Lan Yan began tidying the wooden hut, starting with a thorough cleaning. However, there was no water inside. She glanced at the water缸 (water vat) and water bucket in the yard, preparing to fetch water from the river.
She left the white tiger at home, instructing, "Little White Tiger, you guard the house."
The white tiger lay on the ground, propped on its paws. It let out a yelp, then closed its eyes. It was a white tiger, not a dog, and now it had to guard the house.
Lan Yan patted the white tiger's head again and headed to the river with the wooden bucket. Fortunately, the river was behind the wooden hut, not far away, otherwise, she would have been exhausted.
She squatted by the riverbank, cleaned the wooden bucket, and filled it with water. As she stood up, she looked around the river – lush trees, occasional birdsong, quiet and simple.
This was completely different from the dead city!
After a few trips back and forth, the water vat was full.
The white tiger got up and went behind the house to find a cool spot to sleep.
Lan Yan was left alone, busy sweeping spiderwebs from the walls and wiping down the walls and cabinets. She noticed the furniture was complete; someone must have left it behind. She wondered where the original owner had gone.
Next, she needed to start a fire and cook, and she also had to chop her own firewood, which was much harder than before when she was in the city. But she would find a way. As night fell, the house became too dark to see, so she went to bed.
Early the next morning, she followed yesterday's plan and headed to the bustling marketplace to gather information. Jun Ye Lan was definitely hiding something from her. Since he wouldn't tell her, she would find out herself.
The marketplace had more sword-wielding individuals than usual. They all looked imposing. They walked into an inn and shouted, "Innkeeper, we'll take all your rooms. Our Li family is not a small sect; you'd best serve us carefully."
The innkeeper quickly bowed and replied, "Yes."
A man and a woman, dressed in opulent clothing, entered the doorway. The sword-wielding Li family members all turned around and respectfully greeted them, saying, "Greetings, Master, and Junior Sister."
These two were Alliance Leader Li and Li Wan'er. Alliance Leader Li surveyed the surroundings, nodding without revealing his emotions. "Prepare a few rooms. The Nie family hasn't arrived yet."
He then looked at Li Wan'er, "Young Master Nie is capable and an ideal candidate for your husband. When he arrives, you will take good care of him. After we kill Jun Ye Lan, you two will get married."
It was all that damned Jun Ye Lan's fault that he had to rush into cooperation with the Nie family. And his daughter, Lan Yan, was also useless; she should have been discarded long ago.
Li Wan'er bit her lip. "Yes, Father."
Alliance Leader Li did not look at them again and went upstairs directly.
The Li family disciples below were still congratulating Li Wan'er, but Li Wan'er left without a word.
"Strange, why do I feel like Junior Sister isn't happy?"
"Oh, Junior Sister is just shy. The Nie family and our Li family are both major sects. This strong alliance will surely allow us to break into the dead city and kill Jun Ye Lan!" Upon mentioning this, everyone became excited.
Watching from the doorway, Lan Yan clicked her tongue. These people thinking they could kill Jun Ye Lan were dreaming. She scanned her eyes around. If she could get close to them, she could obtain their plan.
The problem was how to get close! Her gaze fell on a group of people walking in from the right. Their clothes were embroidered with the character "Nie," the Nie family mentioned by the Li family disciples earlier.
She looked towards the back of the group, where a small maidservant walked with her head down, holding a box. Furthermore, her build bore some resemblance to her own.
She discreetly followed them and entered the inn through the back kitchen. She noticed the maidservant was staying in the second room on the second floor and knocked on the door.
The door opened, and the maidservant in front of her was immediately knocked unconscious.
Lan Yan stepped inside and took out the ointment that Lü Qi had given her earlier to create a mold. Then, she woke up the maidservant. Seeing the maidservant's frightened expression, she smiled and said, "As long as you listen to me, you will be fine."
The maidservant nodded and did as Lan Yan instructed.
In a short while, Lan Yan learned that the maidservant was by Young Master Nie's side and was usually very insignificant. Their Nie family's purpose for this trip was to support the Li family and also spend a few days getting acquainted with Miss Li.
Moreover, more sects would be arriving later, all with the same goal: to kill Jun Ye Lan.
Lan Yan's eyes darkened. She struck the back of the maidservant's neck, "This will keep you safer." She hid the maidservant in the cupboard and disguised herself as the maidservant, staying in the room.
When everyone around had fallen asleep, she quietly left the room and headed back to the small wooden hut. She was not accustomed to sleeping here.
At this moment, inside the wooden hut, the white tiger saw the approaching man in green clothes and happily yelped, circling the man.
Jun Ye Lan glanced at the white tiger, then focused his gaze on the wooden hut before him. He had been sending people to follow Lan Yan and gather information about her. Knowing that Lan Yan had not gone far, he could not help but be drawn here.
"How is she?"
The white tiger couldn't speak. It went to the woodpile, then walked around the water vat, before returning to Jun Ye Lan's side.
Jun Ye Lan immediately understood, a trace of heartache appearing in his eyes. He looked around the wooden hut; no one was there. He picked up the water bucket and went to fetch water, replenishing what had been used yesterday.
Then, he went to the woodpile. With a palm strike, the firewood flew up. With another sword strike, the wood was chopped into pieces and fell to the ground. He tidied them up and placed them in the corner.
Seeing that it was getting dark, he lit all the candlesticks inside the house. Lan Yan was afraid of the dark.
After finishing these tasks, he looked at the beds inside the house, clenched his fists, and walked towards the door. If he didn't leave soon, Lan Yan would be back. However, the white tiger bit his sleeve at the doorway. "Let go."
The white tiger shook its head, looking sad, and forcefully pulled Jun Ye Lan back into the house.
Jun Ye Lan heard footsteps outside the house and pulled hard. He looked at the tear in his sleeve, turned around, and jumped out from the back of the house, hiding in the woods.
Lan Yan, outside the wooden hut, entered the doorway and looked at the changes in the yard, wondering, "Did I chop firewood when I left today? Why is the water full?"
She walked into the room with confusion. She found that the candles were lit by the bed and on the table. This was definitely not her doing. She had gone to the market today wanting to buy some things, but she had encountered Alliance Leader Li and the others and returned late, so she hadn't bought anything.
At this moment, the white tiger walked over and handed her a piece of cloth hooked on its paw.
Lan Yan looked at the cloth, her pupils trembling slightly, and quickly searched around the house. But there was no one. She lowered her head and sat by the door, muttering, "City Lord, you came, but why didn't you see me?"
Disappointed, she walked to the bed and lay down to sleep. She would find out Jun Ye Lan's secret sooner or later and confront him directly. She didn't believe he still wouldn't see her!
Meanwhile, Jun Ye Lan stood on a tree not far from the wooden hut, watching the person inside. Even after the candlelight was extinguished, he did not leave, staying there the entire time.