2648: A Secret Deception

A Secret Deception

When the beautiful woman heard this, she started crying again. "Little Shi is in danger and it is unknown if she is alive or dead. Yu Tang and Little Jiu are missing as well. It's all my fault. It's all my fault. Had I known this would happen, I would not have brought them to the Ruan family."1

 "Don't blame yourself. Perhaps the Heavens will intervene and they will return safely in a few days." Now that things had gotten to this point, he could only comfort her in this way.

Meanwhile, the sky in the forest got darker and darker. The Guo family's team stopped as the sky darkened. 

"Let's have a rest here tonight! Xinning, arrange for the others to take turns keeping watch. Xin Jie, bring some people to pick up some branches nearby." The middle-aged man stated, handing over the matter to them. Then he sat cross-legged to cultivate under the tree with the elderly man.

Guo Xinning arranged the people who were on night watch, and another young man led a group of disciples to pick up branches. When he passed Xie Yutang and others, he stopped and told Feng Jiu, "Kid, follow us as well."

"Alright." Feng Jiu stood up and told the siblings, "Get some rest. I'll go get some branches." She then followed after them.

"Pick some branches around here! Don't go too far." Guo Xinjie stated, even though he was resting under the tree with his arms folded across his chest.

Feng Jiu collected a handful of branches and was ready to go back. When she was about to leave, Guo Xinjie, who was resting under the tree, came to her.

"Kid, that's not enough. Go and pick some more. I'll take these back first." He reached out to take the branches Feng Jiu had picked up and glared provocatively at her. "What are you looking at? Go ahead!"

Feng Jiu looked at the branches he took away but she kept silent and turned around to gather more branches. When the man saw this, he laughed and winked at the others, and several of them went back.

Since the nearby branches have already been taken, you must go a bit further to get enough branches for tonight. Hence, after looking back, she moved further away.

At the rest stop, Xie Yutang was worried when he noticed that other people had returned but Feng Jiu had not. He looked back and wanted to look for him, but he felt uncomfortable leaving his sister here by herself.

"Where did Feng Jiu run to? Why has he still not returned?" He whispered and started to pace about uneasily.

"Big Brother, why don't you go have a look? It is dangerous for him to go too far alone." Xie Shisi voiced her apprehension.

"But, you…" His sister's foot had not healed. How could he feel at ease leaving her here alone?

"Yutang, what's wrong?" Guo Xinning came over after putting things in order. When he saw that the Xie siblings were worried, he swept his gaze around and saw that the young man in azure was nowhere to be found. "Where is Feng Jiu?" he asked.

"Big Brother Guo." The two greeted him.

Xie Yutang said, "He went with them to get some branches just now. The others have already come back but Feng Jiu hasn't. I'm worried."

"I'll ask," Guo Xinning said after hearing his explanation. He approached the young man sitting under the tree, laughing and talking with several men, and asked, "Xin Jie, what about Feng Jiu? Didn't he accompany you when you went to pick up branches? Why hasn't he returned yet?"

The man gave a shrug. "I have no idea. I cautioned them not to go too far when gathering the branches. Who would have thought that we have already returned but he has not? I guess he hasn't gathered enough branches yet!"

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