After finishing "washing up," Lin Zaozao looked at the sleeping Gu Shan with a mix of exasperation and tenderness.
She had exhausted Gu Shan into slumber. Would Xiao Xibei and Ye Yi tease her if she carried Gu Shan back like this?
But considering Xiao Xibei and Ye Yi were also her husbands, such intimate moments with Gu Shan would inevitably involve them.
Once back, if they dared to mock her, she'd deal with them then and there.
With resolve, Lin Zaozao carefully carried Gu Shan ashore.
Looking at the two sets of clothes on the bank—one with green base and yellow embroidered flowers, the other with red and blue, adorned with lilies—she knew the skirt was unsuitable for Gu Shan, but the green outfit would suffice.
After some fumbling, Lin Zaozao dressed herself quickly and then managed to dress Gu Shan too.
In this colorful attire, Gu Shan appeared even more alluring, his cold demeanor softening.
Time was ticking, and after a day without proper meals, plus the vigorous activity earlier, Lin Zaozao felt her stomach grumble.
Enough, time to go back and eat something!
As Lin Zaozao carried Gu Shan back to the tent and settled him on the bed, she nearly jumped out of her skin at Xiao Xibei's voice behind her.
"Zaozao, are you finally satisfied after your feast?"
"Goodness, Xiao Xibei, we're civilized people, not ones to startle others from behind. Your sudden voice nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Are you that fragile? Zaozao, after your bath with Gu Shan, why did you bring him back instead of him bringing you?"
"What's wrong with that? Isn't this what you wanted? Why bother asking me here?"
Facing Xiao Xibei's peculiar gaze, Lin Zaozao retorted with disdain.
"Zaozao, normally wouldn't it be Gu Shan carrying you back?"
"Xiao Xibei, as you said, that's under normal circumstances. But what's happening here is anything but normal! If not for this 'anything but normal' situation, how could I have managed to lull Gu Shan to sleep?"
Lin Zaozao leaned close to Xiao Xibei, raising an eyebrow.
"Xiao Xibei, do you want to see how this 'anything but normal' situation unfolds?"
Xiao Xibei lowered his gaze to Lin Zaozao's mischievous smile, gently caressing her cheek.
The next moment, he playfully tapped her forehead.
"Silly kid, small in stature but big in heart. Just finished bathing with Gu Shan, now already thinking of me.
Alright, get ready and join me for dinner. After that, I'll need your help with what I mentioned earlier."
"Little Xibei, what exactly do you want me to help you with? Do I have to avoid Gu Shan and let him sleep through it?"
"Let's eat first, we can talk after the meal."
Due to Lin Zaozao's curiosity about what Little Xibei meant by "help," she quickly finished her meal.
After Lin Zaozao slurped down the last bite of porridge, she briskly wiped Little Xibei's sleeve, grabbed his hand, and asked what he needed help with.
Watching Lin Zaozao's rude actions, Little Xibei's eyes showed no hint of disdain, only a faint smile.
Her Zaozao, in this life, was truly different from the previous one.
This time, it seemed like she unconsciously repeated everything she didn't dare or couldn't do in her past life!
Rude and unrestrained behavior, dressing as she pleased, doing whatever she wanted, bluntly hating those she disliked.
If there was something unchanged, it was her saying she didn't want trouble and didn't want to care about others.
But in the end, she always helped those around her in a way that hurt herself.
Her Zaozao was fundamentally a kind-hearted girl!
"Little Xibei, why are you staring at my face, mesmerized? Spit it out! What do you want me to help you with?"
"Zaozao, can you help others detoxify without harming yourself?"
"Well, yes! Why? Little Xibei, are you injured or poisoned?"
Little Xibei tightly held Lin Zaozao's hand and said seriously, "Zaozao, I want you to detoxify those poisoned people and puppets in Purgatory Valley."
"Detoxify the poisoned people and puppets? Little Xibei, it's not that I won't help, but those little poisoned people and puppets are all in Purgatory Valley. Even if I want to detoxify them, I can't reach them!
If I can't touch them, I can't detoxify them."
"Zaozao, as long as you promise to detoxify them, I can naturally find a way to bring those poisoned people and puppets out of Purgatory Valley."
"What... what way?"
"Just come with me."
After saying that, Little Xibei embraced Lin Zaozao's waist, ready to leave.
"Wait, Little Xibei. If we're going to save people in Purgatory Valley, why avoid Gu Shan? After all, Gu Shan understands what's happening in Purgatory Valley the most."
"Zaozao, do you think, with Gu Shan's regard for you, he would be willing to let you go to Purgatory Valley, to witness the hellish scenes there?"
"He definitely wouldn't."
Lin Zaozao affirmed.
"Then that settles it. Stop talking, let's take advantage of Gu Shan being sound asleep, and return early."
After that, Little Xibei, holding Lin Zaozao, swiftly flew through the trees, leaving.
Seeing Little Xibei and Lin Zaozao leave, Dashan immediately dropped the large iron pot in his hand and chased after them.
As for Uncle Zhang, he patted the backs of Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, signaling them to follow. He leisurely smoked his pipe, a face of contentment.
On the way, Lin Zaozao, embraced by Little Xibei, felt like a kite being swiftly shuttled through the forest.
As Lin Zaozao began to feel dizzy from being spun around, Little Xibei finally landed them on the ground.
Upon landing, Lin Zaozao rubbed her head, which was left spinning by Little Xibei's impressive lightness skill, and then she straightened up and fell backward.
When her back hit the ground, it wasn't the cold stone she felt, but a furry mass.
Turning her head, she saw Zhao Cai and Jin Bao, their bodies flattened into two blankets, serving as her backrest.
No wonder when she fell backward, Little Xibei just smiled and didn't come forward to support her.
It turned out he saw these two makeshift cushions behind him.
"Oh my! My little wolf cubs! Good babies, why are you so obedient today? Are you afraid of me falling and voluntarily flattening yourselves into blankets for me to lean on?"
In response to Lin Zaozao, Zhao Cai rolled his eyes conspicuously. Amid Zhao Cai and Jin Bao's whimpering, Lin Zaozao clearly heard the two words uttered by Zhao Cai.
"Idiot!"
"Oops! Little wolf cub, who are you calling idiot!"
Lin Zaozao shifted all her weight onto Zhao Cai's back, grabbed his wolf tail, and muttered softly.
"Zaozao, who are you talking to?"
"Little Xibei, just talking to myself!"
After putting all her weight on Zhao Cai's body, Lin Zaozao turned sideways, looking at Little Xibei with a smile.
"Is that so?"
Little Xibei glanced perplexedly at the chaos of one person and two wolves, then turned around to look behind him.
In his line of sight was the tall and towering figure of Dashan.
With a heavy sword on his shoulder, when he landed in front of Little Xibei, the sword on his shoulder seemed to casually slap towards Little Xibei's face.
Watching the sword about to slap his face, Little Xibei could only helplessly use two fingers to push the sword on Dashan's shoulder aside.
"Dashan, I brought Zaozao here for a reason, so don't mess around!"
"Humph! What reason? Isn't it to rescue those poisoned people and puppets in Purgatory Valley?"
Dashan glanced disdainfully at Little Xibei. When he turned his head and met Lin Zaozao's gaze, his face immediately became cheerful, and he walked over to Lin Zaozao with enthusiasm.
"Hehehe... Young Mistress!"
"Dashan, do you have something to say?"
"Young Mistress, how did you know I had something to say?"
Dashan put away his silly smile and asked puzzledly.
"Because the silly smile on your face is full of requests, hoping that I'll agree."
"Really? Is it that obvious?"
Dashan reached up to touch his face, feeling like everything was normal!
"Spill it! Dashan, what do you need my help with?"
"Well, Young Mistress. When you help Little Xibei later, can I come along?"
"Dashan, you've already followed me here, how can I refuse!"
Lin Zaozao chuckled.
"Then, Young Mistress, can you also add a few more people?"
"Who do you want to add?"
Lin Zaozao asked puzzledly.
"Come out!"
Dashan turned around, and from the depths of the dense forest, emerged several small figures. Lin Zaozao recognized them immediately – Da Bao's six children.
"Dashan, what are you bringing Da Bao's kids here for?"
"You'll find out soon enough, Miss Lin, when you go with Little Xibei to rescue someone."
Seeing Dashan's mysterious demeanor, Lin Zaozao turned to look at the six obedient little ones lined up beside her, unable to resist a sigh.
If Dashan brought these six little ones here, how could she refuse?
"Miss Lin, have you agreed?"
Lowering his head, Dashan's tone carried a hint of obsequiousness.
"Yes, I have."
Lin Zaozao chuckled and patted Dashan's shoulder, then turned to look at Little Xibei standing nearby, puzzled.
"Little Xibei, what's next for us?"
Facing Lin Zaozao's confusion, Little Xibei raised an eyebrow and smiled seductively at her. That smile nearly enchanted Lin Zaozao's soul.
Wasn't there something to be done? Why was he smiling so alluringly?
