Zhu Yanyi ignored all that. The people on the island had broken free from the witchcraft. She could finally pack her bags and prepare to go home. Just as she finished wrapping her belongings, Yan Aohan walked in.
"Ani, Ma Tianliang is here. He has something to ask you."
Zhu Yanyi raised her eyebrows slightly, looking surprised. "What does she want? I trust the medicine I used. Nothing bad should have happened."
"He doesn't look like something went wrong. It seems like it’s about something else," Yan Aohan said seriously.
Zhu Yanyi thought for a moment. "Then let’s go see her."
Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan went to meet Ma Tianliang. She was waiting in an open area nearby. When she saw Zhu Yanyi, her face lit up with joy.
"Village Chief Ma, what do you need?" Zhu Yanyi asked directly.
Ma Tianliang looked around. "Can we talk somewhere else?"
Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan exchanged a glance, then nodded. "Let’s go to the beach ahead. It should be safer to talk there."
"Good." Ma Tianliang breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Zhu Yanyi gave her a chance to speak, that was enough.
At the beach, Yan Aohan did not join their conversation. He stood a bit further away, not coming closer. Zhu Yanyi understood. Yan Aohan did this so he wouldn’t interfere with her decisions. Many things concerned her, and she needed to decide for herself. If Yan Aohan made all the choices for her, it might be fine for a short time, but it wouldn’t be good in the long run. Understanding his good intentions, Zhu Yanyi didn’t insist he come over.
However, Yan Aohan was still worried about her safety. He stood where he could still see her clearly. If anything went wrong, he would rush over immediately.
Zhu Yanyi and Ma Tianliang reached the beach. No one could hear them here. "Village Chief Ma, you can speak freely here. No one will hear us."
Ma Tianliang had checked this place too. It was indeed the safest spot. Looking at Zhu Yanyi, she suddenly dropped to one knee.
"Ma Tianliang, the twenty-first generation head of the Ma family, represents the entire Ma clan. I pay my respects to my young master."
"Wait! Village Chief Ma, what are you doing? Please get up quickly." Zhu Yanyi was stunned. She never expected Ma Tianliang to bow so deeply.
"Little Master, you can call me Old Ma, or just my name," Ma Tianliang said stubbornly.
Zhu Yanyi rubbed her forehead, turned around once, and then sighed. "Then may I call you Uncle Ma? Is that okay?"
"Good." Ma Tianliang was surprised, but she knew this was Zhu Yanyi’s sincere wish, so she didn’t object.
"Uncle Ma, please stand up first. Let’s talk while standing," Zhu Yanyi said gently.
Yan Aohan saw this scene. He was slightly surprised at first, then a smile appeared on his lips. He did not move closer.
Seeing Zhu Yanyi’s reaction, Ma Tianliang knew she wouldn’t accept their submission unless she explained everything. Since she had come, she had to make it clear.
"Little Master, you don’t know. Our Ma family was once descended from Ma Liang. Later, the family moved many times and settled in Lu Province. But a strong dragon cannot fight local snakes. A powerful person in Lu Province hired a witch doctor to curse our family. That witch doctor was actually a good person. He only told us that he placed a curse on us. If we stayed in Lu Province for three generations, the curse would fade. But if we left Lu Province, our descendants would inherit this problem forever. However, it would not threaten our lives."