Chapter 66

Chapter 66

There were still pastry crumbs clinging to the corners of Jiang Yunsui’s mouth. At his words, she guiltily shrank her head back inside.

Only after a while did she slowly shuffle out, carrying the teapot.

Under Ji Yan’an’s gaze, she dawdled all the way to the very edge of the table and set the teapot down.

“It, it’s right here.”

“I put it down, okay?”

Then she tried to slip away.

Running away was what she was best at.

But she didn’t make it. Nanshu, who had already predicted her move, blocked her path.

Not only did Nanshu stop her, he also picked up the teapot and shook it right in front of her.

“Young Master, there’s no tea left inside!”

Jiang Yunsui: “…”

Petty Nanshu!

Little Mushroom was punished again. She had to go run laps in the courtyard-eight laps!

Nanshu was supervising.

By the time Jiang Yunsui reached her third lap, she had already gone limp and had no strength left.

“Wuwuwu… I can’t run anymore.”

She was so tired her tongue was practically hanging out, panting like a little puppy.

Nanshu folded his arms. “You still have five laps left. Don’t slack off.”

Jiang Yunsui leaned against Heiwa and had no intention of listening to Nanshu.

She slowly dragged her feet. Aiya, this tiny human cub body was really so inconvenient.

Pressing most of her weight onto Heiwa, she let it slowly lead her forward. As for Nanshu’s words, she activated her natural defense barrier-back, back, back, all of you back…

Someone was coming.

After she finally managed to dawdle through the fourth lap, she saw a servant leading in a familiar person.

It was Fan He.

Several men of the Yaoguang Guard followed behind Fan He as well.

They were in a hurry, as if something major had happened.

“Heiwa, go keep Nanshu busy.”

Heiwa barked, then led Zuozuo Youyou in pouncing toward Nanshu.

Nanshu shouted, “Heiwa! Heiwa, what are you doing?!”

“Ah! Jiang Yunsui, it’s you again! I’m telling on you! I’m going to the Young Master!”

While he was tangled up by the three dogs, Jiang Yunsui lowered her presence and slipped back into the house.

She had to get a proper rest before she could continue finishing the remaining laps, after all.

“Young Master, we didn’t get the item.”

Fan He looked utterly miserable.

Ji Yan’an frowned. “It was gone?”

“No. I did hide it in a village, but when I went there today, I discovered that the people in that village had changed.”

He said with some embarrassment, “My memory is quite good. Though several months have passed, I still remember what most of the villagers looked like. Today, the moment I entered, I noticed quite a few faces I had never seen before. By the time I reached the household where I’d stayed before, I was even more certain.”

His expression turned serious.

“Young Master, something is wrong with that village. Most of the people in the village now are young and strong adults. Their builds don’t look like anything ordinary commoners would have.”

A member of the Yaoguang Guard also stepped forward. “Lord Fan and I disguised ourselves as traveling merchants passing by and asked for water. From our observations, most of the people in that village have martial foundations.”

Fan He nodded. “After I realized something was off, I didn’t dare retrieve the item. I was afraid of alerting them.”

Ji Yan’an thought for a moment. “Go rest for now. I’ll have people investigate the situation in that village.”

Fan He felt guilty. “Young Master, why don’t I go investigate?”

Ji Yan’an shook his head. “No need. I’ll personally lead people there to investigate.”

At that, Nanny Zhou and the others could no longer sit still. “Young Master, you mustn’t. It’s dangerous.”

Ji Yan’an said, “Don’t worry. I’ll bring enough people with me. Besides, the place Lord Fan mentioned falls within Beizhen City’s jurisdiction. If an entire village so close by has a problem and no one noticed, then as Beizhen City’s current administrator, I absolutely cannot allow anything to go wrong in Beizhen City.”
Ji Yan’an knew full well that before resisting outside enemies, one had to first secure things within. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong inside Beizhen City-or even along the entire Mobei border defense line.

Fan He said excitedly, “Young Master, this subordinate is willing to go with you!”

Sure enough, Mobei still had to be left to a Ji Family Member.

He had never expected the Young Master to be so young, yet so responsible. He was deeply moved.

After Fan He left, Ji Yan’an also had the Yaoguang Guard go make preparations.

“I want to go too.”

Jiang Yunsui’s childish voice suddenly rang out.

If he hadn’t already gotten used to it, Ji Yan’an would have been startled.

This child looked fair, clean, and sunny-so why was she always doing things like appearing and disappearing like a ghost?

“What are you going for?”

Jiang Yunsui sat on a little stool, thumping her short little legs.

“With you.”

In truth, she just wanted to go out and play.

She had never even left Beizhen City before.

Ji Yan’an said, “It’s dangerous.”

Jiang Yunsui lifted her little head. “Then I’ll definitely be safe. They can’t even find me.”

Little Mushroom was very proud.

Ji Yan’an: “…”

He couldn’t refute that.

With Jiang Yunsui’s strange ability to make people overlook her, if she really went, she might actually be the safest one there.

So Ji Yan’an said, “You may go, but you have to follow orders. You are not allowed to act on your own.”

“Got it~”

Jiang Yunsui picked up a piece of dried sweet potato and started gnawing on it again, already calculating what little snacks she should ask Fat Chef for before they left.

She missed Aunt Chen. If Aunt Chen were here, she would definitely have prepared delicious food and clothes for her.

Jiang Yunsui was spacing out when she suddenly heard Ji Yan’an ask,

“Did you finish running?”

In an instant, the dazed Little Mushroom stiffened.

Mm. She would pretend she hadn’t heard.

“How many laps are left?”

That was not even a question. His tone was certain.

Jiang Yunsui tucked her head between her knees, covering her ears with both little hands. But her mouth wasn’t idle; she kept chewing the dried sweet potato clenched between her teeth as fast as she could.

“Jiang Yunsui.”

Oh no. There was no dodging it now. He had called her full name.

So she weakly held up four fingers.

After thinking about it, she bent one chubby finger halfway down.

Ji Yan’an looked at a certain child who wished she could curl up and hide herself into a ball, then at those fingers, amusement in his eyes.

“Hm? What is that supposed to mean?”

Jiang Yunsui said weakly, “There are… three and a half laps left.”

“I wasn’t slacking off.”

Little Mushroom hurriedly added. Her hidden little head had lifted, but the expression on her face seemed to say, Please listen to my argument.

“I was running very seriously. It was super tiring.”

“My legs went weak. I couldn’t run anymore.”

“Then I thought, That won’t do. If I keep going like this, I’ll never finish.”

“So… I came back.”

As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Ji Yan’an, then straightened up with renewed confidence.

“I have to rest a little so I can finish the remaining laps better.”

“Think about it carefully. Doesn’t what I said make a lot of sense?”

The corner of Ji Yan’an’s mouth twitched slightly.

“What, should I also serve you food and drink until you’re full, then give you a massage so I don’t delay your performance?”

Jiang Yunsui stroked her slightly plump, somewhat fleshy little chin.

“Now that you mention it, that does make sense!”

Ji Yan’an pointed outside. “Get out and keep running.”

Jiang Yunsui: “…”

She condemned Ji Yan’an with her big eyes.

How could you be so cold and heartless?

Ji Yan’an said, “If you don’t go out now, I’ll add extra laps.”

Jiang Yunsui reluctantly stood up. As she slowly shuffled out, her milky little voice kept muttering,

“So this is what Tuantuan meant by a capitalist. Truly evil!”