The group reunited.

No one asked Ning Yao why she had changed her clothes, and no one asked about the screams from the previous night.

Madam Ning grabbed her, preventing her from going out: "It's too cold outside. You stay in the carriage and let your father and brother go outside! Women are most susceptible to the cold. You don't understand now, but you will in the future!"

“That’s right, Third Sister can stay in the carriage with Mother and talk to her,” Shen Cile chimed in.

Ning Yao thought about it and then agreed.

The road from the capital to Licheng is long, passing through many cities and crossing a large mountain.

The mountain is called Kunlun Ridge. Its highest point is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, and you can vaguely see the snow-capped peaks when you stand at the foot of the mountain.

"It is said that Kunlun Ridge has three wonders: the first is the thick fog that never dissipates on the mountaintop, the second is the snow that never melts on the mountain, and the third..." Madam Ning kept it a secret.

Ning Yao asked curiously, "What is three?"

“Then, I heard that there is a seven-colored divine tree in the ridge.” Shen Cile continued, “The divine tree is full of treasures and can be used as medicine. If you eat it, you can prolong your life and be free from illness and pain. However, no one has ever really seen the divine tree. Some people say that the divine tree has a spirit and can only be seen by those who are destined. Others say that the divine tree is protected by a goddess and a spirit beast, and that others cannot get close to it.”

Ning Yao blinked: "If we've never seen it, then where does this legend about the sacred tree come from?"

Madam Ning flicked her forehead and scolded, "You silly girl, you ask such tricky questions. Just treat it as a story to pass the time."

Ning Yao stuck out her tongue, looking playful.

Seeing everyone enjoying themselves, Shen Cile felt at ease and began to feel drowsy.

"Why is Second Sister-in-law asleep again? She's been sleeping almost every day these past few days."

Madam Ning said, "She must be too tired. Let her sleep. There's nothing else to do anyway."

Shen Ci'an didn't know how long he had slept, but when he woke up again, the carriage had already stopped.

She got up and looked out of the car, only to find that it was already dark.

"Big sister, you're awake?" Shen Ci'an noticed that she had gotten off the carriage and quickly came over to help her.

Shen Cile nodded: "Yes, where are we?"

"Outside Songyang City".

Upon hearing this, she looked ahead and saw the enormous city gate of Songyang City appear before her.

"Are we heading into the city? No longer taking the detour?"

Shen Ci'an nodded: "Yes, Yao Yao said it's been a month and they're almost out of food. They're going into the mountains soon, so they need to find some more food."

Shen Cile's mind stirred slightly. She knew that the Ning family all possessed treasures, and all their food, drink, and daily necessities were contained within them.

Ning Yao's claim of going to the city to find food is probably just a pretext.

The visible food on the carriage had been used up, and a suitable reason was needed to take out the treasure.

but……

"Yao Yao?" Shen Cile looked at him with a half-smile: "She is three years older than you. According to the rules, you should call her 'elder sister.' Didn't Father tell you that?"

Shen Ci'an lowered his eyes, his lips pressed tightly together, and remained silent.

He listened to Shen Wei, but for some reason, he didn't want to listen when facing his eldest sister.

After a long pause, he said, "My father said so, but I don't want to. We're not siblings."

“Even if they aren’t blood siblings, there’s the connection of being the eldest sister, so it’s not wrong for you to call her ‘sister.’ Since you don’t want to call her ‘sister,’ and instead call her Yao Yao, such an intimate term is only used by the closest family members…”

"An'er, what are you planning?" Shen Cile's teasing voice was mixed with laughter and a hint of inquiry.

Shen Ci'an's ears turned red, but it was too dark to see.

"Sister, please don't ask anymore. I know what I'm doing! She and her husband went to the city and asked me to pick them up in half an hour. I'm leaving now."

The boy's voice was slightly hoarse; it wasn't exactly pleasant during puberty.

However, Shen Ciyue could detect something unusual in his voice.

"Tsk, my little brother has grown up and has his own ideas now."

Staring at the boy's departing figure, Shen Cile looked around for a while, then turned around and saw Ning's father and mother, as well as her own father.

She couldn't help but sigh.

Inside Songyang City.

Ning Yao and Ning Jin had sneaked into the city half an hour earlier.

There was no other purpose; it was simply to prepare for the upcoming trip into the mountains.

Songyang City is a city at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains.

Backed by the Kunlun Mountains and built against the mountain, it is as big as two Beijing cities.

"It seems that Songyang City is even more prosperous than the capital," Ning Jin said.

At this moment, the brother and sister were walking on a street in Songyang City.

Shops in the city were closed, and the stalls of street vendors that used to be there were scattered on one side.

As we passed by some grand courtyards, the red lanterns outside the gates were blown down by the wind.

The once bustling scene is gone, leaving behind a ghost town.

"Has Second Brother ever been to Songyang City?"

"I've never been here, but I've heard others mention it. They say that Songyang City is a vital transportation hub connecting the north and south, leading to many nearby cities. Because of the legend of Kunlun Ridge, even more people come here, including people from other countries who come to do business. The people are wealthy, and Songyang City has no curfew, making it an unparalleled prosperous place."

Ning Yao tilted her head, somewhat curious: "Is this legend true or false?"

Ning Jin shook her head: "Then I don't know."

"It's amazing that a mere mythical legend could revitalize a city and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people... It's a bit of a pity that it's like this now."

"Yes, I wonder when things will return to their former glory so we can witness it with our own eyes!"

The night was filled with a biting wind, and Ning Yao pulled her cloak tighter around herself.

"Second Brother, let's find a place to get down to business! Parents are waiting!"

"Um!"

The brother and sister left the main city road and found a secluded place to start moving their belongings out.

"Second brother, what else do you have?"

"We've almost finished the cooked food, and I guess there's not much left for my parents. What's left is raw food. We've been cooking all along the way, so it's not too much trouble, and it's alright."

Ning Yao thought for a moment, then began taking things out of the secret realm.

"Eating simply is for show. Since we have the means, we shouldn't skimp on ourselves. I have some snacks and cooked food here. I'll share some with you first, and we can talk about the parents later."

As Ning Yao spoke, she took out more items, and soon they piled up into a small mountain.

"Alright, second brother, you can put them away! While they were in the carriage, you could give them to Father, Mother, and Second Sister-in-law. I have more here after they're all gone!"

Even though Ning Jin was mentally prepared, she was still shocked and opened her mouth wide when she suddenly saw this scene.

"Yaoyao, your treasures can hold so much! All these things you took out could fill up my treasures!"

Ning Yao smiled faintly and remained silent, only urging him, "Hurry up, Second Brother."

The brother and sister exchanged supplies, and Ning Yao took out some simple food, put it in a basket, and each of them carried one on their backs, preparing to leave the city.