Prejudice—Mu Anxiao had sensed Xiao Zeng’s disdain for her from the very first day she arrived here.
If she remembered correctly, Xiao Zeng had even stolen from her back then.
At the time, in a fit of anger, she had publicly scolded Xiao Zeng in front of everyone. After Xiao Zeng returned the stolen item, he never spoke another word to her again.
Of course, she didn’t care whether Xiao Zeng acknowledged her or not. All she cared about was whether she was happy or not!
But things kept taking unexpected turns, like now—she suddenly felt... she might have been a bit too naive.
"What should I do?" she asked softly, tilting her head up.
"I'll handle it."
"What about me?" Mu Anxiao pointed at herself.
"You..." Feng Qishi smirked. "Just stand back and watch. I’ll pretend I’m babysitting two kids."
"You’re the kid."
"I’m stronger than you," Feng Qishi retorted smugly.
Mu Anxiao had to admit Feng Qishi was indeed stronger, but she refused to accept being called a kid.
"Don’t call me a kid."
"Old hag," Feng Qishi teased deliberately.
At that remark, Mu Anxiao suddenly remembered the wolf demon.
"I wonder where the wolf demon went?" she muttered.
"What does it matter to you where he went?" Feng Qishi asked, a hint of jealousy in his voice.
Mu Anxiao didn’t pick up on his tone and sighed. "I haven’t seen him in ten years."
"Do you want to see him?"
"No."
Feng Qishi said, "Then why bring him up? If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t be in such a miserable state."
As Feng Qishi said, it was true—without the wolf demon, she wouldn’t have gone through all this. But when she thought about these experiences, and the twists and turns of her fate with Feng Qishi, she felt... without the wolf demon, she might never have witnessed these moments.
Over the past ten years, she had reflected a lot, recalled a lot, and come to terms with many things.
"I think it’s alright."
"Alright? What’s alright?" Feng Qishi frowned. "Don’t tell me... you like the wolf demon?"
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao finally sensed something off about Feng Qishi and looked up. "What’s wrong with you?"
"We were having a perfectly fine conversation. Why bring up the wolf demon?" Feng Qishi shot back.
"He’s the one who called me ‘old hag’ first. When you said it, I just thought of him," Mu Anxiao explained.
"Kid," Feng Qishi grumbled childishly.
Mu Anxiao rolled her eyes. "Immature." With that, she turned and walked around the screen.
Feng Qishi stood still, glanced at the screen, and muttered to himself, "Why bring up that guy? What a mood killer."
On the other side of the screen, Mu Anxiao slowly walked to the foot of Xiao Zeng’s bed. "You’re awake."
Xiao Zeng glared at her and turned over.
Mu Anxiao said, "You’re twelve now."
"What does my age have to do with you?" Xiao Zeng snapped.
"Nothing, but I just don’t get it—how can a kid like you hold a grudge for so long?"
"Because of you, everyone called me a thief. I hate you."
For a whole year, these words had festered in Xiao Zeng’s heart. Now that he finally spat them out, his voice cracked with emotion.
Over the past year, Mu Anxiao had never had a proper conversation with Xiao Zeng. Every time he passed by, he would glare at her. Before, she didn’t understand why, but now, hearing his words, she frowned.
"So you resent me?" she asked.
Xiao Zeng said, "Yes, I resent you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been called a thief. If it weren’t for you—"
"The fact is, you did steal from me," Mu Anxiao interrupted.
At the same time, Feng Qishi walked around the screen and looked over at them.
Xiao Zeng said, "I didn’t steal."
"If it wasn’t stealing, what was it?" Mu Anxiao pressed.
"I... I just wanted to look at it."
"Look at it? By hiding it in your clothes?"
"I..."
"You stole, and you won’t even admit it."
"I didn’t!" Xiao Zeng averted his gaze.
"Oh, really?" Mu Anxiao took a step forward, circling to the side of his bed. "A few days ago, you stole a silver tael from an old woman. She was so upset she cried on the spot. Before that, you stole a hairpin from a girl in the city and sold it for five taels. And—"
"Stop talking!" Xiao Zeng covered his ears.
"You dare do it, but you can’t handle hearing about it?" Mu Anxiao glared at him.
From the past until now, there was very little Mu Anxiao couldn’t tolerate—except people who twisted the truth and slandered her.
And above all, she despised thieves. Especially this Xiao Zeng. She had had enough.
Today, he had crossed her bottom line.
Xiao Zeng: "......"
Feng Qishi watched Xiao Zeng lower his head, then glanced at Mu Anxiao, who was staring daggers at the boy. Clearing his throat, he walked over and suddenly said, "Apologize."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao looked at Feng Qishi, thinking she had found an ally. "Apologize."
But the next moment, Feng Qishi said, "Mu Anxiao, you apologize to him."
Stunned by Feng Qishi’s stern tone, Mu Anxiao turned to him. "Why should I apologize to him?"
Feng Qishi said, "You went too far. He’s just a child."
"I’m a child too," Mu Anxiao retorted, widening her eyes.
Feng Qishi frowned. "Didn’t you say you didn’t want to be called a kid?"
Mu Anxiao was speechless.
"..."
Seeing her silence, Feng Qishi said, "If you won’t say anything, then you’re not a kid."
"I..." Mu Anxiao felt wronged, her emotions surging. "I’m not a kid in the first place."
"Then apologize to the child," Feng Qishi insisted.
Mu Anxiao couldn’t understand what she had done wrong.
Now, being pressured like this by Feng Qishi, she felt utterly aggrieved. Clenching her fists, she turned to leave without another word.
But just as she was about to step past Feng Qishi, he grabbed her arm.
Xiao Zeng watched the scene, a smug smile tugging at his lips.
Mu Anxiao looked down at her tightly restrained arm and was about to speak when Feng Qishi’s voice echoed in her mind: *Play along.*
Her eyes widened as she looked up at him.
*Listen to me,* Feng Qishi’s gaze conveyed.
*Give me a reason,* Mu Anxiao responded mentally.
*I have my reasons.*
*I hate being wronged,* Mu Anxiao thought, tears welling in her eyes.
Feng Qishi’s expression darkened slightly. *Trust me. After this, I’ll make him apologize to you.*
*Really?* Mu Anxiao raised her brows.
*Really,* Feng Qishi nodded firmly.