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In a flash, she caught six more.

Watching the three beggars sitting on their heels and butchering the fish by the stream, Ji’er sat down on a rock.

Having dealt with the fish, one of the beggars wiped his hands on his shirt. Then, he walked over to the cloth bundle that Ji’er had tossed on the grass, picked it up, and gave it back to her.

“Thank you,” said Ji’er as she took it from him.

Overwhelmed by her thanks, the beggar waved his hands and stammered, “To be honest, mister, we were planning to rob you at first…” He trailed off and bowed his head in shame.

“I know,” said Ji’er coolly.

The beggar was taken aback. The other two walked over and gaped at her in surprise as well.

After a while, they said, “Since you already knew, why didn’t you run? Why did you give us beef jerky and catch fish for us?”

Ji’er smiled. “You’re not my enemies. Besides…” She paused, then said, “I can tell that you’re not a daring bunch, and you’re not total bad eggs.”

Hearing this, the three beggars immediately grew so ashamed that they wished they could hide somewhere.

They had been starving for days as they could not find any food to fill their stomachs. Sometimes, the hunger would get so unbearable that they would resort to digging up roots to eat.

When this young man walked into the temple, they noticed that he was decently dressed and thought of robbing him at first.

Nevertheless, he offered them beef jerky and even caught fish for them.

They were all quite young, with the oldest being only twelve. Just as Ji’er said, they were not rotten people.

Ji’er picked up her cloth bundle and said to them, “Head back to the temple when you’re done cleaning. Make sure to bring back some dry firewood.”

They obeyed.

This young man did not seem to be much older than them, but he had an authoritative air to him that they did not dare defy.

The smell of grilled fish filled the entire temple.

The three beggars were crouching nearby, their mouths watering as they stared at the fish being grilled over the fire.

Ji’er passed the grilled fish to them one by one.

They hurriedly took it and wolfed it down, ignoring how steaming hot it was.

As Ji’er watched them munch away contentedly, she was a little moved.

“You should eat too.” One of the beggars noticed that she was merely sitting by the fire and not eating, so he piped up.

The other two stopped eating and tried to persuade her too. “Yes, you should. You’ve barely eaten anything.”

Ji’er shook her head. “I’m not hungry. The remaining three are just enough for you.”

“We’re full. You should have the rest,” the young beggars protested anxiously. “If you don’t fill your stomach, you’ll feel awful when you get hungry at night.”

Ji’er was stunned.

Looking at their earnest faces, she imagined that they must have starved often.

It was surprising that they would even insist she take the food.

She had not planned to eat the fish, and she was genuinely not hungry.

However, the concerned looks on their faces touched her.

After leaving the West Water Frontier, she had traveled to many places alone and met many people, but she never really interacted with them.

It should have been the same that night—she had planned to leave after spending one night in the abandoned temple.

However, the beggars had chosen to reward her casual help with sincerity, much to her astonishment.

Warmth bloomed in her chest, and she reached out to take the grilled fish from the beggars.

She took a bite, then smiled. “It’s delicious.”

The three beggars were dazed.

“You look really handsome when you smile, mister—much more handsome than those young men from rich families in the city.”