What Meaning Would Any of This Have Without You?

Su Yu spoke with an excited grin. This was exactly the sort of thing he loved doing.

Su Qingxue pondered for a moment before saying, "You entered the Demon-Suppression Bureau using his special pardon writ. Although no one at the Demon-Suppression Bureau said anything outright, his existence will always be a hidden danger to you."

"Only when he is gone will your position in the Demon-Suppression Bureau be secure."

Su Yu smiled at that, making a slicing gesture across his throat. "Sis, is that what you mean?"

"If possible, that would naturally be best," Su Qingxue said flatly. "If not, drive him out of the Demon-Suppression Bureau. Leave the rest to me."

Before this, she naturally would not have needed to go to such lengths.

But now, she had no choice.

Xu Ye was a Demon-Suppression Guard of the Demon-Suppression Bureau, an official position. Naturally, they could not act against him openly.

"Understood. Leave this matter to me!" Su Yu thumped his chest in assurance.

Only then did Su Qingxue nod slightly.

Meanwhile, Xu Ye had already returned to his little house.

The incident on the road had done him no harm. On the contrary, it had confirmed something for him.

Although the Su Family held great power in White Cloud County,

they still could not go head-to-head with the Demon-Suppression Bureau.

At the very least, they would no longer dare attack him openly.

As for the shadows, Xu Ye was not afraid either. With a first-rank cultivation technique in hand, it was only a matter of time before he grew stronger. The Su Family's dirty tricks might not be enough to frighten him then.

As for Xu Zhizhi's safety, Xu Ye had even less to worry about.

As long as Xu Ye did not die, Xu Zhizhi would also be protected by the Demon-Suppression Bureau.

The Su Family would not lightly make a move against Xu Zhizhi either.

To him, this was the greatest meaning of joining the Demon-Suppression Bureau.

"Brother, you're back?" As Xu Ye was thinking this and about to knock, Xu Zhizhi opened the door from inside.

Clearly, the little girl had been worried about him and keeping watch outside.

Xu Ye smiled. "I'm back."

Xu Zhizhi hurriedly welcomed Xu Ye in with a smile. "I've already made dinner. I was just waiting for you, Brother."

Xu Ye swept his gaze over the room. Two dishes now sat on the simple little table.

They were plain, but their colors looked appetizing.

There was no meat, though.

Xu Ye smiled. "Zhizhi, you're still growing. This is when you need to eat meat. Next time you buy groceries, you can buy more meat."

Xu Zhizhi pinched the hem of her skirt and said timidly, "But meat is very expensive. I don't have enough money, and we still have to live in the future. We should save where we can."

For no reason at all, Xu Ye's heart ached at her words.

Xu Zhizhi was simply too sensible.

So sensible that it broke one's heart.

How could he possibly let his little sister suffer?

Xu Ye immediately led Xu Zhizhi to the table and sat down. Taking a breath, he said, "Zhizhi, I want to tell you something."

Seeing her brother suddenly turn serious, Xu Zhizhi froze. "What is it, Brother? Are we moving?"

Living in White Cloud County required money.

Their monthly expenses were not small.

When their father was still alive, they had been able to live without worry on the salary from the Demon-Suppression Bureau.

But now their father was dead, and they had not received any compensation from the Demon-Suppression Bureau at all.

The only special pardon writ had also been forcibly bought away by the Su Family.

Xu Zhizhi thought they could no longer afford to keep living here.

Xu Ye was slightly taken aback. He had not even spoken yet.

Xu Zhizhi smiled. "It's fine if we move. We can live after leaving White Cloud County too. Wherever Brother is, that's where I'll be. Wherever we are together, that's our home."

She did not care at all if she had to suffer.

All she cared about was whether she could stay with her brother.

Seeing this, Xu Ye said, "We don't need to move."

Xu Zhizhi tilted her head. "Then what is it?"

Xu Ye said nothing. He took the bundle from his back, placed it on the table, and opened it. The black robe of a Demon-Suppression Guard lay quietly inside.

Then, Xu Ye placed the Demon-Suppression Bureau token on the table as well.

"What is this?" Xu Zhizhi was initially still a little confused.

Xu Ye said, "Zhizhi, I'm sorry I didn't discuss it with you beforehand. I've now become a Demon-Suppression Guard of the Demon-Suppression Bureau."

"What?" Xu Zhizhi reacted fiercely. She shot to her feet, and her eyes immediately reddened.

Others might have been delighted to hear that they had joined the Demon-Suppression Bureau as Demon-Suppression Guards.

But Xu Zhizhi could not be happy. All she felt was fear and panic.

Their father had only just died.

Now Xu Ye had become a Demon-Suppression Guard too. How could she not be afraid?

"Brother! What is going on?" Xu Zhizhi struggled to hold back her emotions.

Xu Ye sighed. He had expected this reaction.

He immediately explained everything to her.

After hearing Xu Ye out, Xu Zhizhi held back her tears. "Brother, why did you still join the Demon-Suppression Bureau?"

She was not surprised at all that Xu Ye could join the Demon-Suppression Bureau.

Because in her eyes, her brother could do anything.

The reason she was reacting so strongly was because she was terrified.

"Zhizhi, listen to me..." Xu Ye sighed, trying to comfort her.

But Xu Zhizhi shook her head, and her tears burst forth like a breached dam. "Do you know what kind of place the Demon-Suppression Bureau is? Father is already gone. You're all I have left. If something happens to you too, what am I supposed to do? Sob..."

As she cried, Xu Zhizhi choked out, "Brother, I'm not afraid of hardship. We don't have to live here. We can find a little village and settle down. I can grow vegetables. We won't starve to death. We can live well. I just don't want you to enter the Demon-Suppression Bureau and risk your life like Father did."

Seeing Xu Zhizhi like this, Xu Ye's heart ached terribly. He hurriedly said, "Zhizhi, things aren't as simple as you think. We can't leave now. This world is like this. There are many things we can't decide for ourselves."

"If we want to live well, we have to keep moving forward. Do you understand?"

"Was it that woman who came last time? She doesn't want to let us go?" Xu Zhizhi asked, her eyes red.

Xu Ye nodded slightly.

Xu Zhizhi felt even more wronged. "What more do they want? We already gave them what Father left behind. Why won't they let us go?"

Xu Ye sighed. "Zhizhi, this world is like this. If we are weaker than others, they can trample us whenever they please. That's why I joined the Demon-Suppression Bureau. I want us both to live well."

Xu Zhizhi's eyes were red, her voice choked with sobs. "But... but..."

Xu Ye rubbed Xu Zhizhi's head. "I'm doing this so we can stay alive, so we can live well. Do you understand?"

"Brother... am I holding you back... Sob..." Xu Zhizhi threw herself into Xu Ye's arms and began to cry loudly.

Xu Ye patted her back. "How could you be holding me back?"

"What I'm doing isn't entirely for you. It's for myself too."

At that, Xu Ye smiled. "If I didn't have you, what meaning would any of this have?"

Hearing that, Xu Zhizhi fully understood what Xu Ye meant.

But she simply could not stop her tears. "But you're all I have, Brother. I don't want you to be in danger. I don't want you to end up like Father."