The second day after the matchmaker came to propose, before dawn, Green Chrysanthemum was woken up by some noise. Turning over in bed, she saw a slender figure through her sleepy eyes. Although the man's long green shirt covered his slender waist like a willow branch, and his gray scarf tied up his beautiful black hair like silk satin, and his pale complexion covered his smooth skin, for some reason, he looked very comfortable to watch. Just like those young ladies, once you see him, it's hard to ignore him. However, the aura on her body was completely different from that of the young ladies.

  "It's not even light yet, and you're leaving already?" Green Chrysanthemum rubbed her eyes, seeing a bit more clearly.

  "It's better to leave early, or we might be seen when the sky brightens up." Mozi put on a pair of black boots with white soles, tightened the straps of his bulging backpack and hung it over his shoulders. He tapped his feet and squatted several times to make sure everything was in order. "Luju, I'm leaving."

  "Hmm." Lü Jù suddenly sat up with a start, "Mò Zǐ!"

  "Ah?" Mozi lifted one hand to hold back the curtain and turned her head around.

  "Nande's coral hairpin is said to be very beautiful." Lüjù has always wanted one.

  "I'll bring it back for you. Is there anything else?" Mei Zi's eyes sparkled in the dim light, "I've thought about it, from now on we won't be doing this business anymore."

  "It's gone." Green Chrysanthemum felt cool and rubbed her arm, then crawled back into the quilt, muttering, "No silver either."

  Mozi thought to herself, if she didn't have any silver, who else would? Normally, it was Lu Jing who was the most frugal and saved the most silver. Xiao Yi's monthly allowance was all spent on weapons. Bai He loved buying various spices, seeds, kitchen knives, pots and other such things, the rarer they were, the less hesitant she was. If Lu Jing wanted to buy something, she would have to think it over repeatedly, being cautious and prudent, only making up her mind when she really couldn't resist.

  So Mozi didn't say anything else and went out to close the curtain, walking into the courtyard.

  Xiao Yi jumped down quietly from the rooftop, as if she had just woken up from a nap on the tiles. Her eyes, like fine grass, were half-closed, but her mouth was sucking on the sweet stamen of a string of red flowers.

  "Did you sleep on the roof last night?" Mozi thought that people with high martial arts skills all had some unusual habits, although he didn't know if Xiaoyi's skills were considered top-notch, as there was no basis for comparison.

  Xiao Yi shook her head and spat out two words, "On the tree."

  Want to ask Xiaoyi if she slept comfortably, but think this is nonsense, so just get to the point and hurry up. Mozi prepares to go to the back of the house.

  "Plum purple." Bai He rushed out of the small kitchen, calling out in a low but urgent voice.

  Mei Zi stopped in her tracks, watching Bai He walk closer, and lowered her voice, "You're not guarding the night in the young lady's room, what are you doing going to the kitchen?" One by one, do they all want to see her off?

  "It's just the right time, Miss is sleeping soundly, don't worry." Bai He took out the package in her hand and handed it to Mozi, "Miss made a hasty decision, I didn't have time to do anything else, so I baked ten pieces of pastry for you to take on the road as dry rations."

  The purple hand was warm and toasty, obviously just out of the pot. If others said pancakes, they would be dry and hard to eat, like jerky. But when Bai He said pancakes, she meant her own creation, a delicious food with layers of dough that was both filling and tasty. However, making this dish was very labor-intensive, requiring two or three hours to make ten pancakes.

  "Don't tell me you didn't sleep all night just to prepare for this." If Qiu San Niang was often quietly testing her, making her occasionally think of running away as a servant girl, then Bai He and others would always use their warm and kind hearts to tie her up with one chain after another whenever she thought of escaping, leading to repeated hesitation and reluctance.

  "Didn't sleep last night, can't sleep tonight?" Bai He didn't think much of it. "This time I made less, just prepared for you alone, don't share with those rough ship hands. Don't they all have wives at home? Which one doesn't bring dry rations, and they're just greedy to snatch from you."

  "I have a wife, but not such good craftsmanship." Mozi blinked and smiled mischievously. After changing into men's clothes, he looked even more like his former military self, almost shedding the restraint of wearing Hanfu attire.

  "What's it to you!" Bai He pouted, "Whether it tastes good or not is their wife's intention, just take care of your own share. When you're out, who knows what might happen? If you finish the dry rations in the first few days and let them cheat you out of them, when something happens, won't they only care about their own lives and who will be willing to share with you?"

  "Don't think so poorly of them. Although these boatmen are known to joke around and appear careless, they actually have a strong sense of justice." Mozi spoke up for the rough but kind-hearted men who had shared hardships together.

  "The girl has been taught well, men can't be trusted. Besides, haven't we seen enough with our own eyes? Scholars or merchants, sailors or whatever, men are all the same. Even if they can talk about loyalty to other men, can they really be loyal to women?" White Lotus was skeptical, "Besides, you've only gone out with them a few times, what do you know about loyalty? In short, always keep your wits about you."

  "…let those who are heartless speak more, and let the ink be purple and dumb."

  "He's gone." Fortunately, Xiao Yi was impatient.

  "Bai He, don't worry. I've walked this road for the first time and it's already etched in my memory. Once you're familiar with it, twice is a breeze, and this is my third time - I can get there safely even with my eyes closed." There was no time to argue, so she could only go along with it. The better someone's temper, the harder it is to predict when they'll lose it. "You should hurry back to the young lady's room, in case she wakes up and there's no one there. By the way, do you want me to bring anything?"

  "No, just come back safely and that's all. When the time comes, we sisters will follow you to the capital to gain experience." After saying this, Bai He turned around and walked into Qiang San Niang's house.

  "Bai He will definitely be a nagging mother in the future." Mo Zi turned around and said to Xiao Yi as they walked together.

  "Now she's a very nagging big sister." Xiao Yi said with a giggle.

  Standing at the foot of the rear wall, a small figure flashed by, wearing purple clothes and jumping up with the help of hands grasping the top of the wall. With two successive movements, he easily sent the person out of the mansion.

  Deep purple.

  Today everyone has to call out her name before they can rest assured. Mozi raised her head, smiling as she looked at Xiao Yi crouched on the wall, "Do you have anything to bring?"

  "......" Xiaoyi reacted slowly, "If you say there is, then there is. Anyway, if you see a very useful dagger, just bring one for me."

  "Hmm." Now she can leave.

  "Wait, that's not it. What I wanted to say is... When you come back, don't rush back, okay?"

  "I... don't know"

  However, there is no one on the wall.

  What does it mean by "don't rush back when coming back"? If everyone has already come back, what's the hurry? Mozi kept turning this sentence over in her mind.

  "It's early in the morning, let me guess the riddle." Headache, "Xiao Yi, you come and go like the wind, it's quite elegant, but can't you just say what you mean?! Are you coming back or not?"

  Deep purple gazed up at the small grass on the wall, sighed, shrugged off the burden on his shoulders, and turned around.

  The sky turned a faint greyish-purple hue, enveloping that solitary figure in its folds.

  White walls and dark tiles, like ink and smoke, drifting away.