Severed ties and living in a dilapidated house? No worries, the poor thing has a space.

Fang Xin leaned closer, but her eyes were full of worry as she asked, "Sister, what are you going to do? You're not going to box to make money, are you? No way, that's too dangerous. I won't let you go."

It turned out that the girl's real intention was not what it seemed. Fang Yu tapped her forehead: "Where did you hear that from? Who with so much money and no fear of losing would dare to send a woman to fight in a ring?"

Fang Xin pouted: "I heard it from the diners at Tianxiang Restaurant."

"Alright, hurry up and cook. Eat early and get some rest, otherwise you won't have the energy to go to your stall tomorrow."

"Okay." Fang Xin quickly sat down and added some firewood to the stove. "It'll be ready soon."

Fang Yu knew that Fang Xin would definitely take the topic of making money seriously.

Li sat at the doorway, still savoring the taste of the roasted meat. It was a taste she had never had before, nor had she ever seen it before.

This delicious food was invented by her daughter, Yu'er.

For a fleeting moment, she doubted that this was truly her Yu'er.

But this is the child I've watched grow up day and night. Even if she's changed, she's still my child.

Li stopped thinking about it and looked at the two sisters chatting and laughing around the stove with a relieved smile.

Fang Yu was adding salt when Fang Xin jumped up, pinned her arm down, and twisted her wrist: "Sister, you didn't put anything else in, did you?"

Fang Yu was amused by her: "I only added salt, nothing else."

However, after dinner, Fang Yu poured Li a cup of calming tea, hoping that Li would sleep more soundly.

Otherwise, she was afraid that Li would get up in the middle of the night and find that she was missing, and she would worry.

After Li fell asleep, Fang Yu changed her clothes and prepared to go out. Fang Xin chased after her, saying, "Sister, come back early. I'll be waiting for you at home."

"Okay, you should rest too."

Fang Yu left and went directly to Black Wind Mountain, which was ten miles away.

In the woods, a chilling wind blew all around. This was bandit territory, and few local people dared to approach.

Generally, it's out-of-town merchants who are unfamiliar with the terrain who will pass by.

She had inquired and learned that Black Wind Stronghold had existed for a long time, and the government had tried to suppress it several times before, but without success, and eventually gave up.

Even if she wanted to go up the mountain now, it would be difficult, unless the bandits on the mountain would discover her on their own initiative.

After wandering through the woods for a while, they actually found what looked like a patrol of bandits.

She was still observing when a chill suddenly approached from behind. She turned around and saw a flash before her eyes.

A somewhat familiar hand covered her mouth, and then she was pulled around the waist and hidden behind a tree trunk.

Once the patrolling bandits had passed, Xiao Jingqi released her and said in a low voice, "Miss Fang, what a coincidence."

Fang Yu wiped her mouth with a hint of disgust: "I said, can you please stop covering my mouth with your hands that have been touching women? The smell of perfume is too strong."

...Xiao Jingqi subconsciously sniffed his hand and explained, "I didn't, it's just the scent of incense, and I've never touched a woman."

That sounded a bit strange. Fang Yu wiped her hands and said, "Alright, what are you doing here?"

“My things might be in the hands of these bandits, I have to go and check.”

Fang Yu raised an eyelid, as if she had heard a joke: "Are you kidding me? Coming to a bandit's den to take a look? Even if you see it, they can't return it to you. If it's not important, I advise you not to take it."

"Then what are you doing here?" Xiao Jingqi asked in return.

"Shh!"

Xiao Jingqi made a shushing gesture, pulled her into his arms, and hid behind the tree trunk once again.

Fang Yu was pressed against his chest. Listening to the approaching footsteps, she didn't move. Only after the patrolling bandits had gone far away did she slowly raise her hand and push him away.

"They've left, I have to follow them. It's not safe here, you should leave now."

Fang Yu had only taken one step when her wrist was grabbed and she was pulled back.

She gritted her teeth; if he weren't a business partner, she would have shot him in the head.

"What on earth do you want to do?"

Xiao Jingqi turned his head to look at the patrolling bandits who had already gone far away: "My things are very important, so I have to go to the mountain stronghold. Since you are going too, why don't we go together?"

His eyes were serious, as if stars were flashing in them, unlike when I first met him.

However, the two of them would be too conspicuous, and walking together would be too obvious. It would also be inconvenient for her to use powerful weapons. She just needed to finish the job quickly.

"No need. Our goals are different, and being together would only get in the way. Let's go our separate ways."

"You're just planning to break in like this?" Xiao Jingqi suddenly asked her.

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong?"

Xiao Jingqi looked up at the top of Black Wind Stronghold: "The terrain here is complex, easy to defend and difficult to attack. This whole area belongs to Black Wind Stronghold. If you just attack like this, you probably won't even be able to get through the gates of Black Wind Stronghold."

He seems to be right. The Black Wind Stronghold has been able to stand firm in this area because it has its own means of survival. It's just that she has oversimplified the issue.

She reconsidered his suggestion to act together.

"Then tell me, what do you want to do?"

Xiao Jingqi's calm gaze fell upon her inquisitive face: "My method might be a bit..."

Xiao Jingqi hesitated, wanting to speak but then stopped. Fang Yu was extremely anxious; she was waiting to finish her business and go back as soon as possible.

"Hurry up and tell me, why are you being so coy?"

Xiao Jingqi leaned slightly closer to her ear and whispered his thoughts.

After listening, Fang Yu's eyes lit up: "That's right, how come I didn't think of that? Let's do it that way."

Fang Yu casually took his arm: "Let's go, my love."

Xiao Jingqi was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected her to agree to his plan, which was for them to pretend to be a couple eloping.

"Come on," Fang Yu tugged at him again, "Stop dawdling, I'm in a hurry to get home."

Although Xiao Jingqi had not met many women, he had never met one as unconventional as her.

He once again began to doubt her identity as a village girl.

The two of them strolled leisurely through the woods, hand in hand.

The moonlight was bright.

“Ayu, as long as we get through this forest, we can fly away to a place where no one can find us.”

Suddenly, Xiao Jingqi's serious voice came from beside him, and then he lowered his voice and said, "If you're going to do an act, do it properly."

Then, the sound of leaves being stomped on came from behind.

Four bandits surrounded them from the front and back.

"Tsk tsk tsk." The bandit leader clicked his tongue: "I was wondering what all this noise was all about in the middle of the night. Turns out it's just two adulterers eloping."

Fang Yu almost couldn't help but retaliate, but Xiao Jingqi held her hand tightly before Fang Yu reacted, and the next moment her face turned to fear.

"My lord, who are they? I'm scared."