"I know I've used it for a long time, so I squatted here and tried my best to wash it. Who knew it was so hard to wash, and it's already so late."

Qiao Qiu lowered her head, her voice choked with self-reproach.

Everyone knew she was doing it so late for their own good, so they didn't know what to say.

Qiao's mother was very touched. "Silly child, it's my fault. I shouldn't have trampled on your hard work. Tomorrow, I'll go out with you to dig for medicinal herbs."

“Miss Qiao, you are a kind and good girl. Tomorrow, I will ask my husband to help you.”

"Miss, let me help you too."

Xiao Hui took the herbs from her hand.

Qiao Qiu laughed, "I'm sorry everyone, I made you all worry. I won't stay up so late in the future. I'll cook the herbal medicine tomorrow and bring it to you all."

"Thank you so much, Miss Qiao. You are truly a living saint in our village."

Everyone is happy to be healthy.

Gu Youying scoffed from behind, clearly disdainful.

"Sorry to bother you."

A gentle and refined voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone looked toward the source of the sound, but they couldn't see it clearly. The figure was a man in white.

Who are you?!

The man said, "My name is Yuge. I am passing by and, seeing that it is getting late, I would like to ask for lodging for the night."

"They're just looking for lodging." Everyone started whispering among themselves. What if they're not good people coming to stay so late?

Qiao Qiu spoke up loudly, "If you don't mind, young master, I'll discuss with my father whether you can stay overnight."

"Then thank you very much, young lady," Yu Ge replied.

Seeing that everything was alright, everyone left.

Gu Youying was instantly smitten when she saw Yu Ge's appearance, but her family was not as well-off as Qiao Qiu's, and she did not have a high status in her family. It would be difficult for her to have someone stay overnight.

Gu Youying gritted her teeth and watched as Yu Ge followed the Qiao family back home.

...

The Qiao family was a renowned family of philanthropists. When Yu Ge asked for lodging, Master Qiao readily agreed and even invited him to stay for dinner.

After dinner, Qiao Qiu was dragged to the main house by Master Qiao and given a lecture.

They said that although her intentions were not wrong, she shouldn't have stayed so late and made her family worry.

They were all saying things they were still afraid of.

Mr. Qiao spoke very seriously, and Qiao Qiu listened very attentively, showing none of the anxiety or lack of cooperation typical of young people.

After talking for a while, Master Qiao had nothing more to say to her and let her go back.

Qiao's mother had already prepared hot water for her in her room.

After Qiao Qiu went inside, she felt a strong heat.

These past few days, she's been doing this every time before going to sleep, and the heat has been keeping her up at night.

Qiao Qiu's eyes darted around, and she went over and hugged her mother's arm, pretending to be pitiful and coquettish, "Mom, can I take a bath in a different room next time?"

"Change rooms? Isn't it good to shower here?" Mrs. Qiao asked.

"It's so hot these days. After taking a shower at night, the room is always so warm and cozy that I can't sleep," Qiao Qiu said coquettishly.

“Alright, as you wish. Tomorrow I’ll have Aunt Chun prepare a room here, and you can take a bath in that room,” said Mrs. Qiao.

Qiao Qiu jumped up happily, "Thank you, Mother."

After taking a shower, Qiao Qiu opened the window to ventilate her room.

The temperature difference here is significant, probably because there are forests and fields; the breeze blowing into the room at night is quite cool.

When Qiao Qiu was living in ancient times, ice blocks would be placed in the house to cool it down in the summer.

Although the Qiao family were landlords, they were not a very large household, and they did not have the habit of storing ice.

Qiao Qiu wasn't greedy for that little bit. Sometimes when she was down on her luck, before she became successful, what hadn't she seen?

She was a little curious about Yu Ge's identity. He was skilled in martial arts, knew proper etiquette, and had a certain air about him, so his status must be quite high.

"Oh, Master, when will you ever act cute towards me? I can grant you any wish," the ring suddenly spoke.

"Tsk, we all know each other well, no need to pretend," Qiao Qiu said.

"How can that be pretentious? You're not that old to begin with."

"I'm not that old, but how many years have I lived?" She deliberately acted coquettishly because she didn't want to be too direct and hurt Madam Qiao's feelings. Besides, given her appearance and age, it wouldn't be appropriate to say anything else, so coquettishness was the only option left.

"Alright." The ring didn't make things difficult for her, though it was a little disappointed. It had hoped that if it could still see its owner shamelessly acting cute, it wouldn't regret showing its human form in front of her later. Who knew she couldn't even do that now?

Could it be because we're too familiar with each other?

Doesn't it scatter quite naturally?

It lived much longer than she did.

"Xiao Jie, help me find out what the Fishermen's Song is all about."

"good."

The ring snapped out of its reverie and started looking it up for her.

“Master, Yuge is the left protector of the Dark Night Sect. The Dark Night Sect is a major assassin sect in the martial arts world, and no one except their own people knows the exact location of its headquarters.”

"The Dark Night Sect, is Bai Shu also a member of the Dark Night Sect?" Qiao Qiu guessed.

"Yes, he's Yu Ge's rival; he's the Right Protector. The old leader of the Dark Night Sect is critically ill, and the two of them are vying for the position. Bai Shu sent assassins to kill Yu Ge, who has been hiding for several days and unexpectedly ended up here," the ring said.

"No wonder Bai Shu happened to 'pass by' here; it turns out he was chasing someone."

“Master, we are destined to be rivals of the protagonist.”

"Bai Shu should be arriving soon." Qiao Qiu closed the window and turned to walk towards the carved bed.

"They should catch up here tonight." The ring calculated how long it would have taken for Bai Shu to arrive.

"So he'll be sleeping in the wilderness tonight?" Qiao Qiu laughed. With Bai Shu's appearance, if Master Qiao were to take him in, he'd better be prepared.

Thinking about it, Yu Ge, the white-clad swordsman, looks kind and easy to bully.

"Yeah, by the time he caught up, it was almost dawn."

Qiao Qiu closed her eyes, wondering if she should personally push the plot forward and simply lure Gu Youying over so that they could reunite as soon as possible.

Tsk, forget it, I'd better not. What does their business have to do with her?

...

Everyone got up very early in the morning.

Qiao Qiu changed into a light outfit today. The skirt only reached her thighs, and she wore loose trousers underneath. A light blue silk ribbon tied around her waist, and her top was also light blue, but with three-quarter sleeves and narrow sleeves on the inner lining.

This was the shortest one she could find in her wardrobe.

She hadn't forgotten what she was supposed to do today.

Xiao Hui came in to comb her hair. When she saw her outfit, she slapped her forehead and realized what she was supposed to do today.

“Miss, you are so stubborn. Master is a great philanthropist, and you are a living bodhisattva, even better than Master.”

Qiao Qiu sat in front of the dressing table and said, "Sister Xiao Hui, please put all my hair up today, otherwise it will be difficult to dig for herbs."

"Okay, I'll do as you say, Miss. I'll go and style my hair too later." Xiao Hui stood behind her and began to style her long hair.