As Mu Anxiao uttered these words, Yuan Ye woke up.
“Where am I?” he asked, looking at Mu Anxiao’s back.
Hearing his voice, Mu Anxiao temporarily ceased her questioning of Zhao Mei’er and looked down at Yuan Ye. “How do you feel?” she asked, bending down and reaching out her hand towards him.
“You saved me,” Yuan Ye said hoarsely, sitting up and taking Mu Anxiao’s hand.
Mu Anxiao pulled him up with a strong tug. “It wasn’t me,” she said, releasing his hand and pointing towards Feng Qishi, who was watching them.
Yuan Ye followed Mu Anxiao’s gaze and quickly said, “Thank you.” He then shifted his attention to Zhao Mei’er’s face.
Seeing Yuan Ye look at her, Zhao Mei’er frowned.
Yuan Ye then exclaimed, “She cut the rope.”
Zhao Mei’er had assumed Yuan Ye had fainted while he was up there, but she never expected things to turn around like this.
However, even so, she could not concede. “It wasn’t me.”
“It was you. When you were pulling Feng Qishi, you suddenly pointed at me, and then… the rope broke, and I fell,” Yuan Ye insisted, convinced it was Zhao Mei’er.
Zhao Mei’er retorted, “If it wasn’t me, it wasn’t me. You mortal, don’t you dare spout nonsense.” Her face flushed with anger.
Mu Anxiao frowned, watching Zhao Mei’er vehemently defend herself. “Then tell me, who was it?” she wondered how Zhao Mei’er would manage to escape this predicament.
Zhao Mei’er replied, “How would I know? Anyway,” she glanced at Feng Qishi, “my heart is only for him. If I wanted to harm someone, I would have done it long ago.”
Mu Anxiao looked at Zhao Mei’er’s self-righteous expression and nodded, then turned to Feng Qishi. “Shen Fengzi, what do you think?”
“I don’t know.” Feng Qishi disliked suspecting anyone without reason, so he was at a loss.
“As long as he’s alright, isn’t that enough?” Yuan Yan said, looking at Yuan Ye.
However, Yuan Ye still felt a sense of fear towards Yuan Yan. Hearing Yuan Yan’s voice, he flinched and hid behind Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao turned and glanced at Yuan Ye but remained silent.
Not wanting the situation to escalate further, Zhao Mei’er took advantage of their discussion and left in a flash of red and white light.
Mu Anxiao calmly watched the direction Zhao Mei’er had gone, sighed, and then looked at Feng Qishi. She said earnestly, “Shen Fengzi, you’d better not be too kind when you’re with me. The kind are bullied, and the virtuous are deceived by demons. Do you understand this principle?” She tapped Feng Qishi’s finger.
Seeing Mu Anxiao’s concerned expression, Feng Qishi smiled. “I understand.”
“Be serious,” Mu Anxiao glared at Feng Qishi.
Seeing Mu Anxiao’s anger, Feng Qishi quickly ceased his smile, then turned to Yuan Yan and asked, “Why did you do this?”
“I’ve already made it clear to her,” Yuan Yan said, pointing at Mu Anxiao.
Feng Qishi glanced at Yuan Yan’s finger and turned back to Mu Anxiao. “What’s going on?”
“He was used by someone named Jiong Ye,” Mu Anxiao said, glancing at Yuan Ye, who was leaning on her shoulder. “What are you afraid of? He was just following orders to lure me here.”
“You mean…” Yuan Ye’s voice trembled, “I was the bait.”
“Yes, you could say that.”
“He won’t kill me, will he?” Yuan Ye asked again.
Mu Anxiao still looked at Yuan Ye, who stood behind her, and said, “Don’t worry, he won’t kill you. Besides, I’m here, what are you afraid of?”
“But I…”
Before Yuan Ye could finish speaking, a woman’s voice suddenly came from behind Mu Anxiao and him. “You smelly beggar, why haven’t you left yet?”
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao froze. She and Yuan Ye turned to look at the woman holding a broom and glaring at them. Mu Anxiao gave an awkward smile. “I left, but I came back.”
The woman exclaimed, “You jinx! Get out of here now!” With that, she grabbed the broom and ran towards Mu Anxiao.
Seeing this, Yuan Ye quickly removed his hand from Mu Anxiao’s shoulder, went around her, and ran towards Yuan Yan.
Mu Anxiao was stunned. Unable to turn back, she quickly dodged the broom and bent her body slightly. “I will leave, but not now,” she said, deciding to talk to the woman calmly.
“If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have encountered those things, and now you’re like an evil spirit,” the woman said, raising the broom again. “Tell me, aren’t you a jinx?”
Feng Qishi heard the woman’s sharp words and looked at Mu Anxiao, who was trying to communicate calmly. His heart sank, and he quickly ran to Mu Anxiao’s side, pulling her arm. “She is not a jinx.”
The woman snarled, “You see me as easy to bully, don’t you?” She glared at Feng Qishi, completely unreasonable.
Feng Qishi replied, “We have no intention of bullying you. I know her better than you do.”
“You and she are in it together.”
“We are indeed. Now let me ask you one thing,” Feng Qishi said coldly, his tone questioning, “She has been here for ten full years, and have there been any problems in this place?”
“How would I know?” the woman evaded, her eyes darting. “I’ve only been here for over five years.”
“Five years, and you call her a jinx? You…”
“I’ve only been here for over five years, but I’ve heard,” the woman interrupted sternly, looking at Mu Anxiao, “that people who have been with her say her appearance has never changed. She looked like this ten years ago, and she looks like this now.”
“Yes, she looked like this ten years ago.”
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao and Feng Qishi were both startled. They then looked at the people behind the woman and were stunned.
Yuan Ye hid behind Yuan Yan and whispered, “Can’t they see you?”
Yuan Yan glanced at Yuan Ye. “You can see me, so do you think they can’t? I don’t know what you’re thinking.”
“They can see you?” Yuan Ye’s mind started working.
Yuan Yan nodded. “Yes, of course.”
“Then can’t they tell you’re a ghost?” Yuan Ye asked again.
Yuan Yan didn’t know what Yuan Ye was up to and remained silent.
Seeing Yuan Yan’s silence, Yuan Ye continued, “When I talk to you, you should answer. It’s better for you, me, and them,” he said, glancing at the people glaring at Mu Anxiao and Feng Qishi.
Yuan Yan had intended to stand there quietly and be an observer.
However, Yuan Ye was being too talkative. Especially after hearing Yuan Ye’s repeated questions and seeing the two young people turn their attention towards them, Yuan Yan reluctantly replied, “They can’t tell.” His voice was very soft.
“They can’t tell,” Yuan Ye muttered, glancing at a third young person looking their way. He whispered, “I apologize.”
Yuan Yan was taken aback. “What are you doing?” he asked, ignoring the three young people and turning to Yuan Ye.
Yuan Ye smiled at Yuan Yan, then quickly changed his expression and shouted towards them, “It was all him! He’s a ghost!” He took a step back, pointing at Yuan Yan.
The next second, Yuan Yan froze.