Regarding Bai Hen and San Qing, Hua Yan was not curious whether their words were true. When she heard they wanted to see her, she was as excited as a little girl meeting her idol.

Bai Hen and San Qing hosted Hua Yan downstairs in their bedroom. The room was heated, and the two wore cotton shirts woven from silk. When Hua Yan entered, they scrutinized her up and down.

Hua Yan was not intimidated by their scrutiny and returned their gaze. After a moment, their three laughter rang out together.

"Please, have a seat," Bai Hen said to Hua Yan with a smile.

After she sat down, he asked with a smile, "Have you been enjoying yourself? Will you stay a few more days?"

"Night Phoenix City is rare to visit, but unfortunately, I must leave the day after tomorrow," Hua Yan replied. Given Bai Hen and San Qing's extensive assistance and their observations of the handsome men who greeted them, it was clear they knew some things. Night Phoenix City's capabilities were as deep as a deep pool, silently shocking.

San Qing looked regretful and glanced at Bai Hen, saying, "I was hoping to have a good time with people in Night Phoenix City."

Hua Yan watched as Bai Hen spoke gently to comfort San Qing, feeling a slight joy in her heart. At the same time, she recalled how she had once seen Cheng Xiang as such a person, feeling a touch of regret and sadness.

Both Bai Hen and San Qing were observant individuals, noticing Hua Yan's somewhat dark expression. Bai Hen asked, "Miss Hua Yan, is something troubling you?" Due to their relationship with Little Nine, they treated Hua Yan with some affection.

Hearing their sincere words, Hua Yan felt a sense of goodwill. She nodded sincerely and said, "It's nothing, just thinking about some past events. But seeing how happy you both are, it's truly enviable."

Bai Hen and San Qing looked at the brilliant light in her eyes, which was so sincere that it could not fail to please. San Qing chuckled first, "She's really a likable girl."

Bai Hen grew even fonder of Hua Yan, looking at her candidly and saying, "Ah, pity our Little Nine. Such a good boy, yet missed his chance."

Hua Yan was puzzled at first, her mind jolted upon hearing Little Nine's name. Curiously, she asked, "You're... Little Nine's..."

"We're Little Nine's uncles," San Qing replied with a smile. "That kid is our favorite. Also, he's the most unique one." He continued, "Several years ago, when he was about fourteen or fifteen, wasn't it?" San Qing asked Bai Hen, unsure.

Like an ordinary couple at home, Bai Hen seemed accustomed to San Qing's manner and quickly confirmed, then San Qing said to Hua Yan, "Yes, about fourteen or fifteen years old, a little brat who had a fight with my brother and ran away to the mainland."

"We brothers used all sorts of means, but we couldn't find out. You should know we're not ordinary people. It shows how capable this kid is." Abilities related to the mainland are more concealed. San Qing didn't discuss them, just talked endlessly.

Hua Yan also liked to hear these hidden stories, never expecting Little Nine to have so many youthful adventures. The three ate the meal cooked by the Night Phoenix City's chief chef. She ate sweetly, and Bai Hen and San Qing were also very happy.

When Hua Yan left happily, San Qing regretfully said, "This girl is very rare, but the person she likes is also outstanding."

"Yeah. But let the kids handle their own affairs. Let's work for our own happiness." Bai Hen said that, and he had already hugged San Qing to the bedroom. They fought three hundred rounds on the bed.

Entering Caochang City again, Hua Yan and her team couldn't help but sigh. It was truly a place with a simple appearance, honest, but secretly complicated. It was more intricate than Night Phoenix City. Their actions were also particularly cautious and careful. They dressed as ordinary people, even adopting the local accent in their speech. As the New Year approached, the atmosphere here was even thicker.

Because they needed to carefully plan, Hua Yan and her team didn't start anything. They looked down from the bright windows on the third floor, watching the hustle and bustle below where vendors sold big red dates, peanuts, melon seeds, and candies. Despite the freezing cold making their faces purple, there was a twinkling smile in their eyes.

Still to the left, another row extended, selling large red couplets, single-color red "Fu" characters, or colorful "Fu" characters, with New Year's paintings on the walls. Further down the street, vendors pushed carts, and families with children were everywhere, shopping for New Year goods. Several women chatted and laughed together, tasting and eating freely.

The stalls on both sides of the street were full of various New Year goods, and pedestrians and vehicles crowded the bustling street. It was so lively that hearts were touched at first sight. Hua Yan looked happy, but there was a slight emptiness in her heart.

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Early in the morning, Lao Yang and Wu Lin noticed her expression. Seeing her mood, Wu Lin took her to stroll around the streets, and they bought some New Year goods to try. Turning around and around, Hua Yan's eyes were filled with the colorful New Year goods on the roadside, and the slight melancholy in her heart had long disappeared.

Unfortunately, when they returned to their accommodation, they saw someone who should not have appeared there—Li Jiaojiao. This time, their mission was different from usual. What was Li Jiaojiao, a woman, doing here?

Before she could think more, she heard Lao Yang's serious voice telling Wu Lin, who was following behind, to come in and close the door, indicating a serious conversation was about to take place.

Suppressing her doubts, Hua Yan and Wu Lin sat aside, waiting for Lao Yang to speak. As for Li Jiaojiao, Hua Yan didn't want to say much, treating her as if she were invisible. Wu Lin hummed disdainfully and sat aside.

Li Jiaojiao's face showed anger, but Lao Yang pretended not to see it. She inexplicably became an unwelcome person. Lao Yang said a sentence, explaining that Li Jiaojiao was here to assist them. After casually mentioning some matters, Li Jiaojiao, who had taken a flight of more than ten hours, fell asleep.

The three of them settled down for a real conversation.

"Li Jiaojiao was a reconnaissance soldier here a few years ago and knows Caochang City very well. So she was sent from above," Lao Yang explained calmly.

"She's here to claim credit!" Wu Lin sneered coldly, referring to those who eyed power like wolves and tigers.

Hua Yan, however, asked a non-sequitur question, "Do you value these things?"

"Let it be," Wu Lin said frankly. Lao Yang chuckled at that and said nothing.

Hua Yan smiled and asked Lao Yang again, "Can we resist?"

Wu Lin was surprised, and after Lao Yang laughed, he slowly said, "Do you want to resist?"

Unexpectedly, Lao Yang turned the question back on her. After a brief thought, Hua Yan said, "It seems unworthy to sacrifice for her."

"Right, you're calm enough. Since Lao Qiao sent her, it means the people behind her have very meticulous reasons for this. Moreover, no one can guarantee that we will achieve results here. If we fail this time, maybe she still has other reasons to follow," Wu Lin added.

"Yeah, it seems letting things take their course is the best option." Since certainty was impossible, it was best to let things flow naturally.

"Little Yan, are you trying to annoy Li Jiaojiao?" Wu Lin smiled knowingly.

Hua Yan grinned mischievously without saying a word and left with a yawn. She left behind the laughter of Lao Yang and Wu Lin, both thinking the same thing: she must have slept all day. It was only in the late afternoon when the sun was setting that she lazily woke up from her nap.

Once inside the room, Hua Yan glanced lightly at Li Jiaojiao, who was already lying on another bed, and began to make a lot of noise while taking a very loud shower, dragging her feet as she walked, making the room's noise last for a long time.

Throughout the night, Li Jiaojiao, who had been sleeping lightly, became increasingly annoyed by Hua Yan's noises. Just as she couldn't bear it any longer, the sounds abruptly ceased in the room.

Li Jiaojiao listened intently for a while and realized that Hua Yan had fallen asleep. Feeling relieved, her anger, which had risen to a boiling point, gradually subsided.

After some time passed, Li Jiaojiao, in a deep slumber, was once again awakened by loud footsteps and the clattering of doors opening and closing. This reignited her fury. Just as she was about to lose her temper, Hua Yan closed the door and left.

Li Jiaojiao felt like a fireball was stuck in her throat. She almost choked with anger but managed to keep herself composed. She forced her eyelids open and waited for several minutes, but Hua Yan didn't return. Eventually, she drifted back to sleep.

Unfortunately, just as she was starting to dream, the noises in the room resumed—dragging footsteps echoed loudly, pounding in Li Jiaojiao's heart like gasoline poured over a blazing fire, reigniting her fury.

Suddenly, she remembered her brother's advice about patience. If she could endure this, she would triumph. However, Hua Yan returned to the room not to sleep but to rummage through things or get water. This restlessness enveloped Li Jiaojiao's mind, shattering her remaining shreds of reason.

Just as she was about to speak up or prepare to argue with Hua Yan, Hua Yan politely and sincerely asked her, "Would you like some water?"

The gentle voice was like a fire extinguisher, immediately extinguishing much of her anger.

Speechless and caught off guard, Li Jiaojiao couldn't say what she had planned to just moments before. Under the faint light of a flashlight, Hua Yan wore a faint smile, said nothing more, and lay back down, falling asleep within minutes.

Across the room, Li Jiaojiao stared at Hua Yan's direction with blinking eyes, but the room was pitch-black, and she couldn't see anything. However, her ears involuntarily perked up, listening for any movement from Hua Yan's side.

Still shaken by Hua Yan's sudden kindness, Li Jiaojiao held her breath and, though exhausted, persisted in listening attentively. She planned to confront Hua Yan immediately if she heard any more noises.

However, after waiting and waiting... it felt like a quarter had passed. Li Jiaojiao finally breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that Hua Yan must have truly fallen asleep by now. With this thought, she peacefully drifted back to sleep.

In the middle of the night, Hua Yan got up again due to drinking too much water before bed. She walked deliberately, unintentionally making loud noises. Li Jiaojiao, who was easily startled, woke up again. In her daze, before she could say anything, Hua Yan opened the door and went to the bathroom. When she didn't return immediately, Li Jiaojiao's mind remained uneasy.

After struggling for a while, Li Jiaojiao finally woke up fully, enraged. She got up to see what Hua Yan was up to. However, as soon as she sat up and used the flashlight, she saw someone else sleeping on the opposite bed—it wasn't Hua Yan.

Upon closer inspection, Li Jiaojiao trembled with anger. Yet, knowing better than to stir up trouble unnecessarily, she swallowed her anger. Exhausted and restless, she couldn't sleep properly until dawn broke, and even then, she felt a slight drowsiness.

Unfortunately, Lao Yang had no idea of the torment Li Jiaojiao had endured that night. Early in the morning, he hurriedly woke up Hua Yan and Li Jiaojiao. While Hua Yan looked refreshed, Li Jiaojiao had dark circles under her eyes. She looked worn out, like a broken porcelain doll. She glared angrily at Hua Yan, but Hua Yan was as steady as a rock, completely oblivious, continuing on her way.

By now, Lao Yang and Wu Lin had already figured out that Hua Yan had teased Li Jiaojiao a little, secretly amused but maintaining their composure. This added a touch of amusement to their mission.