Don't mess with that Miao boy, he's sickly and perverted.

Before leaving, Chai Xiaomi specially called Zhu Yu aside.

She lifted Zhu Yu's hand and gently placed a rough wooden ring in his palm.

She made this while making a cat toy.

"That's about it for the job, it's really not very nice." Chai Xiaomi smiled sheepishly. "There are still some splinters that are prickly. If you have time, you should apply a layer of wax and polish it to make it smooth."

Zhu Yu stared blankly at her palm.

The wood grain is simple and the design is plain, bearing a striking resemblance to the one she burned.

A wave of warmth suddenly surged into my heart, and my eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"Thank you, Xiaomi."

"No need for thanks between friends." Chai Xiaomi smiled gently. She noticed that Zhu Yu seemed to be packing her luggage as well. "Are you still planning to stay at this inn?"

"I'm not going to stay here anymore." Zhu Yu shook his head, his gaze fixed on the distance, revealing a clear and firm determination. "I will hand over the inn to someone suitable to manage. I plan to start afresh, travel all over the country, rebuild the business, and become 'Boss Zhu' again."

Although the wealth he had previously earned was confiscated upon returning to Sanchao County, no one could take away the vision, courage, and business acumen he had accumulated over the years through hard work.

What she coveted was not the glitz and glamour of gold and silver, but the sense of security and vitality gained from hard work, planning, and achievements; the affirmation and weight hidden in the way others called her "Boss Zhu".

As she spoke, Zhu Yu suddenly remembered something, quickly turned back to the inn, and when she came out again, she had a yellowed paper contract in her hand.

"You're going to Youquan Town, right? I used to own several shops in Liangya Prefecture, but now I only have this deed left. The shop is in Qianwu Town; you should pass by it along the way."

She stuffed the contract into Chai Xiaomi's hand, speaking as casually as if she were instructing someone on a trivial matter, "Take it if you're short on cash or happen to need it."

In other words, the shop was given to her as a gift.

"This is too precious, I can't accept it, I can't accept it!" Chai Xiaomi hurriedly refused, but her little hands unconsciously and quietly pulled open a corner of the bundle, her movements so fast that it seemed as if she had her own ideas.

Zhu Yu was amused by her contradictory behavior and laughed out loud. Without further ado, he picked up the contract and stuffed it directly into the open opening of the bundle.

"Take it if it's offered to you. Since we're friends, why stand on ceremony?"

*

Just as Chai Xiaomi was scooped onto the horse by Wu Li, the boy's leisurely voice drifted into her ears:

"You're quite the businessman. You can exchange a wooden ring for a shop."

She pretended not to understand his sarcastic remarks, raised her chin, pouted, and looked as smug as a victorious little peacock: "What do you know? What I make is worth a fortune in other people's eyes. They're willing to give it to me, so why are you so jealous?"

She deserves it so much.

"Heh." Wu Li gave a dry, cold laugh.

"What are you 'heh heh' for? If you're not happy about it, then keep it to yourself." She just assumed he was jealous of her shop.

"I just think some people have a conscience smaller than a grain of rice." He paused, his fingertips seemingly unintentionally brushing against the swaying hair ornament in her hair. "At least I gave you an earring, and I painstakingly styled your hair every morning."

Why didn't you give me a gift in return?

Chai Xiaomi's arrogance suddenly diminished.

Now that I say that, it seems like I'm in the wrong.

Not only did they accept his gifts, they also felt perfectly justified in exploiting his labor for free.

The gift of the hairpin and bag will be used for subsequent operations.

His after-sales service is even better than that of major jewelry brands.

"Then tell me what you want, and I'll buy it for you!" She turned her head, her confidence returning. Anyway, she was now rich, carrying the gold given to her by Sister Yao and holding the shop given to her by Zhu Yu. She was practically a rich woman, and she was just worried about where to spend her money.

"Tch, I don't want anything you buy. There's no sincerity at all." He raised an eyebrow, full of disdain.

"..." Chai Xiaomi felt her sincerity had been utterly trampled on. "Do you know that when I'm willing to spend a huge sum of money for someone, that's the greatest sincerity I can show in my life!"

"Then think carefully about what you really want? The premise is that I can make it."

What do you want...?

He didn't know either.

Wu Li's gaze swept aimlessly around, finally landing in front of him. On Jiang Zhiyu's horse's head, the white cat was proudly holding a thin bamboo pole with bird feathers tied to it, looking like it was holding a ridiculous whisk.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the bird feather actually belonged to Anan.

His lips twitched.

It's so ugly, he wouldn't want that kind of thing.

My gaze involuntarily fell back to the profile of his face, which was so close to mine.

The girl's lips appeared exceptionally full due to her slight pout, shimmering with a cherry-pink luster.

Without realizing it, I stared at those two cherry-pink lips.

His eyes suddenly darkened for a moment, as if he had been burned by something, and he quickly looked away.

"Never mind, consider it as you returning the favor."

"Huh?" Chai Xiaomi didn't react for a moment.

Why have you suddenly become so easy to talk to?

This guy's brain circuits are so peculiar, he keeps having these bouts of convulsions.

After causing her trouble, he then offered her a way out.

Just as I was pondering this, a loud voice rang out from ahead.

"I bid you all farewell today! May we meet again someday, for the mountains are high and the rivers are long!"

Yan Xingxiao stood in front of Yue Niang and several镖局 (escort agency) employees, and clasped his hands in a salute to everyone.

The three wooden crates, sealed with tape, were securely loaded onto the carriage.

The matter of the little devil delayed our journey by two days, and now we must travel day and night.

He then turned specifically to Wu Li, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Young Master Wu's archery skills are extraordinary; I truly admire them! It is a great pity that we parted so hastily. If we have the chance to meet again in the future, I will certainly seek your guidance!"

Wu Li glanced at him from horseback, her expression indifferent, her tone flat: "Oh, then let's not meet again."

Yan Xingxiao: "Huh?"

Chai Xiaomi quickly pinched his leg secretly, then smiled and said, "He means he's too reluctant to part with everyone! He wishes he could stay with us forever, and if we don't separate, there's no such thing as 'goodbye'!"

She turned her head to the side and gave the young man a reproachful glare. "Don't take offense, Chief Escort Yan. My husband is clumsy with words and doesn't know how to speak properly. Please don't misunderstand."

"Hahahaha!" Yan Xingxiao suddenly realized, and burst into hearty laughter. "I see, I see! Young Master Wu is a man of true feelings!"

The white cat beside him blew on its whiskers and said, "When it comes to archery, my skills in my youth were truly astonishing."

Following its words, Jiang Zhiyu earnestly suggested, "But Master, with your current physique, it's inconvenient for you to draw a bow. How about I make you a slingshot?"

"You brat! Are you trying to provoke me? I haven't seen you for days, where did you learn such sarcastic remarks?"

The white cat twitched its whiskers and widened its eyes.

"Just because I want to take you back, you're here to refute me? I advise you to put aside your romantic feelings as soon as possible. Your father has few children, only you. Now the court is in turmoil, and many eyes are watching, urging him to make you the crown prince as soon as possible, so that the royal family can continue to grow and the country can be stabilized."

"If your father hadn't wanted to let you enjoy a couple more years of freedom, this heavy burden would have been on your shoulders long ago."

Jiang Zhiyu remained silent and did not respond.

His gaze swept past the crowd and silently landed on the lone figure riding ahead.

Slender, yet standing straight, like a green bamboo that refuses to bend.

Since her master appeared, she has never casually given him a flick on the forehead again. Even their occasional conversations are tinged with just the right amount of politeness, making him feel inexplicably uneasy.