Wind Chime's Vigil

Yang Ning slowly stood up, brushed some grass clippings off his hands, and said to Dong Xiaojie, "Senior Sister Dong, I have a pretty good idea of what's going on. However, it's getting late today. I'll report this to the Law Enforcement Hall first thing tomorrow morning."

Dong Xiaojie nodded, "That's for the best, it's safer. " She paused, a look of concern on her face. "But Boss Yang, just in case, I won't go back tonight. I'll meditate in the main room of your shop and keep watch for you. Don't worry, you can go to the inner room and sleep soundly. I won't disturb you."

Hearing this, Yang Ning quickly waved his hands in refusal, "This... how could I possibly impose on you like this? It's too much trouble, Senior Sister Dong!"

Dong Xiaojie smiled, her tone sincere, "Boss Yang, we've known each other for a long time. We can be considered friends. Seeing a friend in trouble, in danger, how could I, Dong Xiaojie, just sit by and do nothing, and go back to sleep soundly by myself?"

At this moment, her mind unexpectedly flashed back to how her Master, Shi Xuanfei, had acted strangely towards Yang Ning earlier that day, with an unusual affection. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"Besides..." she began, then stopped.

"Besides what?" Yang Ning pressed.

Dong Xiaojie shook her head, pushing those speculations aside. She waved her hand, "It's nothing. Don't worry, I actually need to find a quiet place to cultivate tonight and consolidate my cultivation anyway. Boss Yang, you don't need to refuse anymore."

Seeing Dong Xiaojie's resolute expression and sincere tone, Yang Ning knew that further refusal would seem pretentious. He could only nod, reluctantly agreeing.

"Alright... then, I'll have to trouble you, Senior Sister Dong."

"It's no trouble at all, Boss Yang. You're too kind."

Afterward, the two turned and walked back up the stone steps they had come from. Before long, they returned to the mountaintop. The familiar silhouette of the Myriad Things Come shop stood quietly in the night, a warm glow from a kerosene lamp emanating from the window. Although there was a noisy generator in the adjacent storage room, it was too rudimentary, and the electricity could barely maintain the freezer. Therefore, daily lighting still relied on kerosene lamps.

"Boss Yang, in your shop... is someone there?" Dong Xiaojie asked, looking at the light with some confusion.

Yang Ning was also slightly taken aback. He raised his hand and scratched his head, a hint of uncertainty on his face. "At this hour... could it be..."

Yang Ning and Dong Xiaojie walked to the shop entrance. Yang Ning reached out and gently pushed open the familiar wooden door.

"Clatter—"

A crisp and pleasant wind chime immediately rang out, breaking the surrounding silence.

Yang Ning looked up. Xu Yinyin, who had been lying on the counter, seemingly asleep, suddenly lifted her head like a startled fawn, her eyes snapping open and instantly fixing on the doorway.

"Boss!" She immediately sprang up from her stool. Her previously sleepy eyes became incredibly bright the moment she saw Yang Ning, reflecting the warm and soft glow of the kerosene lamp, as if stars had fallen into them.

"You're back!"

A brilliant smile bloomed on Xu Yinyin's face. As if presenting a treasure, she immediately picked up a can of Yang Ning's favorite cola, which had been prepared and placed within her reach. She quickly walked up to him and handed it over with both hands.

Yang Ning looked at Xu Yinyin before him. A clear red mark from lying on her face for too long was still visible on her left cheek. One of her arms seemed to be experiencing numbness due to prolonged pressure from her head, and she was subtly moving it in an unnatural way, trying to relieve the sensation.

A surge of guilt instantly welled up in his heart. He took the cold can of cola and said with self-reproach, "It's my fault. I was in such a hurry when I left this morning that I forgot to tell you. If I wasn't back by sunset, you should have just closed up and gone home. You didn't need to wait."

Hearing this, Xu Yinyin hurriedly waved her hands, repeatedly saying, "It's okay, it's really okay! Anyway, I'd just be cultivating alone when I got back, it's the same wherever I am. Since I was at the shop... I could... I could also keep an eye on the store for you." Her voice trailed off as she spoke.

Dong Xiaojie, standing beside them, naturally recognized Xu Yinyin. Every year, the sect held sparring matches between the various peaks. Although Xu Yinyin was young, she had already made a name for herself in the competition for the new generation of cultivators in the past two years, leaving a deep impression on disciples from all peaks.

She watched the scene unfolding before her—Xu Yinyin's undisguised joy, and the astonishing brightness in her eyes as she looked at Yang Ning. Recalling her Master Shi Xuanfei's abnormal behavior and distinctly different attitude towards Yang Ning today... Dong Xiaojie's gaze swept back and forth between Yang Ning and Xu Yinyin, and she couldn't help but sigh inwardly for her Master: 'Master, oh Master... it seems your path is destined to be arduous, with enemies lurking everywhere...'

She cleared her throat at an opportune moment, breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere. Yang Ning then reacted and quickly introduced them to each other, "This is Senior Sister Dong Xiaojie from Jade Maiden Peak, and also a customer I delivered goods to today."

"This is Xu Yinyin, the direct disciple of Hall Master Yun from the Law Enforcement Hall."

Xu Yinyin immediately shed her youthful demeanor she had shown towards Yang Ning and respectfully cupped her hands towards Dong Xiaojie, offering a well-placed compliment, "Greetings, Senior Sister Dong. At last year's sect competition, your feat of fighting against three elite disciples from Beast Taming Peak alone is still vividly remembered by this junior sister. Senior Sister Dong is known as one of the 'Twin Stars' of Jade Maiden Peak, along with Senior Sister's second sister, and your fame precedes you. This junior sister has long admired you."