"Ah, husband, look quickly—isn't that the daughter of the Chu family, the wealthiest clan in Jiangnan?"
A woman's exclamation drew everyone's attention.
There stood a bright-eyed, radiantly beautiful young woman, beside a tall and handsome man. The pair looked perfectly matched.
The man stared at Chu'he for a moment before recalling, "Indeed. During the Lantern Festival that year, Master Chu rented the entire street's lanterns for his daughter. Such extravagance remains a celebrated tale to this day."
The woman chimed in, "I caught a fleeting glimpse of Miss Chu at the festival, and the memory has stayed with me. There’s no mistaking it—a woman of such breathtaking beauty must be the Chu family’s young mistress!"
The man was about to add his own praise for Chu'he’s appearance, but catching Ninth’s wolf-like glare, he wisely held his tongue.
Some things were best left unsaid.
Nearby, Su Lingxi swung his legs and raised an eyebrow. "My family has had business dealings with the Chus. There’s no doubt about Miss Chu’s identity."
The three brothers exchanged glances and spoke in turn.
Left-hand Knife: "The Chu family’s reputation in Jiangnan is well-known."
Right-hand Knife: "If someone were to impersonate Miss Chu..."
Heart Knife: "It would be an act of sheer stupidity. And judging by this young lady’s bright eyes and pure heart, she could never be a fraud."
Murong Meifei added, "I’ve also met the Chu family’s daughter. There’s no mistake."
"Junior Sister, when did you ever meet Miss Chu?"
Murong Meifei kicked Murong Meixin.
Murong Meixin hastily agreed, "Right, my junior sister is correct."
Chu'he glanced around in bewilderment.
Since when had she met so many people?
Zhou Xian observed the crowd and deduced their intentions—they were using Chu'he to curry favor with Ninth, as their shared goal was reaching Canghaizhou.
But even if he saw through it, he had no plans to expose them.
Whether Chu'he was the Chu family’s daughter or not, she certainly wasn’t one of the demonic fiends from Yunhuang Immortal City.
Jia Yi’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, but most present hailed from respectable sects. They had no reason to shield a demonic cultivator. Even if Chu'he’s identity was questionable, she couldn’t be a fiend.
Chu'he asked curiously, "Has someone from Yunhuang Immortal City really appeared here?"
Jia Yi replied, "We’ve only found clues. Details cannot be disclosed."
Chu'he lowered her head, recalling the plot.
Yunhuang Immortal City was the foremost demonic sect in the story. Its members pursued immortality at any cost—conducting horrific experiments on innocents and subjecting themselves to grotesque bodily modifications.
While Miaojiang’s gu sorcery was feared, at least its practitioners didn’t run rampant in the Central Plains.
But Yunhuang Immortal City was different. Its members were utterly deranged, stripped of humanity, and universally reviled as fiends.
If she remembered correctly, the male lead had been severely wounded by the city’s lord while investigating them, sending him plummeting off a cliff.
If fiends were truly here, did that mean the male lead might be nearby too?
Distracted, Chu'he accidentally tugged too hard, plucking a few white hairs.
Ninth lifted his face, expressionless.
Cold sweat beaded on Chu'he’s forehead as she hastily patted his head. "Sorry, I got carried away."
Ninth said, "Compensation."
Normally, Chu'he would refuse, but meeting his clear, guileless eyes—and remembering her earlier lie about being his betrothed—she faltered.
"Fine. What do you want?"
"Skin..."
Chu'he clapped a hand over his mouth.
She really needed to come clean about her lies before he crossed paths with the male lead—or she’d be in deep trouble!
Yu Sanniang chuckled. "Officer Jia Yi, you’ve been at this for hours. All my guests have been checked, and nothing’s amiss. Why not call it a night and let everyone rest?"
"Who said we’re done?" Jia Yi retorted. "You and your staff are next."
Yu Sanniang’s smile vanished.
Those already questioned could return to their rooms.
Chu'he pointed at the hole in the roof. "Fix this before you come to my room to sleep."
Ninth gave a flat "Oh."
She didn’t care how he repaired it—grabbing her pillow, she marched to his room for the night.
In the hallway, a shadow trailed her.
The little green snake sensed danger and leaped out, only to be met with a handful of sulfur powder. With a "thud," it hit the floor.
At the same moment, Chu'he turned—just as a sharp blow struck her neck, plunging her into darkness. The pillow tumbled from her grasp.
The night was cold, the wind howling.
Perched on the roof like a craftsman, Ninth paused mid-tile placement. His eyes flickered, sensing something amiss—then he vanished through the hole in an instant.
In the hallway, the little green snake and pillow lay abandoned. A note was stuck to the wall.
Ninth tore it free, scanning the words. His eyes darkened, crimson seeping into his gaze like gathering storm clouds.
Chu'he woke to violent jostling, realizing she was being carried at breakneck speed through the forest. Startled, she gasped.
"Ah, Miss Chu, you’re awake!"
A woman leaned in, smiling warmly.
Before Chu'he could speak, the woman barreled on as if reading her mind:
"I’m White Dove. This is my husband, Black Goose."
The man bounding through the trees with Chu'he on his back waved. "Good evening, Miss Chu."
Chu'he opened her mouth. "You—"
White Dove cut in again. "We’re bounty hunters hired by your father to find you. Don’t worry—we won’t harm you. Our job is to get you home safe. And rest assured, our lightness skills are top-notch. That Miaojiang man won’t catch us."
Chu'he blurted, "Ninth, he—"
"We noticed you two were close, but we couldn’t tell if you were under a love gu spell. If he’s a villain, we just saved you. If he’s truly your sweetheart, we planned for that too."
White Dove grinned. "We left him a note saying we’re taking you home. If he really loves you, he can come propose to your father properly!"
Chu'he finally found her voice. "You left him a note?"
White Dove nodded. "Of course."
A vein throbbed in Chu'he’s temple. "Ninth can’t read!"
Black Goose and White Dove froze, exchanging stunned glances.
