Just now, because of A Xia's appearance, he had forgotten.
So he said, "There's no one we're looking for here... Who?"
Mu An Xiao glanced at the monster's awkward expression, then at the colorless lanterns around them. She said, "Since there's no one you're looking for here, please leave." She gestured towards the door.
The monster leader saw that Mu An Xiao was not to be trifled with, especially when he saw Pia and Xiang Nang standing behind her. Without a word, he turned around and left with his subordinates.
After they had completely departed, darkness returned to the area.
Mu An Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and turned to ask A Xia, who was being supported by Shen Xian, "Are you alright?" She walked in front of A Xia.
A Xia shook her head, "I'm fine."
"That's good," Mu An Xiao said, looking at Feng Qi Shi, "Why didn't you help me?"
"Weren't you capable of handling it yourself?"
"What if I had gotten hurt?" Mu An Xiao nudged Feng Qi Shi's arm.
Feng Qi Shi curled his lips and glanced at Shen Xian. "If you got hurt, it wouldn't be my business to manage. Someone else would," he said, turning and walking away first.
Xiang Nang breathed another sigh of relief at Feng Qi Shi's self-awareness.
Gu Xiao, seeing Shen Xian's displeasure, quickly took A Xia's arm and walked away with them.
Thus, the courtyard was left with only her and Shen Xian.
Shen Xian said, "Why aren't you talking to me? You're talking to him."
"I'm not familiar with you, but I am familiar with him!"
"Not familiar with me?" Shen Xian repeated, grabbing Mu An Xiao's arm. "Come here."
"What for?"
"....." Shen Xian looked at Mu An Xiao's face, then forcefully pulled her to the well. "Wash your face."
"I don't want to."
"Hurry up," Shen Xian said coldly, releasing her.
Seeing that Shen Xian was in a bad mood, Mu An Xiao obediently squatted down and began to wash her face.
By the lake deep in the woods.
"Vine Spirit, why did you come here?"
Hearing the monster leader's loud shout, the Vine Spirit, who was bathing in the lake, was startled. He quickly transformed back into a chain, rushed out of the water, and looked at the lakeshore brightly lit by lanterns. He called back, "I was bathing." After speaking, he floated before the monster leader.
Immediately, as the monster leader was about to reach out, the Vine Spirit quickly floated back.
Seeing this, the monster leader said angrily, "You liar."
"Huh?"
"What 'huh'?" The monster leader squinted at the Vine Spirit. "I just went there, why weren't you there?"
The Vine Spirit chuckled dryly, "I was bathing."
"Why were you bathing?"
The Vine Spirit was embarrassed to admit he had fallen into a cesspit, but seeing the monster leader's angry expression and the monsters behind him, he became fearful. "I fell into a cesspit."
"Who did it?"
"No... no one did it. It's just... I was trying out that sorcery you taught me, and I lost control," the Vine Spirit paused intentionally, then continued, "and fell into the cesspit."
The monster leader: "....."
Upon hearing the Vine Spirit's explanation, all the monsters laughed unkindly.
The Vine Spirit felt embarrassed.
After they had laughed for a while, the monster leader said, "This time, I'll forgive you. Next time," he narrowed his eyes, "if anything like this happens again, you'll be sorry."
"It won't happen, it won't happen," the Vine Spirit replied eagerly.
The monster leader snorted coldly, took the lanterns and the monsters, and left.
As they departed, the Vine Spirit breathed a huge sigh of relief, then fell back into the water to continue his bath.
The courtyard.
Mu An Xiao finished washing her face and was about to wipe it with her arm when Shen Xian handed her a handkerchief. "Use this to wipe it."
"No," Mu An Xiao refused, resting her arm against her face.
From the moment the plan with the Vine Spirit began, Shen Xian didn't want Mu An Xiao to talk to Feng Qi Shi anymore.
Therefore, the recent incident had made Shen Xian very unhappy.
Now, seeing Mu An Xiao's disobedience, he became even more infuriated. "Mu An Xiao, are you listening to me?"
Hearing this, Mu An Xiao's body stiffened. She took her arm away and looked up at Shen Xian, who was inexplicably angry with her. "How am I not listening? I just don't like wiping my face with a handkerchief."
"Here," Shen Xian offered the handkerchief again.
Mu An Xiao curled her lips, took the handkerchief helplessly, and began to roughly dry her face.
Shen Xian: "....."
The kitchen.
Feng Qi Shi leaned against the doorframe, observing Shen Xian's actions towards Mu An Xiao. "He's jealous."
Xiang Nang stood calmly beside Feng Qi Shi and said lightly, "So, you'd better talk less to Mu An Xiao."
"Why should I?"
"You don't like her, so why do you keep giving her the wrong impression? Do you think what you're doing," Xiang Nang looked up at Feng Qi Shi, "is right?"
Feng Qi Shi: "....." He stared intently at Xiang Nang's face.
Xiang Nang said firmly, "What are you looking at? I'm telling the truth."
"If I told Mu An Xiao that I liked you, and she," Feng Qi Shi smiled, "would she believe it?"
Xiang Nang: "....."
Pia floated behind Feng Qi Shi and looked at Xiang Nang. "Sister, emotions are not something that can be forced. Someone as profit-driven as Mu An Xiao can't see such feelings at all. As for Brother Shen, forget it, it's useless."
"....." Xiang Nang blinked her eyes and turned to look towards Mu An Xiao. At that moment, she met Shen Xian's gaze as he turned around.
Shen Xian asked, "Have you two finished watching?"
Feng Qi Shi: "....." He glanced at Mu An Xiao and walked inside.
"....." Pia and Xiang Nang exchanged glances and returned to the kitchen.
Mu An Xiao glanced towards the kitchen, then casually stuffed the handkerchief into Shen Xian's hand. "I'm going to the privy. Don't follow." Saying this, she turned and ran off.
Shen Xian was stunned and looked down at the handkerchief. "......"
Not long after.
Mu An Xiao, holding a lantern, had just emerged from the privy when the Vine Spirit, who had transformed into Xu Lan, suddenly appeared before her.
Then, her expression unchanged and her heart not skipping a beat, she asked, "Who are you?"
The Vine Spirit was startled. "Why are you here?" he asked, his eyes widening in fear. He quickly made the lantern in his hand disappear.
Mu An Xiao raised her lantern and shone it on the Vine Spirit's face. She asked coldly, "I'm going to the privy. What are you doing here?"
"I... I'm also going to the privy."
"....."
"I..."
Mu An Xiao leaned forward and sniffed the fragrant scent emanating from the Vine Spirit. "You're not here to use the privy, are you?"
"I am here to use the privy."
"Your hair," Mu An Xiao reached out and forcefully tugged at the still damp strands of the Vine Spirit's hair, ":it's wet."
"....."
"Don't you think you're too clean and want to come here to get some smell?" Mu An Xiao moved aside, pushed open the privy door, and intentionally let the stench inside out.
Seeing Mu An Xiao's action, the Vine Spirit was also angered. "Are you sick?" he said. After speaking, he glared at Mu An Xiao and turned to walk away.