245 - Mistress, I Was Wrong

# Chapter 245: Changes "Seventh Sister, do you think we might have taken the wrong path?" Dongfang Minghui and Qian Wanyu, accompanied by Ding Ding and the little Hui, followed the water flow downstream for an entire day without encountering anything. Eventually, they decided to find a spot to rest for a while. Ding Ding held a golden thread net, cradling the coiled-up Hui in her hands as she fluttered ahead to scout the way, bobbing up and down. "Ding Ding, don't fly too far." "Okay." Qian Wanyu took the opportunity to pull out a terrain map from her space, comparing it with another hand-drawn map. Curious, she leaned in closely. Thanks to the blessing of the Bind Dragon Seal, she had developed some understanding of maps, "Hmm, Seventh Sister, isn't this the map we brought from Long County Village?" "Yes." Dongfang Minghui examined the maps carefully. The two maps were entirely different, not just that — they were worlds apart, seemingly depicting the same place. "Back at Long County Village, Little Gold Pseudo-Dragon said this map was brought back by an elder of the dragon clan. Does that mean we were deceived by that dragon pearl?" Qian Wanyu didn't respond immediately but instead flipped through the maps, meticulously comparing each route with the five or six maps they obtained from the dragon pearl. Finally, she exclaimed joyfully, "Ninth Sister, come look at this spot, what do you think it looks like?" Dongfang Minghui curiously glanced at Seventh Sister, examining the map from various angles, yearning to gaze through it, and replied in puzzlement, "Like mountains and flowing water?" Qian Wanyu gave her a light knock on the head, "Isn't this spot quite similar to the depiction of the waterfall?" Dongfang Minghui knew it well; she just wanted to tease Seventh Sister. She propped herself half-lying on the grass and observed, "If this is indeed the four-sided waterfall we passed before, then Seventh Sister, we've definitely taken the wrong path." "Yes." "Then does it mean the map projected from that dragon pearl was fake?" Dongfang Minghui was still upset when she thought about that dragon pearl, "Had I known, I would have handed that dragon pearl over to trouble others." Qian Wanyu tapped her fingers on the sketch, "The map you drew from the dragon pearl is genuine too." "Huh?" "These are two entirely opposite paths, one north, one south. Therefore, the routes appear completely unrelated. But here, the two maps overlap, and this map is more detailed than the one from Long County Village." "I see." "If we had initially followed the spring from Long County Village upwards, we might have already found the dragon clan's land." Qian Wanyu's reminder sparked a realization in Dongfang Minghui; Long County Village indeed had a spring as well, "Seventh Sister, are you suggesting that spring and the Yin-Yang spring we encountered before are connected?" "They should be." The two kept their heads together, further studying the maps, confidently concluding, "Seventh Sister, should we take another path? If that’s the case, when we reach the mountain stream, should we release the little Hui?" Qian Wanyu looked up and glanced at her, "Maybe talk to Ding Ding about it along the way, so it doesn't get too attached to the Hui." Dongfang Minghui sighed heavily, "Seventh Sister, even though Ding Ding seems agreeable, once it gets stubborn, not even nine oxen could pull it back." Qian Wanyu gave her a teasing look, "Make more chew sticks and cook a few delicious fish fillets. I don't believe Ding Ding wouldn't listen to you." "Little Nine, Little Nine." "Speak of the devil—bet it heard you mention fish fillets and chew sticks, Seventh Sister." Dongfang Minghui watched as Ding Ding flew back from who knows where, still holding the half-dead Hui, "Ding Ding, let the little Hui down so I can have a look." "Little Nine, chew stick." "Its ears are quite sharp," Qian Wanyu chuckled, shaking her head, and once again combined the two maps to carefully study the routes. Dongfang Minghui was busy massaging the little Hui. The small creature had coiled around itself without moving, causing its wound to rupture, yet it stubbornly refused to mend its ways. It was indeed a resilient little Hui, "Little Hui, don't be so obstinate like an old mule, or you'll only bring suffering upon yourself. These pills are quite precious; if you don't appreciate them, I'll be upset." "Little Nine's mad," Ding Ding stood on her shoulder, pouting. "So you must recover quickly. Then we can take you home." "Little Nine!!!" Dongfang Minghui's eardrum stung from Ding Ding's call, "Ding Ding, stop shouting; I can hear you." Ding Ding snapped the golden thread tight, binding the little Hui back into a ball just when it had stretched out. Dongfang Minghui quickly intervened, "Ding Ding, the little Hui needs treatment. If you keep handling it like this, it will truly perish." Ding Ding hesitated but held firmly to the golden thread net. Qian Wanyu lifted her eyelid, casting a gentle glance at Ding Ding, "If one day you find your master, yet we don't let you follow, would you be happy, Ding Ding?" "No." "Similarly, this Hui should live in a mountain stream. It can't live without water sources, unlike us. If it stays on the land too long, it will die." Ding Ding struggled. Its little brain was filled with thoughts of its master and Little Nine’s group. Never before did it consider that one day after meeting its master, it might have to part ways with Little Nine and the others. Faced with this possibility, Ding Ding slowly loosened its grip on the golden thread net and sat on the ground, its mouth trembling, "Boo hoo——" And cried. Little golden droplets fell from Ding Ding's eyes, rolling into the grass. Dongfang Minghui looked helplessly at Qian Wanyu, her expression implicitly saying — you made it cry, now you console it. Qian Wanyu pursed her lips meaningfully, "Quick, save it." "Ding Ding, don't cry. Look at all the golden drops you're shedding. If you lose too many, you'll die." *Hic* The crying stopped suddenly, even the golden drops on the ground ceased rolling, motionless like a chicken. Ding Ding was terrified, uncertain of death's definition, only occasionally hearing Mu Sheng and the others privately discuss Toothless might die. Hence, it was petrified immediately. *Hic* Dongfang Minghui had never imagined this little thing capable of fear, half laughing, refraining from showing it, her shoulders shaking. Only after a while did she finish treating the wound on the Hui, noticing it peering intently at her with small eyes. "There, little Hui, we're planning to head back now. You should heal your wounds before you can return home." *Hic* Ding Ding continued hiccupping for a while, probably occupied pondering the weighty concept of 'life and death.' So, on the journey back, it didn't fuss over the little Hui much, assuming a 'deep thinker' pose on Dongfang Minghui's shoulder, transforming from a chatterbox into a silent scholar. Even Qian Wanyu frequently cast glances at it, pondering whether she had spoken too harshly. "Ding Ding, are you hungry?" "Not hungry." Usually, Ding Ding would seize the opportunity to shout for grilled fish, fish fillets, and chew sticks. While treating the little Hui, Dongfang Minghui sighed; she used to find Ding Ding's constant chatter annoying, somewhat troubling. Now that it was quiet, something felt peculiar. Qian Wanyu shot her a reassuring look, released a trace of gold spiritual energy, "Ding Ding, come here." Ding Ding hesitated but flew over, merely staring without hugging her fingertips affectionately as usual. "Ding Ding, you lost many golden drops just now, you need to replenish your energy, here." "Oh." Ding Ding suddenly realized that it, too, might die one day. Only through replenishing energy or other unknown ways could it regain what it lost. Ding Ding absorbed the energy, feeling its power surge, affirming its theory. Unaware of Ding Ding's profound contemplation, Dongfang Minghui thought Ding Ding was upset about the little Hui being sent away. "Ding Ding, do you like the little Hui?" Ding Ding pondered for a moment, then shook its head, "Don't like it." Dongfang Minghui: "..." If you don't like it, why are you holding onto it? It's simply unreasonable, "So why don't you want it to go home?" Ding Ding, with a very aggrieved face, reported, "It’s bad. It tries to run." She was utterly puzzled. The poor thing couldn't beat you, so if it didn't run, was it supposed to give up its life for you to play with? Dongfang Minghui didn't know what to say, so she simply reached out and pinched Ding Ding's cheek, "Then why did you shed tears of gold?" "Heartache." Hearing these words from the little one, the two felt a strange sense of amusement. "Ding Ding, are you afraid that once little Hui leaves, you'll have no one to play with?" Ding Ding quickly shook her head, twirling her fingers in her hair, rubbing against it but saying nothing more. Dongfang Minghui was somewhat troubled. When the little thing had worries and was gloomy, it affected her mood as well. Noticing that little Hui's wounds would take several more days to heal, she suggested during a break, "Seventh Sister, how about we just leave some medicine for little Hui and release it here?" "No way." Qian Wanyu noted that there was still some distance to the mountain stream where they were previously attacked, "Those people who attacked us were all summoned by this little Hui. We need to get onto another path, far from here, before releasing it." "Right." Ding Ding flapped her wings in agreement, not forgetting to add to her report, "It's bad." Dongfang Minghui sighed, "Alright, then we'll wait until we've crossed the mountain stream before letting little Hui go. Little Hui, I'll leave some pills for you to use yourself. Do you know how to apply them?" Little Hui stretched its neck up to look at her, appearing much more spirited than the previous day, at least no longer curled up continuously. Patiently explaining how to use each pill, Dongfang Minghui demonstrated in detail, "Little Hui, do you remember?" Qian Wanyu, with a gentle smile, watched as she busily chatted with a creature that might not understand human words. Sometimes, it was fascinating how beings so initially hostile, like Ding Ding and now this Hui, seemed to acquire an unusual gentleness after interacting with Ninth Sister. Ding Ding tilted its head and watched Little Nine. Suddenly hearing the sound of flowing water, it assumed little Hui was attempting to escape and instinctively flew towards the source of the sound. There, they saw several large Hui poking their heads out, staring at them from a distance, giving them an eerie look as if wanting to swallow the group whole. "Little Nine, Little Nine, it’s big bad ones." Both stood up quickly, following Ding Ding's direction. The sight of the densely packed Hui across the mountain stream made Dongfang Minghui involuntarily draw a sharp breath, triggering her fear of dense clusters. "Strange, Seventh Sister, why don't they come over?" "Probably because the mountain stream restricts them." Qian Wanyu’s gaze shifted from the large Hui to the small Hui, "Perhaps that's why this little one has been so well-behaved lately." "Huh, restrictions?" "Yes." Qian Wanyu wasn’t sure what the Hui were afraid of, but once they crossed the mountain stream, the creatures stopped chasing and attacking. "Let's rest here today; tomorrow, we'll try to cross the stream swiftly." Dongfang Minghui nodded lightly and began gathering leaves, whether tree leaves or grass leaves, and some stones as well. Ding Ding followed closely behind, "Little Nine, Little Nine, let me help you pick!" "Choose only the intact ones, those with chips won't do." "Got it." The little Hui in the golden thread net coiled up tighter as Qian Wanyu approached, a natural defense mechanism. She warned it, “Don't get clever like last time. Once we're across the mountain stream, we'll let you go.” Once Qian Wanyu moved away, the little Hui relaxed slightly, its small eyes keeping a close watch on Dongfang Minghui and Ding Ding. "Tomorrow, you stay in Ding Ding's Longevity Cauldron," Qian Wanyu advised after Dongfang Minghui returned with a pile of leaves. "Why? Seventh Sister, I want to go with you." "Because you can't swim," Qian Wanyu replied bluntly, striking her at the heart of her weakness. Dongfang Minghui felt a severe blow to her self-esteem. Seventh Sister clearly viewed her as a burden, looked down on her inability to swim, among other things — basically, she felt completely rejected. "Moreover, tomorrow, if the Hui attack in groups, you being outside would distract me easily." Qian Wanyu added, trying to soften her previous straightforward remarks. "Hmph." Dongfang Minghui showed her annoyance, thinking of how they were supposed to support each other. Seven years... not even that, and trouble was arising quick. She responded dryly, "Got it." Seeing her sulky demeanor, Qian Wanyu couldn’t help but laugh. "Ding Ding will come with me tomorrow." "Got it." Feeling sulky for a while, Dongfang Minghui hoped Seventh Sister might come and comfort her, but after waiting quite some time, she turned to find herself even more dismayed. Qian Wanyu had sat down cross-legged and entered into cultivation. Glaring angrily, Dongfang Minghui gazed at her. Ding Ding, mimicking her, glared at Qian Wanyu as well. "Little Nine, why are we watching her?" "Hmph." Dongfang Minghui quickly changed her mind, "Ding Ding, someday you must teach me how to swim." Ding Ding patted its chest confidently, eagerly promising, "Okay." Later, she once again instructed little Hui about applying the medicine, repeating it to the point even Ding Ding’s ears were getting tired of hearing about it, "Little Hui, tomorrow we'll separate. I've always been curious about your ability to swap things, can I see it?" Little Hui's small, dark eyes stared steadily at her. "Yes, show us," Ding Ding echoed, equally curious about its shell-switching technique, adopting an identical inquisitive look as Dongfang Minghui, both gazes fixed eagerly on the little Hui trapped in the golden thread net. The little Hui shrank back, burying its head into its body. Dongfang Minghui and Ding Ding exchanged glances, puzzled. “Well, if little Hui doesn’t want to, we won’t disturb it.” "Hmph." Ding Ding really wanted to yank the golden thread net and slam the Hui to the ground a couple of times, but Dongfang Minghui stopped it just as the thought formed, "Little Nine, don't hold me back." Dongfang Minghui squinted at little Ding Ding, "If I don't hold you back, will you cause trouble? Be good, no more arguments; tomorrow, there will be many large Hui you can deal with, but little Hui is too small and can't take your torment." "Really?" Ding Ding’s eyes sparkled with excitement, thinking, well, if the small ones won't do, one can always go for a larger prey... Dongfang Minghui nodded lightly, "So today, you stay with me and keep an eye on Seventh Sister, and be good." "Okay." All night, Dongfang Minghui wanted to sleep but dared not. With the mountain stream not far away, and even though Seventh Sister assured that the Hui were restricted to the other side of the stream, given the desolate wilderness, the pervasive silence was unnerving. If not for Ding Ding flapping its wings occasionally, creating a breeze across her face, she might have thought she was the last person on earth. "Little Nine, can the big baddies use the shell-switching trick too?" "They probably can't." Dongfang Minghui wasn't sure; she recalled Yu Chi Shou mentioning it once, "Seems like just little Hui has that unique capability." "That's boring," Ding Ding sulked, her high hopes dashed. Dongfang Minghui sighed, "Ding Ding, this ability of little Hui is a double-edged sword; it has great advantages but also disadvantages." Ding Ding blinked, ears perked up to listen. Even the little Hui bound in the golden thread, pretending not to care, peeked out its head, its dark eyes watching Dongfang Minghui in the dark night. "Why is it bad?" "Excellence makes one a target; the more outstanding you are among your kin, the more prone to attacks you are. If you have the ability to protect yourself, you must still watch out for conspirators. If you show your strengths too early without the ability to protect yourself, that's an unfortunate situation." Ding Ding listened attentively but didn't quite catch the meaning. Dongfang Minghui poked its little cheek gently, hesitant to use force on such a familiar face, feeling it would be like breaking her own toy, "Ding Ding, thankfully, you can protect yourself now." "Little Nine," Ding Ding eagerly sought praise and a reward, "Am I awesome?" "Yes, Ding Ding is the best." The next morning, Qian Wanyu awoke from her meditation, picked up the golden thread net with her own hands, and Ding Ding lifted the Longevity Cauldron high, placing Dongfang Minghui inside. Little Hui's small black eyes watched the cauldron being elevated. Under the morning light, the Longevity Vine patterns appeared majestic and solemn, drawing a sigh of awe. Qian Wanyu cast an inquisitive look at it, "Today, I'll let you go. Be good, don't cause trouble, or else I won’t hesitate to cut you into pieces without Ninth Sister knowing." Ding Ding shivered inexplicably at these words, clinging to its Longevity Cauldron, yearning to stay with Little Nine. "Ding Ding, let's go." "Oh." Ding Ding flitted its wings, gently drumming the Longevity Cauldron back onto its crown, and flew up high saying, "They’ve blocked the path at the mountain stream." The massive Hui were sprawled across the trail leading through the mountain stream to the other path. Each one was broad enough to equal two or three grown men, with thick, coiled bodies, their large heads peeking out in rows, eyeing them. Qian Wanyu remained unperturbed, fingers gently stroking the tip of her water thunder whip, "Ding Ding, just grab a huge one from them and smash it fiercely towards the others." Ding Ding examined its hands, then glanced at the enormous heads of the Hui, promptly enlarging itself a bit. The small Hui encased in the golden thread net quietly watched Ding Ding, as if seeing it for the first time. Ding Ding, aware of being watched, suddenly turned and made a face at little Hui, only to find it unimpressed. Losing interest, Ding Ding flew ahead. Qian Wanyu mused at the little Hui, "Until you step beyond the stream, you'll never know how far rivers can take you in this world. There are seas beyond imagination, filled with creatures much mightier than your kind." Yet the little Hui couldn't tear its gaze away from Ding Ding. "Ding Ding." "Ah." "Fly straight ahead. If any foolish large Hui tries ambushing you, strike back but don’t get caught in a fight. We only need to get past the stream." "Okay." Qian Wanyu led while Ding Ding followed, their eyes fixed ahead as they charged forward. Despite being mentally prepared, they fell for the Hui’s trap. The path made of grasses and stones wasn't a true river trail but a façade created by grasses and submerged Hui. As Qian Wanyu stepped down, her leg sank, throwing her off balance. Ding Ding traversed effortlessly, though three or four large Hui leaped up, baring fangs to bite. Ding Ding frowned, "Bad one." Instead of evading, it swooped down into the water, seized a Hui sneaking up on Qian Wanyu, grabbed its slick, thick tail, and smashed the fangs of another trying to bite it into shambles. The clobbered Hui seemed dazed. Ding Ding's strength entirely depended on the Longevity Cauldron. It hadn't used full force — had it done so, the unfortunate Hui’s head might have shattered completely instead of just some teeth. "Roar, big bad one." Ding Ding tangled the Hui's body and head, swinging it at the group eyeing its wings. The force crashed several Hui away with ease. The Hui held by Ding Ding was left hardly breathing. Qian Wanyu had more difficulty compared to Ding Ding. As her foot sank, she used the water’s buoyancy to leap into the air, quickly finding footholds. Her water thunder whip lashed towards a Hui about to bite her legs, "Courting death." Indeed, it was courting death; missing her legs meant being zapped with purple lightning. Qian Wanyu used the Hui's exploded brain as a stepping stone to move forward. Behind her, little Hui admired Ding Ding's might as it pummeled the once-bullying Hui into a sorry state, its beady eyes reflecting newfound reverence. Seeing Qian Wanyu skillfully split the charging Hui into pieces, blood stained the clear waters, the scent metallic and thick. The few remaining front-line Hui hesitated and retreated slightly. Together, they uttered a series of piercing shrieks, penetrating ear-drums. However, Qian Wanyu, forewarned, swallowed two sound-blocking pills, impervious to the noise. "Ah." Ding Ding had quickly maneuvered to the other end of the mountain path. Watching Qian Wanyu still besieged, it pondered assisting. With determination, it tangled a dead Hui tight and hurled it at the barricading Hui. Aimed flawlessly. Qian Wanyu deftly advanced along stable footing, the Hui below shadowing her movements aggressively. None succeeded, repeatedly suffering purple lightning bolts. "Thanks, Ding Ding." "You're welcome." They successfully crossed the stream, leaving floating Hui carcasses, swiftly disappearing beneath the reddening waters; a fleeting, decisive battle left its mark. Moving uphill, trickles of water occasionally flowed down, Qian Wanyu ripped fabric to wash herself clean. "Don't tell Little Nine." Ding Ding stared at her, perplexed. As they traversed a considerable distance, the stream shrank in view, eventually but a speck. Now further, Qian Wanyu lowered the golden thread net, releasing the little Hui, "You may go. Follow this river down; it will lead you back to where your kind lives." "Bad," Ding Ding recalled being held down and 'bitten' by little Hui — no teeth yet, but once grown, its teeth could rival the ambushing Hui’s razor-sharp daggers. A bite would surely hurt. And its slippery nature like an eel made escapes frequent, a persistent blemish. "Ding Ding, let's go." "Oh." As Ding Ding flew, it kept glancing back, sentimentally attached to its 'catch.' Little Hui extended its neck, watching them fade away before leaping into the river. Playfully swirling in, out, it soon followed the road they’d taken, swiftly sliding back. Seeing Ding Ding still glancing back, Qian Wanyu asked, "Ding Ding, do you miss the little Hui?" Ding Ding puckered up, shaking its head, "I want to see how it escapes." Qian Wanyu deciphered the brief statement, "That's its secret technique, invisible to most. Just like how you master the Longevity Cauldron — no one else knows how you do it." Ding Ding pondered and nodded, finding Qian Wanyu's words reasonable, "True." Qian Wanyu’s pace was brisk; Ding Ding's speed matched. In no time, they reached mid-mountain. Unfurling the map, Qian Wanyu checked her course, realizing she wasn't even a third through its marked trail. "This road is longer than I thought." Ding Ding flew for a while; missing both little Hui and Dongfang Minghui, while Qian Wanyu seldom interacted with it, Ding Ding found itself on a large tree, feet swinging, calling, "Want Little Nine, Little Nine." Glancing around, noting the warmer surroundings compared to the chilled stream below, Qian Wanyu agreed, "Alright, let Little Nine out for some fresh air." Inside the Longevity Cauldron lay an ice spring orb, an ice coffin, and an ice beast. Together, they formed a natural mobile icebox. Qian Wanyu also didn’t favor keeping her in there too long. Upon exiting, they suddenly had company — Little Fatty and Little Bean Sprout emerged alongside. Dongfang Minghui explained, "Little Bean Sprout can’t stay in there too long; it's still growing." Little Bean Sprout extended a branch-like arm, tapping her gently in a show of attachment. "Ah, Little Fatty." Ding Ding, overcome with boredom, dashed onto Little Fatty's head, provoking a displeased Little Bean Sprout, whose branches seized Ding Ding's neck. "Ding Ding, stop it." "Little Bean Sprout, release." Qian Wanyu witnessed the scene, rubbing her forehead, warning softly, "If you’re causing trouble, then back you all go." Dongfang Minghui felt a chill. Instinctively fearing Seventh Sister, especially with her chilling sternness, she urged, "Little Bean Sprout, let go." “Ah.” Little Fatty nodded to Qian Wanyu, soothingly patting Little Bean Sprout, unfurling its grip off Ding Ding's neck, settling by the water to test its temperature. "Little Nine, Little Nine." "Ding Ding, be good. Little Bean Sprout didn’t mean it," Dongfang Minghui fretted over by Little Fatty. She sensed Little Bean Sprout's drastic change, its newfound ferocity. Save for Little Fatty, it was unfriendly even to Seventh Sister. "So fierce." "Mhm." Dongfang Minghui, distracted, mulled over the old tree spirits' planting techniques entrusted to her, recalling Little Bean Sprout’s every growth phase. Qian Wanyu noticed that Dongfang Minghui seemed completely distracted, not even responding to Ding Ding's calls. She put the map away and approached her, gently patting her on the head to regain her attention. "What's wrong? Did something happen with Toothless?" Dongfang Minghui shook her head. Toothless's condition remained unchanged; aside from faint breathing, the core and elixir in her abdomen showed no sign of activity. With Yu Chi Shou and the beast guarding her, she was confident they could support her for a while. "Seventh Sister, don’t you feel that Little Bean Sprout has changed a lot?" She lowered her voice and, noticing Little Fatty glancing their way, pulled Qian Wanyu aside, with Ding Ding fluttering along. "Since Little Bean Sprout was separated from us for a while, I've felt like it’s not the same one I remember." She felt there were two different individuals at play. She had invested so much heart into nurturing the spirit plants but couldn't understand why Little Bean Sprout seemed so different. She wondered if she was unsuited for raising little beings, given how they turned out. Qian Wanyu, of course, was already aware. Back in the space created by Qian Ying, she sensed something odd between Little Bean Sprout and Little Fatty. She was surprised that Ninth Sister was the first to bring it up. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Ninth Sister, perhaps you’re overthinking it?" "Overthinking? No, Seventh Sister, you have to understand that the spirit plants I grow are all very close to me. I know each one's character, except for Little Bean Sprout." Especially since Little Bean Sprout had been an investment of much of her effort and care. She truly nurtured it with her own blood and sweat. But something seemed off—it felt like Little Bean Sprout had grown in an unfamiliar direction. It was as if it wore Little Bean Sprout's shell but had a different core. An idea struck Dongfang Minghui suddenly, gripping Qian Wanyu's arm with excitement, "Seventh Sister, you mentioned that the Tianyin Helmet used the Soul Refining Furnace. Is it possible that the weapon spirit swapped with Little Bean Sprout?" "Then what is Little Fatty?" Dongfang Minghui was taken aback and replied uncertainly, "But—" Ding Ding, not following the conversation much, flapped about and interjected, "Little Fatty is the artifact spirit." Qian Wanyu lightly embraced Dongfang Minghui, patting her back to soothe her, "Don't worry, Little Bean Sprout was not substituted. You can see how Little Fatty cares for it—they’re clearly two sprouts born from one." Dongfang Minghui feared that her oversight during their stint in the Dragon's Gorge could have led to Little Bean Sprout's disappearance. If that was indeed the catalyst for its drastic change, she'd regret it deeply. Qian Wanyu, however, maintained a cool gaze towards Little Fatty and Little Bean Sprout, suspecting their actions went beyond mere coincidence. "There's something," Qian Wanyu noted. Little Bean Sprout suddenly leaped from the water, landing on Little Fatty's back, its branches curling tightly around. Little Fatty took two steps back, "Ah." Ding Ding swiftly flew over and saw Little Hui standing—neck raised defiantly—in the flowing water. "Hey, didn’t you go home?" "Hm?" Dongfang Minghui was also surprised, "Seventh Sister, didn’t you say you let it go home?" "I did." Qian Wanyu innocently glanced at the little Hui, "Ding Ding can vouch for me." Ding Ding nodded, flapping its wings as it flew to the little Hui, "Do you want to come with us?" The little Hui remained motionless in the water, its small bead-like eyes shifting from Ding Ding to Dongfang Minghui. It flicked the ceramic bottle tied to its tail in front of Dongfang Minghui, then extended its tail slowly towards her for the first time. Everyone exchanged glances, and Dongfang Minghui couldn’t help but chuckle, "You came back because you don’t know how to use the medicine and need my help applying it, right?" Qian Wanyu let out a soft huff, muttering, "Troublesome." Ding Ding muttered too, disappointed, "Liar." Her reaction synchronized with Ding Ding's, leaving Dongfang Minghui amused by their unexpected teamwork—unaware of when they had fostered such a bond. As Dongfang Minghui assisted the little Hui, she couldn’t shake the feeling it seemed changed somehow. Its eyes shone brighter when looking at Ding Ding, a curious expression now on its face. While treating many new wounds, she asked, "Did your kin bully you for coming back?" The little Hui remained still, its bright, bead-like eyes filled with light as it looked at Dongfang Minghui. Whenever it shifted its gaze to Seventh Sister and Ding Ding, Dongfang Minghui whispered, "Do you like Ding Ding and want to play with it?" The little Hui opened its mouth, showing a toothless grin. "…" A subject change, for sure. With a sigh, Dongfang Minghui gave little Hui a chew stick to gnaw on. Inevitably, another demand arose. "Little Nine, Little Nine, I want one too." "Here." Watching Ding Ding and the little Hui each gnaw on a chew stick, she wondered what event had caused little Hui to regard Ding Ding so differently.