Lin Yan’s gaze flickered. “No need to answer.”
Perceptions of people were relative, and Mu An Xiao had found Lin Yan disagreeable from the start. After he’d finished speaking, Mu An Xiao bypassed him without a word and walked into the dilapidated temple.
Lin Yan glanced sideways at Mu An Xiao’s retreating back, then smiled at Feng Qi Shi and said, “They…”
“Move them inside,” Feng Qi Shi interrupted, turning and following Mu An Xiao’s pace.
Chen glanced at Lin Yan and hurried to catch up with Feng Qi Shi.
Lin Yan, looking rather awkward at the four beggars lying on the ground like dead pigs, then at the temple, felt a surge of displeasure. However, he then considered that if he left them there and the returning beggars saw them, it wouldn’t be good. With a sigh, he bent down and began to lift the first beggar.
Meanwhile, Chen followed Feng Qi Shi into the dilapidated temple.
Feng Qi Shi stood before his own portrait, gazing at the depiction of his handsome self, and coolly said, “Bow.”
Mu An Xiao thought Feng Qi Shi was speaking to her and instantly fixed him with a deadly glare. “I won’t bow to you. Let’s see what you can do to me.”
However, Feng Qi Shi ignored Mu An Xiao and turned his head to Chen, who stood beside him. “I’m talking to you. Did you hear me?”
Chen also assumed Feng Qi Shi was addressing Mu An Xiao. As Feng Qi Shi spoke, her expression clearly faltered, and she asked, “Are you talking to me?”
“Not me, her,” Feng Qi Shi said, pointing at Mu An Xiao.
Mu An Xiao felt a pang of awkwardness and deliberately averted her gaze.
Chen glanced at Mu An Xiao, then pointed at the portrait. “If I bow to you, can you help me?”
Hearing this, Mu An Xiao recalled her earnest pleas to Chen earlier and looked at her expectant gaze for Feng Qi Shi’s help. Mu An Xiao said, “I’ve already said so much, and you still want him to help you?”
Chen, hearing Mu An Xiao’s clearly indignant question, quickly explained, “I heard what you said. I just want to know… why doesn’t he kill me?”
Sometimes, not mentioning something was better. Once it was brought up, it became an issue. Looking at Chen’s innocent expression at that moment, Mu An Xiao was once again speechless.
“…”
“Why are you always speechless?” Chen asked.
Mu An Xiao took a deep breath and said, “What you say always leaves me speechless. What can I do?”
Chen could discern some meaning from Mu An Xiao’s expression, but every time she thought about the event ten years ago, she felt indignant. Therefore, she refused to give up.
“Do you think I’m very childish?”
“Yes,” Mu An Xiao nodded.
“I… it doesn’t matter what you think of me. I just want to know Piao’s objective.” Chen said seriously.
Mu An Xiao wasn’t interested in what Chen wanted to know, but based on her understanding of Piao, she didn’t want Chen to harm herself out of curiosity, even though they had no relation.
“How do you plan to have him help you?” Mu An Xiao asked.
Feng Qi Shi stood aside silently.
Chen glanced at Feng Qi Shi and said, “Help me find Piao.”
Mu An Xiao said, “No need to look.”
Chen asked, “Why?”
Mu An Xiao glanced at Feng Qi Shi and said, “I know where that fellow is.”
“So you do know her?” Chen exclaimed excitedly.
Mu An Xiao didn’t recall telling Chen that she knew Piao, but seeing Chen’s expression, she became curious if Chen knew something.
“Could it be, you guess…” She stopped mid-sentence, recalling A Xia, and then thinking about the unusual relationship between Chen and A Xia, she terminated her thought.
Chen, seeing Mu An Xiao’s hesitant attitude, felt curious. “Why did you stop?”
“Nothing to say.”
“Aren’t you curious how I know you know Piao?”
“I’ve already said so much, anyone would guess I know him. Is that something that needs asking?” Mu An Xiao retorted.
Chen smiled. “I didn’t realize you were quite so clever.”
“You’re too slow,” Feng Qi Shi said.
This time, Chen ignored Feng Qi Shi, her gaze fixed intently on Mu An Xiao. “How do you plan to help me?”
Mu An Xiao cleared her throat, turned to look at Lin Yan who was carrying the first beggar into the temple, and said, “Once you’re done, come in and help tidy this place up.”
Lin Yan placed the first beggar on the haystack and asked, “Why tidy this place up?”
“She bought a bed, and it will be delivered later. You should tidy this place up first,” Feng Qi Shi replied.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan smiled fawningly at Feng Qi Shi, agreed with a sound, and then shot Mu An Xiao a glare before leaving the temple.
Seeing Lin Yan glare at Mu An Xiao, Chen clenched her fists and said, “I’ll help you teach him a lesson.”
“A great person does not stoop to the level of a petty person,” Mu An Xiao said.
Chen, hearing this, turned to Mu An Xiao and smiled. “You’re quite tolerant.”
“This is the mortal world,” Mu An Xiao said.
Chen had never interacted much with people before. After this normal conversation with Mu An Xiao, she suddenly had a strange feeling, one she had never experienced.
“…” Carrying this feeling, Chen quietly looked at Mu An Xiao, remaining silent.
Mu An Xiao was startled by Chen’s expression. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Observing you recently, I’ve always felt you were…” Mid-sentence, Chen’s eyes widened. “You’re a girl.”
Mu An Xiao thought Chen had always known her gender, so when Chen suddenly exclaimed this, she was genuinely startled. “You only just realized?” Her lips twitched.
“Yes,” Chen nodded.
Feng Qi Shi, with his arms crossed, watched Chen’s surprised expression and then Mu An Xiao’s startled reaction, lowering his eyes and smiling.
This time, Mu An Xiao didn’t notice Feng Qi Shi’s subtle expression and casually uttered two words, “Alright.”
The second Chen replied with those two words, she returned to her previous question. “So, how do you plan to help me?”
“You help me, and I’ll help you.”
“Huh?” Chen was startled by Mu An Xiao’s words and asked, “I’m just a monster, how can I help you?”
“It’s very simple. You help me find A Xia, and I’ll help you find Piao.”
There was no such thing as luck falling from the sky in this world. Every “help” was followed by a “return.” If the other party couldn’t repay, then it was an exchange.
This was a principle Mu An Xiao had concluded after her downfall.
Chen hesitated. “A Xia hates you immensely. What… should I do?”
Mu An Xiao said, “Do as you normally would. As for the process in between, you’ll have to figure it out yourself, just like me looking for Piao. Do you expect me to tell you how to find Piao?”