After Shen Qingwan left, the village was engulfed in flames.

The fire burned for an entire day before it was finally extinguished.

That very night, the entire city of Ancheng learned that the Black Wind Stronghold had caught fire.

The townsfolk rejoiced, believing it was well-deserved retribution.

Many prayed that all the bandits had perished in the flames.

Shen Qingwan rode her horse at full speed for four to five days before arriving in Yongzhou.

Along the way, she encountered and killed many roaming bandits, but she did not come across any more strongholds.

She arrived in Yongzhou in the afternoon and decided to find an inn to rest for the night.

After freshening up, she planned to visit Second Master Bai the next morning.

Just as she spotted a decent-looking inn and was about to enter, she saw a well-dressed young noble humiliating a woman.

The woman’s clothes were tattered, her hair was a tangled mess, and she was picking up rice from the ground to eat.

The noble deliberately stepped on the rice before letting her pick it up.

“Haha! Old beggar woman, hurry up and eat! Once you’re done, I’ll give you more!”

The two servants accompanying the noble laughed along with him.

Other patrons in the inn’s dining area saw the scene but only shook their heads in silence, not daring to interfere.

Shen Qingwan had no intention of meddling either.

The woman seemed to be insane, and even if she saved her now, she couldn’t protect her forever. Situations like this were common, and she had grown accustomed to them.

However, as she passed by the madwoman, she inadvertently glanced at her face—and froze in shock.

One look. That was all it took.

Shen Qingwan felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

“Mom… Mother?”

The familiar yet distant word made Shen Qingwan’s eyes instantly well up with tears.

Without hesitation, she grabbed the rice the woman was about to put into her mouth.

It had been stepped on and was no longer edible, but the woman was too hungry to care.

“Hungry… I’m so hungry… I need to eat… need strength to find Wanwan… my Wanwan…”

The moment she uttered “Wanwan,” Shen Qingwan was certain.

This woman was her mother.

But how could this be?

Had her mother also transmigrated after death?

In her past life, during the early days of the zombie outbreak, her mother had died protecting her.

Shen Qingwan never imagined she would see her again—let alone here.

“Well, well! Where did this little lady come from? Have you taken a liking to me and want to throw yourself into my arms?”

The young noble reached out to grab Shen Qingwan’s chin, but she caught his wrist instead.

A loud crack echoed through the inn, followed by a pig-like scream.

“AHH! My hand! My hand! You wretched woman, how dare you break my hand?! Do you even know who I am? I’m the third young master of the Xu family—Xu Pingwei! You’ve signed your own death warrant by attacking me!”

“Y-Young Master, are you alright?”

His two servants rushed to support him, but he angrily kicked them both. “Idiots! Didn’t you see me getting bullied? Get her! Tie her up and bring her back to me—I’ll make her pay!”

He wanted to take her back and torture her.

Shen Qingwan ignored him and helped the madwoman to her feet.

As one of the servants lunged at her, she swiftly kicked him, sending him flying across the room.

Xu Pingwei hadn’t expected her to be so skilled. He hesitated, then pointed a trembling finger at her with his uninjured hand. “You… you just wait! I won’t let this go!”

Realizing he was outmatched, he turned and fled—presumably to gather reinforcements.

Only after he was gone did Shen Qingwan help the woman into a chair.

Before she could say anything, the innkeeper hurried over, his voice filled with urgency.

“Miss, you should leave immediately! That man is the third young master of the Xu family, and half of Yongzhou belongs to them. His brother-in-law is the city’s governor. If you’ve offended him, he won’t let you go easily. You should escape before he brings reinforcements!”

The other patrons also chimed in.

“Yes, miss, it’s not worth the trouble. The Xu family is untouchable.”

“Xu Pingwei has been terrorizing the city for years, but no one dares stand up to him. If you get taken to his residence, you’ll never come out again.”

Shen Qingwan wanted to learn more about her mother’s condition, so she had no time to deal with Xu Pingwei.

She thanked the concerned patrons and left with her mother, heading to an inn across the street.

She rented an upper-floor room and had hot water brought in.

After washing her mother and helping her change into clean clothes, she offered her some food.

The woman ate ravenously, stuffing her mouth like a starving person.

Shen Qingwan waited patiently, then wiped her mouth before gently holding her hands.

“Mom, it’s me, Wanwan. Look at me—I’m your daughter.”

The woman’s gaze flickered with confusion and emotion. “Wanwan… my Wanwan… I lost my Wanwan… I must find my Wanwan…”

Shen Qingwan’s heart ached.

Her mother still remembered her!

This confirmed it—this was indeed her mother. But how had she ended up like this?

She was so overwhelmed with emotion that she failed to notice something important: the woman’s facial features bore a striking resemblance to the original owner of this body.

The sheer joy of being reunited with her mother drowned out all other thoughts.

She held her tightly, afraid she would disappear again.

Later, Shen Qingwan changed into men’s clothing and took her mother to a nearby clinic to seek medical help.

While bathing her earlier, she had noticed something strange—her mother’s body was clean, free of scars or grime.

Even her tattered clothing was made of high-quality silk, the kind only wealthy families could afford.

Despite the dirt on her face, once cleaned, her mother’s beauty was evident.

She looked exactly as she had in their past life when she carefully maintained her appearance.

Her skin was still smooth, a testament to years of proper care. Clearly, she had once lived in luxury.

The elderly doctor took her pulse, then stroked his beard and spoke calmly.

“Your mother’s condition is psychological rather than physical. She must have suffered severe emotional trauma, and it has been affecting her for years. Recovery will not be easy, but with careful attention and care, it is not impossible.”