Mu Anxiao had always believed she had only left a bad impression on the demon souls. Little did she know that she had garnered such a reputation among the yokai as well. Looking at A Chu, who was drinking tea opposite her, a strange feeling suddenly welled up within her. It compelled her to want to clarify things with A Chu. 'Mu Anxiao' was not that kind of immortal, and her actions were never truly targeted. However, the impression was already solidified; what use would further explanations be?
As various thoughts flooded her mind, she began to feel uneasy. This uneasiness stole her courage to meet A Chu's gaze directly.
So, she lowered her head.
At that moment, A Chu set down her teacup and looked at Mu Anxiao, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Mu Anxiao replied, her head still bowed.
Seeing Mu Anxiao like this, A Chu couldn't help but feel puzzled. "You say you're fine, but I feel like something is bothering you?" She scrutinised Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao cleared her throat, reached for the refilled teacup, and said, "I was just a bit thirsty." With that, she took a sip.
A Chu had always been a particularly sensitive demon, so every movement Mu Anxiao made caught her attention.
"Do you think what I said about that Mu Anxiao was wrong?" she asked.
However, Mu Anxiao never expected A Chu to ask such a question. Yet, she wasn't surprised, only worried. She knew Ouyang Ye disliked immortals, and A Chu was Ouyang Ye's subordinate. If A Chu were to report to Ouyang Ye that she was siding with an immortal, Ouyang Ye would surely turn his back on her immediately. A sense of crisis suddenly struck her. She quickly abandoned all thoughts of avoidance, looked up at A Chu, and said, "No." Her expression was calm.
A Chu: "No? Then why don't you dare look at me?"
"I do dare look at you; I was just thirsty," Mu Anxiao replied, picking up her teacup and draining it in one gulp.
Seeing Mu Anxiao like this, A Chu chuckled. "I know. You must be scared."
"Scared of what?" Mu Anxiao asked, confused.
"In the eyes of mortals, between gods and demons, gods are naturally more worthy of respect. So, your reaction is not surprising," A Chu smiled.
"What do you mean?" Mu Anxiao queried.
A Chu: "I told Song Xu the same thing. He had the exact same reaction as you then."
"My reaction?" Mu Anxiao countered, her brow furrowing. "Did you tell him your identity?"
"Not at all. I just mentioned the situation. He took quite a while to react back then, just like you did just now," A Chu said, letting out a slight sigh. "It was after that encounter that he stopped seeking me out." She spoke with a touch of dejection.
Seeing A Chu like this, Mu Anxiao pondered Song Xu's timid yet somewhat dissolute nature. She realised he must have already guessed A Chu's identity in his heart, otherwise, he wouldn't be avoiding A Chu, let alone afraid to offend her.
Thinking of various reasons, just as she was about to offer some comfort to A Chu, A Chu spoke, "You think he guessed my identity, don't you?" As she said this, A Chu fixed her gaze on Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao blinked, finding herself speechless.
Seeing Mu Anxiao's silence, A Chu frowned. "I'm talking to you. Do you think he guessed my identity?"
"This..." Mu Anxiao appeared conflicted. "I really don't know. But I think your guess is probably correct."
"My guess is correct," A Chu said, suddenly smiling.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao was bewildered. "What's wrong with you?"
"He didn't expose me and still spoke to me kindly," A Chu's thoughts were completely different from Mu Anxiao's. Instead, she had a clear interpretation of Song Xu's behaviour. "This means he still cares about me."
"..." Mu Anxiao had nothing to say.
A Chu continued talking to herself, "He definitely cares about me. Otherwise, he would have exposed me long ago and wouldn't have come here. Him acting like this now must be a test. It must be." Finishing her sentence, she fixed her gaze directly on Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao gave an awkward laugh.
A Chu asked, "Did you remember what I told you to do?"
Hearing A Chu's sudden question, Mu Anxiao didn't react immediately. After a few seconds of pause, she replied, "It's about supervising Song Xu."
"Yes. Remember, you also need to say good things about me to him. That way, his fear of me will be dispelled."
"I understand," Mu Anxiao said. After a moment's thought, she added, "By the way, what did you mean when you said Mai is like me?"
"It means she is also a person," A Chu said, glancing towards the door. "Do you know why we are here?"
"Why?" Mu Anxiao asked curiously.
A Chu smiled faintly. "We are all eliminated yokai."
"Eliminated yokai? What does that mean?"
"Initially, Ouyang Ye gathered us using his methods, saying he would find husbands for us. We, having a particular yearning for mortal relationships, agreed. Who knew that after arriving here, he tested us using his demonic arts and found that none of us could be utilized by him. So, he simply discarded us here, claiming that we could find our destined partners here. On the first day I arrived, I knew something was wrong. Therefore, I vowed to find the man I liked as soon as possible. Within a few days, I met Song Xu. Since then, I've learned to refuse entry. Only Song Xu is allowed in here."
"What about Xiao Er?" Mu Anxiao asked casually.
A Chu inquired, "Does that guy count as a man?"
Mu Anxiao was rendered speechless.
A Chu continued, "In any case, you are the second man to enter here after that." As she spoke, she picked up the teapot and poured herself a cup of tea.
Mu Anxiao glanced at A Chu's teacup and said, "Mai is also a person."
"Yes, as far as I know, she is the only one Ouyang Ye trusts here."
"She also has demonic arts," Mu Anxiao stated plainly.
A Chu: "I don't know about that. But I do know that girl's personality is very peculiar. You should talk to her less in the future."
"Understood," Mu Anxiao nodded. After a moment's hesitation, she asked again, "By the way, I noticed there's no one there?"
"There are, but they are all concealed by Ouyang Ye's demonic arts. Ordinary people cannot see them."
"I'm not ordinary. Why don't I..."
"It proves Ouyang Ye doesn't trust you completely yet," A Chu interrupted.
Mu Anxiao stiffened upon hearing A Chu's words and then gave a silly laugh.
A Chu asked, "What's wrong with you?"
"I thought he trusted me quite a bit. Oh well," Mu Anxiao stopped her silly laugh, her face falling. "I was overthinking things." She then realised how truly insidious Ouyang Ye was.