Finally, guided by Gu Tie, Mu Anxiao arrived outside Zhao Xiang’s room.
“Master, this is it,” Gu Tie said.
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao glanced at the money bag and considered Ouyang Ye’s flaws and Zhao Xiang’s furtive behavior. She hesitated, wondering whether to go in or call Feng Qishi out.
However, if she directly called Feng Qishi out, Zhao Xiang would inevitably become suspicious. If he went to report her, wouldn’t the matter be exposed?
She fell into deep thought.
Gu Tie, sensing Mu Anxiao’s inaction, asked, “Master, why aren’t you going in?”
“Don’t speak, I’m thinking,” Mu Anxiao gently reminded him.
Gu Tie grunted an “Oh.”
Mu Anxiao let out a breath and looked up at the tightly shut door. After much deliberation, she decided to go in and take a look.
“Master, let’s go.”
Mu Anxiao didn’t reply. She lightly patted the money bag, then walked towards the door.
Instantly.
Mu Anxiao stopped in front of the door, hesitated for a moment, then reached out to push the door open, saying, “I’m coming in.”
Inside, Feng Qishi and Zhao Xiang were seated opposite each other at a table, playing chess.
Upon hearing Mu Anxiao’s voice, Feng Qishi frowned. Before he could reply, Mu Anxiao pushed the door open, saying, “Playing chess.” As she spoke, she glanced at Zhao Xiang, who was in thought.
Feng Qishi turned his head to look at Mu Anxiao and asked, “Why are you here?”
Mu Anxiao clasped her hands behind her back, her gaze drifting towards Zhao Xiang. She said, “Just came out for a stroll.” As she spoke, she walked to Feng Qishi’s side, lowered her head to look at the chess game they were playing, and deliberately said, “It seems the outcome has already been decided.”
Zhao Xiang raised his head and looked at Mu Anxiao, asking, “You know how to play chess?”
Mu Anxiao chuckled, “I know how to do everything.”
“You do,” Zhao Xiang said, a smile playing on his lips. “Then tell me, do you think I will win, or will Mo Yun win?”
“Win or lose…” Mu Anxiao repeated, a sudden idea striking her. She bent down and nudged a corner of the chessboard. Then, she smiled intentionally at Zhao Xiang.
Zhao Xiang, seeing Mu Anxiao’s chilling smile, exclaimed, “What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” Mu Anxiao replied, gently lifting the chessboard. “I just wanted to say, I have a habit.”
“You…”
“My habit is to flip the chessboard.” The moment Mu Anxiao finished speaking, the chessboard was overturned.
Immediately, the sound of pieces and the board clattering to the floor echoed throughout the room.
Zhao Xiang and Feng Qishi’s eyes widened in unison. Before Zhao Xiang could speak, Feng Qishi leaped to his feet, angered, “Mu Xiao, what are you doing? If you want to cause trouble, go somewhere else. Why are you coming here?”
Mu Anxiao shook her hands, “It’s quite heavy.”
“You…” Feng Qishi pointed at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao reached out, took Feng Qishi’s hand, and said, “Come, let’s go find Bing’er.”
“Find Bing’er?”
“Yes, that child is quite fun, I want to go play with her.” Mu Anxiao said this deliberately, intending to use these words to tell Feng Qishi that she had something to say about Bing’er.
Of course, she felt her actions were reasonable. As for whether Feng Qishi could understand, she wasn’t sure.
Feng Qishi was utterly bewildered.
Zhao Xiang, angered, said, “Mu Xiao, do you have any manners?”
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao turned to look at Zhao Xiang and smiled, “I am A Mei’s teacher, of course I have manners.”
“I can’t see it.”
“You can’t see it,” Mu Anxiao said with a light laugh. “Then don’t see it. Anyway, I don’t do things for you to see.” Saying this, she rolled her eyes at Zhao Xiang and then looked back at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi sighed.
Zhao Xiang clenched his fists, stood up, and said to Feng Qishi, “Mo Yun, I’m starting to worry.”
Feng Qishi glanced at Mu Anxiao, who was looking for trouble, then looked at Zhao Xiang and asked, “What are you worried about?”
Zhao Xiang replied, “I’m worried she’ll corrupt A Mei.”
“What do you mean by that?” Mu Anxiao retorted, glaring indignantly at Zhao Xiang.
Zhao Xiang said, “You ask me what I mean? You flip the chessboard at the slightest disagreement. Do you know how rude you are? In other words,” he said earnestly, “you’re lucky you met me. Otherwise, someone else would have lost their temper with you long ago.”
“I don’t see that you haven’t lost your temper.”
“You,” Zhao Xiang gasped, “at the very least, I haven’t hit you.”
“A man who hits a woman is not a good man. If you dare to touch me, I’ll make sure you never see A Mei again,” Mu Anxiao threatened Zhao Xiang deliberately.
Zhao Xiang was rendered speechless.
Mu Anxiao glared at Zhao Xiang, then looked at Feng Qishi, and said, “I give you a choice: stay, or come with me.”
“You…” Feng Qishi wanted to obtain useful clues from Zhao Xiang, and playing chess with him was the best opportunity to uncover Zhao Xiang’s problems. However, Mu Anxiao had now ruined it all. Feng Qishi was left without a plan for what was about to happen, and thus remained silent.
Seeing Feng Qishi suddenly fall silent, Mu Anxiao asked, “Why aren’t you speaking?”
“You mean you want to go find Bing’er.”
“Yes,” Mu Anxiao nodded.
Feng Qishi hesitated for a moment and said, “Bing’er doesn’t like you. Why bother seeking trouble?” He glanced at Zhao Xiang as he spoke.
Zhao Xiang seized the opportunity and said, “Bing’er is seriously ill. If you go, Bing’er will definitely be unhappy. If she’s unhappy, her illness will worsen. You’d better not go.” He said this with a straight face.
Mu Anxiao hadn’t expected… Feng Qishi to not understand her meaning at all. Seeing the situation, she was speechless.
“…”
“You also think I’m right, don’t you?” Zhao Xiang said smugly.
Mu Anxiao glanced at Zhao Xiang, who might be related to Ouyang Ye, then looked at Feng Qishi and said, “Fine, I won’t talk to you, you blockhead. I’m leaving.” She still didn’t want to give up and used these words to prompt Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi was taken aback.
Mu Anxiao turned and left.
Seeing Mu Anxiao leave the room, Zhao Xiang smiled and said, “Mo Yun, let’s continue.” As he spoke, he crouched down and began to pick up the scattered chess pieces.
Feng Qishi stood rooted to the spot, replaying Mu Anxiao’s words in his mind. He thought, ‘She has something to say.’ With that, he looked down at Zhao Xiang and said deliberately, “I’m going to the latrine.”
“You?” Zhao Xiang raised his head.
To prevent Zhao Xiang from suspecting anything, Feng Qishi said, “I drank too much water just now, I can’t hold it.” After finishing, he turned and left.
Zhao Xiang believed him and continued picking up the chess pieces.
On the other side.
Mu Anxiao intentionally slowed her pace, waiting to see if Feng Qishi had understood her meaning.
“He should have understood.” As she said this, just as she was about to turn, Ouyang Ye, disguised as a carriage driver, stopped in front of her. She was stunned.