Feng Qishi glanced at Mu Anxiao, then at Shi Yi, saying, "To prevent you from cheating, I won't loosen this for you yet." With that, he flicked the silver rope, which quickly detached from his body and tied itself to his wrist.
Shi Yi looked down at the silver rope on his wrist, then at Mu Anxiao's retreating back, and asked, "Can you hide it for me?"
"Sure, I'll grant your wish," Feng Qishi agreed, and disappeared from Shi Yi's sight along with the silver rope.
Seeing the silver rope vanish, Shi Yi couldn't help but chuckle, "It's gone now." As he spoke, he raised his hand and found it still had weight.
Feng Qishi watched Shi Yi's expression shift from joy to dejection, and smiled, "Lead the way, then."
"Now?"
"This," Feng Qishi said, turning to look at the back of Mu Anxiao's head, "When do we depart?"
"We'll discuss it back there," Mu Anxiao said, turning and taking Feng Qishi's arm.
"What are you doing?" Feng Qishi asked, surprised.
Mu Anxiao glanced at Shi Yi without looking at him, and said, "Let's go back. I don't have any magic."
"It's probably not realistic for me to take both of you," Feng Qishi said, glancing at Shi Yi.
"Are you expecting me to walk back by myself?" Mu Anxiao glared at Feng Qishi.
Shi Yi cautiously observed Feng Qishi's profile and whispered, "I can take you."
"No need," Mu Anxiao said without turning her head, continuing to tug Feng Qishi's arm. "He uses his magic, you use yours. Let's go."
"I don't want to waste it," Feng Qishi said deliberately.
Mu Anxiao's eyes narrowed, "Are you trying to get him to take you?"
Feng Qishi's gaze flickered away, "Precisely."
"Selfish fellow," Mu Anxiao muttered, snatching the concealed silver rope. "I'll pull him. You walk yourself."
Seeing Mu Anxiao take the silver rope, Shi Yi immediately walked forward with a smile, saying, "Alright, alright, you pull. You pull." He then stopped beside Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao looked up at Shi Yi's playful expression and asked, "Why are you so happy?"
"Of course, I'm happy. You..."
Mid-sentence, Feng Qishi snatched the rope and said, "I'll take you." He turned to Shi Yi, "You come by yourself."
"You..."
"Enough nonsense. Be careful I don't pull your soul out," Feng Qishi interrupted, reaching out with his other hand to grab Mu Anxiao's arm.
Mu Anxiao remained silent, feeling a sense of relief.
Soon, they returned to the inn. The proprietress didn't recognize Shi Yi and smiled at Mu Anxiao, saying, "You're back."
"You're not a monster," a young man said, wiping a table with a playful smile.
Mu Anxiao furrowed her brow, "What are you doing?"
"That guy is a swindler from a cultivation sect. He and his junior brother tied up the waiter yesterday. I exposed him, and now he has to work here for a month," Feng Qishi explained.
Mu Anxiao nodded and looked at Shi Yi, who had stopped behind her and was smiling foolishly at her, saying, "Can you stop looking at me?"
"No," Shi Yi replied with a grin.
Mu Anxiao rolled her eyes and said, "He's your problem." She then glanced at Feng Qishi and walked towards a table.
Feng Qishi, obeying Mu Anxiao, turned to Shi Yi and said, "If you keep looking at her, I'll blind you."
"Then I can't help you."
"Why?" Feng Qishi hadn't quite registered what was said.
"Because I can't see the way," Shi Yi shifted his gaze to Feng Qishi's face.
Feng Qishi nodded as if understanding, "You have a point. Your eyes really shouldn't be blinded yet." As he spoke, he slowly reached for Shi Yi's eyelids.
Shi Yi immediately closed his eyes.
Mu Anxiao sat at the table watching them. Feng Qishi placed his hand on Shi Yi's eyelids and said, "Hold that position. Just like that."
The proprietress looked between Feng Qishi and Mu Anxiao, then at Shi Yi and asked, "And who is this?"
"You don't recognize me with a different face," Shi Yi said, his eyes closed.
"You are... Shi Yi?" the proprietress judged by his voice.
"Yes, this is my true face," Shi Yi said, grabbing Feng Qishi's wrist.
Looking at Shi Yi, whose appearance was completely different from before, the proprietress smiled, "You're really young! I thought you were a middle-aged uncle!"
"I've found the girl I like," Shi Yi said, forcefully pulling away Feng Qishi's hand and opening his eyes.
The proprietress smiled, "Oh? Who is it?"
"Her," Shi Yi pointed at Mu Anxiao, who was picking up a teacup.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao put down her teacup and said, "I'm not."
"You are," Shi Yi said, looking at Mu Anxiao with infatuation.
Mu Anxiao clicked her tongue and turned her face away.
Feng Qishi said, "Your shameless persistence is truly disgusting."
"Mind your own business," Shi Yi said without looking at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi lowered his gaze to Shi Yi, who was slightly shorter than him, and said, "That person is no ordinary woman. I advise you not to waste your youth on her," he said, patting Shi Yi on the shoulder, "It's not worth it."
Upon hearing this, Shi Yi glanced at Feng Qishi, his expression freezing for a few seconds before he grinned, "I can use my love to influence her."
"Ugh..." Feng Qishi was speechless.
The proprietress smiled faintly and walked away.
Mu Anxiao sighed.
Following that, a man in green descended from upstairs and came to Mu Anxiao's side, saying, "You're back."
"Mhm," Mu Anxiao nodded listlessly.
Feng Qishi's eyes darted, and he looked at Shi Yi, whose expression had changed, and said, "Let me tell you a secret."
Hearing this, Shi Yi shifted his gaze back to Feng Qishi's face, "Go ahead."
"Come a little closer," Feng Qishi beckoned with a finger.
Shi Yi glanced at the man in green who had taken a seat beside Mu Anxiao, then obediently moved closer to Feng Qishi and said, "Tell me."
Then, Feng Qishi leaned down and whispered in Shi Yi's ear, "That's her fiancé. She doesn't want me to say it."
"What?" Shi Yi's eyes widened.
Feng Qishi stood up and smiled, "He's from above. You're just a rat spirit that occupied a human body. Do you really think," he smiled, "you're worthy of her?"
Shi Yi looked at the man in green, who was keeping his distance from Mu Anxiao, and chuckled, "So what? They're only engaged. If I try hard enough, it's still possible."
Feng Qishi thought that by saying this, the person before him would gain some self-awareness, but the outcome was not what he expected.
"Mu Anxiao doesn't like men getting too close to her. The more someone clings to her, the more she dislikes them," he added.
Hearing this, Shi Yi lowered his head.
Feng Qishi's lips curved upwards, thinking: Hmph, Mu Anxiao, you'll thank me for this.
"I understand now," Shi Yi suddenly said.
Feng Qishi blinked and asked, "Understand what?"