After provoking the holy maiden of Miao territory, she was infected with a love curse.

Moonlight streamed in through the open window, and Yin Huaixi lay completely on Sang Che's chest, marveling at her superb acting skills, which completely convinced Sang Che that her longing for home was heartfelt.

The second step is to intentionally or unintentionally mention wanting to go back to the Yin family for a visit.

While I am thinking about it.

A warm tear stained her cheek, and Yin Huaixi was taken aback.

This tear wasn't squeezed out by her.

It was a tear shed by the person she was holding, Sang Che, a woman who seemed cold-hearted and devoid of emotion.

Sang Che...why are you crying?

Why do I feel sad?

Yin Huaixi's thoughts raced through her mind a thousand times, but she still couldn't figure out why Sang Che was crying.

But with tears streaming down his face, it would be impolite to pretend to be asleep.

Yin Huaixi reached out and wiped away the glistening tears on her face. She opened her eyes and feigned surprise, saying, "A-Che... what brings you here?"

Sang Che subconsciously tried to avoid Yin Huaixi's gaze, but Yin Huaixi locked her shoulders, preventing her from moving an inch.

"Why are you crying... Ah Che?"

There's nowhere to hide, nowhere to avoid.

Sang Che had no choice but to meet Yin Huaixi's probing eyes. She chuckled, still with that innocent and naive look.

"I have an eye condition, and sometimes my eyes water for no reason. I hope you don't find it funny."

What a lame lie.

Unfortunately... Yin Huaixi really couldn't find any rebuttal.

Knowing that Sang Che was unwilling to delve into the matter and that no one could pry the secret out of her, Yin Huaixi didn't press the issue further.

"It's late, Huaixi... let's go."

Yin Huaixi nodded, then turned and said, "After I tidy up these things on the table, I'll go back to your room with you."

Prescriptions were piled haphazardly on the wooden table, but Sang Che held Yin Huaixi's hand tightly and wouldn't let go.

"It's alright, no one else will come here except you."

Well, since Sang Che has said so, what other choice does she have? Of course, she has to go along with Sang Che's wishes.

Oil lamps were lit outside the corridor, so it wasn't dim; the area where the long skirts flowed was brightly lit.

The two walked side by side, their fingers intertwined, but they didn't say a word.

Looking down from the high-rise building, Yin Huaixi saw that the once desolate village had become bustling. She hadn't seen the mountains and fields covered with lights on in a long time.

With a firm pinch of her fingertips, Yin Huaixi gently nuzzled Sang Che's soft palm, whispering in his ear, "A-Che, are you celebrating some kind of festival in Miao territory?"

"It's not normal for the lights to be on at this hour."

Sang Che did not hide anything.

"Before leaving Fengming Mountain, I discussed with the villagers about holding a bonfire in advance, as a way for them to bid farewell to this place together with me."

Unexpectedly, Sang Che revealed the secret he hadn't told her for so long so easily, leaving Yin Huaixi momentarily stunned.

Did she misunderstand Sang Che all along?

"Didn't you promise me you'd come with me to the campfire?"

"I'll make sure they do a good job."

What Sang Che didn't say was that after she and the villagers evacuated, the place would probably be deserted.

"I...I did say that."

Yin Huaixi was well aware of what she had said.

With a slight hesitation, Yin Huaixi didn't forget her purpose. She loosened her fingers from Sang Che's palm and took the opportunity to grab Sang Che's arm.

Yin Huaixi moved closer to Sang Che's cheek. At such a close distance, her thin lips could kiss Sang Che's moist lips with just a slight touch.

The night wind whistled through the stray hairs at her temples, Yin Huaixi's eyes were gentle, and the lamplight was lush.

She said, "But before we leave, Ah Che... can you promise me one thing?"

Sang Che did not avoid Yin Huaixi's gaze.

"What is it?"

Yin Huaixi: "Take me back to Lingshui City."

His tone was firm and authoritative, leaving no room for refusal.

"I want to see for myself whether my sister is being investigated or monitored by the authorities."

Sang Che instinctively tried to dodge, but Yin Huaixi intercepted him, tilting her head to the side.

"Ah Che, can't you say yes?"

Sang Che remained silent.

Knowing what was troubling her, Yin Huaixi smiled; Sang Che's reaction was exactly what she had guessed.

"Ah Che, do you think I'll use this opportunity to run away?"

"Let's just pick out this problem directly," Yin Huaixi said, and sure enough, Sang Che reacted.

"If that's what you're worried about, A-Che, you can rest assured... My choice not to go back to the Yin family is not because of you, nor because I don't want to leave here."

"But I can't leave now."

She loosened her grip on Sang Che's arm.

Yin Huaixi walked forward alone with her hands behind her back.

After taking the pills given to him by Hua He, Yin Huaixi was no longer affected by the Gu worms and her mind became much clearer.

She spoke in a logical and organized manner.

"The imperial court now sees me as a thorn in their side, a dead man who has long since disappeared... If they find out that I am not dead and have returned to the Yin family, it will only bring disaster upon my elder sister and the others."

"Ah Che, I won't do that stupid thing again."

Staring at Yin Huaixi's receding figure, Sang Che's eyes were dazed. She quickly followed.

It was as if if she had been a step too slow, Yin Huaixi would have disappeared from her world.

"I want you to come with me."

"Ah Che... this way you can rest assured that I won't run away, and I can also feel at ease facing the dangers along the way, knowing that someone can protect me, right?"

...

into the night.

Jiawan, wrapped in a thick tiger skin, lay in the cargo compartment, fast asleep.

Two burly men sat in front of the carriage, their eyes vacant, yet they held the reins in their hands.

"Wait!"

"Do you have any travel permits to enter the city?"

The soldiers guarding the city gate, armed with long spears, immediately stopped the slowly moving truck.

"The city gates will close in half an hour. If you don't have a pass, I won't let you in so late."

"Let me make this clear from the start: the city is cracking down hard lately..."

Before the soldier could finish speaking, the burly man sitting on the carriage dismounted and groped at his chest, startling the soldier into gripping his gun tighter.

Thinking he was about to do something, the travel document and three pieces of silver were then pulled out.

The man's voice was stiff and hesitant as he said, "Sir, please make an exception for me."

Upon seeing how generous this man was, the soldier remarked that his spear was still effective and could intimidate people.

A look of pleasure immediately appeared on his face. He planted the gun barrel on the ground, waved his rough hand, quickly flipped through the travel document, checked that the seal on it was in order, and then grabbed the three pieces of silver in his hand.

"Alright, I understand how tough it is for you small businesses. It's so late, let's go inside."

"We'll close the city gates in a bit."

The man nodded憨厚ly and returned to the carriage blankly. The soldier was only focused on looking down at the loose silver in his hand, and had no time to care whether there was anything wrong with the goods on the carriage.

After all that commotion, Jiawan was already awake.

Lying on the wooden crate, she gazed at the prosperous scene of Lingshui City and couldn't help but imagine that if she were to go to the capital, it would surely be a thousand times more magnificent than here!

Lingshui City was just a place to rest. Jiawan planned to resell the goods to raise money for travel expenses and find a caravan heading to the capital to hitch a ride.

That way, you won't have to wander around aimlessly like a headless fly.

She will definitely... catch Ah Ning again!