Twenty li away from Haoyun Mountain was a prosperous market town. This town had two streets in total, yet on these short two streets there were thirteen inns.

This place was called Qirong, a transportation hub connecting the north-south canal. Though the place wasn’t large, many people came and went, and there were all kinds of people.

Qirong’s largest inn was called Baixing Inn, the smallest was called Youlan Inn, and Wanfu Inn was a medium-sized one among them. Next to Wanfu Inn was a small shop that made noodles. Now a young woman hurriedly bought a bowl of noodle soup and carefully carried it back to Wanfu Inn.

This pretty young woman was Yu Tuan’er. She carried the noodle soup up to the second floor of Wanfu Inn. Before entering the room, she heard a childish voice inside calling “cat, kitty cat,” and immediately sighed.

Pushing open the door to the last guest room on the second floor, she saw Fengfeng lying by A’Shui’s bedside, tugging at her hair repeatedly. “Cat, cat… cat cat cat cat cat…” A’Shui looked tired with a pale face, lying there semi-conscious, letting him pull at her hair without being able to respond.

Yu Tuan’er set down the noodle soup and grabbed Fengfeng up, glaring angrily at Shen Langhun beside them. “What are you doing? You’re just letting him bully Sister A’Shui like this? She’s still running a fever! How painful it must be if he touches her wound!”

Shen Langhun sat helplessly in a chair to the side. “He saw a stray cat outside the window and insisted on it. What can I do?”

Yu Tuan’er said angrily, “Give him a slap and see if he still dares to make noise!”

Shen Langhun coughed. “I don’t hit children.”

Yu Tuan’er picked up Fengfeng and spanked his bottom a few times. Fengfeng’s mouth turned down and he burst into tears, crying until his adorable face wrinkled like a flower, looking quite pitiful.

A’Shui heard the commotion and slightly opened her eyes, glanced around, then closed them again drowsily. Her chest wound was severe. Though Fang Pingzhai had shown mercy, the Chonghua Blade was a rare sharp weapon. The irregular blade had scraped away a layer of flesh when it pierced, making the wound difficult to heal.

Yu Tuan’er saw her lips move slightly and leaned over to ask, “What did you say?”

A’Shui shook her head and smiled weakly. She hadn’t said anything, just… when she heard the commotion, she thought Tang Lici had come.

But he hadn’t come. She felt she had no reason to feel disappointed, yet every time before opening her eyes, she would think he had come.

Perhaps… having been rescued by him too many times, even she had grown accustomed to it? Taking it for granted that he would come see her, so always unconsciously waiting. When conscious, she knew he wouldn’t come, but when drowsy, she still waited, making even her drowsiness restless.

Fang Pingzhai had kidnapped Liu Yan. Perhaps she had been too careless, not noticing the changes happening to him. But even if she had noticed, what could she have done? She couldn’t change Fang Pingzhai’s or Liu Yan’s decisions, couldn’t stop Fang Pingzhai from taking Liu Yan away or attacking someone. Her heart was very confused. Could life’s changes really happen in just an instant, yet leave no trace? Why did Fang Pingzhai act this way? There must be things others couldn’t help him resolve, some reason, right?

After Fang Pingzhai kidnapped Liu Yan, his next step should be to act against Tang Lici. Otherwise, why would he kidnap Liu Yan? In her dazed state, she thought: Young Master Tang always faces many powerful enemies… I wonder how his planning on Haoyun Mountain is going? Has he already set out for Bodhi Valley? I could guide him, I know the mechanisms in Floating Eyebrow Garden, they’re all the same… the same… No, he’s already been to Floating Eyebrow Garden, he no longer needs me to guide him…

“Sister A’Shui?” Yu Tuan’er saw her murmur something and wiped her forehead with a damp cloth. “Does it hurt?”

A’Shui opened her eyes and smiled slightly again, shaking her head. “Little sister, you should rest. You don’t need to watch me constantly.”

Yu Tuan’er shook her head. “I’m waiting for you to feel better so I can feed you noodle soup. You haven’t eaten anything for a day and night.”

A’Shui’s lips moved slightly. “Little sister, are you very worried about… him… but haven’t said so?” She had been sent to Wanfu Inn by Haoyun Mountain’s people. Severely wounded, Yu Tuan’er and Shen Langhun already knew something had happened at Jihe Manor – Fang Pingzhai had kidnapped Liu Yan.

“I…” Yu Tuan’er hesitated. “I feel Little Fang isn’t a bad person… he won’t bully him.”

A’Shui said softly, “Yes, I think so too… cough cough…”

Yu Tuan’er said quietly, “I feel he won’t harm you, but he still injured you like this.”

A’Shui couldn’t help smiling. “Cough cough… so actually you’re still very worried about him… silly girl…”

Yu Tuan’er’s eyes reddened and she suddenly started crying. “I want to go find him.”

A’Shui said gently, “Don’t worry, don’t be afraid… Young Master Tang will definitely save him.”

Yu Tuan’er stared blankly at A’Shui. “What if he can’t save him in time and he gets killed, or what if Young Master Tang can’t save him either?”

A’Shui shook her head and said quietly, “That won’t happen.”

Yu Tuan’er’s tears fell. “Do you really believe in him?”

A’Shui said softly, “Of course.”

Yu Tuan’er said, “But doesn’t he often disappoint you?”

A’Shui was slightly shocked. “I’m not disappointed.”

Yu Tuan’er looked at her, her expression seeming very confused. “Why doesn’t Young Master Tang come see you? He already knows you’re injured, doesn’t he?”

“He won’t come see me.” A’Shui said gently. “He’s very busy.”

Yu Tuan’er frowned. “Why can’t he come see you just because he’s busy? If he wanted to come, he could, couldn’t he? It’s not far.”

It wasn’t far, but to Tang Lici, A’Shui was neither friend nor family – at most just a plaything for his momentary interest. A’Shui’s gaze slowly moved to the roof beam. If he… if he came to visit in person, she would think he must have ulterior motives, wouldn’t she?

He wasn’t that gentle.

Beside her, Fengfeng had cried himself tired and lay next to her, sobbing intermittently. She felt that small body warmth – the only person in the world who would never abandon her was Fengfeng.

Shen Langhun watched from the side. Tang Lici had only instructed him to bring Yu Tuan’er here, and he would contact them again about future matters. The situation on Haoyun Mountain was treacherous. Could Tang Lici’s strategy of retreating to advance succeed? Fang Pingzhai had indeed betrayed and taken Liu Yan away. Though everything was within Tang Lici’s calculations, could he really maintain the morale of the thousand people on Haoyun Mountain and let Miss Hong lead the expedition?

The truth was too complex. He hadn’t explained the real situation to the two young women. With the current situation unclear, even if they knew Fang Pingzhai’s purpose in kidnapping Liu Yan, understood that Tang Lici had no time to visit A’Shui, and knew Yu Konghou’s next vicious plot, what would it matter?

It would only mean more and more people worrying and fretting, more and more people confused about the future.

How would Tang Lici escape from Yu Konghou’s vicious plot? How would he smoothly hand the situation over to Miss Hong? Shen Langhun thought until his head hurt, still unable to imagine how this miraculous young master would handle things.