Yao Zhi suddenly noticed a faint black aura hovering above the maidservant’s head.

She didn’t know what the aura represented, but the uncomfortable feeling rising inside her told her one thing clearly. It definitely wasn’t something good.

When they arrived at the dining hall, Xue Ya’er was already waiting for them. Seeing them coming, she smiled and gestured to them.

"Young Master Lei, please have a seat."

Yao Zhi cupped her fists and greeted her before she took a seat. As for Ling Ershi, he stood at the entrance of the hall and observed the surroundings, guarding his master.

After she took her seat, Xue Ya’er said, "Young Master Lei, the situation in this place is not as good as the General’s mansion. I hope you won’t be offended by our lack of hospitality."

Yao Zhi glanced at the food on the table and smiled. "Madam, you and the General are great Hosts. It would be rude for me to complain after being treated so well."

Xue Ya’er smiled and gestured for the maidservants to serve the soup.

After a bowl of chicken soup was placed in front of them, she said, "Young Master Lei, the supplies were limited, so we could only serve some home dishes. I hope the taste suits you."

"Madam is too polite. Every grain we eat is the hard work of countless people. It’s already a blessing that we have meat to eat when people are barely able to have a bowl of thin porridge."

When she finished her words, Yao Zhi picked up the bowl and took a sip. Although the taste was not as flavorful as the one she cooked, it was light and retained the richness of the chicken.

She nodded and drank a few more spoonfuls. Afterward, she picked up a piece of flower-shaped steamed cake and took a bite.

While the cake looked beautiful, the taste was the same as other steamed cakes. It was bland and dry. Even if she was not hungry, she still tried every dish prepared by Xue Ya’er.

Seeing her eating with a smile, Xue Ya’er heaved a sigh of relief.

As the host, she should have prepared a banquet to entertain the guests. But the condition in this place was truly limited. Even a great cook still needs ingredients to show her skills.

Fortunately, Lei Feng was not someone who put importance on these matters. Otherwise, she and her husband would have offended her with their lack of hospitality.

Not knowing that someone was overthinking things, Yao Zhi finished the last drop of chicken soup in her bowl and rinsed her mouth with the flower water prepared by the servants.

After the table was cleared, Xue Ya’er gestured for the servants to retreat from the hall. There was only Ling Ershi guarding the entrance and the two of them.

She placed the spatial ring given by Yao Zhi before on the table and said, "Young Master Lei, thank you for your help this time. It’s time for me to return this to you."

Raising her eyebrows, Yao Zhi asked, "Madam, if you return this to me, what about those things?"

"Young Master Lei, you don’t have to worry. My husband already transported those things to a safe place. Only he and his trusted aides know the location. No one would be able to use them to harm people," Xue Ya’er reassured her.

Hearing this, Yao Zhi smiled. She was right about Xue Ya’er.

Even though she was portrayed as a villainess in the original plot, she was actually a smart, kind-hearted, wise, loyal, and righteous person. She knew what she could and couldn’t do.

Most people would do everything to get their hands on a magical artifact. Even the so-called protagonists in those novels and dramas wouldn’t be able to miss out on such a good item.

In front of such temptation, Xue Ya’er still held onto her bottom line and kept her promise. This test she passed with a perfect score.

Yao Zhi pushed the spatial ring back to her and said, "Madam, once the spatial ring acknowledged the master, no one could remove the soul mark unless the current owner died."

Hearing this, Xue Ya’er was taken aback. She stared at her for a while before she said, "But, you only lent this to me."

"You can take it as a test," Yao Zhi smiled. After she took a sip of her tea, she continued, "Madam, my background is uncommon. So, for me to make a friend, I have to be more careful. I apologize for testing you like this."

After she heard her words, Xue Ya’er finally understood. She couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. "Young Master Lei, you don’t have to apologize to me. You did nothing wrong."

"Then, I will take it as Madam agrees to be my friend."

Xue Ya’er nodded. "Since we are now friends, can you tell me your real name?"

Yao Zhi already had her doubts that Xue Ya’er knew about her real gender. But it was only now that she confirmed it. It might be because her previous silicon mask was not as good as the skin mask given by the System, which exposed her.

But now that she had already confirmed Xue Ya’er had no bad intentions toward her and was a trustworthy person, she had no objection to telling her the truth.

"My name is Yao Zhi."

"Yao Zhi..." Xue Ya’er muttered her name softly before a realization dawned on her. She stared at her and said with a trace of disbelief, "So, you are really Squad Leader Fu’s wife."

"I am."

Yao Zhi’s straightforward manner on this matter was shocking but also delighted Xue Ya’er. Her willingness to reveal her identity showed that she trusted her.

Since she was young until now, Xue Ya’er had lots of acquaintances, but none were friends. Now that she finally had a friend, she vowed to cherish this friend of hers.

After she calmed down, she asked, "Did your husband know about your family’s background?"