Koi Fubao: Being loved by everyone on the road to escape from famine

Gu Tingxuan raised his eyes and noticed that Gu Fei's eyes were faintly red, as if the tears he had been holding back would burst out in the blink of an eye. He couldn't help but pat his shoulder lightly, with a helpless and slightly playful smile on his lips, "Okay, my good Gu Fei, don't be so weak. I, the person involved, am still calm and composed, why are you so flustered?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Fei sniffed hard, trying to suppress the emotions that were about to get out of control. Seeing that Gu Tingxuan was indeed safe and sound, the big rock hanging in his heart finally fell to the ground silently.

Just at this moment, a crisp sound of horse hooves was heard, and Xiao Zhixue was about to step gracefully and calmly onto the long-awaited carriage, ready to set off.

Seeing this, Gu Tingxuan blurted out without thinking, his voice mixed with urgency and reluctance that was difficult to conceal, "Miss Xiao, please stay! Where are you going? Will we never have the chance to meet again in the future?"

His words were like a light breeze, yet full of affection, almost pleading for an answer that wasn't too desperate.

Gu Tingxuan was totally unaware of the look of surprise and confusion that Gu Fei was giving him.

At this moment, his entire mind was filled with Xiao Zhixue's figure. He was completely unaware that Fan Yanmu beside him was staring at him with an almost icy expression, his brows furrowed, and he was filled with coldness, as if the air around him had dropped several degrees.

Xiao Zhixue slightly turned sideways, her eyes swept across Gu Tingxuan, her tone as calm as water, without a trace of ripples, "My destination is Zhangzhou. As for whether we can meet again in the future, I don't have an answer."

After she finished speaking, she turned around gently and stepped into the carriage, her back indifferent, as if her helping hand just now was just a spur of the moment impulse and had nothing to do with romance, but was just an instinctive act when encountering injustice on the road.

Fan Yanmu glared at Gu Tingxuan coldly, then followed him silently and got on the carriage.

Seeing Gu Tingxuan's distraught look, Gu Fei felt distressed and anxious, and quickly reminded him softly: "Master, we have important matters to attend to on this trip, and we can't delay."

This reminder was like a thunderclap, instantly pulling Gu Tingxuan back to reality from his hazy dream.

He gently lowered the curtain and uttered two words, "Let's go."

However, his palm unconsciously tightly grasped the small medicine bottle given by Xiao Zhixue, and her charming silhouette was still in his eyes.

As the carriage went further and further away, the villagers around dared to quietly poke their heads out from the bushes where they were hiding.

The scene just now was so tense and exciting, like the climax of a drama, which made it difficult for people to calm down for a long time.

Everyone was in awe of Xiao Zhixue's almost ghostly swordsmanship, but also felt an unprecedented fear.

In the past, she hunted wild boars alone, which was already admirable. But today, the villagers saw with their own eyes that she was ruthless and decisive. In addition to the original admiration, they felt a layer of complicated emotions in their hearts.

However, thinking of Xiao Zhixue's daily good deeds.

Whether it was distributing game, generously giving food, or providing clothing materials in the cold winter, the villagers spontaneously reached a consensus.

This matter must not be publicized, let alone reported to the authorities, so as not to bring unnecessary trouble to Xiao Zhixue.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Zhixue's family members were all terrified when they saw her draw her sword.

In their eyes, Xiao Zhixue seemed to have undergone a drastic change since her recovery, which made her family feel both relieved and a little uneasy.

Is this still the gentle and lovely Third Girl that they are familiar with?

As soon as Xiao Zhixue stepped into the carriage, Zhou Shuqiong hurriedly grabbed her hand, her eyes full of heartache and worry, "Third girl, let's avoid such adventures in the future. Mother's heart can't stand such torment!"

Xiao Wei nodded in agreement, his tone full of fatherly seriousness and care, "Your mother is right. If the government finds out, the consequences will be disastrous. As a father, I don't want to see you make any mistakes."

The couple has always been law-abiding, so it goes without saying that they were worried when faced with such a turmoil.

When Xiao Zhixue heard this, she just smiled and did not comment.

Fan Yanmu, who was sitting on the side, turned his gaze to Xiao Zhixue and whispered the truth: "Zhixue killed the bully of Dongchu. Even if the government finds out, they will show leniency and will not pursue the matter."

Although Zhou Shuqiong and Xiao Wei were skeptical, seeing Xiao Zhixue's indifferent expression, they didn't say anything more.

The brothers Xiao Tingrui and Xiao Tingxuan's admiration for Xiao Zhixue was beyond words. They secretly made up their minds to learn some martial arts from Xiao Zhixue in the future so that they could better protect this warm yet fragile family.

The carriage bumped along the muddy road, the wheels making dull sounds as they rubbed against the ground, and it slowly moved towards Zhangzhou.

The villagers followed closely behind, like a group of loyal travel companions. No matter the mud or the wind and rain, they never hesitated in their steps.

The scenery along the way looked particularly bleak under the gloomy sky. Everyone had a heavy expression on their face. Occasionally, when they exchanged glances with each other, they could clearly read each other's deep fear and uneasiness about the thrilling scene they had just experienced.

The cold wind was like a sharp blade, becoming more and more cruel as the distance to Zhangzhou shortened, cutting every inch of exposed skin and forcing everyone to wrap themselves tightly in their newly made cotton-padded clothes. Although these clothes were simple, they were their only source of warmth in this icy and snowy environment.

Finally, after a long journey, around noon, they arrived at an inconspicuous market town near the border of Zhangzhou.

The town seemed unusually quiet, with doors and windows of every household closed. The streets were like a painting forgotten by time, empty and somewhat mysterious.

Xiao Zhixue tiptoed towards an old wooden door, and through the narrow gap, she vaguely caught a glimpse of a faint human figure swaying, which made her feel a little relieved and confirmed that this was not a completely deserted town.

She called softly to everyone to stop their tired steps, and the women quickly took action. They piled stones into a simple stove in an open space. The collected dead branches and leaves soon ignited a flame of hope in the stove, accompanied by steam that gradually rose from the mixture of wild vegetables and water in the pot, exuding a faint natural fragrance.

Just as the preparations were in full swing, a slight "creaking" sound broke the silence around, and the door of a house was quietly pushed open a little.

Xiao Zhixue looked over alertly, only to see a white-haired old man cautiously sticking his head out, his wrinkled face full of worry.

The old man's eyes wandered among the crowd, and finally seemed to have made a decision. He lowered his voice and said almost pleadingly: "Everyone, this place is not safe, leave as soon as possible, this is not a place you should set foot in."