Chapter 38: Chapter 38: If Your Dad and I Both Fell into the Water, Who Would You Save?

This was the first time Yu An had heard this name. Her first thought was of Han Li.

’Isn’t that Han Li’s Beast Father?’

’But why would the City Lord of Han Ling City be looking for Zhu Qingqing? Do they know each other?’

Yu An thought that was unlikely. She instinctively glanced back at Zhu Qingqing and saw her wiping dust off the cart with a rag. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Noticing Yu An’s gaze, Zhu Qingqing gave her a shy smile.

Bai Rong scratched his head. "Sister An’an, Uncle Ma and I couldn’t hear what they said clearly. Zhu Qingqing didn’t mention the City Lord of Han Ling City at all just now. I’m just worried she’s approaching you on purpose."

"My Female Mother told me that your food is one of a kind on the continent—they don’t even have it in the Imperial City. I’m afraid the City Lord is after you."

Yu An considered this. ’The City Lord of Han Ling City is Han Li’s Beast Father. I’ll ask Han Li about it later.’

"I’ll keep that in mind. By the way, Rongrong, your Female Mother seems to know a lot about the Imperial City. Is she from there too?"

"I think so," Bai Rong said, uncertain. "My Female Mother has never talked about her past. Even my Beast Father doesn’t know."

Yu An had only asked casually. After saying goodbye to them, she walked over to her food cart.

"Qingqing, you don’t have to work today. You can go home and rest... Oh, right."

She took out the bathroom scale she had placed in the cart earlier. "Step on and weigh yourself."

Zhu Qingqing nodded nervously, stepped on gingerly, and shut her eyes, not daring to look at the number on the display.

Of course, she couldn’t read it anyway.

Yu An took a closer look, her face lighting up with joy. "It really was because of that worm! You’ve lost twenty pounds in one night!"

It was shocking, but it also made sense. According to Zhu Qingqing, she had only been eating two or three wild fruits a day. Her weight was just empty bloat.

Zhu Qingqing thought she had misheard. After confirming multiple times that Yu An hadn’t misread the number, she finally believed that she hadn’t gained more weight. In fact, she had lost it!

"But... but I don’t feel any different..."

"You won’t see a change in such a short time, especially since it’s only twenty pounds. Give it some time, and you’ll be completely transformed!"

Zhu Qingqing nodded emphatically. "Thank you, Boss Yu."

"By the way," she said, struggling to contain her elation, "there’s something I’m not sure if I should tell you. Actually, yesterday..."

She explained the part she had left out before, and why she hadn’t exposed Han Fengyun in front of everyone.

She didn’t have any other motive; she was just afraid that the kind old man would face retaliation from Kong Qingqing and her group.

Yu An had thought she would have to probe indirectly, but she didn’t expect Zhu Qingqing to bring it up herself.

"So, you’re saying he was the one who suggested you come work for me?"

Zhu Qingqing nodded. "I meant to tell you yesterday, but I forgot about it because of that worm."

She felt there was no need to hide it. It wasn’t like the old man was a bad person.

Yu An thought for a moment before telling her Han Fengyun’s identity. Zhu Qingqing was stunned at first, then had the same reaction as Bai Rong.

She might look dazed, but she wasn’t stupid. After mulling over what Han Fengyun had said to her, she quickly sensed that something wasn’t right.

Everything he said, between the lines, was to egg her on to get close to Yu An.

She asked nervously, "Boss Yu, is he a bad person then? I... Should I not have come to you yesterday?"

"It’s fine," Yu An reassured her. "I don’t know what he’s planning for now, but it doesn’t matter. Even if he has bad intentions, we just need to be more vigilant."

「Han Ling City, City Lord Mansion.」

A subordinate reported, "City Lord, Lan Yin hasn’t made a move yet, but Zhu Qingqing has managed to get close to Princess Yu An."

"But she seems foolish and hasn’t consumed the Puppet Grass. She hasn’t let anything slip for now, but if an accident were to happen..."

Han Fengyun toyed with a Wolf Tooth Necklace, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smirk. "There’s no need to worry. I’ve already hypnotized her and made her forget my existence. As for the Puppet Grass, that must be saved for the most opportune moment."

The subordinate couldn’t hide the shock on his face and hurriedly flattered him, "City Lord, your hypnotism has reached such a level! This subordinate is truly impressed!"

The subordinate was one of Han Fengyun’s trusted men, so he knew that Han Fengyun had held his position as City Lord securely for so many years by relying on his unique hypnotism.

This was his trump card. Besides a few of his confidants, no one knew about it—not even the Young City Lord.

"Hypnotism? Is it that powerful?"

Han Li nodded. "I only discovered my Beast Father knew hypnotism by accident. Anyone under his hypnosis will involuntarily obey his commands and do whatever he tells them to."

"An’an, there’s actually something I’ve been keeping from you."

Yu An hadn’t tried to hide her conversation with Zhu Qingqing from Han Li, so he had heard every word.

"What is it?" Seeing the unease on his face, Yu An thought for a moment before taking his hand. "Go on, I’m listening."

Han Li’s hand tightened in hers. He said in a low voice, "That time at the Snow Mountain... the people lying in ambush in the snow were actually... my Beast Father’s men."

"You mean, last time when that bear cub stole Da Hu and set an ambush at Snow Mountain, your Beast Father was likely involved?"

He nodded silently. His hand, intertwined with Yu An’s, loosened slightly, but he didn’t let go completely.

’She’ll probably pull her hand away any second now,’ he thought. ’After all, I have an unbreakable blood tie to the person who hurt her child.’

"Is the City Lord Mansion short on money?"

To Han Li’s surprise, Yu An asked such an out-of-the-blue question. He shook his head instinctively. "No, we’re not."

"Then why would he rent out his trained subordinates?"

Yu An was puzzled. "The witch doctor said that bear cub mentioned to her that he’d spent a lot of money to hire a few people to help. Those must have been the men he hired."

Han Li found it absurd. After all, his Beast Father wasn’t a stingy person; in fact, he was quite generous with money.

’But on second thought,’ he mused, ’if that’s the case, doesn’t it mean I won’t have to worry about a situation where I have to choose between my family and the person I love?’

So, he ventured a guess, "Perhaps those men were short on money, and that’s why they took the job from the bear cub."

"But what about Zhu Qingqing? Why would the City Lord suggest she get close to me?"

Han Li fell silent. After a moment, he seemed to have made a decision. "An’an, I want to go back."

"I don’t know what my Beast Father is really up to. I want to investigate and find out."

"If," Yu An hesitated for a moment before asking, "and I’m just saying if, the City Lord and I end up on opposite sides?"

"You know I have enemies in the Imperial City. And it’s possible the City Lord had a hand in the repeated incidents that have happened in the exiled land."

Han Li froze. After a pause, he said earnestly, "Yu An, do you trust me?"

...

Han Li left midway, leaving Yu An to travel back alone. As she passed a lake, Lu Lu suddenly exclaimed, "An’an, I’ve detected a new fragment!"

Yu An slammed on the brakes. "Where?"

"In the lake up ahead. Let me see... HISS! What a huge fish! The fragment is inside the fish’s body!"

Yu An’s mouth twitched. "Inside a fish? Does that mean I’ll have to... carry a fish?"

The thought of that scene struck her as ridiculous.

"Can I just kill the fish and take the fragment?" Yu An asked, eager to give it a try. "It would be perfect for a main dish tonight."

’A fish nourished by an Origin Core Fragment would surely have delicate, tender, and juicy meat.’

’Let’s see,’ she wondered, ’should I steam it or braise it?’