Spring was deepening.
The flowers in the mountains bloomed and faded, faded and bloomed again.
First came the early spring wild cherries, a wash of pink and white like clouds and mist among the peaks.
Then came the azaleas, cluster after cluster, blazing red.
Later still were some nameless wildflowers, yellow, purple, blue, scattered like stars across the slopes.
Bai Heng had gained two more spring shirts.
One was made by Li Lianhua, a light jade-green embroidered with a few bamboo leaves.
The other was something Qin Yu had begged Lin Lan to make, a goose-yellow with moon-white trim. The little girl said that spring called for brighter colors.
Bai Heng looked at the pile of clothes in her sea of consciousness, feeling both warmth and helplessness in her heart.
If this continued, she really could open a clothing shop.
Mu Xuejun continued to move about the village every day.
She was getting along better and better with the villagers. Whenever a family had something going on, she was happy to help.
The villagers all said that Miss Mu was a good person with a good appearance. They wondered which family’s young man would be lucky enough to marry her.
Mu Xuejun only smiled when she heard this and didn’t mind.
Xu Cheng and Lu Mingshuang continued to observe.
They watched Mu Xuejun, they watched the Qin siblings, and they watched every person who entered or left the village.
They did it discreetly, but it couldn’t escape the eyes of those who were paying attention.
Bai Heng saw it and kept it in mind.
Those two were indeed keeping an even closer watch on the Qin siblings. Since the Qin Yu incident, they had not left the village again.
Lu Mingshuang no longer played with the children and only watched from afar.
Xu Cheng no longer stayed in the house reading all day. He walked around the village every day, his gaze occasionally sweeping over his surroundings.
Every time Qin Yun went into the mountains, a gaze followed from afar.
When Qin Yu played in the village, someone was always watching from not far away.
Sometimes Bai Heng wondered whether this kind of attentiveness, if feigned, was being acted out too convincingly.
But if it wasn’t feigned, was Qin Yun’s identity as Yun Qing’s son really enough to make the young master and young miss of the Liang and Lu families use their true hearts?
She shook her head and thought no more.
Let’s just keep watching.
One day, Qin Yun came up the mountain again.
He brought not only food but also some news from his mortal perspective.
“Bai Heng jie, a few more people have arrived in the village.”
He set the things down and sat beside her.
“There are both men and women. None of them look like ordinary commoners. My father said that there are more and more outsiders in the village lately and told us to go out less.”
Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.
Qin Yun continued.
“Big Brother Xu and Mu jie seem to have noticed too. Big Brother Xu told my father not to worry, that he would keep an eye on things.”
He paused.
“Mu jie said that if anything happens, we should go find her at Grandma Jiang’s courtyard.”
Qin Yun looked at her.
“Bai Heng jie, what do you think these people are actually here for?”
Bai Heng did not answer.
Qin Yun waited a while and didn’t press the question.
He only let out a sigh.
“No matter what they’ve come for, as long as they don’t disturb us, that’s fine.”
Bai Heng looked at him, and her heart stirred slightly.
This child was becoming more perceptive by the day.
Qin Yun sat for a while longer before standing up to leave.
“I’m going hunting in the mountains. I’ll bring you some fresh game when I come back.”
He waved at Bai Heng and turned to walk deeper into the mountain forest.
Bai Heng watched his figure disappear, withdrew her gaze, and looked toward the village below.
There, cooking smoke curled upward as usual.
But she knew that beneath that calm, undercurrents were surging.
That night, Bai Heng went to the mountain god temple again.
Grandma Jiang was already waiting for her.
After the restriction was activated, Grandma Jiang got straight to the point.
“You sensed it?”
Bai Heng nodded.
“Quite a few more people have arrived.”
Grandma Jiang gave a low hum.
She paused.
“All of them are at the Foundation Establishment stage. On the surface they’re rogue cultivators, but most of them have someone backing them. The matter of the secret realm has already spread completely. Those people can’t wait any longer. They want to get ahead of the great clans and sects and see if they can grab some benefits.”
Bai Heng was silent for a moment.
“What about Yun Zhuo’s side?”
Grandma Jiang shook her head.
“Nothing for now. They don’t dare act openly.”
She looked at Bai Heng.
“However, it’s coming soon.”
Bai Heng knew what Grandma Jiang meant by “coming soon.”
Soon, the situation would become chaotic.
Soon, it would be time to prepare to leave.
She nodded and asked no more.
Grandma Jiang looked at her and suddenly asked.
“That tiger demon is getting along well with you?”
Bai Heng knew she was talking about Mu Xuejun.
“It’s fine.”
Grandma Jiang smiled.
“That girl is quite perceptive. She knows her limits and doesn’t ask what she shouldn’t.”
She paused.
“She’s better than those disciples from the great clans and sects.”
Bai Heng said nothing.
Grandma Jiang looked at her, her gaze carrying a hint of deeper meaning.
“The Liang and Lu pair have been watching her closely lately. I know that big cat wants to play along with them, so I’ll let her.”
Grandma Jiang said no more.
The two talked for a while longer before Bai Heng took her leave.
Walking out of the mountain god temple, the moonlight was just right.
She gazed at the village below, thinking about what Grandma Jiang had said.
Soon.
She withdrew her gaze and slowly walked back to the rock cave.
The next day, the weather was fine.
Mu Xuejun did not move about the village as usual. Instead, she came up the mountain.
She also found the patch of forest where Bai Heng usually stayed and sat down beside the rock.
“Little sister Bai.”
Bai Heng leapt out from the forest and squatted beside her.
Mu Xuejun gazed at the distant mountain forest and suddenly asked.
“What do you think those people are really after?”
Bai Heng did not answer.
Mu Xuejun didn’t wait for a reply and simply continued on her own.
“I came here because I wanted to see some excitement. But after watching for these past few days, I’m starting to feel that this excitement isn’t worth watching.”
She turned her head and looked at Bai Heng.
“That boy, that girl, and the Qin couple—they’re all good people. They shouldn’t be dragged into this.”
Bai Heng’s tail paused slightly.
Mu Xuejun looked at her.
“Little sister Bai, are you staying here to protect them?”
Bai Heng was silent for a moment.
“You could say that.”
Mu Xuejun nodded.
“Understood.”
She stood up and stretched lazily.
“Then I’ll stay a few more days too. I’m idle anyway, so I might as well help you keep an eye on things.”
Bai Heng looked at her.
“You’re not afraid?”
Mu Xuejun smiled.
“Afraid of what? I’m here to play, not to fight to the death. If something really happens, I’ll just run.”
She paused.
“Besides, with that big tree beside you, what do I have to be afraid of?”
Bai Heng was slightly stunned.
Mu Xuejun blinked.
“You really thought I didn’t know? That Grandma Jiang is clearly not an ordinary person. No matter how well she hides her aura, I can still sense it.”
She said with a smile.
“A Golden Core stage big tree. I’d be a fool not to lean on her.”
Bai Heng looked at her, feeling somewhat helpless in her heart.
This big cat was sharper than she had thought.
Mu Xuejun waved her hand.
“Alright, I’m heading back. You stay put.”
She turned to walk down the mountain. After a few steps, she looked back.
“Oh, right. Xu Cheng and Lu Mingshuang came to talk to me again this morning.”
Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.
Mu Xuejun said with a smile.
“They asked me if I knew you.”
Bai Heng looked at her.
Mu Xuejun blinked.
“I said of course I know her. Qin Yun introduced us. Then they left.”
She paused.
“From the looks of it, they don’t believe me.”
With that, she smiled and walked away.
Bai Heng squatted in place, watching her figure disappear into the forest. She shook her head with a smile and gently flicked her tail.
Another evening, Xu Cheng and Lu Mingshuang were talking inside the house.
Lu Mingshuang nodded.
“But every time she goes up the mountain, she stays for a long time. The way she talks with Miss Bai clearly shows they’re familiar.”
Xu Cheng was silent for a moment.
“That’s why I said she isn’t really trying to hide it from us. No matter when, they do know each other.”
Lu Mingshuang looked at him.
“You mean?”
Xu Cheng shook his head.
“I’m not sure. But one thing is certain—she has no ill intentions toward the Qin siblings, and she doesn’t seem to have any other motives either.”
He paused.
“She really does seem to be just traveling and playing around. That’s enough.”
“We’ll just keep an eye on things as usual.”
Lu Mingshuang nodded and said no more.
Outside the window, dusk was deepening.
Cooking smoke curled from the village chimneys, a picture of peace.
In the Qin family courtyard, Qin Yu was squatting on the ground, feeding a stray cat.
The cat had arrived recently, yellow and white, skinny as a rail.
Qin Yu had seen it and had been secretly leaving food for it every day.
“Little cat, eat more. Only when you’re full will you have strength.”
She spoke softly and crumbled the last piece of flatbread onto the ground.
The wild cat lowered its head to eat, making soft sounds.
Lin Lan came out of the house, saw this scene, and smiled.
“Qin Yu, feeding the cat again?”
Qin Yu looked up, her eyes curving with a smile.
“Lin Lan jie, it’s so well-behaved.”
Lin Lan squatted down and also looked at the wild cat.
The cat glanced up at her, then lowered its head and continued eating.
Lin Lan’s gaze lingered on the wild cat for a moment.
Then she stood up.
“Qin Yu, it’s getting dark. Time to go inside.”
Qin Yu nodded and patted the cat’s head again.
“Little cat, come back tomorrow.”
The cat meowed and turned to disappear into the dusk.
That night, Bai Heng was cultivating inside the rock cave.
Suddenly, her ears twitched slightly.
Outside the cave came extremely light footsteps.
She opened her eyes and quietly extended her spiritual sense outward.
A figure was walking through the forest, moving at a calm, unhurried pace.
It was Lin Lan.
Bai Heng was slightly taken aback.
Why was she coming at this hour?
She didn’t move and simply waited quietly.
A moment later, Lin Lan arrived at the cave entrance and stopped.
“Miss Bai, it’s me.”
Her voice was very soft.
Bai Heng walked out of the cave and squatted at the entrance, looking at her.
Under the moonlight, Lin Lan was wearing a blue cloth dress, her expression calm.
She also squatted at the cave entrance and looked at Bai Heng.
“There are some things I want to say to you.”
Bai Heng gently flicked her tail.
Lin Lan then spoke.
“More and more people have been coming to the village lately. Some of them are here for you. But they know you’re close to the Qin family.”
She paused.
“They will be watching you.”
Bai Heng looked at her but did not respond.
Lin Lan didn’t mind and simply continued.
“I can’t help you much. But there is one thing I can tell you.”
She looked at Bai Heng, her gaze serious.
“If that day truly comes, you can come find me.”
Bai Heng’s tail paused slightly.
Lin Lan stood up.
“That’s all.”
She turned, preparing to leave.
After taking two steps, she suddenly stopped.
“Miss Bai.”
Bai Heng looked at her.
Lin Lan did not turn around.
“Qin Yun and Qin Yu, those two children, like you very much.”
She paused.
“So do I.”
With that, she continued walking forward. Her figure quickly disappeared into the night.
Bai Heng squatted at the cave entrance, gazing in that direction. She blinked, then smiled lightly.
The wind blew past, stirring her pure white fur and lifting the hem of her moon-white clothes.
She gently flicked her tail and turned to walk back into the rock cave.