"Did you... did you eat my mother?" Little Nian asked bravely.
The black light chuckled twice and said, "You child are truly imaginative. I only fancy children's flesh, not adults'."
"That's good then," Little Nian said.
The black light asked, "Don't you know where your mother went?"
"I don't. I haven't seen her for a month. They said Mother went into the deep mountains to find a master for Father, but I don't believe it," Little Nian said, lowering her head.
"I'll take you back," the black light said.
Little Nian looked up at the black light and asked, "Can you take me to find my mother?"
"Find your mother?" The black light paused, then said, "I don't even know what your mother looks like. Asking me to take you to find her is probably unrealistic."
"But why do I sense your mother's aura on you?" Little Nian pouted.
"How did you sense it?" the black light asked, surprised.
Little Nian shook her head slightly. "I didn't sense it; I felt it."
The black light fell silent.
Rabbit Queen watched from not far away, sighing at her current state, bodyless and only able to manifest as black light. She then looked down at Little Nian and said, "If I had listened to you and taken you to see your mother, would you have had to die?" As she spoke, she frowned and looked at the black light, "Back then, if only I had trusted you and your mother."
Following Rabbit Queen's words, the black light thought: If I take this girl back, that woman surely won't give me her soul essence. Forget it, I'll send her back first. With that thought, she instantly enveloped Little Nian.
Little Nian looked at the encroaching black light with panic, saying, "You must know where my mother is, you definitely do."
"I don't," the black light said coldly, taking Little Nian away.
Rabbit Queen swiftly followed the black light.
In a blink, Little Nian was back by the private room window, and the black light vanished.
"You're back," Mu Anxiao said, sensing the breeze behind him.
Immediately, Bi Hu turned and saw, then quickly jumped off his chair and ran to Little Nian, who had her eyes closed, saying, "You're back."
Hearing Bi Hu's voice, Little Nian felt only disappointment. She slowly opened her eyes and said listlessly, "Yes, I'm back."
"Did you see your mother?" Bi Hu asked.
Little Nian shook her head and began to cry, her lip trembling. "I know that black light definitely knows where my mother is. It definitely does."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao put down his chopsticks, turned to look at Little Nian's profile, and her eyes darkened.
Tian Jiang said, "How about I go look for her mother?"
"Do you know where her mother is?" Mu Anxiao turned to Tian Jiang and asked.
Tian Jiang glanced at Little Nian and said softly, "I accidentally heard my sister mention something about the deep forest. I'll go look." Hearing Tian Jiang's words, Mu Anxiao couldn't help but recall that the old man had also mentioned the deep forest. She then thought of the deep forest without demonic barriers and agreed, "Alright, you go. Consider it compensation."
"After we eat," Tian Jiang said.
"Okay, once you find her, bring her to the manor where Little Nian is staying," Mu Anxiao arranged.
"No problem," Tian Jiang agreed.
"Can I bully your sister?" Mu Anxiao suddenly asked.
Tian Jiang hesitated.
Mu Anxiao said, "I know she's your sister, and you'll naturally hesitate. But think about it, it's not okay for her to be unchecked, right?"
"You... don't go too far," Tian Jiang conceded.
"Don't worry," Mu Anxiao raised an eyebrow and said, "You two, come eat quickly."
"Got it," Little Nian replied, looking at Bi Hu, and then pouting as she walked to the table.
Mu Anxiao glanced at Little Nian's face and said, "She's willing to look for your mother for you." She pointed to Tian Jiang.
Tian Jiang smiled at Little Nian and said, "I'll help you look for your mother later. Don't worry."
"You're not lying to me, are you?" Little Nian, still skeptical of Tian Jiang, asked.
Tian Jiang smiled. "I'm not lying. Unlike the Young Madam, I am righteous."
"You're subtly saying your sister is bad," Mu Anxiao said.
Tian Jiang frowned slightly and said, "I didn't think that."
"You haven't? It's all written on your face," Mu Anxiao said, picking up a piece of meat and placing it in Little Nian's bowl. "Here, eat."
"Thank you," Little Nian nodded slightly.
Bi Hu looked at Tian Jiang and asked, "Are you sure you can do it?"
Tian Jiang smiled. "You traitor, what right do you have to ask me?"
"I'll go with you," Bi Hu said.
Little Nian turned to look at Bi Hu.
Bi Hu looked at Little Nian and said, "I said I would protect you, so naturally I will protect your mother too."
"Do you know where my mother is?" Little Nian asked, looking at both of them.
"I have a way to find out," Tian Jiang said.
Little Nian smiled. "Thank you."
"Your mother is definitely looking for a master for your father," Mu Anxiao added.
Little Nian looked up at Mu Anxiao and said, "I know, my mother lied to me. My mother was definitely abandoned in the deep forest by Father."
"How do you know?" Mu Anxiao asked, looking at Little Nian with surprise.
Little Nian said, "That black light I just encountered had my mother's scent. I know, Mother is there."
Immediately, Mu Anxiao couldn't help but call out, "Little Nian."
Little Nian said, "There are many things I don't want to think about, but for some reason, those various thoughts keep coming one after another. I'm worried Mother... might be dead." She started to cry.
Tian Jiang said, "If your mother is dead, you still have to live well, understand?"
Little Nian looked at Tian Jiang, then lowered her head and continued eating.
Tian Jiang frowned slightly.
Rabbit Queen's heart sank upon hearing Little Nian's words.
Mu Anxiao sighed and looked at Bi Hu. "Stop looking, eat."
"Okay," Bi Hu nodded and continued eating.
After the meal, Mu Anxiao made up an excuse to leave the private room and followed Rabbit Queen to a relatively secluded corner of the shop, asking, "Did I not change anything?"
Rabbit Queen looked at Mu Anxiao's face and nodded slightly. "Yes, you haven't changed the course of events."
"Then can you tell me how Little Nian died? The true cause of death?"
"I don't know," Rabbit Queen shook her head.
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao frowned. "So, she didn't die from freezing, it's not that simple?"
"Yes," Rabbit Queen nodded and said, "I can only warn you this much. I can't say anything more."
"Why?"
"I've thought about it. You just need to give Little Nian hope and let her be happy these few days. If you make too many changes, here..." Rabbit Queen gestured around, "the fate of the people here will be altered by you, and then many things will become different."
"What do you mean by that?" Mu Anxiao asked.