Page 7

"Don't worry. Doudou is a lucky girl. She'll come back."

"But, but..." It was a Demonic Cultivator! Doctor Tao's eyes were red. He looked ready to cry.

"Get some rest, and don't do anything rash. I'll go look for her."

"Fairy Qiao!" Doctor Tao grabbed Qiao Ranran's sleeve, his face strained. "It's too dangerous!"

When he'd seen Qiao Ranran, he'd felt as though he'd found a lifeline. But he knew she had no reason to put herself in danger for a child taken by a Demonic Cultivator. He had no idea what to do and was beside himself.

"It's all right. I'm just going to take a look." Qiao Ranran smiled and gently freed her sleeve. "I'll scout around, not rush in. If I need help, I'll ask for it. You've called me Fairy Qiao for so long, Doctor Tao. You should trust that I have my ways."

She didn't, really. She only knew the story and knew Tao Doudou would be safe. All she could do was take a walk, find the girl a little sooner, and spare her some suffering.

Fortunately, when Qiao Ranran had visited Clear Spring Town before, she'd heard what had happened and gone to inspect the place where the Demonic Cultivator was eventually killed, hoping to find something left behind. She knew where it was and had a rough idea where to look for Tao Doudou.

She didn't know how the little girl had escaped, though, so she wasn't in a great hurry. After reassuring Doctor Tao, she went to report it to the County Office. Others only suspected a Demonic Cultivator, but she knew for certain. She hoped the officials would take it seriously and, at the very least, prevent any more children from being taken before cultivators capable of handling the matter arrived.

Besides, she had never thought knowing the story meant she could rest easy. The butterfly effect could be frightening. One thing she did know: from the moment she woke in Clear Feather Sect's main hall, everything would be different. At the very least, she would no longer be the fool everyone led around by the nose.

Qiao Ranran rubbed her nose. She might still make new mistakes, but she could at least avoid making the same ones again.

When she found another medicinal herb tucked into the corner of a hollow tree, she began to wonder whether her luck had changed. Usually, she could search the mountains for half a day and find nothing. This time, she hadn't gone far before finding several herbs of decent age. It was an unexpected delight.

Doudou was clever, but she was only three. After escaping from the Demonic Cultivator amid the chaos, she had no idea where she was. She'd picked a direction on instinct and spent three days lost in the woods. Qiao Ranran had no way of knowing what had happened during that time.

So Qiao Ranran was surprised when she found a bedraggled Tao Doudou in the woods with a young boy. When Tao Doudou had been rescued in her previous life, there had been no boy with her.

The boy noticed Qiao Ranran as she approached and immediately shielded Tao Doudou behind him. When Qiao Ranran stepped out of the shade, he relaxed for an instant, then stared at her tensely, his whole body taut.

Clearly, he was relieved she wasn't one of their pursuers, but wary because he had no idea who she was.

Before Qiao Ranran could introduce herself or explain why she was there, Tao Doudou struggled to peek out from behind the boy. The instant she saw Qiao Ranran, her big eyes lit up. "Sister Qiao!"

She wriggled free of the boy's protection and hurtled into Qiao Ranran's arms like a little cannonball.

Qiao Ranran: "..." Good thing I'd kept up with my training. Getting knocked over by a three-year-old would be embarrassing.

Qiao Ranran stroked the back of Tao Doudou's head. "You must have been frightened. Are you hurt? Hungry?" she asked softly. She opened her bundle and handed Doudou a white-flour bun.

Doudou took the bun and looked at Qiao Ranran, then at the boy. "Doudou wasn't scared, and Doudou isn't hurt. Bad people took me away, but this big brother helped me escape. Doudou isn't hungry, so can I give him the bun?"

The boy gave a cold laugh. "Don't flatter yourself. I never meant to take you with me." The little squirt had latched onto him while he was fleeing. He was injured and couldn't move fast, which was the only reason her short legs had managed to keep up.

She'd followed him the whole way, and he couldn't shake her off.

And who wanted her bun, anyway?

No sooner had the boy spoken than his stomach let out a loud growl.

Qiao Ranran: "..."

The boy seemed to believe that as long as he kept a straight face, nothing could embarrass him. But Qiao Ranran caught the bashfulness in his eyes. That was how a boy his age ought to look. She couldn't help thinking of the boy she'd rescued earlier. He had been so composed he hardly seemed young at all. Who knew what he had been through?

Perhaps Qiao Ranran's faint smile got under the boy's skin. He snorted, turned, and started to leave.

Then someone grabbed his leg again. He knew the move well. Every time he'd tried to leave the little squirt behind, she'd thrown herself at his leg and chattered, "Big brother, don't go! I saw that you're hurt. Sister Qiao is amazing—she can treat you! And my dad's in town. I'll ask him to find some immortal masters to beat up those bad people! Don't be scared! Doudou will protect you!"

The boy: "..." What had I done to deserve all this at my age?

Qiao Ranran's smile deepened. Doudou had him trapped. He wanted to leave and was plainly irritated, yet he took care not to hurt her. He looked prickly and hard to get along with, but he was a gentle child.

And Tao Doudou was a sensitive child. Someone she chose to cling to couldn't be all bad.