Chapter 194 Thoughts

Not going back?

Xi'er's words surprised Zhong Min again. Could it be that this girl really planned to follow her in the future? If it were in the past, perhaps it would be understandable, but now she herself was a burden to others and really didn't have the extra money to take in Xi'er.

"Xi'er, you're not serious, are you?" Zhong Min asked repeatedly. "I can barely protect myself right now. If you follow me, you might run into danger at any moment. You need to think carefully before you proceed."

She couldn't completely deny it. After all, Xi'er had the right to make her own decisions. She had indeed promised Xi'er before, and it was difficult to go back on her word. However, for Xi'er's safety, she still hoped the girl could return to Muzhou. While the situation in Muzhou wasn't optimistic, as long as Xiao Mingzheng was there, it wouldn't be easy for the court to take them down anytime soon.

Xi'er heard Zhong Min's words and said with extraordinary certainty, "If I say I'm not leaving, then I'm not leaving. Would I lie to you? This isn't something to joke about. Besides, the prince has agreed, so you don't have to worry about anything else. As for whether it's dangerous or not, I know it in my heart. I'm happy to be with you. I'm happy!"

"Xi'er... I..." Zhong Min was speechless. If Xi'er came along, the situation would be even more dire. She had been thinking about confessing everything to Qin Ke, but now that Xi'er was here, it seemed like the timing wasn't right. It seemed like she would have to wait until a better opportunity to tell Qin Ke.

"Stop talking about me, me, me. Are you afraid that I will follow you and eat and drink for free? Don't worry. Although we don't have much money, we can do any job. You can rest assured." Xier was joking, but she knew in her heart why the prince agreed to let her stay. After all, it would be better to have more people to take care of Zhong Min.

Although Zhong Min is smart and capable, she is not very good at taking care of herself. With her taking care of Zhong Min in the future, the prince will naturally feel more at ease and can focus more on the war.

"Since you have made up your mind, there is no reason for me to drive you away. I will talk to Brother Qin when he comes back. He is a nice guy and he won't say anything." Since she had made up her mind, Zhong Min stopped thinking about it and became excited again. After all, having a good friend by her side was definitely a happy thing for her.

When Xier heard what Zhong Min said, she was stunned for a moment and looked at Zhong Min with a strange look, as if she was thinking about something.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Zhong Min patted Xi'er's shoulder and said with a smile, "By the way, Ziyan, Chu'er, Xiang'er, Brother Xie, Brother Luo, and Xiaowu and Xiaoliu, are they all okay?"

Xi'er didn't rush to answer Zhong Min's question, but suddenly asked, "Jin'er, have you and Brother Qin already..."

Having said this, she suddenly fell silent, but her expression became somewhat self-evident.

"What are you talking about? Don't let your imagination run wild. Brother Qin and I are just friends. It's nothing like what you think!" Zhong Min wasn't a child, so she naturally understood what Xi'er meant. As she spoke, she reached out and tapped Xi'er on the head, warning her with a smile, "Girls, why are you thinking about such nonsense all the time? Brother Qin will be back soon, so don't say anything nonsense or you'll embarrass him!"

After being scolded by Zhong Min, Xier finally breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "Okay, I understand. I will definitely not talk nonsense later."

Then the two of them smiled at each other, and the topic was turned over. They turned to talk about their own current situation and the recent situation of others.

After hearing Xi'er's story, Zhong Min finally realized that Zi Yan was still in the capital, working alongside Mo Yan and inexplicably overseeing the intelligence network. After the war, intelligence work had become both more important and more difficult. Fortunately, with the foundation they'd built and the considerable progress Mo Yan and his team had made, they were doing quite well.

As for Chu'er and Xiang'er, they had already returned to Muzhou, though Xi'er wasn't entirely sure what they were doing there, as she rarely saw them. Xiaowu and Xiaoliu hadn't returned to Muzhou, and Xi'er had no idea whether they were staying in the capital or elsewhere. Xie Feng no longer served as a special guard commander, but had returned to the battlefield to lead his troops as a general.

Hearing this, Zhong Min was immediately happy for Xie Feng. Although he had done an excellent job as the commander of the guards, the battlefield was ultimately a place where a soldier could best express himself and realize himself. Xie Feng had always dreamed of returning to the battlefield, and now his wish had finally come true.

Apart from these people, the person Xier talked about the most was naturally Luo Jiaxing.

Xier said that Luo Jiaxing has now become Xiao Mingzheng's most capable civil and military official. Not only is he brave and resourceful on the battlefield, but he has also recruited a lot of talents for Xiao Mingzheng. He has made immeasurable contributions in clearing Xiao Mingzheng's reputation of treason and rebellion, allowing Xiao Mingzheng's rebel army to win the support of many people and even making Xiao Mingzheng's name spread further.

When Xi'er mentioned Luo Jiaxing, her face lit up with joy. Such excitement and excitement were the most natural expression, and she couldn't hide it. Zhong Min naturally knew what this meant. She had guessed it long ago, but she hadn't noticed that Xi'er's emotions were now becoming more and more intense.

"Oh, right, there's something I almost forgot." Xi'er said as she rummaged through her bag again and quickly pulled out a very small dagger and handed it to Zhong Min. "This is what General Luo asked me to bring you. Don't be fooled by its small size, but it's very powerful. It can cut through iron like mud. It's also short and easy to carry, making it perfect for self-defense."

When Zhong Min heard that it was Luo Jiaxing who gave it to her, she couldn't help but smile. This boy is really thoughtful. Even after not seeing her for such a long time, he hasn't forgotten her as a friend. He even remembered to save some good things for her.

She took it, unsheathed the dagger and took a look. Suddenly, she felt a chill. The edge of the dagger was extremely thin, and there was a hint of murderous aura, as if it had life. It was obvious that it was a good thing.

She nodded, not sparing her praise, and then inserted it into the scabbard, weighed it, and looked at it while holding it. It was indeed much smaller than an ordinary dagger, and she thought to herself that it was perfect to carry around.

"You like it, right? General Luo took great pains to find this dagger. He said it was for you to use for self-defense, so you should be careful." Xier's tone was filled with indescribable envy. If General Luo treated her so well, she would die without regrets.

Hearing Xier's words, Zhong Min couldn't help but pause and said to Xier, "Xier, if you really don't go back, you might never see Brother Luo again. Can you really bear it?"

Xi'er blushed. Zhong Min's meaning was obvious. With her intelligence, it was easy for her to see what she was thinking. So after a pause, she said frankly, "What difference does it make whether we meet or not? There's no possibility for him and me. What's more, there's no way he could have me in his heart. Why should I bother myself with this? I'll be content if I can reminisce occasionally, or if I have the chance to see him again in the future. If there's no chance, that's fine too. It's all fate after all."

Xier said it very seriously. In fact, she could see who General Luo had in his heart, but the fool just didn't know it yet.

Seeing Xier looking a little depressed, Zhong Min was about to say something to comfort and encourage her, but before he could say anything, he heard Qin Ke's voice coming from outside.

She had no choice but to temporarily interrupt what she was about to say and turned to Xier and said, "Brother Qin is back."

Soon, Qin Ke walked in from outside the yard. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, his eyes first swept over the dining table. Seeing that the bowl of noodles was empty, an almost invisible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Zhong Min noticed Qin Ke's reaction at that moment, and she felt a little uncomfortable. If Qin Ke knew that the longevity noodles he had made for her were eaten by Xier, she wondered how he would feel. Now she naturally couldn't say much, she just hoped that this misunderstanding would not be exposed.

"Min'er, I'll ask Second Aunt to get some clean bedding. Tonight, let Miss Xi'er sleep in my room, and I'll just sleep on the floor outside." Qin Ke said as he put down the things in his hands. He looked at Zhong Min and Xi'er, and saw that the two of them seemed to be having a good conversation. He guessed that they had almost said all the private things they needed to say.

"Thank you, Brother Qin. However, there's no need to trouble you to vacate the room. From now on, I'll just live in the same room with Jin'er. I can't let you sleep on the floor every day." Xier quickly stood up and said, laughing very happily.

After hearing Xier's words, Qin Ke finally reacted and said, "You mean, you're not going back and you want to stay here?"

"Yes, I have already told Jin'er that I came here specifically to seek refuge with you. Brother Qin won't chase me away, right?" Xier said playfully. She knew a little about Qin Ke. He was a good man, so he naturally wouldn't feel comfortable chasing her away.

Seeing this, Qin Ke didn't think much about it. Since Zhong Min agreed, there was no problem. He nodded slightly and said, "In that case, I'll go get another bed."

Zhong Min glanced at the box Xier had brought her, thought for a moment, and said to Xier, "Xier, I have something to discuss with Brother Qin alone. You must be tired from the journey. Go to your room and rest for a while. When you're rested, I'll take you around the neighborhood."

Xier was also smart. She didn't ask any questions and just nodded in agreement. After smiling and nodding at Qin Ke, she took her bag and walked towards Zhong Min's room in the east.

Seeing this, Qin Ke also understood what was going on. He found a seat and sat down. Seeing that Xier had already closed the door, he said, "What's the matter? Tell me."