The stay in Nanzhao only lasted a few days, yet it stirred up much trouble. Whether it was Lu Zhao, Shen Qingyao, or Shen Yushu, none of them wanted to stay any longer. After Shen Qingyao recuperated for two or three days, and Kong Lin nodded in assurance that she was fine, everyone decided to set off back to Great Liang.

Due to Shen Qingyao’s health, Kong Lin and Tu Lan were asked by Lu Zhao to accompany them on their return to Lingnan. Rebuilding the mountain stronghold after the disaster would take some time anyway, so neither of them objected. As soon as Lu Zhao proposed it, they quickly agreed.

However, Shen Qingyao noticed that her Eldest Brother had been acting unusually of late. Whenever Tu Lan accompanied Kong Lin to check on her condition, he became particularly attentive, speaking more and often glancing towards Tu Lan. While Tu Lan seemed oblivious, Shen Qingyao couldn’t help but widen her eyes in disbelief.

Watching Shen Yushu enter her room again, Shen Qingyao turned her head away with a smile. Quietly in her heart, she whispered to the system in her mind, “Look at him, look at him! With that look in his eyes, he must like Tu Lan! Tsk tsk, young men can’t hide their feelings! Looks like I’ll have a sister-in-law soon!”

She was delighted. Honestly, she really liked Tu Lan.

After the previous incident, the system had crashed for a long time. It was only later that it timidly approached Shen Qingyao again, carefully explaining that they actually didn’t know she had transmigrated once before, but her compatibility had pulled her into the storyline.

Although this happening was absurd, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Shen Qingyao was supposed to return to her own body naturally several years later, but now she could prevent Lu Zhao from turning evil, which was a good thing.

Seeing that Shen Qingyao didn’t blame it, the system finally relaxed and began days of gossiping and banter with her again. At this moment, the system suddenly exclaimed cautiously, [Is it possible? Tu Lan is a girl from Nanzhao and even came from a bandit’s den. Will your parents approve?]

Shen Qingyao was taken aback for a moment and hesitated, “They should approve, right? Aren’t my parents the most open-minded in the capital?”

As they spoke, Shen Yushu clumsily approached Tu Lan, who was tidying the medicine box, wanting to help but clumsily knocked over the silver needles that Tu Lan had just put away.

Tu Lan : = =

Shen Yushu : -0-!

Shen Qingyao : …

Shen Qingyao couldn’t bear to look straight at them, turned her head away, wiped the nonexistent sweat from her forehead, sighed, and said, “Forget it. Instead of worrying about our parents, let’s get my straight-man Eldest Brother to successfully pursue her first… right…”

Since Tu Lan didn’t poke Shen Yushu with a needle, she was already showing her good temper.

Just as Shen Qingyao and the system were watching the drama, Lu Zhao returned. Seeing that Shen Qingyao looked well, he also smiled, naturally walking over to sit beside her. Lu Zhao raised an eyebrow and asked, “Why are you so happy?”

Shen Qingyao smiled mysteriously, mimicking his expression by raising her eyebrows, gesturing for him to look at Shen Yushu who was following behind Kong Lin and Tu Lan as they left. She pursed her lips and sighed, saying, “After meeting Tu Lan, my elder brother didn’t even bother to say goodbye to me when he left! Tsk! He’s forgotten his sister because of the beauty!”

“Ha.” Lu Zhao was amused by the phrase ‘forgotten his sister because of the beauty’ and chuckled, reaching out to rub the little girl’s head affectionately, saying gently, “Everything’s almost ready. We’ll set off for Lingnan tomorrow.”

“So soon?” Shen Qingyao leaned on the table. She knew they would leave in a few days, but didn’t expect that it would be tomorrow, then became happy, “Great, we can finally go back!”

They had only stayed in Lingnan for just over a month, but somehow, after a few days in Nanzhao, even the unfamiliar mansion in Lingnan gave her a sense of belonging. Mentioning it now, she actually felt a bit nostalgic.

The more Shen Qingyao thought about it, the more excited she became. Immediately, she jumped up from her chair, joyfully saying, “Then I’ll go pack right away!”

Lu Zhao smiled faintly. In reality, there was nothing she needed to pack. The things she needed to bring had already been prepared early by Cui Qiao and the others. Seeing her eagerly engaged, Lu Zhao didn’t stop her. He sat at the table, poured a cup of tea, and smiled as he watched the busy figure of the little girl. It carried a sense of peacefulness and contentment.

---

The next day, perhaps due to anticipation or because she had slept too much recently, Shen Qingyao woke up early without delay. With Cui Qiao’s help, she quickly finished washing up and went out. The entire envoy from Great Liang that came to Nanzhao was already bustling with activity. Shen Qingyao looked around but didn’t see Lu Zhao. Instead, she spotted Shen Yushu discussing matters with his assistant in the crowd. After a moment’s thought, she walked over.

“Eldest Brother,” Shen Qingyao called out. Seeing Shen Yushu raise his hand to dismiss his assistant, she asked again, “Eldest Brother, have you seen Lu Zhao?”

Shen Yushu glared at her and said sarcastically, “Tsk, Lu Zhao, Lu Zhao. You only think of your Lu Zhao. Your Eldest Brother is standing right here, but you didn’t even greet me! Truly, ‘girls won’t stay at home when they grow up’!”

Shen Qingyao suppressed a smile, thinking that she had already left home; she was married after all! She added to herself, Eldest Brother, you’re just the same. When you see Sister Tu Lan, you forget who your own sister is. We’re even!

But she didn’t dare say these words, as her Eldest Brother would scold her. Instead, she leaned over and hugged Shen Yushu’s arm, acting cute. “Eldest Brother, Eldest Brother! My dear Eldest Brother! Didn’t I come to find you first? Why are you being jealous?”

Shen Yushu snorted softly but his expression softened. Patting Shen Qingyao’s hand, he casually glanced not far away. Suddenly, with a meaningful smile, he lowered his voice and said to her, “Whether I’m jealous or not doesn’t matter. What matters is, someone might really get jealous soon!”

“What?” Shen Qingyao looked puzzled. Following his gaze, she turned her head and saw a tall figure standing in the distance. It seemed the other party also saw Shen Qingyao, hesitated for a moment, then walked towards her.

“Guard Wu Nan? Are you fully recovered?” Shen Qingyao was somewhat surprised but still greeted him with a smile. She remembered that if Wu Nan hadn’t given her that sachet earlier, the Gu might have stayed in her body for a while longer. Later, she heard that because of this, Wu Nan was also poisoned by Princess Anyu and nearly wasn’t rescued from the dungeon. Now seeing him standing well in front of her, Shen Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief.

“Mm,” Wu Nan nodded, flicking his fingers awkwardly. After hesitating for a while, he said, “I’m sorry…”

Shen Qingyao was puzzled for a moment before realizing what he meant. He was actually blaming himself for her poisoning incident? “Why apologize? It’s not your fault! You were injured too, weren’t you?”

Shen Qingyao smiled, but Wu Nan froze.

In his view, he was sent by the King of Nanzhao to supervise Princess Any’u, and it was his negligence that allowed her to use Gu to harm others. Faced with such negligence, these nobles might rightly scold and punish him. Yet here she was, smiling at him?

Shen Yushu, with his narrow eyes, looked from one to another. He had to admit, the Shen family’s habit of gossiping and enjoying scandals was truly passed down through the generations, just like Shen Qingyao’s usual self. Sharp-eyed, he caught sight of a certain Lu approaching with a dark expression. This was too exciting. Before Shen Qingyao could react, Shen Yushu found an excuse and slipped away.

What to do when your own sister is so popular? Naturally, let her husband handle it himself!

Meanwhile, Shen Qingyao, unaware that Lu Zhao had already noticed this side, after finishing her words, added thoughtfully, “Actually, I should thank you! Thank you for the sachet.”

“No, no need…” Wu Nan blamed himself even more. Knowing that the princess might use Gu, he didn’t directly warn her and only gave a useless sachet. How could he deserve her thanks? He wanted to say something else, but being not good with words in the first place and now even more nervous, he waved his hand helplessly, unable to say another word.

“Thanks for what?” Lu Zhao approached. His unfriendly gaze fixed on Wu Nan; facing his love rival made every hair on his body stand on end, and he immediately turned away.

Shen Qingyao joyfully turned around and upon seeing the person who just came, rushed over happily, calling out, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao! Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you for so long!”

Lu Zhao’s expression softened a bit as he took Shen Qingyao’s hand and asked, “What was Yaoyao just talking about?” Without waiting for her reply, he pointed in another direction with his finger and said gently, “Your Second Sister is here, over there looking for you. Why don’t you go and see her?”

“Really?” Shen Qingyao’s attention was indeed diverted. She smiled apologetically at Wu Nan and hurried off to find her Second Sister.

Once she was far away, Lu Zhao turned around, saying calmly, “I seem to recall mentioning that this is the inn of Great Liang. Officials from Nanzhao are required to announce themselves upon entry. I hope this gentleman learns some manners.”

Wu Nan’s face darkened. Without the tension of facing Shen Qingyao, he silently stared at Lu Zhao. A hint of hostility flashed in his eyes, but he ultimately clenched his fist and restrained himself, saying, “Yes.”

---

“Hey hey hey! My Yao! What’s going on over there!”

Meanwhile, Shen Qinglin saw Shen Qingyao and without discussing any serious matters, pulled Shen Qingyao over with a mischievous look, eyeing the two men.

Shen Qingyao could only laugh and sigh again at how they were all family. She pulled her over and rolled her eyes, “What’s going on? Stop messing around, Second Sister!” Then she whispered, “You should tell me what’s going on with that person!”

Not far behind Shen Qinglin, in the shadows, stood a man dressed in black. He was the guard of the King of Nanzhao and the prime suspect of being Shen Qingyao’s Second Brother-in-law. Shen Qingyao blinked and leaned in close, asking, “Second Sister, is that the person you’re looking for?”

Shen Qinglin paused for a moment, then smiled and said, “Of course he is.”

“And why does he…” Shen Qingyao was shocked. Could it be that Second Sister had spent so many years away from home chasing love and still hadn’t caught him?

Shen Qinglin, however, seemed unconcerned and smiled strangely, “I’m competing with him! It’s not that simple!”

With that, she winked.

Shen Qingyao didn’t quite understand. Competing? Competing in what? Whoever speaks to someone first loses? What kind of childish behavior was this!

“Alright! Don’t worry about adult matters! I won’t be going back with you this time when you return to Great Liang, but Lingnan isn’t far. Remember to find me if you need anything!” Shen Qinglin patted Shen Qingyao on the back and said casually, “Strictly speaking, we’re not real sisters, but I am your older sister, right? If you need anything, your Second Sister is here for you!”

Shen Qingyao felt warm inside. She was a soul returning to her own body, but Shen Qinglin had genuinely traveled through time. What she said was not wrong. She smiled and nodded, “I know, Second Sister.”

---

“Let’s go!”

After the loud shout, Shen Qingyao’s carriage slowly moved along with the rest of the group. She leaned against the window and looked outside. Lu Zhao and Shen Yushu were riding side by side in front, while her Second Sister and Wu Nan waved to her from afar. Shen Qingyao sighed, feeling that this trip to Nanzhao had been eventful beyond belief, exhausting all the strength of a lazy bum.

Cui Qiao smiled and leaned over, covering Shen Qingyao with a blanket, and whispered, “Miss, rest for a while. Sleep, and we’ll be home soon.”

Yes, home. Shen Qingyao thought of the courtyard she hadn’t fully arranged yet, and her mood improved.

The return journey always seemed swift; within a few days, they arrived at Lingnan. However, home was not as tranquil as Shen Qingyao had imagined. As Lu Zhao helped her out of the carriage, before they even reached the courtyard gate, a robust and carefree voice could be heard from inside, someone shouting in high spirits to greet them.

“Alright! Where have you been for so long? This Young Master rushed here from afar, and not a soul was around! Making me wait for days!”

This voice belonged to…

Shen Qingyao glanced at Lu Zhao, who remained composed; evidently, he had received news earlier.

The steward of the Lu residence hurried out nervously, sweat breaking out upon hearing the commotion behind him. It wasn’t that he wanted to easily let people into the mansion, but he simply couldn’t stop this young tyrant!

The young tyrant approached noisily, revealing his true appearance. Gu Ziyan looked at the two who had finally returned, tossed aside the branch in his hand, and rushed over like the wind, eyes widened as he said, “I thought they were teasing me with fake news! Turns out you really did come back!”

Then he looked at the bewildered Shen Qingyao and added, “You actually knew to come back!”

Shen Qingyao : Huh? So whose house is this, exactly?

---

Shen Qingyao rested quietly for a few days. She took medicine when she was told to take medicine and slept when she was told to sleep. She was very obedient. However, Lu Zhao still keenly noticed the difference of the little girl.

Lu Zhao gently turned a page of the book in his hand. Since Shen Qingyao fell seriously ill, Lu Zhao did not even use the study room prepared for him at the inn. He directly moved all the affairs in Nanzhao to the room and casually arranged a set of tables and chairs. When handling official business, he could see the little girl who was either in a daze or sleeping on the bed.

But he felt that Shen Qingyao was more attached to him.

He sighed and put the book down. After the negotiations in the past few days, they did not have so many things to do. They could set off to return to Lingnan after Shen Qingyao got better. He raised his hand to pick up the cup, but found that the tea in the cup was empty. Cui Qiao and the others were outside the house, and he didn’t want to call them in to disturb them, so he had to carry the cup to the table himself. As soon as he moved, a pair of big watery eyes followed him like a shadow.

Lu Zhao lowered his head and laughed secretly. This happened every day these days. As long as he was there, no matter what he did, Shen Qingyao liked to stare at him intently. Lu Zhao claimed that he was not a saint, and being looked at by the girl he liked with such a fiery look, it was inevitable that he felt restless.

The dryness in his throat could not be relieved by drinking water. Lu Zhao gently put down the cup and turned around. It happened to bump into Shen Qingyao’s guilty glance.

“Yaoyao, do you have anything to say to me?”

Shen Qingyao was stunned and shook her head, “No.”

“Really?”

Shen Qingyao really didn’t have anything to say, but after knowing that she was the little girl who grew up with Lu Zhao, she couldn’t help but feel a little proud. At the same time, she felt that Lu Zhao was really handsome and couldn’t get enough of him. But she didn’t expect to be caught red-handed.

She was thinking of finding an excuse to fool around, and saw Lu Zhao approaching with a wicked smile, and stretched out his long arm and place it next to her ear, and the warm breath with a cold fragrance sprayed on her ear. Being wall-banged for no reason was… quite exciting.

Shen Qingyao blinked her eyes, looked at the face so close, and suddenly felt her throat dry.

“But Yaoyao looked at me like this, I thought…” Lu Zhao laughed, but before he finished speaking, his face was already very close.

“What did you think?” Shen Qingyao raised her head slightly, and their noses touched each other. It was unknown who moved first. When their lips touched, Shen Qingyao gently closed her eyes.

“I thought Yaoyao wanted to kiss me.” Lu Zhao retreated a little after a light kiss. He had already finished kissing her when he whispered so.

Who wanted to kiss whom? Shen Qingyao laughed secretly in her heart, and suddenly found that Lu Zhao was also good at lying.

Lu Zhao thought the little girl would be shy and hide. He just intended to tease her lightly, but he didn’t want to do anything to her. After all, she was still sick and couldn’t stand it.

Just as he was about to step away, Shen Qingyao in front of him suddenly moved. She raised her hands and wrapped them around Lu Zhao’s neck. Her eyes were full of tenderness and she said with a red face, “I am…”

“When I see Elder Brother Lu Zhao, my heart surges and I can’t help myself. I am also…” She bit her lips. She had originally wanted to tease him back, but it was too embarrassing to say this. She couldn’t stand it halfway through, so she could only hold on and said shyly, “I would also want to be close to Elder Brother Lu Zhao…”

Lu Zhao’s breathing immediately became heavier. He stared at Shen Qingyao with undisguised desire in his eyes, like a beast ready to attack, staring at his prey.

Shen Qingyao was a little nervous when she saw that he hadn’t spoken for a long time. She shrank her hands around Lu Zhao’s neck and hesitated whether to put them down. Then she heard Lu Zhao sigh and covered her lips again.

This time the kiss was less careful and more eager. The hand that was next to her ear had slid to her shoulder without her knowing when. Shen Qingyao was held tightly by him and could not move. She could only raise her head to endure his somewhat crazy kiss.

“Hmm…”

After an unknown period of time passed, a sound spilled from the corner of Shen Qingyao’s lips. She had no strength left to resist, only able to pant lightly as she clung to him. Their clothes were somewhat disheveled; Lu Zhao’s outer garment had been pulled open by Shen Qingyao at some point, adding to the disorder.

Shen Qingyao was in an even more disheveled state, her clothing even more undone, revealing a glimpse of a tender red undergarment.

Leaning against Lu Zhao’s chest, Shen Qingyao’s hand was held tightly by him. Thinking back to where his hands had been just moments ago, her face flushed…

The cool touch lingered longer than expected, causing Shen Qingyao’s lips to feel warm and tremble slightly. It took her a while to recover.

“Elder Brother Lu Zhao…” Shen Qingyao called out softly, surprised by how tender her voice sounded. Even she felt her ears heat up.

As expected, Lu Zhao’s breath hitched again. After a long pause, he responded with a satisfied, low grunt. His hands remained in place, but there were no further advances.

Blushing, Shen Qingyao gathered her courage and asked, “ELder Brother Lu Zhao, are we not continuing?”

His grip around her waist tightened immediately. Lu Zhao lowered his head fiercely, biting her lightly before tenderly soothing the mark with his cool lips.

“Don’t provoke me,” Lu Zhao released her, his voice husky, breathing heavily. His self-control was all that kept him composed. “You’re still unwell…”

“I…” Shen Qingyao wanted to say she was fine. But she hesitated in the end. “Oh…”

She could only think to herself silently that she needed to recover quickly!

Neither of them spoke again, quietly leaning against each other to calm their agitation. Lu Zhao’s usually cold scent now carried a subtle warmth in the air, causing Shen Qingyao’s heart to race.

Eventually, their breathing gradually returned to normal.

Lu Zhao shifted slightly. The climate in Nanzhao was humid, and he was afraid she might catch a cold. He helped Shen Qingyao sit up straight, then sat half-leaning on the edge of the couch. His slender fingers carefully tidied up her disheveled clothes one by one, paying no mind to his own disheveled appearance.

Shen Qingyao blushed as she enjoyed Lu Zhao’s care. Watching his serious expression, she smiled gently, feeling her heart filled to the brim. After he finished tidied her up, Shen Qingyao leaned back bonelessly again, suddenly remembering something and asked, “Brother Lu Zhao, is everything settled in Nanzhao?”

The documents on Lu Zhao’s desk had become increasingly sparse. Even Shen Yushu, who used to be busy every day, had more free time to visit her. Thus, Shen Qingyao had this question.

“Mm,” Lu Zhao responded, squeezing the girl’s hand playfully.

Shen Qingyao let him play, then asked again, “What about… Princess Yonghe? Is that matter resolved?”

Wasn’t Nanzhao opposed to Princess Yonghe becoming Queen?

“It’s considered resolved,” Lu Zhao replied indifferently. “The false imperial decree and the unauthorized entry into the palace were all accusations. Moreover, Princess An’yu’s harm to you was unjustifiable. How could Nanzhao still dare to challenge Great Liang?”

There was a hint of hostility in Lu Zhao’s eyes as he spoke, not bothering to conceal his disgust for the Nanzhao royal family. He then carefully recounted the developments of the past few days to Shen Qingyao.

Princess Yonghe could not be crowned Queen of Nanzhao in the end. However, Nanzhao was also caught with a handle and could no longer hide the Great Liang princess silently in the palace without even giving her a title.

In the end, Princess Yonghe was granted the title of Noble Consort, which was second only to the Queen, so it was a good result.

Shen Qingyao nodded after listening, feeling somewhat lamenting. She wondered if someone as proud as Princess Yonghe could accept this outcome.

When she thought of the actions of the Nanzhao people, Shen Qingyao couldn’t help but think of the Gu that had stayed on her for a few days, shuddering instinctively with a touch of nausea.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Zhao thought she was cold and pulled the thin blanket over her again.

Shen Qingyao shook her head hesitantly and asked, “Then… what about An’ya and An’yu?”

At this point, she knew these two were the masterminds behind everything.

Lu Zhao’s face grew cold, clearly still filled with lingering anger. After a while, he spoke in a cold voice, “An’ya is an accomplice, sentenced to a year of house arrest. As for An’yu…”

There was a hint of murderous intent in Lu Zhao’s eyes, but out of concern for Shen Qingyao, he restrained himself from showing too much.

“Princess An’yu had previously used Gu to harm the former Queen of Nanzhao, but it was suppressed at that time. Now she has again used Gu to harm the envoy from Great Liang and disrupt diplomatic relations between the two countries. This should have been a capital offense, but there is a precedent in Nanzhao that members of the royal family cannot kill each other. Therefore, she was only demoted to a commoner and sentenced to lifelong imprisonment.”

Seeing Lu Zhao’s expression, it was clear he thought this punishment was too lenient. Shen Qingyao had no doubt that after they left Nanzhao, news of Princess An’yu’s sudden death might be spread.

Shen Qingyao lowered her eyes and said nothing. Although it was because of this Gu that she could remember her own identity, she was not a saint. Since An’yu had harmed her for no reason, she wouldn’t sympathize with An’yu.

However, at this moment, she was more interested in another piece of gossip.

She arched her brows restlessly, which ignited the evil fire that Lu Zhao had not completely suppressed. Unable to bear it any longer, he pressed her down and said in a deep voice, “Ask whatever you want, but don’t move!”

Shen Qingyao giggled, her trick successful. She tilted her head slightly and asked, “But why did An’yu want to harm the former Queen and me?”

She couldn’t understand at all.

Lu Zhao sighed helplessly, “Why are you so curious about everything?”

But he still explained patiently.

It turns out that Princess An’yu once liked a guard by the side of the former Queen. The former Queen had a gentle and amiable personality, so they had a very close relationship. And they became closer due to this guard.

However, the guard died protecting the former Queen when she was attacked by assassins. An’yu blamed the former Queen for not saving him and held a grudge.

Over time, her feelings twisted due to her lover’s death. As a result, she also took out her anger on Shen Qingyao, who had similar personality as the former Queen.

She believed women from Great Liang were hypocritical, which caused all these troubles.

After listening, Shen Qingyao remained silent for a long time. She deeply felt that she was very innocent.

Lu Zhao thought she was still scared, reached out and patted her gently, saying softly, “It’s all in the past now. There won’t be such things in the future.”

“Mm…” Shen Qingyao nodded, trusting him. In a way, it wasn’t all bad; at least it made her remember her two transmigrations ahead of time. Thinking of this, Shen Qingyao smiled again.

“Why are you smiling?” Lu Zhao was puzzled.

“Elder Brother Lu Zhao, did you come to see me during the years I lost my memory?” she suddenly asked.

In fact, she knew since she had seen those long nights he spent alone with the moon in her dreams, but she still deliberately asked him like this.

Lu Zhao was stunned, somewhat surprised, and then asked somewhat unnaturally, “Wh… why do you suddenly ask about this?”

“Just tell me, did you?” Shen Qingyao looked at him and saw his expression, knowing what he was thinking. How could that expression mean he hadn’t come?

“Well… if not, who did Elder Brother Lu Zhao give the osmanthus and jade cakes to?” She suddenly asked softly.

“What?” Lu Zhao didn’t hear clearly, but in an instant his heart raced.

“Osmanthus and jade cakes.” Shen Qingyao repeated, looking at him seriously, tears welling up in her eyes. “Elder Brother Lu Zhao, before you went to Xiling that year, didn’t you promise to bring me osmanthus and jade cakes from there? I haven’t tasted them yet.”

But Lu Zhao couldn’t care less about osmanthus and jade cakes now. He only heard buzzing in his ears, unable to say whether he felt more surprise or sadness. He just held Shen Qingyao’s shoulders tightly, hesitated, and asked, “Yaoyao, have you… remembered?”

Shen Qingyao suddenly smiled, tears falling from her eyes. She gently raised one hand, extending two fingers in front of him mischievously, “Mm… just a little bit. Probably… this much, hmm…”

Lu Zhao didn’t bother to count how much “this much” was. He pulled her hand down and once again bent down to seal her lips with another passionate kiss.

She remembered. Those past events were no longer remembered by him alone. Lu Zhao’s turbulent emotions had nowhere to vent, so he could only hold her, using one fiery kiss after another to confirm the reality of this moment.

---

“Elder Brother Lu Zhao!” Shen Qingyao cried out in pain, finally breaking free from that moonlit night.

She slowly opened her eyes, still gasping for breath under the despair from her dream. Her chest heaved as she tried to calm herself, staring at the canopy above the inn bed. Gradually returning to reality, Shen Qingyao felt dazed, as if unsure of the present moment.

She tried to speak but her throat burned like fire, too dry to form words. She moved her fingers lightly, only to be tightly grabbed by someone.

Shen Qingyao turned her head and saw Lu Zhao leaning beside her bed, his large hand clutching hers, deeply asleep yet gripping her hand instinctively.

He was still in the same clothes as their last meeting, dust and blood stains still vividly visible. He hadn’t changed them, and upon closer inspection, his face, once like jade, now showed signs of wind and frost, with faint dark circles under his eyes and a stubble on his otherwise clean chin.

Shen Qingyao’s nose tingled and her eyes suddenly welled up. She silently looked at Lu Zhao, as if engraving his face into her heart. Though they had only been apart for a few days, her fainting seemed like a fleeting moment, yet it felt like she hadn’t seen him in years. She scrutinized him inch by inch.

As she continued to watch, Lu Zhao’s eyes twitched, slowly opening. Startled awake, he seemed momentarily disoriented, then quickly regained his senses, tensing up immediately and vigilantly surveying the surroundings. He tightened his grip on Shen Qingyao’s hand, meeting her tear-filled eyes.

He was first surprised, pulling her gently and saying, “Yaoyao? You’re awake?”

Seeing her about to cry, his heart tightened again, thinking she might be feeling unwell again. He hurriedly asked, “Is your chest hurting again? Don’t worry, I’ll find the doctor for you!”

He started to get up to leave.

This incident had frightened not only Shen Qingyao but also Lu Zhao, who had lost his usual composure, afraid to think what might happen if she couldn’t hold on.

A gentle force from her palm made Lu Zhao pause. Shen Qingyao didn’t say a word but held onto him firmly. When Lu Zhao turned back, Shen Qingyao was lying on the bed, looking at him with pleading eyes, filled with sorrow. She shook her head slightly and sniffled softly, “I’m not in pain… Elder Brother Lu Zhao, can you stay with me…?”

Lu Zhao’s heart immediately softened. How could he refuse? He sat down, finally releasing the tension he had been holding for days.

Shen Qingyao looked at his lively face and remembered the blood-red scene in her dream. Her heart ached, and she slowly raised her hand. Lu Zhao sensed her intention, smiled, and lowered his head in response.

Her cool fingers touched his face, lightly brushing past his eyes, causing his eyelashes to quiver. Finally, her hand rested gently on his cheek.

“Yaoyao?” Lu Zhao instinctively felt that something was amiss with the little girl’s emotions right now. He called her name, but he didn’t move, allowing her to touch him. As if triggered by his voice, Shen Qingyao blinked, and tears that had been building up for a long time streamed down her cheeks.

Lu Zhao was almost immediately flustered. Before he could say anything, Shen Qingyao struggled to sit up from the bed and threw herself into Lu Zhao’s arms. Feeling the warmth of his chest and the strong heartbeat, it was nothing like the cold, stiff body from her dream. Shen Qingyao closed her eyes, her heart slowly settled down.

Her Elder Brother Lu Zhao was still here.

This realization dispelled the lingering panic in her heart. She rubbed against him in his embrace, wiping away a few tears that had fallen uncontrollably. Then Shen Qingyao lifted her head again, pouting as she said grievously, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao, why did you grow a beard… It doesn’t look good at all…”

Lu Zhao was taken aback, not expecting her to say that. Then the little girl intentionally making a disgusted expression and lightly pushing him, saying, “Go take a bath quickly, you don’t smell good anymore…”

Lu Zhao turned his head aside and chuckled softly again. Because his heart, which was like hanging only by a thread, felt like it was pulled back to its place. Being called not good looking and not smelling good by this little girl made him not know whether to laugh or cry. Still, he couldn’t help but reach out and pinched the little girl’s reddened nose, thinking to himself that she cried like a little kitten and didn’t look much better.

Having had enough laughter, he spoke again, “Alright, I’ll go now, tidy up and come back to accompany on the bed?”

Accompany what?

Even if Shen Qingyao suppressed many things in her heart, she couldn’t help but chuckle. Suddenly, she felt it was so nice to be able to joke around like this with Lu Zhao. She lowered her eyes and silently vowed not to let him turn evil.

Shen Qingyao was anxious to send him to wash up to rest as soon as possible. Since she had been kidnapped until now, several days had passed, and anyone could see how tired Lu Zhao was. Lu Zhao didn’t brush off her concern and nodded before leaving. However, even as he left, he remembered to call Kong Lin to come and check on her again.

When Lu Zhao returned, he was refreshed, back to his ethereal appearance like a clear breeze and bright moon. Kong Lin was sitting in front of the bed, checking Shen Qingyao’s pulse. Shen Yushu and Shen Qinglin hurried over upon hearing that Shen Qingyao had awakened. Standing nervously nearby were Cui Qiao and Hong Yun, even the King of Nanzhao’s guard, who had been borrowed to find Shen Qingyao, and Tu Lan.

It was quite a roomful of people. Lu Zhao raised an eyebrow and saw the little girl lying obediently on the bed, her eyes still somewhat red but her emotions stable. At this moment, she was smiling and chatting with Shen Qinglin. He clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction as the little girl’s attention was diverted by others.

“Alright, it’s nothing serious. A heart ailment needs rest. I have a prescription that needs some more adjustments to try again. This is a condition carried from birth and can’t be rushed. As for the others…” Kong Lin paused, and everyone in the room held their breath, involuntarily thinking of the Gu that An’yu had planted on Shen Qingyao.

“Master Kong, the pair of Gu are linked, but one has already died. Can you still draw out the one on Yaoyao’s body?” Shen Yushu stepped forward anxiously and asked.

Kong Lin snorted disdainfully. “Draw it out? Such a small thing, why would I need to draw it out?”

Shen Yushu was taken aback. What did he mean? Tu Lan, standing beside him, noticed his dumbfounded expression and chuckled softly.

Shen Yushu turned to look, seeing the pretty girl smiling gently, and instantly blushed.

Kong Lin didn’t lower his head to rummage through his medical kit but instead took out a set of tools and carefully selected a long silver needle. He said to Shen Qingyao, “Extend your hand.”

The silver needle gleamed coldly. Shen Qingyao trembled slightly and swallowed nervously. She looked up pitifully at Lu Zhao’s position. Understanding her, he quickly walked over and sat by her side, lifting her into his embrace.

Shen Qingyao buried her face, then bravely presented her right hand to Kong Lin. “Here, go ahead and poke.”

Kong Lin looked somewhat disgusted as he stared at the affectionate couple before him. Clicking his tongue, he bent his head and used the silver needle to prick open the swelling on Shen Qingyao’s wrist. The silver needle pierced into flesh, causing Shen Qingyao to flinch. She held Lu Zhao tighter with her other hand, feeling the silver needle stir around in her hand for a few moments. Then, as if it had hooked onto something, Kong Lin flipped his hand, and a thin brown-black thread dropped into the jade plate.

Shen Qingyao gasped in pain, and Lu Zhao gently patted her. Thinking of Princess An’yu, who was still imprisoned by them, his eyes grew colder.

“Alright, I’ll give you a few more doses of medicine. Brew it and take it after, and rest quietly for a few days, and you’ll be fine.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Cui Qiao and Hong Yun took the prescription and hurried away.

Kong Lin also didn’t want to stay longer. After nodding to Tu Lan, the two of them soon left.

Only Shen siblings and the Nanzhao guard remained in the room.

“Yaoyao, are you feeling better? Is there anywhere that still hurts? If there’s anything you want to eat, just tell Eldest Brother, I’ll get it for you!” Shen Yushu almost lost his sister, so he felt like blaming himself and guilty. He seized the opportunity and hurriedly asked.

Shen Qingyao lifted her head from Lu Zhao’s embrace, feeling warmed by her Eldest Brother’s words. She smiled faintly and said softly, “Thank you, Eldest Brother, I’m fine…”

Lu Zhao’s expression was already showing impatience. Shen Qingyao had just woken up and needed rest, but he couldn’t dismiss the few remaining people directly. He could only stare at Shen Yushu coldly while the latter remained oblivious and even wanted to say more.

“Enough, Eldest Brother! Let Yaoyao rest!” Shen Qinglin stopped Shen Yushu, glancing subtly behind her. “You have other matters to attend to.”

Shen Yushu was taken aback and followed her gaze. The Nanzhao guard stood motionless, like a puppet. His expression darkened. Indeed, there were still many matters to attend to. The Princess of Nanzhao had harmed an envoy from Great Liang, and the matter of Princess Yonghe’s enthronement was also still unsettled. He had to continue dealing with King of Nanzhao and must seek justice for his sister.

“Yes, then we won’t stay longer. Yaoyao, rest well.”

Shen Qingyao nodded. Soon, the others left as well. Shen Qingyao watched Shen Qinglin, who had fallen behind, feeling that her earlier glance was somewhat strange. Wasn’t that Lin Yingqiu? But the system clearly had no response.

Suddenly, her vision dimmed as a large hand blocked her view, covering the gaze she hadn’t withdrawn.

Shen Qingyao hummed softly, pushing the hand away, turning her head to ask, “What is it?”

She saw Lu Zhao smiling gently. After staring at her attentively for a moment, he said softly, “Didn’t you say you wanted me to accompany you?”

Shen Qingyao’s face suddenly turned red. Stuttering, she said, “Who… who said that! It was clearly you who said it!”

She was still a patient, after all!!!

Seeing this, Lu Zhao chuckled and gathered her back into his arms gently, saying tenderly, “Hmm, it was me.”

Familiar cold fragrance enveloped her, and Shen Qingyao leaned against it contentedly. After all the commotion, even though she had just awakened from a deep sleep, she couldn’t resist the weariness that came over her once again. She yawned lightly, but still worried about Lu Zhao. She knew that if she slept alone, Lu Zhao probably wouldn’t rest and would go busy himself with other things again. So she held back from saying it.

But Lu Zhao noticed first. He lowered his head and asked, “Want to sleep a bit more?”

Instead of answering directly, Shen Qingyao tugged at his sleeve and asked softly, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao, are you tired?”

Lu Zhao was momentarily stunned, meeting the clear gaze of the little girl. Feeling warmth in his heart, though he could work tirelessly for days without feeling tired, he said, “Hmm, a bit.”

Shen Qingyao immediately smiled with narrowed eyes. She moved aside on the bed and pulled back the covers, patting the empty spot, “Then, Elder Brother Lu Zhao, come up quickly! I’ll keep you company while you rest!”

Though she also wanted him to keep her company, Shen Qingyao said this nonchalantly, without blushing or feeling uneasy. Lu Zhao chuckled softly.

When Cui Qiao entered again with the medicine, the room was dimly lit. The two on the bed were snuggled together, fast asleep. She paused, sighed deeply, and smiled as she quietly withdrew, thinking her Miss could take the medicine later; it would be better to let this young couple enjoy a moment of tenderness now.

Once the person left, Lu Zhao opened his eyes. The movement disturbed the person in his arms, who shifted uneasily and murmured as if in a dream, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao…”

“Yeah, I’m here.” Lu Zhao’s voice was somewhat hoarse from just waking up. He gently patted Shen Qingyao’s back and leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. Then he closed his eyes again, saying softly, “Sleep.”

---

“Yaoyao? Yaoyao!” When the car stopped, Shen Qingyao heard Lu Zhao softly calling her, but her eyelids felt unbearably heavy. She could sense the sounds around her, yet she couldn’t open her eyes.

Lu Zhao’s expression tightened. Initially, he thought she had simply fallen asleep, but after calling her a few times and noticing something was wrong, he saw her unusually flushed face. Lu Zhao placed his hand on her forehead and, sure enough, it was burning hot.

Not daring to delay any further, Lu Zhao immediately bent down and picked her up. As he got out of the carriage, he encountered the anxious Shen siblings and Cui Qiao, who had cried several times over losing her Miss.

When they saw Lu Zhao carrying Shen Qingyao, they all sighed in relief. Shen Yushu clenched his fist to suppress his overwhelming emotions and said quietly, “It’s good that she’s found, it’s good…”

“Miss…” Cui Qiao’s eyes reddened again, filled with guilt.

But Lu Zhao had no time to explain. Frowning and hurrying, he only said, “Find a doctor!”

His words made them realize Shen Qingyao’s serious condition, and their hearts tightened. Without hesitation, Cui Qiao wiped her eyes and ran off. Shen Yushu, now unable to contain his concern, asked anxiously, “What’s wrong with Yaoyao?”

Lu Zhao didn’t respond, causing Shen Yushu’s heart to sink, and Shen Qinglin’s anxiety to grow. As her gaze shifted from Shen Qingyao, she unexpectedly spotted someone familiar in the crowd.

Kong Lin had a restless night, and had just been helped out of the car by Tu Lan. He noticed the serious expressions and, upon listening carefully, realized the little girl was ill again. Kong Lin coughed, but no one paid him any attention. Annoyed at being ignored, he was about to shout when Shen Qinglin, in disbelief, rushed over and grabbed him excitedly. “Master Kong? What are you doing here?”

Lu Zhao paused, looking over intently, “Are you Kong Lin?”

“Hmph,” Kong Lin snorted arrogantly, but Tu Lan nudged him, pointing to the unconscious Shen Qingyao and mouthing, “Help her first.”

Kong Lin hesitated, then grudgingly moved forward with his cane.

“Hmm… It’s indeed her heart condition, but she also has Gu in her body, making it more dangerous.” Kong Lin took Shen Qingyao’s pulse as Lu Zhao held her, and after a moment, spoke nonchalantly.

At the mention of danger, Lu Zhao and Shen Yushu’s expressions changed, but Kong Lin remained calm. Seeing Lu Zhao still standing, he clicked his tongue and said, “What are you standing there for? Lay her down quickly! With me here, why call for another doctor?”

He pouted, still resentful of being ignored earlier.

Tu Lan stifled a laugh as Lu Zhao carried Shen Qingyao inside. Though still worried, everyone felt somewhat reassured by the old man’s confident tone.

---

[Host? Host, wake up…]

“Yaoyao?”

“How is she? Why isn’t she waking up?”

“I’ve removed the Gu from her body, and there’s medicine to temporarily suppress her heart condition. Now, it’s up to the girl when she wakes up…”

*Sigh…*

Shen Qingyao could clearly hear the people around her, but she couldn’t wake up. The fragmented words floated into her ears, circling lazily before sinking into the darkness. Her consciousness grew fainter until, accompanied by a sigh whose source she couldn’t identify, she completely drifted away.

When her consciousness cleared again, she raised her eyes and saw a serene full moon overhead. The surroundings were silent, occasionally disturbed by the whistling wind, which startled a flurry of birds into flight. She found herself in a deep forest where every rustle and murmur added to the eerie atmosphere. Shen Qingyao shivered involuntarily as a gust of wind sent shivers down her spine, and she rubbed her arms, realizing her body felt unnaturally light.

Suddenly, she heard a sound behind her as something hit the ground. Startled, she turned around and spotted a figure seated against a huge rock on a nearby cliff. His eyes betrayed a hint of intoxication, and beside him lay a delicate wine jug, its contents spilling out and filling the air with a rich aroma of wine.

Shen Qingyao realized that the sound she heard earlier was the jug hitting the ground.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to approach. The person before her still wore moon-white garments, which shimmered softly under the moonlight. His fair face, deep eyes, high nose, and well-formed lips resembled a celestial being fallen to earth, yet alluring like a captivating spirit.

Despite his intoxication, there was a coldness and impatience in his expression that she had never seen in the Lu Zhao she remembered. He seemed like someone who had emerged from the depths of the underworld, capable of taking lives effortlessly despite his ethereal appearance. The scattered bodies around him were testament to that.

Lu Zhao leaned wearily against the rock, absentmindedly toying with something in his hand. His reddened eyes and disheveled appearance made him resemble a drowning man grasping desperately for redemption.

“Elder Brother Lu Zhao…,” Shen Qingyao couldn’t help but call out softly. How had her Elder Brother Lu Zhao become like this?

As if sensing her presence, Lu Zhao suddenly looked up, his eyes red with emotions he couldn’t suppress. In an instant, the tenderness turned into boundless hostility, causing Shen Qingyao to step back in fear. Yet, she realized he wasn’t looking at her; his lips curled into a bitter smile as his gaze focused past her.

“Lu Zhao! Stop helping the tyrant!” A melodious voice rang out from behind—it was her Eldest Sister.

Her Eldest Sister was supposed to be in the Northern Frontier. How could her Eldest Sister be here now?

Shen Qingyao slowly turned around and saw Shen Qingli, accompanied by Xiao Mu at her side. Behind them stood tens of soldiers, all poised and staring at Lu Zhao with suspicion, not as the admired number one Young Master of the Great Liang, but as a dangerous outlaw.

Why was this happening? Why was her Eldest Sister here to capture Lu Zhao? Shen Qingyao shook her head, feeling something was terribly wrong.

“Heh, it’s an honor to have Prince Ning and Consort Ning come to capture me personally,” Lu Zhao sneered contemptuously. He straightened up slightly, revealing what he held in his hand—a jade fox. Shen Qingyao gasped. That pair of foxes was supposed to be in the Lu family mansion in Lingnan; they hadn’t brought them on their journey to Nanzhao.

Recalling Lu Zhao addressing her Eldest Sister and Xiao Mu as Prince Ning and Consort Ning—they were titles granted three years after her sister’s marriage—Shen Qingyao pinched herself and felt nothing, confirming her suspicion.

Realizing the inevitable, Lu Zhao ceased struggling. He swayed as he attempted to stand up, nearly losing his balance due to his drunken state. Instinctively, Shen Qingyao rushed forward to support him, only to find her hand passing through his body. It dawned on her then that no one else in the scene seemed to see her at all.

She stared blankly at her own hands. Indeed, she was dreaming again. However, this time, the dream was not about her past, but rather the ending from the original book.

Isn’t the current scene now…

—“Lu Zhao, surrounded by Xiao Mu and Shen Qingli, with no way to escape, took his own life on the cliffs under the moonlight.”

Thinking of the description of this segment from the original book, Shen Qingyao’s heart ached dullly. This was actually what happened after Lu Zhao turned evil in the original book.

On the other side, Shen Qingli trembled all over, gritting her teeth as she looked at Lu Zhao’s ghastly appearance. Tears welled up in her beautiful eyes, and then she was gently embraced by Xiao Mu. Shen Qingli asked slowly, “Why? You helped Xiao Jing, causing suffering to countless people, making their lives miserable. Is this what you wanted to see?”

Facing the interrogation, Lu Zhao only smirked. His eyes, however, revealed a trace of sinister intent. He lazily looked over and drawled, “Consort Ning cares for the world, unable to bear the suffering of mortals. Yet, she allowed her own sister to die in agony without any medicine. Truly noble.”

Shen Qingli choked up, unable to speak for a while. After a long silence, she finally trembled and said, “When Yaoyao left, my grief was no less than yours! She was my sister! Watching her suffer so severely, do you think I didn’t feel heartache? But now, the way you are, is this what Yaoyao wanted to see?”

Shen Qingyao was stunned by Shen Qingli’s words for a moment.

Shen Qingli’s words seemed to hit some sore spot in Lu Zhao. His murderous intent could no longer be concealed. His crimson eyes looked over, “Sister? If she’s your sister, why did I send elixirs and find doctors, but you didn’t send them in time? You watched her miss the chance for treatment and die in pain. Is that what you call caring?”

“Lu Changfeng!” Xiao Mu’s face turned cold as he rebuked.

Shen Qingli collapsed weakly into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “It’s been three years since Yaoyao left. Why won’t you believe me? Even if those things and Kong Lin arrived, they couldn’t have saved her! You’ve been deceived by Xiao Jing, why won’t you believe me?”

Lu Zhao sneered, evidently still unconvinced. He was deeply convinced that Shen Qingli was the culprit who let Shen Qingyao die in illness.

Watching all this as a bystander, Shen Qingyao was shaken to the core. She never expected Lu Zhao from the original book to turn evil because of Yaoyao’s death?

“Before Yaoyao died, she held onto that jade pendant…” Shen Qingli lowered her head, pain causing her to close her eyes.

When Shen Qingyao was critically ill, Lu Zhao was handling affairs in the northern border, and only Shen Qingli rushed back. When Lu Zhao heard her recount the situation then, his fierce expression softened slightly, showing a hint of nervousness and helplessness. Shen Qingli continued slowly, “She regained her memories from many years ago at that time. She asked me to bring back that jade fox pendant to you. Lu Zhao, look at this world again. Is this the prosperous world you wanted to show to Yaoyao?”

Lu Zhao’s face turned extremely ugly. He staggered back a few steps and closed his eyes in despair. No, that prosperous world had long been destroyed by him.

Lu Zhao raised his hand to cover his eyes. Suddenly, after a while, he laughed bitterly, increasingly frenzied. Then, with his thumb gently caressing the little fox in his palm, when everyone was unguarded, Lu Zhao suddenly drew the soft sword from his waist and placed it against his neck, then swiftly swung it without hesitation.

Warm blood flowed through Shen Qingyao’s body. She widened her eyes and screamed in despair, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao!”

Even though she knew he couldn’t see her, she still lunged towards him, kneeling beside him, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao… Elder Brother Lu Zhao…”

Lu Zhao fell heavily to the ground. The jade pendant slipped from his hand, shattered into several pieces.

Shen Qingyao leaned her forehead against his chest, crying uncontrollably even though she knew it was a dream. Besides repeatedly calling his name, she couldn’t say anything else.

Lu Zhao’s neck was bleeding profusely on the ground. He still smiled, his trembling hand lifted up, fingertips just touching her eyelashes. Shen Qingyao’s eyes trembled. She heard him whisper softly, full of endless yearning and regret, calling out, “Yaoyao…”

Then, that hand fell heavily, never to rise again…

“I’m here… Elder Brother Lu Zhao…” Shen Qingyao buried herself in his embrace, so overwhelmed with grief that she felt faint. Her hands passed through his body, but she still stubbornly tried to hold onto him. “I’m here…”

---

The incident happened suddenly, and the situation was urgent. Shen Qingyao barely had time to react before being pulled along by Tu Lan, following a few others waiting outside the door as they retreated to the back of the village.

However, Shen Qingyao’s emotional upheaval had triggered her heart condition, leaving her weak at this critical moment. Kong Lin, being old, was also struggling. One was elderly, and the other was ill, both entirely dependent on Tu Lan’s strength to pull them along. Despite Tu Lan’s usual fierce and efficient demeanor, she was still just a slender girl. Dragging one on each side, sweat began to bead on her forehead, and she was gradually becoming exhausted.

“Hurry up! Faster!” The man leading the way ahead shouted urgently as he turned back. Hearing this, Tu Lan cursed under her breath and gritted her teeth, tightening her grip.

Shen Qingyao stumbled, unable to stand straight, but she could only force herself to keep running. In her panic, she glanced back at the village. Although she had never seen it in its usual state, she could still vaguely tell that it was a beautiful place. But now, it was almost entirely engulfed in flames, with faint screams of agony echoing through the firelight.

It was Shen Qingyao’s first time witnessing such a scene, and she was stunned, her pace naturally slowing. Tu Lan, anxious to keep moving, pulled her sharply, nearly causing her to fall.

“Hey! Be careful!” Fortunately, Tu Lan had some skills and quickly steadied her. Following Shen Qingyao’s gaze, Tu Lan saw the flames as well. Her eyes immediately reddened, and she cursed in the Nanzhao language, which Shen Qingyao didn’t understand, her face full of sorrow.

“What exactly… happened?” Shen Qingyao asked.

Tu Lan turned away, not looking back anymore, and continued to pull her and Kong Lin forward. They needed to reach the shelter in the back mountain before being discovered to be safe.

As they walked, Tu Lan explained in a hoarse voice, “Those who attacked are bandits from another village. We used to occupy different hills and, although unfriendly, we coexisted. But a few years ago, their hill was wiped out by the authorities, and they set their sights on our territory. By then, we had already reformed and stopped robbing under Grandpa Kong’s guidance, so we naturally refused to join them. They have been causing trouble for us ever since…”

As she spoke, hatred seeped into Tu Lan’s words. “My brother was killed by them!” she said through gritted teeth. “Now they’ve probably lost patience entirely and want to wipe us out to become kings of the mountain. It’s just your bad luck to run into this when you just came.”

Shen Qingyao opened her mouth, wanting to say something comforting, but given the situation, nothing she could say would help. She was also running desperately, her throat burning, unable to make a sound. She could only look at Tu Lan in shock with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry, since we’ve brought you along, we won’t let anything happen to you!” Tu Lan said with a smile, successfully masking her hatred and sorrow. Shen Qingyao felt a mix of emotions. She lowered her head and ran faster, determined not to be a burden to Tu Lan.

“Hey! Girl! Slow down! Your body can’t take this kind of running! Do you want to die?” But after just a few steps, before Shen Qingyao could complain about being tired, Kong Lin started shouting, banging his cane on the ground, trying to get Shen Qingyao to stop. She panted heavily, her chest indeed hurting more and more, but she knew they had to keep running.

Sure enough, the leading man, seeing them slow down, urged anxiously again, “We can’t slow down! We have to move faster! If we don’t hurry, we’ll be caught!”

No sooner had he spoken than several tall, burly figures emerged from the side, wielding knives and attacking him without hesitation. Shen Qingyao’s pupils contracted, and she couldn’t help but cry out, “Watch out!”

The man sidestepped to avoid the blow, but more knives were coming his way. He cursed loudly, raised his own blade, and charged forward. The three people behind him, led by Tulan, didn’t dare delay any longer and prepared to flee to a safer distance. However, once the pursuers arrived, it wouldn’t just be these few. As the blades neared, Shen Qingyao even felt the wind from the blade’s edge brush against her face. The dual screams of the system and Tu Lan echoed in her ears, but she couldn’t avoid this strike.

Was she really going to die here? Shen Qingyao couldn’t help but think, dying not from her heart condition but at the hands of bandits? It wasn’t so much fear she felt, but regret—regret that she couldn’t see Lu Zhao one more time.

“Watch out!” Tu Lan shoved Kong Lin aside and lunged towards Shen Qingyao. The man with the blade wore a ferocious expression, not caring who he was cutting. Seeing Tu Lanrush forward, he let out a wild laugh, exerting even more force, as if intending to cut down both girls with one strike.

“Tu Lan!” At the moment the blade fell, a man who had been grappling with others crashed into them, his face contorted with rage. The blade sunk deeply into his back, then was yanked out violently, spraying Tu Lan with hot blood and splattering Shen Qingyao’s face.

Shen Qingyao shuddered, staring blankly as Tu Lan cried and caught the man’s falling body.

Panic and helplessness nearly overwhelmed Shen Qingyao. It wasn’t her first time facing such danger, but it was the first time someone had fallen before her eyes to protect her. She didn’t even know his name…

The chase continued; the enemy didn’t stop for the girls’ sadness and fear. Seeing the greatest obstacle dead, the bandits exchanged glances, realizing the only ones left were two frail girls and a dying old man—hardly a threat. They sheathed their knives and surrounded them with cruel smiles. Forced back a step, Shen Qingyao glared at them through her tears.

“Well, well, didn’t expect such a delicate little girl here. Second Brother, the one on the ground is yours! This one is mine!” The leader reached out to grab her, but before his hand could touch her, a flying longsword sliced off half his arm.

Blood splattered the bandit’s face, and he screamed in agony. The others turned with their blades ready but were swiftly subdued by people who surged in from all sides.

A cold voice emerged from the crowd: “Who did you say you wanted?”

Shen Qingyao looked up sharply. From behind a group of guards dressed in Great Liang military robes, a tall figure slowly emerged. His white clothes were slightly disheveled but couldn’t conceal his extraordinary grace. Yet his face was terrifyingly cold as he held a sword sheath in his slender fingers—it was clear that the longsword that had severed the bandit’s arm was thrown by him.

Seeing him, Shen Qingyao’s long-suppressed tears finally fell.

All her fear and anxiety, all her longing and dependence surged forth. Her voice trembled as she cried, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao…”

In the next second, she was enveloped in a familiar embrace. Lu Zhao held her tightly, his hands still trembling slightly, unable to suppress his lingering fear. He couldn’t imagine what would have happened to the little girl if he had arrived a moment later.

“ELder Brother Lu Zhao… why did you come so late?” As soon as she was held, Shen Qingyao’s tears flowed uncontrollably, as if she wanted to cry out all her night’s fears for him to hear. “I was so scared! Why were you so slow?”

Lu Zhao felt a pang in his heart at her crying. He lowered his head to gently touch the top of Shen Qingyao’s head and said hoarsely, “It’s my fault… I’m here now. Yaoyao, don’t be afraid.”

Lu Zhao didn’t tell her that he was also terrified—terrified to death.

Shen Qingyao grasped Lu Zhao’s shirt with her small hands, crying even harder. The more he tried to comfort her, the more aggrieved she felt.

Lu Zhao raised his hand and wiped the blood from her face with his warm fingertips. The little girl, who had never experienced any hardship, was now in a state of utter disarray. Lu Zhao’s heart ached for her. Glancing around, he saw that the thieves who had chased Shen Qingyao and had other nefarious intentions were already subdued by the secret guards and were being pressed to the ground. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he suddenly hugged Shen Qingyao tighter and covered her ears, pressing her against his chest.

With a single glance, the secret guards understood his intentions. The cold light of their long swords flashed, and in a few swift moves, accompanied by several screams, when Shen Qingyao looked up again, only a bloody scene remained.

Kong Lin and Tu Lan were helped up by others. Once he recovered, Kong Lin rushed to the side of the burly man with his medicine box. After some emergency treatment, he sighed with relief and said to the anxious Tu Lan, “Don’t worry, he’s not dead.”

Tu Lan also sighed with relief, slumping weakly to the ground.

Lu Zhao continued to comfort Shen Qingyao, who was still crying. The little girl, exhausted from crying, kept sobbing intermittently, refusing to stop. Lu Zhao didn’t dare to urge her to stop, only gently patting her back, kissing her forehead, and softly repeating, “I’m here. I’m here, Yaoyao, don’t be afraid.”

Shen Qingyao clung to his shirt, unwilling to let go, until the chaos in the stronghold was cleared up by Lu Zhao’s men. Someone approached Lu Zhao and reported, “Master, everything has been cleaned up. The fire was too big, half of them were burned, but we captured a few alive. Should we keep them?”

Hearing this, Tulan became nervous. Among those still alive, there might be some of their people.

“Elder Brother Lu Zhao…” Shen Qingyao tugged at his clothes.

Lu Zhao immediately lowered his head to listen to her. The girl, having just cried heavily, spoke with a strong nasal tone, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao, the original people here… were good people…”

These people had originally kidnapped Shen Qingyao, and Lu Zhao would not have spared them, but during the turmoil, they had indeed protected her. Moreover, with her pleading, Lu Zhao, already softened by looking at her face, nodded and said gently, “I understand.”

Then he turned his head, his face turning cold in an instant, “Investigate. Keep the original people of this stronghold, as for the others…”

A murderous intent flashed in his eyes. Before he finished his sentence, the secret guards understood and nodded before leaving.

“Yaoyao, I’ll take you back.”

“Okay.” Shen Qingyao, leaning in Lu Zhao’s arms, obediently nodded.

Lu Zhao picked her up and after taking a few steps, turned back to the guards and said, “Bring those few as well.”

He was referring to Tu Lan and Kong Lin. Since they were there to treat Shen Qingyao, they didn’t object and followed along.

Shen Qingyao, having experienced an emotional rollercoaster and expended most of her energy during the escape, was extremely exhausted. With Lu Zhao by her side, she let down her guard, leaned against him, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.

In her sleep, she felt very uncomfortable. The night’s fright had been too much, and before they even returned to the inn, Shen Qingyao developed a fever in the carriage on the way back…

---

Shen Qingyao was deeply shocked. She suddenly bent over and clutched her chest, which was throbbing with pain.

Kong Lin furrowed his brows in confusion and took a nervous step forward. However, seeing her pale complexion, he concluded that her reaction was more likely due to the shock causing her blood to surge, rather than any serious ailment. He remembered the bowl of medicinal soup he had instructed Tu Lan to bring earlier, which was precisely for this situation.

So he calmly sat back down, stroking his beard without urging her, waiting for Shen Qingyao to slowly process the seemingly fantastical news.

After a while, Shen Qingyao finally found her voice. She opened her mouth, her words hoarse as she stammered, “How can you… send someone to another world?”

She still couldn’t quite believe it. Could a person really possess such immense power?

Kong Lin seemed momentarily surprised by her question, then burst into hearty laughter, “Little girl, there are many mysterious things in this world. Just because you don’t know of them, does it mean they are impossible? Besides, if it weren’t for such mystical happenings, how would you be here right now?”

His response was roundabout, seemingly answering the question, yet leaving much to interpretation.

Shen Qingyao’s eyes lit up. She understood. Whether it was transmigrating over or the system in her mind, neither was something ordinary.

Now, with Kong Lin’s blunt revelation, Shen Qingyao felt both shocked and at a loss. Could she and the girl in her dreams really be the same person? Thinking about the awkwardness of the past few days, Shen Qingyao found it somewhat amusing. But beneath the amusement lay a deep sadness.

She suddenly remembered her days in the hospital before she had crossed over. There was a particularly gentle nurse who, seeing her always daydreaming alone in her hospital bed, would often come to chat with her. One day, that nurse came again. After the routine check-up, noticing that no one had come to visit her that day, she couldn’t help but softly ask, “Yaoyao, why don’t your family members come to see you?”

At that moment, Shen Qingyao was taken aback. The word ‘Lu’ almost slipped out of her mouth, but she stopped herself. Lu? Lu who? She didn’t know anyone named Lu. So, she just blinked at the nurse and then shook her head with a smile, not saying anything.

Later, whenever she inadvertently glanced out the window, she would see two children playing under a tree in the yard. When the younger girl fell, the boy following her would help her up and comfort her tenderly. She inexplicably found it familiar and enviable.

Now, Shen Qingyao suddenly understood. Back then, she had wanted to call out for Lu Zhao.

She wanted to tell that nurse, My Elder Brother Lu Zhao will definitely come to see me.

She also wanted to tell herself, You also have a boy who will tenderly comfort you like that…

But she had forgotten then. She had forgotten she was waiting for someone to return and that someone was also waiting for her.

Shen Qingyao pressed her hand tightly against her chest, tears uncontrollably streaming down her face as she cried almost to the point of breathlessness.

In hindsight, even her memories in the modern world didn’t include anything from before she was ten years old. Everything she knew started from when she was ten. In those memories, she was always alone in the hospital awaiting treatment. As for her family, she wasn’t close to them, but there was always a voice in her heart telling her that her parents and older siblings loved her very much. So, Shen Qingyao always looked forward to seeing them. But they were always busy and rarely visited her. When they did, they were always cold.

Shen Qingyao thought that the voice in her heart was just her secret hope. Later, she realized that in modern times, she only had younger siblings, not older ones. But recalling how her parents in the Shen family seemed to want to give her their hearts and how her Eldest Brother and Sisters always protected her here… it turned out those weren’t just her fantasies.

“It was all true…” Shen Qingyao wanted to laugh, but her crying grew louder. Thinking of the scene she saw in her dream, where Lu Zhao stood alone under the moonlight after she left for another world, Shen Qingyao gasped for air, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Little girl? Don’t… don’t cry.” Seeing her crying uncontrollably, Kong Lin began to worry. She was crying too much. Though it wasn’t a big deal, her frail health might be affected by such intense crying. He couldn’t help but stand up and try to console her.

Shen Qingyao was sobbing so hard that she couldn’t catch her breath. She wanted to calm herself, but she just couldn’t control it.

After a long while, Kong Lin let out a long sigh, sat back down, and somewhat resignedly waved the cane beside him. Forget it, how many times in life can one experience such highs and lows? Let her cry if she wants to!

---

While Shen Qingyao was feeling sad, Princess An Yu was also in agony.

When the matter of the Gu worm came up, Princess An’ya knew that this wouldn’t end well. Her face immediately darkened, and she sternly said, “An’yu! Why are you still using those messy things! Hasn’t Brother already forbidden you from touching them?”

Princess An’yu, with her mouth gagged, couldn’t speak, but she sneered in her heart. These people, all the same, enjoy the benefits of the Gu but avoid the Gu itself like the plague, how hypocritical.

Just then, a sinister voice came from outside the door, “An’yu, what have you touched this time?”

Hearing this voice, both An’ya and An’yu trembled. An’ya slowly turned around and saw that the King of Nanzhao, somehow alerted by the commotion at the inn, was already standing at the door. It was evident from his demeanor that he had heard what she just said and even knew more than she did.

“Brother…” An’ya called out in a trembling voice. The King of Nanzhao ignored her, walked into the room, and sat at the head. Behind him, Princess Yonghe followed closely, her playful gaze sweeping across everyone in the room, her eyes gleaming.

“An’yu, I’m asking you a question.” The King of Nanzhao’s hawk-like deep eyes fixed on An’yu, waiting for her answer, as if he couldn’t see that her mouth was gagged, and no one intended to untie it for her.

Lu Zhao frowned and interrupted impatiently, “King of Nanzhao, if there’s anything within your royal family, you can settle it back at the royal court. For now, I ask both princesses to tell me the whereabouts of my wife.”

“I don’t…” An’ya, her face pale, shook her head in denial. She truly didn’t know where Shen Qingyao was.

“What? Miss Shen is missing?” Princess Yonghe, behind the King of Nanzhao, covered her mouth and gasped, as if the atmosphere wasn’t tense enough. She then received a cold glance from the King of Nanzhao and reluctantly shut her mouth, though her eyes gleamed with even more amusement.

At this moment, An’yu finally used her tongue to push the cloth gag out of her mouth, spat, and cursed, “She’s missing, what’s that got to do with me! Just because she’s missing, doesn’t mean I kidnapped her! I did plant a Gu in her, but that Gu is already dead!”

Lu Zhao’s face turned terrifyingly dark. The longer Shen Qingyao remained missing, the more anxious and impatient he became.

“Princess says… the Gu is dead?” Suddenly, Shen Qinglin, who had been silent in the corner, spoke up, her gaze as sharp as a knife directed at An Yu. She asked, “Gu worms usually come in pairs. I wonder if the one on the Princess is still alive?”

Despite lying on the ground, Princess An’yu maintained an arrogant demeanor. She snorted, unwilling to answer, but under the oppressive presence of everyone in the room, she finally caved. She glanced towards her waist with her eyes. Shen Qinglin immediately stepped forward to search and indeed found a small golden box on her.

Her face lit up with joy, and she looked up, exclaiming, “I might have a way to find Yaoyao!”

Immediately, Lu Zhao and Shen Yushu focused their attention on her. Shen Qinglin’s eyes sparkled as she suddenly turned to the King of Nanzhao and said, “But I need to borrow one of your guards.”

The King of Nanzhao was taken aback, and the guard beside him stiffened completely.

“Ah Lin, are you sure?” Shen Yushu leaned in, a bit worried but aware that they had no choice but to try anything at this point. Shen Qinglin nodded solemnly and looked at the guard. He was someone Shen Qingyao had mentioned, a person who the system reacted to. If he truly was Lin Yingqiu, they could use his system to find Shen Qingyao. However, she couldn’t explain this method out loud and could only use the dead parasite as a pretext.

The King of Nanzhao glanced at the guard briefly, then smiled and said, “This young lady looks familiar.”

Today, Shen Qinglin was not in disguise and looked quite different from her appearance in the Nanzhao royal court, but she was the same person after all. It was natural for the King of Nanzhao to notice something.

Shen Yushu was a bit nervous. If it were discovered that Shen Qinglin had infiltrated the royal court, it could be seen as planting a spy. Afraid his sister would be in trouble, he quickly said, “This is my Second Sister, my sisters look similar, so Your Majesty must find her familiar.”

In fact, Shen Qinglin did not resemble the other children in the Shen family, but the King of Nanzhao nodded at this explanation without further inquiry. Instead, he turned his head and said, “Since you were specifically requested, go ahead. Helping Young Master Lu find his wife would be a great merit.”

The guard lowered his eyes to hide his emotions and quietly complied.

As the two hurried out, the King of Nanzhao’s cold gaze fell on An’yu again, making it clear he wished he could kill her on the spot. An’yu shuddered, old fears resurfacing from her memories, and she shrank into a corner.

Lu Zhao watched coldly, looking even more imposing than the King of Nanzhao. The room fell silent as everyone waited quietly for news from Shen Qinglin, praying to quickly find any trace of Shen Qingyao.

---

“Feeling better now?” Kong Lin’s wise and deep eyes mockingly stared at Shen Qingyao, watching the girl who had been crying her heart out now slowly blushing. Although Shen Qingyao’s breathing was still uneven, she was sniffing quietly, showing that while she accepted the situation, her heart was not at peace.

She suddenly wanted to see Lu Zhao.

She hadn’t properly spoken to Lu Zhao in days. In just this short while, she already missed him.

Shen Qingyao kept her head down without speaking, but Tu Lan entered again. Seeing the situation, she immediately knew that Grandpa Kong had been teasing the girl again. She sighed helplessly. The famed miracle doctor Kong Lin, known for his divine skills and wise, sage-like demeanor, was actually a child at heart.

Unable to help herself, she stepped forward and said, “Grandpa Kong, stop teasing the young lady and get to the serious work. Otherwise, if someone comes looking, how will you explain yourself?”

Unexpectedly, Kong Lin glared and blew his beard in anger, “Explain? Explain what? Do I need to explain when treating someone? I don’t even like treating most people!”

Shen Qingyao, feeling light-hearted after releasing her worries, couldn’t help but laugh through her tears at their bickering.

“Alright! Let’s first remove that little Gu in you. It’s not very poisonous, but combined with your heart condition, it has become dangerous.” Kong Lin finally got serious and extended his hand.

Shen Qingyao was stunned. “What parasite?”

“Didn’t you know? You’ve been planted a Gu and didn’t even realize it?” Kong Lin glared at her, turning her wrist over. Shen Qingyao looked down and indeed saw that her wrist was swollen and red again, worse than a few days ago.

A Gu? Shen Qingyao was shocked and was about to ask more when there was a sudden commotion outside. The three in the room turned to look out the window, where the previously peaceful village was now ablaze with light. Outside, there seemed to be many people, and the situation turned chaotic, with the sounds of weapons clashing faintly heard.

“What’s going on?” Tu Lan frowned, opening the door. Before she could look closely, a burly man she had seen earlier stumbled in, covered in blood, and said anxiously, “We need to leave! We’re under attack!”

Attack? Shen Qingyao was confused. Wasn’t this village supposed to have turned over a new leaf?

She exchanged a glance with Tu Lan, both seeing the shock in each other’s eyes. Shen Qingyao’s heart sank, feeling that things were not as simple as they seemed.

---

When Shen Qingyao woke up from unconsciousness once again, she found herself in a different place, just as she had expected. Rubbing her still somewhat heavy head, she frowned and muttered complaints while scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.

She didn’t appear particularly flustered, more like she had arrived at a familiar place, remaining remarkably calm.

[Host!!!!!!]

Shen Qingyao shook her head with a click of her tongue, thinking how every time she woke up, she had to endure this mental pollution, finding it quite annoying.

“Stop howling! I’m not dead yet!”

She turned over and sat up. Being kidnapped by that old man was actually a relief for her. She didn’t know how to interact with Lu Zhao anyway, so having some buffer time was good.

[Buffer time???] The system, which could hear her thoughts, shrieked: ]You call this a buffer??? Host, get a grip!!! Lu Zhao was about to turn evil just because you were sick! Now that you’ve been kidnapped while sick, won’t he turn the world upside down?!]

The system’s ultimate goal was to maintain the stability of various book worlds, so it couldn’t let these characters run wild!

The system was on the verge of tears, thinking how every host who transmigrated into the Shen family was more troublesome than the last.

Shen Qingyao smiled lightly, with a confidence coming from who knows where, convinced that the old man wasn’t a bad person. Mimicking the system’s tone, she said, “Kidnapping? You call this kidnapping? You…”

Before she could finish, as if in response to her words, the door was rudely pushed open. Several burly men with fierce expressions flooded in, practically writing ‘we’re kidnappers’ on their faces with their menacing smiles.

“Uh…” Shen Qingyao was momentarily stunned, then slowly said to the system, “What you said might make some sense…”

The burly men, seeing the completely unpanicked and even very composed Shen Qingyao, were slightly taken aback. After quickly exchanging glances, they gave her a malicious look. The leader, holding a whip in one hand, slapped it against the palm of his other hand, the snapping sound making Shen Qingyao’s heart tremble. She shrank back a bit, but the man seemed very satisfied with her reaction, his malicious smile widening as he approached step by step.

“Who…who are you? What do you want…” Shen Qingyao tried her best to maintain outward composure, asking coldly.

“What are you talking about, little Lady? We are mountain bandits, and you are our hostage, so naturally we…hehehe…” The burly man advanced, and this time Shen Qingyao was genuinely a bit panicked. Seeing the impenetrable wall of men in front of her, she knew escape was impossible. She screamed and grabbed the hairpin from her head…

---

“You dare to tie me up!! Do you know I am the Princess of Nanzhao! If you treat me like this, my brother the King won’t let you off!”

In Great Liang’s inn, Princess An’yu was thrown to the ground, tied up tightly. She yelled in anger, spitting out dust from her mouth. From childhood, Princess An’yu had never suffered such grievances, so she couldn’t help but threaten with her Brother’s power.

But no one in the room paid her any attention. Lu Zhao’s face was so gloomy that it was almost dripping water. He sat silently at the table, waiting for the guards who had gone out to report back. His mind was racing through every person Shen Qingyao had met and every action she had taken since arriving in Nanzhao.

If what Princess An Yu said was true and she hadn’t kidnapped Shen Qingyao, then who else could have done it? If she had… Lu Zhao’s eyes darkened, and he shot a cold glare at the still-yelling Princess An’yu, making her shiver and quiet down a bit.

“Princess, I advise you not to resist. Just tell us honestly, where did you take Yaoyao?” Shen Yushu squatted down in front of Princess An’yu. Remembering that he was an envoy and should not damage relations between the two countries, he suppressed his anger and spoke calmly.

At this point, Shen Qinglin had also dropped her disguise, standing with arms crossed, filled with regret. If only she had investigated more when she first sensed something was wrong, Yaoyao might not have been harmed by these people.

An’yu could only shout curses and say nothing else. Shen Yushu clicked his tongue, thinking to himself, “Who cares about diplomacy? Is diplomacy more important than my sister?”

Then, he impatiently grabbed a piece of cloth and stuffed it into Princess An Yu’s endlessly chattering mouth.

Feeling restless, he stood up and paced back and forth a couple of times before looking at Lu Zhao. Ever since they discovered Yaoyao was missing, Lu Zhao hadn’t said a word. Shen Yushu’s heart sank a little. The person most anxious about Yaoyao’s disappearance should be Lu Zhao, so he couldn’t help but comfort Lu Zhao, “Changfeng, don’t worry. Yaoyao will be fine.”

Lu Zhao gave a low hum in response, but his anxiety didn’t lessen; in fact, it grew with a touch of panic. What if Yaoyao wasn’t kidnapped but left on her own? Lu Zhao closed his eyes, not daring to think of that possibility. He knew Yaoyao had been upset with him recently, possibly because of the influence of the Gu worm, but also because he had genuinely made her unhappy, giving the Gu worm a chance to take hold. What frightened him the most was that he couldn’t recall what exactly had caused the little girl to be so unhappy.

“Young Master! Princess An’ya has arrived! But the guard who was with Princess An’yu is nowhere to be found,” someone reported hastily. Before the words were fully spoken, An’ya rushed in like a gust of wind.

“Young Master Lu!” Her eyes quickly spotted An’yu struggling on the ground, and she was shocked, “What happened here? An’yu… An’yu, she…”

Lu Zhao ignored her and looked up at the person who had reported, “Nowhere to be found?”

An’yu, on the ground, struggled with muffled cries; Wu Nan had been locked up by her, so naturally, these people couldn’t find him.

“Then keep looking!” Shen Yushu fumed, “Two living people can’t just vanish in a day, can they?”

He was referring to Shen Qingyao and Wu Nan, but no one dared to suggest that Wu Nan might have kidnapped Shen Qingyao. Lu Zhao was already on the verge of an outburst, and no one wanted to provoke him further without definite news.

“Vanish… who…” Princess An’ya was even more confused. Who has vanished?

“Hmph.” Shen Yushu snorted coldly and turned his back. Shen Qinglin also glanced at her with a hostile look and then gently patted her Eldest Brother, urging him to stay calm.

“Perhaps Princess An’ya should ask Princess An’yu over there about the Gu worm and where she has hidden Yaoyao?” Lu Zhao’s voice was icy, devoid of the refined demeanor of a noble Young Master. An’ya shivered at his demon-like presence; her initial enthusiasm upon hearing that Young Master Lu was looking for her had completely vanished.

Lu Zhao continued, “Since she refuses to tell us, we can only rely on Princess An’ya to ask. If she still doesn’t speak…” His eyes lifted, “If anything happens to Yaoyao, I don’t care what kind of Princesses you are. Even if I have to flatten Nanzhao, you’ll pay double.”

Everyone present was taken aback. They never expected such words to come out of Lu Zhao’s mouth.

“Gu worm? Kidnapping?” An’ya stood frozen. After a moment, she turned sharply to An’yu, “It was Gu that you used on her?”

She had always thought it was just some ordinary petty poison.

Hearing this, the expressions of Lu Zhao and the Shen siblings changed. So An’ya was aware of this too!

---

How did things end up like this?

Shen Qingyao mechanically held the bowl, mechanically lowered her head, and mechanically scooped a spoonful of the dark medicine into her mouth, wrinkling her face at the intense bitterness. Next to her stood a Nanzhao girl dressed in Miao attire, her silver ornaments clinking with every movement. Watching Shen Qingyao’s expression, she couldn’t help but laugh.

In the corner, the burly men who had just threatened Shen Qingyao were now huddled together, holding their heads. When they heard the girl laugh, they shrank back even more, squeezing together like canned goods stuffed into a bottle, leaving no room for air.

Shen Qingyao was momentarily silent, still in shock. Just a moment ago, these men had charged at her with whips and knives, and she had been prepared to go down fighting with a hairpin in hand. But then, grinning menacingly, they had pulled out a food box from behind them and said with sinister faces, “We are bandits, and you are our hostage. Naturally, we must… offer you some food first! Hehehe.”

Shen Qingyao : “?”

System : [?]

She was wondering if she had heard wrong when the leader of the bandits let out a howl, having been kicked from behind. He quickly moved aside, making way for the girl from Nanzhao who had done the kicking.

“What food! You need to take the medicine first! It must be taken on an empty stomach to be effective. Don’t mess with me!” The girl, despite her petite stature, was fierce, and the burly men seemed to fear her. Even after being kicked and scolded, they didn’t dare to argue and instead squatted in the corner with grins on their faces.

Shen Qingyao was stunned by what she saw and couldn’t speak for a while.

The fierce girl from a moment ago suddenly changed her expression upon seeing Shen Qingyao, now looking harmless and smiling as she approached with a bowl of medicine. “Don’t be afraid, they are not bad people! You were brought here by Grandpa Kong. We won’t hurt you!”

As she said this, she handed the bowl to Shen Qingyao and continued, “My name is Tu Lan. I’ll be taking care of you for a while! This is medicine from Grandpa Kong. Drink it while it’s hot!”

Who was Grandpa Kong? What kind of medicine was this? If they weren’t bad people, what were they? Shen Qingyao blinked her big eyes, overwhelmed with too much information and too many questions, not knowing where to start.

After a while, Shen Qingyao finally managed to piece together the situation. She was indeed in a bandits’ den, but it was one that had turned over a new leaf and was now no different from an ordinary village. The old man who had brought her back was the legendary miracle doctor Kong Lin, who was the Grandpa Kong Tu Lan mentioned.

It turned out that Kong Lin had found her at the inn after receiving a letter from her Second Sister.

This was a good thing, but why did they have to do it in such a bandit-like manner! Shen Qingyao drank the medicine in a daze, slowly realizing that Lu Zhao and her Eldest Brother must be worried sick, wondering where she had disappeared to.

Tu Lan, seeing that Shen Qingyao had finished the medicine, took the bowl with satisfaction and then went to the corner to kick one of the burly men’s buttocks. “What are you still squatting there for? Aren’t you ashamed? Why did you scare her! Just wait and see how I’ll deal with you! Now get out!”

The men ran off in a hurry, and Tu Lan winked at Shen Qingyao before also leaving the room.

This experience was surreal, and Shen Qingyao couldn’t snap out of it for a long time. Then she heard the sound of a cane tapping on the ground. She stiffened and looked towards the door. Sure enough, the legendary miracle doctor Kong Lin, who had ‘forcibly taken’ her, entered the room.

Recalling his promise to cure her illness, Shen Qingyao straightened up and, with a hint of respect, said, “Miracle Doctor…”

“Heh.” Kong Lin chuckled meaningfully and sat down not far from her. “Why so respectful, little girl? You weren’t this scared of me before!”

Shen Qingyao was taken aback. This was the second time the old man had mentioned the past. Did he know the original owner? She couldn’t help but wonder why, if they had met before, he hadn’t cured her then.

Her eyes darkened as she pondered this, realizing that the original owner had quite the complex network of connections, far from being a mere side character.

Just as she was about to explain that she didn’t remember the past, Kong Lin spoke again in a melancholy tone, “Six or seven years ago, you were so gravely ill that it almost ruined my reputation. Even then, you were fierce and unyielding. What, did sending your soul to another world for a while make you timid?”

Shen Qingyao’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What did you say?!”

Sending her soul to another world? She thought she had transmigrated into someone else’s body. Could it be that… she had actually returned to her own body?

Her face turned pale as Kong Lin, stroking his beard, continued, “I thought it would take ten years for your soul to heal, but you came back in just six? But something’s not right. You don’t seem to remember the past. Did something go wrong during the transfer?”

Shen Qingyao’s heart sank, her mind going blank. Whatever Kong Lin said next, she couldn’t hear a word of it…

---

When Shen Qingyao woke up from the chaotic dream, she found herself alone in the room. There were figures moving outside, and Shen Qingyao paused, listening intently. It seemed like Lu Zhao was talking to Shen Yushu outside.

Listening to Lu Zhao’s voice, Shen Qingyao’s breath lightened. Thinking about what she had seen in the dream, she felt a bit down.

[Host…]

The system called out to her, and Shen Qingyao blinked her eyes, weakly responding, “What is it?”

[Wuwuwu Host! You finally woke up!! I called you so many times and you didn’t respond to me!!!]

The system’s incessant chatter made Shen Qingyao’s head ache. She recalled hearing its voice just before she fell into the dream, and she felt somewhat guilty, so she refrained from arguing with it as usual. Shen Qingyao struggled to move her body, feeling uncertain, and after a while, she sighed and interrupted the system’s half-true, half-false crying, asking, “How long have I been unconscious?”

[Two days! Host! You’ve been out for two days!!!] The system was somewhat excited, raising its voice. [You don’t know! In these two days, Lu Zhao’s blackening value has been skyrocketing!! If you don’t wake up soon, he might just turn completely evil!!!]

Ah, so it wasn’t genuine concern for her; it was just worried about her influence on Lu Zhao’s turning evil. Shen Qingyao calmly lowered her eyes, listening to its complaints about the pressure Lu Zhao had been causing it and others in these days. She wasn’t happy or sad, but remained calm as if listening to someone else’s story.

Suddenly, a low growl from Shen Yushu came from outside. It seemed they hadn’t finished their conversation yet. Shen Yushu loudly called Lu Zhao’s name, then seemed to remember she was still inside and abruptly lowered his voice. Shen Qingyao’s heart stirred, sensing they might come in soon, so she quietly closed her eyes again.

Sure enough, the door was pushed open shortly after. The incessant chatter in her mind from the system suddenly ceased, and soon after, there were slow, steady footsteps approaching. Shen Qingyao felt her hand gently lifted, and familiar large hands lightly held hers.

“Yaoyao…” Lu Zhao’s voice was low, husky, and tender, filled with concern and weariness, easily piercing through Shen Qingyao’s defenses. Her breath caught, her eyelids trembled, but she still hadn’t figured out how to face Lu Zhao. She forced herself to pretend to be still unconscious.

Lu Zhao hesitated in his movements. Shen Qingyao felt nervous; could he have noticed? But Lu Zhao didn’t move or expose her. He stood at the bedside for a long time, suddenly releasing her hand, then called for Cui Qiao to come in.

“The King of Nanzhao is summoning me. I’ll be going to the royal court with Shen Yushu later. You… stay outside the door and take care of her.” Lu Zhao’s voice hardly fluctuated. Shen Qingyao kept her eyes closed, unable to see that Lu Zhao’s eyes had been fixed on her as he said this. Was it meant for Cui Qiao to hear or for her?

Cui Qiao was puzzled. Why should she care for someone only from outside the door? But since Lu Zhao had said so, she dared not argue and quietly agreed.

Lu Zhao sighed silently and left first. Cui Qiao worriedly glanced at the motionless Shen Qingyao for a while before leaving as well.

Once both were gone, Shen Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief and slowly opened her eyes.

[Host, why are you avoiding them?] The system didn’t quite understand the purpose of her actions. Wouldn’t they meet sooner or later? Could she hide forever?

Shen Qingyao knew very well that she couldn’t hide forever. But right now, her heart was in turmoil. She knew deep down that none of this was Lu Zhao’s fault, yet she couldn’t bring herself to face him. She needed time to sort things out.

“Just let me catch my breath for a moment. I’m not sure how to continue right now.” Initially, she had been acting for survival, for the mission, accompanying Lu Zhao in the play. But as she continued to act, the lines between the play and her true feelings blurred long ago. Just like now, it seemed she didn’t care as much about the mission anymore.

---

On the other end, Shen Yushu was inexplicably called out by Lu Zhao. Because Shen Qingyao still hadn’t woken up, he was feeling irritable. With a dark expression, he followed Lu Zhao and couldn’t help but ask, “Instead of staying with Yaoyao, why did you drag me out? When did the King of Nanzhao summon us? Didn’t I just tell you that the King of Nanzhao is interested in cooperate secretly with Great Liang? Were you too impatient to listen?”

Lu Zhao’s gaze turned cold. Without mentioning that Shen Qingyao seemed to have already awakened, he asked coldly, “What about that sachet? What did you find out?”

At this, Shen Yushu’s expression also turned cold. With a snort of resentment, he replied, “I was just about to find you. Ah Lin took some spices and secretly returned to the royal court to consult Nanzhao’s shaman. Only now did the message come back! Those spices are used to lure gu worms!”

“Gu worms?” Lu Zhao’s expression changed. Gu poison was once rampant in Nanzhao. It was only gradually silenced after several instances where the royal family of Nanzhao used gu worms to harm others and vie for power. However, this did not mean that the practice had disappeared completely…

Lu Zhao clenched his fists. “Could it be that Yaoyao was…”

Shen Yushu also realized this and widened his eyes in disbelief.

Veins bulged on Lu Zhao’s hand. He didn’t speak, but his attitude was as good as confirmation. Gu worms came in many forms; some caused unbearable suffering, while others manipulated the mind… All of Shen Qingyao’s recent anomalies suddenly made sense.

“Go and fetch those two Nanzhao princesses and that guard.” Since arriving in Nanzhao, Shen Qingyao had almost always been with Lu Zhao. The only people she had contact with alone were just those few. Lu Zhao’s voice chilled. After saying this, he turned abruptly and went back to find Shen Qingyao.

However, when he rushed back and pushed open the door, the first thing he saw was Cui Qiao lying on the side. Then, after a few steps, he met eyes with Princess Anyu, who had just burst in. Lu Zhao’s heart sank. Looking at the bed where Shen Qingyao should have been lying, she was nowhere to be seen.

He swiftly grabbed Princess An’yu’s throat, his face a storm of rage and ice. “Where is Yaoyao?”

“I… How would I know! You… Let go… Let go of me! I am a princess of Nanzhao!” An’yu struggled to breathe under his grip, desperately trying to pry his hand away. She was shocked as well. She had clearly timed her visit for when Lu Zhao was absent. Yet, there was no one in the room. Before she could leave, Lu Zhao had returned!

At this moment, An’yu also wanted to ask: where had Shen Qingyao gone?

---

A quarter of an hour earlier, just after Lu Zhao and Shen Yushu had left the inn, an old man with white hair, leaning on a long staff, dressed in grey hemp clothes, carrying a medicine chest, tottered to the inn’s entrance. He clutched a note, pausing at the door. “Inn where the people from Great Liang stay… is this the place?”

The old man chuckled and was about to enter when the guards stopped him.

“Who are you? This is the inn for Great Liang envoys. Unauthorized people are not allowed to enter!”

The old man, stopped, did not get angry. He patted his worn medicine chest and said slowly, “I’m a doctor… I’m a doctor! Isn’t there a patient inside needing my treatment?”

The guard hesitated. Everyone knew that the Young Madam was seriously ill, and they had all seen Lu Zhao’s gloomy mood these days. It was normal to call for a doctor, but… The guard frowned and sternly said, “Great Liang has its own doctors! I’ve seen every one of them. Why haven’t I seen you before?”

“There are so many people in the world. Can you really have seen every one? Just because you haven’t seen me, how do you know I’m not a doctor?” The old man smiled, somewhat roguishly. The guard, increasingly convinced he was a fraud, raised his hand to expel him. The old man sighed softly, seemingly talking to himself, “Young man, three fires easily burn, a restless heart is not good…”

As he spoke, he tapped his cane on the ground, and a hint of fragrance brushed past the noses of the two guards. Moments later, they staggered and collapsed softly to the side.

The old man prodded the fallen men with his cane, shook his head, then turned to a vacant corner, gesturing with his eyes and saying, “Handle it…” He then slowly made his way into the inn.

As the door swung open, Shen Qingyao nearly mistook it for Lu Zhao’s return. She wondered, how could he be back so soon? Is he playing a trick on me? Shen Qingyao hurriedly scrambled, but before she could resume pretending to be asleep, she turned her head and saw that it was an unfamiliar old man who had entered.

She froze, furrowing her brows. “Who are you?”

The old man smiled but remained silent, leisurely walking in, scanning Shen Qingyao from head to toe. Uncomfortable under his gaze, she gripped the blanket, feeling somewhat scared, and cautiously asked again, “Who… who are you, old sir? Could you have been lost?”

This statement was mercilessly mocked by the system. [Host! This is the inn for envoys Great Liang! In your era, it would be an embassy! How could he possibly get lost here!!!]

Shen Qingyao clicked her tongue. Of course she knew! How else could it be explained? Though one was old and the other ill, who knew what secrets each held?

“Girl, it seems you’ve recovered quite well?”

“Hmm?” The old man’s tone was familiar, deepening Shen Qingyao’s confusion. Did she know this person, or was he someone the original owner knew?

“Hmm… it seems not that well, you haven’t remembered yet?” The old man stroked his beard, his gaze probing.

Remember… what? Shen Qingyao’s heart skipped a beat, a flash of light darting through her mind. She instinctively felt the statement was important but couldn’t grasp onto the thought in time, only growing more puzzled as she stared at the old man. She didn’t call for anyone to come in. Somehow, she felt that this person might not be a bad person.

“Come, hold out your hand.” The old man no longer played dumb with her. Slowly placing his long cane against the table, he walked to the bedside and looked at Shen Qingyao, who had tucked her hand in cautiously, and couldn’t help but sigh, “You invited me to diagnose, yet won’t let me take your pulse. How can I diagnose like this?”

“Diagnose?” Shen Qingyao was stunned. Was this the doctor Lu Zhao had invited? Or was it her Eldest Brother and Second Sister who invited the doctor?

After a moment of hesitation, Shen Qingyao still reached out her hand.

The old man’s skinny hand came up, and Shen Qingyao trembled but did not move.

“Mmm…” The old man examined her, his brow furrowed. Shen Qingyao’s heart sank as she watched. Was she beyond saving now? Why such an expression?

“I… can I still be cured?” she asked tentatively.

“Years of heart disease, overwhelming depression, and also…” The old man paused, suddenly sighed, “Little girl, your body is truly filled with all sorts of toxins.”

“…,” Shen Qingyao pursed her lips, feeling that this might be a quack doctor.

“But that won’t stump this old man!” The old man released her hand, laughed heartily, and his confident and defiant demeanor showed in his white eyebrows. Shen Qingyao was stunned, feeling this scene was somewhat familiar. Before she could ask how he planned to treat her, she saw the old man pinching something and holding it under her nose, emitting a foul odor. Shen Qingyao wrinkled her brows, wanting to dodge, but her vision darkened. Just a moment ago, she had woken up, but now she was unconscious again.

[…Host!] The system was exasperated. How could its danger detecting radar be so lacking!!!

---

A tall figure flipped through the window, looking at the girl lying askew on the bed and the old man sitting calmly beside her. After a moment of silence, he felt as if he had suddenly experienced being a thief? Moments later, he softly said, “Old Kong, why has it taken so long?”

If Shen Qinglin were here, she would definitely recognize that the old man was none other than the elusive miracle doctor Kong Lin.

“Old acquaintances met, so we reminisced for a few moments.” Kong Lin stood up, taking his long cane back into his hand. “Let’s go, she can’t be treated here. We have to take her back. Be careful, this girl is quite precious…”

“Oh…” The man paused, bent down, and lifted the girl onto his shoulder…

---

“Oh? Really? Did you really hear Lu Zhao and his wife arguing?” An Yu leaned against the back of the chair, listening to the servant’s report. Instantly sitting up straight, she leaned forward with interest, unable to conceal the triumphant look on her face.

“Yes, this servant was just doing some cleaning chores at the inn, so I was far away and didn’t hear clearly. But when Young Master Lu returned, he looked furious, pulled his wife into the room, and shortly after, news spread that Madam fainted from anger. It seems they had a serious quarrel!” A plain-looking maid knelt below, eager to report vividly.

Wu Nan stood aside, his pupils contracting upon hearing that Shen Qingyao had fainted.

An’yu smiled happily, waving off the maid invitingly. She instructed her to continue gathering information and then stood up slowly. Calling her personal maid, she said leisurely, “Go, send a message. Tomorrow, we will go visit the Young Madam.”

Knowing her gu insect had surely taken effect, An’yu naturally intended to inspect personally.

After the maid departed, Wu Nan stepped forward. His face darkened, and in a hoarse voice, he asked, “What… what have you done?”

An’yu looked at him in surprise and after a moment of confusion, said innocently, “What have I done? I just like the Young Madam and wanted to visit her. Is that not allowed?”

Wu Nan furrowed his brows, not wanting to hear her excuses, and said directly, “You used the gu! The sachet I gave her can repel ordinary insects, but if a gu smells it, they’ll be attracted by the scent and become restless.”

Initially suspicious, Wu Nan had given Shen Qingyao the sachet, and that night she had fainted. Seeing An’yu’s reaction now, it was clear that her involvement was not merely about Madam fainting from anger.

“I will inform His Majesty!” Wu Nan gritted his teeth.

A flash of severity crossed An’yu’s face, disappearing after a moment. She giggled, stepping closer, her breath fragrant as she leaned towards Wu Nan’s ear and said, “Inform Elder Brother? Do you have evidence? But…” An Yu’s hand circled Wu Nan’s ear, causing him to blush and step back.

“But I must thank you for your sachet. If it weren’t for it stimulating my little pet, I don’t think the effect would have been so good!”

“You!” Wu Nan’s face changed. He wanted to say more but suddenly felt heat in his ears and collapsed softly.

“Now… what should I do? If you’ve discovered me, you’ll go tell His Majesty… I guess I’ll have to let you rest for a while.” An’yu clapped her hands lightly, and a faint powder dispersed from her fingers, vanishing into the air…

---

In the inn, the news of Shen Qingyao’s fainting due to heart disease alarmed many. The old doctor arrived; Lu Zhao was standing guard by the bed, while Shen Yushu had hurried over, pacing anxiously.

“Madam’s heart disease has been long-standing, and it’s difficult to cure. This time it’s come on fiercely again, and even I am helpless. I can only slightly modify the old prescription. As for when Madam will wake up, it depends on her fate.” The old doctor had always been the one to treat Shen Qingyao. He sighed, his face growing more serious.

“Is there really no other way?” Shen Yushu anxiously approached, grabbing the old doctor, worried and helpless. Suddenly, he turned to look at Lu Zhao, who had been holding Shen Qingyao’s hand without moving. Unable to hold back, he asked, “What exactly happened? Yaoyao’s heart disease hasn’t acted up for so long. How could it suddenly relapse?”

Lu Zhao didn’t speak, only showing regret on his face, blaming himself for losing his temper with Yaoyao.

At this moment, Shen Qinglin, who had also received the news, burst in through the door, looking extremely anxious: “I heard Yaoyao is sick again?! How is she?” Seeing Shen Yushu, she hurried over and asked, “Eldest Brother, how is Yao Yao?”

Shen Yushu sighed before answering her, and Shen Qinglin’s heart sank. “She…”

“You said you know Kong Lin’s whereabouts, where is he?” Lu Zhao suddenly spoke up. Shen Qinglin turned to look at him. His expression was calm, but seemed to be suppressing something forcefully, as if Shen Qingyao’s condition worsening would immediately make him lose control. Shen Qinglin hesitated for a moment before saying, “I did meet Doctor Kong before, but that was three months ago. The doctor has since left the royal court. I can only confirm he’s still in Nanzhao, but I don’t know exactly where.”

Seeing Lu Zhao showing signs of anger, Shen Qinglin’s heart skipped a beat. She realized the importance: Shen Qingyao’s system mission was likely to prevent Lu Zhao from turning ecil. She couldn’t afford to add fuel to the fire now. She quickly added, “But I can indeed contact Doctor Kong! We have a specific way to reach him, and I’ve left him a message. If he sees it, he’ll come…”

Lu Zhao’s expression darkened, making Shen Qinglin nervous. She herself wasn’t entirely confident; what if Kong Lin didn’t show up? Shen Qingyao had rushed to Nanzhao to help her, and Shen Qingyao had indeed found news about Lin Yingqiu. But if she couldn’t find the doctor for Shen Qingyao, wouldn’t it be deception?

Both were his younger sisters. Shen Yushu worried about Shen Qingyao, but seeing Shen Qinglin looking anxious, he softened. He pulled Shen Qinglin behind him and said to Lu Zhao, “Changfeng, don’t be too anxious. Finding the doctor requires the doctor’s cooperation; Ah Lin can’t control that. Yaoyao has good fortune; she will definitely be safe. I will send a message to Ah Li as soon as I get back, asking her to also keep an eye out in the north. If there are any spiritual medicines that could help, we’ll rush them over.”

Lu Zhao held Shen Qingyao’s hand tightly, not pressing further. After a moment, he suddenly said calmly, “Before Yaoyao fell ill, someone gave her a sachet. It was scattered at the time, but Yaoyao seemed a bit unusual after smelling it.”

Both Shen Yushu and Shen Qinglin were startled and quickly glanced at the table beside them, where many fragments of spices had indeed been picked up. If Yaoyao’s illness wasn’t accidental but intentionally induced…

Shen Yushu’s eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.

“I understand. I will investigate this. You stay with Yaoyao!”

Lu Zhao nodded and fell silent again.

It was clear that Lu Zhao was restraining himself. Shen Yushu sighed and gave Shen Qinglin a meaningful look, urging her to leave first.

“But… I haven’t seen Yaoyao yet…” Shen Qinglin stretched her neck toward the bed, but Shen Yushu firmly held her back.

“Let’s go first! Let him and Yaoyao be alone. You and I will investigate that sachet!”

“Oh…”

After the two left, the room fell silent. Shen Qingyao on the bed was breathing evenly, her face unusually pale, as if she were sleeping peacefully. Lu Zhao sat beside her, his eyes fixed on her as if trying to imprint her appearance in his mind.

“Yaoyao, wake up soon. Even if…” Lu Zhao’s heart ached as he thought of six years ago. “Even if, like before, you wake up and don’t remember me, it’s okay. This time, I’m by your side. Elder Brother Lu Zhao is here with you. Forget it and start over, it’s okay…”

Cui Qiao entered with medicine and happened to hear this last sentence. Her eyes teared up, thinking, Miss, so many people are worried about you. You must wake up soon.

She didn’t step forward to disturb and silently withdrew.

Shen Qingyao, who was in a deep sleep, was now trapped in one dream after another…

[Host… Host… Host, wake up!]

The system was calling her, but Shen Qingyao furrowed her brow. Her eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, refusing to open. She sensed her body sinking, like a rootless wanderer, unable to find its origin or destination.

The sensation was unbearable. Shen Qingyao took a deep breath and struggled, finally forcing her eyes open with great effort. The glaring sunlight fell directly into her eyes, causing her discomfort as she squinted, gradually taking in her surroundings. This wasn’t the inn in Nanzhao. Shen Qingyao looked around, feeling a strange familiarity but unable to recall where she was.

Suddenly, a small figure emerged from a nearby corridor, running towards her without even looking. Shen Qingyao couldn’t move out of the way in time and was about to collide when the figure passed right through her. Startled, Shen Qingyao jumped back. It was a young girl with double hair buns, holding a piece of paper and running joyfully while shouting, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao!”

Shen Qingyao was stunned. Unable to resist, she turned to follow the girl’s figure. At the end of the corridor, stood a smiling young man.

It was Lu Zhao from his youth, and the little girl… wasn’t she the original owner from her childhood? Shen Qingyao looked closely and confirmed that it was the little Qingyao she had seen in her dreams several times.

Am I still in a dream? If so, this place should be the Shen residence from several years ago. No wonder it feels familiar. Shen Qingyao thought faintly, her eyes lowering. In the past, she found these dreams amusing, but now, aside from the amusement, there was also impatience. She didn’t want to learn more about the past between the original owner and Lu Zhao. The more she knew, the more guilty she felt.

But the dream continued. Shen Qingyao watched as little Qingyao ran happily, stumbling near Lu Zhao and then laughing as he caught her in his arms.

Lu Zhao tapped her nose playfully, somewhat reproachful, “Why are you so careless!”

Sticking out her tongue, little Qingyao reached up to encircle Lu Zhao’s neck, burying her face in his embrace just as Shen Qingyao used to do. Then she spoke crisply, “I was just too excited! Brother Lu Zhao, look at this! How’s my drawing?”

With that, she pulled out the paper she held, presenting a cute little fox.

“This is… a puppy?” Lu Zhao hesitated, and little Qingyao widened her eyes, “It’s a fox! Clearly a fox! A white fox! Don’t you think I did well? It looks just like you! Handsome and clever!”

The fox on the paper was hardly good-looking, but Lu Zhao’s eyes lit up with happiness as he squinted and nodded, “You did a great job.”

The scene shifted. Shen Qingyao watched as little Qingyao forgot her drawing within days. Lu Zhao picked up the scattered paper, made some additions and changes, turning it into a splendid jade pendant design. He then found the finest white jade, meticulously carving the jade fox and presented it to the little girl.

Little Qingyao was thrilled for a long time, holding the jade fox dearly.

Not long after, Lu Zhao accompanied his father on a mission to Xiling, and ten-year-old Shen Qingyao fell ill. Chaos erupted in the Shen residence due to her condition, and the cherished jade fox was left forgotten in a corner, with no one to remember it.

Two years later, twelve-year-old little Qingyao moved to another courtyard. Cui Qiao tidied up her things when she suddenly made a strange noise, “Huh? Miss? How did this jade pendant end up here? It looks like… a little dog? Is it yours?”

At this time, little Qingyao had lost her former vitality. She appeared indifferent and distant, often staring blankly into space. If no one called her, she wouldn’t move all day, like a soulless puppet.

Upon hearing this, she turned her eyes and shook her head again. “No.”

“If it’s not yours, then who could have left it here? I’ll take it to Madam to have a look. She’s been busy counting the things in the mansion recently!”

Little Qingyao naturally had no objections.

The jade fox went through several twists and turns and ended up in Shen Qingli’s own jade shop. Several years passed without it appearing again until now, when Shen Qingyao once again stepped into that jade shop and immediately took a liking to it, sending it back into Lu Zhao’s hands.

“It’s actually like this…” In the dream, Shen Qingyao widened her eyes in disbelief.

No wonder, no wonder her elder sister had a subtle expression when she selected the jade fox back then. No wonder, no wonder Lu Zhao looked surprised when she gave him the jade fox, only commenting that it was his design.

Could this be another fateful encounter between them from the past?

The scene in the dream changed again, this time without the shadow of little Qingyao. Instead, it was a long and lonely night.

It was her courtyard, the crabapple tree was still there, but every mid-month, there would always be a figure standing silently under the tree, motionless. That was Lu Zhao.

After Shen Qingyao lost her memory, Lu Zhao gradually reduced his visits to the Shen residence. The passionate and brilliant friendship of their childhood was buried since the night he returned from Xiling. However, he never forgot his little girl. Initially, it was hearing that she wasn’t feeling well again and wanting to quietly sneak in to see her. Later, it gradually became wanting to see her when he was happy or upset.

In any case, even just listening to the faint yet steady sound of her breathing in the courtyard could make him feel calm.

Watching the moon outside her courtyard became a habit for Lu Zhao over the years.

It wasn’t until now that Shen Qingyao suddenly realized what Lu Zhao meant when he said on the boat heading south, “Because for a long time before, only the moon accompanied me.” Lu Zhao liked looking at the moon because it shone upon his peacefully sleeping little girl.

Shen Qingyao couldn’t say whether she felt joy or sorrow, only finding it absurd. It turned out that those few joys she thought were unrelated to the original owner were also not exclusively hers.

Whether it was the jade fox or the moon.

She thought they were memories between her and Lu Zhao, but in fact, these memories were deeply marked with the imprint of the original owner.

Even in her dream, Shen Qingyao blinked her eyes and couldn’t help but shed a tear. She couldn’t help but wonder, when she cherished playing with the jade fox, when Lu Zhao affectionately showed her the moon, who exactly was he seeing through her?

Sorrow overwhelmed Shen Qingyao. In the blurry dream, she couldn’t feel anything at all. But in reality, her wrist throbbed violently, stirring her emotions.

---

Under the moonlight, An’yu stood holding a small box in her hands. Inside was a golden insect, currently wriggling actively. An’yu smirked. This insect was a pair with the one inside Shen Qingyao’s body. Its lively movements meant the one inside Shen Qingyao was also active.

She reached out and poked it. The insect suddenly twisted violently and then stiffened motionless. An’yu was stunned. Had the effect of the insect reached its peak? It had actually died?

She sneered. It seemed the rift between Shen Qingyao and Lu Zhao was even greater than she had thought. An’yu’s gaze turned mischievous, increasingly looking forward to personally seeing Shen Qingyao…

---

Seeing that it was getting late, Shen Qingyao estimated that Lu Zhao would soon return. Not wanting to face him directly for now, she hurriedly got off the carriage, only to be unexpectedly intercepted by someone.

“Guard Wu Nan? Why are you here?”

Outside the carriage stood none other than An’yu’s guard, Wu Nan.

Shen Qingyao smiled. She still remembered this young guard who had once saved her life and blushed when she thanked him. She held the flowers and got off the carriage, greeting him as she approached.

Wu Nan rubbed his waist nervously. The calm and composed man just a moment ago now appeared somewhat nervous. When he saw Shen Qingyao approaching, his slightly darkened face blushed again.

“Guard Wu Nan, are you here to see my Eldest Brother? He and the others were summoned by the king and haven’t returned yet.”

“No, that’s not it.” Wunan’s eyes flickered, then he looked at her solemnly. “I… I came to see you.”

“To see me?” Shen Qingyao was a bit surprised. She widened her eyes slightly and looked at Wunan’s awkward appearance with a smile. She blinked and asked, “So, Guard Wu Nan, is there something you need from me?”

Wu Nan had grown up in the royal court, but as the lowest-ranked servant, he had fought his way here with an unyielding spirit, barely earning the trust of the King and being placed by Princess An’yu’s side. No one had ever thanked him before, let alone spoken to him in such a gentle and soft manner. She was delicate and fragile like a precious treasure.

Wu Nan’s heart raced. After a while, he took out a dark green sachet from his bosom and handed it to Shen Qingyao. “I… I saw you in the court yesterday. You didn’t look well, and Nanzhao has many poisonous insects. This… can repel them.”

He spoke with a hint of evasion in his eyes, as if what he wanted her to avoid was more than just the so-called insects, but Shen Qingyao didn’t notice.

He had actually come all this way just to deliver a sachet to repel insects. Shen Qingyao was somewhat surprised. They had only met briefly once, and she hadn’t expected him to make such a special trip.

Shen Qingyao hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to accept it. Caught in a dilemma, she stood there, and Wu Nan stubbornly looked at her, clearly insisting that she take it.

Throughout the day, she received kindness from strangers one after another. After a slight surprise, a faint smile appeared on Shen Qingyao’s face. She remembered the swollen lump on her wrist a few days ago; indeed, she needed something to repel insects, and she didn’t want to disregard someone else’s goodwill. So, she nodded slightly and thanked him softly.

As soon as she took the sachet, Shen Qingyao felt a sudden stabbing pain in her wrist, as if something was churning in her blood vessels. But the pain subsided in an instant. She furrowed her brows and let out a muffled groan. When she focused on it again, she felt nothing.

Was it just her imagination? Shen Qingyao flicked the tassel on the sachet.

Seeing that she finally accepted it, Wu Nan breathed a sigh of relief as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

“The flower you have is very beautiful.” After handing over the gift, Wu Nan pointed at the object in Shen Qingyao’s arms and said, “This flower is called ‘Morning and Night,’ it suits you well.”

“Morning and Night,” Shen Qingyao repeated dazedly, involuntarily tightening her grip on it.

Morning and night, forever and ever¹, it truly was a good name.

“This is the inn of the envoys of Great Liang. Even though this is in the capital of Nanzhao, without the official seal and letter from Great Liang, even the royal family of Nanzhao cannot come and go freely! As the first-class guard of Nanzhao, shouldn’t you understand this?”

Shen Qingyao wanted to say something more, but suddenly a cold voice came from behind her. She trembled, knowing without turning that it was Lu Zhao who had returned.

“Your Excellency the envoy.” Wu Nan saw the grim expression on Lu Zhao’s face. He immediately became tense, placed his right hand on his left shoulder, and respectfully bowed.

Lu Zhao’s face darkened. Thinking of Shen Qingyao’s smiling demeanor towards the man just moments ago, a cold light flashed in his eyes. He coldly said, “The subjects of Nanzhao are so ignorant of propriety. I will definitely report this to His Majesty of Nanzhao.”

Shen Qingyao was taken aback, not understanding how things escalated so quickly. She opened her mouth, but was cut off by a swift step from Wu Nan. He blocked her, indicating he didn’t want her to plead on his behalf. She remained silent, watching Lu Zhao.

Lu Zhao narrowed his eyes, suddenly reached out and grabbed Shen Qingyao, pulling her from behind Wu Nan to his side. He used quite a bit of force, causing Shen Qingyao to cry out in pain.

Wu Nan moved slightly, but stopped abruptly under Lu Zhao’s warning gaze. Lu Zhao didn’t look at him again, instead pulling Shen Qingyao and quickly walking into the inn.

“Elder Brother Lu Zhao…” Lu Zhao was walking fast with large strides, making it difficult for Shen Qingyao in her skirt. She stumbled a bit and couldn’t help but cry out.

But Lu Zhao, who usually treated her with the utmost care, seemed not to hear her at all, maintaining his pace.

“Lu Zhao!”

*Bang*”

Shen Qingyao’s final angry shout coincided with the sound of Lu Zhao slamming the door. Shen Qingyao finally broke free from his grip, leaning on the table and panting. She couldn’t say whether she was angry or scared, but as she panted, her eyes turned red.

Her foot injury hadn’t fully healed, and being dragged like this made her ankle ache again. Her hand was also sore from being pulled, and she suddenly felt very aggrieved.

She had inexplicably been forced into this situation, and now Lu Zhao was treating her like this. Did he get tired of her so quickly? Suppressing her tears, Shen Qingyao thought maybe all his previous kindness was just an act!

“Yaoyao, I…” Lu Zhao calmed down, seeing the little girl on the verge of tears. He panicked and hurried over to hug her, but Shen Qingyao dodged him.

Lu Zhao froze for a moment. Since yesterday, the little girl had been avoiding him.

“Yaoyao, did I do something wrong?” Lu Zhao’s voice was low. He could only think of the incident where Shen Qingyao caught him talking privately with Princess An’ya. But since Yaoyao heard it and should know he rejected Princess An’ya, why would she act like this?

Shen Qingyao turned her head away, sniffing. “No.”

It really had nothing to do with Lu Zhao; it was all her own problem.

Perhaps her indifferent attitude had provoked Lu Zhao. His face suddenly darkened as he noticed the flowers and the dark green sachet that Shen Qingyao was protecting in her hands.

His eyes narrowed as he approached her. “If there’s nothing wrong, why won’t Yaoyao look at me?”

Shen Qingyao stepped back, unwilling to speak.

“Yaoyao doesn’t want to talk to me, but wants to talk to that guard Wu Nan?” Lu Zhao’s tone was somewhat cold.

Shen Qingyao had never seen him like this before, and she felt a sudden tightness in her chest, finding it hard to believe. “What are you talking about? What does Wu Nan have to do with this?”

“He even specially went to fetch an insect repellent sachet for you. Such a trivial matter is remembered so deeply, showing such deep friendship.” Lu Zhao’s tone softened, but his entire demeanor exuded a chilly aloofness. His words were like a sword, cutting deeply, though it wasn’t clear who was wounded. “I suppose wherever Yaoyao goes, she is always charming, and she doesn’t lack admirers so she doesn’t need me, right?

“So now that you have many people around you, you no longer care about me, is that it?”

“I don’t!” Shen Qingyao widened her eyes. Unable to tolerate his misinterpretation, it was precisely because she cared too much that she had been agonizing over whether it was her issue or the original owner’s. Yet he dared to say she didn’t care?

Shen Qingyao shook her head. The anger and irritation in her heart grew stronger. Her wrist hurt so much it felt like it was burning. The flowers in her hand slipped away, along with the sachet, falling to the ground.

Spices and petals scattered all over, the strong scent choking Shen Qingyao. She couldn’t breathe properly.

Her eyes were full of scattered white petals. In her mind, she remembered what the girl had said to her. She smiled bitterly for a long time. Indeed, she shouldn’t have brought back this bouquet.

Morning and Night, she could never see them bloom.

“You…” Shen Qingyao struggled to breathe, unable to form a complete sentence. She clutched her chest, cold sweat instantly soaking her whole body.

Lu Zhao approached fiercely this time, not giving her a chance to evade. Stepping on the messy floor, he suddenly drew near. Petals crushed under his feet, leaving dark juice stains. Shen Qingyao’s pupils shrank. He pulled her into his arms.

“You don’t want to see me, yet you can laugh freely in front of others…” Lu Zhao grabbed her, his grip terrifyingly strong. “Do you also not want to be close to me anymore? Is this how it is?”

He questioned sharply, lowering his head. His lips touched Shen Qingyao’s, their breaths mingling. They were almost kissing but not quite, grinding against each other, making Shen Qingyao increasingly uncomfortable, her consciousness starting to blur.

Shen Qingyao shook her head slightly, wanting to say no, she didn’t, but she couldn’t make a sound.

When that kiss finally landed, Shen Qingyao couldn’t bear it anymore. She closed her eyes in discomfort, tears uncontrollably rolling down her cheeks. Lu Zhao tasted the saltiness in his mouth. Then he felt the person in his arms go limp, Shen Qingyao’s head softly resting on his shoulder.

Suffering from multiple illnesses and emotional turmoil, she couldn’t hold on any longer and fainted.

[Warning! Warning! Host’s task progress is regressing! Target task’s blackening value shows signs of increase! Warning! Warning!]

“Yaoyao!”

In the last second before fainting, Shen Qingyao only heard the emotionless alarm from the system and the deafening sound of beeps. Lu Zhao’s heart-wrenching cry pierced through these sounds, exploding in her ears.

Then everything went black before her, and she lost consciousness.

---

1. The flower’s name is 朝暮 (zhāo mù); while what Shen Qingyao said here is 朝朝暮暮，长长久久 (zhāo zhāo mù mù, zhǎng cháng jiǔ jiǔ) which is a Chinese expression, which literally translated to : Morning after morning, night after night, for a long time, a lasting one ↩︎

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