Twilight gathered around them as the sky gradually darkened. In the distance, the outline of a village appeared.

Master Zhao Jiu stopped, grabbed the kerchief draped over the handle to wipe his sweat, and instructed A-Sen: “Go and check it out!”

“Alright!” A-Sen responded cheerfully and darted toward the village.

Master Zhao Jiu took out a water pouch from the side and handed it to Fu Tingyun: “Have some water!”

Although the sun had already set in the west, the day’s scorching heat still lingered on the ground. Steam rose, making people sweat profusely, especially since she was wrapped up tightly. Her throat had been parched for hours, but seeing Master Zhao Jiu and A-Sen focusing on the journey, she hadn’t wanted to say anything.

Fu Tingyun thanked him and took the water pouch, drinking several gulps.

With her dry throat moistened by water, she felt much more refreshed.

She breathed comfortably and smiled as she handed the water pouch back to Master Zhao Jiu. Just as she was about to say “You should drink some too,” she suddenly became aware of the propriety between men and women. She hastily swallowed her words and awkwardly tried to withdraw her outstretched hand. At that moment, Master Zhao Jiu’s gaze met hers directly.

Fu Tingyun’s face turned deep red.

Being so timid and hesitant was truly petty!

But this wasn’t just any matter—even if she wanted to be magnanimous, she simply couldn’t in this situation!

She felt somewhat dejected.

Master Zhao Jiu hadn’t thought much of it and said: “The world is chaotic now. Even though it seems deserted, bringing out a steamed bun might attract a crowd fighting over it, so it’s better to be cautious. Bear with it for now, and once we find a place to rest, you can untie your headscarf and fan yourself.”

So he had misunderstood that she was complaining about the heat…

Fu Tingyun felt relieved upon hearing this.

Fortunately for this misunderstanding, otherwise, she truly wouldn’t have known what to say!

“Don’t worry, Master Nine,” she replied respectfully, “I understand!”

Master Zhao Jiu responded with an “Mm,” said nothing more, and gazed toward the distant village.

The surroundings were quiet and still, without a sound. Fu Tingyun could even hear her soft breathing.

They couldn’t just keep silent like this!

After all, Master Zhao Jiu was her lifesaver.

With that thought, Fu Tingyun racked her brain for a topic of conversation.

“Master Nine, how long before we reach Weinan?”

“About ten more days!” Master Zhao Jiu stared at the village, his voice flat, seeming somewhat distracted. “I’ll get you there before the Mid-Autumn Festival.”

It wasn’t as if she was rushing back to her uncle’s house for the Mid-Autumn Festival!

Fu Tingyun pressed her lips together.

However, since he had mentioned the Mid-Autumn Festival, she had to make some polite conversation: “I wonder what filling Master Nine prefers in mooncakes. When the time comes, I’ll ask my aunt to make extra, so Master Nine and A-Sen can try some too.”

He had already arranged to meet his companions in Xi’an Prefecture on the fifteenth of the eighth month, so he definitely wouldn’t agree to stay in Weinan for the festival. He might not even want her to know about this matter, so she had to pretend she didn’t know and offered to make mooncakes as a token of gratitude.

Master Zhao Jiu turned to look at her: “You don’t need to be polite with me. I’ll leave as soon as I deliver you to your uncle’s house!”

“You!” Fu Tingyun trembled with anger.

This person couldn’t tell good words from bad ones, he was simply… simply a blockhead!

She simply turned her head away, drinking water while waiting for news from A-Sen.

Master Zhao Jiu could sense the change in Fu Tingyun’s mood.

The Fu family had always prided itself on “pure family values and strict seclusion for unmarried women,” so naturally, the fewer people who knew about her feigned death, the better. Otherwise, why would she subtly inquire about how he would spend the Mid-Autumn Festival? Now that he had told her he didn’t want any further entanglement with her, what else was she worried about?

He was quite puzzled.

Silence fell between them again.

In the distance, a small bobbing figure appeared on the field ridge.

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but sit up straight, stretching her neck to look.

The figure drew closer and closer—it was A-Sen, his head covered in sweat.

Fu Tingyun felt a surge of joy.

“Master,” A-Sen wiped his forehead with his sleeve, “there are no living people in the village.”

Master Zhao Jiu nodded and said to Fu Tingyun: “We’ll rest in the village tonight.”

Fu Tingyun responded with an “Oh” and, seeing that the field ridge was only wide enough for one person, got off the cart.

Master Zhao Jiu didn’t stop her but instructed A-Sen: “You lead the way!”

A-Sen happily responded “Yes,” with a spirited energy that made those who heard him feel cheerful too.

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but smile as she followed A-Sen onto the field ridge.

Master Zhao Jiu pushed the single-wheeled cart behind them.

A-Sen frequently looked back, saying, “Miss, be careful, there’s a ditch here,” or “Miss, watch out, it’s a bit narrow here,” fearful that she might fall.

The fields had dried up, leaving only a layer of yellow soil, and there was no water in the small ditches on either side. Fu Tingyun wasn’t particularly worried and walked with A-Sen into the village, smiling in response to his warnings.

The village had about fifteen to twenty households, with houses arranged in a row. At the entrance were several thatched cottages, low and small, quite dilapidated. Some seemed uninhabited, with houses that had already collapsed. Because it was too late and dark, they couldn’t see clearly what was inside, but a nauseating stench wafted out.

Fu Tingyun covered her nose.

From behind came Master Zhao Jiu’s urging: “Hurry up!”

She had felt tired just sitting on the cart for these few hours, let alone the person pushing it! He must have been eager to rest for a while!

Fu Tingyun hurried forward and entered the village.

A-Sen pointed ahead: “Miss, we’ll rest there tonight—that’s the most intact house in the village.”

Fu Tingyun looked in the direction he indicated and saw a three-room house with pink walls and gray tiles, looking dignified and imposing.

“This house is indeed very intact!” she smiled.

Suddenly, several dogs darted out, baring their teeth and snarling as they surrounded them.

Fu Tingyun was startled and instinctively hid behind Master Zhao Jiu.

A-Sen, however, was very excited: “Master, dogs!” With that, he lunged at one of the dogs like lightning, and the dog, equally unflinching, jumped up to pounce on A-Sen.

Fu Tingyun let out a cry of alarm.

“Come back!” Master Zhao Jiu’s voice rang out, cold and stern.

A-Sen’s body stopped abruptly, and as he sidestepped, the dog missed its target.

Master Zhao Jiu had already pulled out a staff as tall as his eyebrows from the pile of bundles and tossed it to A-Sen: “Just kill them outright, don’t bother with these dogs.”

A-Sen caught the staff, which was taller than he was, without any hesitation, and in one fluid motion struck downward. The dog, which had just jumped up and landed, let out a brief, shrill whimper and lay motionless on the ground.

Fu Tingyun looked at A-Sen in shock.

He was only eight or nine years old, yet he had such skill… and his movements were clean and decisive, without hesitation, vaguely revealing a kind of cold-bloodedness… How could this resemble a child who was still in his early years?

She suddenly felt that this child with the clean and handsome face, who was always so happy regardless of the situation, was so unfamiliar.

Fu Tingyun looked toward Master Zhao Jiu.

In the darkness, he stood silent as a mountain.

The dogs whimpered and scattered in all directions.

A-Sen chased after them, the staff rising and falling, and the dogs emitted tragic howls.

She had raised a white Pekingese dog with dark, liquid eyes as gentle as jade. When she embroidered or wrote, it would squat by her feet, and whenever she looked up, it would bark in a pleasing manner, run over to lick her shoes, and was indescribably cute…

Fu Tingyun felt a dull ache in her heart.

Unable to bear the sight, she closed her eyes.

After the sounds of pounding mixed with a few pitiful cries, the surroundings returned to silence.

Master Zhao Jiu said a flat “Let’s go” and then pushed the small cart into the house.

Fu Tingyun didn’t look to the side but followed with her head lowered.

A-Sen had somehow caught up and pulled out a fire starter from his pocket, lighting the room with an orange glow.

Fu Tingyun looked around.

The shrine in the center of the main hall was empty, and apart from the large incense table, there was no furniture in the house. It was evident that the homeowner had left in an unhurried manner.

Master Zhao Jiu didn’t stop but went straight to the back.

Behind was a courtyard with some kind of flowering tree in the corner, now dead, and a well beneath it.

A-Sen ran to turn the well’s crank.

“No water!” he said disappointedly.

Master Zhao Jiu looked at him as if he were being foolish, not even glancing at him. He put the small cart aside and pushed open the door to the side room.

A-Sen hurriedly ran in with the fire starter.

“You’ll sleep here tonight!” Master Zhao Jiu said in the side room.

Fu Tingyun entered.

The side room had only an earthen kang bed, covered with a thick layer of dust.

A-Sen was on his hands and knees, searching all over the room.

Master Zhao Jiu frowned: “What are you doing?”

“I’m looking to see if I can find an oil lamp,” he grinned at Fu Tingyun, “so Miss can see clearly!”

Master Zhao Jiu silently took the fire starter from A-Sen’s hand and stuck it in the window lattice.

A-Sen rubbed his head and smiled.

In the lamplight, that smile was shy and embarrassed.

Fu Tingyun, however, felt a chill in her heart and could no longer feel that joyful resonance.

A-Sen broke off branches from the flowering tree and swept away the dust in the side room.

Master Zhao Jiu beckoned Fu Tingyun to the courtyard: “Take off your headscarf and get some air!”

Fu Tingyun responded softly and silently untied her headscarf.

Although there was a slight breeze, she didn’t feel particularly cool because of it.

Only a few stars twinkled in the gray-blue sky.

Master Zhao Jiu looked at her and sighed, saying: “I’ll look around!” Then he made a circuit of the house.

A-Sen had already tidied up the side room and pushed the small cart inside. Then he rummaged through the cart and found various pots and jars: “Master, I’ll go brew medicine for Miss!”

Master Zhao Jiu responded with an “Mm” and sat on the edge of the kang: “Going further ahead, we’ll reach Huayin City. The authorities have stationed yamen runners at the city gates for defense, so refugees have probably gathered outside the city. We’ll take a detour. If we can find villages like this, we can still brew a bowl of medicine for you. If not, we’ll have to discontinue your medicine.” As he spoke, he took out an egg from the small cart. “Have this to fill your stomach first.”

Looking at the egg in his palm, Fu Tingyun’s emotions were complex.

He could take such thorough care of her, yet he could also mercilessly kill those dogs… And thinking of their first meeting… he could nearly strangle her to death, yet risk his life to save her, escort her to seek her relatives… What kind of person was he?

She looked at him puzzled.

He merely tugged at the corner of his mouth: “Eat quickly! In a few days, you won’t be able to have this even if you want to.”

“I don’t want to eat!” Looking at his composed and nonchalant demeanor, Fu Tingyun felt an inexplicable anger rising inside her. She sat at the end of the kang. “I’m not hungry yet!”

Master Zhao Jiu raised his eyebrows and placed the egg on the kang.

Fu Tingyun sat upright, not even glancing at the egg.

The fire starter crackled with sparks as A-Sen carefully brought in the medicine: “Miss, please drink it quickly!” He also muttered, “Fortunately, those trees have withered, otherwise, we wouldn’t even have firewood.” Seeing the egg on the kang, his eyes brightened. “Miss, why haven’t you eaten it?” He swallowed.