Summer night, cool and refreshing.

  Yu'er was folding the clothes in her hand while paying attention to Hua Rou, but seeing that she had a worried look on her face and couldn't turn the page of the book for a long time, she finally couldn't help but walk up to her.

  "What's wrong with you today? You've clearly won and qualified, but why do you look unhappy and distracted?"

  Hua Rou closed the book and looked at Yu Er: "I don't know, I just feel a mess in my heart."

  "What's going on? Why is it chaotic?"

  Hua Ruo shook her head gently and thought to herself: I wonder how Mu Ge is doing? Hopefully he's just tired, please don't let him be sick...

  "By the way, this time's trial, can I team up with you?"

  "Form a team?"

  "Yes, all the trial-takers will be divided into six-person groups and enter the trial grounds from different locations. Everyone will work together to clear the levels and obtain tokens, which can then be exchanged for a chance to learn secret techniques in the Learning Gate."

  Hua Rou's eyes sparkled with curiosity: "What is the Trial Ground like? What are the levels of difficulty?"

  "I've never been in, I don't know." Yuer shook her head: "But I heard that the pass is very strict, and if you're unlucky, several people will die inside!"

  "What? Will someone die?"

  "Really? Every time there is. So I'd rather be on your team, can you take me with you?"

  "Of course! We were originally together anyway. When the time comes, we'll call up Mu Ge, Tang Liu'er and Tang Ji Shixiong to form a team with us!"

  Yu'er smiled and said: "Great! Let's go together!"

  Yu'er finished speaking and glanced at the closed book: "Alright, you'd better remember it carefully, or you won't be able to hand it in tomorrow!"

  She went back to the bed and continued to tidy up her clothes. Hua Rou took a deep breath, reopened the book, and carefully recorded.

  ……

  The next morning, just as the sky was getting light, there were already hawkers' cries under the tavern.

  I woke up, longing for you. The aftereffects of a hangover were just headaches and bitterness in my mouth. I pinched the center of my brows, sat up, and saw Peng Lan leaning against the bedboard, fast asleep.

  Admiring you, I blinked my eyes, took a look at my intact clothes, swept the surroundings again, and then got out of bed quietly.

  But the bed creaked with a "creak", startling Peng Lan awake.

  "Shiro! Are you awake?"

  I bowed my head and put on my shoes: "Sorry to disturb you."

  "Don't say such unpleasant things."

  Peng Lan said, quickly got up and poured a glass of water for Mu Junwu, and held the spittoon to wait in front.

  I didn't pretend, and let her serve me by rinsing my mouth, washing my face, and tidying up. This person was more or less refreshed, but the headache still remained.

  "Fourth brother, you've also seen Father's letter. What do you plan to do?" Peng Lan didn't use any honorifics, and her calm tone made it seem like they were extremely familiar with each other.

  I put down my handkerchief and adjusted my collar: "No plan."

  Peng Lan was taken aback and looked at Mu Junwu with some surprise: "None?"

  "No." Mu Junwu said as he turned around and walked out.

  "Halt!" Peng Lan's face was filled with anger as she blocked Mu Junwu's path: "You want to be an ordinary man, I won't stop you. But, Princess Zhao Yi is dead, your mother is dead! You're not going to do anything about it?"

  I bite my teeth and remain silent for you.

  "I know you don't care about the throne, but your indifference hasn't saved your mother from harm! You hide your identity and live in seclusion, while she suffers at the hands of others in the palace!"

  "Let go!" Mu Junwu frowned and shouted lightly, while Peng Lan exclaimed excitedly: "I won't! I won't let you escape again!"

  "Fourth Brother! Princess Zhao Yi died unjustly, don't you want to avenge her?"

  "She hopes I'm safe."

  "Peace? If we don't counterattack now, there's only one way out - death!" Peng Lan exclaimed.

  "You are the son of King Chu, and all the mountains and rivers of our vast territory were founded by our ancestors. Since the new king took power, the government has become increasingly corrupt, and the people are struggling to survive. As a minister, can you just stand by and watch the legacy of your ancestors be destroyed? You are the son of your father and mother, and you will never truly be able to remain uninvolved!"

  I shook off Peng Lan's hand with force at this moment and warned her: "Don't follow me again."

  You walked away with a gloomy and fierce look in your eyes, while Peng Lan stood inside the house with a disappointed and helpless expression.

  But after a few breaths, the disappointment and helplessness on her face disappeared. She walked to the window and looked at the familiar figure gradually moving away downstairs. Her lips, however, slowly curled up into a smile: "You will come back."

  ……

  Admiring you, I hasten my steps in the city, at this moment his eyes are terrifying, and the whole person is filled with gloom.

  Would he not care? Would he not hate?

  But he didn't forget what his mother said, she wanted them to be good to each other, to live in peace and safety, even though his mother is gone now, he doesn't dare go against her wishes.

  It's just that he has this insurmountable barrier in his heart, and even if he refuses with righteous indignation, it still weighs on him so heavily that every breath is a struggle.

  At this moment, at the entrance of the street where he was walking, two beggars were lazily squeezed together.

  A coin shot into the bowl in front of them, making a crisp sound. The two people were stunned for a moment and immediately started fighting over it.

  "Let go! That's mine!"

  "Is your name engraved on it? Return yours! This is mine!"

  "That doesn't have your name on it!"

  "But I saw it first!"

  "Get out! That's my bowl!"

  Tearing and quarreling, two beggars scrambled to block the road, attracting many people to stand by and watch the excitement.

  I was in a daze, but those two beggars were fighting too fiercely and accidentally knocked the copper coin to the ground. It rolled all the way to my feet, while the two beggars remained completely unaware, still wrestling with each other.

  I bent down to pick up the lost treasure, took a look at the two beggars who were still fighting, turned around and bought two steamed buns from a nearby vendor, then presented them in front of the two men who were still tussling.

  "One each, no need to fight."

  Two beggars saw the situation and stopped fighting, immediately stretching out their hands to grab the buns, only... they didn't think of one each, but instead both stretched out two hands, wanting to monopolize them.

  Then, in order to get two steamed buns, a new round of quarrel and fight began.

  "One person, one who will not go hungry, why must you fight?" Mu Junwu shouted in anger, he did not understand what the point of such monopoly was.

  "One more who can't eat his fill!"

  "It's a matter of life and death, how can we not fight!"

  Two beggars were shouting and continuing to fight, but Mu Junwu felt suffocated and his heart was about to become an abyss.

  "If you all want to live separately, why are you still together?"

  "It's cold while sleeping!"

  "Mind your own business!"

  The beggars answered readily, but the fight did not stop.

  I watched as the two of you fought over two steamed buns until your faces were covered in blood, then I tossed the buns to the ground and walked away with a bitter smile.

  "Can sleep together but cannot live together, hehe... hehe..."

  Bitterness filled his heart.

  He seemed to see his second brother, who was close to him, change from a silly smile to a bloodthirsty appearance in front of him.

  His footsteps became heavy, as if dragging a heavy iron lock, and five zhang away from him, Luo Cheng silently watched the desolate back of Mu Junwu, lightly sighing.