The mistress has no feelings, why do you provoke her?

Two figures, one tall and one short, walked slowly and laboriously through the lush forest.

The dense branches and leaves intertwined, and dappled sunlight fell upon them.

Yan Yan would occasionally look up and secretly observe Mei's expression. Seeing that his face was as pale as paper, without a trace of color, she couldn't help but feel deep worry in her eyes and asked softly, "Master, how are you?"

"It's nothing," Mei replied to Yan Yan with a weak smile.

At this moment, he was filled with remorse and hated himself for being so incompetent. Not only was he unable to protect Yan Yan, but he had also dragged him down.

Yan Yan looked around, as if she had thought of something, and suddenly said, "Wait a moment."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took off running like a nimble little monkey.

Mei had no time to stop her and could only watch helplessly as Yan Yan ran to a big tree.

Yan Yan looked up at the fruit hanging on the tree, then quickly squatted down and picked up a few pebbles from the ground.

With a flick of his arm, he sent pebbles hurtling like shooting stars toward the fruit on the tree.

With two crisp "snap" sounds, two bright red little fruits fell steadily into Yan Yan's little hand.

Yan Yan ran excitedly to Mei as if she had found a rare treasure.

She carefully held the fruit in both hands and presented it to Mei, saying happily, "Master, here you go..."

Looking at Yan Yan's face full of joy and anticipation, Mei felt a warm current surge in her heart and couldn't bear to refuse this kindness.

So, he showed a happy expression and slowly stretched out his hand.

Seeing this, Yan Yan immediately placed both fruits gently in his palm and said in a clear voice, "Master, you eat them."

Mei couldn't help but chuckle softly, and instead of refusing, she slowly brought the fruit to her lips and took a small bite.

He ate very slowly, as if savoring the most precious delicacy in the world.

Yan Yan watched him eat with great relish, swallowing hard involuntarily, her voice full of anticipation: "Master, is it delicious?"

Mei looked up and saw his utterly greedy expression, so she couldn't help but chuckle. She then handed him another fruit and said gently, "Why don't you try it and see?"

Yan Yan hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out and took the fruit, carefully taking a small bite.

In an instant, the sour taste spread wildly in his mouth. He hurriedly stuck out his tongue and spat it out, his face scrunched up, looking like a little bitter gourd: "It's so sour, how can it taste so bad!"

“This is wild hawthorn, it’s naturally sour and astringent. Look, even the birds won’t eat it.” Mei looked at him, her eyes full of laughter. This little apprentice was such a simple-minded fool.

Yan Yan let out a disappointed "Ah," and asked with a puzzled look, "So that's how it is. But Master, why are you eating so deliciously?"

Mei was slightly taken aback, a gentle look flashing in her eyes, and said softly, "Because it's what you gave to your master. Even if it's the most unpalatable thing in the world, your master would still eat it with relish."

Upon hearing this, Yan Yan's eyes lit up as she looked at Mei, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

It turns out that this seemingly unreliable old man actually has such a soft heart.

Mei raised her hand and gently patted his little head, her tone filled with affection: "Let's go, let's go find your father."

Yan Yan nodded slightly, her small hand tightly holding Mei's large hand, and the two continued to stagger forward on the overgrown path.

Not long after, a rustling sound came from the depths of the quiet forest, like the branches being tugged by an external force, or like the sound of hurried footsteps.

Almost simultaneously, Yan Yan and Mei Du keenly noticed the unusual movement.

Yan Yan subconsciously turned her gaze to Mei, her eyes filled with panic and helplessness.

Mei quickly looked around, only to find in despair that she was surrounded by dense forests and could not find a place to hide.

He was frantic with worry. He shoved Yan Yan forward and, in a low voice, shouted sharply, "Go! Don't look back! Go find your father!"

"Master!" Yan Yan's throat seemed to be choked by something, her voice filled with a sob, "I can't leave you, I promised to protect you!"

"Fool!" Mei's voice was cold and stern, but the slightly reddened corners of his eyes betrayed his reluctance and worry. "How did I teach you? When faced with danger, the first thing you must do is protect yourself. Have you forgotten all that?"

In truth, he was also reluctant to be separated from Yan Yan, but at this critical moment of life and death, only by sacrificing himself could he give Yan Yan a chance to live.

Yan Yan sniffed, his big eyes brimming with tears that welled up in his eyes, and he stubbornly shook his head: "I'm not leaving!"

"If you die, what will happen to your mother?" Mei's voice trembled slightly; this was her last bargaining chip to persuade Yan Yan.

Yan Yan was stunned for a moment, and her mother's gentle face appeared in her mind.

Yes, he still has his mother waiting for him to return home. If he dies, how can his mother bear such immense grief?

In that brief moment of distraction, Mei gritted her teeth, forcibly gathered the little internal energy left in her body, and struck out with a palm at Yan Yan.

Yan Yan's small body was uncontrollably flung away by the powerful palm force.

From the air, he saw a relieved smile on Mei's face as she slowly raised her hand and waved gently at him: "Go find your father, and return alive to see your mother."

"Master..." Yan Yan cried out hoarsely, stretching her arm forward with all her might, her fingertips grasping at the void in vain, while Ke Mei's figure resolutely strode away in the opposite direction.

In an instant, Yan Yan understood that her master was planning to use himself as bait to lure away the relentless pursuers, just to buy him a precious opportunity to escape.

The whistling wind whipped at the hem of Mei's clothes, making his figure appear even more solitary and resolute amidst the mountains and forests.

Each step was firm and powerful, yet it seemed to tread on Yan Yan's heart.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down Yan Yan's face, quickly blurring her vision and making the world before her blurry and indistinct.

He hurriedly raised his sleeve and vigorously wiped his eyes, but by the time his vision cleared, Mei's figure had already vanished, leaving only a silent and secluded mountain forest.

At this moment, endless panic overwhelmed Yan Yan completely.

Mei was already seriously injured and weak, so how could she possibly withstand those well-equipped and well-trained assassins?

This journey would undoubtedly be a trap, a path to certain death.

Thinking of this, Yan Yan's legs trembled slightly, and his heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, causing him so much pain that he could hardly breathe.

The sounds of fighting came from ahead, and Yan Yan's pupils suddenly dilated.

He rushed towards Mei without thinking, without considering anything else at that moment.

He had only one thought in his mind: he couldn't abandon his master.

Master, I've arrived.