"If you're afraid of offending Juan'er, you'd listen to Zhao Mei'er. Then I ask you," Ouyang Ye said, placing his hands behind his back, "if Zhao Mei'er had told you that Juan'er wanted to kill you, would you have complied?"
"This..." Song Xi didn't know what to say.
Ouyang Ye looked at Song Xi's anxious expression and the corner of his lips curled up. "What, you can't bear to part with your own life?"
"If..."
"Song Xi." Xi'er couldn't stand it anymore.
Hearing this, Song Xi cautiously glanced at Xi'er, who was trying to stop him, and continued, "You said that the master's will is your will. Naturally, my life..."
"I am me, she is she," Ouyang Ye interrupted.
Song Xi blinked and called out, "Master."
Then, Ouyang Ye pointed at Song Xi, motioning for him to rise.
Xi'er saw this and, before Song Xi could react, quickly said, "Master told you to get up. Hurry and get up." Her voice was clearly choked with emotion.
The next second, at Xi'er's reminder, Song Xi hastily stood up and clasped his hands in thanks, "Thank you, Master."
"You don't need to thank me. You just need to remember that from now on, no matter what, besides my words, you are to listen to no one else. Of course," Ouyang Ye said with a detached expression, "if Mu Anxiao makes a request of you, you must grant it."
"Master, if you do that, the master might not be happy," Xi'er said, showing concern for Ouyang Ye.
"That's not a problem for you to worry about for me," Ouyang Ye said, glancing at Xi'er before looking back at Song Xi. "Did you remember what I said?"
"Yes, Master," Song Xi replied, clasping his hands.
"Also, if Zhao Mei'er commands you like she did today in the future, you are to simply ignore her. If she says anything else, you are to say it is my will," Ouyang Ye stated calmly.
Song Xi responded, "Yes."
Then, Ouyang Ye looked down at the teapot on the table and said, "I've enjoyed myself enough. Go to the kitchen and prepare something for Mu Anxiao and the others to eat and deliver it. Then he looked at Xi'er, "You come with me."
"Yes, Master," Xi'er replied, glancing at Song Xi before following Ouyang Ye.
After they left, Song Xi breathed a sigh of relief and also walked away.
In the courtyard, Ah Xue and the Vine Spirit had also heard the news about Mu Anxiao and the others. However, due to their humble status, this matter had clearly become a difficult problem for them. As such, the Vine Spirit began to pace incessantly.
Ah Xue, on the other hand, lowered her head, thinking of various solutions. "What's the use of you pacing back and forth like this?" She truly couldn't stand the Vine Spirit.
Upon hearing this, the Vine Spirit stopped pacing, turned to look at Ah Xue, and asked, "Who did you hear that from?"
"The bee," Ah Xue answered truthfully.
The Vine Spirit frowned. "It's him," he said, thinking of Mu Anxiao's standing in Ouyang Ye's heart, and suddenly cast doubt on the news Ah Xue had brought. "Then Mu Anxiao and the wolf demon are definitely fine."
"What are you saying?" Ah Xue said, frowning slightly. "Are you not trusting me?"
"I'm not saying I don't trust you," the Vine Spirit said lightly.
Taking advantage of the Vine Spirit's words, Ah Xue thought for a moment and whispered, "You don't trust the bee."
The Vine Spirit nodded.
Ah Xue was puzzled. "Why don't you trust him? If I remember correctly, he doesn't seem to have offended you, has he?" Saying this, she suddenly couldn't understand the Vine Spirit anymore.
The Vine Spirit's lips curved into a smile. "Yes, he hasn't offended me, but the wolf demon is his love rival!" He raised an eyebrow at Ah Xue.
Seeing this, Ah Xue combined what the Vine Spirit said with the bee's reaction and recalled it, saying, "What you're saying... doesn't seem entirely unreasonable." After speaking, the anxiety in her heart was instantly relieved.
"So, I dare to guarantee that this is completely untrue," the Vine Spirit said.
As expected, after the Vine Spirit's words, Ah Xue's tense nerves relaxed. "What you're saying makes sense, but what's the bee's motive for doing this?" She suddenly couldn't figure it out.
The Vine Spirit smiled. "You wouldn't understand this. Possessiveness." He snapped his fingers.
Ah Xue was bewildered.
Just then, the courtyard gate was suddenly blown open by a gust of wind. Then, just as the Vine Spirit was about to continue 'adding fuel to the fire,' Mei Gui ran in, asking, "Do you know?" as soon as she spoke.
Upon hearing this, the Vine Spirit's smiling face froze. Then, he and Ah Xue turned to look, stunned.
Ah Xue asked, "Know what?" She was still wavering between doubt and belief.
The Vine Spirit didn't understand Mei Gui's meaning, so he walked up to Mei Gui before Ah Xue and asked, "What's wrong?" He still didn't believe the fact that Mu Anxiao and the wolf demon were imprisoned.
Mei Gui looked at the Vine Spirit's utterly clueless expression and patiently said, "Mu Anxiao and the wolf demon made a mistake in the forbidden forest and were imprisoned." As she spoke, she glanced at Ah Xue, who was instantly shocked.
"How is that possible?" the Vine Spirit refused to accept reality.
Ah Xue said, "It seems it wasn't jealousy." Saying this, she also came up to Mei Gui.
Hearing this, Mei Gui glanced at Ah Xue and said, "Mu Anxiao is fine, but I'm worried about the wolf demon." She fixed her gaze firmly on the Vine Spirit's face and said, "I know you are the best at finding solutions."
"You want me to find a solution?" the Vine Spirit was surprised by Mei Gui's decision.
Mei Gui nodded.
The Vine Spirit hesitated. "Anything decided by Ouyang Ye, no one can change. My status," he said, taking a deep breath, "is likely difficult to get him to meet."
"It's even less possible for me," Ah Xue said nervously.
Listening to the Vine Spirit, Mei Gui frowned. "You mean, go directly to the master and talk in person."
"Here, as long as you have connections, nothing is a problem. You just need to find Ouyang Ye. I believe," the Vine Spirit had a sudden inspiration and placed his hope on Mei Gui, "if you go, it will definitely be effective."
"This... I didn't think of that," Mei Gui said in a low voice, a flash of excitement on her face. "Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll go."
Seeing Mei Gui's demeanor, Ah Xue suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Why didn't you go earlier?" she blurted out.
Hearing this, the Vine Spirit gave Ah Xue a look and said, "Then you be careful yourself."
"I have a way," Mei Gui completely ignored Ah Xue and turned to leave.
After Mei Gui left, the Vine Spirit breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Ah Xue, saying, "She said she didn't think of it, and you're still asking."
"I..." Ah Xue came back to her senses, then turned to look at the Vine Spirit and said, "All your guesses were wrong." After speaking, she turned to walk out of the courtyard.