After infiltrating the main characters' group, I became the most beautiful woman in the world.

Everyone was mesmerized by what they saw.

The scattered crabapple petals were utterly insignificant compared to the beauty of the person before him.

Su Ning, however, was not moved by the rain of petals at all, and simply brushed the petals off her shoulder with disdain.

The culprit stood motionless in the distance. Su Ning looked up and saw that he was like a fool, not even pulling the knife back from his hand.

Su Ning frowned slightly as she approached him. "Didn't you bribe Xiao Mei? Is this what you're showing me?"

Yue Zijin's heart was still pounding, not yet calmed down, and she only reacted when she heard the other person's question, "Ah, no."

Xiao Mei chimed in, "Miss, Young Master Yue really didn't bribe me."

She couldn't possibly tell Su Ning that she went in to deliver a message in order to secretly spy on her.

Su Ning had clearly seen it from under the eaves: the way he wielded the sword today was quite different from before, as if... he had suddenly become enlightened?

"It seems your knife has taken shape quite a bit since I last saw it," Su Ning casually remarked.

Upon hearing this, Yue Zijin was quite pleased with himself, even his hair radiating energy. "Hehe, Uncle Tang really didn't lie to me. Master Duan Shui truly lives up to his reputation."

Since becoming an apprentice, he has been carrying water every day. Although it is tiring, he doesn't feel any different.

But just yesterday afternoon, he personally gave him a couple of pointers.

Yue Zijin was born with exceptional talent and intelligence, making him a natural-born martial arts prodigy.

After only two repetitions and a few practice sessions, he was able to memorize the move perfectly and dance with great flair.

He swung the knife in his hand twice, and the old, worn-out knife that he used to despise now had a sharp edge.

Su Ning casually sat down on the swing beside her, her steps unsteady, and asked in a somewhat nonchalant tone, "So, what brings you here today?"

Okay, Yue Zijin never misses a day.

Upon hearing this, Yue Zijin immediately sheathed his sword, pulled a basket from a corner, and said mysteriously, "Su Su, I've come to bring you something."

"What is it? Let me see it."

Su Ning, who had been listless just moments before, finally showed some interest.

Lifting the cloth off the basket revealed some dry straw inside, and most notably, a small, squinting mongrel lying in the bamboo basket.

Su Ning gently touched the puppy's soft fur with her fingertips. The little guy seemed to be startled awake, slowly raising his eyelids. His dark, grape-like eyes were still misty. He yawned a little, then buried his head back into the hay and rubbed against it.

"Where did it come from?" Her voice was a little softer than before, her fingertips still resting on the puppy's back, unwilling to move away.

Yue Zi squatted down in front of her, her eyes shining like fallen stars: "Yesterday afternoon, when I went down the mountain to fetch water, I saw him hiding alone in the bushes. I felt sorry for him, so I thought I'd bring him here to keep you company."

Su Ning glanced at him sideways: "You're quite the charmer, daring to send a stray dog ​​you picked up to me?" Despite saying that, she reached out and pulled the bamboo basket closer to herself, bringing the puppy closer.

Yue Zijin smiled slyly: "This isn't a stray dog; it has a name."

"Oh? What's your name?"

"Call it Thirteen," he said seriously. "Nothing special, I just think that's the name it should have."

Su Ning was amused by his words and raised her hand as if to hit him, but he dodged it with a smile.

The swing was still gently rocking, a cold breeze was blowing on his face, and the puppy was making soft purring sounds in the basket. Yue Zijin squatted down next to him, rambling on about how the puppy had cleverly hidden at his feet and how it had nibbled on the soles of his boots with its little teeth.

Her initially casual gaze gradually fell on the fluffy little body, and then quietly moved to Yue Zijin's smiling profile.

How come she remembered that Yue Zijin's former title was something like "Thirteen Heroes"?

"Alright, the dog's been delivered. Aren't you going to practice your skills?"

Su Ning gave them the order to leave.

"Susu, we haven't seen each other for a whole day."

His voice carried a hint of grievance as he sat down under a nearby crabapple tree, continuing his accusations: "And you actually sneaked down the mountain to play yesterday."

Su Ning stroked the puppy's fur with her fingers. Thirteen had a round head and was covered with a layer of fluffy light brown fur, as if it had just rolled out of a sun-dried haystack.

Two drooping triangular ears, soft and close to the sides of the neck, with tufts of light yellow hairs at the tips, sway gently with every movement.

At this moment, it seemed to sense Su Ning's touch, its wet, black nose sniffing around, as if wanting to get closer to that soft fragrance.

Su Ning snorted and retorted, "Even if I were to look for you, you wouldn't have time."

Since Su Ning moved into Red Maple Garden, the group no longer knew each other as well as they used to when they were traveling together.

Moreover, men are naturally slow to react. Tangxi didn't give Yue Zijin a good look, Pei Yunlian was just so-so, and Brother You wasn't the type to join in the fun.

Therefore, she had no intention of telling them where Su Ning was.

So Yue Zi still naively thought that Su Ning went out to play alone.

After listening to Su Ning's words, Yue Zijin found them quite reasonable. He rested his chin on his hand and said, "That's right, you're right."

Now that Su Ning has a puppy, she's become somewhat cold towards Yue Zijin, simply waving her hand and saying, "Go practice your skills."

He wanted to go practice his martial arts, but his stomach was growling. He rubbed it, looking a little embarrassed, and said, "Su Su, I haven't had breakfast yet."

Fine, I'll trade a dog for a meal.

Su Ning waved her hand and told Xiao Mei to go downstairs and bring him some pastries.

But after waiting for a while, it wasn't Xiaomei who arrived, but Xiaoxing with a gloomy face.

He held a plate of pastries in his hand, staring intently at Su Ning's face, as if she owed him hundreds of taels of gold.

Su Ning paused in stroking the dog.

She remembered what she had forgotten last night.

How could I have forgotten about this person?

Su Ning didn't show it on her face, but guiltily avoided the other person's gaze.

With a "crack," the porcelain plate struck the stone table, making a crisp sound.

Xiao Xing was no longer the meek and obedient person she used to be; the cold aura emanating from her body was almost enough to freeze anyone.

Then his gaze fell on the other person's fingers as they stroked the puppy.

The person who gave the dog away casually picked up some pastries from the plate and started eating, completely unaware of the impending storm.

While eating, Yue Zijin praised, "Tangxi really knows how to enjoy life. They even set up a small kitchen in the courtyard. The food here tastes better than what you get in the big kitchen outside."

Yu Xinglai had already cursed this stupid kid a thousand times in his heart at this moment.

That clueless idiot is as stupid as that dog.