Li Yuer’s final trace of tenderness was reserved for her beloved.
When she turned back, frost had already settled in her eyes, her voice cold and sharp:
“Let’s go.”
Though her expression clearly betrayed immense sorrow, she did not utter a single word about it.
She only did this to protect the gentleman’s mood.
She felt a bit indignant inside but dared not say anything.
“Yes, Miss.”
At the gate of the courtyard, Zhao Pingzhi had already stopped the carriage, and beside him, Zhou Liang stood by the horses.
Li Yuer walked out silently.
After much hesitation, Zhao Pingzhi still didn’t ask anything.
He helped Li Yuer onto the carriage, quickly retracted the footboard hidden beneath it, then jumped onto the carriage and raised the riding crop.
Just as the whip was about to fall and the command “Gya!” was about to be shouted—
Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed from inside the courtyard.
“What’s this? Not even a greeting before leaving? Going without so much as a word?”
At the sound of this voice, Li Yuer, who had been sitting inside the carriage with a gloomy expression, suddenly stirred like still water ruffling.
She hurriedly parted the carriage curtain and looked toward the courtyard.
There stood a man in white, calmly smiling at the carriage.
“Sir!!”
Xiao Jing’er called out joyfully at once, but Li Yuer’s attention was drawn to the pack behind Xu Ping’an.
“Sir? What brings you here?”
Li Yuer quickly opened the carriage curtain, ignoring the lack of a footboard, and leapt down.
Xu Ping’an smiled gently.
“Come to think of it, I forgot to tell you something. My parents’ and a respected elder’s graves are out of town. Last year, due to sudden events, I couldn’t visit to pay respects. Now that it’s April and spring is suitable, I intend to go for the tomb-sweeping. Miss Yuer, is there still space in your carriage? Might I hitch a ride part of the way?”
Seeing the smile on Xu Ping’an’s face, the surprise on Li Yuer’s gradually softened into a smile.
“Sir’s wish is my command. I dare not refuse.”
“Enough, enough. It’s not about daring or not. Just say whether you can take me or not. If not, I’ll just walk all the way with Mumu.”
Mumu was only seven or eight months old now, not fit for a long journey.
This trip couldn’t include it, so it had to be left with someone familiar until their return.
“Of course, you’re welcome!”
Seeing Li Yuer’s fierce gaze, as if about to devour someone, Xu Ping’an suddenly felt a tremor in his heart.
Should he really travel alone?
Traveling with Li Yuer felt like walking into a den of thieves.
But it was too late to back out now.
“Don’t rush. First… we need to take Mumu out. We’ll head to Erdaotou Village and leave Mumu there.”
“That’s natural. But sir, if you leave, what about the medicinal herbs in the courtyard…”
“I have my ways.”
With Xu Ping’an’s sudden interjection, their plan to leave early that morning was changed.
First, Xu Ping’an took the carriage to Erdaotou Village and left Mumu at Old Zhang’s place, handing over five taels and one silver ingot.
Then he returned to the Small Courtyard.
By then, Zhou Liang was busy, sweat streaming down his forehead.
“Just put everything back where it was. Move that water jar inside the house. Open an outlet near the fish pond and release the fish—won’t be back anytime soon.”
Xiao Jing’er issued instructions while Li Yuer sat by the Stone Table, sipping tea.
Zhou Liang was busy moving jars and digging the outlet, working tirelessly.
Just as the fish pond was about to be broken open, Xu Ping’an, having just dismounted the carriage, was shocked.
“What are you doing? Stop! Stop digging!”
Hearing this, Zhou Liang immediately stopped, relieved, while Xiao Jing’er looked at Xu Ping’an in confusion.
“But sir, we won’t be back soon this trip. If we don’t release the fish, they’ll starve here.”
“Enough, enough. Stop all this fuss. I have a plan. We don’t need to prepare so many things.”
Seeing this, Li Yuer naturally instructed Zhou Liang to halt.
Then Xu Ping’an turned and went into the Eastern Wing Room.
After a while, he came out empty-handed and placed a stone in the center of the courtyard.
“All set. Let’s go.”
He brushed the dust from his hands, feeling the surrounding spiritual energy shift, nodding with satisfaction.
Li Yuer took out a handkerchief, pulled Xu Ping’an’s hand over, and gently wiped off the dust.
“Sir, what are you doing? You shouldn’t be doing such rough work. Let Zhou Liang handle it. Why do you have to get your hands dirty?”
Xu Ping’an’s body was already used to Li Yuer’s gestures and didn’t resist, willingly extending his hand.
“This is nothing. No need to make a fuss about it.”
Li Yuer’s eyes sparkled, shooting him a playful glare before handing the dirty handkerchief to Xiao Jing’er.
“Sir always neglects the small details. But since we’re about to depart, the outside world isn’t as easy as home. You do need to care about Yuer.”
Xu Ping’an couldn’t help but lightly flick her delicate nose.
“What’s this? Embarrassed that I’m making a scene?”
This move was a bit too intimate and casual!
He thought the moment would become awkward, but Li Yuer’s face blossomed like a peach flower, cheeks flushed, stamping her golden slippers under her skirt and pouting in a coquettish tone:
“Sir~”
That single “Sir” was enough to send shivers down Xu Ping’an’s spine, as if cat’s claws had pricked his heart.
It made him feel both numb and tingling at once.
Yet he couldn’t help but smirk.
“All right, all right, let’s go. If we don’t leave soon, it’ll be well past midday.”
They had gone to Erdaotou Village early that morning.
Returning, it was already around nine in the morning.
If they waited much longer, it would be noon.
Though it was April, the midday sun was already scorching.
After tidying up, Xu Ping’an glanced back at the Small Courtyard and lightly stepped on the threshold.
Suddenly, mist arose around the entire fenced courtyard out of thin air, quickly enveloping it completely.
Under the incredulous gazes of Li Yuer and the others, the Small Courtyard gradually vanished into the thick fog.
When the mist dispersed, there was no courtyard in sight—only an empty patch of ground.
“Let’s go.”
Xu Ping’an looked back once more at their home.
Though invisible to others, as the controller of the Array Formation, he saw everything clearly.
At this moment, time within the entire Small Courtyard had come to a halt.
A butterfly fluttered gracefully, then froze midair, its wings no longer beating yet strangely not falling, as if suspended by an invisible force.
The fish swimming in the pond suddenly paused like a frozen picture, even the ripples on the water’s surface ceased spreading outward.
Time in the fenced Small Courtyard had, in this instant, stopped completely.
The scene was as if a master artist had painted a perfect still life.