"I wasn't trying to prove myself, I just wanted to save Xiao Nian and the elderly. I don't understand what you mean by acting on emotion," Mu An Xiao said, glaring at Yan.
Yan frowned.
Queen Rabbit glanced at Yan, stepped forward, and said, "You say you're not, but your initial purpose for bringing me here was to see the past. It hasn't even been a day, and you're already forgetting your mission. Especially regarding Xiao Nian, you know you can't save her, yet you're stubbornly pursuing something unrealistic. Mu An Xiao, wake up! You don't have that ability. If you continue like this, you'll only alter their past, and many people will die because of you."
"I..."
"This is acting on emotion," Feng Qi Shi emphasized.
Piao glanced at Feng Qi Shi and also said, "Stop it. Don't waste your efforts. Proving yourself this way is truly meaningless."
"I... I'm not," Mu An Xiao clenched her fists.
"Although I don't want to say it, I know that being called useless doesn't feel good at all," Yan said calmly.
Mu An Xiao was speechless.
Outside the house, Xiao Nian sat on the ground, staring at the pebbles. "A Bi, she just said not to look for my mother anymore. What does that mean? Has... has my mother really passed away?"
Gecko was happy that Xiao Nian was talking to him, but upon hearing her question, he suddenly didn't know how to answer. However, he didn't dare to refuse.
"Your mother is definitely still alive," he said, walking around and sitting opposite Xiao Nian.
"Really?" Xiao Nian asked.
Gecko nodded. "Of course, it's true. Perhaps your mother is being protected by those rabbit spirits. Don't worry, she's definitely alive."
"Do you think my mother will come back?" Xiao Nian asked again.
Gecko forced himself to maintain an optimistic smile and said, "She'll definitely come back. No, I'll go right now..."
"You don't need to go," Xiao Nian stated directly.
Gecko was taken aback. "But I promised you."
"You said it was very dangerous there. If you get killed, who will wait with me for my mother?" Xiao Nian said.
"Aren't you angry anymore?" Gecko cautiously looked at Xiao Nian's face and asked.
Xiao Nian said, "I remember now. My mother said the rabbits in the deep forest are very terrifying, so much so that even demons fear them. That's why you would naturally be afraid too. It was my fault just now, I'm sorry."
"Don't say sorry," Gecko said earnestly.
Xiao Nian said, "Don't go."
"But your mother..."
"I've thought about it. I believe my mother will return. One day, I will see my mother, and my mother said she would come back. I have to believe her," Xiao Nian said, tears falling onto the stone path.
Seeing Xiao Nian like this, Gecko didn't dare to say a word and gently patted her shoulder.
Unexpectedly, as Xiao Nian was crying, the woman arrived.
"What are you crying about?"
Hearing the voice, Xiao Nian was startled and quickly wiped the tears from her face, standing up.
Gecko stood up with Xiao Nian and said, "Let me help you." He held up two fingers.
Xiao Nian cautiously glanced at Gecko and slightly shook her head.
Seeing that Xiao Nian didn't agree to his help, Gecko withdrew his hand.
The woman looked down at Xiao Nian, who had suddenly shaken her head, and asked, "What does your shaking your head mean?"
Xiao Nian did not answer.
Seeing that Xiao Nian was ignoring her, the woman became angry. She clenched her fists and looked around, asking, "Where is Mu An Xiao?"
Xiao Nian continued to keep her head down, not speaking.
"I'm asking you a question, speak," the woman said, reaching out and forcefully pushing Xiao Nian's forehead.
The moment the woman's hand moved towards her forehead, Xiao Nian subtly clenched her fists.
"Speak," the woman growled.
Xiao Nian said, "Inside."
"Inside? She left you here alone?" the woman asked coldly.
Xiao Nian said, "She has something to do."
"She's just a beggar, what important business could she have?" Saying this, the woman walked around Xiao Nian towards the room.
Seeing this, Xiao Nian quickly turned and ran in front of the woman, saying, "They are discussing something important. It's best if you don't go in."
"They?" the woman repeated. She lowered her head and inadvertently saw the silver bracelet on Xiao Nian's wrist, asking, "What are you wearing on your hand?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Nian quickly hid the hand wearing the silver bracelet behind her back.
"Nothing," she whispered.
"Take it out," the woman said coldly.
Xiao Nian shook her head.
The woman's eyes narrowed. She squatted down, grabbed Xiao Nian's hand, and then looked at it, asking, "Who gave you this?"
"Auntie," Xiao Nian said, looking at the woman's face with great fear.
"Auntie, Mu An Xiao," the woman said, forcefully tugging at the silver bracelet twice, but it wouldn't come off.
Gecko said, "I'll deal with her for you."
Xiao Nian immediately shook her head upon hearing this.
Gecko frowned deeply.
After trying for a long time without success, the woman forcefully let go of Xiao Nian's hand and said, "You just wait." Then, she stood up and walked away with her attendant following behind her.
Gecko looked at Xiao Nian's reddened wrist, which the woman had grabbed, with a heartache. He asked, "Why didn't you let me help you?"
"If you helped me, young madam would definitely have her sister deal with you, and then I wouldn't have you as a friend anymore," Xiao Nian said, tears welling up in her eyes.
Gecko said, "Don't cry."
"Okay," Xiao Nian nodded, raising her arm to wipe the tears from her face. "She must have gone to find Father."
"Mu An Xiao is likely being targeted now," Gecko said.
Xiao Nian nodded. "Yes, it's all my fault."
"It's not your fault, and Mu An Xiao wouldn't blame you," Gecko comforted.
Xiao Nian began to sob.
Inside the room, Mu An Xiao sat at the table, staring blankly at the items on the table, and said, "If I do nothing, will the subsequent events revert to their original course?"
"Yes, it's not even been a full day, and many things haven't been changed yet. If it continues like this, it will truly be beyond repair," Queen Rabbit said, sitting beside Mu An Xiao.
Mu An Xiao pursed her lips and asked, "Can you tell me how Xiao Nian died before?"
"She died of a cold," Queen Rabbit said.
"Then... how do you know?" Mu An Xiao asked.
Queen Rabbit lowered her gaze and said, "I was by her side, watching her die, and then... Gecko burned this place down."
"At that time, couldn't Xiao Nian see Gecko?" Mu An Xiao asked again.
Queen Rabbit nodded. "Yes, she couldn't see him. At that time, Tian Jiang discovered that her sister had a problem herself. Because of that fire, Gecko lost his most precious memories and left here with Tian Jiang."
"Tian Jiang came here?" Mu An Xiao exclaimed in surprise.
"Back in the deep forest, at this moment, I almost killed Tian Jiang," Queen Rabbit said calmly.