Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

Dongkui raised her head, her gaze fixed on Tao'er. Her eyes, usually gentle and smiling, were now filled with seriousness and determination. "But..."

I will not leave you and the young master.

She spoke these words with absolute certainty, leaving no room for negotiation.

Tao'er was stunned.

Dongkui sat down next to her, took her hand, and held it tightly in her palm.

Dongkui's voice trembled slightly, but every word was sincere: "Sister Tao'er, I said back then that I would follow you for the rest of my life."

This is not a joke, nor was it said on a whim.

What I say is a promise for life.

Tao'er's eyes suddenly reddened.

She opened her mouth, but something seemed to be blocking her throat, and it took her a long time to squeeze out a sound: "Sister Dongkui..."

"Listen to me."

Dongkui interrupted her, her tone gentle yet leaving no room for refusal.

"I know you mean well and want me to have a peaceful life."

But Peach, what is peace and stability?

Being able to stay by the side of the people I care about and see them safe and sound is the greatest peace of mind for me.

You and Ayan are the people I care about.

Tao blinked hard, forcing back the thin layer of mist, shook her head, and said seriously, "Sister Dongkui, we are not master and servant, we never have been."

You don't need to do that...

I hope that in the future you can live a happy, ordinary life, marry someone who loves you, have several children, have your own home, and no longer have to wander around with us, living in fear.

This winter melon sister is really silly...

Tao'er thought to herself.

"But you are my family." Dongkui's voice suddenly choked up as she said this. "Home is not a house, nor is it a place."

Home is where your heart is, wherever your body is.

Wherever you and Ayan are, that's where my home is.

These words were like a pebble thrown into Tao'er's heart lake, stirring up a thousand waves.

She couldn't hold back any longer, and tears streamed down her face. She rushed over and hugged Dongkui tightly, burying her face in Dongkui's shoulder and sobbing quietly.

At first, she didn't have deep feelings for Dongkui. She just felt that she would have someone to accompany her on the journey. Seeing that Dongkui was pitiful, homeless, and without parents, she agreed to let her go with them.

I never expected this silly girl...

He cares so much about her and Ayan...

Dongkui gently patted her back, one pat at a time, just like when she used to lull her to sleep when she was little, murmuring, "Silly girl, why are you crying?"

"I wasn't crying," Tao'er said, her voice muffled, but she still stubbornly insisted, "The wind just got in my eyes..."

Dongkui couldn't help but laugh, but her eyes also reddened: "Where did the wind come from in the house?"

The two hugged quietly for a while, neither of them saying a word.

The night outside the window was deep, with only the occasional chirping of insects making the tranquility of the room all the more precious.

After a long while, Tao'er finally lifted her head from Dongkui's shoulder, wiped her face haphazardly with her sleeve, sniffed, and forced a smile: "Sister Dongkui, then... then you mean you're not going to marry Brother Qingfeng?"

Dongkui nodded without hesitation, her eyes clear and firm: "Yes."

If marrying Qingfeng means leaving you and the young master, then I'd rather not marry him.

Looking into her unwavering eyes, Tao'er felt a mix of sadness and warmth in her heart. A thousand words stuck in her throat, but in the end, they could only turn into a helpless sigh.

She knew the nature of winter mallow.

This girl, who usually seems gentle and easy to talk to, is unyielding once she's made up her mind about something.

She insisted on staying with him to take care of Ayan back then, refusing to leave no matter how others tried to persuade her, and it's the same now.

Tao'er knew she couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she had no choice but to give up for the time being.

He shook his head with a wry smile: "Fine, fine, I can't argue with you."

Let's not talk about this for now.

She was secretly planning that once things were truly settled, there would be a way to achieve the best of both worlds.

She needs to sound out Qingfeng. If he really treats Dongkui well, it wouldn't be a bad idea to settle down nearby so they can take care of each other without having to be separated.

But now...

Tao lowered her eyes and sighed silently in her heart.

Now that Qingfeng is following Xiao Yi, the situation is uncertain and the future is unpredictable, so it is indeed impossible to settle down for the time being.

Even if Sister Dongkui were to marry into that family now, she would still be living a life of constant wandering, no different from now, but with even more helplessness.

Since that's the case, it's better to leave it at that for now.

It's not too late to make plans when the situation becomes clearer.

Thinking of this, Tao'er stopped mentioning the matter and instead chatted with Dongkui about some trivial matters.

The two chatted and laughed for a while, and the sad atmosphere gradually dissipated. Then they went to sleep.

Before I knew it, it was already past midnight. All was quiet, and even the chirping of insects outside the window had become sparse.

Tao'er yawned and was about to urge Dongkui to rest when she suddenly heard a noise coming from Xiao Yi's room next door.

First came the creaking of the door opening and closing, followed by a low-pitched gasp from Qingfeng, and then a series of hurried footsteps.

Tao'er and Dongkui exchanged a glance and fell silent, listening intently to the sounds coming from next door.

The lights in Xiao Yi's room were turned on again.

Xiao Yi put on his robe and stood up, staring at the travel-worn, uninvited guest before him, his expression of surprise lingering for a long time.

The man was about fifty years old, thin, with slightly high cheekbones, but his eyes were sharp and piercing. He was panting heavily, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, clearly having rushed here without rest.

This person was none other than Elder Li of the Seven Killings Pavilion.

Elder Li?

How did you find your way here?

But what happened to the Seven Killings Pavilion?

Elder Li's personal visit must mean something serious has happened at the Seven Kill Pavilion, otherwise why would he come in person?

Elder Li waved his hand, before he could reply.

Qingfeng, who was standing to the side, knelt down with a thud.

Her voice carried a hint of fear and guilt: "Young master, it's my fault."

I sent Qingniao to deliver a message to Elder Li, requesting that he come in person.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi frowned deeply, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Qingfeng and Elder Li several times, becoming increasingly puzzled.

Why didn't Qingfeng tell him about sending a message to Elder Li?

Why did he keep it from me?

"You asked Elder Li to come?"

Qingfeng, what do you mean by this?

You know perfectly well that my identity cannot be exposed, and the Seven Kill Pavilion needs more manpower to oversee things. If you summon Elder Li, what if…”

Xiao Yi's voice turned cold, carrying a hint of questioning and anger.

Elder Li finally caught his breath and, disregarding all formalities, rushed forward to pull Qingfeng, who was kneeling on the ground, to his feet.

He cupped his hands and said, "Sect Master, please don't question Qingfeng yet. I have something to ask Qingfeng."

"Master, your subordinate..."

"Qingfeng, you don't need to explain now. We can talk about these things later!"

First tell me, who has these two medicinal herbs, thousand-year-old ginseng and Tian Shan snow lotus?

Where are they?

"Take me to meet him right away! I'm willing to pay any price!"

His voice was so urgent it was almost distorted, and the strength with which he gripped Qingfeng's wrist was astonishing.