I sat in a daze at the corner of the courtyard, my gaze wandering among the busy villagers.

My mind was in chaos, sometimes thinking about Master Qingning's plan, sometimes about the mute girl near the cliff cave.

Thinking of Master Qingning's face filled with uncontrollable excitement, I couldn't help but worry. Did she really come with me to the village at great risk just to save me?

"Quick, escape."

Why did that girl, who had already run away, come back specifically to remind me?

In my contemplation, the villagers had gathered again in the center of the courtyard.

The so-called "setting up a table" by the village chief was nothing more than setting up a large pot in the courtyard.

Inside, they were cooking the vegetables and rice porridge brought by the villagers.

In the midst of the bustling crowd, I caught a glimpse of Master Qingning's figure by the pot.

It seemed that she poured a whole bag of powder into it. When our eyes met, I saw a look in her eyes similar to that of the villagers.

Aunt Yu sat beside me the whole time, her gaze never leaving me, humming a tune from time to time.

Suddenly, a small figure slipped along the wall and approached.

The little girl held a bunch of wild flowers in her hand and stuffed them into my hand without saying a word.

"What are you doing here? Go away! You're not welcome!" Aunt Yu frowned and kicked the girl in the stomach.

She staggered back a few steps and ran away.

"Hey." I was about to get up, but Aunt Yu forcefully pulled me back.

"Don't mind her, she's just a wild child from the village. No one teaches or takes care of her." Aunt Yu spat in the direction the girl ran, expressing disgust.

"What's her name?" I pinched the wild flowers in my hand and casually asked.

There seemed to be something hard between the flower stalks.

"Yu Yao," Aunt Yu replied irritably, "a yao that died young."

I held that thing in my hand and rubbed it gently.

It seemed to be a matchstick.