In the inn, the waiter placed a small bowl of beef noodles before Mu Anxiao. Mu Anxiao lowered her head, inhaling the aroma of the noodles, and was about to pick up her chopsticks when Xie Xin's stomach rumbled loudly.
Hearing the sound, Mu Anxiao furrowed her brow and turned to look at Xie Xin. "Are you hungry?"
Xie Xin pursed her lips, nodded, then shook her head.
Seeing Xie Xin like this, the waiter thought business was coming and didn't leave.
Mu Anxiao frowned, "If you're hungry, just say you're hungry. What does shaking your head and nodding mean?"
Xie Xin didn't want to eat in front of the wolf demon because she was afraid of embarrassing herself. In fact, she had been craving noodles while Mu Anxiao and Xiao Zeng were eating, but she had been enduring it.
Of course, she had intended to continue enduring, but her own traitorous stomach had started to grumble. She then gave an awkward smile, "I am hungry." She nodded slightly, cautiously glancing at the wolf demon.
The wolf demon noticed Xie Xin's gaze and asked disdainfully, "If you're eating, you're eating. Why are you looking at me?"
"It's not nice to watch people eat," Xie Xin said shyly.
The wolf demon said dismissively, "What does it matter to me if your eating is nice or not."
"..." Xie Xin's face turned cold. "It does matter to you."
Hearing Xie Xin's sudden change in tone, the wolf demon was speechless.
Mu Anxiao glanced at both Xie Xin and the wolf demon, easing the tension. "Are you eating?" she asked, her gaze fixed on Xie Xin's face.
Xie Xin retracted her gaze from the wolf demon's face and nodded.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao proactively picked up her bowl of noodles and handed it to Xie Xin. "Eat."
"..." Xie Xin smiled at Mu Anxiao, took the chopsticks that Mu Anxiao handed her, said, "Thank you," and began to eat.
Seeing Xie Xin devour the noodles ravenously, Mu Anxiao sighed and looked up at the waiting waiter. "Bring me another bowl."
This was exactly the response the waiter wanted. He smiled, "Coming right up." With that, he turned and walked away.
Mu Anxiao's expression was blank. She looked down at Xie Xin eating noodles, then at the wolf demon who was still looking at Xie Xin with disdain, and thought, "Hmm? What was I supposed to give him?"
That's right, she had completely forgotten about the demon core.
Piao said, "Why haven't those people arrived yet?" He was trying to make his presence known.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao immediately shot a murderous glare at Piao. "..." Her expression was blank.
Piao felt awkward under Mu Anxiao's stare. "I didn't mean anything by it. Don't look at me like that." He dodged her gaze.
Mu Anxiao said, "You cursed me."
"Curse..." Piao spat out the word and gave a dry laugh. "Disciple, that's not how a master should speak. How could a master wish harm upon their disciple? You really... I don't know what you're thinking."
"...." Mu Anxiao narrowed her eyes. "Something's not right."
"..." Piao looked at Mu Anxiao's suspicious and overthinking demeanor, feeling both awkward and helpless as he turned his face away.
Mu Anxiao glared at Piao, then turned to Lin Yan, who was also staring at her, and asked, "What are you looking at me for?"
Lin Yan said, "Where did Master go?" After asking, he still looked around.
"Upstairs." Mu Anxiao felt there was no need to hide it, so she told him.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan stood up.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao looked up and asked, "Where are you going?"
Lin Yan said, "I'm going to find my Master."
"Your Master is taking a bath. Are you sure you want to go?" Mu Anxiao raised her chin.
"Taking a bath." Lin Yan muttered, then looked at the dirt on Mu Anxiao's body, and pouted. "You took my Master to a mud pit." Saying this, he sat back down.
Mu Anxiao said, "What do you mean I took your Master to a mud pit? Learn how to speak." She rolled her eyes.
Lin Yan pursed his lips and lost the courage to retort.
Conversely, Yuan Ye glanced at Lin Yan, who was developing a fear of Mu Anxiao, and then said to Mu Anxiao, "Those people won't give up." He then glanced at Man One and Man Two.
"I know." Mu Anxiao looked at Yuan Ye. "If you're scared, you can leave, but the premise is you're not allowed to reveal my whereabouts. Otherwise, I won't let you go."
"Am I that kind of person?" Yuan Ye exclaimed indignantly.
Mu Anxiao shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows? We're not familiar with each other."
".." Yuan Ye was embarrassed.
Mu Anxiao said, "If you want to leave, leave quickly, so that no one sees you with me. Then," she said, picking up her teacup, "it will all be troublesome."
Yuan Ye didn't want to leave, but Mu Anxiao had just summarized the recent events. If not for these events, he might have been able to help Mu Anxiao. But with conclusive evidence, even if he spoke, he would be unable to defend himself.
As Mu Anxiao said, if those people saw him with her, it would definitely be troublesome. He thought, it wouldn't be a problem for her, she could just leave. But what about him?
At this moment, he was in a dilemma.
"...." He lowered his head.
Mu Anxiao could see that although Yuan Ye was greedy for life and fearful, he was also a kind person, and a loyal one.
Therefore, to prevent him from being in further difficulty, she said, "Go. There's no use staying here. Yuan Yan has also agreed not to look for you anymore. Don't worry, go back and live your life properly."
"This..."
"What do you mean 'this'? If you hesitate any longer, that man will find them, and then you won't be able to go home." Mu Anxiao interrupted.
When Yuan Ye heard Mu Anxiao say this, he was moved. "Will you be alright?" he asked with concern.
Mu Anxiao smiled faintly. "What could happen?"
"Are you really going to be alright?" Yuan Ye was still worried about their safety.
Mu Anxiao said, "Of course it's true. Capable people never speak empty words. Don't worry, go. If someone asks you outside if you know me, just say no."
"But... those people also saw me with you yesterday."
"Then say I'm a jinx," Mu Anxiao said firmly, believing that those people would no longer trouble Yuan Ye after hearing this from him.
"..." Yuan Ye suddenly fell silent.
Mu Anxiao looked at Yuan Ye's thoughtful expression and asked, "What's wrong? You don't want to say it like that?"
Yuan Ye said, "I can say it in front of you, but in front of them," he shook his head, "I can't say it."
"Even if you can't say it, you have to. Those people already think so. If only you can't say it," Mu Anxiao frowned, "you'll become an outcast in their eyes, and then your family will also be dragged down by you. Can't you figure out this simple matter?"
Yuan Ye remembered Piao's words. After Mu Anxiao finished speaking, he said in a low voice, "This matter has nothing to do with you. Why are you taking all this on yourself?"
"Who says it has nothing to do with me?" Mu Anxiao said softly.
"He said so," Yuan Ye glanced at Piao, then continued, "Of course, I also think it has nothing to do with you, because you are a beggar."
"..." Mu Anxiao glanced at Piao, and couldn't help but recall Piao speaking up for her just now. She said, "Don't listen to his nonsense. Hurry and leave."
"I will clarify things with them," Yuan Ye made all the problems seem simple.
Mu Anxiao said, "Don't be foolish. Do as I say. Once they arrive, you won't be able to leave."
"But..."
"This is your hometown, you can't leave. But I can. Also, you are the eldest grandson of your family. If you die," Mu Anxiao said seriously, "your family will definitely be very sad."
"But..."
"Stop with the 'buts'. Go." Mu Anxiao waved her hand.
Seeing Mu Anxiao's determined look, Yuan Ye was about to speak when Piao said, "I also think you should go."
"..." Yuan Ye looked at Piao.
Piao said earnestly, "Listening to her won't do you any harm."
"Listen to me," Mu Anxiao said again.
Yuan Ye looked at Piao and Mu Anxiao's determined eyes, then considered his own family status, and compromised. "Alright, you be careful. If you need any help, just say so."
"Go back and settle my payment. You gave me three taels, and you still owe twenty-seven taels." Mu Anxiao suddenly said.
Yuan Ye was stunned. He hadn't expected Mu Anxiao to remember this debt.
Piao glared at Mu Anxiao, who was money-minded, and then said to Yuan Ye, "You should go. She's joking with you."
"I..."
"Go," Piao intended to interrupt Mu Anxiao.
Yuan Ye knew Mu Anxiao was a person who loved money. He then touched his empty belt and said, "Let me stay. After things are over, you come home with me, and I'll give it to you."
Mu Anxiao looked at Yuan Ye's serious face, then thought about Yuan Yan, who had yet to be dealt with. She said, "I was joking. Go."
"You..."
"Go. If I can capture those evil spirits, I'll be able to earn a lot of money then," Mu Anxiao interrupted, pointing at Yuan Ye. "You leaving is also helping me."
Yuan Ye found Mu Anxiao's words reasonable, so he nodded. "Alright, be careful."
"Yes, your trust makes me very happy."
Yuan Ye said, "I will always believe in you."
"Go," Mu Anxiao waved her hand again.
Yuan Ye agreed, "Okay."
Immediately after Yuan Ye left, Mu Anxiao sighed and turned to see the waiter hiding behind a pillar with a tray. "Come here," she said.
Hearing this, the waiter, holding the tray with the beef noodles, scurried over. As he placed the tray before Mu Anxiao, he said, "Um, please, after you finish this bowl of noodles, leave." He said this while trembling as he handed Mu Anxiao a pair of chopsticks.
Mu Anxiao looked down at the waiter's noticeably trembling hands and then up at his wry, bitter smile. "You're scared," she said, snatching the chopsticks.
The waiter grunted and looked at Man One.
Man One narrowed his eyes, still unable to speak.
Mu Anxiao stirred the beef noodles and said, "You can leave, but the premise is, it has to be for free." She then took a bite of the noodles.
The waiter hesitated, then agreed, "Okay."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao choked slightly, then looked up and swallowed what was in her mouth. "Are you sure you're serious?"
The waiter thought that if those people knew he had secretly hidden Mu Anxiao here, they would all stop coming here to eat after Mu Anxiao was driven away. At that time, his job would be the least of his worries. If the boss pushed all the responsibility onto him, wouldn't that be trouble?
Therefore, he could only compromise. "Serious," he said firmly.
Mu Anxiao looked at the waiter blinking, then glanced towards the stairs. "Alright, I'll finish eating, and when he comes down, we'll leave. Don't charge us."
"Won't charge," the waiter shook his head.
"Good, go busy yourself," Mu Anxiao said, wiping her oily mouth. She then turned to Piao, who was staring at her, and asked, "What are you looking at me for?"
"You're amazing," Piao said, giving her a thumbs up.
Seeing Piao like this, Mu Anxiao frowned and uttered two words: "Exaggerated." She lowered her head and continued eating.
On the other side, Xie Xin finished the last bite of noodles and smiled at the wolf demon.
The wolf demon, seeing Xie Xin's expression, deliberately turned his gaze away.
Xie Xin snorted.
Lin Yan looked towards the stairs, beginning to wonder if Feng Qi Shi was done.
Xiao Zeng lay on the table, keeping quiet.
Upstairs.
Feng Qi Shi had finished bathing and changed into new clothes before the woman in the red and white dress entered his room. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly sensed a demonic aura.
Therefore, he temporarily abandoned the idea of leaving the room and turned around, seeing the woman in the red and white dress appear behind him. The moment Feng Qi Shi looked at her, the woman in the red and white dress began to giggle foolishly.
She had been giggling foolishly until now, not saying a word.
"What are you laughing at? Can you say something?" Feng Qi Shi said calmly, sitting opposite the woman in the red and white dress at the table.
The woman in the red and white dress said, "You don't remember me." She stopped smiling.
Feng Qi Shi said, "You are a demon soul."
The woman in the red and white dress shook her head.
"You're not?" Feng Qi Shi frowned.
The woman in the red and white dress smiled, then pointed at the teacup in front of Feng Qi Shi and said, "I'm thirsty."
Feng Qi Shi followed the woman's gaze, looked down at the teacup in front of him, and said, "This is my cup. If you're thirsty, pour it yourself."
"You weren't like this before."
"Before?"
"When you were Shen Yan, you weren't like this. Back then," the woman in the red and white dress said sentimentally, "you would always pour me water. You forgot."
"I poured water..." Feng Qi Shi said, lowered his head to think, then looked at the color of the woman's clothes in front of him and widened his eyes. "You didn't leave?"
"..." The woman in the red and white dress looked at Feng Qi Shi's astonished expression and gave a bitter smile. "I thought you didn't remember me at all."
"I have some impression. I remember..." Feng Qi Shi said, "it was you who mentioned Mu... Mu Anxiao." He didn't want to call Mu Anxiao by her nickname in front of her.
"At that time, you didn't want to listen."
Her name was Zhao Mei'er. She was once human, but because of her younger sister, she became a demon, and after doing evil deeds, she became Mu Anxiao's mission.
At that time, Zhao Mei'er was not convinced by Mu Anxiao, so she investigated Mu Anxiao's weaknesses. It was during that process that she learned about a great god that Mu Anxiao feared the most, named Shen Yan. Thus, she found Shen Yan. Using all sorts of lies, she stayed by Shen Yan's side.
Feng Qi Shi didn't have a deep impression of Zhao Mei'er, because she only stayed with him for three days before Mu Anxiao discovered her.
It was also at that time that he... met Mu Anxiao again.
And it was also at that time that Mu Anxiao knew how much Shen Yan hated her, hated her so much that... she cursed her even in her dreams.
In short, Feng Qi Shi was quite surprised by Zhao Mei'er's appearance.