"Grab it."

-----

-----

Lu Xian and Lu Xueqi stopped simultaneously, their gazes falling upon the pitiful little figure below.

Little girl?  

Little beggar?  

Little girl?   

Lu Xian was momentarily stunned. He had just stepped out to do some shopping with Lu Xueqi. Was this truly such a coincidence?

The one clutching the hem of Lu Xueqi's skirt was a small girl with two pigtails. Her clothes were tattered and patched, and even her shoes had holes revealing her toes. Her face was smudged with dirt, yet her large eyes shone with the pure brilliance of black gemstones.

"Get away, get away! Why are you begging here again? Don't loiter at the entrance of our restaurant; you're affecting our business!" The waiter, noticing the two distinguished guests who had just spent a considerable sum of gold and silver being bothered by the familiar little beggar at the door, hurried out with a displeased expression to shoo her away. Wouldn't this tarnish their restaurant's image?

The little girl, startled by the waiter's harsh demeanor, released her grip on the skirt hem. She looked at him with grievance, retreating in fear. Tears welled up in her large, watery eyes as she timidly walked away alone, appearing utterly lonely and pathetic.

Her small back looked frail and isolated. With her head lowered, she walked timidly down the street, hastily avoiding the occasional passerby, moving farther and farther away.

Lu Xian withdrew his gaze from her retreating figure and glanced at Lu Xueqi beside him. She was still intently watching the little girl's back as she disappeared into the distance.

"I thought you would be overflowing with sympathy and immediately take her into your arms, inquiring about her well-being and caring for her," Lu Xian said with a hint of surprise.

Lu Xueqi was known for her kindness and simple heart. Such a scene should have deeply disturbed her, yet she seemed lost in thought. What could she be contemplating?   "I want to help her, but I can't truly help her..."

She lowered her head, a sense of unhappiness washing over her. She was acutely aware of her origin in another world. She didn't possess an endless supply of time-traveling talismans to bring this pitiful little girl back to Qingyun and provide for her care.

The most she could realistically do was offer the little girl a meal to satisfy her hunger. However, in the future, the child would inevitably return to begging on the streets, facing the same disdain and being driven away from shops and restaurants, leading a life punctuated by hunger and brief moments of fullness.

The little girl's only desire was to fill her stomach; she was oblivious to the larger context. The waiter was merely trying to protect the restaurant's business. No one was inherently wrong.

This kind of situation was unbearable for her to witness, yet she felt powerless to change it.

Even in the prosperous Yandu of this other world, it was evident that not every citizen was adequately fed and clothed.

What, then, of her own world?

With demons running rampant and unchecked, how difficult must life be for the common people?

She now understood to some extent what Lu Xian had mentioned in the group previously, urging her to descend the mountain to experience more of the mortal realm and witness the world's warmth and coldness firsthand.

Punishing evil, aiding the weak, and walking among mortals were the very things she should be doing upon descending the mountain. While Qingyun was a sanctuary, it also shielded its disciples too effectively from the harsh realities of the world outside its gates.

Immortals should not be cultivated in such isolation!   ...

"Actually... it's not entirely that we can't help."

Lu Xian, unaware of the depth of her thoughts but noticing her current melancholic expression, offered a gentle reassurance. "Encountering her could be seen as a form of destiny. In fact, we could take her back with us and let Ye Hei look after her."

"Fellow Daoist Ye Fan?"

"Wouldn't this cause him trouble?"

Lu Xueqi frowned slightly. The idea had crossed her mind earlier, but she felt it was inappropriate.

She vividly recalled Lu Xian mentioning in the group that Ye Fan was in a precarious situation, constantly being hunted in his early days. Asking him to care for a little girl in such circumstances would be irresponsible for both their lives.

Furthermore, did this imply that every time they encountered someone in need, they would burden Ye Fan with their care?

"If it were any other little girl, it would indeed be a burden for Ye Hei, but she is different. Her identity is not simple," Lu Xian stated.

"Identity? What is her identity?" Lu Xueqi asked, her voice filled with doubt.

"In short, she's no ordinary person..."

Lu Xian retrieved a roast chicken wrapped in oil paper from his ring, shaking it with a grin. "Let's go. Let's go and 'kidnap' the little girl."

"..."

Lu Xueqi rolled her eyes at his antics. Just as she was contemplating the situation seriously, he reverted to his usual frivolous behavior.

Seeing Lu Xian chasing after the little girl with what appeared to be mischievous intent, she felt a surge of worry and quickly followed him.   The little girl shivered as she walked down the street, wondering where she could find food to quell her hunger. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her, their hands under her armpits, lifting her off the ground. She was then gently weighed and held in a warm embrace.

A wave of panic washed over her. She timidly raised her head, meeting a handsome face attempting a fierce expression.

"Little ghost, from this moment on, you are kidnapped by me!"

"Woo~"

Upon hearing this, the corners of the little girl's mouth turned downward, and tears began to well up in her large, dark eyes.

She opened her mouth, ready to cry, but a large chicken leg was suddenly placed in her mouth.

"Woo~ Baji Baji~~~"

It smelled so delicious!

Clutching the large chicken leg with both hands, she took big bites, suppressing her tears as she secretly glanced at the older brother holding her. He was accompanied by an older sister who seemed kind – the same two people she had encountered at the restaurant door moments ago.

"Why are you trying to scare her?"

Lu Xueqi glared at Lu Xian with disapproval, stepping forward to gently touch the little girl's head. The frost that had perpetually clung to her face for years melted away like the first snow, and she consciously softened her expression to appear more friendly.

"Little sister, don't be afraid. We are not bad people."

"Nannan knows," the little girl nodded, still holding the large chicken leg. Bad people wouldn't give her food.

"Nannan? Is that your name? Why are you still searching for food alone outside at night? Don't you have any relatives to care for you?"

Little Nannan chewed on the chicken leg. Hearing the older sister's question, her large black eyes became somewhat lost, and she shook her head in confusion. "Nannan doesn't remember. It seems she has forgotten many things. She doesn't know where she came from or where she is going. Others have relatives, but Nannan doesn't. Everyone bullies Nannan. Nannan is very lonely, very sad, and very scared."

As she spoke of her sadness, the little girl's eyes reddened, and she was on the verge of tears, but she held them back, refusing to let them fall.

What a poor child...

Lu Xueqi felt a stinging sensation in her nose and a deep sense of unease. It was difficult for her to imagine the hardships and pitiful experiences this young child had already endured...

Hadn't Lu Xian mentioned that she had a special identity?   Why had she suffered through all of this?   "Let's head back first. We've been out for quite a while. Ye Hei and the others will be waiting anxiously..."

Lu Xian spoke softly. Lu Xueqi hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. Since the little girl had no relatives, taking her along seemed like the right thing to do. She summoned the Tianya Sword, and the three of them together rode its light, soon soaring away into the bustling city.

"Big brother, where are you taking Nannan?"

This was the first time the little girl had flown. She didn't dare to look down at all, shrinking into Lu Xian's arms like an ostrich.

"Of course, we're going to kidnap Nannan and sell her to work in a black-hearted factory," Lu Xian said, his mischievous smile returning as he teased the little girl in his arms.

The little girl timidly raised her head. "But... I think big brother is a good person..."

"I don't care what you think; I only care about what I think!"

"Woo~"

The little girl was on the verge of tears again. "Big brother, please don't sell Nannan! Nannan will be very obedient; she will wash clothes and mop the floor..."

"You really are..." Lu Xueqi turned back in exasperation. This bastard, I really want to kick him in the mouth so that he never utters such nonsense again.

"....."