Chapter 696: Bustling Dayu City 2

"Ma’am, is Dayu City near Nanyuan? What’s the closest city to it?" Ye Qianning still hadn’t gotten her bearings.

Her only memory of Nanyuan was the place where she had lived with Fourth Granny as a child.

’Fourth Granny...’

’It’s been ten years. I wonder how Fourth Granny is doing.’

"Dayu City is on the very border of Nanyuan. The closest city is a seven or eight-day walk away. Behind us, it’s nothing but the sea on all sides," the woman said, sorting through her fruit.

"The border?" Ye Qianning’s gaze swept her surroundings.

’For a place this prosperous to be a border city?’

"Heh, this must be your first time in Dayu City, miss." The woman looked up, her eyes crinkling with a smile, as if she had noticed Ye Qianning’s confusion.

Ye Qianning drew her gaze back and smiled. "It certainly is my first time."

"That explains it. Just a few years ago, Dayu City was a desolate town, practically uninhabited. Then, the owner of the Immortal Sea Building suddenly arrived. He built a restaurant in the city, along with a commercial street. Within a year, Dayu City started to liven up. Many people settled down here. The owner of the Immortal Sea Building even built a harbor. With more ships coming and going, business boomed." The woman couldn’t stop smiling as she spoke.

"There’s an Immortal Sea Building in Dayu City?" Ye Qianning asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Yes, right in the city center. It’s bustling every day, and their seafood dishes are delicious. If you like seafood, miss, you should go give the Immortal Sea Building a try." The woman handed her the weighed fruit. "That’ll be two hundred copper coins."

Ye Qianning took the fruit and pulled a piece of silver from her sleeve.

"Miss, I can’t make change for this."

"I only have silver." She didn’t have any copper coins.

"Well..." The woman looked troubled.

"Ma’am, I’ll give you this silver. You don’t need to give me any change."

"Oh, I couldn’t possibly do that," the woman protested.

"Just share the fruit with them, and buy them some clothes and food." Ye Qianning pointed a small hand toward three children squatting by the side of the road.

The woman looked over, and her expression changed instantly. "Miss, you shouldn’t get involved with those children."

"Why not?"

"They’re vicious. They’ll bite anyone who gets too close. Nobody knows where they came from, and the oldest one mumbles to himself... seems like he’s not all there in the head."

Ye Qianning hadn’t looked closely before, thinking only that since she had extra money, the woman might as well do a good deed. Hearing this, she now looked carefully toward the children by the wall.

It was late May, and spring was nearly over, but the weather in Nanyuan was still a bit chilly. The three children’s faces were covered in grime, and their clothes, black as charcoal, were in tatters, leaving their arms and legs exposed.

The baby held by the older boy was tiny. He watched the crowd warily, while another small child huddled timidly at his side.

"You have a good heart, miss, but it’s best not to invite trouble." The woman glanced around, then lowered her voice. "Those kids have caught the eye of Qi Mazi. He’s not someone to be trifled with. Get on his bad side, and he’ll kill you."

Ye Qianning handed the silver to the woman. "Thank you, Ma’am."

"Miss, this silver..."

"Keep the change." Holding the fruit, Ye Qianning walked toward the three children.

By the wall, the older boy saw someone approaching. His expression turned fierce as he clutched the baby protectively and bared his teeth at Ye Qianning.

Ye Qianning stopped a step away from them. Her gaze fell on the grimy bundle in his arms. A moment ago, she had thought he was holding an older child, but she hadn’t expected it to be an infant.

Shielding the bundle with both hands, the boy stood up and let out a ferocious, warning growl at Ye Qianning.