A little later, on the streets of the riverside town.
Ye Jingtang walked along the street in a cloud-patterned young master's robe, a wicked cudgel concealed beneath it. The night breeze brushed his cheeks, making his body feel a little better.
But the thought that Heroine Luo would soon be tending to him only threw his mind into greater turmoil. He felt like an arrow longing to fly home.
The big bird, stuffed full, waddled at his feet to help its digestion, chirping all along the way, "Chirp, chirp, chirp..." It was telling him about seeing the demoness sister chasing someone again.
Ye Jingtang could roughly understand. He glanced a few times toward the hills across the river, but saw no sign of activity, so he went straight back to the little inn in the corner of town.
The inn's front door was already closed. Ye Jingtang vaulted over the wall and took the stairs to the second floor. After telling Niao Niao to go play on its own, he opened the door to the lamplit room.
"Ning'er, I'm back... Huh? Third Madam."
The door swung open, revealing the scene inside.
The canopy bed had been fitted with clean sheets and bedding, all neatly arranged, but there was no freshly washed darling Ning'er on it.
Beside the tea table by the window, Third Madam sat gracefully sideways with a teacup in her hand, having changed back into her pale yellow ruqun. Her hair was pinned up too, with the Flower-and-Bird Hairpin he had given her slanting through it, and her lips were painted a man-slaying shade of bright red.
A flicker of something unusual crossed Third Madam's eyes when the door opened, but she immediately recovered the elegance and composure befitting a female sect leader and set down her cup.