After being reborn, I became the apple of my enemy's eye.

Lu Yan said that things had been unsettled before, so he sent two martial arts masters from his residence to protect him, but they missed the attack.

However, they will then protect the safety of the old lady and Yan Yun.

They arrived at the other courtyards of the Zheng residence.

There are people guarding inside.

After knocking on the door, Granny Zhu helped the old lady inside.

Yan Yun had never been before and did not know that this courtyard existed.

Lu Yan stood outside the carriage and reached out his hand to Yan Yun: "Cousin Ning'er, be careful."

Yan Yun raised his hand in refusal, got off the carriage himself, and Ru Qing followed behind him.

The old lady walked ahead and, as soon as she entered the courtyard, anxiously called out to Lu Yan, "Yan'er, come here." She couldn't be separated from Lu Yan for even a moment now.

Lu Yan looked at Yan Yun, who was talking to Ru Qing, and could only go over first.

Ru Qing tried to help Yan Yun, but was refused; she wasn't that fragile.

After settling into the courtyard, Yan Yun pondered in the room. First it was Lord Ji, then the Zheng family. Was Changgu City about to become a den of bandits? So this was the great chaos his master had mentioned?

Ru Qing came in to bring water and saw Yan Yun deep in thought.

She felt a sense of admiration. If she were the young lady's age, she would probably be terrified by these things, and she wouldn't be able to remain so calm.

"Miss, have some water."

After much deliberation, Yan Yun decided to go find his master.

"Ruqing, come here."

After Ru Qing finished delivering the message, Yan Yun and Ru Qing exchanged clothes. She kneaded a lump of mud in the yard and stuck it directly to her face and clothes. After explaining to Ru Qing what to do, Yan Yun slipped out of the yard.

Because of the events that have occurred one after another, the city has become lifeless. Yan Yun is still looking for someone to question. He sees someone riding a horse back and forth on the road. Isn't that person afraid?

Yan Yun was still pondering.

Someone tapped her on the back.

Yan Yun was about to draw the dagger hidden in his sleeve.

The other person pressed down on her shoulder.

"it's me."

Yan Yun turned around when she heard the sound; she was just about to go find him.

"Master."

He covered his head with his hand: "I've told you so many times, don't call me that."

Yan Yun also changed quickly, "If you don't like it, I won't call you."

However, he taught me, and to me, he was like a master.

He reached out to Yan Yun and lifted him up, saying, "Let me see."

He looked at it carefully again and again.

Yan Yun didn't know what he was looking at, but the difference in strength was too great. He was easily lifted up by the man, and Yan Yun still felt a little uncomfortable. After all, he was an adult, and even if he was a child now, he still had self-esteem.

Yan Yun grabbed his hand and gently bit it.

She didn't bite hard; her lips touched the back of his hand. The guy holding Yan Yun was startled and immediately shook him off, somewhat surprised: "What are you doing?"

Yan Yun straightened his clothes. "I don't like being grabbed like this."

She propped herself up from the ground, pulled a dagger from her sleeve, and said, "I'll use this next time."

Although his expression couldn't be seen under the black cloth covering his face, judging from his voice, the guy also felt that Yan Yun was beyond his comprehension.

He reached out and wiped the spot where Yan Yun had bitten him. "Can you hurt me?"

Yan Yun was serious, "I'll definitely try it sometime."

He looked at Yan Yun carefully, noticing her nimble movements, and assumed she wasn't injured. "I thought you were going to die there?"

Yan Yun was taken aback. She looked up at him, and something flashed through her adult mind. She immediately grasped it, "You reminded me before, was it because you knew those bandits would attack the Zheng residence?"

He hesitated for a moment, then looked away after meeting Yan Yun's gaze, saying casually, "I don't know what those bandits are up to, but the Zheng family is a big target because of their influence."

Yan Yun felt his doubts were cleared up and believed the person in front of him.

"I see."

However, the Zheng family's affairs were none of her concern.

She looked at the person in front of her. Since they had met by chance, Yan Yun should seize the opportunity.

"Can you continue teaching me?"

"Time is running out."

"I beg you."

"Didn't you bite me?"

Yan Yun immediately explained, "That's because you were rude first." She covered her mouth and quickly reorganized her words, "It won't happen again next time."

The other party didn't hold it against Yan Yun. "Then I'll teach you a few more things before I leave. Today, let's learn how to hold your breath."

He grabbed Yan Yun's shoulder with one hand and the eaves with the other, then jumped up.

He took Yan Yun to the vicinity of the moat.

Yan Yun looked at the flowing water, still somewhat puzzled. What was he doing here?

"Pay attention and hold your breath."

"what?"

As soon as Yan Yun spoke, he saw the man in black standing on the stone bridge, coldly watching him.

In the early spring, the icy lake water stung her skin like needles. As Yan Yun fell into the water, she immediately pinched her nose with one hand and struggled upwards with the other until her head broke the surface, allowing her to catch her breath.

The man in black was hanging from a nearby tree. "If you can't breathe properly, I'll give you a hand."

Yan Yun trembled all over.

"you you!!"

She couldn't utter a single complete sentence.

They didn't even give me a heads-up. What if I can't swim? Wouldn't I just die here?

The other person didn't take it seriously and told Yan Yun, "Swim over to the stone bridge over there, I'll wait for you there."

After Yan Yun's last attempt to die, she knew how terrifying water was. However, she couldn't swim, so she could only move forward by grabbing onto the dry branches by the lake. At this moment, being in the water, even if she didn't drown, would be like being tortured.

The air I exhaled was almost devoid of warmth.

She held her breath, recalling how she used to wash Zheng Jihua's dirty underwear every time. She wanted to boil some hot water, but Zheng Jihua would always get angry, asking if he was only happy when everyone saw his disheveled state. To avoid upsetting her husband, she would always avoid the maids and wash with cold water. Spring, summer, autumn, winter, day and night, she seemed to spend more time with the well water than with that so-called husband.

Yan Yun's lips curled into a slight smile.

This is nothing at all now.

She looked at the stone bridge not far away.

Even if she didn't swim, Yan Yun would crawl across. When she reached the bottom of the stone bridge, she looked at the people standing on the shore and said, "I'm across."

The man in black bent down and reached out to Yan Yun, who was grabbed and pulled out of the water.

Yan Yun sat by the river, her arms wrapped around her, her whole body shaking so badly she felt like she was about to fly away.

"Open your mouth."

Before Yan Yun could even look up, a hand grabbed his chin. Although it was quite dark, Yan Yun could still see the hand; the knuckles were distinct, and the hand was long and very white.

She was still thinking about his hands.

A pill fell from her lips onto her tongue.

"Swallow."

Yan Yun raised his hand to take it out.

Who knows what he fed himself?

Just as Yan Yun's hand was about to touch his mouth, he flicked his finger, tapped Yan Yun's back, and pushed Yan Yun's chin upwards.

The already bitter pill slid down Yan Yun's throat in one go.

Yan Yun pointed at him and asked, "What did you give me to eat?"

She opened her mouth and tried to spit it out several times, but nothing came out.

"It won't die."

After swallowing the pill, Yan Yun felt feverish all over, which made her realize it was a bad pill. Sure enough, before she could even question it, she turned around.

The guy said to Yan Yun, "While your body is still warm, let's swim another lap."

Yan Yun was shivering from the cold, but after taking the pill, her whole body felt warm. She really needed cool water, so she voluntarily walked back into the lake.

He heard the other person's instructions: "To have enough stamina, these are essential, after all, those bandits are guys several times taller than you."

He showed no mercy to Yan Yun; since it was Yan Yun who wanted to learn martial arts, he taught him diligently.

Yan Yun couldn't count how many times he choked and how many times he was pulled out of the water.

Until you are completely exhausted.

She couldn't even grab onto the water plants on the side before she was pulled out of the water.

Just before I closed my eyes.

"Don't fall asleep, don't fall asleep."

Yan Yundu kept reminding himself of this.

She opened her eyes.

Ru Qing sat on the floor beside the bed, her face full of unease.

"Miss, where have you been?"

Yan Yun sat up, slowly turned around, and looked at Ru Qing beside her: "How did I get here?"

Ru Qing said she was really worried while waiting inside, but she didn't dare to go out. At that time, she heard someone knocking on the door, which startled her, but no one spoke after she knocked.

Ru Qing dared to go out, and when she did, she saw her mistress leaning against the door. It was Ru Qing who had carried her mistress in to change her clothes.

After hearing this, Yan Yun didn't ask any more questions, assuming that his master had brought him back.

I shiver now just thinking about how cold the lake water was last night.

Ru Qing noticed immediately.

"Miss, are you going to make a living?"

"No need, now is just right."

After Yan Yun finished dressing, he instructed Ru Qing that no one else should know that he had been sent back after going out, and that everything should be done quietly.

Ru Qing also knew that she couldn't tell anyone.

But she was also worried.

“Miss, when you came back last night, you were soaking wet and I couldn’t wake you up no matter what I did. I was very worried.”

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Yan Yun patted Ru Qing's head comfortingly.

Ru Qing watched her retreating figure.

Trust the young lady, trust her, she told herself.

Because the Zheng family mansion was attacked, the money exchange also encountered problems. Even with bandits still present, those who had deposited their silver still chose to go to the money exchange to redeem their silver.

Lu Yan had to go deal with the money exchange business, and Ru Qing was called to help out at Zhu Mama's place.

Yan Yun heard Ru Qing say that she was going to take care of the old lady, who was old and had collapsed from the shock.

Ru Qing asked Yan Yun, "Miss, would you like to go see the old lady together?"

Yan Yun shook his head.

She wouldn't go. She would return to the Zheng residence after the attack, only to confirm whether she was dead. Since she was still alive, she wouldn't go to her side. Not only would she not go, she looked at Ru Qing and said, "What you need to do is not to serve people."

I brought her along not to make her a servant.

Ru Qing immediately trembled and looked at Yan Yunshi, feeling a little flustered: "Young Master Lu Yan also wants me to go with you." But in Zhu Mama's eyes, she was just a maid, someone who worked for the mansion. Her objections were useless; if she objected, she would be kicked out of the courtyard.

Yan Yun stopped and looked outside the courtyard.

"I've already told you a lot of things; you just need to listen to me."

Ru Qing remained silent.

Although the city is in chaos now, it is precisely because of this chaos that opportunities arise.

Yan Yun couldn't possibly do everything for Ru Qing; this body could only do so many things it wanted to do.

Why does time pass so slowly?

Meanwhile, Zheng Jihua, far away in the capital, was furious after reading the letter. He smashed the desk next to him with his fist, ordered his men to prepare a horse, and abandoned the important figure who was conducting a secret investigation. He rode his horse to Changgu City overnight.

Following Zheng Jihua came a large group of people.

Those guys in civilian clothes were clearly highly skilled at a glance.

The urgent knocking almost broke the door.

"Ning'er, Ning'er!"

Zheng Jihua's anxious and urgent voice echoed in the already small courtyard, sending chills down Yan Yun's spine as she looked outside.

And Zheng Jihua's voice was getting closer and closer.

"Ning'er, Ning'er."

Yan Yun sheathed his dagger and tried to run away, but Zheng Jihua's face was already in front of him. His disheveled appearance was something Yan Yun had never seen before, even when he was in his wheelchair.

His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was disheveled, and his face had various marks from being scratched by something. When he saw Yan Yun, he was still trying to smooth his hair, but he only made it worse. He knelt down and approached Yan Yun, then reached out and hugged him tightly.

His arms were stronger than ever before, and he cried out with all his might, finally holding onto hope.

"Ning'er, it was my mistake. I almost lost you."