Old Qin prepared to drive his ox cart back. Fat Man said, "Old man, don't play tricks on me. Go straight home and deliver my message—your family must bring the recipe if they want these kids released. If they don't come, believe me when I say those brats won't be spared tomorrow morning. I'll station men here waiting for you."

With that, he shoved Lin He and Xiao Jun into his horse-drawn carriage before turning it around and driving off. Inside the carriage, Fat Man roughly bound the children to one side while their mouths with cloth to muffle any cries. The windows on both sides of the carriage were loosely fastened, fluttering in the breeze as the vehicle jolted forward. Lin He stared through those flapping curtains, desperately hoping someone familiar would appear just in time.

But first there was the problem that she hardly knew anyone in this town who might come to her rescue. Even if passersby noticed something amiss, how could they tell when she couldn't scream? And even then, who would dare provoke these men with their carriage? Escape seemed impossible now.

The carriage rumbled for a while without encountering any other travelers. Just as Lin He's hope was beginning to fade, she heard hoofbeats outside. Through the window, her eyes locked onto a pair of familiar ones—Wen Ningxuan's stood out unmistakably. Though he saw her bound and gagged state, his carriage merely passed by without stopping.

Lin He seethed internally at this cowardly betrayal from Wen Ningxuan she'd never wronged. Just as despair settled in, the carriage suddenly stopped. More hoofbeats approached, followed by multiple voices demanding: "Stop! Release those inside!"

"What nonsense!" The driver scoffed. "There's nothing but our men inside. Why are you delaying us?"

Before he could finish speaking, a boot sent him and his accomplice tumbling off the carriage. Moments later, the curtain was yanked open to reveal Wen Ningxuan's emotionless face peering in. Fat Man barely had time to rise before being dragged out by force.

Wen Ningxuan untied Lin He first. "What happened? Why were you captured?" he asked brusquely. Someone else freed Xiao Jun as well. As Wen Ningxuan lifted her off the carriage, Lin He finally exhaled in relief. "They wanted some recipe from me," she explained breathlessly.

Without further questions, Wen Ningxuan mounted his horse and pulled her up behind him. The whip cracked sharply before she could react to their sudden flight. Only when they were galloping did she realize what was happening. "What about Xiao Jun?!" she shouted.

"He'll be brought along," Wen Ningxuan assured, though his stoic expression didn't change as two companions rode up with the boy. The discarded carriage and Fat Man's men remained abandoned behind them.

Remembering this, Lin He asked curiously: "Why not arrest those villains and report to the authorities? They're clearly kidnappers."

"I know who they are," Wen Ningxuan replied tersely before riding off without another word.

Lin He rolled her eyes under her breath. "Would it kill him to talk more?" she muttered, only for Wen Ningxuan's unusually sharp ears to catch every syllable. His expression remained unchanged as he rode on.

The horses made much better speed than carriages. Within moments they reached the entrance of Caidie Hall. After dismounting Lin He and exchanging a few brief words with his father, Wen Ningxuan disappeared without another glance in her direction.

Only once she was safely inside did Lin He feel truly shaken by how close she'd come to disaster. Being an eight-year-old girl taken by those men would have been terrifyingly dangerous—even more so than the traps from her previous life.

Back at Caidie Hall, Wen Shu's face darkened as he learned this was a scheme by his rival Yajia Lipstick Shop. Guilt pricked him—he should've warned Lin He sooner about such threats. "Old Qin came by earlier," he explained now, "but returned after I sent word to your parents. Don't worry, I'll arrange someone to take you home soon." He hesitated before adding, "However, deliveries will need to be safer from now on. While we negotiate with those villains, let me assign men to collect the goods directly at your home each month."

Lin He nodded in agreement, though she was already calculating how to stay protected between then and negotiations. "Uncle Wen," she asked suddenly, "do you know where I might find large Tibetan mastiffs? The bigger breeds if possible?"

Wen Shu raised an eyebrow. "Those are rare beasts—only lamas usually own them. But I can locate some good guard dogs for you. Small pups or grown specimens?"

"Small ones," she decided, "I'll raise them myself into big dogs capable of guarding the house and accompanying me on trips."

Wen Shu nodded thoughtfully. "Leave it to me. The shop assistants will deliver them once found. You just wait at home these few days."

"Thank you!" Lin He smiled warmly, already imagining her new protectors.

Wen Shu shook his head gently. "Nonsense about payment—this is on me. If anything had happened to you and your brother today, my regrets would last a lifetime."