Xiao Yi pondered for a moment. "No need, let him go."
"Have you gotten in touch with Ling Feng and Ling Yu?"
Yun Xiao lowered his head. "We have contacted Ling Yu. Not long after they left the city, they were ambushed."
"Fortunately, we were prepared in advance. Ling Yu and his men managed to retreat unscathed."
"None of the enemies escaped; Ling Yu took care of all of them."
"We haven't been able to reach Ling Feng yet. This subordinate has been trying his best..." Yun Xiao said nervously.
He didn't understand why there was no news from Ling Feng.
Logically speaking, he could understand if there was no news from Ling Yu, as the route Ling Yu took carried the highest risk.
Xiao Yi waved his hand, signaling for Yun Xiao to leave.
Yun Xiao bowed with cupped hands to Xiao Yi and withdrew.
Duoduo stopped running around to play. She stayed quietly in the cabin, reading medical records.
Su Xian glanced at Duoduo from time to time, finding it very strange.
"Duoduo, aren't you going to play with Yingniang today?"
"Mother heard that you were flying kites yesterday."
Duoduo didn't even lift her head. "Mother, I don't have time."
Su Xian put down her embroidery and walked over to Duoduo's side.
"Mother doesn't need you to keep her company. Go out and play." Su Xian rubbed Duoduo's head.
Duoduo finally looked up, rubbing her eyes.
"Mother, I am really busy! I set a rule for myself to finish reading all the medical records before we reach the capital."
Seeing Duoduo constantly rubbing her eyes, Su Xian's heart ached.
She gently but firmly pulled Duoduo up.
"Mother is tired of embroidering. Keep me company and let's go for a walk outside."
Duoduo wanted to refuse, but then she realized her own eyes were also a bit tired.
Duoduo closed the medical records and carefully put them away. "Lüdou, guard this place. Do not let anyone come in."
The medical records given by Master Zhang were his life's work.
If they were lost, Master Zhang would definitely be heartbroken.
"Yes, this servant will make sure no one enters."
Lüdou stood in front of the desk.
Only then did Duoduo feel at ease, taking Su Xian's hand and walking out.
At the bow of the ship, Xu Jinxin and Yingniang were lying on lounge chairs, sunbathing.
Su Xian led Duoduo over, only to be startled.
Because Xu Jinxin and Yingniang had white cloths draped over their faces.
At a quick glance, they looked like corpses, which was quite creepy.
"Jinxin? Yingniang? Why are you two like this? You scared me!"
Hearing the footsteps, Xu Jinxin took off the white cloth covering her face.
When she saw Su Xian, a smile appeared on her face.
"Su Xian, Duoduo, you're here!"
"Come, sunbathe with us! Let me tell you, people need to get more sun; it's good for the body!"
"Especially Duoduo. The more sun you get, the taller you'll grow!"
Duoduo looked curiously at Yingniang, who lay motionless on the chair.
Xu Jinxin smiled and gave Yingniang a nudge. "Yingniang, wake up!"
Yingniang pulled the cloth off her face and opened her sleepy eyes.
"Mother, are we going back now?"
"Huh? Duoduo, you finally came out?" Yingniang cheered up immediately upon seeing Duoduo.
Su Xian sat down next to Xu Jinxin. "Why are you covering your faces with white cloths?"
"Because this way, our faces won't get tanned so easily." Xu Jinxin laughed loudly.
"Also, white doesn't absorb sunlight, so it keeps the heat away."
Xu Jinxin looked at the white cloth and chuckled. "It's just that from a distance, it looks a bit creepy!"
"Hahaha!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Still laughing, Xu Jinxin said, "The first day I brought Yingniang to lay out here, we scared Li Jiangyu so much he let out a yelp. It cracked me up!"
"Auntie Xu, really?" Duoduo found it very amusing.
Xu Jinxin nodded.
"Yes! You'd never imagine that such a big, burly man could run faster than a rabbit!" Xu Jinxin was overjoyed.
"Don't even mention him. Even my heart is still pounding right now."
Su Xian patted her chest.
If it weren't for the fact that she didn't believe anything bad could happen to Xu Jinxin and Yingniang, she would have been terrified to death.
Xu Jinxin threw her hands up.
"It can't be helped. The days on this ship are too hard to pass."
"Every day is just eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating. I'm bored to death!"
Su Xian didn't feel the same way. After all, back in the manor, she usually stayed in her room and rarely went out anyway.
Xu Jinxin was used to running around outside, so she certainly wouldn't be accustomed to this sudden confinement.
"Auntie Xu, weren't you fishing a few days ago?" Duoduo asked curiously.
"I've had enough of fishing, and I've eaten enough fish too!" Xu Jinxin looked disgusted.
"Now, just the sight of fish makes me nauseous."
Saying that, Xu Jinxin lay back down on the chair.
"I want to eat meat, I want vegetables, I want all kinds of delicious food. Sigh!"
Seeing Xu Jinxin's dramatic display, Su Xian pursed her lips and smiled.
"Auntie Xu, we'll be arriving at the next prefecture soon."
"When the time comes, Yun Xiao will head into the city to buy provisions, and we can all go into town to play!"
Duoduo comforted Xu Jinxin.
Xu Jinxin sat up abruptly. "Really? How much longer until we get there?"
"It should be about two more days." Duoduo recalled the information she had asked about.
"Ah? Two more days!" Xu Jinxin instantly went limp as if she had no bones and slumped back down.
Duoduo blinked her eyes.
"Auntie Xu, I remember you mentioned you know how to do something called barbecue?"
Xu Jinxin waved her hand. "Of course! Your Auntie Xu might not be great at cooking, but the things I grill are incredibly delicious!"
Suddenly, Xu Jinxin sat up and clapped her hands together.
"Duoduo, are you craving grilled fish?"
Duoduo intentionally put on a shy expression.
"Auntie Xu really understands my heart best. I want to taste what this grilled fish you talk about is like."
Xu Jinxin immediately perked up.
"Since Duoduo wants to eat it, Auntie Xu will go prepare it right away."
"Yingniang, hurry up and get up! We're going fishing!" Xu Jinxin nudged Yingniang.
"I'll go check the kitchen in the back to see what else we can grill."
"Today, I'm going to make you all a massive seafood barbecue feast!"
Rubbing her hands together in excitement, Xu Jinxin grabbed Yingniang and ran off.
Su Xian looked at the departing mother and daughter with a hint of envy.
Duoduo grabbed the white cloth from the side and stuffed it into Su Xian's hands.
"Mother, let's sunbathe!"
Su Xian looked at the white cloth in her hand, set it aside, and pulled her own handkerchief out from her sleeve.
"Mother will use this." She lay down and draped the handkerchief over her face.
"I'll use a handkerchief too." Duoduo also pulled out her handkerchief, mimicking Su Xian's actions, and lay down.
With their vision blocked, their hearing and other senses were infinitely magnified.
Su Xian felt the warmth of the sunlight, and even the river breeze blowing past felt warm.
The river water lapped against the hull of the ship, making soft splashing sounds.
Birds flying overhead chirped from time to time.
There was also the howling of monkeys in the distant mountain forests.
Su Xian surprisingly found that this feeling was truly wonderful and relaxing.
Basking in the sun, the mother and daughter unwittingly fell asleep.
It wasn't until a fragrant aroma drifted over with the river breeze that Duoduo woke up.
She sniffed hard; it was an unfamiliar, delicious scent.
