Only after Master Xiao was out of sight did the two girls look away.
"Qiu Shui—"
The girl was about to say something when she saw Qiu Shui Yi Ren give a slight shake of her head. Confused, she stopped.
"Little Deer, you should head back too."
Without waiting for the girl to object, Qiu Shui Yi Ren continued, "There's only a little way left."
"I've walked it plenty of times."
"You don't need to worry."
A rare, gentle smile appeared on Qiu Shui Yi Ren's face.
Her features were delicate, and combined with her somewhat haughty air, they often made her seem rather sharp.
It was rare to see her wear an expression that wasn't so severe.
"You've been coming to keep me company these past few days. You must have had a lot less time to practice dancing."
Qiu Shui Yi Ren spoke with certainty.
"This is a crucial period for you."
"Instead of keeping me company, you should spend more time practicing."
The girl fell silent.
She knew Qiu Shui Yi Ren was right.
Lately, she had been keeping an eye on Qiu Shui Yi Ren while also trying to make up for all the practice she'd missed. It really was becoming too much.
She hadn't been without her complaints.
But she couldn't stop worrying about Qiu Shui Yi Ren. She was afraid Qiu Shui Yi Ren might do something reckless on her own, and if anything happened, she would never be able to forgive herself.
"You don't need to work so hard."
"Thank you for caring about me so much."
Qiu Shui Yi Ren spoke earnestly. "I know now when to go looking for Shang Yang."
"I won't do anything reckless."
"You don't need to keep watching me, either."
She knew why the girl had