Both of their divine senses were strong. Even just being in the courtyard, they could sense that only an old man and a young boy lived in this small courtyard.
The old man was frail and ill, and the other was a boy of about eight or nine years old. Yet, these two defenseless individuals were able to live here safely and soundly, with no trace of anyone else in the courtyard.
Ling Luoyi, whom Mu Anning had discovered, also found them. She glanced towards a certain spot in the courtyard, a smile playing on her lips. It was as she had guessed, but why was this the case?
Seeing Ling Luoyi's gaze directed at a small hut, Mu Anning asked curiously, "Your Highness, have you discovered something?"
Mu Anning's voice brought Ling Luoyi back to her senses. She smiled at her and then walked towards the door of the inhabited room.
Ling Luoyi did not try to muffle her footsteps. As soon as she stopped, the door opened a crack, and a small boy peeked out. The boy had thought the usual troublemakers had returned, but he hadn't expected two beautiful young ladies. He was stunned for a moment, but his wariness did not diminish.
Hearing the sound, both Ling Luoyi and Mu Anning looked towards the door. Seeing their gazes, the boy quickly closed the door, praying that these two would leave his home inexplicably, just like the bad people before.
However, to the boy's disappointment, Ling Luoyi and Mu Anning did not leave. Instead, they slowly approached him. Seeing this, the boy closed his eyes in despair. But the rough voices he expected did not come. Instead, there was a gentle knocking sound.
Hearing this, the boy opened his eyes curiously. The knocking outside continued.
"Little brother, I know you're inside. Can you open the door? I know it's not good to enter without permission, but I mean no harm. I just have a few things I'd like to ask you."
Ling Luoyi's voice was very gentle. She had always been tolerant of children of this age.
Hearing this, the boy hesitated. He dared not open the door.
Seeing that the boy did not open the door, Ling Luoyi did not urge him.
Just then, a suppressed cough erupted from inside the house, rapid and as if trying to cough out a lung.
"Grandma!" Hearing this, the boy panicked. He rushed to the bed in the inner room and gently patted the elder's back to help her breathe. Once she stabilized, he picked up the water beside her and fed it to her.
After drinking the water, the old woman's coughing subsided. Looking at her worried grandson, she said kindly, "Xiao Hu, don't worry about Grandma. Grandma is fine. Xiao Hu, Grandma heard guests outside just now. We can't keep guests outside the door. Hurry and invite them in."
Xiao Hu did not want to let Ling Luoyi and Mu Anning in, but since his grandmother had said so, he could only reply, "Grandma, they said they just want to ask me a few questions, so I won't invite them in. We can talk outside."
Upon hearing this, the old woman also glanced around the room. There was only one bed, a teapot that others had discarded, and a few cups that others had discarded. There was nothing else. Although it was not good to keep guests outside, there was nothing to entertain them with inside, so she agreed.
"Xiao Hu, Grandma heard the woman say she meant no harm, but you still need to be careful."
"Grandma, I understand."
It wasn't the first time he had experienced such things. Although Xiao Hu was young, his mind was not that of an ordinary child.
He decided to send them away first, so as not to disturb his grandmother's rest. With this thought, Xiao Hu opened the door. Seeing Ling Luoyi and Mu Anning standing outside, he still didn't dare to walk too far, staying under the eaves.
Looking at the two of them, Xiao Hu asked guardedly, "What do you want to ask?"
Seeing Xiao Hu's attitude, neither of them felt anything. Knowing that direct speech might lead to rejection, Ling Luoyi took out a medicine bottle and said to Xiao Hu, "Little brother, I just heard your grandmother's voice. Is she ill? This is a pill, it can save her."
Hearing Ling Luoyi's words, Xiao Hu's eyes showed longing, but he still dared not accept it easily. He understood that there was no such thing as a free lunch. Therefore, even though he smelled the fragrance of the pill, he still tried his best to restrain himself.
Seeing Xiao Hu's desperate struggle to control himself despite his desire, Ling Luoyi found it amusing. She said, "Little brother, you don't need to be so defensive. I truly mean no harm. This pill is just an ordinary pill, it's not poisonous, and it can completely cure your grandmother's illness."
Hearing the last sentence, Xiao Hu was clearly more tempted. His grandmother had been bedridden for a long time, and he wanted to cure her. However, this city was a mortal city, and without medicine, he had no money to treat his grandmother. If he missed this opportunity, then his grandmother's illness...
Finally, Xiao Hu couldn't resist. But instead of accepting it first, he said, "Big sister, you keep saying you mean no harm, but your actions are hard to believe."
Hearing this, Ling Luoyi was taken aback. She had indeed been too hasty. However, she had been searching for a year and had finally found something that was suspected to be a fragment of the Heavenly Star Cauldron. Moreover, the situation was urgent, how could she not be anxious?
Just as Ling Luoyi was about to say something, she heard Xiao Hu say, "However, big sister, I do want the pill in your hand, but I know you won't give it to me for free. What do you want?"
After hearing this, Ling Luoyi chuckled and said, "Since you've said so, little brother, I'll be straightforward. There is an item in your home that I've been looking for a long time. If you're willing to exchange it with me, I'm willing to trade this pill for that item."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Hu was stunned. His family had very few possessions, and there was nothing valuable that others would covet. This person was willing to trade a precious pill for it. Was she out of her mind?
However, even though Xiao Hu didn't understand, he still agreed because he truly wanted to cure his grandmother. Moreover, in his home, besides him and his grandmother, there was nothing he cherished.
"What do you want?"
Ling Luoyi didn't say it directly. Instead, she pointed to the small hut she had been staring at when she entered and said, "What I want is in that room. Can you take me inside to see? Don't worry, I won't touch your things carelessly."
Xiao Hu followed Ling Luoyi's gaze towards the kitchen. His family's kitchen had only a few bowls and plates, a few stoves, and nothing valuable. Xiao Hu began to suspect Ling Luoyi was playing a trick on him, but he still led Ling Luoyi inside.
The two followed Xiao Hu into the kitchen. The items in the kitchen were simple, just like in the courtyard, with only a few things.
The largest item was a stove, with a pile of firewood in front of it. To the right of the stove was a table, clearly old but wiped very clean, with bowls, plates, and chopsticks neatly arranged on it. Some unwashed vegetables were also placed there. Below the wooden table were several wooden basins, all with chips. To the right of the stove was a water缸 filled with water, also chipped. Next to the water缸 was a pile of broken porcelain. Everything seemed unremarkable.
"Big sister, pick whatever you want yourself," Xiao Hu said to them, standing at the doorway.
Ling Luoyi, with her back to Xiao Hu, activated her divine spiritual eyes again and scanned the kitchen. Her gaze finally settled on the pile of porcelain. Ling Luoyi retracted her divine spiritual eyes and rummaged through the porcelain. After about half an hour, Ling Luoyi picked up the orange light cluster she had seen with her divine spiritual eyes.
Finally, I found you!