While Lan Luoyun was still frantically thinking of an excuse in case anyone questioned their disappearance, she suddenly noticed something strange.
The soldier who had seemed to be looking their way turned around and focused elsewhere.
He never came over.
Looking around, she saw that everyone was still eating.
Nobody appeared to have noticed that she and the children had briefly vanished.
Looks like I really do have protagonist luck.
Lan Luoyun couldn’t help laughing inwardly.
The tension in her chest finally eased.
Meanwhile, Dabao and Erbao were still reluctant to leave the space.
They had been having the time of their lives inside.
“Mother, when can we go back there again?”
“Mother, there are so many delicious things inside! I want to try them all!”
“Mother, there are fun places to play too! Erbao wants to play!”
For the past two days, all the food they had eaten had come directly from Lan Luoyun’s storage space.
But this had been the twins’ first time actually entering it.
After seeing everything inside, they never wanted to leave.
“Be good, Dabao and Erbao.”
“Mother can’t take you back right now.”
“When we reach our next resting place, I’ll bring you there again.”
The twins had always been obedient.
Hearing her explanation, they nodded immediately.
“We’ll listen to Mother.”
“We’re Mother’s good babies.”
Lan Luoyun’s heart practically melted.
They were simply too adorable.
Beside them, Lin Nancheng suddenly felt a little jealous.
“Dabao, Erbao.”
“Is Daddy good to you?”
Dabao thought seriously for a moment.
Then he answered with complete sincerity.
“Daddy is the best daddy in the world.”
“We love Daddy the most.”
The twins’ sweet words left Lin Nancheng grinning from ear to ear.
It was hard to believe such clever compliments came from two-year-old children.
Satisfied with the answer, he happily joined their conversation.
The three of them chatted and laughed together.
“Nancheng, your wound needs treatment again.”
Lan Luoyun suddenly remembered that it had been nearly a full day since she last changed his dressing.
If she waited any longer, the wound could become infected.
Now was the perfect opportunity.
This time, after disinfecting the injury, she decided to use modern medical techniques.
First, she injected a local anesthetic into his hand.
Then she carefully stitched the wound closed.
Finally, she wrapped it with clean gauze.
At this point, Lin Nancheng already knew she possessed unusual abilities.
There was little reason to hide everything from him.
Watching her sew flesh together with a needle left him utterly astonished.
He had never seen such a treatment method before.
My wife really knows everything.
After finishing with Lin Nancheng, she checked Lin Nanxuan’s injury as well.
For him, however, she used more traditional methods.
The fewer people who learned about her storage space and modern supplies, the better.
Once the treatments were finished, Lan Luoyun distributed water bags to Chu Yi-niang, Third Madam, and Lin Nanxuan.
Inside each one was rice porridge water.
It could quench thirst and provide a little nourishment during the journey.
Then she handed each of them a cotton-padded coat.
Earlier, she had made nearly ten of them.
Her own family couldn’t possibly use them all.
If she could help others, why not?
“Luoyun, keep these for yourselves.”
“We still have food and clothes.”
“Don’t worry about us.”
At first, all three refused.
They simply couldn’t believe Lan Luoyun had enough supplies to spare.
Finally, she opened her outer clothing to reveal the warm cotton garments underneath.
Lin Nancheng and the twins were dressed similarly.
Only after seeing that the family truly wasn’t cold did Chu Yi-niang finally accept the gifts.
Third Madam and Lin Nanxuan also accepted them with endless gratitude.
Afterward, everyone gathered together to chat.
Dabao and Erbao were having a wonderful time playing with their two grandmothers.
At last, Lan Luoyun found a moment to herself.
Looking across the camp, she noticed Lin Yixiao sitting alone beneath a tree.
Not far away sat Su Yuping and the Old Madam.
Meanwhile, Lin Yaxin was kneeling beside Su Yuping, massaging her legs.
She’s really enjoying herself.
Treating Yaxin like a servant again.
Lan Luoyun frowned.
On the day of the confiscation, when Lin Nancheng had been injured by the sword, it was Lin Yaxin who covered the twins’ eyes so they wouldn’t be frightened.
According to the original owner’s memories, Lin Yaxin had always been a kind-hearted girl.
Unfortunately, because she had been raised under Su Yuping’s authority, she had spent her entire life being treated like a maid.
She had never enjoyed the privileges of being a noble family’s daughter.
Thinking about that, Lan Luoyun stood up.
“Nancheng, Aunties, I’m going to check on Father.”
Lin Yixiao had barely eaten all day.
Su Yuping’s behavior that morning had completely ruined his appetite.
Worried that he would eventually collapse from hunger, Lan Luoyun approached him with a water bag filled with rice porridge.
“Father.”
“The road ahead is still very long.”
“There’s rice porridge in here.”
“If you’re hungry, drink a little.”
“This is how we’ve all been filling our stomachs.”
After handing it over, she didn’t stay.
There was no point trying to comfort him.
Some burdens could only be resolved by the person carrying them.
Nearby, Su Yuping overheard everything.
When she heard that Lan Luoyun’s group was supposedly surviving on nothing but rice water, she secretly rejoiced.
What she didn’t realize was that the statement had been intended specifically for her ears.
Leaving Lin Yixiao behind, Lan Luoyun walked directly toward Lin Yaxin.
The moment Yaxin saw her approaching, she wanted to greet her.
But one glance from Su Yuping silenced her immediately.
Lan Luoyun ignored Su Yuping completely.
She reached down and gently pulled Lin Yaxin to her feet.
“Yaxin.”
“Would you like to stay with your sister-in-law instead?”
Yaxin froze.
For a moment, she thought she had misheard.
Seeing her hesitation, Lan Luoyun continued.
“You don’t have to be afraid of Su Shi.”
“If you don’t want to stay by her side, come with us.”
“She can’t do anything to you.”
Almost instantly, tears appeared in Yaxin’s eyes.
“Sister-in-law…”
“I want to go with you.”
“You’re such a good person.”
Back in the Prime Minister’s Residence, Su Yuping had constantly tormented her.
At least there had been food then.
Now things were even worse.
Earlier that day, members of Fourth Madam’s family had come to see Yaxin off and had brought supplies.
Su Yuping had confiscated everything.
The food.
The belongings.
Every last item.
Yaxin herself had only been allowed a few mouthfuls of water.
Nothing more.
Hearing this conversation, Su Yuping nearly exploded again.
She wanted nothing more than to rush over and strike Lan Luoyun.
But the moment she moved, pain shot through her injured leg.
The beating she received earlier had not yet healed.
If she provoked another fight now, she feared she might truly lose her life.
Nearby, Lin Nanhao and Lin Yaru also wanted to argue.
Before they could act, however, the Old Madam deliberately cleared her throat.
The warning was obvious.
The siblings immediately backed down.
After joining Lan Luoyun’s group, Lin Yaxin finally relaxed.
Then she suddenly remembered something important.
Earlier, during lunch, she had accidentally overheard the Old Madam and Su Yuping whispering together.
They had seemed to be discussing a plan.
A plan specifically aimed at Lan Luoyun.
Realizing this, Yaxin’s expression changed.
She immediately felt nervous.
Because whatever scheme those two women had devised…
It was almost certainly going to cause trouble very soon.