After returning from her outing, Jiang Ruan stared blankly out the window, because she knew clearly that the person she was looking for still felt a sense of familiarity.

She even felt that she was superior to Gu An.

Just as I was thinking, Zai Zai appeared.

It had been quite a while since they last saw each other, so when he jumped out of the space and rushed into her arms, Jiang Ruan was completely stunned.

“Zai…zai? You’re Zaizai?” It’s no wonder Jiang Ruan was so surprised; the person in front of her was so different from the one she had seen a few months ago.

"Mom, don't you remember me? It's me! I'm Bai Yuan."

The little one affectionately tugged at the frayed edge of Jiang Ruan's sleeve, swaying it back and forth, as if being affectionate.

"I know you're a little one, your scent is so familiar. But how come you've grown so much? You're only two or three years old, but you look like a teenager. It's really strange."

Jiang Ruan pulled him aside and looked at him carefully, afraid of missing a single detail.

"Mom, this is a long story. But I really am Bai Yuan. If you don't believe me, you can ask Xiao Yu. She saw everything from beginning to end."

Noticing the gazes fixed on her, Xiaoyu quickly appeared, her previous listlessness gone, and said with a smile, "Master, the little master has indeed grown up. The reason for this is because of the spiritual spring."

Jiang Ruan asked in confusion, "Spiritual Spring? Gu An also soaked in the spiritual spring for 49 days, so why didn't he grow any older?"

Xiaoyu continued to explain, "That's because the phoenix wasn't on him, but the young master absorbed the phoenix's healing spiritual power, and with the continuous upgrades and enhancements from the spiritual spring, he broke through his own limitations. While his abilities improved, his age also increased to adapt and integrate."

After Xiaoyu finished speaking, she confidently nodded to herself.

Jiang Ruan looked utterly shocked. She wanted to complain, but the little one was indeed by her side, and there was no doubt that he had grown up. However, what Xiao Yu said was simply outrageous.

It's hard to believe.

"Mom, let's not talk about that now. Grandma, I haven't seen her for a while, she must miss me. And Dad and Uncle Zhang, I want to see them too."

The little one broke the awkward silence. Jiang Ruan looked up at Gu An, who was sitting below watching silently, gave a wry smile, and pointed: "Your dad, he's over there. Go see him."

The little one looked up, tears welling in her eyes, and quickly got up and ran over.

Gu An's hands trembled, unsure whether to extend them or not. After struggling for a long time, she finally sighed and resignedly hugged the baby back.

Just as everyone was immersed in an awkward yet peaceful atmosphere, someone barged in, laughing wildly.

"Du Nuo, what brings you here?" Jiang Ruan remembered him; he was an investigator from the national headquarters, but he wasn't at the base. What was he doing here?

"Haha, Miss Jiang, Mr. Gu, I've been looking for you for ages, but I've finally found you."

Du Nuo walked to the table, picked up a cup of tea, drank it, and then sighed deeply.

Seeing that he was acting strangely, lacking his usual composure, Gu An frowned and asked, "What on earth could make you so excited?"

Du Nuo didn't intend to keep them in suspense and said directly, "The country has been conducting experiments recently, hoping to find a reagent that can resist zombies as soon as possible. Although we failed countless times and spent a lot of manpower, resources, and money, we finally made progress. We... succeeded!"

By the end, Dunuo was completely excited.

Jiang Ruan and Gu An remained calm, showing no excitement upon hearing the news, which left Du Nuo feeling somewhat frustrated.

"What? Don't you think this is exciting news? We humans have finally defeated the virus and conquered the zombies once again. We can finally complete our mission and return to a peaceful era with green waters and blue skies. Aren't you excited?"

The little one looked up from Gu An's arms, a hint of disdain flashing in his bright eyes.

"After saying all this, do you really think everyone will benefit? Or is it only those who are obedient and pragmatic who will benefit?"

The little one's words were surprising, and Du Nuo's brows furrowed deeply.

But I didn't expect him to say it so directly.

"I... I don't mean it. This is a benefit provided by the country to everyone, not me. So, whether you believe it or not is up to you."

"You talk a good game, but you're very cautious in your actions. Dangerous, Du Nuo. Who do you think you can fool with your little tricks?"

The little brat pressed on relentlessly, and two sentences from him turned the usually calm and collected Du Nuo pale.

It turns out that the little one used the phoenix's hidden skill, Mind Reading, which means it can perceive the true inner thoughts of the target.

So he gave the opportunity to Dunuo.

And he certainly didn't disappoint; he was indeed a treacherous, cunning, and scheming person.

Just after he finished speaking, Zai Zai heard a voice deep within his heart that wanted Jiang Ruan to die, and everyone around her to die.

The reason he came was because of that meager past affection, which was enough for Jiang Ruan to save him.