Suddenly, Xiaoyue’s tears startled them all. The number one maid, who was supporting her, was especially frightened. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice trembling as she smoothed Xiaoyue’s clothes.
Sobbing, Xiaoyue glanced at the number one maid, then at all the maids present, and cried even louder.
Hearing Xiaoyue's cries from behind, Mu Anxiao felt an inexplicable nervousness.
The number one maid quickly tried to comfort her, "She was only saving you. Don't be afraid, she really didn't do anything to you. Stop crying, please stop crying." As she spoke, she reached out to wipe away Xiaoyue's tears.
Unexpectedly, Xiaoyue cried out, "You have to take responsibility for me."
Responsibility?
However, Xiaoyue's words struck Mu Anxiao as quite serious. Without thinking, she turned around and said, "Xiaoyue, have you misunderstood something?"
"Tell me, what have I misunderstood?" Xiaoyue retorted, tightening her grip on the number one maid's arm.
Seeing the frightened look on Xiaoyue's face, Mu Anxiao momentarily considered revealing her gender. But then she thought of the cunning and detestable Ouyang Ye, and she dismissed the thought. "I really didn't see anything. I just helped you up."
"I admit, she's telling the truth," the number one maid said in Mu Anxiao's defense.
Mu Anxiao cast a grateful glance at the number one maid.
To her surprise, Xiaoyue remained stubborn and insisted, "I don't care, you have to take responsibility for me."
"I..." Mu Anxiao was momentarily speechless, then asked helplessly, "Alright, tell me, how do you want me to take responsibility?"
"How else can you take responsibility for me? From now on," Xiaoyue began, then felt it improper to remain seated. She looked at the number one maid and said, "Please, sister, help me up."
Seeing Xiaoyue’s polite demeanor, the number one maid said nothing and helped her to her feet.
Mu Anxiao remained silent, awaiting her next words.
Xiaoyue then stepped forward after being helped up by the number one maid and stood before Mu Anxiao, saying nothing.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao asked, "What do you want to say? Just say it."
The number one maid stood rooted to the spot, not daring to move.
Xiaoyue blinked at Mu Anxiao and said, "My parents said that if any man sees my shoulder, he must take responsibility for me until the end."
"You tell me, how am I supposed to take responsibility for you?" Mu Anxiao, lacking experience, didn't understand Xiaoyue's implication.
Xiaoyue, upon hearing this, became displeased. "Just pretend to be foolish."
A Ju watched as Xiaoyue ignored her and focused entirely on targeting Mu Anxiao, a smirk playing on her lips.
Mu Anxiao frowned, "Do you want me to compensate you with a piece of clothing?" she asked, bewildered.
Xiaoyue’s face turned serious.
The other maids stifled their laughter the moment Mu Anxiao uttered those words.
Hearing their laughter, Mu Anxiao was taken aback. She looked at Xiaoyue and asked, "Did I say something wrong?" She had also sensed that Xiaoyue was acting somewhat strangely.
Xiaoyue narrowed her eyes and repeated, "Are you sure you're not pretending to be foolish?" She fixed her gaze on Mu Anxiao's eyes.
Mu Anxiao met her gaze unflinchingly. "Regardless of my actions, if I did that, it was my fault. If you..."
"Xiaoyue, you were bleeding profusely just now. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have woken up," the number two maid interjected, unable to stand it.
Subsequently, the other maids joined in.
"Exactly, you had no breath just now. If it weren't for her, you would have truly died."
"She was the one who cured you of the poison."
"Why should she be responsible for you? It was just a glimpse of your shoulder. You always offend people and were poisoned. She saved your life, and you want her to be responsible? This is too much."
Listening to the maids’ accusations one after another, Xiaoyue fell silent.
A Ju glanced at them and chimed in, "At first, I thought she had killed you. Turns out, it was all your own doing."
Hearing this, Xiaoyue shifted her gaze to A Ju's face.
Mu Anxiao frowned and fixed her gaze on Xiaoyue's face.
Seeing Xiaoyue looking at her, A Ju averted her eyes.
Suddenly, Xiaoyue pushed Mu Anxiao away and walked in front of A Ju, saying, "You took money to send me away to her, and now you're saying this about me. You're going too far."
"Xiaoyue, you..."
Before A Ju could finish, Mu Anxiao, worried that A Ju would lash out at Xiaoyue again, interrupted, "You all saw it, I'm willing to take responsibility." She stepped up to Xiaoyue's side, then lowered her head to look at A Ju's hand, before retreating two steps with Xiaoyue.
A Ju placed her hands behind her back.
Xiaoyue looked at Mu Anxiao, frowning, "You don't even know what I'm going to do, yet you make such big claims."
"Once you tell me, I'll know," Mu Anxiao said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Xiaoyue mustered her courage and said, "Marry me."
"What?" Mu Anxiao thought she had misheard.
At the same time, Feng Qishi turned around, looked at Mu Anxiao, and muttered, "No way." He was about to step forward when he suddenly remembered Xiaoyue's current condition. There was nothing he could do but retract his steps.
Over there.
Xiaoyue calmly stated, "My parents said that whoever first offers to protect me, whoever first sees my shoulder, must marry me."
"They saw it too," Mu Anxiao picked out the wording.
Xiaoyue frowned.
Mu Anxiao continued, "They are people too, and I am a person. Do they also have to marry you?"
Xiaoyue pouted upon hearing this.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao quickly said, "I didn't say anything wrong, did I? The fact is, I'm a person, they are people, everyone is a person, you..."
"I said men," Xiaoyue interrupted, her voice firm.
Feng Qishi heard this and turned away, unable to watch any longer.
Mu Anxiao’s body stiffened, and at that moment, she truly wished she could find a crack in the ground to burrow into and hide.
Seeing Mu Anxiao’s silence, Xiaoyue immediately grabbed her arm. "Just like they said, you saved my life. Just based on that, I am already yours." Her gaze was resolute.
Mu Anxiao displayed a troubled expression.
A Ju lowered her head.
The other maids also felt they had nothing more to say.
Unexpectedly, at this very moment, the number one maid spoke up, "She saved me too."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao's eyes widened. She turned and looked at the number one maid, who had no reason to join the commotion, and asked, "What business do you have here?"
"You did save me," the number one maid said, stepping forward.
Xiaoyue frowned and immediately shifted her gaze to Mu Anxiao's face. "If you come with me, I can tell you things about Shu'er. I keep my word."
Mu Anxiao heard this and once again shifted her gaze to Xiaoyue's face.
Xiaoyue stated firmly, "I won't lie to you."
Mu Anxiao was moved by Xiaoyue's words.