Jiang Zhi’s attacks were still fierce, each one aimed straight for Chen Shaobei’s face.

Chen Shaobei frowned. He handled her attacks with ease, staying purely on the defensive.

Finally, he found an opening, twisting Jiang Zhi’s arms behind her back and trapping her against him.

Jiang Zhi struggled fiercely, but she was no match for his strength.

Chen Shaobei looked down, staring into her eyes. "Are you insane? Why do you attack me every time you see me?"

"You treacherous villain, how dare you ask? I finally found a job, and you show up at my employer’s house, start a fight with me, and break the sandbag! My master used that as an excuse to kick me out!"

Jiang Zhi was furious. "I have no grudge against you, yet you sabotage me like this. It’s a wonder I don’t want to kill you!"

Chen Shaobei was confused. "Before I left, I clearly paid the housekeeper compensation in silver and explained that you weren’t at fault. How could you still have been kicked out?"

’Did the housekeeper pocket the silver?’

’It’s not impossible.’

Jiang Zhi snapped, "I don’t believe a word of your nonsense!"

Taking advantage of his distraction, she lifted her leg and stomped hard on the top of his foot.

Chen Shaobei cried out in pain and instantly let her go.

Jiang Zhi spun around, her hand chopping down like a blade.

"Brother... Brother Jiang!" Shen Ningning’s sweet, soft call stopped her in her tracks.

She turned her head and saw the little girl, surprised. "Little sister, what are you doing here?"

Shen Ningning quickly ran over and stood between her and Chen Shaobei, putting distance between them.

"Stop fighting, stop fighting! There must be a misunderstanding. Let’s go upstairs and talk while we eat, okay?"

Jiang Zhi was indeed hungry. She hadn’t eaten in two days, and the clothes she was wearing were scavenged.

She had just come to the tavern hoping to find some manual labor, but they weren’t hiring.

She thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

「A moment later, in a private room on the second floor.」

Jiang Zhi and Chen Shaobei sat across from each other at the round table, both looking displeased.

Jiang Zhi glared at him with disgust, while his gaze was chilly. He was annoyed by her unreasonableness—and his foot was throbbing from where she’d stomped on it!

Shen Ningning held up the menu, breaking the silence. "Should we get the braised pork with eggs?"

"Whatever," the two said in unison.

Despite their mutual dislike, they were surprisingly in sync.

Even Chen Ye couldn’t help but wipe away a cold sweat.

"Why are you copying me?" Jiang Zhi slammed her hand on the table.

Chen Shaobei’s brow furrowed. "Don’t be so arrogant. I already told you I paid compensation in silver. I didn’t know the housekeeper would pocket the money."

Jiang Zhi was incensed. "People from the Capital City are all this corrupt! You’re from the Capital City, so how could you not know?"

Chen Shaobei shot to his feet. "Stop being so unreasonable!"

Jiang Zhi stood up to face him, her presence just as imposing. "Who was it that started the bullying in the first place!?"

’Before, I was just minding my own business, carrying the sandbag. He just had to come over and provoke me, which is why the bag broke and my master scolded me and threw me out.’

In Jiang Zhi’s eyes, Chen Shaobei was the perfect example of a slyly malicious person from the Capital City.

Chen Ye quickly raised his hands to mediate, picking up the teapot. "My two heroes, calm down, calm down. You’re scaring the young miss."

Jiang Zhi and Chen Shaobei both turned to look at Shen Ningning at the same time.

The little girl held the menu up to cover her face below the nose, revealing only a pair of bright, sparkling eyes.

She watched the two of them with a lively expression. She didn’t look scared; it was more like she was quietly enjoying the show.

Still, out of respect for Shen Ningning, Jiang Zhi and Chen Shaobei sat down again, once more in perfect sync.

Shen Ningning lowered the menu, called for the waiter, and ordered a pile of dishes.

After the delicacies arrived, the little girl urged Jiang Zhi to eat more.

She was starving. She devoured two bowls of rice, and it still wasn’t enough.

She ate the entire roasted chicken by herself.

Chen Shaobei reached out with his chopsticks to take a piece of fish, but fearing she wouldn’t have enough, he pulled his hand back and drank his soup with a cool expression.

Shen Ningning quickly said, "You two eat up! If it’s not enough, we can order more. Ningning has money."

Jiang Zhi shook her head. "This is enough."

After she finished eating, she shot a sidelong glance at Chen Shaobei and asked Shen Ningning, "Little sister, you’re so nice. How do you know this bad guy?"

"Brother Chen Shaobei isn’t a bad guy!" Shen Ningning explained.

Jiang Zhi was surprised. "So, it was his family that threw you out and got your dress dirty?"

With that, her glare toward Chen Shaobei grew even more hostile.

Shen Ningning waved her little hands, her round face full of smiles. "That was all a misunderstanding! It’s in the past now!"

"But, Brother... Jiang, where are you staying now?"

Jiang Zhi seemed dejected.

"I was staying in a ruined temple outside the city, but a group of vagrants took it over. So I came into the city to wander around and live off odd jobs."

Chen Shaobei crossed his arms and spoke coldly, "You have impressive martial arts. Why not use them to apply for a position as a Protector?"

’How could I tell him it’s because I’m a woman?’

’Those prominent families inspect their Protectors before they’re hired. Of course, I can’t let anyone find out my identity.’

So, Jiang Zhi said angrily, "Nobody will hire me."

"It was my fault you lost that odd job. Since you feel wronged, why don’t I recommend a place for you?" Chen Shaobei said.

Jiang Zhi was ungrateful. "Thank you for the kind offer, but there’s no need. I’m not used to accepting favors."

Chen Shaobei snorted coldly. "You don’t know what’s good for you."

Fearing they would start arguing again, Shen Ningning quickly chimed in, "Brother Jiang, if you don’t have a place to stay, why don’t you stay at my home for now?"

Jiang Zhi was taken aback. "Your home?"

"Yes, I have an empty house in the village. My grandmother and I usually live up on the mountain, so you can stay there."

"Where is it located?"

"Xiangyun Village."

Jiang Zhi was astonished. "Don’t tell me you’re the legendary Little Wolf Girl from Xiangyun Village, the one who can command a pack of wolves?"

Shen Ningning’s round, pink cheeks flushed as she laughed, a little embarrassed. "Has the story really spread that far?"

’It really is her!’

Jiang Zhi hurriedly grabbed her hand, saying excitedly, "My good sister, to run with wolves... you have true spirit! I admire people like you!"

’She looks as cute and pretty as a little rabbit, with her chubby, round face.’

’But when she commands the wolf pack, she’s incredibly majestic. Who wouldn’t love a cutie like this?’

Chen Shaobei saw Jiang Zhi grab Shen Ningning’s small hand and start caressing it.

’If Mo Lingwei saw this, there’s no telling how upset he’d be.’

So, for his friend’s sake, he frowned and said, "Your hands are so dirty. Can you not touch her?"

Jiang Zhi hissed through gritted teeth, turning to glare at him. "Ningning and I have a connection. What are you getting so worked up about?"

Shen Ningning smiled and patted her. "Alright, alright, it’s settled then. Brother Jiang, you’ll stay at my village house for now. I’ll take you back with me in a little while."

After they finished their meal and left the tavern, Chen Shaobei bid them farewell.

Before leaving, he called Shen Ningning aside to speak with her privately.

"Miss Shen, I advise you to be wary of Jiang Zhi." When he’d heard her name, Chen Shaobei had assumed it was ’Zhi’ as in ’to stop’—a character typically used in men’s names.

Shen Ningning didn’t understand. "Why?"

Chen Shaobei analyzed in a low voice, "His surname is Jiang, and he uses the Unstoppable Fist. It’s highly likely he’s Jiang Xiaofeng’s son."

Fearing Shen Ningning didn’t know who Jiang Xiaofeng was, Chen Shaobei gave a brief explanation.

"Years ago, the Pingzhou area was plagued by pirates. They took advantage of the complex riverways to frequently hijack passing ships. Because they were cunning and difficult to capture, the pirates’ power grew more and more severe."

"The Emperor sent troops many times, but the officials’ methods were different from the pirates’, and they let them escape several times. So, the court offered amnesty, recruiting the most famous bandit leader in Pingzhou at the time to deal with the pirates, promising him a high-ranking position and a generous salary."

’Fighting fire with fire was a common tactic for the court.’

"This bandit leader was named Jiang Xiaofeng. His fist techniques were superb and his martial arts were formidable; people in the martial world called him the bandit king. He quickly agreed to the court’s arrangement and crushed the pirates."

"But later..." Chen Shaobei paused.

Shen Ningning was engrossed in the story. "What happened later?"

Chen Shaobei sighed, a hint of regret in his voice. "After the drought, the pirates on the riverways were easily defeated and fell apart even faster. The court decided Jiang Xiaofeng was no longer useful."

"So, at the joint recommendation of Minister Wei and several other ministers, the court had Jiang Xiaofeng and his men—who had come to receive their rewards and titles—all executed on the pretext of disturbing the peace in Pingzhou."

Shen Ningning was slightly stunned to hear this.

’Jiang Xiaofeng had been overjoyed, thinking he could transform from a bandit into a meritorious official of the court.’

’He thought he was coming to claim a reward, never suspecting that he was leading his brothers into a tragic, inescapable trap.’

Chen Shaobei said, "I heard he had a son whose whereabouts are unknown, who most likely escaped. And this Jiang Zhi is very possibly Jiang Xiaofeng’s descendant."

As he said this, he glanced at Jiang Zhi in the distance.

She was chewing on a chicken bone, making a loud CRUNCHING sound.

Seeing Chen Shaobei look over, she huffed and complained to Chen Ye, "Believe it or not, he’s definitely bad-mouthing me."

Chen Ye gave a helpless smile.