Chapter 61: A New Name and Identity (Bonus Chapter)

Gu Weiyu had no idea there were so many flaws in her story. She only felt that Madam Niu’s gaze was like an X-ray, sweeping her up and down, leaving her bewildered and confused.

“Are you lost?” Madam Niu asked suspiciously.

The area around Wangjia Village was all barren wilderness—how could a child suddenly appear here?

“I got separated from my grandfather…” As she replied, Gu Weiyu’s expression fell, her eyes reddened, and she seemed on the verge of tears.

Wang Wu hurried to interject, “Enough, wife, why are you asking so many questions? Quickly, bring out some food.”

Madam Niu shot Wang Wu a glare, then brought out a few leftover steamed buns from lunch. “There’s nothing much to eat at home, but make do with these.”

Gu Weiyu picked up a bun and thanked her, “Thank you, Auntie.”

“You must be hungry. The buns are cold, but still edible. Eat up,” Madam Niu said with a faint smile, then exchanged a meaningful glance with Wang Wu when Gu Weiyu wasn’t looking. The two slipped into the neighboring room together.

Gu Weiyu bit into the cold bun, chewing slowly, but her spiritual sense silently extended into the next room.

“What’s really going on with this child?” Madam Niu demanded as soon as she entered.

Wang Wu looked at her, baffled. “What do you mean? Didn’t I explain everything just now?”

“You fool, can’t you see there’s something odd about this child? You just brought her home—what if…” Madam Niu launched into a tirade, recounting all the details she had noticed.

Wang Wu was left speechless under his wife’s scolding. After a long moment, he stammered, “I just thought the kid looked pitiful…”

“Hmph, you’re far too soft-hearted!” Madam Niu glared at him. “We can’t keep this child any longer. She has to leave tomorrow.”

Wang Wu rubbed his hands together obsequiously. “Xiaoyu said she’s only staying for one night. Tomorrow she’ll return to Danyang City to find her grandfather…”

“Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu! Listen to how affectionate you sound…” Madam Niu was still a bit angry, but hearing that Gu Weiyu was heading to Danyang, she mused, “Danyang City isn’t a place for ordinary folk like us. Could it be…”

Wang Wu nodded. “I just thought we might make a good connection…”

Outside, Gu Weiyu withdrew her spiritual sense. Having overheard their conversation, she looked down at herself and realized, indeed, there were loopholes everywhere.

Fortunately, she had encountered nothing more than an ordinary couple, and they seemed to mean her no harm. Otherwise…

A chill ran down Gu Weiyu’s spine. Now, there was no one left to clean up her messes. If she made a single mistake, she would be the one to suffer.

As she reflected silently, a small figure dashed into the room. Seeing a stranger at the table, the child blurted out, “Who are you? Why are you in my house?”

Gu Weiyu returned to her senses to find a plump, round-faced boy about her own age standing before her, his large eyes filled with curiosity as he studied her.

“My name is Hu Xiaoyu. I got separated from my grandfather…” Gu Weiyu repeated her fabricated tale, carefully altering her name for caution’s sake.

The boy’s sympathy was immediate. “Xiaoyu, you’ll definitely find your grandfather!”

Just then, Madam Niu and Wang Wu came out of the room. Seeing the boy, Madam Niu’s face lit up with concern and joy as she fussed, “Tunzi, you’re back! Are you hungry?”

Tunzi nodded vigorously. “Mama, I’m starving!”

“Have a bun for now, I’ll go make some pancakes!” Hearing her son was hungry, Madam Niu hurried to the kitchen. In no time, a mouthwatering aroma wafted from within.

Watching Madam Niu leave, Gu Weiyu suddenly thought of her own mother, and a dull ache filled her heart. She glanced at the cold bun in her hand and took another silent bite.

Tunzi and Wang Wu, oblivious to Gu Weiyu’s gloom, each grabbed a bun and began eating heartily.

Madam Niu’s cooking was quite impressive. Though she didn’t much care for Gu Weiyu, she still made four big pancakes, filled with egg, minced meat, and wrapped around fresh scallions.

“All right, eat up,” Madam Niu said, handing out a pancake to each. Tunzi dipped his into the sauce on the table and eagerly took a bite.

Gu Weiyu glanced at the pancake, then at the sauce, and mimicked their actions, dipping and tasting.

Compared to the cold bun, the pancake was a bit salty but otherwise delicious. Gu Weiyu soon finished hers.

With a hot pancake and a bun in her stomach, the hunger pangs that had gnawed at her were finally soothed.

“Xiaoyu, we don’t have a spare room. Would you mind sharing with Tunzi tonight?” Wang Wu asked with a sheepish grin as Gu Weiyu finished eating.

Tunzi wiped his mouth on his sleeve and grinned, “Sure! I’ll sleep with Xiaoyu tonight.”

Gu Weiyu eyed his sauce-stained sleeve and wondered to herself if she could sleep on the floor instead.

Alas, no one could hear her thoughts.

Tunzi happily pulled her into a small room, where there was only one bed and a little table beside it.

“Xiaoyu, why aren’t you taking off your clothes for bed?” Tunzi had already shrugged off his coat and burrowed under the covers.

Gu Weiyu tugged at her clothes. “You go ahead. I’m not sleepy yet.”

“You’re not sleepy either?” Tunzi sat up, excited. “Me neither! Let’s talk, shall we?”

Gu Weiyu: …

Tunzi, your emotional intelligence is truly abysmal, you know that?

In the end, Gu Weiyu reluctantly undressed and lay down beside Tunzi.

Drowsiness soon crept over her, and she drifted into a deep sleep.

“Ah—!”

In the middle of the night, Gu Weiyu dreamed she was battling a demon beast, only to be flattened into a meat patty by its crushing attack. She woke with a start.

Realizing it was just a dream, she groggily tried to roll over—only to find she could not move.

Turning her head, she saw Tunzi sprawled out in a starfish position: one arm draped forcefully over her neck, one leg stretched unceremoniously across her belly!

There she was, pitifully wedged into a corner, nearly curled up like a shrimp.

Gu Weiyu disentangled Tunzi’s limbs from herself and sat up, but sleep had fled.

She now knew this village was called Wangjia Village, about twenty li from a small town called Shilipu, and Danyang City lay a hundred li away. According to Tunzi’s father, Wang Wu, the largest city in these parts was Danyang, surrounded by smaller towns and countless villages like Wangjia.

She glanced at the still-slumbering Tunzi and took out the jade slip her great-grandfather had given her.

“Danyang—” she murmured, locating it on the world map.

Unlike Qin County, which was tucked away in a remote corner, Danyang was in the central region of the Void Realm, a full ten thousand li from Qin County!

She put away the jade slip, slipped out of bed, and went to the window. The night was deep and somber, and so was her heart.