Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan paused on the road for a while before setting the motorhome in motion again. The refugees had dispersed and even cleared a path for them.
Those walking in front might not hear the vehicle approaching and would not necessarily move aside on their own, but since the motorhome drove itself, it was no trouble for the sisters to follow slowly behind them.
At the very least, the refugees traveling alongside them had seen what they were capable of and would not deliberately cause trouble anymore.
Xi Qingyue’s attitude toward the refugees outside was indifferent. She had witnessed scenes far more tragic than this and seen countless instances of people repaying kindness with betrayal. She had long since grown numb to it all.
Saving the world was the imperial court’s responsibility. She was only a child herself—and one who was raising a child. She simply did not have the energy for it.
Beside the sofa, Xi Weilan sat obediently with a pen in hand, bent over the table and practicing her writing with complete concentration. This was a lesson she did every day.
By evening, Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan arrived at the canal wharf.
Gazing out over the broad river, Xi Qingyue’s lips curved into a smile. Once they were on the water, this would be her territory. She could even cultivate her water-based powers, and there would be no traffic jams to worry about. It was perfect.
There were hardly any refugees around the wharf. Most would not choose to come this way, nor would they spend money to travel by boat. Only a few wealthy families preferred the waterways.
At the wharf, porters busily loaded and unloaded cargo while others shouted instructions. Several pampered young gentlemen disembarked from a boat and headed toward the shops along the dock.
Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan simply crouched by the wharf, grinning at the river before them. A few young gentlemen passing by saw their expressions and sighed, “Tsk, there are so many fools these days.”
Xi Qingyue heard him but could not be bothered to respond. She pulled Xi Weilan to her feet and followed the riverbank toward a deserted area.
Various boats of different sizes were moored along the wharf. After walking for a while, the sisters found a spot and sat down.
“Big Sis, when are we going to take out our boat?” Xi Weilan asked, her little face full of anticipation.
Xi Qingyue replied with a smile, “Whenever you want. Lan’er, would you like to sleep on the yacht tonight, or in the big bed at the villa?”
Xi Weilan nodded excitedly. “Big Sis, I want to sleep on the yacht.”
Xi Qingyue was not surprised by her answer. The child simply loved playing with new things.
The next moment, a luxurious yacht appeared on the river before them. Xi Qingyue swept Xi Weilan into her arms and instantly brought her onto the open-air area of the flybridge deck.
It was an excellent place for sightseeing during the day and for operating the yacht in the open air. As soon as Xi Weilan arrived, she ran around happily.
On the nearest boat, an old man with a white beard suddenly sensed that something was wrong. He rubbed his eyes and looked toward the yacht, only to discover that a boat had appeared there at some point.
“Strange. There wasn’t a boat there just now, was there?”
He muttered to himself but did not give it much thought. It was already night, and he could not see clearly. Besides, Xi Qingyue had not turned on the yacht’s lights.
Onboard, Xi Qingyue had no intention of turning on the lights just yet. Under the moonlight, she could still make out the scenery on the deck.
She reclined on a wide sofa, gazing up at the moon with a smile in her eyes. After running excitedly around the deck a few times, Xi Weilan also lay down on the sofa beside her.
Turning onto her side, she asked Xi Qingyue curiously, “Big Sis, is this faster than the big house?”
“Mm. There won’t be as many refugees on the water, only a few boats. We’ll be the fastest out here. We’ll reach our destination in less than three days.”
That was what made Xi Qingyue happiest. She would not have to waste time on the road.
Suddenly, she said to Xi Weilan, “Lan’er, starting tomorrow, I’ll teach you how to swim. You’ve already learned to fly, so you should learn how to move through the water too. Both skills could save your life someday.”
Xi Weilan agreed readily. “Okay, Big Sis. I’ll study hard.”
She had already noticed the swimming pool on the yacht. It would be the perfect place to learn.
The sisters slept on the sofas on the deck that night. When they woke, sunlight had already spilled into every corner of the yacht.
After washing up briskly, Xi Qingyue combed Xi Weilan’s hair. While the two of them were busy, the other boats gradually drew closer to their yacht.
When the old man from the previous night woke and got a clear look at the yacht, he stared in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief. The snow-white yacht was far too conspicuous beside their boats, and it was immediately obvious that it was much better than theirs.
Out of curiosity, he wanted to come over and see who owned it. Several other boats came along with him.
Most importantly, they seemed to have spotted the figures of two children aboard. It was extraordinarily strange.
Xi Qingyue pulled Xi Weilan over to the open-air helm, where there happened to be two seats—one for each of them. She started the yacht and quickly sped away.
The farther they traveled, the wider the view became. Before long, they reached an expansive stretch of water. Only then did Xi Qingyue take out some food and eat with Xi Weilan.
Those who had wanted a close look at the yacht had not even reached it before it vanished from sight. One by one, they stood there dumbfounded.
“My heavens! Is that really a boat? It doesn’t look like an official vessel. It might even be faster than one!”
“Exactly. I’ve never seen a boat like that. It’s beautiful. Compared to it, ours look terribly shabby.”
“Strange. When did that thing arrive? Why didn’t we see it yesterday?”
People on the other boats discussed it curiously. Some of the young gentlemen and ladies were even filled with envy. They desperately wanted to ride it. It was simply too fast.
Xi Qingyue knew nothing of their envy. After setting the yacht to autopilot, she took Xi Weilan to the swimming pool.
Seeing the clothes they were wearing, she decided to remove their cumbersome outer garments. Simple T-shirts and shorts would be much more convenient.
“Big Sis, will I drown? What if I drink the water?” Xi Weilan asked, crouching beside the pool with a worried frown. She thought the water in it probably tasted bad.
Xi Qingyue tapped her on the head. “I changed the water in here. It won’t hurt you if you drink some. Just be careful not to choke.”
At that, Xi Weilan’s expression brightened. “Really?”
As she spoke, she scooped up some pool water and took a sip.
Xi Qingyue looked at her with an indescribable expression. She really wanted to tap her on the forehead again. That child’s thoughts jumped all over the place—when she said it was safe to drink, she had not meant for her to actually drink the pool water.
“Big Sis, this isn’t spirit spring water?” Xi Weilan asked, staring at the water in confusion.
This time, Xi Qingyue could not stop herself from smacking her lightly on the head. “Silly child, do you think spirit spring water is meant to be wasted like this? This is tap water. A couple of sips won’t hurt you, but it isn’t meant to be your drinking water. The spirit spring water is over there. Big Sis has prepared some for you. If you’re thirsty, go get it.”
She pointed toward several bottles on a table nearby. At the same time, she could not help sighing inwardly. This child was even more wasteful than she was. Tap water was one thing, but now she wanted to drink spirit spring water too.
Xi Weilan clutched her head and stared wide-eyed as she nodded. She often helped carry Spirit Spring water to water the vegetables, and they always grew beautifully. She had thought swimming in Spirit Spring water would help her learn faster, but apparently that wasn’t how it worked.
