love on the turquoise land

Chapter 79

Yan Tuo hesitated to start the car.

Nie Jiuluo guessed his thoughts. "Do you really want to go back and rescue her?"

Yan Tuo said, "Maybe you could say something to talk me out of it."

Nie Jiuluo smiled reluctantly, not wanting to speak but forced himself to.

"Firstly, she won't believe you. Wu Xingbang means more to her than just a lover; he's also her benefactor. It's impossible to convince her in the short term. Secondly, even if you rescue her, where will you place her? Dealing with just Chen Fu has already left you overwhelmed. Thirdly, taking her away now could easily alert others. Don't forget, Lin Ling is still relying on you."

Apart from Lin Ling, there were others on the Excel spreadsheet.

Yan Tuo fell silent for a moment, sighed deeply, and slowly started the car.

The moment the car moved, Nie Jiuluo keenly felt the weight of the vehicle, as if the wheels were turning with great difficulty.

The rest of the day was spent on the road. They seldom spoke, exchanging only necessary words like "do you want water?" or "do you need to use the restroom" during rest stops.

The packed lunch was thrown away by Yan Tuo at Nie Jiuluo's request—Xu Anni's straightforward nature might lead her to spit in the food.

They had dinner at a wonton shop by the street, with thin-skinned wontons filled with shepherd's purse and shrimp. The soup was mixed with egg crepe, seaweed, and scallions, vibrant in color and steaming hot.

Halfway through dinner, Nie Jiuluo called Aunt Lu, informing her that they would arrive around ten o'clock and asking her to prepare a guest room. She specifically instructed to keep the room ready for guests, without consulting Yan Tuo beforehand, but since she made the call in his presence and he did not object, it seemed acceptable.

After the call, Yan Tuo asked her, "Any news from Xing Shen's side?"

Nie Jiuluo checked Weibo and shook her head.

In fact, she had just discussed this with Yan Tuo that morning. His urgency now was genuinely concerning.

Yan Tuo also felt too anxious. He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I regret now. After all these years, I haven't cultivated any helpers for myself. But then again, who could I develop? Involving someone in this matter would only bring them curses."

Now, Xing Shen's group had unexpectedly become the lifeline he desperately wanted to grab onto.

He wondered about their temperaments and whether they would be easy to get along with.

***

At half past ten in the evening, the car entered the alley where Nie Jiuluo's home was located.

No matter how low the atmospheric pressure was throughout the day, Nie Jiuluo couldn't contain her excitement about returning home. From a distance, she spotted Aunt Lu standing at the gate, craning her neck to look.

Aunt Lu didn't recognize Yan Tuo's car, but she suspected it might be him. She stared at it the whole time. Nie Jiuluo giggled and rolled down the car window, "Aunt Lu."

Aunt Lu smiled and came over, "I was just thinking, it should be about time."

Once the car was parked, Sister Lu helped open the door. Her smile faded when she saw Nie Jiuluo's crutches and her arm in a sling, "What happened to you?"

Nie Jiuluo shrugged it off, "I fell while looking at the grottoes. Broke my arm. Thanks to Mr. Yan here..." She gestured towards Yan Tuo who had just gotten out of the car, "He took me to the hospital and brought me back."