Ah Qi said with a hint of self-reproach, "It's my fault for not managing them well."
Upon hearing this, Rong Qingqing's expression softened. "You don't need to blame yourself. This has nothing to do with you."
“But they were recruited by me.” Ah Qi immediately looked up, feeling very ashamed. “I have failed the young lady’s trust.”
Rong Qingqing didn't expect him to take the blame upon himself. She couldn't help but reflect on whether what she said downstairs was a bit too extreme.
"It's true that you recruited them, but they were originally thugs. You've already done a great job training them to this extent. Besides, they're still young. It's normal for them to lose their temper when provoked. I believe they'll be more restrained if they encounter something like this again." She comforted them.
Upon hearing this, Ah Qi looked up and glanced at her.
Under the lamplight, the girl wore a gentle and tolerant smile, her eyes sparkling like stars in the night, bright and clear.
For some reason, Ah Qi's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
No one had ever smiled at him like that before.
My memories are filled with the disdainful and contemptuous looks from others.
He lowered his eyes, concealing the strangeness within them.
"I understand," he replied softly. "Then Miss, please get some rest."
“Yes, you too,” Rong Qingqing said.
Ah Qi quickly left the room.
Xiao Tao closed the door again.
Tonight, she will sleep in one room with Rong Qingqing, and Fu'er will sleep in another room with Xingchun.
"Miss, Ah Qi is quite naive," Xiao Tao remarked.
“Yes, he’s always been so innocent, like he’s never seen much of the world.” Rong Qingqing took off her cloak, sat on the bed, and patted the blanket. “Come on, little beauty.”
Xiao Tao blushed and glared at her, "Princess, you just love to talk nonsense."
Rong Qingqing laughed loudly, "I didn't do anything, you're the one who's thinking the wrong thing."
Xiao Tao was speechless.
The night was peaceful.
The next morning, Rong Qingqing and her group packed their things, had breakfast, and set off again.
No sooner had one group left than another group of weary travelers arrived at the inn.
The first person to walk in was Xie Jingrun.
He hadn't slept all night, and the journey day and night had left him with a hint of fatigue in his eyes, but his innate noble bearing remained undiminished.
The innkeeper was tidying up the accounts when he saw a customer arrive. He personally came out to greet him at the counter, "Sir, are you looking for a place to stay or a meal?"
“Did a group of people come to stay here last night? Among them was a young man with red lips and white teeth, who was about my height…” Xie Jingrun said, gesturing to his chest.
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper pondered carefully.
Changlin immediately handed over a silver ingot.
Seeing this, the innkeeper took the document and quickly said, "There are relatively few outsiders in this town, and our inn doesn't usually have much business. But last night, two groups of people came, and they even clashed and fought. In the end, the first group chased away the second group. One of them, a young master, even stood on a stool and scolded his subordinates. Now that I think about it, that young master is very much like the person you described."
"How long have they been gone? Which direction did they go?" Xie Jingrun clenched his fist.
"They've only been gone for less than a quarter of an hour, and they've headed that way," the shopkeeper said eagerly after receiving a silver ingot.
Upon hearing this, Xie Jingrun immediately turned around and, with Changlin and the others, chased after them in the direction he indicated.
After Rong Qingqing got into the carriage, she became somewhat uneasy. After thinking for a while, she decided to ask Zhao Yong to hurry up.
As the carriage sped up, Ah Qi and the others also increased their speed.
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