Chapter 1248: Chapter 759: A Chance Encounter with a Familiar Face (First Update)

Then he left with Yan Jinyao.

He went to the shop, brought back a good account book, and had to check the accounts.

Xiao Jinxing didn’t linger in An Youyou’s room; he strode towards An Ning.

Yan Jinyao hurriedly retreated.

"It’s time to return to the palace," Xiao Jinxing said outright.

"Alright." An Ning did not object, "When?"

"Probably tomorrow or the day after," Xiao Jinxing said, "The day after tomorrow, I’ll let you stay one more day."

"Okay." An Ning smiled gently.

"An Ning." Xiao Jinxing leaned against her.

"Yes?"

"Do you still like life outside the palace?" Xiao Jinxing asked.

An Ning thought for a moment and replied, "I like the life with you."

Xiao Jinxing’s heart trembled slightly.

He took An Ning’s hand, tenderness in his eyes, "I like it too."

"We have to leave the day after tomorrow. I’ll stay and help Jinyao with the accounts." An Ning said, "One person really can’t manage it all; I’ll let her find a few helpers later on."

"Alright."

An Ning hurriedly left.

Xiao Jinxing watched An Ning’s departing figure, the smile in his eyes growing deeper.

...

"You’re awake?" An Youyou stared with her large round eyes, looking at the little beggar in front of her who still appeared somewhat dirty.

The little beggar had been briefly washed by the servants, but because of the bruises all over the face and body, still looked like a little stray cat.

"Who are you?!"

The little beggar was startled, jumping up from the bed.

Due to excessive strength, he pulled on his wounds and couldn’t help but cry out.

His eyes turned red.

"Don’t be afraid, my name is An Youyou. I rescued you from the market, don’t you remember?" An Youyou blinked her big eyes.

The little beggar stared at the little girl in front of him, her fair and tender skin, lively and adorable features would make anyone feel a sense of warmth at first glance.

At that moment, the little beggar relaxed a bit, clenching his fists respectfully, "I thank the young lady for saving my life."

An Youyou was amused.

The person looks to be only 7, 8, 9 years old?!

How can he be so old-fashioned, like a seventy or eighty-year-old man.

A bit like her brother.

She said, "You fainted from hunger, get up and eat something first."

"Thank you, young lady." The little beggar was probably starving to the extreme, without any refusal.

An Youyou asked Uncle Zhang to bring up the meal that was prepared.

The table was full of delicacies that made the little beggar’s eyes widen.

He wasn’t overly surprised to see such a sumptuous meal; it’s just been a long time since he’s had a full meal, and now he wished he could shove everything into his stomach.

Even though his eyes had already betrayed his yearning.

The little beggar didn’t grab the food directly, but sat there properly, without any rashness.

"Why aren’t you eating yet?" An Youyou was surprised.

She herself was full, yet seeing so many delicacies made her mouth water, the little beggar is so hungry, how come he’s not moving yet?

"Can I eat now?" The little beggar asked politely.

"Of course, you can." An Youyou said seriously, "Everything is prepared for you."

The little beggar looked at An Youyou at that moment, obviously touched.

Then he clasped his hands and bowed, "Thank you, young lady."

"No thanks, just eat quickly."

The little beggar finally couldn’t help it, picking up the chopsticks and began eating.

The taste was unexpectedly delicious.

It was the best meal he had ever had in his life.

He didn’t know if it was because he was starving to the extreme that he felt this way; in any case, it was so delicious that he simply couldn’t stop.

An Youyou watched with great interest as the little beggar, from initially pretending to eat slowly and elegantly, to later devouring the food ravenously.

"Can I have another bowl?" The little beggar quickly devoured a bowl of rice, asking politely.

Just as An Youyou was about to agree.

"Little brother, you’ve already had four bowls of rice," Zhang Wenhe reminded, "overeating is not good for your health, have some soup to ease it up, you can eat more tonight."

The little beggar felt a bit embarrassed.

His face reddened.

Probably realizing he was a bit rude.

"There will be tastier food tonight." An Youyou’s crisp voice broke the awkwardness, "After you finish eating, I’ll take you to our hot springs for a bath."

"Thank you, young lady."

An Youyou’s little face beamed with a smile again.

However, hearing him call her young lady still felt somewhat odd.

But she also thought his voice was quite pleasant.

"Drink your soup." An Youyou had a servant serve a bowl of soup to the little beggar. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

The little beggar quickly finished it and thanked again.

"You’ve eaten too much, wait a bit before taking a bath, I’ll first take you to meet my mother."

The little beggar’s eyes showed apparent apprehension.

"Don’t be scared, my mother is a good person. She won’t kick you out." An Youyou quickly reassured.

"Yes," the little beggar said respectfully.

He followed An Youyou’s small steps, walking in the yard.

The little beggar occasionally glanced around.

Aware that this girl’s family must certainly be very well-off.

An Youyou led the little beggar into An Ning’s room.

"Mother." Even before arriving, An Youyou’s voice reached before her, "I brought the person over."

An Ning was reconciling accounts with Yan Jinyao.

Upon hearing An Youyou’s voice, she set down her pen and ink, looking up at the little beggar.

The little beggar was still wearing tattered clothes, with his face all bruised up, making it hard to see how he looked.

The appearance was frail, yet with a straight spine.

He seemed to be from a fallen family turned to begging.

An Ning discreetly observed and asked, "What’s your name?"

It was only then that An Youyou remembered she didn’t know the beggar’s name.

The beggar looked at An Ning, clasped his hands, and bowed, "My name is Du Zhimiao."

"How old are you?"

"Nine years old this year."

Nine years old?

An Ning examined him, perhaps too frail, seeming younger than his peers.

"From your accent, you don’t sound like a local?" An Ning asked again.

"I’m not a local, I came here to find someone," the little beggar answered honestly.

Find someone?!

That sounds good.

Once they help him find the person, he can be sent away.

Honestly, the more complicated the identities nowadays, the less they could meddle in affairs.

"Who are you looking for? We might be able to help you."

Du Zhimiao bit his lip, seemingly hesitant.

An Ning could also tell.

She thought this person mustn’t be ordinary.

She said, "If you trust us, you can tell us. I assure you, as long as it’s within Wenzhou, no, within the Daxuan Kingdom, I will definitely find the person you’re looking for. But if you don’t trust us, I won’t force you. Uncle Zhang, you go to the storeroom and give this young fellow some silver and see him off."

"Mother..." An Youyou was a bit agitated.

One glance from An Ning.

An Youyou pouted, not daring to speak further.

"I believe you, madam," the little beggar suddenly spoke, perhaps because he had nowhere else to go, "If it weren’t for Madam and the young lady, I would have died on the streets."

An Ning looked at the little beggar, discerning that he must be from a prominent family.

"I’m not from Daxuan, I’m from the Cang Kingdom," the little beggar spoke calmly.

An Ning’s eyes flickered slightly.

Cang Kingdom?!

Indeed, it is quite significant.

"Before my father died, he gave me a letter, instructing me to come to Daxuan Wenzhou to find someone named Yan Jinyao," the little beggar confessed.

As he spoke.

He pulled out a crumpled letter from his pocket.

The letter seemed stained with his blood.

Yet it was still complete in his hands.

An Ning’s heart trembled.

In that moment, she instantly guessed his identity.

Before the little beggar could speak, An Ning excitedly exclaimed, "You are Du Jianghong’s son?"