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

Yan Yun tried to push his hand away, but froze when she heard his voice, which was trembling with tears.

Was he crying?

The low sobbing was indeed from Zheng Jihua.

Yan Yun's face rested against Zheng Jihua's, and his tears fell onto Yan Yun's face. Yan Yun felt that everything was so ironic. She withdrew her hand and let it fall to her side. She looked up at the sky and wondered if all of this was fate or reincarnation.

Zheng Jihua had no idea that the woman he cherished before him was not the daughter he had been longing for, but his wife whom he had never seen before he died.

His tears now are all for his child.

When Granny Zhu heard the news of Zheng Jihua's return, she rushed over immediately. Seeing the scene before her, she did not come forward to disturb her, but simply stood aside.

Zheng Jihua calmed down and then composed herself.

His eyes were red and swollen, and he didn't dare to look Yan Yun in the eye. He covered his eyes and kept apologizing, "It was Father who scared you."

Seeing that he was calm, Granny Zhu appeared and helped Zheng Jihua up.

"If the old lady sees this, she will definitely say a few words."

Zheng Jihua then remembered her mother and asked Granny Zhu, "How is Mother?"

Granny Zhu shook her head, her expression showing some sadness.

"The old lady has been waiting for you, sir."

Zheng Jihua clenched his fist, stood up, and called out, "Where are the people outside?"

Just then, Yan Yun looked up.

The orderly line walked in instantly.

Seeing such a scene, Granny Zhu panicked.

"This, this is."

The newcomers greeted Zheng Jihua in unison, "Sir."

Zheng Jihua instructed the accompanying team, "Keep a close watch on the young lady's safety."

He looked out of the courtyard, determined to make those bandits pay for their crimes in blood.

Originally, Yan Yun only had Ru Qing by his side, but due to Zheng Jihua's orders, countless guards appeared around him.

Even Ru Qing was questioned repeatedly before being allowed to leave.

Because of Zheng Jihua's love for his daughter, Yan Yun completely lost her freedom.

What she didn't know was that the city had undergone a complete transformation.

The newly appointed Governor Ji ordered the suppression of bandits, and Zheng Jihua followed him out early and returned late every day.

Yan Yun stood in the courtyard, but after only a short while, dust settled on his head, and the air was filled with the stench of burning.

The guard standing at the door reminded Yan Yun, "Please rest inside for the next few days, Miss."

Yan Yun looked into the distance, where the rising smoke foreshadowed what was about to happen.

Originally, Ru Qing and herself were trapped in the courtyard and couldn't do anything. It was Yan Yun who found an opportunity to give Ru Qing to Lu Yan, and now Ru Qing is with Lu Yan.

Although Lu Yan was also exhausted by the money shop incident, he couldn't refuse Yan Yun's request. Since Lu Yuan wasn't by his side, he asked Ru Qing for her opinion, and Ru Qing knew what Yan Yun meant.

"Please, young master, let me stay."

Not long ago, Yan Yun thought of Lu Yuan and told Ru Qing to relax.

"Stay by his side and take good care of him."

Ru Qing was somewhat taken aback, but she didn't say anything.

Yan Yun felt like he was in the courtyard for the third day.

An uninvited guest appeared on the roof beam.

"It's a huge mess outside, but you're sleeping soundly."

He looked at the shadow on the bed, rolled over and jumped down from the roof beam. Before he could even stand up, the wooden plank he stepped on sank in instantly. "This is the second time."

The same little trick was used last time.

He was about to reach out and grab the floorboards beside him when Yan Yun, who was hiding under the table, seized the opportunity and drew his dagger.

Upon realizing that someone was hiding under the table, the other party immediately withdrew their hand.

Yan Yun watched his movements and still praised him for discovering things quickly. However, she decided to give it a try this time and thrust the dagger directly at the spot where he was about to strike.

Unfortunately, they overestimated their own strength.

The dagger stuck in the ground couldn't be pulled out quickly, and the guy who was propping himself up with his feet grabbed his arm, his smiling words echoing in his ears.

"Want to come down together?"

Yan Yun abandoned the dagger, raised his hand, and punched him on the head.

"No."

The opponent didn't expect Yan Yun to make this move. He was punched in the head. Although it didn't hurt, he didn't expect her to make such a move. He slipped and fell down.

With a heavy thud.

Yan Yun was a little worried. She picked up the oil lamp that was left aside and looked down at it, saying very quietly, "Is everything alright?"

The person below rubbed his head and jumped up from below. He wasn't angry. He looked at Yan Yun and asked, "Did you dig this yourself?"

Yan Yun nodded.

Since Zheng Jihua wouldn't let him go out, Yan Yun asked Ru Qing to find him some tools for planting flowers, which turned out to be quite useful.

Thinking that the other person had been infected, she smiled at them. Her mood, which had been gloomy because of Zheng Jihua, lightened considerably.

The reason she was laughing was because she thought he would come looking for her, and he actually did.

The man in black stared intently at Yan Yun. When he saw her smile, his pupils dilated slightly. He turned his head to look outside the door, where patrolling figures were moving back and forth.

He looked away: "So that's the reason, but..."

He dragged out the sound and didn't finish speaking immediately.

Yan Yun wondered what he was going to say, and looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

He crossed his arms over his chest and said, "So you can laugh too?"

One sentence instantly darkened Yan Yun's expression. She reached up and touched her face. Was she smiling? She hadn't even realized it herself. Could she smile? Her mother, who had died under mysterious circumstances, her family members who had died with resentment, the destroyed Yan family, and Zheng Jihua, who had risen to even greater heights—was any of these things that could make her smile?

No, she shouldn't be living so easily.

It was her loss of composure.

She raised her hand to support her forehead, turned around, and for the first time gave the visitor the order to leave, saying, "You should leave. There are people guarding outside. I can't leave here."

Zheng Jihua would come seven or eight times a day, just to catch a glimpse of him.

Leaving with him at this time would not be a wise move.

"I will not slack off; I will practice even more diligently."

The newcomer was puzzled. Why did his expression change so suddenly? He thought his words shouldn't have been hurtful.

Could this girl harbor some deep-seated hatred? He couldn't understand.

However, he is not someone who is oblivious to people's expressions.

He didn't come here to take her away.

He took a book from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"This is for you. I'm leaving now."

His lack of further questions and refusal to linger relieved Yan Yun.

She turned to look at the book she had left on the table.

She was now alone in the room once again.

Yan Yun opened the book and took a look, but he didn't expect it to be a guide to martial arts.

From physical training to holding one's breath and concealing one's presence, everything was clearly written on it, and it still smelled of ink, so it was obviously not an old book.

Yan Yun put the book away and re-filled the trap.

Ru Qing returned home late at night, and Yan Yun was still waiting for her.

No matter how late it was, Yan Yun would only rest after seeing her.

Fortunately, Ru Qing is still able to move around freely.

Because Lu Yan knew that she was someone Yan Yun had placed by his side and had given him absolute freedom. The news that Ru Qing brought back also allowed Yan Yun to know what was happening outside without leaving the house. Now the situation outside was completely one-sided.

Those bandits used to roam the city with impunity.

The newly arrived leader launched the first attack on the bandits, destroying their stronghold and capturing many more.

Yan Yun thought of the bandits' lair, which had been burned down several times before. Were there any more?

Thinking about the thick smoke and dust that I've been seeing in the sky lately: "Could that smoke be related to that?"

Ru Qing said, "That was to prevent the bandits from hiding there, so that official set the mountain on fire."

"what?"

There should be other things on that mountain; it's not just a bandit's den.

Ru Qing had no idea what Yan Yun was thinking. She continued to tell him what she knew. Not only that, the lord had also turned the bandits against him. As long as they revealed their accomplices and the mountain bandits hiding in the city, they could get a reward of one hundred to one thousand taels of silver. Ru Qing heard the people at the money shop talking behind her back that they didn't even need to lift a finger. Those guys who wanted silver were as numerous as leaves growing on a tree.

Yan Yun had thought those guys would be loyal, but now it seems they were just a bunch of scoundrels who would take the wrong path for personal gain.

Thinking of those who died in the Zheng family.

"They killed so many people, do you think those who implicated their accomplices will be forgiven?"

Ru Qing couldn't understand Master Qing's actions either, but as long as all those bandits could be wiped out, Ru Qing felt that any method was acceptable. She also thought of the dead to comfort Yan Yun: "Miss, they won't have a good ending."

Almost half a month has passed.

Ru Qing brought good news: the city had gradually calmed down, and the bandits had not reappeared.

The bad news for Yan Yun was that the old lady had recovered, and Zheng Jihua wanted to take Yan Yun with her to see her.

The old lady was still lying in bed, and she was still not very energetic. Compared to before when she couldn't get up all day, she was able to sit up now, although she felt a little tired.

When the old lady saw Yan Yun standing behind Zheng Jihua, she felt even more disappointed. She had been taking care of him, but he hadn't even come to see her when she fell ill. Such cold-bloodedness made her feel pain all over just thinking about it.

"Granny Zhu, come and give me a massage."

Granny Zhu immediately stepped forward and massaged the old lady to help her relax.

Zheng Jihua explained his purpose.

“Mother, I have already bought a new courtyard and will move there directly. As for the old mansion, I have decided to have someone guard it for the time being. After the renovation, if Mother is willing, we can move back there.”

The old lady had no objections, but she said something unexpected: "After that woman died in that mansion, there has never been peace in the yard. After the renovation, let's invite a master to take a look."

The old lady's casual remark immediately made Yan Yun realize that the woman she was referring to was himself, who had died.