Mu Anxiao still held the bag of 'snacks' and calmly watched the purchasing subordinate she had just seen closing the door. She said, "I think you're quite suited for using the back door, why did you have to use the front one?"
"None of your business," the purchasing subordinate replied. After closing the door, he turned around and stared at Mu Anxiao. "You're quite interesting. To ask just this one question, you went to such lengths to corner me."
"This is not the question I wanted to ask," Mu Anxiao said faintly. She glanced towards the stables and then looked back at the purchasing subordinate. "Where did you start tracking me?"
"You're tracking me?" the purchasing subordinate asked, confused. He sneered, "Am I crazy? Why would I track you for no reason?"
"Whether you're crazy or not, I don't know. But what I find incredibly bewildering is why I'm seeing you here." As she spoke, Mu Anxiao stared directly at the purchasing subordinate's face. "Also, why did you lie to me and use me?"
"I didn't," the purchasing subordinate's guilt surfaced.
Everyone in the General's mansion was now worthy of Mu Anxiao's suspicion, especially the actions of the purchasing subordinate in front of her, which made Mu Anxiao feel strange. Of course, this feeling began after she realized she was being used. Similarly, she recalled the 'secret' beneath the hay. Before this, Mu Anxiao had not seen the lock on the back door, nor had she seen anyone with the key. It was precisely for this reason that she felt the purchasing subordinate in front of her likely knew something, or perhaps he was a capable subordinate of Ouyang Ye.
Various thoughts flooded her mind, and her gaze towards the purchasing subordinate became less friendly.
"You intentionally prevented me from going this way, didn't you?" Mu Anxiao said again.
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, the purchasing subordinate couldn't help but frown. "I simply didn't want to use the back door, because..." He trailed off.
"You start to say something and then stop, which means there's a problem," Mu Anxiao stated directly.
The purchasing subordinate's eyes darkened. "I don't like using the back door. I've always used the front door because it makes me seem of noble status. I hate being treated as an equal to you servants." As he spoke, his expression became agitated.
Mu Anxiao was taken aback. "Just that?"
"Yes," the purchasing subordinate felt there was no need to hide anymore. "After I saw you leave, I deliberately locked the door. I wanted to use you as a scapegoat because dealing with those people every day was too exhausting. Who knew your tongue was so persuasive, causing me to use this route only once."
"That's not right. When you followed me out, you should have also gone through here," Mu Anxiao felt she couldn't keep up with the purchasing subordinate's thoughts. It was also at this moment that she dismissed her earlier serious speculations.
"At that time, I went around and used the front door."
"The front door, and they let you out too?"
"Of course, I have a good relationship with them. That guy," the purchasing subordinate's face turned cold, "always blocked me. That's why I resorted to this plan. I didn't expect you to have such skills."
"Your past identity wasn't ordinary, was it?" Mu Anxiao, tired of discussing this with the purchasing subordinate, decided to change the subject.
"My family used to run an inn. Our inn was the best in the area, but..." The purchasing subordinate was instantly led by Mu Anxiao. "...in the end, due to some reasons, it failed. My father used connections to get me into this place, and I naturally started working in the kitchen. To be honest, I've always been quite resentful." He lowered his head as he spoke.
"So, you're a person with a story after all. No wonder you're so good at manipulating others." After speaking, Mu Anxiao shot the purchasing subordinate a glare and turned to leave.
Hearing this, the purchasing subordinate looked up at Mu Anxiao and called out, "Can you really help that guy?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao immediately understood what the purchasing subordinate meant. She stopped in her tracks, turned to face him, and retorted, "Do you know why I came here?"
"Why?" The purchasing subordinate was stunned by Mu Anxiao's question.
Mu Anxiao completely disregarded his reaction and continued, "I thought you were a bad person, but now it seems you're just an idiot. As for that person," she said, scanning the purchasing subordinate from head to toe, "he has nothing to do with you. Thanks to you, all my time has been wasted." With that, she gave the purchasing subordinate a fierce glare and left.
Subsequently, the purchasing subordinate stood in place, watching Mu Anxiao's departing figure. His eyes darkened, and just as he was about to step forward, a female voice emanated from the stables: "Very sad, aren't you?"
Hearing this, the purchasing subordinate was startled. He turned his head towards the stables, his eyes widened, and he let out a scream before running away.
After the purchasing subordinate left, the stables returned to silence.
A moment later, Mu Anxiao put aside her disgust for the purchasing subordinate and stopped in front of the coachman's door. She then raised her hand and gently knocked on the door. "Fairy Sister, I'm back."
Inside the room. Gu Yan, who had been resting on the bed, leaped to her feet the instant she heard Mu Anxiao's voice and shouted, "Come in!" As she spoke, she pointed to the floor, conjuring a copper basin.
Mu Anxiao, hearing Gu Yan's impatient reply, curled her lips. She pushed the door open and entered. "I bought them for you," she said as she walked forward. Casually, she noticed the copper basin next to the table leg and asked, "Fairy Sister, what are you planning to do?"
"I want to preserve these fruits so I can eat them often," Gu Yan said, pointing to the copper basin. "Pour all those things in here."
"Okay." Mu Anxiao had never seen a demon soul act this way before, so she became curious. "Just put them in, and then I'll use fire to heat them for you, right?" As she asked, she walked to the copper basin, bent down, and poured all sorts of 'snacks' into it.
"You don't need to worry about this," Gu Yan said. She walked to the copper basin and raised her index finger.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao feigned surprise. "What are you going to do?"
"Move a little," Gu Yan said, swallowing her saliva and intently staring at the snacks in the copper basin as she began to cast her demonic arts.
Mu Anxiao, seeing Gu Yan's greedy expression, retreated two steps speechlessly and, like her, stared at the copper basin.
Following that, through Gu Yan's disdainful efforts, the snacks automatically flew into the bag she had conjured. "That's it," she said, picking up a plum and tossing it into her mouth.
Mu Anxiao, seeing Gu Yan's expressionless face, asked, "Isn't it sour?"
"Not sour at all, it's especially delicious," Gu Yan replied, holding the bag and walking to the table to sit down.
Mu Anxiao stepped forward and smiled foolishly. "You're really amazing. I can't even eat this." As she spoke, she felt her teeth ache.
"You ate some, didn't you?" Gu Yan said, looking up at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao's eyes darted away, and she smiled foolishly.
Gu Yan also smiled. "It's fine if you ate some. I used to like eating these, but others couldn't stand them." She then ate another one.