If this had happened in the past, Yu Lan might have gone looking for his brothers and tattled.
But after what happened the previous night, Yu Lan had instinctively grown dependent on Yu Yangyang. He had never encountered such a gentle and reassuring older sister before.
Yu Lan nodded. His little face was full of seriousness.
“This is a secret between Big Sister and me. I promise I’ll keep it a secret. I won’t tell anyone!”
Yu Yangyang smiled.
“Lan’er is such a good boy.”
She reached out and pinched Yu Lan’s cheek. The little boy was practically skin and bones, and when she gently pinched him, all she could grasp was a thin layer of soft skin.
Yu Yangyang felt a pang of heartache.
She put another piece of chocolate into Yu Lan’s mouth, then gave herself a piece as well.
The intense sweetness of the chocolate quickly replenished the energy they had burned after running throughout the night.
Yu Yangyang then took a bamboo tube of water from her system space. It was the same bamboo container she had secretly slipped into the space earlier.
She drank several mouthfuls to replenish her fluids, then handed it to Yu Lan.
“Drink some water.”
Seeing the questioning look in Yu Lan’s eyes, Yu Yangyang answered without the slightest hesitation,
“I brought it with me when we left last night.”
Yu Lan looked away.
He was young, but he wasn’t stupid.
He had clearly seen everything during their escape. Yu Yangyang hadn’t been carrying anything with her at all.
Still, Yu Lan obediently nodded and hugged the bamboo tube as he drank.
His eyes lit up.
“It’s salty.”
Yu Yangyang nodded.
“Mm. I added a little salt. It helps replenish your strength.”
Yu Lan didn’t dare drink too much. They still didn’t know when they would find their parents and brothers.
Thinking of this, Yu Lan’s eyes filled with tears again.
“Big Sister, I miss Mother and Father.”
Yu Yangyang could only comfort him.
“Rest for a while. Once we’re rested, we’ll head toward the official road. We took a smaller path, so we must have traveled faster than Father and the others. We’ll definitely meet them.”
Yu Lan nodded and obediently snuggled against her.
“Then, Big Sister, let’s close our eyes and rest for a little while.”
Yu Yangyang closed her eyes.
However, she had overestimated herself.
She had thought that she had traveled throughout the entire night, but in reality, because her physical condition was so poor, she had been moving at practically a snail’s pace and hadn’t gotten very far.
When Yu Yangyang opened her eyes again, she found a man standing in front of her.
She immediately pulled the frightened Yu Lan behind her.
The man wore blue clothes and had black hair. Numerous dark patches of blood stained his body, indicating that he had been injured—and quite seriously at that.
“Bean Sprout?”
The man’s voice was filled with disdain.
“I didn’t expect there to be a refugee with a decent brain. What a pity that you’re a sickly weakling.”
A sickly weakling was destined not to survive the journey through the famine.
Suddenly, his eyes landed on the bamboo tube in Yu Yangyang’s hand.
He struck out with his palm and snatched it away.
When he discovered that there was still quite a bit of water inside, his pale complexion improved considerably.
“This will count as your offering to me.”
After saying that, the man opened the bamboo tube and took a large gulp.
When he tasted the slightly salty water, surprise flashed through his eyes.
His attitude remained arrogant.
“I didn’t expect a little peasant girl like you to know enough to put salt in your water.”
What surprised Pei Yancheng even more was that this salt seemed to taste better than any salt he had ever eaten before.
Yu Yangyang: “……”
Could someone please speak up for her?
She pursed her lips, displeasure flashing in her eyes.
“You’re really rude. Are you proud of yourself for stealing a woman’s things?”
Pei Yancheng’s expression stiffened.
He glared at Yu Yangyang.
“Drinking your water is already an honor for you.”
This woman—did she really not know how many people dreamed of having him spare them even a glance?
Soon, a look of understanding crossed Pei Yancheng’s face.
It was merely a woman’s little game of pretending to resist in order to attract his attention.
Yu Yangyang had no intention of taking the bamboo tube back.
She didn’t want water that had been drunk by this filthy man.
She was just about to leave with Yu Lan when footsteps suddenly sounded nearby.
“We lost that man. The lord said we must find him.”
Yu Yangyang stopped.
A dagger was immediately pressed against her neck.
“Don’t make a sound, or I’ll kill you.”
The sharp blade cut into Yu Yangyang’s neck, and bright red blood slowly seeped out.
Yu Yangyang looked up.
Her hair was disheveled, her little face dirty, but her eyes were astonishingly bright.
“Don’t kill me.”
Pei Yancheng couldn’t be bothered to respond.
He pressed the dagger even deeper.
To him, killing someone like Yu Yangyang was utterly insignificant.
Yu Yangyang finally stopped speaking.
She also covered Yu Lan’s mouth as the little boy began to cry.
Her brows furrowed as annoyance filled her heart.
The people searching for them seemed to be merely going through the motions. They didn’t search carefully and instead stood around chatting.
“I heard that person has gone missing.”
“The lord is frantic with worry.”
“Shh, stop talking. Hurry up and find him.”
…
Pei Yancheng finally loosened his grip on the dagger.
Yu Yangyang immediately grabbed Yu Lan and quickly put some distance between herself and the man.
“I did help save you, so I hope you won’t repay me by crossing me after the bridge has been crossed. I’m leaving.”
Pei Yancheng tossed the dagger aside.
His face was still pale as he silently watched her.
Yu Yangyang grabbed Yu Lan and immediately turned around and ran.
Pei Yancheng frowned.
He was somewhat displeased by Yu Yangyang’s eagerness to avoid him.
If this woman knew his identity, she would certainly regret treating him this way.
With the lofty air of someone bestowing a favor, he said,
“Woman, my name is Pei Yancheng.”
Considering that she had helped him, he was gracious enough to allow her to know his name.
Yu Yangyang’s footsteps stopped for a moment.
Then she pulled Yu Lan and ran even faster.
Yu Lan was dragged along for quite some distance.
Once they were close to the official road, Yu Yangyang finally loosened her grip.
Yu Lan’s little face was covered in tears.
“Big Sister, does it hurt? That man was horrible! He stole our water and even hurt you! When I grow up, I’ll definitely get revenge for you!”
Yu Yangyang hurriedly covered his mouth.
Little Lan, you absolutely cannot say things like that!
Yu Yangyang crouched down so that they were at eye level.
“We’ll always find more water. At least we’re both safe.”
She touched her neck.
The pain she had initially ignored was now becoming more noticeable.
Yu Yangyang looked at Yu Lan.
“Don’t tell Father and Mother about this. They’ll worry, understand?”
Yu Lan was reluctant, but Yu Yangyang looked extremely serious.
He nodded.
“I understand.”
Yu Yangyang and Yu Lan then sat near the official road and waited for the Yu family.
Yu Yangyang’s thoughts began to wander.
Pei Yancheng.
The male lead of the original novel.
As the male lead who had stood out among countless supporting characters and was firmly chosen by the female protagonist, Pei Yancheng was flawless in every respect—his appearance, his identity, and his unwavering devotion to the heroine.
Pei Yancheng was the Third Prince of the Great Yue Dynasty.
He was aloof, high above others, and indifferent to everyone.
Except the female protagonist.
Toward her, he was gentle and considerate.
Who wouldn’t fall for a man like that?
Yu Yangyang frowned.
She was already thoroughly annoyed by this male lead.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t encounter him again.
Yu Yangyang and Yu Lan waited until noon.
Finally, they saw the Yu family approaching, their faces filled with panic and worry.
Yu Lan’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Father! Mother!”
Bai Lan seemed almost unable to believe her eyes.
Her gaze landed on Yu Yangyang behind Yu Lan, and tears instantly spilled from her eyes.
“Yang’er!”
Bai Lan rushed forward and hugged Yu Yangyang tightly.
“It’s good that you’re safe.”
Yu Shanghua picked up Yu Lan, still shaken from the ordeal.
Yu Yan and Yu Jin also finally let out a sigh of relief.