The situation was largely understood, and Mu Anxiao naturally had no reason to stay. However, the woman in the green dress had truly captured her attention.
On the way back, Mu Anxiao kept thinking about the demonic energy and killing intent emanating from the woman in green. During this process, she suddenly felt uneasy.
Carrying this unease, she couldn't help but stop and murmur, "There's something wrong." Just then, a scent of wine drifted into her nose. Smelling it, she suddenly remembered the instructions Feng Qi had given her in passing, and without a second thought, she turned and walked into the wine shop.
"Boss, give me a pot of your best wine," she said, stopping at the counter.
To her surprise, the boss was not a hospitable man. After Mu Anxiao finished speaking, he finally opened his mouth, "Our good wine here is expensive." He looked at Mu Anxiao with hazy eyes, "Are you sure you can afford it?"
"Then just give me the common one," Mu Anxiao said, feeling the pinch of her purse.
The boss nodded and unhurriedly said, "Alright, I'll go get you some wine." With that, he turned around, walked past the counter, and headed towards the wine jars behind Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao turned to look at the young boss's retreating back and impulsively said, "It's not good to be drinking in broad daylight, is it?"
The boss, picking up a water ladle, replied, "I'm not drinking."
"Not drinking," Mu Anxiao said, glancing at the small wine pot in the boss's hand, and continued, "Then why do I feel... you're a bit tipsy?"
"Which eye of yours saw me being tipsy?" the boss retorted, not even looking at Mu Anxiao as he continued scooping wine. "Can't you speak properly?" After he scooped the last ladleful, he straightened up.
"I'm just stating the facts," Mu Anxiao said, turning back to face the counter.
Next, the boss, holding the wine pot, walked around Mu Anxiao and returned to the counter. "That'll be two taels," he said, casually taking a stopper from a box and sealing the pot.
Mu Anxiao exclaimed, "Only two taels?"
"Only two taels," the boss said, placing the wine pot in front of Mu Anxiao. "Everyone who buys wine from me says it's expensive. You brat, you really don't care about money."
"We're in the same boat," Mu Anxiao said, casually reaching into her sleeve and pulling out two taels of silver, placing it on the table.
The boss: "What do you mean, 'in the same boat,' you..."
"Stop with the 'you.' I can't be bothered to talk to you. So young, and without any spirit," Mu Anxiao said, picking up the wine pot and turning to leave.
The boss stood stunned after Mu Anxiao's remark.
Carrying the wine pot, Mu Anxiao resumed her journey back to the manor. However, this time, she didn't want to use the back gate and went directly to the front. Just as she thought everything was going smoothly, she saw Song Xu sitting on the steps, lost in thought.
Similarly, Song Xu saw Mu Anxiao. "Why are you back?" he asked, as if startled, standing up and walking towards Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao: "I wanted to come back," she said, glancing at the main gate, then looking at Song Xu and asking, "No, what are you doing here? Aren't you going in?"
"No..."
"Let's not talk about that," Mu Anxiao interrupted, her curiosity piqued by his behavior. "What are you doing here?"
"Nothing. I'm just here to see our brother Shen. What's it to you?"
"Oh," Mu Anxiao said dismissively, "Looking from outside the gate, are you?"
"It's none of your business," Song Xu said angrily.
Mu Anxiao: "I wasn't trying to interfere," she said, and pushed Song Xu aside. "Since you like staying here, then stay." With that, she walked up the steps without looking back.
The gatekeeper was the same one who had let Mu Anxiao in earlier. Seeing her return, he was about to open the gate without a word.
Mu Anxiao smiled at the gatekeeper's promptness. "I'll mention it to the general later."
"Thank you," the gatekeeper said softly, opening the gate.
Mu Anxiao gave a slight smile, and just as she was about to enter, Song Xu ran up. "I'll go with you."
Hearing this, the gatekeeper immediately looked at Song Xu. "Didn't you say you weren't coming in?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly.
"What's going on?" Mu Anxiao asked, wanting to know.
The gatekeeper, having some trust in Mu Anxiao, honestly replied, "Well, this young gentleman never goes in whenever he visits here. He was like this just now too. So, when he said that, I was a bit surprised." He stared at Mu Anxiao.
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao tilted her head back and looked at the approaching Song Xu. "Aren't you a friend of Shen Moyun? Why are you afraid to even enter his house? You're such a coward."
"My family is in business. He's a general. If I keep coming to find him, it will bring him unnecessary trouble. What do you know?" Song Xu said, standing beside Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao pretended to nod and said, "Oh, I don't know. Since you know I don't know, why are you telling me all this?" After speaking, she glared fiercely at Song Xu and turned back to the gatekeeper, "The general is a man who fears trouble. I think this young gentleman's idea is excellent."
"What do you mean by that?" the gatekeeper asked.
Mu Anxiao gave a wry smile. "I mean, don't let him in. He's in business. If others see him entering, it will have a negative impact on the general." She looked at Song Xu. "Am I right, Young Master Song?"
"You..."
"I'm going in," Mu Anxiao interrupted.
Mu Anxiao kept Ah Chu's instructions firmly in mind. Although she didn't agree with emotional connections between humans and demons, she could tell that Ah Chu was a demon who valued relationships. Most importantly, Ah Chu had never done anything evil. If she were to play a trick on Ah Chu this time, Ah Chu would surely be disheartened. If, because of this, Ah Chu were to become a killer, it would be troublesome.
From her conversations with Ah Chu, she felt that Ah Chu was not a demon who forced things. Therefore, to prevent such a thing from happening, she decided to help Ah Chu by talking to Song Xu, asking Song Xu to find Ah Chu and make things clear.
Perhaps, Ah Chu would then come to understand.
Mu Anxiao did this only to intentionally strengthen Song Xu's resolve to enter, nothing more.
As expected, after Mu Anxiao's words, Song Xu resolutely declared, "I am going in."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao looked at Song Xu with disdain. "No, I was just saying what you said. By saying it like this, it sounds like I'm stopping you."
"I am going in," Song Xu said, meeting Mu Anxiao's eyes and emphasizing his words.
Mu Anxiao was speechless.
The gatekeeper remembered Mu Anxiao's words and said, "Young sir, are you sure you want to go in? What if..."
"It's not a big deal to go in once," Song Xu said, understanding the gatekeeper's implication.
The gatekeeper fell silent upon hearing this.