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

Ah Chen watched them leave the courtyard, then stood there for a while, feeling rather bored.

He turned and went back into the room, pulling a book out from under his pillow.

It was a leisurely book about travelogues of mountains and rivers. I flipped through a few pages, but then felt stuffy in the room, so I took the book and went out to the yard.

The old locust tree in the east corner of the yard is growing lushly, its dense shade covering the ground like a large, open umbrella.

Ah Chen lay down on the wicker chair under the tree. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering like shards of gold onto his clothes and the pages of his book, swaying gently, which was quite a sight.

He was just about to settle down and read a few pages when he caught a glimpse of herbs drying on a wooden rack next to him.

Uncle Li dug it out this morning, saying he wanted to take advantage of the good sunshine to air it out again.

Ah Chen looked at it for a while, but couldn't stay still. He reached out and pulled the bamboo tray closer, reading the book while occasionally reaching out to flip through the herbs.

The aroma of the herbs, released by the sun, carries a bittersweet fragrance with a unique sweetness characteristic of plants, which brings a sense of peace.

Qingfeng helped Dong tend the fire and wash vegetables in the kitchen. At first, the two were a little reserved, each working silently without speaking first.

The only sounds from the kitchen were the crackling of firewood in the stove and the rhythmic thud of a cleaver hitting the cutting board.

After a long while, Dongkui broke the silence first: "Qingfeng, pass me the scallions over there."

Qingfeng responded and quickly handed over the washed scallions. His fingertips accidentally touched Dongkui's hand, and both of them recoiled as if burned.

The scallion fell to the ground, and Qingfeng quickly bent down to pick it up. Dongkui also bent down, and the two of them almost bumped their heads together.

"Let me do it, let me do it." Qingfeng picked up the scallion first, and when he handed it over, he was careful not to touch Dongkui's hand again.

Dongkui took the scallion and started chopping vegetables with her head down, but her ears were secretly turning red.

She coughed and said, feigning composure, "You men are all so clumsy."

Qingfeng chuckled twice, didn't reply, and squatted down in front of the stove to add some firewood.

The flames leaped up, making his face glow red.

He secretly glanced at Dongkui's back and saw her skillfully chopping vegetables, her apron tied around her waist, revealing a slender waist. He quickly looked away, his heart beating a little fast.

The two chatted casually, and gradually things became more natural.

The fire was lit perfectly, the heat was just right, and the stir-fried winter mallow had a wonderful wok hei (wok aroma) that wafted far and wide.

Dongkui rarely praised him, saying, "The cooking time is quite good."

Upon hearing this, Qingfeng couldn't help but smile, and he worked even harder, washing vegetables and cutting meat, keeping himself very busy.

Meanwhile, Tao'er and Ayan went out and headed towards the market.

The market wasn't far from my lodging; I just walked through two streets and alleys and crossed a stone bridge.

The market was busiest in the afternoon, with stalls selling vegetables, cloth, sugar figurines, and groceries lining the street, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

Tao'er pulled Ayan through the crowd, pondering what gift to buy for the apprenticeship ceremony.

She had already made up her mind.

Uncle Li was dressed very simply, wearing old clothes with frayed cuffs, but he couldn't bear to replace them.

She thought it best to buy Uncle Li two new sets of clothes.

The two spent a long time browsing in the fabric shop. Tao'er chose a piece of dark blue cotton cloth, which felt thick and soft to the touch, and asked the shopkeeper to make a garment out of it.

They also chose a moon-white piece of fabric for the lining, which cost quite a bit of money.

Tao didn't feel any pain when she took out her money, after all, she wasn't short of money now.

Ayan watched from the side, scratched his head, and said with some worry, "Sister Tao'er, you bought clothes, so what should I give you as a gift?"

Tao thought for a moment and asked him, "What can you do?"

Ayan pondered for a while, then suddenly slapped his forehead: "I can make a back scratcher!"

There used to be one in the mansion, and I made one out of boredom for my grandmother to keep as a spare.

Grandpa Li is getting old, and when his back itches, he can't reach it, so a back scratcher is just right.

Tao'er couldn't help but smile upon hearing this: "That's a great idea. Things made by hand are more thoughtful than things bought."

After buying the ingredients, the two went to buy some pastries and fruits, making a total of four gifts. They wrapped them in red paper and carried them in their hands; they felt heavy.

Tao felt much more at ease, thinking that although the apprenticeship gift wasn't particularly expensive, it was at least a token of her goodwill.

On the way back, we passed a stall selling candied hawthorns. The bright red hawthorns, coated with glistening sugar, glittered in the sunlight, making our mouths water just looking at them.

Seeing that Ayan had looked at it a few more times, Tao'er took out a few coins, bought a string of them, and handed it to him.

It seems that no child dislikes candied hawthorn.

Not to mention children, she likes to eat it too; it's sweet and sour with a fruity flavor.

Ayan was a little embarrassed: "I'm not a child anymore..."

Tao'er stuffed the candied hawthorn into his hand and said with a smile, "You're only five years old, still a little kid!"

Ayan nodded and took it, took a bite, and the sweet and sour taste melted in his mouth, causing him to squint his eyes involuntarily.

He held up a candied hawthorn and brought it to Tao'er's lips: "Sister Tao'er, have one too."

Tao'er smiled and took a bite, and the two of them shared the food, taking turns eating it, and happily walked back.

Tao'er was overjoyed and only focused on talking to Ayan, completely unaware that a figure was following them not far behind, like a silent tail.

The man's eyes were like those of a venomous snake, fixed on them until they entered the courtyard, at which point he turned and left.

In a deserted corner of the market, a man sat there, surrounded by several thugs.

"Brother, don't worry, that kid Qiao San is a master at tracking people, he won't lose us."

The man replied coldly, "That had to be the case."

Just then, a lean man came running over, panting heavily, as if he had run back.

The man sitting in the center spoke up, asking, "Qiao San, are you keeping up?"

Qiao San took a few deep breaths before wiping the sweat from his forehead and said in a fawning tone, "Boss, I've made it to the location."

That woman brought a five- or six-year-old boy with her today. She bought a lot of things; it seems like she's doing something important.

The man's face was grim. He said "Oh," and asked, "What important matter is it?"

did you know?"

"Boss, I was afraid she'd find out, so I didn't dare get too close. I didn't hear you clearly..."

Qiao San shook his head and answered truthfully.

"If you didn't hear me clearly, then what's the point of saying anything!"

He's a piece of trash.

Okay, let's get to the point!

Just tell me where she lives.

And what is her relationship with that child?

The man who was called "boss" swore rudely.