The following afternoon, after picking up the two, Changbai smiled and said to Anran, "Little Anran, it's so early now, do you want to go to the yamen for a visit?"

An Ran hadn't gone out to play for a long time. Apart from studying at the academy, she would stay at home practicing martial arts and reading books. This suggestion from the magistrate was undoubtedly a huge temptation for her.

"Okay, okay."

An Zhi's cold voice came: "Oh no, Mother has already prepared the meal and is waiting for us to go back. We can't go out to play."

“I’ve already told your mother that you’ll be eating with me today, and she agreed.”

An Ran's last concerns disappeared, and she said excitedly, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Seeing that An Zhi didn't move, she resorted to her shameless tricks, "Brother, I really want to go play! I really don't want to stay at home anymore, it's so uncomfortable."

Anzhi glared at Changbai, and finally nodded after Anran's persistent pleading, "Then let's go play. If you want to talk about something else, then let's go home."

Changbai breathed a sigh of relief, "Don't worry, I'm just taking you out for some fun. After dinner, I'll take you back. I won't say anything."

Changbai said that taking the two of them out was just for fun, and he didn't mean anything else by it.

He even let the two play with the spears and swords from the government office, saying, "Be careful, these are all real. I won't be responsible if you hurt your hands."

"Wow, this is so heavy, brother." An Ran held a long spear and couldn't lift it at all. He struggled for a long time but couldn't lift it even a little bit.

"Uncle, what's this called?"

"This is called a long spear. The Grand Princess used a long spear when she went to the battlefield. She could even perform a backswing spear maneuver."

An Ran couldn't help but ask curiously, "Who is the Grand Princess?"

Changbai said, "The current emperor's great-aunt, the first female general of the Li Kingdom."

An Ran nodded seriously: "I know the general. My mother said my father was a general who died killing the enemy."

Changbai just wants to say: Your father wasn't a general, he was a top scholar, and he's not dead.

The little girl tried to pick it up again, "Why can't I pick it up?" Suddenly, her hand felt light; the spear had been taken away.

The man leaped into the air with a long spear, which moved with the agility of a snake, leaving no straw in its wake unscathed.

After a long while, the man stopped, and An Ran saw the man's face clearly. She clapped her hands excitedly and shouted, "Uncle, how are you so amazing?"

Su Yi glanced at the guilty-looking Chang Bai beside him, then tossed the spear to the soldiers guarding the weapons. "Let's go. This isn't a place for you to play around."

An Ran took his hand and said, "Uncle, I want to learn too. I want to fight bad guys with a spear like the Grand Princess."

Upon hearing this, Su Yi shot a cold arrow at Chang Bai, then lowered his head and said gently to An Ran, "It's not good for girls to be involved in martial arts. They can learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting to cultivate their character and mind."

An Yi pulled An Ran's hand back from Su Yi's, "An Ran, let's go home."

Su Yi didn't know where the boy's wariness came from, nor the hatred that inadvertently flashed in his eyes.

An Ran was a little reluctant to leave. "But I want to play a little longer. I want to play with the spear."

Anzhi said bluntly, "You're not even as tall as a spear, yet you're playing with one. Wait until you grow up before you learn."

As the maid who was preparing the meal was being led away, Changbai quickly said, "Anzhi, since the food is here, you should eat and then leave."

An Ran shook An Zhi's hand, "Brother, is it okay?"

Anzhi knew Anran's expression was fake, but he just couldn't bear to refuse. "Then let's eat and go."

Changbai quickly told the maid to set out the food. Su Yi always ate with Changbai and Changyun, without any distinction between them, and this time was no exception.

Changyun looked at the two people who looked very similar and whispered to Changbai, "Twins?"

Changbai glanced at Anzhi discreetly and hummed in agreement.

Anzhi lowered his eyes and ate attentively, occasionally picking up food for Anran, acting very much like an older brother.

An Ran licked her lips and looked at a plate of bright red, glistening dish made with crushed peanuts. She glanced at An Zhi and then at the others before obediently eating the braised pork that An Zhi had picked up for her.

Seeing this, Su Yi put a piece of food into An Ran's bowl with his chopsticks. An Ran's eyes widened instantly, but before she could even reach for the food, An Zhi picked it up and put it aside.

"Didn't I tell you that you can't eat it?"

An Ran shrank her neck and behaved herself like an idiot. Su Yi couldn't stand it and picked up another piece of peanuts with his chopsticks. An Zhi glared at him with his dark eyes: "An Ran can't eat peanuts. Please don't feed her like that."

Seeing this, Changbai quickly put the dish into his own bowl, smiling obsequiously, "I can eat it, I like to eat it."

Su Yi picked up another piece of braised pork and gave it to An Ran. An Ran thanked him politely, "Thank you, Uncle."

After an awkward meal, Anran turned back with a smile before leaving and asked, "Uncle, can I come and play often?"

Su Yi wanted to say that this was a government office and people couldn't just come here casually.

He swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue because of the little girl's face. "Okay, but we can't go to the weapons area."

“Anran won’t go. Anran will ask Uncle to teach me when she grows up.”

Anzhi took her hand and then led her away. Changbai said apologetically, "Master, I will take her back first."

Upon reaching the Liu family's gate, Anzhi told Anran to go inside first, while he stood outside and said to Changbai in a very serious tone, "Don't send Anran to the yamen again. Anran is too young to be fooled by you. I hope you'll stop now."

Changbai said earnestly, "Anzhi, haven't you noticed that Anran really likes adults? If you don't like them, are you going to prevent Anran from experiencing fatherly love? That's not fair to her."

Anzhi suddenly got angry and said, "Shut up!" He went inside and slammed the door shut. Changbai was left feeling humiliated and went back home.

Liu Huan didn't react much after hearing the news; she knew she'd find out sooner or later anyway. It was just a matter of time; she'd let nature take its course.

...

"Your uncle won't be back from the yamen until very late today. I'll pick you up this afternoon. Don't run around, okay?"

"Mom, I can bring my little sister back too, and Xiao Lan and Xiao Hei as well."

Liu Huan refused without hesitation: "Let's talk about it later. How about Mom picks you up and drops you off now?"

Anran was the first to agree: "Okay, then Mommy, come early!"

In the afternoon, a lot of people were lurking around outside the academy, glancing inside every now and then. "Second Master, the person will be out soon."

"Okay, be careful! Run with the child in your arms, stick to the plan, or we'll be in big trouble."

Liu Huan and Qiu Rong waited outside for a long time, and when they saw the two children holding hands come out, they immediately went to greet them.

In the instant they moved forward, a large number of people emerged from all directions, and the stalls were in complete chaos.

When Qiu Rong helped her up, she witnessed a scene that devastated her.

Those people were all approaching Anzhi and Anran. She couldn't care less about anything else and quickly ran towards the child. She saw Anzhi's small body protecting Anran and running towards her, avoiding the crowd.

Everywhere were panicked parents and children. In the chaos, he handed Anran over to Xiao Hei: "My mother is there. You take Anran over there."

"elder brother!"

"Be good, as long as you're safe, your brother is safe."

He tried to distract the bandits by moving in another direction, but being just a child, he fainted in the bandits' arms in no time.

Liu Huan shouted, "Anzhi!"