Chapter 51: Thank You

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Thank You

Hua Buwan furiously battled it out with the group chat for dozens of messages. The moment the shop’s chime announced, "Welcome," she immediately tossed her phone aside and jumped to her feet.

Seeing Ling Qianjun emerge from the back door alive, the heavy stone of anxiety in her chest finally lifted. She hurried over and circled him, thoroughly inspecting his physical condition. Once she saw that his clothes were intact—free of any scorch marks or bloodstains—she finally stopped in front of him. "Is everyone alright?"

Ling Qianjun gave a gentle nod. "Everyone made it out successfully. There were no casualties. Thank you, Buwan. You saved us all." His eyes shimmered with a profound, unwavering gratitude.

Hearing his words, Hua Buwan felt a sudden, profound sense of moral elevation. She wondered if she had really just saved a whole inn full of ancient ancestors by pure chance. On the surface, however, she feigned nonchalance. She waved a hand dismissively and said, "As long as everyone is safe. I just provided some fire extinguishers and escape ropes, that’s all."

Ling Qianjun let out a soft chuckle. "We must continue our journey south now. I cannot stay here for too long." Estimating the time, he prepared to take his leave.

Hua Buwan knew they were still under the watchful eyes of the government officers, so she nodded in understanding. "Alright, you head back for now. Come over whenever you have free time. Oh, right! I have some medical ointment here. Take it with you in case you need it."

"Alright." Ling Qianjun did not refuse her offer.

The supplies she had prepared were all in small bottles, perfectly sized to be tucked away discreetly inside his wide sleeves. With the medicine secured, Ling Qianjun stepped back through the door, returning to Dongxuan Country.

Now that she knew they were safe, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion washed over her. Too tired to even think about keeping the supermarket open, she quickly washed her face, brushed her teeth, and went straight to dreamland.

She slept like the dead. Had her stomach not finally given out and let out a thunderous GRUMBLE of protest, she wouldn’t have dragged herself out of bed at all. Flinging open the curtains, she couldn’t help but gasp in shock. "What the heck?" She had slept straight through to the evening; the sky outside was already pitch black.

She opened the windows to let in some fresh air, then padded into the kitchen to whip up a quick bowl of instant noodles, tossing in an egg and some greens for good measure. After washing down the meal with some fresh fruit, her hunger was finally satiated, and she sat down to check her phone.

The online orders she had placed were already in town, though they wouldn’t be out for delivery until the following morning. Also, Erya’s grandmother—whom she had recently added on WhatsApp—had sent a reminder about the auction tomorrow afternoon, making sure she wouldn’t forget. The elderly woman had also mentioned preparing a small gift for her, which was scheduled to arrive via courier the next morning.

A gift? Hua Buwan was highly intrigued. She wondered why the older woman would suddenly prepare a present for her out of the blue. Still, she didn’t politely decline. She decided to wait and see what it was first; if it turned out to be something expensive, she could simply prepare a return gift of equal value.

Later that night, Ling Qianjun made another brief appearance. He simply grabbed some food and water before quickly heading back. Over in Dongxuan Country, his group was spending the night by a stream. The entire family washed up, ate their rations, and immediately fell asleep, utterly exhausted from the day’s ordeal.

The following morning, Hua Buwan woke up naturally bright and early.

A sudden craving hit her for the rice noodle rolls sold by the elderly vendors just down the street. Their stall was a decades-old local staple, guaranteeing excellent quality. After freshening up, she headed straight there.

It was still quite early, so the street food stall was relatively empty. Hua Buwan found a seat and called out to the busy elderly couple, "Boss, I’ll take a meat and egg rice noodle roll! No chili, please!"

The elderly vendor gave a hearty reply. "You got it! The soy milk is over on the side. It’s complimentary, so help yourself! There’s also chili sauce on the tables if you change your mind and want to add some later."

Hua Buwan smiled. "Got it! Thanks!"

She poured herself a cup of hot soy milk and took a sip. Before long, a steaming plate of rice noodle rolls was set down in front of her.