"Qin Sheng doesn't seem to be lying."
"He isn't lying."
Zhao Shuning took a deep breath.
She looked calm.
"So, you know what's going on?"
"I can more or less guess, but I just don't want to believe it."
Yan Ruyu stood beside Zhao Shuning.
She looked into the distance.
Above their heads, the starry sky was resplendent.
"The world is vast, and the universe is boundless. There are many things that we may never find the answers to in our entire lives."
Zhao Shuning gave a soft smile.
That smile was full of helplessness.
"Buran, I know that the world is all - encompassing, and not everything will develop as we imagine. I just can't believe, and don't want to believe, that the world is so bad."
"Even if the world is bad, there's still you, and there's me."
Zhao Shuning raised her eyes.
Yan Ruyu wasn't looking at her.
But Zhao Shuning was sure that those words just now did come from Yan Ruyu's mouth.
She felt relieved.
She sat on the ground, curled her legs up, buried her head gently between her legs, and murmured, "How fortunate I am to have you."
Yan Ruyu said, "I'll help you."
"Buran, you know you can't help me."
"I'll do my best. What did you want to say earlier?"
Zhao Shuning said, "I used to think that human nature at birth is good. If you treat others with kindness and don't judge others with a petty mind. Of course, I never thought I was a gentleman, but I always felt that my friends around me should treat me sincerely."
"However, I just can't believe it. Just now, I actually hoped that Qin Sheng was lying. But Master, you also said that he wasn't lying. If he wasn't lying, it means that Luo Qiu left out some details in what she told me. I don't know if it was unintentional or intentional?"
"The matter hasn't been fully understood yet. Don't make hasty decisions about these things."
"I know, so that's why I said not to judge others with a petty mind. But now, it seems that I've become a petty person."
Yan Ruyu didn't say a word.
He just stood quietly beside Zhao Shuning.
Or rather, he didn't know what to say.
He only knew that the only thing he could do now was to stay by her side.
After an unknown amount of time.
Yan Ruyu straightened up.
"Let's go. Let's go back and see what good treasures my grandfather has received. So many noble sons have come. The gifts they've sent must be extremely valuable."
As if remembering something, Yan Ruyu asked, "This is the territory of the Hailing Kingdom. Who came to offer birthday greetings?"
"Prince Xia Qingyan. Why?"
"Ye Feng is also a big figure in the Nine - Continent Continent. He has a powerful spiritual force. It's not easy for him to come to the Hailing Kingdom. How could the witch of the Hailing Kingdom miss this opportunity to pay a visit?"
Witches are specialized in refining poisonous insects, but they also need a strong spiritual force as an auxiliary.
Ye Feng is a ninth - rank alchemist. Logically speaking, when he arrives in the Hailing Kingdom, the first one to greet him must be the witch of the Hailing Kingdom.
The witch of the Hailing Kingdom should be the most mysterious and the one with the strongest spiritual force in the Hailing Kingdom. It would be a grand gesture for him to show up.
But tonight, Zhao Shuning really had no impression of that witch.
"What do you mean?"
"I have something to investigate. You go back first and wait for my news."
"Okay."
Zhao Shuning nodded.
After Yan Ruyu left.
Zhao Shuning originally wanted to use her spiritual force to get back to the banquet faster.
But she tried.
She just couldn't muster up that strength in her body, so she had to give up.
She relied on her own sense of the road and walked back.
All was silent.
Occasionally, there were a few caws of crows in the sky.
Zhao Shuning felt a bit sad.
As soon as this thought came up.
Suddenly, a figure in green clothes appeared in front of her.
Zhao Shuning looked up happily.
Maybe Yan Ruyu had returned in a hurry, so his chest was still heaving.
"Buran, why did you come back?"
"You're not feeling well. I'll take you to the vicinity of the mansion first, and then I'll go to check on the matter of that witch."
"Okay."
It was really kind of him to be so considerate.
When he took Zhao Shuning to the vicinity of the mansion, Yan Ruyu gave her the jade flute again.
"If you encounter something you can't handle, blow this flute, and I'll surely come to protect you."
"Okay."
When the jade flute was in her hand again, it was still as cold as before.
Zhao Shuning's heart was inexplicably at ease.
This time, Yan Ruyu really left.
She turned around. Her mood had improved a lot. After walking dozens of steps, a figure walked towards her.
She took a closer look.
It was Xia Qingyan.
Looking further back, there seemed to be another person following him.
"Ningning."
"Sister—"
The two spoke at the same time.
Zhao Shuning wanted to smile at them, but suddenly remembered what Qin Sheng had said.
If what Qin Sheng said was true, then had she underestimated Xia Qingyan and Luo Qiu?
Although there were doubts.
They hadn't been confirmed yet.
Zhao Shuning had to force a smile.
"Why did you come?" Why were these two here together?
Xia Qingyan stepped forward and said, "Seeing that you didn't come back for a long time, I was afraid that Qin Sheng would hurt you, so I came out to have a look."
Luo Qiu walked directly to Zhao Shuning's side and checked her body.
Not seeing any wounds, she heaved a sigh of relief.
"It's good that sister is okay."
Zhao Shuning wasn't in the mood. The concern from the two of them didn't seem to be fake.
However, now she really couldn't figure out what was on the minds of these two people in front of her.
She had to pull her hand back from Luo Qiu's.
"Is the banquet over? I still have something to do today, so I'll go back first."
Noticing Zhao Shuning's estrangement from them.
Xia Qingyan looked a bit hurt.
He glanced at Luo Qiu.
Luo Qiu was also stunned at this moment.
She couldn't think of any response for a while.
It was only when Zhao Shuning walked past her that she reached out and grabbed Zhao Shuning's hand again.
Zhao Shuning stopped.
Luo Qiu said, "Sister?"
Zhao Shuning forced a smile.
"What's wrong?"
"Did something happen to you?"
"I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired tonight. You two should go back and rest quickly. Don't think too much."
Zhao Shuning gently pulled her hand back.
She walked into the mansion gate.
Watching this scene.
Two lines of clear tears slid down Luo Qiu's face.
The gentle breeze was originally quite refreshing.
But at this moment, Xia Qingyan felt a bit hot. He opened his folding fan and gently fanned the wind.
"Maybe she's not feeling well?"
This was what Xia Qingyan said to Luo Qiu.
Luo Qiu didn't look at Xia Qingyan.
She directly followed Zhao Shuning's footsteps and returned to the mansion.
She didn't know if sister was not feeling well. But she knew that sister must have some misgivings about her.
Otherwise, every time she saw her, sister would always smile and gently call her Xiao Qiu.