Mo Sigui’s heart raced. “How old is your sister?”
It was improper to reveal a woman’s age, but Lou Xiaowu felt Mo Sigui was their great benefactor, so it wouldn’t hurt to tell him. “Eighteen.”
“If Ningyu were alive, she’d be about that age,” Mo Sigui said softly.
Lou Xiaowu grew curious. “Who’s Ningyu? Is she related to my second sister?”
Without a definite answer, Mo Sigui couldn’t be sure, but based on Lou Xiaowu’s account, there was a possibility that Lou Mingyue could indeed be Qiu Ningyu.
Mo Sigui’s desire to save her intensified. Once she woke up, he could get answers!
“Brother Mo seems to care a lot about Ningyu,” Lou Xiaowu concluded, then looked at him with a hint of resentment. “It’s understandable to offer my second sister in marriage to repay a life debt, but it pains me to think of her as someone else’s substitute.”
Lou Mingyue was so proud.
“What nonsense are you thinking!” Mo Sigui couldn’t help but tap her head lightly. He then brought his hands to his mouth, breathing on them hard through his face mask.
Lou Xiaowu couldn’t see his expression at that moment, but she could see the determination and focus in his eyes.
On the other side of the deep night.
Mei Jiu had fallen asleep, but An Jiu couldn’t find rest. She lay stiffly on the bed, gripping a dagger, as memories flashed through her mind like a kaleidoscope, making her dizzy.
As dawn approached, she closed her eyes to rest for a moment.
There was a slight movement in the corridor. An Jiu’s eyes snapped open, and she tightened her grip on the dagger.
A faint shadow flashed before her eyes. An Jiu suddenly rolled off the bed, swinging the dagger.
Chu Dingjiang blocked it barehanded. The dagger cut through his protective energy, leaving a shallow gash on his palm. He pulled a black cloth from his robes to wrap the wound. “Your reflexes are still good, though your strength has decreased since last time.”
His tone was noticeably pleased.
An Jiu couldn’t understand why he seemed happy in his current situation.
“Your inner strength is lacking, but this dagger can cut through energy barriers. If you use it skillfully, even a fifth-rank warrior might not survive an encounter with you,” Chu Dingjiang said, satisfied with An Jiu but not wanting her to take unnecessary risks. “The Mei clan’s Elder Zhi has been imprisoned, and the Mei clan leader isn’t decisive enough. If the Mei clan faces misfortune, the outcome might be similar to the Lou clan. You can choose to return to the Mei clan now, or join the Crane Control Army directly.”
As the highest-ranking officer of the Divine Martial Army, he had the authority to recruit talent at his discretion.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his posture ramrod straight, a full head and a half taller than An Jiu. She had to look up at him, which she found somewhat displeasing.
“I’ll return to the Mei estate,” An Jiu said.
She believed joining the Crane Control Army would be safer now, but after a brief discussion with Mei Jiu, she decided to follow her advice. After all, it was Mei Jiu who would walk this path in the future.
“Very well,” Chu Dingjiang said without further comment. “Come.”
A shadow guard entered and bowed in the outer room. “Commander.”
“Escort her back to the Mei clan,” Chu Dingjiang ordered.