so after passing through the gate, she separated from Ye Qi. But to reach the dormitory building, she had to pass through Sanqing Hall, so she had no choice but to walk the same path as him. Thus, on the tree-lined avenue blooming with pear blossoms, she went ahead and he followed behind, maintaining a distance of ten paces between them as they strolled along one after the other.

Pear blossoms swayed gently. Snow-white petals on the ground spread toward the front. The breeze brought a nose full of fragrance. For the first time, Changling felt that Qingcheng Academy’s scenery was actually quite elegant.

She was just thinking this when she suddenly saw several academy students gathered in a circle outside Sanqing Hall ahead, apparently watching some excitement. Walking a few steps closer, she heard a girl saying through tears, “This sachet is mine. I didn’t steal it.”

Changling froze. It was Zhou Qin.

Fang Zhuyi stood before the crowd, holding a sachet embroidered with gold silk thread, and sneered coldly. “I personally saw you sneaking around and taking it from Academician Shu’s desk before running out. Now you dare to argue?”

“I didn’t. This sachet is mine.”

Zhou Qin reached out to grab it, but Fang Zhuyi sidestepped to avoid her. “You want to snatch it? Destroy the evidence?”

“I, I’m not… Why won’t you believe me? I already said—I originally left this sachet on Academician Shu’s desk, then remembered it later and went to get it. You just happened to see me. I really didn’t steal it.”

“Is there such a coincidence?” Fang Zhuyi said coldly. “In that case, let’s wait until Academician Shu arrives and ask him if this sachet is his. If it’s not, I’ll return it to you.”

Hearing that it would be shown to Academician Shu, Zhou Qin could barely speak properly. “No, this is my belonging. I don’t want to, to show it to others.”

Seeing more and more people gathering around, Zhou Qin gritted her teeth and thrust her palm forward, clearly ready to fight Fang Zhuyi. Fang Zhuyi casually blocked it, swept her foot, and easily sent Zhou Qin tumbling head over heels, drawing mocking laughter from those around. Someone flattered her, saying, “How dare this country bumpkin even think of fighting our Miss Fang?”

“Zhuyi,” Fu Yanyang squeezed forward from behind the crowd. Seeing Zhou Qin’s pitiful state covered in dust, he said to Fang Zhuyi, “Maybe this thing really is hers?”

Fang Zhuyi waved the sachet in front of him and sneered. “Look carefully yourself. Even a single strand of gold embroidery thread on this sachet is worth more than her entire shabby outfit, not to mention this embroidery workmanship and brocade fabric. How could someone like her afford to use such things? She was loitering around Sanqing Hall early this morning. I found it strange at the time—the academicians aren’t even here, who was she looking for? But then… hmph, if I hadn’t caught her red-handed…”

“You, you’re slandering me!” Zhou Qin was provoked to fury. She jumped up with a “whoosh.” “If you don’t give it back, I won’t be polite to you!”

Fang Zhuyi sneered coldly. “Come on then. If I don’t beat you, you little thief, until you’re looking for your teeth all over the ground, I won’t be surnamed Fang!”

After all, this young girl was somewhat of an acquaintance. Changling finally couldn’t watch anymore and was about to step forward when her shoulder was gently pressed. She saw Ye Qi shake his head slightly, signaling her to watch more.

Quick as lightning, Zhou Qin took a step forward, her form suddenly spinning gracefully. Like a loach, she darted to Fang Zhuyi’s side and effortlessly reached out to snatch the sachet.

Changling suddenly stood up straight: Pingzong Steps?

Fang Zhuyi hadn’t expected to be approached by such an inconspicuous girl. Startled, she struck back with her elbow at the numbness point on Zhou Qin’s shoulder and chopped down with her palm-knife at her wrist. Zhou Qin cried out in pain and the sachet slipped from her hand again. Seeing the sachet float into midair, both leaped up simultaneously. At that moment, a hand even faster than theirs thrust directly between them and easily grasped the sachet. When everyone saw who it was, they all consciously stepped back, making a larger circle—what a trivial matter, yet it had actually alarmed the Great Academician He who had been missing for many days?

Ye Qi landed lightly back on the ground with a faint smile. “Quite lively here.”

Regardless of whether he was nominal or not, an academician was still an academician. The academy students all bowed in unison and said, “Greetings, Academician He.”

“Academician, your timing is perfect,” Fang Zhuyi stepped forward. “This girl stole Academician Shu’s sachet and still won’t admit it…”

Zhou Qin hurriedly protested, “I didn’t…”

“Hey, no need to say more. This academician has already heard.” Ye Qi raised his hand to interrupt them and sniffed the sachet. “It is quite fragrant… Fang Zhuyi, you personally witnessed her taking this sachet from Academician Shu’s desk and immediately intervened to stop her, correct?”

“Correct. Zhou Qin ran outside as soon as she saw me. If she didn’t have a guilty conscience, why would she run?”

“Oh, Zhou Qin, is it?” Ye Qi turned his head to the other side. “You say this sachet is yours. Where do you usually keep it on your person?”

“I, I always keep it in this pouch…” Zhou Qin had a dull gray little cloth pouch hanging diagonally from her waist. If she hadn’t mentioned it, people would have almost mistaken it for a patch on her dress.

Ye Qi: “May I see the pouch?”

Zhou Qin didn’t dare refuse. She quickly untied it and obediently handed it over. After Ye Qi took it, he sniffed it and smiled faintly, then extended it to Fang Zhuyi. “Smell it. Is it the same scent as the sachet?”

Fang Zhuyi hesitantly took it and sniffed. Her expression immediately changed. Unwilling to accept it, she sniffed the sachet again and finally shifted her gaze back to Zhou Qin. Although she knew she had wronged the girl, she only felt even more humiliated and annoyed. “Acting so sneaky—how could you not arouse suspicion!”

Ye Qi gently shook his head. “You wrongly accused a fellow student and you still think you’re in the right?”

His understated remark immediately left Fang Zhuyi speechless.

Ye Qi smiled and returned the pouch and sachet to Zhou Qin. “Between fellow students, minor conflicts are inevitable. What can’t be explained clearly? Why must you resort to violence?”

Zhou Qin was so ashamed she practically wanted to bury her head underground. “The academician is right. It was my fault…”

“Since it was just a misunderstanding, everyone should return and prepare for class.”

The academician had spoken. The students watching the excitement instantly dispersed. Fu Yanyang, seeing Fang Zhuyi’s displeased expression, hurried after her to console her with kind words. After Zhou Qin thanked Ye Qi, she also left in a hurry, seemingly not daring to linger near Sanqing Hall.

Ye Qi dusted off the dirt from the corner of his robe. When he turned around, he discovered Changling had long since disappeared.

Zhou Qin carefully tucked the sachet back into the cloth pouch, then thought better of it and stuffed it into the front of her garment instead.

As she rounded a corner, a dark shadow slanted across the ground. She looked up to see someone standing ahead. “Elder sister, what are you doing here?”

Changling didn’t know why, but seeing her innocent appearance, her expression grew colder instead.

“Was the Pingzong Steps you used taught to you by that old monk you encountered before?”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qin’s face suddenly turned pale. “You, how do you know about Pingzong Steps?”

Changling didn’t answer but stepped forward and asked, “Since he taught you martial arts, you should know his whereabouts, right?”