Qin Jiao had visited twice as a child when Qin Na married into the Lin Family Shop. Her memory was good, so she still remembered the way.

Besides, there were only a few families in the village, all living close to each other, and most importantly, they were all related.

It was late, probably around nine o’clock at night. Most of the villagers were already inside, so no one noticed the two strangers on the village path.

However, as they rounded a corner, a small, tan dog suddenly jumped out from the side, giving Shen Yi a fright.

Qin Jiao was startled too, but seeing Young Master Shen’s panicked expression, she was no longer afraid.

She whispered, "Shen Yi, what if you don’t rest well tonight and it affects your College Entrance Exam tomorrow?"

"Then I probably just won’t be able to get first in the entire grade."

"...First in the entire grade has always been my spot, okay!"

"What if we don’t make it back in time for the exam?"

"Hm, it’s fine. I’ll just go back and run that clothing factory."

Looking at Shen Yi, who seemed so nonchalant in the night breeze, Qin Jiao felt a wave of complicated emotions. He was clearly the Shen Yi from her past life, and yet, he seemed completely different.

Qin Jiao said nothing and continued to hurry on. Shen Yi pursed his lips, also remaining silent, and quickly followed.

The two finally arrived at a house with blue-tiled roofs. It was quite grand, one of a kind in the village. Chickens and ducks chirped from the yard, and an old sow grunted in a nearby pen.

It was clear that Lin Xiaohua’s family was doing well. For someone who would later become a human trafficker, even if she hadn’t yet started trafficking women and children with her accomplices, she had clearly already begun her dirty dealings. That was how she had the money to build such a spacious house, her yard lacking for nothing with its chickens, ducks, and pigs.

This kind of villain would surely meet a bad end, but Qin Jiao remembered that this woman wouldn’t be caught and sentenced to twenty years until five years after Xiao Shi was abducted.

’In this life, if I can confirm she’s already started her evil deeds, I’ll send her to prison early. Let her harm fewer women and children.’

Qin Jiao also remembered that Lin Xiaohua’s husband was not to be trifled with—he was a butcher. She whispered to Shen Yi, "If we confirm Xiao Shi is here, turn around and leave immediately. Take the motorcycle to the neighboring Three Families Village and find my parents. At this hour, the police might still be with them. Tell them to come with you."

Shen Yi’s brow furrowed at once. "Qin Jiao, in your eyes, am I really that kind of person—a coward who fears death? You want me to abandon you and Xiao Shi and run away by myself? I can’t do that. And another thing, I’m not as pathetic as you think."

As he spoke, he reached out discontentedly and patted Qin Jiao’s head. Suddenly getting a "head pat" from her mortal enemy of a past life, Qin Jiao froze for a moment. Then she saw the dissatisfaction in Shen Yi’s eyes.

She fell silent.

’It wasn’t that I was worried about dealing with Lin Xiaohua and her husband. Couldn’t I just take the opportunity to slip into my space? Then Shen Yi could go for help, and once the danger passed, I could find a chance to bring Xiao Shi out.’

Xiao Shi never questioned how she could conjure vegetables or plump fish out of thin air. The little girl just assumed her big sister really had a treasure chest that could produce anything she wanted.

But Shen Yi was different.

If she really let Shen Yi find out about the space’s existence, Qin Jiao wouldn’t know how to explain it. If the Shen Yi before her wasn’t the Shen Yi from her past life, it might have been fine.

But he just had to be.

Qin Jiao held deep resentment for the Shen Yi of her past life. Their history was a mix of love, hate, and everything in between, and the end result was that she just wanted to stay far away from him.

Under these circumstances, just pretending that nothing was wrong and acting like his classmate and neighbor until the College Entrance Exam was over was already difficult enough.

’There was no way I can let him find out about my secret space!’