Yan Jiaojiao, carrying the small black dog, walked unhindered out of the Yan family. Just as she spotted a luxurious carriage parked in front of the gate, Sheng Mobai's voice came from behind her.
"Little lady Jiaojiao, you walk so fast."
As usual, he was being glib. Yan Jiaojiao didn't want to pay him any mind.
Sheng Mobai strode forward and blocked Yan Jiaojiao's path. "Little lady Jiaojiao, don't turn your back on me. You sent me a message, and I immediately brought people to help. Aren't you going to give me a chance to give you a ride?"
Yan Jiaojiao stopped and looked at Sheng Mobai. "Then you could have ignored it."
That was right. She had used the Jade Pendant's tracing spell to send a plea for help to Sheng Mobai, asking him to bring people to the Yan family to find her.
After all, she was alone and without support. Yan Zhengfeng was already a cultivator at the Azure Grade initial stage. She couldn't guarantee that Xiao Hei would be safe if they tried to escape together. Therefore, after preparing the Spirit Recollection Orb, she had asked Sheng Mobai, who had both power and connections, to come as backup.
Yan Jiaojiao gambled that Yan Zhengfeng wouldn't dare to kill her in broad daylight.
In fact, Yan Jiaojiao's gamble paid off. Everything went as she had wished. She had successfully escaped the Yan family. Once her cultivation was restored and her mission accomplished, she would be able to investigate Song Zhi's death legitimately, giving the original owner closure.
"Little lady Jiaojiao, I believe you won't cross the bridge and burn it down. Today's events are proof of my sincerity towards you," Sheng Mobai continued his rambling.
Yan Jiaojiao looked at him again and said righteously, "Yes, that's exactly the kind of person I am. I don't care about your sincerity or not. I'm just using you because you're useful."
"Brilliant!" Sheng Mobai clapped his hands with a smile. "You truly are the marvelous person I've set my sights on. I like that you have such personality, little lady Jiaojiao."
Yan Jiaojiao was speechless and reminded him, "Young Master Sheng, as you just saw, I am no longer the legitimate daughter of the Yan family."
"I know. That makes me like you even more," Sheng Mobai leaned closer and whispered, "Let me tell you secretly, I also dislike the personalities of the Yan family head and his second wife. I was even worried they would try to force your sister on me."
"That's because you were the one who provoked Yan Ruxue first," Yan Jiaojiao couldn't help but retort, trying to step around him.
"No, no, no. This humble student never provoked her. She was the one who provoked me," Sheng Mobai grinned shamelessly, showing no remorse. "Now, I am provoking little lady Jiaojiao."
"Shameless!"
Yan Jiaojiao wouldn't allow Sheng Mobai to tease her like this. She raised her hand to strike, but Sheng Mobai easily dodged it. Seeing that she was truly displeased, he dropped his roguish demeanor and said seriously, "I'm not joking anymore. I'm serious. If you don't leave with me now, aren't you afraid that Yan Zhengfeng will send someone to deal with you halfway?"
Yan Jiaojiao fell silent. The small black dog in her arms gently bit her finger, its dark eyes revealing its displeasure.
Yan Jiaojiao pressed the small black dog's head into her embrace and nodded at Sheng Mobai. "Where is your carriage?"
"Little lady Jiaojiao, this way, please." Sheng Mobai said, leading Yan Jiaojiao to the luxurious carriage.
Yan Jiaojiao asked, "Is this carriage yours?"
Sheng Mobai nodded. "How could the Yan family's carriages be so beautiful?"
Yan Jiaojiao raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. Such a gaudy carriage truly suits Young Master Sheng's taste."
Sheng Mobai was taken aback but couldn't retort. He could only helplessly follow Yan Jiaojiao onto the carriage, unaware of the undisguised doting in his eyes.
The luxurious carriage was indeed much better than the Yan family's. Sitting inside, Yan Jiaojiao felt as if she were walking on flat ground; it was incredibly comfortable.
Sheng Mobai was thoughtful and considerate. After learning that Yan Jiaojiao was going to Zhao Family Village, and seeing that she seemed preoccupied, he stopped disturbing her. However, his peach blossom eyes never left Yan Jiaojiao.
He enjoyed admiring beautiful women, but he found the small black dog in the beauty's arms somewhat of an eyesore.
Because whenever he looked at the beauty, the small black dog would stare at him. Despite its tiny size, its round eyes were filled with hostility, making it impossible to ignore the dog's presence.
After a while, the small black dog seemed to grow impatient. It stood up from Yan Jiaojiao's embrace and shook its soft, floppy ears.
With a light "bang," the carriage jolted violently before calming down again, startling the people inside.
Yan Jiaojiao turned to look. Sheng Mobai was also bewildered. According to his design, the carriage shouldn't have been bumped unless by a large stone.
It was strange that there would be such a large stone on the official road.
Seeing that Sheng Mobai could no longer focus on Yan Jiaojiao, the small black dog contentedly lay back in Yan Jiaojiao's embrace.
Unexpectedly, after Sheng Mobai checked and found nothing amiss, he immediately struck up a conversation with Yan Jiaojiao.
"Little lady Jiaojiao, what are your plans next?"
"In a few days, I'll be heading to participate in the selection for the Ge Nan Academy," Yan Jiaojiao replied casually.
Sheng Mobai's eyes lit up, and he smiled even more happily. "Little lady Jiaojiao is also going to Ge Nan Academy? I believe you will definitely be successfully selected."
"Mm."
Sheng Mobai wasn't bothered by Yan Jiaojiao's perfunctory response and continued, "Little lady Jiaojiao, do you have a place to stay these few days? I also bought a small courtyard in Kunyang City, you could..."
Yan Jiaojiao raised her hand to stop him. "Stop calling me little lady Jiaojiao. If you do it again, I'll tear your tongue out."
Sheng Mobai saw that her expression was serious and not feigned. He immediately covered his mouth and feigned weakness.
The world quieted down, and Yan Jiaojiao closed her eyes to rest again.
The rest of the journey was silent, and they finally arrived at Zhao Family Village.
Yan Jiaojiao deftly alighted from the carriage, holding the small black dog. She said, "Thank you," and walked away without looking back.
Sheng Mobai wasn't in a hurry. He sat in the carriage and leisurely watched her depart before turning the carriage around to leave.
When her feet touched the solid ground and she breathed in the fresh, free air of the mountain village, Yan Jiaojiao finally felt real.
Since her rebirth, Yan Jiaojiao had lived a difficult life, especially every day in the Yan family. She had walked on thin ice. That large mansion was like a man-eating box, gloomy and terrifying, filled with the stench of decay, always containing traps waiting for Yan Jiaojiao, ready to devour her at any moment of carelessness.
Now, Yan Jiaojiao had finally left.
Perhaps this day was also what the original owner had longed for.
Yan Jiaojiao watched the setting sun, a sense of endless melancholy in her heart. What would the future hold? Could she truly restore her own inner dantian as she wished? Could she live as freely as she had in her past life?
All of this was unknown. No one could give Yan Jiaojiao an answer. She could only grit her teeth and create her own future.
"Sister! It's Sister Jiaojiao! She's back!"