Shen Xian looked at Mu Anxiao's serious expression and heard her clear voice. He suddenly felt a pang of reluctance, but then he remembered the reality of Gu An’s resurrection and dismissed the thought.
"Scissors, rock." He responded.
The next moment, Mu Anxiao... lost again.
With a sigh, Mu Anxiao raised her scissor hands to her eyes and looked at Shen Xian's fist opposite her. She said, "A bet is a bet. Last round," as she knowingly walked in front of Shen Xian, stuck out her face, and said, "Come on, hit me." She closed her eyes.
Shen Xian looked down at Mu Anxiao's foolish appearance, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up. He said, "You really want me to hit you."
"That's the rule of the game. You've been letting me win the previous rounds. If you let me win this last one, I'll feel indebted to you. Go ahead."
"....." Shen Xian turned his face and smiled, slowly extending his hand and saying, "Don't complain about the pain."
Hearing Shen Xian's words, Mu Anxiao's expression became contorted.
"Here it comes," Shen Xian said, slowly reaching out and gently caressing Mu Anxiao's cheek. "Open your eyes."
At that moment, Mu Anxiao felt a chill on her face. She slowly opened her eyes and met Shen Xian's gaze. After a pause, she said, "Your hands are so cold."
"Your face is too hot," Shen Xian replied, withdrawing his hand.
"My face..." Mu Anxiao touched her face and said, "It is a bit hot, but my hands aren't as cold as yours."
Shen Xian: "....." His eyes darkened.
Mu Anxiao looked at Shen Xian's face and recalled their recent agreement. She said, "Alright, you can tell me now."
Shen Xian hesitated for a moment and said, "Tomorrow, I won't send anyone to follow you."
"I didn't ask you to."
"Xu Lan just went to help gather some information. Those monsters seem to be in a rage. You," Shen Xian said, "be careful tomorrow."
"I know," Mu Anxiao mused, "Is that all Xu Lan told you?"
"Mhm, why?"
"Nothing, I just heard you talking suspiciously just now. Why didn't you say that outside the door?"
"His thatched hut was just built, and he wanted me to take a look."
"Oh."
"When you get back, I'll give you..." Shen Xian paused and continued, "I'll give you that thatched hut."
"Really?"
"Mhm, although I haven't seen it yet, when I was a child..." Mu Anxiao trailed off.
Once, Mu Anxiao was taken in by the steward of a manor. It was there that she learned to work. The place where she lived was a thatched hut, located in the backyard of the manor.
At that time, although her life was hard, she felt happy every day as long as she could eat a warm steamed bun and drink a bowl of sweet rice porridge.
However, in less than half a year, the master of the manor died. The women in the manor could not support the household and expelled everyone. The steward who took her to the manor also went to another family.
Only, he took everyone from the manor with him, but he didn't take her.
Thinking about it, she felt depressed now.
However, that thatched hut became her most profound memory.
She had never told anyone about these things, because she believed that her suffering could never compare to Shen Yan's, and to speak of it would be sentimental.
Shen Xian, seeing Mu Anxiao's silence, asked, "Why did you stop talking?"
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao snapped back to attention and looked at Shen Xian, giving a bitter smile. "There's nothing to say. Anyway, I've lived in a thatched hut like that before."
"....."
"Alright, I'm going to rest for a bit," Mu Anxiao said, turning towards the desk.
Shen Xian quietly watched Mu Anxiao's retreating figure and thought, "If you die, you won't have to suffer anymore." With that, he sat down.
Early morning.
Mu Anxiao got up early. While Shen Xian was still asleep, she opened the door and walked out.
Shen Xian lay in bed, heard the sound of the door, and said nothing.
At the same time, Feng Qishi happened to walk out of his room. He caught sight of Mu Anxiao sneakily closing the door. He cleared his throat and whispered, "What are you doing?"
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao closed the door tightly, carefully released her hand, and turned to look at Feng Qishi, who was standing in the middle of the courtyard staring at her. She put her index finger to her lips, shushed him, and then tiptoed to Feng Qishi, pointing towards the kitchen.
Feng Qishi asked, "Is something wrong?"
Hearing Feng Qishi's open question, Mu Anxiao frowned and pinched Feng Qishi's arm hard, squeezing out a sentence through gritted teeth, "Can you please not talk?" As she spoke, she quickly raised her hand and covered Feng Qishi's mouth.
"....." Feng Qishi blinked.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao slowly lowered her hand and pulled Feng Qishi towards the kitchen.
Shen Xian's room.
The Vine Spirit appeared by Shen Xian's bed and said, "Mu Anxiao went to find Feng Qishi."
Shen Xian sat up and said, "I know."
"You know?"
"Mhm, she's not Gu An, no matter what. She and Feng Qishi," Shen Xian looked up at the Vine Spirit, "are more familiar than I am."
"What do you mean by that?"
"My Gu An is about to return. Who she wants to see has nothing to do with me anymore."
"You? Aren't you afraid she..."
"No."
"You..."
"Alright, stop talking. When do we leave?"
"Early morning."
"Now?"
"Mhm, the monsters are urging us."
"Okay, I understand. You can go."
The Vine Spirit nodded slightly, turned, and disappeared.
Kitchen.
Mu Anxiao stood in front of Feng Qishi and looked down at her clothes. She said, "Change me into something else."
"Can't you change yourself?"
"If I could, why would I need you?"
"You got up so early just for me to change your clothes."
"...." Mu Anxiao knew she couldn't tell Feng Qishi about going to find the monsters. She hesitated for a moment and said, "Yes."
"Boring."
"I am bored, so come on."
"....." Feng Qishi pouted and began to cast a spell.
The next moment, Mu Anxiao was dressed in new men's attire.
"There's no hat," Mu Anxiao said, tying up her hair.
Feng Qishi said, "If Shen Xian knew you ran to me to change your clothes, he'd explode with anger."
"It's fine!"
"Aren't you afraid of him anymore?"
"....." After today's events, perhaps Shen Xian's conscience would return, and her mission would be complete. Thinking about the start of her new mission tomorrow, her heart surged with excitement. She said, "Who was ever afraid of him? Hurry up and cook." As she spoke, she turned and walked away.
Feng Qishi yawned and said, "I cook every day. My master never mistreated me like this in the Heavenly Realm. Hmph." After speaking, he squatted down and began to light a fire.
At the same time, Mu Anxiao arrived outside Xiang Nang's room.
In the room, Xiang Nang sat at the table, looking at the figure on the paper window. He asked, "Who is it?"