“Useless!” Lei Shenbao crumpled the note in his hand into a ball and flung it at the guard’s face.

“I asked you to watch a few people — was that so hard?”

“Useless!” Lei Shenbao kicked out, hooking a chair off the ground.

The chair struck the kneeling guard squarely, shattering into several pieces.

But the guard made no move to dodge.

“My lord, I’m sorry! It was my carelessness for a moment — I’m sorry!”

The note Feng Jiu’er had left for Lei Shenbao contained only one line: Lord Lei, we’ve gone ahead into the city.

Even in those few simple words, her greed showed through.

That Feng Jiu’er had left a note at all was only because she didn’t want to break with Lei Shenbao just yet — otherwise she wouldn’t have wasted the time.

Lei Shenbao stormed off in a rage, and no one knew what was going through his mind.

Feng Jiu’er and the others, after disguising themselves, split into two groups to enter the city.

Feng Jiu’er, Jian Yi, Feng Yinan, and Yue Qinchun took one route; Feng Jiang, Qiao Mu, Xing Zizhou, and Xiao Yingtao took the other.

It wasn’t until nightfall the next day that they regrouped at the designated inn.

“This place really isn’t bad.” With hotpot back on the table, Xiao Yingtao was perfectly content.

“Before we entered the city, it was all desolate wilderness, barely any inns, and so eerie.”

“After entering the city, it’s a completely different story.” Xiao Yingtao picked up a piece of cauliflower and blew on it.

“This Yongshan City isn’t exactly bustling, but there are people everywhere, it’s lively, the people here are warm too, and best of all, things aren’t expensive and the food is good.”

She blew on the cauliflower again, popped it into her mouth, and took a happy, satisfied bite.

“And most importantly, we don’t have to look at that disgusting leopard anymore.” Qiao Mu raised an eyebrow in agreement.

“Xiao Bao, I want to sleep with you tonight.”

Qiao Mu’s remark made everyone at the table turn to look at her.

Feeling the different stares, Qiao Mu turned and looked around at everyone, lightly arching her crescent brows.

“What are you all thinking? My foot hurts, I want Xiao Bao to rub it for me.”

“Anyone with objections can go find someone to rub theirs.”

“No objections, none at all.” Xiao Yingtao giggled.

“No objections from me either.” Yue Qinchun’s lips curved up in a pleased smile.

“Who would dare object?” Feng Jiu’er raised an eyebrow and put a large piece of meat in Feng Jiang’s bowl.

“Xiao Bao, you really should eat more meat. We walked so far, and there’s still work to do tonight — how exhausting!”

“Cough…” Xing Zizhou immediately covered his mouth.

In an instant, everyone’s attention shifted to him.

“I… I’m fine, just an accident! Just an accident, that’s all.”

Xiao Yingtao shot him a look, pressed her lips together, and ignored him, continuing to eat.

“Xiao Yingtao, I…” Xing Zizhou looked at her, a little guilty.

“What are you doing?” Xiao Yingtao cut him off.

“Don’t talk! Just hurry up and eat — with all this good food, can’t you keep your mouth busy with that instead?”

Xing Zizhou blinked, slightly stunned, then nodded. “I can. I can keep it busy.”

With that, he picked up a piece of vegetable and took a big bite.

Feng Jiu’er felt pleased inside, and without quite knowing why, put another piece of meat in Feng Jiang’s bowl.

“Jiu’er, I… I don’t need it!”

A man has his pride, after all — if he had to keep eating meat just to maintain face, that wouldn’t do.

Besides, he really didn’t need to eat that much meat!

No sooner had Feng Jiang finished speaking than another piece of meat appeared in his bowl.

He turned to look — it was his own woman who’d put it there — and he couldn’t say much more, so he picked it up and took a bite.

Feng Jiu’er gently patted Feng Jiang’s shoulder and said to everyone, “Once you’re full, get some good rest. Tomorrow we head straight into the mountains.”

“Got it.” Xiao Yingtao kept drinking the broth and eating vegetables at once.

“You’re staying behind.” Feng Jiu’er looked at her.

“Me?” Xiao Yingtao, mouth stuffed full, asked, “Why?”

“Your martial skill isn’t up to it,” Feng Jiu’er said without beating around the bush. “Qinchun stays too. Yinan will be responsible for keeping the two of you safe.”

“Our people are nearby. Xing Zizhou has already sent word about our arrival — you two stay behind and wait for them.”

“Fine.” Xiao Yingtao pouted and went back to eating.

“Don’t worry, we’ll definitely make it back safely.” Xing Zizhou rubbed Xiao Yingtao’s head.

“Did I say I was worried about you?” Xiao Yingtao kept her eyes on the meat in the pot, refusing to look at him.

“Some things don’t need to be said out loud.” Xing Zizhou smiled, indulgent.

It had been a while since everyone had felt this relaxed. With Lei Shenbao no longer watching over them, the mood lifted considerably.

After dinner, everyone returned to their own rooms to rest.

Not long after Feng Jiu’er had bathed, a knock sounded at her door.

She looked up to see a tall, slender silhouette outside.

“Jian Yi, is something the matter?” Men and women ought to keep their distance — she couldn’t very well have Jian Yi staying with her in the middle of the night.

Besides, Jian Yi wasn’t a child — he was a young man in the prime of his vigor.

Better to avoid it where she could, in any case.

Knock, knock, knock… the knocking came again.

Feng Jiu’er looked up again — the figure was still standing outside the door.

She sighed helplessly but stood and went to open it.

“I told you to rest early — didn’t I say we’d be heading out before dawn tomorrow—”

Before Feng Jiu’er could finish, the moment she opened the door, the air felt different.

She breathed in the scent she’d been longing for and looked up at the man who stood a full head taller than her.

Under the moonlight, he was as towering as a mountain.

That devastatingly handsome face had grown a little thinner, but it hadn’t diminished his looks in the slightest.

Thick, sword-like brows, deep eyes, a high, straight nose, lips finer than any rose, a firm, smooth jaw.

Lower still, the sensual line of his throat, the collar slightly open beneath it…

Feng Jiu’er stared straight at the chest hidden behind his clothes and swallowed hard.

“Wu… Wu Ya, why have you come? Weren’t you still…”

Before Feng Jiu’er could finish speaking, Di Wu Ya tightened his arms and pulled her entirely into his embrace.

He held his woman, stepped forward, and closed the door behind them.

Feng Jiu’er’s feet barely touched the ground — she was practically carried inside.

In the hallway, Jian Yi watched the figure disappear before him, turned, pushed open the door to his own room, and went in.

The two of them reached the bed and naturally fell onto it together.

“Xiao Jiu?” Di Wu Ya looked down at the one beneath him, his handsome brows furrowing. “Where exactly are you ‘little’?”

Feng Jiu’er blinked, her eyes curving into a smile that came out a little strained.

“Qiao Mu also calls Bao-laoye ‘Xiao Bao,’ so I wasn’t sure what to call you — suddenly Xiao Jiu doesn’t seem so bad after all.”

She smiled faintly, then added, “Xiao Jiu.”

“Are you really ‘little’?” Di Wu Ya leaned down.

Feng Jiu’er felt something and quickly covered her lips with her hand to hold back a yelp. “Ninth Imperial Uncle, you—”

Di Wu Ya flipped over with the woman in his arms so that she lay against his shoulder, and let out a silent sigh.

“Your treatment had no effect on me at all.”