The two families had a simple lunch. Meng Xiuyi asked Chu You to buy a few steamed buns and cooked some simple dishes. They ate whatever they could find.
In the afternoon, Zhu Ting pulled Meng Wanwan up to the roof from the back of the house, where she watched Meng Xiuyi and the others build the house while waiting for the sun to set.
In Meng Wanwan's eyes, this world really is no different from the real world.
Small bridge, flowing water, and houses.
Sunset, ordinary people, family conversation.
Aside from the occasional monks who seemed out of place in this environment, this place was truly a peaceful land.
Zhu Ting sat cross-legged, raising his hands to shield his face from the sunlight, yet secretly peeking through his fingers at the increasingly brilliant sunset.
"I really hope these people leave soon and give our town peace back."
Meng Wanwan nodded in agreement: "Yes, that's right!"
Unfortunately, this world is destined to be anything but peaceful.
The next morning, the Meng family's house was declared completed.
Meng Wanwan moved back to her own home, and Meng Xiuyi took Meng Wanwan away under the pretext of going out to buy daily necessities.
Because the town was small, within two days, many people knew Meng Xiuyi. They even distinguished him from the outsiders, so they greeted him warmly.
Meng Xiuyi's gentle nature had already spread far and wide; he simply smiled and nodded, and the residents kept praising him.
Meng Xiuyi had no choice but to lead the children into a small alley.
Before Meng Wanwan could figure out what he was going to do, Meng Xiuyi said, "If you have anything to say, just say it."
Meng Wanwan looked completely bewildered.
What?
"Ahem!" A haughty cough sounded from behind.
Meng Wanwan turned around and saw Helian Xiao looking at her with a mournful expression.
"You brat, you..."
Meng Xiuyi's gentle gaze swept over them.
Helian Xiao raised his fist and slammed it into his own head.
"Hey, it's me, it's me! Don't you recognize me?"
Meng Wanwan said with a grin, "Uncle, of course I know you."
Helian Xiao said irritably, "You know me and you still framed me? Do you know how happy I was to see you when I had just woken up? But before I could even open my mouth, you grabbed my hand and covered your mouth."
Meng Wanwan, completely unfazed, waved her hand and said, "Oh dear, don't worry about the details. I'm just worried we'll be exposed. Look, our family has already infiltrated the indigenous people. If they find out I know you, we'll be caught out!"
Helian Xiao glanced at her: "Is it really because of this?"
Meng Wanwan shrugged: "Otherwise what? Do I have a grudge against you? Or am I framing you so you can get spirit stones?"
Helian Xiao temporarily believed this explanation: "Alright, I'll believe you for now."
After saying that, he sat down on the ground and began to pour out his grievances.
"This place is so eerie. I can't tell who's in the painting and who's a native. How can everything be so real? Is this not some world in a painting, but a small world in itself?"
Not only that, he was also beaten up by an old man as soon as he came in, and his weapon was taken away.
After finally waking up, she was framed by Meng Wanwan.
But he would never say these words.
Meng Xiuyi said calmly, "No, this is indeed a world within a painting."
Meng Wanwan then asked Yun Zhao, "Senior brother, how did my father meet Helian Xiao?"
Yun Zhao whispered, "He came to our door last night, but Master beat him up before he could talk properly."
Meng Wanwan: "Oh..."
So pitiful.
Helian Xiao frowned: "How can you be sure this is the world inside the painting?"
Looking at the place, Meng Xiuyi said, "Fengling Town is a real place. You may be too young to have heard of it, but I have seen descriptions of this place in my family's history books."
The little ones immediately perked up.
They all looked at Meng Xiuyi expectantly.
Then Meng Xiuyi shrugged: "That's all."
...
Helian Xiao protested, "But why haven't we heard of this?"
Meng Xiuyi: "It's probably been submerged in the river of time. I guess this painting, this secret place, might be someone's memory, who knows?"
At this point, Meng Wanwan suddenly remembered the Baili family members she had met yesterday and asked Meng Xiuyi, "Father, do you know about the Scroll of All Heavens?"
Meng Xiuyi shook her head: "I've never heard of it."
Meng Wanwan turned her gaze to Helian Xiao.
Helian Xiao shook his head: "Don't look at me, even your father doesn't know, how would I know?"
Meng Wanwan asked in confusion, "Could it be some kind of secret news? But that doesn't make sense. Yesterday, Sister Ting and I met two people surnamed Baili. When they mentioned the Scroll of All Heavens, they did it so naturally. They should think that this news is not a secret."
"Besides, Nian Nian knows about this thing too."
The group completely ignored the name Niannian and stared at her in shock.
"Baili?"
Meng Wanwan nodded, a little confused: "What's wrong? Just because someone has the surname Baili doesn't mean they're from the Baili family, right? There must be quite a few people in the world with the same surname, right?"
Meng Xiuyi had a complicated story to tell: "No, there are only the Baili family with the surname Baili. Although the Nine Realms Continent is vast, there are definitely no two families with the same surname. After you mentioned them before, I inquired about them, and the Baili family is indeed a family with a long history."
Meng Wanwan looked shocked: "Did I encounter a ghost?"
Meng Xiuyi stroked her head and said gently, "Don't talk nonsense."
His gaze was deep: "If this really is someone's memory, then isn't it normal to have members of the Baili family here?"
So, the two she saw yesterday weren't the subjects of the painting at all?
A spark ignited in her eyes: "Father, I feel that these two might be the key."
She looked at Helian Xiao: "Uncle?"
Helian Xiao was processing the information he had just received when Meng Wanwan called out to him, and he said irritably, "What?"
Meng Wanwan smiled and said, "Do you want to kill the Baili family?"
Helian Xiao gave him a "don't try to fool me" look: "If this is a memory, they can't even be considered members of the Baili family, so why would I kill them? There's no reward for killing them."
Meng Wanwan shook one finger: "No, no, no, have you ever considered that these two people might be related to your family's ancestral teachings?"
Niannian: "Eh? Master, have you guessed something?"
Meng Wanwan: "No. If I didn't say that, how could he possibly go undercover?"
Niannian: Beautiful.
Helian Xiao was taken to the ditch.
He thought Meng Wanwan's words made a lot of sense.
He actually became genuinely curious.
However, Helian Xiao remained extremely wary of this cunning little brat.
"What do you want? No, I want to talk to your father, I don't want to talk to you."
No one knows a daughter better than her father. Meng Xiuyi smiled and said, "The Baili family could be a breakthrough point. Since the Baili family has inquired about the Scroll of the Heavens, it should also be related to this marriage proposal. They may also be among the Painters. Since our family has already infiltrated the natives, then we'll leave the Baili family to Young Master Helian."
"I think Young Master Helian wouldn't refuse to cooperate, would he?"
Helian Xiao looked like he'd just seen something new: "Why wouldn't I refuse? Why wouldn't I refuse? What? Your whole family is bullying me, isn't it? You think I can't beat you, right?"
He knows so much information, can't he investigate it himself and solve the mystery himself?
He's not stupid, why does he have to get involved with this family?
Meng Xiuyi gently shook her head: "I know that Young Master Helian will not refuse. After all, with his cultivation suppressed and his weapon gone, it is still very dangerous for him to act alone."
"Does Young Master Helian not want to retrieve his weapon? I already know of Young Master Helian's plight. If I could help you get your weapon back..."
Helian Xiao...
He pointed at Meng Xiuyi: "Fine, fine, you guys win."
Helian Xiao spoke as he backed away, and when he reached the corner, he stormed off.
Meng Wanwan asked in confusion, "Father, who took Helian Xiao's weapon?"
Meng Xiuyi: "Gentlemen."
Meng Wanwan...
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