"What kind of medicine is this?"
"Painkiller."
"Are there any side effects?"
"You'll die the first time you take it, after that, no more."
In the deepest, dirtiest cell of Xuanzhu County's Patrol Execution Guard underground prison, a middle-aged man lying like boneless mud on the ground stared at the small brown pill. His lips trembled: "Can anyone in my family survive?"
"Upon investigation, except for seven children under the age of ten with no criminal record, the rest will have to face the public trial." Mu Qingmei, arms crossed, looked down at him: "Those who must die will die, those who must live will eventually survive."
"We won't spare any criminal needing judgment for the sake of making a deal with you, nor will we threaten your family... This pill is the reward for you handing over the Lan family's craft."
"If you're willing, I'll call someone to take notes and prepare a good meal for you; if you're unwilling, just take it—unless you want to live for a few days longer and face the public trial."
Upon hearing the term 'public trial,' the prisoner trembled slightly.
He laboriously turned his head, his gaze passing over Mu Qingmei, looking at the one who shouldn't be in such a filthy jail cell, blooming like a white lotus: "Sea Cape Gate, can you guarantee that the Lan family lineage won't be extinguished?"
Huyan Siluo nodded, whispering, "I promise."
The prisoner reached for the pill, scrutinizing it for several minutes, during which nobody spoke in the cell until Mu Qingmei began to grow impatient. He then spoke an address: "The century-old Lan family craftsmanship is all recorded in the secret tome of that basement. There are many special terms in the tome, just show it to the craftsmen. If there's anything unclear... ask the remaining, alive, over-thirty Lan family members."
With that, he eagerly swallowed the pill.
Mu Qingmei lightly snapped her fingers, and a divine ray pierced through the prisoner's head, causing him to lose consciousness before even feeling the pain.
She turned to meet Huyan Siluo's surprised gaze, shrugged: "We don't have poison that kills instantly; had it been this handy, we would've used it long ago. But he took the pill and died quickly, the experience was great, no bad reviews, isn't this effect similar? Plus, I delivered the service personally."
Huyan Siluo laughed a peal of laughter, taking Mu Qingmei's hand, softly saying, "Thank you for accompanying me."
"Ah, what's there to be modest between sisters, this is nothing." Mu Qingmei proudly patted her chest and added: "Moreover, you've just seen too little; such matters are trivial, I'll take you in a couple of days to see Minghong torturing prisoners, or witness executions at the shooting range, that'll train your courage..."
Huyan Siluo's face turned grim: "Uncle Lan... he was a friend of my father's when he was young, often visited our home, and even customized a small car for me to drive around the yard..."
Mu Qingmei paused, awkwardly scratched her head: "Should I leave him a whole corpse?"
"I don't mean to blame you; his fate is deserved." Huyan Siluo rubbed her reddened eyes, mustered a smile and said: "Though I've never seen the second-in-command torture prisoners or witnessed executions at the shooting range, I haven't missed a single one of the public trials these days."
"To die so peacefully is a great mercy to Uncle Lan. He understood this, so he didn't even eat the last meal, just swallowed the pill directly."
"To live despicably and shamelessly, yet die with peace, would be too unfair to those whom they stepped on all their lives."
Huyan Siluo whispered, "In fact, I should share the same fate..."
"Don't be silly!" Mu Qingmei slapped Huyan Siluo's bottom, Huyan Siluo uttered a cry in surprise. "You're different from every pore-excreting filthy blood capitalist. You're just like us, a partner of justice."
"The night you chose to lie to Mr. Tie to protect us, I knew you were my sister by different parents!" Mu Qingmei grinned: "Don't think of yourself as kin to those people, what's that saying, 'untainted despite the mud'! They're rotten, doesn't mean you are!"
"But from birth, I've eaten gourmet meals, dressed in silk and satin, always attended by servants, basked in prosperity."
"While I drove the small car Uncle Lan gave me around the yard, outside, hundreds or thousands of children my age struggled to survive, including you, Qingmei."
"While you wandered homeless, I slept in a warm, comfortable bed, with my mother reading me stories."
"When the second-in-command killed your brother personally, my father and brother celebrated my birthday, the gift-bringers broke my doorstep."
"While you trained hard in Combat Technique, sweat and toil every day, I held tea parties with other girls my age, discussing what dress looks good, what jewelry's pretty."
Huyan Siluo spoke these words smoothly, clearly having pondered them countless times through sleepless nights:
"I used to take all this for granted because it was my parents' love. But if their love was built on sin, what I enjoyed was built on your suffering, what difference is there between me and them?"
"Qingmei, your hands are much rougher than mine, for I've never labored. If my father at least stabilized Xuanzhu County, then I am a useless leech, having leave none of the past prosperity, yet now shamelessly accept your protection—"
Swish!
Mu Qingmei embraced Huyan Siluo, hearing her breath whisper to her ear, the slight itch on her ear instantly halting all further words of Huyan Siluo.
"No one is born with the original sin, no one can choose their birth."
"Those devastating emotions, though unnecessary, I understand them. At a certain point in life, one begins to loathe that weak self."
Huyan Siluo wrapped her arms around Mu Qingmei's waist, lowered her head to lean on her shoulder, whispering, "Qingmei, did you ever hate yourself too?"
"Of course I did." Mu Qingmei said: "The first time I hated myself was when Minghong came home covered in blood and told me our eldest brother was dead, I beat him up terribly."
"Actually, I really wanted him to give me a good scolding. If I hadn't been so young back then, if my combat technique had been stronger, if I had gone with them... maybe things could have been salvaged."
"It's just that Ming Hong was really too weak, not even fighting back. I almost killed him by accident."
"And the second time I hated myself... was that night, watching him from afar through the ruins of the Sea Cape Gate, telling us to 'protect Yin Yi Yin'."
"The loathing towards oneself always stems from one's own incompetence."
"Every time you dislike yourself, it's a sign of growing up."
Mu Qingmei pressed Huyan Siluo's shoulder, gazing into her eyes, "Congratulations, you've also become a dirty adult."
"But..."
"If you truly feel guilty, then work diligently to contribute to the rebirth of Xuanzhu County," Mu Qingmei said with a smile. "And don't be embarrassed by these feelings. Compared to those who need to go through public trials, it's precisely this guilt born out of your moral compass that makes White Night willing to trust you."
"Only those who have cried into their pillows," she gently wiped away the tears at the corner of Huyan Siluo's eyes, "can learn what gentleness means."
"If you're really so guilty that you want to make some amends... then I'll collect a little interest!"
"Ah? Qing Mei don't make trouble!"
Mu Qingmei spun Huyan Siluo around a few times, burying her head in Siluo's embrace and nuzzling as she giggled foolishly, "Siluo, hugging you is so comfortable—— such a good body, no idea which beast it will end up with in the future—— might as well let me enjoy it first!"
"Stop it, put me down, put me down!" Huyan Siluo shouted in embarrassed annoyance, "We're almost at the door!"
Mu Qingmei set Huyan Siluo down and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles on her chest, saying with a serious face:
"Be sure to mind your demeanor at Wang Hai Palace. If people outside see you coming out of prison looking disheveled, it might blow everyone's minds. Then by tomorrow, rumors will spread all over Xuanzhu County, and the day after, 'special features' about you will flood the newspaper's submission inbox. Don't add to my workload..."
Huyan Siluo glared at Mu Qingmei with an annoyed expression, but Mu Qingmei just looked back with a silly smile, until Huyan Siluo couldn't help but burst into laughter herself.
"Thank you."
"Ah, what's with the politeness between sisters! Sister, stride forward, keep moving, don't turn back~"
Mu Qingmei suddenly remembered something and chuckled, "By the way, what do you think of Ming Hong?"
"The second in command?" Huyan Siluo was taken aback, "He is a very good, very serious, very mature man, Xuanzhu County needs him."
Mu Qingmei blinked, "Really, really? Do you need him?"
Huyan Siluo's eyes fluttered, she lightly hummed, tilted her head thinking for a moment, then whispered, "I already have someone I like."
"Ah~" Mu Qingmei sighed, "Er Gouzi, Er Gouzi, it's not that I'm not helping you, I'm really doing my best~"
Huyan Siluo covered her mouth laughing, "But it seems the second in command also likes someone, right? I've seen him with Wen Hong, the Medical Officer..."
"Well, I did ask Sister Wen about that. But her answer was quite..." Mu Qingmei paused for a while before finally coming up with a word, "…interesting."
"What did she say?"
"I asked her what she thought of Ming Hong and she said, just regard him as a dog that comes when called and goes when waved off."
Huyan Siluo blinked, "Oh..."
"Then she told me, dogs are actually very good, they can guard the house, scare people outside, love to lick people on the bed, and can be neutered if disobedient... I really can't figure out how she thinks."
"...It is quite interesting."
"Wait a minute!" Mu Qingmei suddenly fixed her gaze on Huyan Siluo, "Who's the person you like? Could it be the one who's gone missing?"
Huyan Siluo shook her head, "No."
"That's good," Mu Qingmei sighed in relief, suddenly uttering a nonsensical line, "I can't be a pillow for two people..."
Then she looked at Huyan Siluo with curiosity again, "Then who is it that you like?"
"Not telling you."
"Is he the handsome, good-looking, with a sweet smile type?"
"Hmm~" Huyan Siluo tilted her head thinking, "She's quite the narcissistic type."
"The person you like is so strange!" Mu Qingmei frowned, commenting.