After nine lifetimes of reincarnation, the yandere villainous heroine descends.

The moment they turned around, their gazes simultaneously sharpened.

What attracted them was neither the girl's delicate features nor the plate of sweet-smelling snow cakes.

Gu Qingran's gaze was fixed on the petite figure beside the girl.

That was the same face she had seen in the forbidden land. Now, the other person was also staring at her with wide eyes, their small face showing surprise, as if they had not expected to meet again here.

A hint of surprise flashed through Ya Ye's mind, but he quickly suppressed it and reached out to take the plate of snow pastries.

But just as their fingertips were about to touch, the girl in green suddenly flipped her wrist and pulled Xue Su back.

His previously gentle gaze suddenly turned cold, sweeping back and forth between their faces before finally settling on Gu Qingran. His tone was unequivocal and scrutinizing: "You know her?"

Ya Ye's hand froze in mid-air, his eyes darkening slightly.

The girl's attitude changed abruptly. Her previous kindness, like a thin layer of ice, had now cracked, revealing an unfathomable wariness beneath.

He glanced at Gu Qingran beside him, slowly withdrew his hand, and said in a calm and even voice, "We met once before."

"Yeah?"

Su Chacha raised an eyebrow, her gaze lingering on Gu Qingran's face for a moment before turning to Ya Ye with a hint of inquiry in her voice, "But judging from your expression, you were clearly surprised when you saw her. I wonder where you two met before?"

Tantai Chigu, standing beside her, remained hunched over, his dark, bright eyes fixed on Gu Qingran like two pieces of glass dipped in ink.

The strangeness in his eyes was even stronger than when they first met.

Since learning that Shen Shuchou was not married and that she had returned to her former self, Su Chacha stopped asking about the origins of the little girl, Shen Shuchou.

Not only that, she often took Tantai Chigu out for walks, because every time she looked at this little girl, she felt that there was something strange hidden in her eyes.

It wasn't hostility, but rather a kind of craving for food. Su Chacha didn't think too much about it, assuming it was just a child's curiosity about the world. That's why she brought her here today to buy sweets that children love.

Su Chacha hadn't expected that seeing Ya Ye and Gu Qingran like that would inexplicably remind her of the days when she followed Shen Shuchou.

Their reserved yet dependent demeanor stirred a pang of sympathy within her, prompting her to consider buying them some pastries.

Unexpectedly, the moment they saw Tantai Chigu, they showed such a surprised expression.

This means they must know Tantai Chigu. If they know this little girl, they most likely also know Shen Shuchou.

Perhaps we can glean some information from them.

"We've only met in one village, so we're not exactly close."

Ya Ye spoke calmly, subtly concealing the turmoil in his eyes.

He deliberately obscured the past of the forbidden land, because he could see that Su Chacha in front of him was ultimately just an ordinary person—the only difference being that this ordinary person had an aura that was particularly eye-catching.

"My brother is right, I only met her when I was passing through a village."

Gu Qingran also withdrew the surprise in her eyes at the right time and softly echoed.

The moment she caught a glimpse of Tantai Chigu, the first thing that popped into her mind was that unusually cold figure.

She remembered that she had begged that person to take her to see the outside world, but the matter eventually came to nothing, and she gradually forgot about him.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he and his brother stepped into this world, they ran into this little girl again.

What puzzled Gu Qingran was that this time, the aloof person was no longer by Tantai Chigu's side; instead, a girl with sparkling eyes was there instead.

Su Chacha could tell from Ya Ye's slightly furrowed brows that he was hiding something, and she knew that it would be difficult to get information out of him.

Gu Qingran, standing to the side, couldn't hide anything in her eyes; instead, she seemed to be able to get some information out of him.

But Su Chacha didn't intend to pursue the matter relentlessly. In any case, now that they had entered Ziyan City, there would be plenty of opportunities to find out the details.

"Take it, if you leave it any longer, the snow flakes won't be crispy anymore."

She temporarily set aside her previous probing and handed the plate forward again.

Ya Ye didn't move this time, but Gu Qingran readily accepted it. Her fingertips touched the cool porcelain plate, and she softly said thank you.

Su Chacha turned around, holding Tantai Chigu's small hand, and said in a light tone, but deliberately emphasized the word "him": "We should go back, otherwise he will worry."

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, Gu Qingran tightened her grip on the plate, and a barely perceptible ripple flashed in her eyes.

Tantai Chigu glanced at Su Chacha, then at Gu Qingran, her brows furrowing slightly, as if some thought was slowly becoming clear in her little head.

Halfway there, Su Chacha suddenly turned around, her smile as bright as the warm sun under the eaves: "My name is Su Chacha. If you encounter any difficulties since you are new to Ziyan City, just come to me."

As soon as she finished speaking, she took Tantai Chigu's small hand, and the two figures, like drops of ink falling into a stream, slowly blended into the depths of the crowd.

"Brother, would you like to try some?"

Gu Qingran raised her hand and handed the plate of snow pastries to Ya Ye's lips.

The somber look in Ya Ye's eyes faded slightly, and he said gently, "I won't eat it, you eat it."

"Then I won't eat it either."

Gu Qingran shook her head slightly and turned to return the pastries to the stall owner.

Ya Ye quickly took it, his fingertips touching the cool porcelain plate, a faint smile blooming on his face: "Brother, you can have it."

Gu Qingran was relieved and took a small sip of the snow-white pastry.

The frosting melted on her tongue, spreading a sweet sensation. She squinted her eyes, like a little animal that had just tasted honey.

In that forbidden land, as dark as eternal night, she never imagined that such tenderness existed in the human world.

But when Ya Ye held the snow-white pastry in his mouth, his tongue only tasted a bland flavor.

The image of that little girl from just now pierced his heart like a fine thorn.

He thought that by leaving the forbidden land, he could protect Qingran from all the shadows, but unexpectedly, he ran into Tantai Chigu in the bustling Ziyan City.

He couldn't see through the dark undercurrents hidden in the child's eyes, like a lurking abyss that could devour everything around it at any moment.

This unknown existence was a dangerous omens for both him and Qingran.

Moreover, as someone who is taboo, he has an almost instinctive and fatal attraction to that little girl, like a moth drawn to a candle flame in the darkest night.

But at this moment, that attraction was as light as a wisp of smoke in the face of Gu Qingran's laughter. His heart and eyes were filled with only the thought of protecting the younger sister beside him.

Suddenly, a thought flashed into Ya Ye's mind: if this little girl really grows up, will she one day be able to stand up to that white-clad swordsman?

But he quickly suppressed the thought as soon as it popped into his head.

Regardless of whether this child whose existence is unfathomable can truly grow up, it is uncertain whether someone like Gu Jian will even live to see her reach adulthood.

Right now, all he wants is to take Qingran away from this place of trouble.

Ya Ye chewed on the tasteless snow crisp, glanced at Gu Qingran who was licking the frosting, and asked softly, "Do you like it here?"

Gu Qingran understood the meaning behind Ya Ye's words. Without the slightest hesitation, she looked up at him and said, "Wherever brother goes, I will go."

Even though the initial joy of entering the human world still surged in her heart, and even though the appearance of Tantai Chigu stirred up memories of that indifferent figure.

Shen Shuchou, with whom she had only spent a short time, inexplicably stirred up her rebellious thoughts, but none of that could compare to the people around her.

Ya Ye was her closest support in this world, and she did not want to question his decisions.

Ya Ye's face remained expressionless, but he gripped her hand tighter, his fingertips stroking the back of her hand, and whispered, "Then brother will take you to a better place."

On the other side, in the courtyard.

Shen Shuchou lay on the rocking chair as usual, closing his eyes to rest.

When footsteps came from outside the courtyard, he didn't even look up; he knew without a doubt who had returned.

But the next second, a strange aura made him suddenly open his eyes.

The figure before her was not what she had expected, but a pair of icy, bone-chilling eyes set in a breathtakingly beautiful young girl's face.

Her eyebrows were like distant mountains shrouded in mist, yet held the snow that had never melted for a thousand years; her eyes were like autumn waters rippling across the surface, yet shimmered with a light tempered by ice.

This face is beautiful with a dazzling sharpness, much like a plum blossom blooming alone on a snowy peak, pure and aloof, yet captivating.

The next moment, a pair of double-edged swords suddenly materialized in the girl's hand, their cold light swirling on the blades, making the icy look in her eyes even more chilling.

With a soft "clang," the two swords crossed and spun in a cold arc before finally pointing together at Shen Shuchou's lower body.

The blade came to a steady stop three inches from his vitals, close enough for him to feel the bone-chilling cold emanating from its edge.

A slight smile curved her lips, her voice as soft as falling snow, yet carrying an undeniable ruthlessness: "Will you leave on your own, or do I have to chop him up myself?"

Shen Shuchou: "..."