Duoduo lowered her eyes, feeling a bit guilty. Su Xian pulled Duoduo along to bow to Li Jin.
"Duoduo, hurry and thank the teacher."
Duoduo obediently prepared to curtsy, but Li Jin hurriedly stepped forward and helped her up.
"No need for formalities. You are my student, and it is my duty to save you."
Xu Jinxin pulled Su Xian closer. "Right, I told you so. It's what he ought to do."
Seeing Duoduo with her head down, Xu Jinxin shot a glance at Li Jin.
"Duoduo must have been frightened just now, so stop lecturing her."
Li Jin felt quite helpless. "I haven't said anything at all."
"I'm just anticipating your behavior and nipping it in the bud!"
Xu Jinxin teased.
Su Xian watched the way Xu Jinxin and Li Jin interacted, a flash of envy in her eyes.
"So, are we still going out for a stroll?" Yingniang asked in a small voice.
Xu Jinxin patted Yingniang's head. "Duoduo was frightened, how can you still think about going shopping?"
Yingniang held Duoduo's hand. "I'm just hungry."
"Grumble!"
Following Yingniang's words, Duoduo's stomach also started to growl.
Duoduo's face turned red, and she covered her stomach in embarrassment.
Xu Jinxin laughed.
"Su Xian, how about we go find a restaurant to eat?"
"I'm so sick of eating fish on the boat every day!"
"Right now, I want to have a feast and eat lots of delicious food!"
Su Xian nodded; she wanted to as well.
"Then I'll go let the prince know." Su Xian patted Duoduo. "You go downstairs first with Aunt Xu and the others."
"Okay."
Duoduo nodded obediently.
"Let's go, let's head downstairs first!" Xu Jinxin couldn't wait.
The four of them went downstairs and asked the innkeeper which restaurant had the best food.
A moment later, Xiao Yi also came downstairs.
"We've already asked around. Wanfu Restaurant has the most delicious dishes, and it's not far from here!"
Li Jin told Xiao Yi, and Xiao Yi nodded.
The group then headed towards Wanfu Restaurant.
Right after they left, the commoners searching for Duoduo arrived.
Hearing that they were looking for a little girl, the innkeeper immediately thought of Duoduo and the others.
Thus, the commoners hurriedly chased after them to Wanfu Restaurant.
Xiao Yi's group arrived at Wanfu Restaurant, entered a private room, and ordered the restaurant's signature dishes.
Xiao Yi habitually went to the window, watching the people coming and going below.
Suddenly, he saw a large crowd of people marching grandly into Wanfu Restaurant below.
Xiao Yi found it a bit strange and instructed Yun Xiao to go down and take a look.
Yun Xiao had just gone halfway down when he saw a large group of commoners coming towards him.
"Quick, the innkeeper just said it's that private room."
Yun Xiao saw that the room they were heading for was exactly the one where Xiao Yi was.
He reached out his hand, and the guards stationed at the door of the private room came over and blocked everyone.
"Please step aside, we need to see our benefactor!"
The leader cupped his hands in greeting towards Yun Xiao.
"Are you mistaken? Inside is our master's family hosting guests." Yun Xiao looked at the crowd very vigilantly.
The crowd looked at each other, and finally, the leader spoke first.
"May I ask, warrior, is there a three or four-year-old girl among your masters?"
Yun Xiao was startled inwardly but showed no emotion on his face.
"There is no girl. Our little master is a boy!"
For convenience, both Duoduo and Yingniang were wearing boys' clothes.
The leader was stunned for a moment.
He cupped his hands towards Yun Xiao. "My apologies, then we made a mistake."
Yun Xiao nodded, and the commoners swarmed back downstairs.
Yun Xiao entered the room and quietly reported what had just happened to Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi looked downstairs. The people from just now had not left but were waiting below, seemingly waiting for someone.
Xiao Yi waved his hand, and Yun Xiao retreated to guard outside the door.
Not long after, the shopkeeper and a waiter brought the food into the room.
Everyone's eyes were immediately drawn to the dishes, which were perfect in color, aroma, and taste.
Xiao Yi sat in his wheelchair and noticed that the shopkeeper's gaze was lingering on Duoduo and Yingniang.
After the shopkeeper left with the waiter and everyone was about to start eating, Xiao Yi suddenly spoke up.
"Duoduo, check these dishes. Is there any problem with them?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Xiao Yi and Duoduo.
"When traveling, it's a good thing to be a bit careful." Li Jin nodded in agreement with Xiao Yi's approach.
Duoduo took out a silver needle from her clothes and poked it into each dish one by one.
The silver needle did not change color.
"It's fine. If there is anything, I have the antidote!"
Duoduo playfully stuck out her tongue.
Xiao Yi picked up his chopsticks, and the others followed suit.
The food on the boat was very monotonous and not very tasty.
Having finally gotten the chance to have a great meal, everyone ate to their hearts' content.
Soon, most of the dishes on the table were eaten up.
"The food here is really delicious." Li Jin put down his chopsticks in satisfaction.
"Yes! Finally being able to eat a normal meal makes me feel so happy," Xu Jinxin quipped.
Su Xian smiled with pursed lips. Today, even Xiao Yi had eaten quite a lot.
"Yun Xiao, go down and settle the bill, and while you're at it, order a banquet for the others to take back," Xiao Yi ordered.
"Yes, sir." Yun Xiao went downstairs.
"Then how about we continue strolling for a while before going back?" Xu Jinxin suggested.
Everyone looked at Xiao Yi.
"Let's go." Xiao Yi only uttered these two words, and everyone smiled.
He had agreed!
The group went downstairs, walked out of the restaurant, and were just about to discuss which way to stroll first.
Suddenly, someone shouted.
"That's the little girl!"
Before Xiao Yi and the others could react, they saw many people rushing up to them.
Xiao Yi reacted quickly and pulled Su Xian and Duoduo behind him.
Li Jin did the same.
The guards hurriedly drew their swords from their waists, protecting their masters behind them.
At this moment, the people who had rushed over knelt down towards Duoduo.
"Thank you, Dragon Maiden, for saving our lives! We will serve you as beasts of burden in our next lives to repay you!"
After the leader finished speaking, he began to kowtow to Duoduo, and the others followed suit.
Xiao Yi and his group were all baffled.
Dragon Maiden?
Who?
Li Jin looked in their direction and saw that they were bowing to Duoduo.
A certain scene quickly flashed through his mind.
It seemed that Duoduo's actions had been seen by others as well.
Li Jin stepped forward to help the leader up.
"Old man, please get up. What are you doing? Let's go inside to talk."
The leader was an elderly man, and he nodded gladly.
The group returned to the room once again.
"Old man, we only have ordinary children here. There is no Dragon Maiden as you mentioned."
As soon as they entered the room, Li Jin explained.
The old man waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over Duoduo and Yingniang.
Then, he bowed to Duoduo.
"She is the Dragon Maiden!"
"Today, she was the one who found the water source and saved all of us!"
"Not only must we thank her, but we also want to sculpt a golden statue for her, offer her incense, and let future generations remember the great kindness and virtue of the Dragon Maiden!"
