These days, with my sister by my side, I've been suppressing my feelings for Xu Fan.

Being in love with the man my sister loves, Xia Yanyu, I truly don't have the courage to let her find out.

In front of the campfire, with my knees hugged to my chest, I sat next to Xu Fan, shyly looking at him, and ventured to ask, "Xu Fan, can I... can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, what question?"

Standing watch was a particularly boring task, and these past days, the three of us had been in somber spirits. It was rare to sit down and chat, so Xu Fan nodded and agreed to talk.

"If... if I were the one poisoned this time, would you protect me in the same way?"

To save my sister, Xu Fan had been mentally exhausted these past days. Xia Yanyu was curious, wondering if he would go to the same lengths to save me if our situations were reversed.

"You silly girl."

Hearing this question, Xu Fan couldn't help but laugh.

He then blocked Xia Yanyu's slender waist with one hand and pulled her directly into his embrace.

The campfire flickered, and the beauty in his arms, her stunning visage turning increasingly shy, blossomed like a bashful rose. Xu Fan nodded and bit her red lips.

After a little while, his actions grew bolder.

"Xu Fan, stop, you... you haven't answered my question yet..."

Xia Yanyu, torn, grabbed Xu Fan's restlessly wandering hand and used a rather weak excuse to put an end to the tussle.

Seeing Xia Yanyu's flushed cheeks, Xu Fan earnestly said, "Don't speak such foolish words before I die."

"Annoying..."

Clearly, this was Xu Fan's promise to me. Feeling an unprecedented sense of security, Xia Yanyu let her girlish heart flutter, and she punched his chest with a small fist.

"And... what if you die?"

I didn't know why I asked such a question; maybe I just wanted to trouble Xu Fan a bit.

Xia Yanyu nestled against Xu Fan, eagerly anticipating his answer.

Xu Fan, with his hands behind his head, looked up at the starry sky and smiled, "Then you just cremate my body and carry the ashes with you."

"If you encounter any bad guys, scatter them out and let me protect you one last time."

The night grew chillier with a breeze, and his words, not quite like sweet nothings, carried with the wind and entered Xia Yanyu's ears as if sand had gotten into her eyes, making her eyes moisten.

This world is indeed filled with wonders. Remembering the feeling of first seeing Xu Fan, Xia Yanyu cried and let out a laugh, like a peach tree blossoming in the night.

Perhaps one day, either I or my sister will lose this man, but I will have no regrets.

Xu Fan, I love you.

...

I couldn't sleep all night. As dawn broke, Xia Zhuo and the others stretched lazily as they came out of their tents. After a hasty breakfast, Xu Fan and his group continued on their journey.

The convoy drove through the wilderness, and as we neared the small village in Miaojiang, the mountain roads became more rugged, and we progressed with bated breath.

Xu Fan sat in the vehicle, feeling the increasingly chaotic flow of blood and qi in Xia Xiaodie's body, getting more nervous by the minute.

Despite using all possible means, I still couldn't suppress the Gu poison acting up inside her.

With such progress, it was hard to imagine if she could hold on until that moment...

Fortunately, the drivers brought by Xia Zhuo were experienced, and eventually, we arrived at the small village in Miaojiang without incident.

On the way, Xia Zhuo had already told me about the state of Banan Village. Now that the village was in sight, my impressions aligned exactly with Xia Zhuo's description.

This village was really dilapidated.

"Miss, Mr. Xu, shall we go in?"

"Wait a moment."

By then Xia Zhuo had already arranged for his men to park the off-road vehicles outside the village, everything ready, just awaiting instructions from Xu Fan and Xia Yanyu.

A few snotty-nosed kids at the entrance of the village were curiously eyeing the metallic beasts. Xu Fan smiled as he gave them some candy, and then he nodded, "Let's go."

Xu Fan carried Xia Xiaodie on his back from inside the vehicle and, guiding Xia Yanyu, let Xia Zhuo lead the way into the village.

The villagers of the small community in Miaojiang were extremely curious about these strangers, hiding in the distance in groups, sneakily observing us.

Xia Zhuo walked over alone, conversed with them in the local dialect, and inquired about the whereabouts of Old Man Liu while Xu Fan waited with Xia Xiaodie and Xia Yanyu on the side.

We were too far to see clearly what Xia Zhuo was saying, but we could see him repeatedly asking several people who seemed quite fearful of his questions.

Impatiently waving them away, they soon turned and left.

Following this, Xia Zhuo turned and came back to us.

"What's wrong? Didn't you find out?"

Judging by the expression on Xia Zhuo's face, it seemed the information he received was not promising.

Indeed, Xia Zhuo sighed and responded, "Miss, Mr. Xu, I asked quite a few people consecutively, and they all said they haven't seen these two persons in the village..."

"This..."

Upon hearing the news Xia Zhuo brought back, Xia Yanyu was almost on the verge of collapse!

After such a long journey to this small village in Miaojiang, now to return empty-handed... could it be...

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