As the only major city within a hundred-mile radius, houses in Fenglin City were, naturally, not cheap.
Ling He’s financial support was a drop in the bucket, and Jiang Wang himself had no savings to speak of. Fortunately, there was someone around who wasn't short on cash.
Jiang Wang carried Jiang An'an straight to Zhao Rucheng.
"Give me some silver," Jiang Wang said, getting straight to the point.
Zhao Rucheng was currently locked in a staring contest with Jiang An'an. Hearing this, he asked casually, "How much do you need?"
"How much silver does it take to buy a small courtyard near the Dao Academy? Just enough for my sister and me to live in."
"Why buy a courtyard? Can't you two just stay here with me? I have plenty of empty rooms." Zhao Rucheng blinked his left eye at Jiang An'an, then his right, occasionally flashing a smile he clearly thought was dashing. To be fair, his features were indeed handsome.
Jiang Wang glanced at Jiang An'an before saying, "We need a home of our own."
It didn't matter where he lived, but little An'an was different. The little girl had just been sent over; no matter how strong she tried to appear, she was inevitably fragile and sensitive inside.
"Oh." Zhao Rucheng rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. "I think my family has a few properties near the Dao Academy. Let me ask."
He turned his head and shouted, "Uncle Deng!"
Before long, a middle-aged man with a mild temperament walked in and bowed meticulously. "Young Master."
"Do we have any suitable properties near the Dao Academy? Clear one out and hand the deeds over to my Third Brother."
The steward, addressed as Uncle Deng, replied, "There’s no need to clear anything out; there are three currently vacant. Which one would you like?"
Zhao Rucheng looked at Jiang Wang. "Third Brother, what do you think?"
Jiang Wang smiled gently at the steward. "Thank you, Uncle Deng. The house doesn't need to be large; it’s just for An'an and me. The most important thing is that it’s close to the Dao Academy so I can come home to be with her whenever I can."
The steward smiled back. "There is a small courtyard in Flying Horse Alley behind the Dao Academy. I’m just not sure if the layout will be to your liking."
"Let's go! Let's take a look!" Zhao Rucheng said immediately. "Just give me the keys."
Although Jiang An'an was quiet and didn't pay much attention to people, her delicate, doll-like face was naturally endearing.
Along the way, Zhao Rucheng kept trying to tease her.
"An'an, who do you think is more handsome, Brother Rucheng or Brother Wang? Sigh, that’s an unfair question—there’s no comparison, is there?"
"An'an, An'an, see those candied haws over there? Come into my arms and we’ll buy the whole bunch! How about it?"
"An'an, do you know how heavy you are? Look at how chubby you are! Your brother’s arm is about to be crushed! Why don't you let Brother Rucheng hold you for a change?"
Little An'an had remained silent through it all, but upon hearing this, she tilted her head and looked at Jiang Wang.
"Are you tired?" she asked in a small voice.
Jiang Wang smiled warmly. "Not tired at all. I could carry you until next year without letting go."
The courtyard in Flying Horse Alley was quite nice, featuring a main room, a south-facing room, and two side rooms. Although it had been unoccupied, all the facilities were complete; it only required a few daily necessities to be ready for living.
The interior was decorated in a simple and comfortable style.
Jiang Wang led little An'an through every room, making sure she didn't show any signs of resistance.
"Good, this is the one." Jiang Wang gave a bright smile to Zhao Rucheng, who was still chattering away at An'an. "Give me the keys, you can head back now."
"Alright!" Zhao Rucheng turned to leave with great awareness. As he stepped over the threshold, he suddenly turned back and waved at An'an. "Brother Rucheng is leaving now, don't miss me too much~"
Little An'an trotted over and, amidst Zhao Rucheng’s brilliant smile, slammed the courtyard gate shut.
At night, the bustling Fenglin City finally quieted down.
Inside his Heaven-Connecting Palace, the little earthworm completed its final leap, spitting a perfectly round Dao essence into the Star Array.
Jiang Wang opened his eyes, ending his meridian-clearing practice for the day. The accumulation of Dao essence, day after day, bit by bit—all this effort would not be in vain. Eventually, it would form the foundation array and unlock the extraordinary.
It was precisely because of these countless days and nights of tedious practice that the future brilliance of traversing the blue void would be possible.
The room was very quiet. Jiang An'an lay on her small bed, her little hands placed neatly outside the quilt, not moving a muscle.
Because An'an was so young, Jiang Wang had specially ordered a small bed so she could stay in the same room as him. The two beds, one large and one small, were placed on opposite sides of the room.
Listening quietly to little An'an’s breathing, Jiang Wang said softly, "An'an, are you still awake?"
A flustered voice from the little girl immediately rang out in the room: "I... I'm asleep."
Jiang An'an’s nervousness made Jiang Wang’s heart ache. Such a small child had already learned to read people's expressions. She was only anxious because Jiang Wang had told her to fall asleep early before he started his practice, and she was worried because she hadn't managed to do so.
A girl not yet five years old, suddenly arriving in a strange place, suddenly separated from her mother—she was already very strong for not having burst into loud sobs. What kind of panic must she be feeling inside?
But these things, of course, should not be brought up again.
"Hmm, Brother can't sleep," Jiang Wang’s voice grew even gentler. "Do you want to see the stars?"
After a while, a voice as thin as a mosquito’s hum came from the room: "Mm."
"Then let's get up." Jiang Wang got up, lit the oil lamp, and walked over to the small bed to help An'an put on her coat.
His hands, so nimble when wielding a sword, were exceptionally clumsy when caring for a child.
"That's not how you put it on, Brother, you've got it inside out..."
Jiang Wang sheepishly pulled his hands back. "Then An'an, you put it on yourself."
The two of them busied themselves for a while before stepping out of the room.
The bright moon was in the sky, and the stars were scattered like dust. The empty courtyard was filled with clean moonlight, making this night, which should have been somewhat lonely, feel soft and warm.
"Are we watching the stars in the courtyard?" Jiang An'an asked, tilting her little head.
"Of course not." Jiang Wang suddenly scooped her up, rose from the ground, and leaped onto the roof.
Jiang An'an let out a small shriek, and by the time she landed on the roof, her face was flushed red.
Jiang Wang looked down at her, feeling a bit guilty. "Did I scare you, An'an?"
Jiang An'an blinked her large eyes, looking faintly excited. "Brother, can you fly?"
Although she seemed eager to try, Jiang Wang didn't want to jump around on the roof like a monkey and make a fool of himself. "Not yet, but when Brother’s Dao arts are perfected, I definitely will be able to. When that time comes, wherever you want to go, we’ll fly there. How about that?"
"Okay."
Jiang Wang took off his coat, spread it out on the roof, and lay down beside it, pillowing his head with one hand. He beckoned, "Come, lie down and watch the stars just like Brother."
Little An'an obediently lay down on his coat, her little hands also meticulously pillowing her head. She opened those dark, round eyes wide and stared straight at the starry sky.
The vast night sky was filled with twinkling stars. Countless lights were born in the endless darkness; the galaxy was vast, containing countless dreams and memories.
"That one is the Ziwei star, that one is called Yuheng... The Southern Dipper is over there, look, right there..."
"They’re twinkling, it looks like they’re blinking."
"Only when our cute An'an blinks does it look like stars. Like your Brother Wild Tiger—the bearded man you saw during the day—when he blinks, it just looks like a cow bell."
Little An'an giggled.
"Do you know, An'an, those stars are hundreds of millions of miles away..."
"How far is hundreds of millions of miles? Is it further than from Fengxi Town to here?"
"Much further, countless times further. If there were a road leading to the stars, and an ordinary person walked it from birth until death, they would have barely just started on that road."
"Ah?" An'an was surprised. "That far?"
"Yes, that far. They are in the endless darkness, crossing such a vast distance to send their light to your eyes. Offering you beauty that perhaps extinguished tens of thousands of years ago."
"They are so kind."
"Father was like one of those stars. He may have left a long, long time ago, but he is still very, very far away, working hard to shine, and with this light, he accompanies us. So no matter what happens, don't be afraid, okay? Brother will always be with you, and so will the stars."
"Brother." Jiang An'an’s voice was very small. "My mother doesn't want me anymore, right?"
Jiang Wang was silent for a moment.
Should he tell the truth and tell little An'an that she was a burden who affected her mother's life?
Should he denounce Aunt Song’s selfishness and make little An'an hate her birth mother from now on?
How was he supposed to answer?
He didn't have time to think for too long, because silence was also a form of harm.
In the end, he simply turned on his side and earnestly, gently took An'an’s small hand.
"An'an is so cute, how could anyone not want you? It was Brother who wanted to live with you so much that I insisted Auntie send you over. When Auntie left, she cried so sadly; she couldn't bear to part with you either."
"Really?"
The starlight and moonlight fell on Jiang An'an’s small face, caressing the lingering tear tracks. She looked as beautiful as an elf of the stars and moon.
Although her face still held a trace of lingering confusion, those large eyes suddenly lit up.