She quickly turned her head away, the warmth of his palm bringing her a sense of security.

After walking a distance, Qi Nuan asked, "Who is this Granny Mo?"

“She is an elderly woman who was taken in by the charity hall some time ago. I heard she came from Kyoto. She knows a little medicine, and I sometimes ask her for help when I come here.”

Xiangxiang didn't look at Qi Nuan, she just kept talking to herself.

She was lying, Qi Nuan knew it.

Everyone has their own secrets, and perhaps she shouldn't pry into her privacy, but she remembered what the old woman had said to Xiangxiang, and it was clear that the old woman didn't have any good intentions towards Jiang Yu and the others.

The surname Jiang is either Jiang Ming or Jiang Yu, but no matter who it is, she cannot allow them to be harmed.

It seems they've never really asked each other much about anything.

After years of teacher-student relationship, she thought of what the old woman had said: before or after they met?

She hesitated, unsure whether she should ask.

When they went to find Ahua, the atmosphere was still somewhat silent. Ahua asked, "What's wrong? Aren't you two usually so chattering together?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Nuan retorted, "We don't chatter, we're not sparrows."

“Okay, you’re not sparrows,” Ahua said with a smile.

Although she was smiling, there was a hint of melancholy between her brows.

Qi Nuan didn't know the cause of this pent-up frustration; it seemed as if everyone had their own secret all of a sudden.

Before long, Qingqing and the others arrived.

"Anuan, are you going back to the prefectural government or coming back with us?" Ahua asked Qi Nuan.

Qi Nuan hesitated. She wanted to go back and have Jiang Ming investigate Mo Amo, but she also wanted to spend more time with Ahua and the others.

Seeing her hesitation, Ahua sighed and said, "Then come back with us."

Since Ahua said so, Qi Nuan had no reason to hesitate. "Okay, Sister Ahua, I also want to stay with you a little longer."

"Then don't cry if you don't see Brother Yu," Qingqing teased her.

Qi Nuan snorted coldly, turned her head away, and ignored her. How could she remember such a long time ago? She still brought it up to mock her from time to time.

She was three years old then. They still lived in that dilapidated temple. During the day, Jiang Yu and the others would go to the city to find food and earn money.

Once, Jiang Yu and Jiang Ming went for three days and did not return. Qi Nuan could only cry and beg Big Beard to go find them.

When they returned, they were covered in wounds, bleeding profusely.

From then on, Qi Nuan would not allow Jiang Yu to stay in the city for more than one night.

Once Jiang Yu is overdue, when Jiang Yu comes back, she will keep crying and crying.

Everyone clearly remembered this incident and laughed. Qi Nuan was a little embarrassed but also very happy that everyone was like this.

Wang Er sent someone to the prefecture to inform Jiang Yu that Qi Nuan was not returning.

The group then boarded a carriage and slowly returned to the Jiang residence.

Qi Nuan still didn't ask Xiang Xiang anything.

She knew she wouldn't get anything out of them even if she asked. She would naturally speak when she wanted to. Otherwise, this group of people was the most stubborn of all, seemingly close yet worlds apart.

No one will show their wounds to others.

At night, Qi Nuan and A Hua slept together.

For Qi Nuan, Ahua was like her older sister and her mother. She was very fortunate to have met them in this strange world and did not want their friendship to disappear easily.

“Anuan, I know you were raised by Brother Yu, and we grew up together since we were little, but I still have to say some things to you, even if these things may not be to your liking.”

In the darkness, Qi Nuan couldn't see Ahua's face, but Ahua's tone was gentle, and she could feel the kindness in her words.

"Sister Ahua, just say what you want to say. I think there's nothing we can't talk about."

After a moment of silence, Ahua's voice slowly rang in her ears.

“Anuan, Yu Ge and the others have been getting busier and busier lately. I think they will be even busier in the future.”

Qi Nuan nodded, but she still didn't know what Ahua was going to say.

"From now on, you can come and stay at my residence!"

Qi Nuan understood what A Hua meant; she wanted Qi Nuan to stay at the Jiang residence indefinitely.

Qi Nuan did not speak.

Qi Nuan is already seven years old this year. In ancient times, there was a saying that people should not sit together after the age of seven, but Qi Nuan thought that Ahua must not be doing this for that reason.

Moreover, the relationships between men and women in the Great Zhou Dynasty were not as strict as in the previous dynasty. Although Ah Hua sometimes paid great attention to rules and etiquette, given their experience and the current situation, this reason was simply nonsense.

So why is that?

However, she soon found out the reason, and she never expected it to be this reason. She gave a wry smile.

If Ahua hadn't said what she wanted, she might never have known. No, perhaps she always knew, but just never thought about it.

"Okay, I'll reply to what A-Yu said."

Qi Nuan agreed to Ahua's request, and she was very grateful to her. Perhaps only someone who truly cared about her would advise her like that.

"Sister Ahua, thank you. I will tell Ayu that I wanted to stay at the Jiang residence myself."

Qi Nuan knew that Jiang Yu was not a good person at heart, and he was also quite vengeful. If he knew that it was Ahua who asked her to leave the county government, Jiang Yu would not say anything, but he would definitely dislike Ahua.

Ahua didn't say anything, but just stroked Qi Nuan's soft, long hair.

She knew, of course, that Jiang Yu was very good to Xiao Niba, but...

She hoped that Little Mud would have a better life.

The next day, Jiang Yu sent someone to pick up Qi Nuan early in the morning.

Qi Nuan did not go back. Instead, she asked the person who came to pick her up to have Jiang Yu come to the Jiang residence that evening.

On the training field, Qingqing was surprised to learn that Qi Nuan was not going back, but she also felt that this was a good thing.

She said to Qi Nuan in a very generous manner, "I'll teach you martial arts. I'm sure you haven't practiced much in the prefectural government."

Qi Nuan nodded, "Okay, then I'll thank Sister Qingqing in advance." She hadn't practiced martial arts for a while.

"Don't thank me yet, I won't hold back," Qingqing said.

Qingqing's martial arts skills are quite good, which is also inseparable from her diligence, although she doesn't stay at the training ground 24 hours a day like Amu.

But she also spends most of her time practicing martial arts.

These are their means of survival, and they should cherish them.

Qingqing and the others could sense that Qi Nuan wasn't as hardworking as they were; she would only learn what interested her, and seemed indifferent to everything else.

She thought it might be because Jiang Yu was there; Jiang Yu was really good to her.

I couldn't bear to see her suffer even the slightest bit.

But Qi Nuan can't always rely on Jiang Yu, can she? They've been through a lot and know that relying on others won't work.

Qi Nuan is also very dependent on Jiang Yu. It's not that this is a bad thing, but people always have to part ways one day.

No one will always unconditionally tolerate others.

She still hopes that Qi Nuan will remain the same Qi Nuan after leaving Jiang Yu one day.