“Yes…” Jiang Lian stammered, unable to think of a good explanation.

"Speak!" the masked man shouted, startling Jiang Lian so much that he took two steps back, filled with extreme regret.

Originally, anyone who heard that he was the son of a salt official would have looked at him with more respect.

At this point, this identity will bring him trouble.

Qiu Dafu replied calmly, "He was a servant of the Jiang family, and was expelled from the Jiang family for theft."

Zheng Hong chuckled softly, his head bowed. Jiang Lian, with a bitter expression, silently accepted his identity as a thief.

"Don't bring up my shortcomings. Although I took these clothes from the Jiang family, they still owe me a month's wages."

"So he's just a petty thief." The masked man's lips curled in disdain.

As soon as he finished speaking, his subordinates looked at Jiang Lian again, their faces filled with sarcasm.

Jiang Lian thought to himself, 'If they call him a petty thief, these people who kill and rob are the real master thieves.'

Looking at Qiu Dafu again, he remained calm, while Zheng Hong still had his head down and a smile on his face.

Among the common people, some did not know Jiang Lian, while others had met him several times.

Those who knew him all remained silent in tacit agreement.

Finally, the surrounding noise subsided when the masked man shouted, "Let's go!"

With the villain gone, Qiu Dafu's tense body finally relaxed.

...The next day, at Shenshi (3-5 PM), Qiu Yan's side.

Gu Xiaoran's silvery laughter echoed from the courtyard.

He would tease the little donkey from time to time, play with the puppy from time to time, and twirl the wooden sword from time to time.

Behind her, Zhu Juan waited quietly, hoping that her little master would grow up quickly.

Qiu Yan sat at the table with her hands supporting her chin. Although her eyes were on the IOU on the table, her thoughts had already drifted to Huai Yuan.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the door. Qiu Yan murmured, "They're finally back."

She stepped out of the house.

At that moment, a knocking sound came from outside the courtyard gate.

"I'll go open the door."

After saying that, Zhu Juan ran towards the courtyard gate.

Qiu Yan stopped her and opened the door herself.

With a creak, the gate opened, and Qiu Yan had just called out "Second Uncle" when she saw the man in front of her, her body stiffening slightly.

Gu Qian dismounted and looked back, but his second uncle was nowhere to be seen.

"Yan Yan, it's me."

He walked straight to Qiu Yan and took her slender, white fingers in his hand.

Their eyes met. The bright sunlight slanted in front of the door, and the air was filled with a gentle warmth, which even bathed Gu Qian's gentle eyes in the warm sunlight.

His eyes seemed to burn with a shrewd flame, his gaze fixed on Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan smiled at him; she was quite happy to see the travel-worn man in front of her.

However, this feeling is somewhat unreal.

"Are you done with work?"

The journey was long, and Qiu Yan thought that Gu Qian would come again after the New Year.

Gu Qian nodded with a smile, "I've been working day and night just to see you, and my horse is almost worn out."

"There is still a long life ahead of us, why rush things?"

"You're not in a hurry, but I am."

"..."

The two talked as they entered the courtyard.

The Ling brothers stepped forward to pay their respects, then silently retreated into the room.

When Gu Xiaoran saw Gu Qian arrive, she instantly became energetic and rushed into his arms like a little firecracker, feeling the long-lost fatherly love.

Gu Qian took out a bamboo dragonfly from his pocket and handed it to Gu Xiaoran, who found it quite amusing.

He took the hot water Zhu Juan handed him, took a sip, and asked, "Yan Yan, where did your second uncle go?"

"I went to Huaiyuan."

Gu Qian asked, somewhat puzzled, "What are you going to Huaiyuan for?"

He passed through Huaiyuan this morning, but thinking of seeing Qiu Yan as soon as possible, he did not stop.

Qiu Yan said, "I'm taking a friend home to visit relatives," and went straight to the kitchen.