Li Zhiyuan: "Hmm."

Picking up the peach branch from the bed, Li Zhiyuan planned to return Liu Yumei’s candle flame essence to her.

Liu Yumei: "Which branch of the family are you from?"

Li Zhiyuan truly didn’t know how to answer this question.

If he were to examine it carefully, he should belong to Alii’s branch.

Liu Yumei misunderstood and said, "You’re from a collateral branch? Don’t worry, the division between direct and collateral is to distribute family resources. Since you have such potential, your status will surely be higher than the direct line. The old ones in the family won’t fail to understand this; if they don’t, then I will arrange it for you."

Li Zhiyuan: "Thank you, Miss Liu."

The youth’s fingertips approached the candle flame, gently hooking it, and the milky white candle flame separated from the holder, starting to burn at his fingertips.

Next, he would inject it into Liu Yumei’s forehead, allowing her to recover all her memories.

The issues she carried were indeed heavy, but as long as Grandma Liu could recover her self-awareness, she could resolve these issues herself.

Why hadn’t Aunt Liu and the others done this?

Was it because Grandma Liu had instructed that they must wait for her return before letting this essence return?

Li Zhiyuan guessed half correctly.

In fact, after Run Sheng and others returned and were informed that Xiao Yuan himself was in Nantong, Aunt Liu couldn’t wait to make a trial attempt, but... failed.

Similarly, when Li Zhiyuan wanted to return the candle flame to its owner, a strong Yin wind suddenly surged from the bed, shaking the candle flame violently, as if to extinguish it.

If Aunt Liu or Uncle Qin were here, they could quickly dodge and maneuver to ensure the candle flame’s safety, but Li Zhiyuan lacked this capability for now.

To protect the candle flame, Li Zhiyuan could only tremble his fingertips slightly, using the rhythm of "Qin’s蛟 Observation Method", allowing the candle flame to persist under the Yin wind.

Liu Yumei’s eyes widened, and she asked incredulously:

"Qin Family?"

"Buzz!"

The sword edge, earlier calmed by Li Zhiyuan, began to gather sharpness again in response to the owner’s emotional shift.

Grandma Liu was overjoyed that Li Zhiyuan could inherit the two families’ gate and expertise, but to Miss Liu, this was utterly rebellious!

Li Zhiyuan: "I attempted to learn the Qin Family’s cultivation technique. I didn’t know until I tried that the martial skills of that group of Qin brutes are so simple and crude."

Liu Yumei’s expression relaxed upon hearing this, and she smiled slightly.

"Have you reported to the family?"

"I have reported it. The family elders are aware and have allowed me to continue practicing."

"Did you obtain a complete version?"

"Not complete, but I can supplement it."

"Supplement?" Liu Yumei’s gaze toward Li Zhiyuan changed again, "You’re a good child. After I complete Zou Jiang, the next generation’s Zou Jiang journey can be yours."

"Thank you, Miss Liu, for your favor."

"Once you’ve supplemented it, show it to me first."

"As you command."

Miss Liu was still very interested in "Qin’s蛟 Observation Method". She acknowledged the Qin Family’s heritage as well.

However, she did not know that in the future, she would also hold the identity of the Young Madam Qin, and not only "Qin’s蛟 Observation Method", but even the keys to the Qin Family Ancestral Mansion would be in her grasp.

Li Zhiyuan stepped back a few steps, and the Yin wind ceased.

The youth began searching for the origin of the Yin wind and finally saw half a face on Liu Yumei’s wrist peeking from under her sleeve; it was a woman’s face, her mouth now closing.

This face likely belonged to the one under the Peach Forest; it had many, many faces.

With this face present, Li Zhiyuan could not truly approach Liu Yumei to return the essence, and facing Liu Yumei, he couldn’t use force.

The youth returned the flame to the candlestick and bowed slightly to Liu Yumei:

"Miss Liu, I shall take my leave first."

"Go ahead."

Li Zhiyuan carried the candle, nodded to Alii, and then exited.

Just as the youth left, Liu Yumei, now fully awake, got out of bed, standing up.

Alii moved her small stool to the front of the bed, sat down, and watched Liu Yumei.

Liu Yumei, who was about to leave, sat back on the bed, crossed her legs, and slowly closed her eyes.

During these days, Alii basically sat face-to-face with Liu Yumei.

Because only in this way would Liu Yumei return to peace.

If otherwise, she would go out and might go seek a fight under the Peach Forest again.

Liu Yumei: "Is he the youth you found?"

Alii said nothing.

Liu Yumei: "Since he’s collateral, the blood relationship is distant, so there’s no issue."

Alii remained silent.

Liu Yumei: "The talent of this youth, even I must admire, but such people often aren’t good matches; those mature in mind are often indifferent to love.

Listen to your sister’s advice: some people are to remain memories of your youth, for the future, you can choose another, and I can help you find one."

Alii still did not respond.

Liu Yumei’s eyelids began to droop, yet she was still concerned about Alii’s matters. She couldn’t help it; she felt a deep-seated closeness to her younger relative.

"Don’t worry about what the elders say, even if it’s their arrangements, I can override it for you. I dislike elders who love to arrange marriages for juniors, they’re completely inappropriate."

Once, Miss Liu indeed acted like this; after the Qin Family’s young master ambushed and threw the Liu family’s arranged suitor into a dung pit, how could this not have been influenced by Miss Liu’s prompting?

Furthermore, the successful alliance of the Qin and Liu Families was something the elders of both families couldn’t dare imagine, even if they scratched their heads in disbelief.