26: With adults around, I feel at ease (seeking monthly tickets to read)

Hua Jie's original name was Cai Hua.

Seeing her own little rascal eating the pastries and still wanting more, she couldn't maintain her composure and said irritably, "Eat, all you know is eat! One pastry costs ten coins! You're not allowed to ask others for food. What did your teacher teach you? A gentleman does not..."

Tiger Cub saw his mother bringing up the teacher again and questioning him, his small face fell, and he covered his ears, "Mom, not again! You're full of talk about the teacher, why don't you go take the imperial examination yourself?"

These words immediately ignited his mother's fiery temper.

"You little rascal, say that again."

As she spoke, she was about to pull his ear.

Tiger Cub quickly drew his neck back.

At this moment, Ping Jie, who was beside her, held Cai Hua back, a gentle smile on her face,

"Sister, why argue with a child? Besides, if it weren't for your kindness, willing to let us stay for a night, my daughter and I would probably have to sleep on the streets."

As she spoke, she took out another piece of emerald-green mung bean cake from the cloth-covered basket, bent down, and handed it to Tiger Cub.

"Here, Tiger Cub, eat it!"

Tiger Cub's eyes lit up, but he didn't reach out, instead carefully looking at his mother.

Cai Hua saw him like this, turned her body away, and snorted coldly,

"Go on, eat."

Tiger Cub listened, then took the mung bean cake and politely said thank you.

Then he happily started eating.

The woman stroked Tiger Cub's head, said he was a good boy, and then saw the little girl next to her looking on eagerly.

The little girl was very thin and weak; she was her daughter, Chong Chong.

The woman took out another pastry and lovingly handed it to her daughter.

"Chong Chong, come."

But despite the little girl's eyes being full of longing, she still shook her head.

She pushed her hand away,

"Mom, this is for our benefactor uncle and Little Squirrel. Chong Chong is full with one piece, I'm not hungry."

When she said this, her eyes were very bright.

The woman's eyes flashed with a hint of heartache upon hearing this, but she still gently gave the pastry to her sensible daughter.

"Eat, Mom still has more!"

After speaking, the woman stood up and said to Cai Hua, who was next to her,

"Sister, you two go inside first. My daughter and I are going to visit our benefactor."

"Ping Jie, is the benefactor you're talking about the one who saved you from the monsters?"

Hua Jie couldn't help but ask.

Yesterday evening, when she was returning home from her stall, she met Ping Jie and her daughter in the alley, who had fled to Qingshan County.

The mother and daughter were asking people nearby if they could stay for a night.

No one paid them any mind.

She was soft-hearted and, seeing this orphaned mother and daughter in the same plight as herself, felt pity and took them in.

During that time, the mother and daughter recounted their experiences.

It made one's heart pound with fear.

Now that they were talking about it, the benefactor who could pull them out of the mouths of demons made people curious.

Ping Jie nodded, then felt some lingering fear and emotion.

"Fortunately, the benefactor rescued us then, otherwise..." As she spoke, she looked towards a small door diagonally to the side,

"If I'm not mistaken, the benefactor should be living in this house."

She had heard Chen Yuan's entrustment at the time to send the Fox Immortal and Little Squirrel into Qingshan County, and the Fox Immortal pointed the way, leading them here.

Then, the two immortal demons jumped into this courtyard.

She was staying nearby to personally thank her lifesaver.

And Hua Jie, hearing what this sister meant, couldn't help but look at Chen Yuan's courtyard.

Her eyes couldn't help but show surprise!

"Are you saying Yuan... Brother?"

The woman shook her head, "I don't know the benefactor's name either."

Just as she was speaking, a burst of hearty laughter came from the courtyard.

The woman heard the sound, seemed to recognize it, her face became somewhat excited, and she waved to her daughter.

"Chong'er, come!"

As she spoke, she led Chong Chong and quickly walked forward, knocking on the courtyard door.

"Thump thump thump"

As the knocking sound rang out, the laughter inside the courtyard stopped.

A moment later,

A voice came,

"Come in!"

The woman suddenly became nervous at this point, but still took her daughter and pushed open the door.

Then, she saw Chen Yuan in the front courtyard, smiling!

And the white fox lying next to him, as well as the Little Squirrel on his shoulder.

The woman didn't dare to look directly, lowering her head, she led her daughter to Chen Yuan.

She directly put down the basket on her arm, then lifted the cloth, taking out two small plates from it.

Inside were several pieces of pastry.

"These are pastries offered by this humble woman to the two little immortals, please, little immortals, taste them!"

Then, she brought her daughter Chong Chong, knelt before Chen Yuan, and kowtowed solemnly.

"This humble woman, Liu Ping, with her daughter Chong Chong, bows in gratitude for your life-saving grace, my Lord!"

"We have nothing to repay you with, we only ask to be able to recite prayers and blessings for you in the future!"

Chen Yuan did not stop them.

He just raised an eyebrow, a little surprised,

"You call me 'my Lord'? How do you know my identity?"

He remembered not mentioning his identity to this mother and daughter.

The woman, Liu Ping, looked up, her eyes full of reverence,

"Today, the entire Qingshan County is talking about your esteemed name, my Lord."

"The deeds of my Lord rescuing the people of Yunlu County from the mouths of demons are being spread by word of mouth, and this humble woman has heard them. Even if I were dull, I would know your identity."

"My Lord, let this humble woman kowtow to you once more, wishing you peace and safety!"

As she spoke, she kowtowed heavily again.

Chen Yuan felt a little emotional; everyone he knew told him to take care of himself.

He didn't know what to say.

He raised a hand, helped the mother and daughter up, and said,

"The demonic calamity in Yunlu County has now been quelled. You two, mother and daughter, can return to your hometown!"

Unexpectedly,

The woman, Liu Ping, shook her head.

"This humble woman does not plan to return to Yunlu County. I plan to find work here in Qingshan County, whether it's mending clothes for others or doing odd jobs, I will stay here."

"Oh, why?"

The woman bowed, her face darkening, "In this world, people like this humble woman live in constant fear, never knowing what tomorrow holds."

As she spoke, hope appeared on her face, and she murmured softly, "But having met you, my Lord, and knowing you are in Qingshan County, this humble woman feels at peace."

After speaking, the woman, knowing her place, bowed again,

"This humble woman takes her leave!"

As she spoke, she picked up the basket and left with her daughter, Chong Chong.

And after the mother and daughter left, Little Squirrel immediately jumped down from Chen Yuan's shoulder and onto the edge of the plate.

Its obsidian-like eyes were full of joy, it hopped around, then hugged the mung bean cake on the plate and started eating with grunts.

The white fox, however, was completely different, its eyes watching Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan smiled,

"These are offerings from the people you saved, you don't need to ask me, eat!"

The white fox then moved closer and ate elegantly.

And just at this moment,

Little Squirrel's ears twitched. As it gnawed on the mung bean cake it was holding, it suddenly looked up and saw a boy on the nearby courtyard wall.

The boy's throat was bobbing, drooling with desire.

Little Squirrel took a bite.

Its cheeks puffed out, and a piece of mung bean cake shot towards the child.

The next second,

"Bang"

"Ouch"

Two cries sounded simultaneously.

"You little rascal..."

Chen Yuan heard the commotion and couldn't help but smile.

His neighbor, the widow, was eavesdropping on him!

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