Yi An finally shifted her gaze from Xu Xinghe's face to the rough porcelain bowl on the corner of the table. Her tone remained indifferent, devoid of any extra emotion, "What are you going to those two places for?"

“Find medicinal herbs.” Xu Xinghe was prepared and responded calmly, “An elder in my family is seriously ill and urgently needs a kind of herb that can only be found near Eagle’s Beak Cliff in Black Wind Ridge. It can’t be bought anywhere else.”

"What kind of medicinal herb are you looking for? What does it look like?" Yi An pressed. "What if I've seen it before? That way you won't have to risk going in, and I can bring it out for you."

Xu Xinghe could only feign helplessness, "You don't understand medicinal herbs. Those herbs have very special appearances and their medicinal properties need to be identified. I have to go in and find them myself. If I make a mistake, it will harm the elders."

Yi An was silent for a moment before continuing, "Black Wind Ridge is not safe now, so I plan not to go hunting in the mountains for a while."

His tone was flat, making it impossible to tell whether he was refusing or hinting.

Xu Xinghe thought he was trying to raise the price, "Then I'll give you one hundred and fifty yuan, is that okay?"

One hundred and fifty yuan!

Yi An's pupils contracted slightly, and her gaze toward Xu Xinghe became increasingly profound.

He was now even more certain that Xu Xinghe's trip into the mountains was definitely not as simple as looking for medicinal herbs.

If it's really about medicinal herbs, what precious herbs can't you buy for 150 yuan?

Why risk your life to go into the mountains?

Seeing that he still didn't speak, Xu Xinghe assumed he was not satisfied and raised the price again, "Two hundred yuan! If you still think it's not enough, then name a price. As long as you agree to take me in, as long as I can afford it, it's fine."

Yi An pursed her lips, her fingertips tightening slightly.

He looked up at Xu Xinghe and said, "I don't care what you do inside, I can also make sure you get in and out safely."

Xu Xinghe was overjoyed and was about to speak when he heard him continue, "But you have to tell me, will we encounter any danger once we go in?"

These words silenced Xu Xinghe.

She truly didn't know the specifics of the situation in Black Wind Ridge. Jiang Linchuan's disappearance, along with those spies, all suggested that the mountains were likely fraught with danger.

Danger is not inevitable, but there is a very high probability of encountering it.

Seeing her hesitate and remain silent, Yi'an already had the answer in her heart; it seemed that going into the mountains would likely lead to danger.

He had lived a life in the mountains since childhood and had long since become indifferent to life and death, but he was still worried about his younger sister.

"I can take you in."

Xu Xinghe's eyes lit up.

“But I have two conditions,” Yi’an interrupted her joy. “First, the reward is five hundred yuan, paid in full at once, and it must be given to my sister first. Second, you can’t tell anyone about this. I don’t want anyone to know that I’ve made money.”

A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.

If the villagers knew her sister had so much money, who knows what she might do.

People who usually appear very kind can become hideous and terrifying when it comes to money.

He had witnessed the evil in human nature since he was a child.

Xu Xinghe nodded without hesitation, "Okay! I can give it to you right now!"

Seeing her unwavering demeanor, Yi An knew that even if she asked for more, she would probably agree.

However, this was already the bottom line of his conscience.

It was also the price he felt his life was worth.

If this money is given to Yi Nian, even if he encounters some danger in the mountains and doesn't come back, she can rely on this money to pay for medical treatment and make a living, so she won't starve to death.

Over the years, while hunting, Yi'an encountered wild boar attacks, cliffs, and even got lost and ran out of food. Each time, she escaped death by luck and perseverance.

But luck won't always be on his side.

Every time he went up the mountain, he prepared for the worst, and this time was no exception.

As long as he can leave enough money for his sister so she can live a good life, he can rest in peace even if something really happens to him.

Looking at his indifferent profile, Xu Xinghe suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

This seemingly cold man is actually very kind to his family; it's just that outsiders can't see it.

"Don't worry, I'll give you the money right now, and I promise you I won't tell anyone."

She turned to go back inside to get the money, but Yi An stopped her, saying, "No need now."

He stood up, his tone returning to its previous indifference. "I still need to make some preparations. Tomorrow at sunrise, bring the money to my house. I'll give the money to my sister first, and then take you into the mountains. Once inside, you'll be responsible for your own affairs. I'll only be responsible for guiding you and escorting you out. If you encounter danger, I'll do my best, but I won't risk my life for you."

“Okay! It’s a deal!” Xu Xinghe immediately agreed, finally feeling relieved.

Yi An didn't say anything more and turned to walk towards the door.

When he reached the gate of the courtyard, he stopped, turned around and looked at Xu Xinghe, and said in a low voice, "When you go into the mountains tomorrow, wear sturdy shoes and bring enough dry food and water. The mountains are not like the village; there's nowhere to find supplies for you."

After saying that, he pushed open the door without waiting for Xu Xinghe's response and strode into the morning mist.

Uncle Li came out of the kitchen carrying two bowls of water. Seeing that Yi An had already left, he asked, "How did it go? Did you reach an agreement?"

"It's settled. We'll head into the mountains first thing tomorrow morning." Xu Xinghe smiled. "Uncle Li, could you please keep it a secret for me tomorrow? Just say I'm visiting relatives and I don't know when I'll be back."

"Don't worry, I know what to do." Uncle Li nodded and didn't ask any more questions, but he just instructed, "Be careful after you enter the mountains. Follow Yi An's footsteps and don't wander off."

"I will," Xu Xinghe replied, already planning her preparations for going into the mountains tomorrow.

She needs to retrieve enough supplies from the space and prepare for potential dangers.

When Yi'an returned to her courtyard, it was just getting light, and glistening dewdrops still clung to the weeds in the yard.

Instead of going inside to rest, he turned around, picked up the broom in the corner, and began to carefully sweep the yard.

His movements were slow, but he was extremely meticulous, leaving no corner unchecked, from the courtyard gate to under the eaves.

He cleaned up the fallen branches, scattered firewood, and even the weeds in the cracks between the bricks.

He was usually busy hunting and farming, and rarely had time to tidy up the yard.

Before each trip into the mountains, he would always tidy up his house inside and out, as if he wanted to finish everything that needed to be done.

After sweeping the yard, he picked up the bucket and filled the water vat in the corner of the yard with water until the water level reached the rim of the vat before putting down the carrying pole.

Then, he went inside and gathered up the scattered clothes.

There was his own old short jacket, his younger sister Yi Nian's faded little clothes, and a few discarded quilts.

He carried the clothes to the well outside the courtyard, pumped water, and slowly washed them.

The soap suds dripped down the water as he repeatedly rubbed the stains on the clothes until each garment was spotless. Only then did he wring out the water and hang them one by one on the clothesline in the yard.

A gentle breeze in the early morning caused the damp clothes to sway softly, carrying a faint scent of soapberry.

Inside the house, Yi Nian was awakened by the commotion in the yard.

Her fever hadn't completely subsided, her face was still pale, and she was wrapped in a thick old cotton-padded coat. She slowly moved to the doorway, leaning against the door frame as she looked at her brother in the yard.

Watching Yi An's busy figure, her eyes instantly reddened, and she whispered, "Brother, are you going into the mountains again?"