Obtaining Top Art on Family's Extermination Night

The young man seemed to sense Fang Shuwen’s unfriendly gaze and couldn’t help but look up.

But the moment his eyes landed on Fang Shuwen’s face, he saw that Fang Shuwen was already wearing an exceptionally kind smile. He nodded at Fang Lingxin.

"Miss Fang?

"Long time no see... I didn’t expect to run into you here."

Fang Lingxin nodded repeatedly, a look of pleasant surprise on her face.

"Yes, Brother Fang, what are you doing here?"

Before Fang Shuwen could speak, Shopkeeper Sun said with a smile:

"You two are old acquaintances?

"This young brother is also heading to Pojun City... I was just inviting him to travel with us."

"That’s wonderful!"

Fang Lingxin was instantly overjoyed.

"You and Sister Zhou left in such a hurry last time. I still have so much I wanted to tell you.

"This time, we have to have a good, long chat!"

Fang Shuwen gave a dry laugh. ’I haven’t even agreed yet, and she’s already made plans for me?’

He hesitated, mainly because he was worried that he and Shui Qianrou would end up implicating others. But looking at Fang Lingxin and the weapon-carrying young man before him, he felt he couldn’t just leave them be...

The main reason was Fang Lingxin. Why wasn’t she staying with the Fang Family in Guangning City? Why was she out here with some unidentified young man, and heading to Pojun City of all places?

How could that put his mind at ease?

In the end, he sighed internally and decided to accept Shopkeeper Sun’s invitation.

’If someone really does come looking for trouble, with my Martial Arts, can’t I protect them?’

He immediately nodded.

"Alright. Since Shopkeeper Sun has so graciously invited me, it would be rude to refuse."

Shopkeeper Sun nodded again and again.

"Excellent, excellent. We’ll set out first thing tomorrow morning. What do you think, young brother?"

"Fine."

And just like that, with a few words, the matter was settled.

Shopkeeper Sun’s party and Fang Shuwen were staying at the same inn. Seeing that Fang Shuwen had agreed, Fang Lingxin invited him to her room to catch up.

The young man carrying the weapons had no interest in this.

"You can catch up. I’m going back to my room to rest."

After saying that, he went upstairs by himself.

Fang Lingxin didn’t try to stop him and smilingly led Fang Shuwen and the others to her room.

Seeing this, Fang Shuwen breathed a small sigh of relief. ’From the looks of it... this kid probably isn’t some young punk she’s gotten mixed up with.’

The three of them—two adults and one child—sat down, and Fang Shuwen asked:

"It’s been almost half a year since we parted ways in Guangning City. Are your father and mother well?"

"They’re doing fine."

As Fang Lingxin said this, her face betrayed a hint of guilt.

Fang Shuwen noticed the change in her expression and tapped his finger on the table.

"Then how did you end up here?"

If Fang Mingxuan and his wife were fine, why would they let their own daughter wander the Jianghu alone?

’Alright, she isn’t exactly wandering the Jianghu alone. She has that other one with her...’

Fang Lingxin looked completely sheepish, her initial joy at seeing Fang Shuwen gone. She felt that this Brother Fang sitting before her was even more stern than her own father.

She took a sip of tea to hide her awkwardness, then said:

"Brother Fang... if I told you I secretly ran away from home, would you scold me?"

Fang Shuwen tried to organize his words, starting and stopping several times, before finally letting out a helpless sigh:

"How reckless..."

Fang Lingxin blinked her eyes. Seeing that she wasn’t being scolded, she relaxed and began to pour out her troubles to Fang Shuwen.

"Brother Fang, you really can’t blame me.

"After what happened those two times, my parents won’t even let me out of the house. I was honestly going crazy cooped up at home.

"Then... then on an impulse... I just secretly ran away."

When Shui Qianrou heard this, she immediately felt she had found a kindred spirit.

"Sister, you secretly ran away too?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Fang Lingxin started, looking at Shui Qianrou.

"What do you mean... ’too’? Don’t tell me you..."

Shui Qianrou nodded quickly.

"Yes, yes! I secretly ran away too!"

In that instant, the two girls, one older and one younger, felt an immediate sense of camaraderie.

Listening from the side, Fang Shuwen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’One after another... why are they all so much trouble?’

’To hear them talk, they’re not ashamed of running away from home—they’re proud of it!’

Fang Shuwen couldn’t help but tap the table lightly.

"That’s enough. Do you two have any idea how dangerous the Jianghu is? Running away just like that.

"What would you do if you ran into danger?"

At his words, both of them shrank back.

There was no need to mention Shui Qianrou... the dangers she had faced were terrifying. The slightest misstep would have led to an obscure death.

But surprisingly, Fang Lingxin didn’t argue back, which Fang Shuwen found a little unexpected.

He glanced at Fang Lingxin.

"Have you ever thought about how worried your parents would be, not being able to find you after you ran away like this?"

"I... I left them a letter."

Fang Lingxin answered in a small voice, her tone filled with guilt.

’How did this situation get so strange?’

’She’d imagined that running into an old friend on her travels would involve drinking, cheerful conversation, and grand discussions about the ways of the world.’

’So why is it that after a few words from Fang Shuwen, I suddenly feel like I can’t even lift my head?’

Seeing her like this, Fang Shuwen couldn’t bring himself to be too harsh.

After a sigh, he finally asked:

"Who was that young man from before?"

Seeing that Fang Shuwen wasn’t pressing the issue, Fang Lingxin let out a sigh of relief and said with a smile:

"He’s the one who saved my life!"

"Saved your life?"

A cold sneer tugged at the corner of Fang Shuwen’s mouth.