Chapter 360: All is Perfectly Complete

The carriage moved forward at a steady pace, drawn by a black horse. The bell beneath its neck jingled crisply, its clear sound echoing along the road.

Inside the carriage, Nie Qianyu and Little Orange were both in low spirits. Neither spoke, nor did they bother to pay attention to anything outside. They knew that before long, the young man wielding a longsword, who had leapt so effortlessly into the air, would ride off on his Sibu Xiang, parting ways with them. In this vast sea of people, who could say when fate might bring them together again?

In fact, they faintly sensed that when this mysterious young man left, he might not even bid them farewell.

Yes, “farewell”, such a simple word, yet how heavy with longing and expectation!

Sure enough, after nearly two meals’ time had passed, the curtain of the carriage remained closed. The interior was dim, with only the occasional shaft of light slipping through the cracks, illuminating their tense, anxious faces.

“He really has left. He left without saying goodbye.”

The thought crossed both their minds at once.

But then, the clear ringing of the bell sounded, as if a great bell had been struck in their ears. Both girls started in shock, their gazes meeting in the dimness, filled with surprise and disbelief. Almost simultaneously, they whispered: “Why didn’t we hear him speak to the guards? How did we end up outside the city?”

Indeed, outside the carriage, it was utterly quiet now. Any sounds that did come were faint and subdued, nothing like the restless bustle unique to Danhe City. How could the bell’s ringing sound so heavenly if they were still within the city walls?

As if waking from a dream, both girls scrambled to lift the front curtain.

That not-so-broad back, that figure already deeply etched into their hearts, wasn’t he right there before their eyes?

Little Orange was the first to call out: “Ren Xiaoyao, why haven’t you left?”

Nie Qianyu quickly followed: “Big Brother Ren, why didn’t you take us to the escort agency?”

“Why have you brought us outside the city?”

“Where is this place?”

Zhang Xiaohua turned to look at the two girls, who were overjoyed, and felt a warmth in his heart. To be able to give others a sense of protection, what a wonderful feeling!

And even more so, to be a man who can protect women.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaohua truly felt what it was to be an adult.

With a smile, Zhang Xiaohua said: “This is outside the West Gate of Danhe City. We’ve already left the city some distance behind. What were you two doing, hiding inside and not daring to come out? Were you afraid of running into bad people?”

The two girls nodded in tacit agreement. “Yes, if we were discovered in the city, there’d be no way to escape.”

“There’s no need to worry now. They’ve all gone to the east gate, chasing after you along the road we came from. For now, no one should discover us.”

“Oh?” Little Orange was still puzzled.

“Oh!” Nie Qianyu instantly smiled. “So Big Brother Ren had it all planned out from the start. I truly admire you.”

Zhang Xiaohua shook his head. “Miss Nie, you give me too much credit. I just happened to take care of a few villains along the way, there was no grand plan.”

“Hehe, Big Brother Ren, you’re too modest.” Nie Qianyu replied, not hiding her admiration.

Little Orange still didn’t understand. “Ren..Young Master Ren, this maid still doesn’t get it. Why didn’t you take us to the escort agency?”

Hearing Little Orange address him as “Young Master” and refer to herself as a humble maid, Zhang Xiaohua frowned slightly and explained: “Little Orange, do you think I didn’t want to take you to the escort agency? Even if I wanted to, they wouldn’t dare accept this job.”

Little Orange asked in surprise: “Young Master Ren, why is that?”

Nie Qianyu smiled: “So that’s how it is!”

Her smile was as sweet as honey.

“Miss Nie, you are truly clever and remarkable.” Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but praise.

Nie Qianyu waved her hands. “Cleverness is useless. In the face of Big Brother Ren’s strength, all little tricks are just petty schemes.”

At this, Little Orange finally understood. Seeing her mistress so delighted, her own expression changed slightly, but she quickly returned to normal and said: “Miss is truly amazing. I really admire you.”

Zhang Xiaohua recounted how he had gone to the escort agency to find bodyguards, then shrugged and said: “I had no other choice. I couldn’t just watch you fall into the hands of those villains. Besides, if those people return and can’t find any trace of you, they might come back to Danhe City. So I had to bring you out first.”

“Sigh, it seems we’ll have to wait until we reach the next town to figure things out.”

Hearing this, Nie Qianyu and Little Orange both looked displeased. They exchanged a glance before Nie Qianyu asked: “Big Brother Ren, can you tell me where you’re headed now?”

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and said: “Miss Nie, can you tell me where Mochou City is? Or do you know how to get there?”

Zhang Xiaohua himself didn’t know where Mochou City was, nor how to get there. While at the escort agency, he had wanted to ask but feared drawing attention. As for this Miss Nie before him, only about twelve years old, he doubted she would know the way.

Yet, to his surprise, Nie Qianyu only paused briefly before explaining in detail, both speaking and gesturing, how to travel from Danhe City to Mochou City, making the route perfectly clear.

Zhang Xiaohua was speechless. The thought “Why is the difference between people so great?” flashed through his mind again. He had only just learned how to get to Pingyang City, yet here was a mere twelve-year-old girl who knew so much more. Tsk tsk, she far outmatched him.

But then, a small voice rose in his mind, gently admonishing, “Don’t compare yourself to others, foolish boy. You’re the son of a farmer, simplicity is your true nature.”

“Bah!” Zhang Xiaohua spat on the ground, mimicking Nie Qianyu’s mannerisms, and thought to himself, “Are kings and generals really born of noble blood?”

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua act this way, the two girls inside the carriage were both surprised, and silently wondered: “Could this habit be contagious?”

From Nie Qianyu’s explanation, Zhang Xiaohua finally learned that Mochou City lay to the south of Danhe City, about a month’s journey away. The Pingyang City he sought was to the southwest of Danhe City, much farther from Mochou City. The two routes diverged completely at Danhe City. Of course, all roads ultimately led to Yucheng, but the most comfortable official roads were as described.

If Zhang Xiaohua wanted to return to Pingyang City, he would have to leave through Danhe City’s West Gate, following an official road that passed through several cities before reaching Pingyang City. This was the route Ji Xiaohua had mapped out for him. If he were to escort Nie Qianyu as a bodyguard, he would need to leave through the South Gate, where another official road led to Mochou City, the same direction from which the unknown sect was pursuing Nie Qianyu.

Naturally, Zhang Xiaohua still had choices. There was a large city about ten days ahead, which would surely have a reputable escort agency. He could have them provide protection as well, which wouldn’t be a bad option. However, this would delay Nie Qianyu’s journey and add unnecessary detours.

Thinking about taking a longer route, Zhang Xiaohua suddenly had a new idea. He stroked his chin, carefully considering how feasible it might be. Behind him, Nie Qianyu and Little Orange, seeing that Zhang Xiaohua had fallen silent after asking about Mochou City’s location, simply sat quietly in the carriage, gazing at the scenery retreating outside the window, though their minds paid no attention to it. Silently, they prayed in their hearts: “Will he change his mind?”

“Will he take us to Spring Rebirth Valley?”

After a while, Zhang Xiaohua spoke up: “Miss Nie, I have an idea. See if you think it will work.”

Nie Qianyu asked curiously: “Please, Brother Ren, do tell.”

“In fact, I had originally planned to hire bodyguards from the escort agency in Danhe City to escort you two to Mochou City. But I didn’t expect that the Fushun Escort Agency wouldn’t take any jobs heading south, so I had no choice but to pin my hopes on the next city. But there’s no guarantee the next city will have a suitable escort agency, and who’s to say they wouldn’t be like Fushun and refuse the job? I really have no certainty in my heart. Besides, entrusting you two to complete strangers… well, I find myself unable to feel at ease with that anymore.”

“Nonsense! You’re only realizing this now? So all along you’ve been treating us like cargo, just waiting for someone to escort us? Heaven must have opened your eyes for you to finally see it now!”

Nie Qianyu and Little Orange exchanged glances, their eyes full of both joy and relief.

Zhang Xiaohua continued to explain: “As for where I’m headed, it’s certainly not a place you two can follow me to. However…”

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua hemming and hawing, Little Orange grew impatient and said: “Can’t you just get to the point?”

Nie Qianyu quickly tugged at Little Orange’s sleeve with her uninjured left hand and said: “Little Orange, let Big Brother Ren finish.”

Zhang Xiaohua chuckled and said: “However, you can travel with me along the way. Once I’ve finished my business, I’ll see you safely home. How about that?”

“Ah?!” Nie Qianyu and Little Orange could hardly believe their ears. Nie Qianyu quickly asked: “Brother Ren, I’ve actually thought of this idea myself, but the matter you’re attending to must be extremely secret and important, something that could shake the entire martial world. If we were to follow you, wouldn’t we just be a burden? That’s why I didn’t dare suggest it.”

Zhang Xiaohua scratched the few whiskers on his chin and smiled. “It’s no trouble. Once we reach a certain place, you won’t need to follow me any further. After I’ve finished my task, I’ll meet up with you there and escort you the rest of the way. Isn’t that fine?”

“By the way, Miss Nie, you’re not in a hurry to return to Mochou City, are you?”

Nie Qianyu smiled: “Even if I were in a hurry, it’s no use if I don’t have my life to return with! The place you’re headed is surely not in the same direction as Mochou City, and it might even be much farther away. The farther we go, the harder it will be for those villains chasing us to find our trail. Big Brother Ren, you’re truly clever, this plan is brilliant, killing two birds with one stone. I’m truly impressed.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua’s invisible tail practically wagged with pride. If only he had a feather fan in hand, he would have looked every bit the wise strategist of his era.

Ah, that’s just how it is. Once people spend time together, it’s only natural to develop a protective feeling, especially when it comes to two young girls in the bloom of youth. Since Zhang Xiaohua had the ability, and after visiting Guo Village, he would still have time to escort these two little girls home, how could he, as a grown man, possibly refuse such a… delightful task?

In the end, it was all just his sense of male chauvinism at work.