"You seem quite familiar with Dongli Town. Do you know where I can get a map of it?" Xiao Jingcheng asked.
Ye Wanmian guessed that he might be trying to familiarize himself with the town in preparation for leaving. "If you want a map of Dongli Town, you'll probably have to go to the Tianyuan County Yamen," she replied.
Tianyuan County? Did he have to go to the town then?
"I can draw you a map of Dongli Town," Ye Wanmian said, raising Xiao Jingcheng's eyebrows. "You? Have you seen the map in the Tianyuan County Yamen?"
Ye Wanmian said proudly, "I don't have many skills, but my memory is my forte. Once I've walked a path, I'll remember it clearly."
Of course, she also remembered every detail of things she'd experienced.
This also meant...
She held grudges.
Realizing this, Xiao Jingcheng couldn't help but cough lightly.
"Then I'll have to trouble you," he said.
Suddenly, he frowned and stopped. Ye Wanmian didn't notice his movement and bumped into him. She covered her forehead and took two steps back. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Xiao Jingcheng looking vigilant.
Someone was following them.
The surroundings were noisy with the shouts of vendors, the footsteps of pedestrians, and the rolling of wheels. Amidst these noises, he detected something unusual. Someone had been following them since they left the medical hall.
When he stopped, the faint footsteps behind also stopped.
Were they being targeted by Xiao Yixuan's people, or was it the mastermind who sent people to cause trouble at Huichuntang today?
"What's wrong?" Seeing his serious expression, Ye Wanmian couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.
"Nothing," Xiao Jingcheng said indifferently and continued walking forward, but his ears were carefully listening to the surroundings.
Sure enough, the footsteps followed again.
Humph, did they really think he was easy to deal with?
After turning left at the intersection ahead, Xiao Jingcheng suddenly turned around, protecting Ye Wanmian behind him. He quickly picked up a stone from the ground and threw it towards a corner.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
The next moment, a miserable dog bark came from the corner: "Woof—"
Xiao Jingcheng stared coldly at the corner behind him. Then, he saw several dogs come out.
The leading dog had messy fur and a fierce face. It didn't look like a good one.
But it obediently lay down in front of Xiao Jingcheng, wagging its tail desperately. Its butt was also swaying, and it made a coquettish "嘤嘤" sound.
"Sunny greets the general and the fairy sister," it said.
Xiao Jingcheng was stunned.
He heard a strange sound again.
But this time, it wasn't a childish voice but a slightly flattering voice, like that of a young man.
Could it be that this voice came from the dog in front of him?
He looked at Sunny suspiciously.
There were other dogs behind the mixed - haired dog. They also wagged their tails at Ye Wanmian and Xiao Jingcheng. For a moment, the voices of "general" rang in his ears, making his head buzz.
What general? Where was there a general here?
It couldn't be referring to him, could it?
Xiao Jingcheng then realized that these dogs were talking to him, and he could understand all of them.
He thought he could only understand what Big Yellow said. Who knew that he could understand all the dogs in Dongli Town!
Ye Wanmian didn't know the turmoil in Xiao Jingcheng's heart at this moment. She bent down and waved to Sunny with a smile. "Long time no see, puppy. Come here quickly."
Ye Wanmian didn't bring Big Yellow with her today. Sunny was very happy when it saw her waving. It wagged its tail even more vigorously and trotted towards Ye Wanmian, excitedly sniffing the smell on her.
Ye Wanmian reached out her hand to touch Sunny's head. Before her fingers could touch it, Xiao Jingcheng grabbed her hand. "Be careful. It might bite you!"
Ye Wanmian didn't expect him to react so strongly. "Don't worry. These dogs won't hurt me," she said.
Xiao Jingcheng wasn't worried that Sunny would hurt her!
He clearly heard it!
This mixed - haired dog was saying, "The fairy sister smells so good. I like the fairy sister so much. I want to go home with the fairy sister!"
Xiao Jingcheng glared at Sunny fiercely.
Want to go home with her and be her dog? Dream on!
Ye Wanmian broke free from Xiao Jingcheng's grip. "Since we've met today, I'll introduce them to you again. These dogs are all Big Yellow's friends. I was able to rescue you smoothly back then thanks to these dogs. If it weren't for them, you might really be a corpse by now."
Xiao Jingcheng was shocked first. Many pictures flashed through his mind like a carousel.
— A dark night, a silent wilderness, a group of dogs running around in it, heading in a certain direction.
On the high platform under the moonlight, he stood proudly. There were countless dogs gathered below, howling at the moon together.
It was as if a cone had been stabbed into Xiao Jingcheng's head. His vision went black, and he gasped, almost losing his balance. Ye Wanmian noticed something was wrong and quickly supported his arm.
"Brother Jing, how do you feel?"
Xiao Jingcheng steadied himself and raised his hand to support his head, which was in great pain. In his ears, those strange voices became a bit louder.
"Sunny has been listening to the general's words and has been keeping watch for the general and the fairy sister!"
"Sunny will be loyal to the general to the death!"
Taking a deep breath, he looked at Sunny and the other dogs and gritted his teeth. "Shut up. You're so noisy."
Ye Wanmian's hand froze, and she bit her lip tightly.
She thought his attitude had improved a bit, but it seemed he was still the same. She should have just let him fall!
Ye Wanmian withdrew her hand. Xiao Jingcheng wasn't paying attention and staggered. When he looked at her, she had already turned around with a cold face. He then realized that she must have misunderstood.
"I..." He wanted to explain that he wasn't yelling at her, but then he realized that the fact that he could understand the dogs was too astonishing.
Moreover... he was the crown prince. It was too embarrassing to explain himself to a woman.
Sunny and the other dogs were yelled at and obediently closed their mouths and sat there looking up at Xiao Jingcheng.
Xiao Jingcheng looked down at these dogs and rubbed his temples with a headache.
There were too many questions in his mind. Why did these dogs call him "general"? What did they mean by "keeping watch"?
The feeling that he had forgotten many important things was getting stronger.
His gaze fell on Sunny, who was wagging its tail at him flatteringly. Xiao Jingcheng squinted his eyes slightly and quietly formed a plan in his mind.