Upon hearing Xu Yuehuai's location, Qi Guze strode towards her. Xu Yuehuai turned her hands behind her back and stood quietly in place.
When Manager Liu and the young man from the Liu family saw that Qi Guze's attire was not that of an ordinary person, their gazes toward Xu Yuehuai became complicated.
"Are you alright?" Ignoring the stares of those around him, Qi Guze reached out and grasped Xu Yuehuai's shoulder, carefully examining her to see if she was injured.
Xu Yuehuai shook her head and quickly said, "I'm fine, I'm not injured." Qi Guze was relieved to hear this.
When Qi Guze first arrived here, he was extremely worried. He heard someone go to Tianxiang Tower to spread the news that someone was about to be beaten up, and the other party was a young girl. He was very anxious because he didn't know what was going on.
Seeing that Xu Yuehuai was alright, Qi Guze breathed a sigh of relief, picked her up, and was about to leave with her. However, Xu Yuehuai noticed that the Liu family father and son were still waiting nearby, so she quickly reached out and tugged at Qi Guze's sleeve.
"Don't go yet, I still need to take Manager Liu to see a doctor." If Xu Yuehuai hadn't taken Manager Liu to the clinic, Manager Liu might have asked the young man from the Liu family to take him home later instead of going to the clinic.
Seeing this, Qi Guze exchanged a glance with Xu Yuehuai and immediately understood what she was thinking. However, he still held Xu Yuehuai tightly in his arms and did not put her down.
"I'll have someone take Manager Liu to the clinic. Don't wander around. Come back with me first." Qi Guze said, then waved his hand, signaling the people who had come with him to take Manager Liu to the clinic.
Xu Yuehuai knew she had made a mistake today and almost got into danger, so she accepted Qi Guze's arrangement without further hesitation.
Manager Liu was perceptive; seeing how Qi Guze treated Xu Yuehuai, he immediately understood the relationship between the two. He bowed to Xu Yuehuai and said, "Thank you so much for speaking up for me today, girl! If it weren't for you, I probably would never have been able to get this anger out of my chest."
The feud between him and Manager Ding had lasted for most of their lives. Manager Liu had always been accommodating to Manager Ding, but Manager Ding had no intention of making things easy for him. He would constantly send people to bully Manager Liu, whether there was a reason or not.
The fact that Manager Liu's previous shop closed down so quickly, and that his son's dried fruit shop is not doing well now, is all inextricably linked to Manager Ding.
Xu Yuehuai liked Liu the Shopkeeper quite a bit; he was an honest man. But in this world, the more honest a person is, the easier it is for them to be bullied. She also understood Liu the Shopkeeper very well; he had suffered too much in his life.
"There's no need to thank me. I've already said that you're practically my mentor. If anyone disrespects my mentor, of course I won't let them get away with it."
"If Manager Ding ever bullies you again, come find me at Tianxiang Restaurant! I promise I'll make sure he never dares to do it again!"
Manager Liu didn't want to trouble Xu Yuehuai. Looking at Qi Guze's gaze, he felt uneasy and dared not listen to what Xu Yuehuai was saying.
He quickly thanked Xu Yuehuai again and had his son thank her as well. Then he was taken away by Qi Guze's men and sent to the clinic.
Xu Yuehuai, nestled in Qi Guze's arms, watched the two disappear into the distance before turning her gaze away. Qi Guze raised a hand and pinched Xu Yuehuai's cheek, gazing at her with deep, intense eyes.
"You've only met them a few times? Why are you helping them so much?" Qi Guze found it a bit strange, as Xu Yuehuai wasn't the kind of person who would help just anyone.
Xu Yuehuai poked Qi Guze's chest and drew circles on it with her finger. "This Manager Liu is a pitiful man. Since he was so kind as to teach me how to make hand-pulled mutton, he's practically my mentor. Of course, I have to stand up for him if he's in any trouble."
"Their family is down to just the two of them. They used to be very popular in this neighborhood, but now they're having a really tough time because of this Manager Ding. I just happened to run into Manager Ding, and this guy tried to bully Manager Liu. Naturally, I couldn't stand it, so I said a few words to Manager Ding."
"I didn't expect Manager Ding to have such a fiery temper and not get along with the local people, which led to the chaotic situation just now."
Xu Yuehuai immediately explained to Qi Guze, who listened and nodded, not feeling that Xu Yuehuai had done anything wrong.
"Do whatever you want. There's no need to overthink it. If any trouble arises, I'll take full responsibility for you."
Qi Guze pinched Xu Yuehuai's nose, his tone incredibly gentle, his eyes sparkling with a warm light.
Hearing this, and being stared at by Qi Guze, Xu Yuehuai felt a little embarrassed, and the tips of her ears turned bright red.
"Then wouldn't I become a troublemaker, and you'd be the one cleaning up my messes?" Xu Yuehuai punched Qi Guze lightly. "Go back quickly, there are still many people watching."
Seeing that Xu Yuehuai was shy, Qi Guze smiled, rubbed her head, and carried her towards the direction of the carriage.
He carried Xu Yuehuai into the carriage, and Xu Yuehuai immediately jumped down from his arms and sat alone inside the carriage.
Qi Guze raised an eyebrow, strode inside, and sat down next to Xu Yuehuai. The distance between him and Xu Yuehuai was extremely close, only about the size of a fist, their bodies almost touching, and they could even hear each other's breathing.
"The cooking competition in the Mingyue Kingdom is coming up soon. Are you confident that you can win first place?" Qi Guze asked, brushing aside a strand of hair that had fallen beside Xu Yuehuai's face.
Xu Yuehuai stared at Qi Guze with bright eyes and said confidently, "I learned the authentic way to make hand-pulled mutton from Manager Liu, and even Manager Liu praised me for being particularly talented."
"I'll go back and think about it carefully. When the cooking competition comes, I'm sure I'll be able to beat these locals!"
"When I win, let's celebrate together!" she said, leaning on Qi Guze's shoulder and speaking in a slightly coquettish tone.
Qi Guze half-embraced Xu Yuehuai, his voice deep and charming: "Yes, whatever you say. Prepare a feast and let's all celebrate together."
Since arriving in the Dark Moon Kingdom, they've been plagued by a host of troubles and haven't had many opportunities to properly celebrate. If Xu Yuehuai successfully wins first prize in the cooking competition, it will be a perfect opportunity for everyone to relax together.
"After this matter is over, we should also make proper plans for Princess Chuchu's affairs."
Xu Yuehuai nestled in Qi Guze's arms, a touch of melancholy in her heart.
The carriage headed towards the Tianxianglou branch, and the journey was very smooth. It soon arrived at its destination.
Before Xu Yuehuai even got off the carriage, he heard Zhou Wan and Zhang Ting's voices coming from outside.
"Ah Yue! You're finally back!"
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