Wang Hao searched through the crowd, his gaze constantly sweeping the surroundings.
He thought to himself that the girl hadn’t walked fast, so she must be just ahead.
But after passing through several bustling stalls, with the sounds of peddlers and laughter mixing in the air, he still couldn’t spot that figure in dark robes and long, jet-black hair tinged with melancholy.
Just as a wave of disappointment surged in his heart and he was about to turn back to find Yun Fan, a turn revealed the figure he’d been searching for.
Dark robes, hair like a waterfall of black! She stood just a few steps away in front of a wine stall.
Wang Hao’s heart leapt to his throat, his feet frozen on the spot.
His mind spun rapidly. The impulsiveness from before had faded a little, and he kept imagining the scene from a novel where the male lead meets the heroine for the first time.
But before he could think of what to say, the girl’s voice already rang out clearly, carrying a stubborn tone that shattered Wang Hao’s fantasies.
“Boss! This really is Chiyu Chicken, a low-level Ling Beast! Swapping it for a jar of wine isn’t too much to ask, right?”
She was holding up… uh, a roast chicken that didn’t look very appealing.
Only then did Wang Hao realize that her face showed no sign of that earlier sadness.
At this moment, her brows were slightly furrowed as she argued with the lean, middle-aged stall owner.
The man glanced at the roast chicken in her hand and shook his head.
“Miss, if your chicken was alive, a fresh Chiyu Chicken, I’d swap immediately without a word! But this one… it’s burnt.”
The boss clearly recognized the Chiyu Chicken—after all, it was a low-level Ling Beast favored by many cultivation Zhumen.
At that moment, Wang Hao’s imagined vision of a melancholy, pale-skinned senior sister from the same sect was completely shattered.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
At the same time, he felt that both the voice and her way of speaking sounded extremely familiar.
As if he’d heard it not long ago.
“Haha, how foolish of me, the System hasn’t even activated yet, and I’m already thinking about romance.”
……
On the other side, Hu Qiao’er was leading Jiang Che slowly through the bustling marketplace.
By now, the sun had completely set, dusk fading away, and as night descended, the lanterns along the street were lit.
Jiang Che touched the heavy coin pouch hidden in his sleeve, his mind a tangled mess.
What should he give? Jewelry? Clothes?
Uh, he couldn’t even see them himself—gifting such things felt meaningless.
But what if Hu Qiao’er did like those things?
Wang Hao was right, Hu Qiao’er had traveled all this way for him.
He ought to do something in return.
But he couldn’t just say: “Qiao’er-jie, I want to get you a gift, so pick it yourself!”
Just as Jiang Che was feeling troubled, Hu Qiao’er seemed to spot something.
“Ah Che, wait for me here for a moment, I’ll be right back!”
Before Jiang Che could say anything, her hand slipped from his, and the sound of her light footsteps quickly faded into the crowd.
Hu Qiao’er looked especially happy today, after all, she was strolling with Jiang Che.
Jiang Che waited where he stood, wondering if he should buy something tasty for Hu Qiao’er.
Just then, a gentle and familiar voice came from beside him:
“Little brother, why the frown? Is there something on your mind? Tell me, I’ll help you.”
Jiang Che instantly tensed up. That voice… he remembered!
“It’s you?” Jiang Che recognized him immediately.
The one speaking was none other than Wu Qing—the man who’d been involved in the child abduction before, claiming he was just a bodyguard hired by Xie Xuan!
This guy wasn’t truly evil, but he wasn’t a good person, either.
Just as Jiang Che braced himself, Wu Qing respectfully bowed before him.
“Thank you for saving me and my brother last time, little brother.”
With that gesture, Jiang Che immediately understood Wu Qing’s purpose—he was here to offer thanks.
……
After a brief conversation, Wu Qing and Jiang Che exchanged a few words.
Originally, Jiang Che wanted to deny it, but Wu Qing insisted that other than Jiang Che, he couldn’t imagine who else would have helped them that day.
Wu Qing was sharp enough to notice Jiang Che’s mood, and after a bit of talking, he understood what was troubling Jiang Che.
“So it’s about picking a gift for a girl, and you don’t know what to choose, haha! You’ve come to the right person!”
Wu Qing snapped open his folding fan confidently.
“First, tell me—does this Qiao’er-jie of yours like any particular flowers?”
Jiang Che thought for a moment.
“She prefers medicinal herbs. Her grandfather is an old Healer.”
“Uh…”
“Then does she like shiny things?”
Wu Qing asked again.
“I suppose so, but I’ve never heard her mention it.”
“You don’t even know what she likes?”
The corner of Jiang Che’s mouth twitched. How was he supposed to know?
Seeing Jiang Che’s reaction, Wu Qing gave an awkward smile.
“Sorry, since you can’t see, it must be hard to figure out.”
At that, Jiang Che waved his hand, indicating it was nothing, then let out a heavy sigh.
Just then, Jiang Che keenly sensed Hu Qiao’er’s aura approaching—it was so familiar by now, and with his slightly restored divine sense, he could sense her presence.
But for some reason, panic suddenly seized him, and he began to push Wu Qing away.
“Hey, hey, stop pushing! I’m leaving, I’m leaving!”
Wu Qing was stunned for half a second but quickly realized Jiang Che’s meaning.
Jiang Che himself didn’t even know why he was doing this—why didn’t he want Hu Qiao’er to meet Wu Qing?
Almost the instant Wu Qing disappeared, Hu Qiao’er hopped back to his side, seemingly cradling something in her hands.
“Ah Che, who was that just now? I saw him talking to you.”
Jiang Che felt his throat go dry, his mind spinning, and before he knew it, he blurted out, “Uh, just… someone asking for directions.”
As soon as he spoke, his heart thudded—he wanted to smack himself right there.
Someone asking for directions? Who asks a blind person for directions? What a terrible excuse!
He could clearly feel Hu Qiao’er’s gaze on his face, filled with obvious doubt and curiosity.
“Hm? Really?”
“Mm, mm…”
Jiang Che answered guiltily.
Although Hu Qiao’er was curious, she didn’t dwell on it and instead shoved a bamboo pole, just the right thickness, into Jiang Che’s hand.
“Qiao’er-jie, what’s this?”
Jiang Che felt the bamboo pole in his hand—not too long or short, about half his height, not heavy, and rather sturdy.
“This is Maobamboo, not easy to break, just right for you and not too heavy.”
On hearing this, Jiang Che immediately understood—so Hu Qiao’er had left just now to make this for him.
What he didn’t know was that Hu Qiao’er had spent her last Copper Coins picking out a few good pieces, then borrowed a Chai Dao from the boss to trim them.
“Ah Che, use this for now. When I find better materials, I’ll make you an even better one.”
For some reason, Jiang Che felt a sourness in his chest.
He blurted out, almost unconsciously, “Qiao’er-jie… why are you so good to me?”
Hu Qiao’er only smiled lightly at that.
She didn’t answer right away, just walked slowly a few steps ahead, then stopped and turned to face him.
Jiang Che couldn’t see her, but he could feel her gaze fall on his face.
“Because I…”
At that moment—
“Hey! Hey hey hey—!!!”
A series of deafening explosions suddenly erupted overhead, followed by more thunderous booms!
The sky above Shenxiao Town was instantly lit up.
Countless brilliant fireworks bloomed in the night sky.
Blazing colors, like a river of shattered stars, poured down—illuminating the bustling street, the swaying red lanterns under the eaves, and every upturned, smiling face, turning the night as bright as day.