Chapter 14: Arrival at the East Market

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“What is it? Didn’t you say we should leave early?” Xiao Yi turned around and asked with a smile.

When Xiao Ru saw that the curve of Xiao Yi’s lips had not changed in the slightest, an inexplicable emptiness suddenly filled his heart, as though he were about to lose something.

“If you don’t want to go, Little Qiang and I can buy everything and bring it back for you.” Ever since Xiao Yi had returned, Xiao Ru had not seen her smile like this. Almost instinctively, he wanted to stop her from leaving.

“No need. I would like to go out for a walk as well. I cannot stay cooped up in the main residence forever, can I?” Xiao Yi declined gently.

Although she still wore a smile, unease stirred in her heart.

Could Xiao Ru have noticed something? That could not be.

Even so, she had best proceed with caution.

Xiao Yi had already finished speaking, yet Xiao Ru still did not release her. His hand remained clasped around her arm.

Xiao Qiang could bear it no longer. She pried Xiao Ru’s arm away and pleaded sweetly, “Brother, stop fussing over this. Let us leave early. I heard a new First-Rank Pavilion opened in the Eastern Market today. If we go any later, we shall miss it.”

Xiao Ru was always indulgent toward his younger sister. At her words, he released Xiao Yi and lightly flicked Xiao Qiang on the forehead. “You really are something. Whatever is entertaining, you insist on joining in.”

“Let us go. Everyone, keep your spirits up! Take care with everything the young lady purchases and carry it all back safely,” Xiao Ru instructed.

“Yes,” all the foxes answered in unison.

Everyone prepared to set off, but Xiao Yi alone remained where she was.

She had not forgotten the secret that the iron chain around her ankle had been removed. Barely suppressing the urge to transform back into her white-fox form, she lowered her head beneath the puzzled gazes of the foxes and said with downcast eyes, “You go on ahead. I will walk there myself.”

She had thought that by doing so, she could act alone, free from restraint.

Unexpectedly, the white fox Xiao Ru had transformed into turned around. After staring into her eyes for a long while, he lay down and bent his back. “Just climb on.”

Xiao Yi was still in shock when Xiao Qiang immediately objected. She squeezed past Xiao Ru, pressed her forehead against his chest, and said gloomily, “Brother, you have never carried me before. Couldn’t you just have one of your men carry her?”

Realizing that his actions were inappropriate, Xiao Ru thought for a moment before saying, “Little Nine, you carry Xiao Yi.”

The moment Xiao Ru finished speaking, an unfamiliar white fox came to Xiao Yi and lay down before her.

Xiao Yi climbed onto Little Nine’s back. Xiao Ru set off first, followed by the rest of the foxes as they all bounded away.

The Eastern Market lay some distance from the main residence. Along the way, Xiao Yi did not dare relax and silently committed the scenery by the roadside to memory.

But just as her attention wavered for the slightest moment, the white fox beneath her made a tremendous leap, nearly throwing her off.

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At first, Xiao Yi thought it had been an accident. Yet throughout the rest of the journey, the white fox called Little Nine kept making sudden turns and violent leaps.

She hurriedly wrapped her arms around Little Nine’s neck, only to hear him say in a low voice, “Miss Xiao Yi, you are holding too tightly. I cannot breathe.”

Holding too tightly? That could not be.

There was still enough space between Xiao Yi’s arms and his neck for three fingers to fit.

While Xiao Yi was puzzling over it, Little Nine suddenly made a sharp turn. Caught off guard, she was flung straight from his back.

Xiao Yi rolled across the ground. The skin on both her palms and the backs of her hands was scraped raw, with faint traces of blood beginning to show.

She pushed herself up and struggled to her feet, only to see the white fox called Little Nine standing where he was. He merely cast her a sidelong glance, then turned his head away and pretended not to have seen anything.

Xiao Yi understood at once.

He had done it deliberately.

What she could not understand was why this white fox harbored such intense hostility toward her.

She had been back with the family for several days now. Surely she had not offended him?

Xiao Yi slowly approached and examined Little Nine closely from head to tail for a moment. Looking directly into his eyes, she asked in confusion, “Have we met before?”

Little Nine snorted and turned his head away without a word.

That attitude made it clear: they had a grudge, and there was no hope of reconciliation.

Xiao Yi racked her brains, yet still could not recall when, where, or over what matter she had formed such an enmity with the white fox before her.

A human and a fox stood locked in a tense stalemate, neither moving for a long while.

Then, all at once, inspiration struck Xiao Yi, and the name Little Seven surfaced in her mind.

Since he was one of Xiao Ru’s subordinates, he was probably acquainted with the others. Testing the waters, she asked, “Do you know Little Seven—”

Before she could finish, the white fox who had turned his back on her and refused to speak abruptly spun around. Narrowing his eyes, he said coldly, “Miss Xiao Yi still remembers Little Seven? I thought that someone as important as you had forgotten all about him!”

“Of course I remember him…”

Before Xiao Yi could finish, large tears suddenly spilled from the white fox’s eyes.

Was he… crying?

Xiao Yi had never seen a white fox cry in front of her before and was instantly at a loss. “Is Little Seven all right? Please stop crying first, will you?”

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“It is all because of you! Brother Little Seven was still injured when he was sent to the water prison as punishment!” Little Nine gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot as tears streamed down his face.

The water prison?

Xiao Yi had never heard of such a place. Suppressing the urge to ask what it was, she said gently, “I did not know Little Seven had been locked in the water prison. If you trust me, once we return from the Eastern Market, I will find a way to save him. I will do everything I can to get him out.”

“Really?” At her words, Little Nine stopped crying and blinked at her.

“I keep my promises.”

Xiao Yi had assumed Xiao Ru would not do anything too severe to Little Seven. After all, her elder brother had always valued old ties and would never punish someone too harshly. It seemed she still did not understand Xiao Ru well enough.

She reached out and stroked Little Nine’s fluffy head. “We have already fallen far behind the others. Saving Little Seven will require careful planning. Shall we wait until we return to the main residence to discuss it?”

The guilt in Xiao Yi’s eyes was genuine, and her face was full of sincerity. Little Nine felt somewhat reassured and nodded before obediently lying down.

Once Xiao Yi had settled herself, he sped off like the wind.

After learning of Little Seven’s circumstances, Xiao Yi no longer had the heart to study the route around them. She wanted to escape as quickly as possible, but she could not bring herself to disregard another person’s safety.

Thus, one human and one fox continued on in silence, hurrying toward their destination with a shared purpose.

However, there had simply been too many mishaps along the way. By the time they reached the Eastern Market, they were already late.

The Eastern Market was bustling, with crowds surging everywhere. There was no sign of Xiao Ru or the others.

“I am sorry. I should not have…” Little Nine mumbled guiltily.

He knew that the money was held by the young master. Losing track of him meant that Xiao Yi could only look at things without being able to buy them.

“It is all right. We can look around on our own,” Xiao Yi replied in a surprisingly good mood.

The crowds of the Eastern Market flowed like water. Along the streets, the calls of merchants mingled with the cries of vendors. Xiao Yi walked among the people, glancing in every direction at the unfamiliar wares around her. After two years as a slave, only now did she finally begin to feel the breath of freedom.

Just then, Xiao Yi caught sight of a hairpin displayed at one of the stalls.

It was bright and charming at first glance. Without thinking, she reached out, intending to pick it up and examine it more closely—

when another hand suddenly shot out from beside her and snatched it away.

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