Red Heart Patrols the Sky

As the only large city within a hundred miles, houses in Fenglin City were of course not cheap.

The financial aid from Ling He was like a drop in the bucket, and Jiang Wang himself had no savings. But luckily, there was still a rich master.

Jiang Wang went straight to Zhao Rucheng with Jiang Anan in his arms.

"Give me some silver," Jiang Wang cut to the chase.

Zhao Rucheng was eyeing Jiang Anan with amusement when he heard this and casually said, "How much do you want?"

"How much silver tael would I need to buy a small courtyard near the Dao Institute? It's just for my sister and me to live in."

"Why bother buying a courtyard? Can't you just live here with me? I have so many empty rooms," Zhao Rucheng winked at Jiang Anan, first with the left eye, then the right, occasionally flashing a self-perceived handsome smile. Of course, his looks were indeed fairly handsome.

After glancing at Jiang Anan, Jiang Wang said, "We need a place of our own."

It didn't matter where he himself lived, but it was different for little Anan. The young girl had just been sent here, and no matter how strong she appeared on the outside, she couldn't help but feel fragile and sensitive inside.

"Oh." Zhao Rucheng stroked his chin and thought for a moment, "I think my family has several houses near the Dao Institute, let me ask."

He turned his head and called, "Uncle Deng!"

Soon, a mild-mannered middle-aged man entered, bowing meticulously, "Young Master."

"Do we have a suitable house near the Dao Institute? Free up one and hand the deeds over to my third brother."

The housekeeper addressed as Uncle Deng replied, "There's no need to go through the trouble of freeing up any; we currently have three vacant ones. Which one would you like?"

Zhao Rucheng looked to Jiang Wang, "Third brother, what do you think?"

Jiang Wang gave the housekeeper a warm smile, "Thank you, Uncle Deng. The house doesn't need to be too big, just for Anan and me to live in. The most important thing is it's close to the Dao Institute, so I can easily go home to be with her."

The housekeeper returned the smile, "There is a small courtyard in Feima Alley just behind the Dao Institute, but I'm not sure if its arrangement will be to your liking."

"Let's go check it out!" exclaimed Zhao Rucheng immediately, "Just give me the keys."

Although Jiang Anan was not very talkative and did not interact much with others, her porcelain-doll-like little face naturally endeared her to people.

All the way there, Zhao Rucheng couldn't stop teasing her.

"Anan, do you think your Ru Cheng brother or your Wang brother is more handsome? Ah, I posed a question with no validity; how can there be a comparison?"

"Anan, Anan, do you see the candied haws over there? Come to my arms, and we'll buy the whole bunch! How about it?"

"Anan, do you know you're quite heavy? Look how chubby you are! Your brother's hands are about to break! Won't you let your Ru Cheng brother hold you for a while?"

Little Anan remained silent until she heard this and then tilted her head to look at Jiang Wang.

"Are you tired?" she asked softly.

Jiang Wang laughed warmly, "Not at all. I could hold you until next year without letting go."

The small courtyard in Feima Alley was quite nice, with one main room, one southern room, and two wing rooms on the east and west sides. Although uninhabited, it was fully furnished and only needed some additional household supplies for immediate move-in,

The interior decoration of the rooms was quite elegant and comfortable.

Jiang Wang led little Anan around each room to make sure she showed no resistance.

"This is it," smiled Jiang Wang brilliantly at Zhao Rucheng, who was chattering non-stop around little Anan. "Give me the key, you can go back now."

"Alright!" Zhao Rucheng, quite aware, turned to leave. As he crossed the threshold, he suddenly turned back and waved at Anan, "Your Ru Cheng brother is leaving, don't miss me too much~"

Little Anan scampered over and—with a splendid smile from Zhao Rucheng—firmly closed the courtyard door.

At night, the bustling Fenglin City quieted down.

The little earthworm inside Tongtian Palace completed its last vigorous jump, spitting out a spherical Path Origin into the Star River array.

Jiang Wang opened his eyes, ending today's Meridian Rush Practice. The accumulation of Path Origins, day and night, through tedious efforts, none of which would be in vain. Eventually, they will form the foundation, unlocking the Transcendent.

It is these countless nights of tedious cultivation that lead to exciting adventures across the Azure Void.

The room was very quiet. Jiang Anan lay on her little bed, her small hands properly placed outside the blanket, motionless.

Because Anan was so young, Jiang Wang had specially ordered a small bed so she could sleep in the same room with him. A large and a small bed were placed on either side of the room, facing each other.

Listening quietly to Anan's breathing, Jiang Wang spoke softly, "Anan, haven't fallen asleep yet?"

The room immediately filled with the girl's somewhat flustered voice, "Sleep... asleep."

Jiang Anan's nervousness pained Jiang Wang's heart. Such a small child, and she had already learned to read faces. She became worried and uneasy simply because Jiang Wang had told her to go to sleep earlier before he began his Meridian Rush Practice, and now she hadn't been able to fall asleep as instructed.

A girl of not even five years old, suddenly in a strange place, suddenly without her mother, was already very strong for not bursting into violent sobs. What kind of panic must be in her heart?

But of course, these things should no longer be brought up.

"Mmm, I can't fall asleep," Jiang Wang's voice grew softer, "Do you want to look at the stars?"

After a while, a mosquito-like "Mmm" sounded in the room.

"Then get up." Jiang Wang got up and lit the oil lamp, then went to the small bed to help Anan with her coat.

The hands that brandished the sword so nimbly were unexpectedly clumsy when it came to taking care of a child.

"That's not how you wear it, brother, you put it on backwards..."

Jiang Wang sheepishly withdrew his hands, "Then Anan, you put it on yourself."

The two of them bustled about for a while before finally stepping out of the room.

By then, the bright moon hung in the sky, the stars shimmering. The empty courtyard was filled with the clean moonlight, softening what should have been a somewhat lonely night.

"Are we just going to stargaze in the yard?" Jiang Anan asked, looking up with her little head.

"Of course not." Jiang Wang suddenly scooped her up in his arms and leaped to the roof.

Jiang Anan let out a shriek and turned beet red when she landed on the roof.

Jiang Wang looked down at her, feeling a bit guilty, "Did I scare you, Anan?"

Blinking her large eyes, Jiang Anan seemed somewhat thrilled, "Brother, can you fly?"

Although she seemed eager to try, Jiang Wang didn't want to jump around on the roof like a big monkey, making a fool of himself, "Not yet, but once my Dao Technique improves, I definitely will. Then, wherever Anan wants to go, we'll fly there. How does that sound?"

"Good."

Jiang Wang took off his coat, spread it on the roof, and then lay down beside it, a hand propping up his head. He called out, "Come, lay down just like brother and look at the stars."

Little Anan obediently lay down on Jiang Wang's coat, her small hand meticulously propping up her head. She stared up at the starry sky with her round, shining eyes.

The expansive night sky twinkled with myriad stars, all flickering. Countless lights were born from the endless darkness, the Star River vast, harboring innumerable dreams and reflections.

"That one is the Purple Forbidden enclosure, and that one's called Jade Balance... South Dou is over there, look, there..."

"They're twinkling, like they're blinking."

"Only when our adorable Anan blinks, she resembles the stars. As for your Brother Yehu, that big bearded man you saw during the day, when he blinks, he only resembles a cowbell."

Jiang Anan let out a giggling laugh.

"Do you know, Anan, these stars are billions of miles away..."

"How far is billions of miles? Is it farther than from Fengxi Town to here?"

"Much farther, by countless times. If there was a road to the stars, an ordinary person could walk it all their life from birth to death, and it might just be considered the very start of the road."

"Ah?" Anan was somewhat surprised, "That far?"

"Yes, that far. They travel such great distances in the endless darkness to bring their light right before your eyes, presenting their beauty, which may have been extinguished tens of thousands of years ago, to you."

"They're really nice."

"Father is like one of those stars. He may have left a long time ago, but he is still shining brightly somewhere far away, and with that light, he keeps us company. So no matter when, don't be afraid, okay? Brother will always be with you, and so will the stars."

"Brother," Jiang Anan's voice was quiet: "My mother doesn't want me anymore, right?"

Jiang Wang fell silent for a moment.

Should he be brutally honest and tell little Anan that she was a burden, affecting her mother's life?

Should he condemn Aunt Song's selfishness, making Anan hate her birth mother from now on?

What should he say?

He didn't have time to think for too long, for silence is a form of hurt too.

In the end, he just turned to his side, seriously and gently taking Anan's little hand.

"Anan is so adorable, how could anyone not want you? It's because brother really, really wanted to live with you that he insisted Aunt Song bring you here. When Aunt Song left, she cried so sadly. She also misses you a lot."

"Really?"

Starlight and moonlight caressed Jiang Anan's little face, smoothing away the unfaded traces of tears, making her look as ethereal as the sprites of the stars and moon.

Although her face still wore lingering bewilderment, her large eyes suddenly lit up.