After Ouyang Ye left, Mu Anxiao and Zhao Xiang exchanged a glance before turning their attention to Lin Zong, who was slumped over the table.
"After all that talk, it was all meaningless," Mu Anxiao said, shaking her head and sitting down.
Zhao Xiang, however, disagreed. "I don't think it was meaningless."
"Not meaningless? You were angry for so long, and they don't even remember. It's quite pointless when you think about it," Mu Anxiao said, glancing at her teacup before looking up at the stunned Zhao Xiang, her brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"
"I lied to Mo Yun before," Zhao Xiang suddenly said.
Mu Anxiao froze. "How did you lie to him?" She felt something was off with Zhao Xiang.
"If I betray you, will you hate me?" Zhao Xiang asked abruptly.
Mu Anxiao's eyes widened. "What do you mean by that?" She stood up again.
Zhao Xiang looked at Mu Anxiao calmly. "It means nothing, I just said it casually." He then avoided her gaze and sat down.
Mu Anxiao's brow remained furrowed as she looked at Zhao Xiang, a growing sense of unease settling in. "Telling Shen Mo Yun that Ouyang Ye was the coachman, you made that up, didn't you? You never actually told him that." She inferred this from Zhao Xiang's words.
"I forgot," Zhao Xiang said, lowering his eyelids.
"You forgot? You can forget whether you said something yourself, Zhao Xiang, you..."
"You saw it too, didn't you?" Zhao Xiang interrupted, pointing at Lin Zong opposite them, whose memories had been absorbed by Ouyang Ye.
Following Zhao Xiang's gesture, Mu Anxiao slowly turned her head to look at Lin Zong. "Does Ouyang Ye do this often?" she asked.
"Yes. Many things are muddled in my mind, but I remember that it was her wilfulness that led me to this point," Zhao Xiang said with a sigh. "Perhaps it's a side effect. I can't clearly recall what has or hasn't happened. Mo Yun is also someone who forgets things quickly after hearing them. Honestly, I feel like it's all a dream to have come this far with you and earned your trust."
"You know I didn't trust you before," Mu Anxiao said softly.
"I would have found it strange if you trusted me. I think," Zhao Xiang said, tilting his head up to look at Mu Anxiao, "Mo Yun doesn't trust me either."
Mu Anxiao didn't know what to say. She believed that once something was past, it was past. As long as a person was willing to change, it proved their core wasn't bad, and dwelling on it further was pointless.
However, Zhao Xiang's current behavior suddenly filled Mu Anxiao with a sense of unease.
So, she fixed her gaze on Zhao Xiang's face and said, "Zhao Xiang, just say what you need to say. Hiding it like this is also quite pointless."
"I think I still can't afford to offend Ouyang Ye."
"And then?" Mu Anxiao's anxiety grew.
Zhao Xiang said, "Go back and tell Mo Yun that if there is an afterlife, we will still be friends. If there isn't, then so be it." As he spoke, he stood up, a dark light flashing in his eyes.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. Before Zhao Xiang could use his demonic arts, she quickly reached out and struck his chest. "I won't let you disrupt my plans," she said, her wrist twisting as she gathered spiritual energy.
After Mu Anxiao's blow, Zhao Xiang stumbled back two steps. "I know what I'm doing is wrong, but I lied to Mo Yun. There's no going back," he said, clutching his chest.
"Going back or not, I won't give you a chance to speak with Ouyang Ye," Mu Anxiao declared, her gaze hardening as she began to strike Zhao Xiang repeatedly.
Zhao Xiang quickly dodged her attacks.
Thus, Mu Anxiao's spiritual energy began to disperse wantonly into the air.
At the same time, Ouyang Ye appeared at the door, drawn by the surge of spiritual energy. He glanced into the room and saw Mu Anxiao fighting Zhao Xiang with magic. "Half the time..." he began, but as he spoke, Mu Anxiao's recently blurred features gradually became clear in his eyes. "Mu Anxiao is Cao Gen, and Cao Gen is Mu Anxiao." With that realization, he entered.
Moments later.
With Ouyang Ye's help, Zhao Xiang defeated Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao fell to the ground, using the pain to force herself to stay conscious. "Why are you back?" she asked, knowing Ouyang Ye had recognized her and adopting a more resolute attitude.
Immediately, Ouyang Ye intentionally called out, "Cao Gen."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao narrowed her eyes and said, "Since you've recognized me, why pretend? You're quite tiresome, Ouyang Ye." She pushed herself up from the ground, forcing herself to stand.
Ouyang Ye smiled as he watched Mu Anxiao rise. "You've been acting quite convincingly lately."
"It's not that I'm a good actor; it's that you never recognized me in the first place," Mu Anxiao said, no longer bothering with pleasantries to appease him.
Ouyang Ye burst into laughter after hearing Mu Anxiao's words.
Mu Anxiao forced herself to stand steady, calmly looking at Ouyang Ye, who was laughing with his head thrown back. "Let's have a competition," she said.
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Ye ceased his laughter and looked at Mu Anxiao with disdain. "You?"
Mu Anxiao's lips curved into a smile. "Yes, me."
Seeing Mu Anxiao's confidence, Ouyang Ye nodded. "Alright, you say it, what do you want to compete in?"
"You say it."
"You brought it up, why should I decide?"
"To give you an out. Later, I won't give you any more chances," Mu Anxiao said, enduring the pain in her back and clenching her fists. "This is an opportunity."
"I don't need you to give me an opportunity. Tell me, what are we competing in?"
"You refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a penalty. I've told you, don't regret it," Mu Anxiao said coldly.
Ouyang Ye nodded.
Mu Anxiao let out a soft snort. "Within three days, I will expose all your plans. Likewise, you must expose all of mine within three days. If I win, you and your subordinates will leave here. If you win," Mu Anxiao's gaze turned sharp, "I will go with you."
"You said it."
"I said it," Mu Anxiao replied, looking back at Lin Zong. "Her, I'm taking with me."
"Why are you taking her?" Ouyang Ye countered.
Mu Anxiao said, "You've already sensed that she's the woman of destiny. If I'm not mistaken, you've decided to marry her to Shen Mo Yun in Gu Yan's absence, haven't you?" As she spoke, she walked around the table to Lin Zong's side.
Ouyang Ye smiled upon hearing this.
Zhao Xiang stared at Ouyang Ye's smile, stunned.
"I've won once," Mu Anxiao said calmly.
Ouyang Ye remained silent, pointing at Lin Zong. "Take her, she's no longer useful." He then glanced at Zhao Xiang and turned to leave.
Seeing this, Zhao Xiang stepped forward to help.