Chapter 28: I Am Not Going Back; I Want to Stay by Your Side

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Upon hearing Chu Er’s words, Ji Ci’s eyes immediately brightened. She anxiously stomped her feet on the table. “I have grain seeds here—lots of them.”

Dongfang Jibai’s lips curved into a smile as he lifted Ji Ci into his arms and said to Chu Er, “Come here tomorrow to move the grain seeds and plant them first.”

Ji Ci nodded her little head eagerly, like a chick pecking at rice.

“Yes, yes, plant the grain seeds first.”

Suddenly, her small body froze — had she and the male lead really connected so deeply that he understood her with just a glance?

How was it that he seemed to grasp her meaning with a single look?

The male lead was simply too clever.

She stuck out her tiny tongue and licked Dongfang Jibai’s palm, “This is a reward for you.”

Dongfang Jibai gently ruffled her little head, a flicker of meaning flashing in his eyes — the reward he wanted was far more than that.

There were still three days until the full moon, and once a month was never enough.

Dongfang Jibai took Ji Ci to the vacant granary and set her down.

“Play here for a while. I’m going to the study.”

Ji Ci nodded and scampered off with her short legs toward the granary. With a flick of her paw, grain seeds poured out from her space, burying her small body.

She struggled and climbed out from underneath, spitting out a few wheat seeds.

“Next time, I’ll have to stay further away.”

She filled all ten granaries, enough to plant throughout Pingcheng County.

Looking at the grain in her space, Ji Ci furrowed her brows — she had only released less than half.

There were also rice seeds in her space, but this place wasn’t suitable for rice, so she planted only wheat seeds.

Some time ago, Bai Yi had sent corn seeds, and Ji Ci had genetically modified them over ten times, barely reaching the modern world’s standards.

Only smaller in size, but the grains were plump.

After finishing, Ji Ci trotted out with her tiny legs.

Dongfang Jibai watched her retreating figure and shook his head softly. “Little thing, as playful as ever.”

Ji Ci wandered through the streets.

In the distance, a donkey cart creaked loudly along the road, sounding as if it might fall apart any moment.

Ji Ci squatted atop a stone lion’s head, eyes fixed on the donkey cart.

The driver appeared to be a woman, but she was exceedingly unkempt.

“Where did these refugees come from? How did they get to Pingcheng County?” Ji Ci muttered.

Normally, no outsiders would come here since the economy was not prosperous and the transportation inconvenient.

On the donkey cart, Zhao Qiaofeng’s grip on the reins turned pale.

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Days of travel had left faint dark circles under her eyes, but her back remained straight as a rod.

Wang Feng leaned against the cart, the wound on his chest scabbed over, yet the long journey made his complexion sallow.

Ji Ci took a step and was about to leave, completely forgetting her current location.

“Ouch!”

Ji Ci tumbled down from the stone lion’s head, her red fur covered in dirt.

She landed right in front of Zhao Qiaofeng’s donkey cart.

Zhao Qiaofeng quickly stopped the cart, climbed down, and picked Ji Ci up.

She brushed the dirt from Ji Ci’s fur and carefully placed her back on the stone lion’s head. “Be more careful next time.”

Ji Ci shook off the dirt, looked at the donkey cart again and again, tilting her little head.

“This person looks so familiar, where have I seen her before?”

Sniffing with her little nose, Ji Ci’s expression darkened — she smelled the scent of Hua Kongque.

It seemed Hua Kongque was injured; the foul smell was mixed with blood.

Ji Ci leapt up and heavily stepped on Wang Feng’s stomach.

Wang Feng grimaced in pain, his brows knitting tightly as their eyes met — one big, one small.

“Hua Kongque!”

“Little fox?!”

Wang Feng excitedly sat up and grabbed Ji Ci by the scruff of her neck. “Tell me quickly, where is Jibai?”

Ji Ci flailed in the air, cursing in her mind.

“You big idiot, let me go! How can a fox talk like this!”

“Hua Kongque, I’m going to bite you to death!”

Zhao Qiaofeng saw the little fox struggling fiercely and hurriedly freed her from Wang Feng’s grasp.

“Doctor Wang, she is a fox.”

Ji Ci leaned against Zhao Qiaofeng’s chest and flipped Wang Feng the middle finger.

Dongfang Jibai, worried about the little fox, had just opened the mansion gate when he saw her being held in someone’s arms.

He hurried over in three strides and pulled the little fox out.

Dongfang Jibai’s face darkened. “Who are you?”

Hearing the voice, Zhao Qiaofeng stiffened.

She slowly turned around and saw a stranger’s face, but she would never mistake that voice — it was her longed-for cousin’s voice.

Tears spilled uncontrollably. “Cousin…”

Then she threw herself into Dongfang Jibai’s arms, crying even louder.

“Cousin… I traveled all the way from the capital…”

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Dongfang Jibai’s brows furrowed slightly as he gently separated Zhao Qiaofeng from himself, his voice tinged with hesitation. “Feng’er?”

“Mm, yes, it’s me! Cousin!” Zhao Qiaofeng lifted her dust-covered little face, her eyes shining brilliantly.

“Nonsense.” Dongfang Jibai’s expression turned stern. Grabbing her by the collar, he led her inside the mansion. “I’ll have Chu San send you back to the capital tomorrow.”

When Dongfang Jibai received news that Zhao Qiaofeng had secretly gone to the northern border, he had sent many people to meet her along the way.

They searched every route but found no trace of her, not knowing how she had hidden herself so well.

The donkey cart was driven into the mansion by servants, and Wang Feng was carried out.

Wang Feng had many things to say to Dongfang Jibai.

But seeing Dongfang Jibai’s state, it seemed the danger had passed, and he immediately resumed his carefree attitude.

“Prepare some food for me. I haven’t eaten or slept well on the road; it’s nearly killed me,” Wang Feng commanded as he sat in the grand chair, giving orders to the servants.

Dongfang Jibai nodded and instructed the servants to help Wang Feng wash up.

Zhao Qiaofeng stood before Dongfang Jibai, her head lowered, kicking the ground nervously, afraid to look up.

Ji Ci sat on the table, searching her memory for information about the woman.

“Zhao Qiaofeng! I remember now, she’s the male lead’s cousin. Poor girl. The story says she was exiled and forced into prostitution, dying on her first night from abuse.”

“Let me think… who went to the military camp on that first night?”

“The illegitimate son of the Minister of State, Xiao Yunjian. But the book says Xiao Yunjian loved Zhao Qiaofeng. How could he have abused her to death?”

Ji Ci’s little head couldn’t understand. The book described Xiao Yunjian as the princess’s favored companion but said he fell in love with Zhao Qiaofeng at first sight.

Hearing the little fox’s thoughts, Dongfang Jibai’s eyes darkened.

He understood that twisted love better than anyone — rather than let the beloved suffer humiliation, it was better to be the one to send her away.

That thought weighed heavily on his heart.

For a moment, he didn’t know whether to thank or hate Xiao Yunjian.

“Cousin…” Zhao Qiaofeng suddenly grabbed his sleeve, tears dropping relentlessly. “I won’t go back. I want to stay by your side.”

“How did you meet Wang Feng?” Dongfang Jibai disdainfully shrugged off her hand.

Zhao Qiaofeng immediately recounted how she had met Wang Feng, embellishing their difficult journey.

But aside from poor food and lack of sleep, their trip had been unexpectedly smooth!

They hadn’t encountered any danger at all!

“Go wash up. Look at you — do you still look like a noble lady? In this state, even your aunt wouldn’t recognize you,” Dongfang Jibai scolded, clearly displeased.

His little fox was much better — fragrant and soft.

Zhao Qiaofeng stood frozen in place, unwilling to leave.