"I'm simply too handsome," the insect said, stepping forward, taking Mu Anxiao's hand as if by right, and then wiping his face with her sleeve. "Outside, I can't help but be envied by some male demons, so..."
"So, you hid in the crevices of the demonic sword," Mu Anxiao interrupted, pulling her hand away forcefully.
The insect lowered his hand and smiled. "Precisely, that's the reason."
"I think you're just too much of a flirt, that's why those male demons couldn't stand you," Mu Anxiao exposed him, raising her hand above the water. The demonic sword floated up.
The insect glanced at Mu Anxiao's hand and smiled. "Aren't you captivated by my peerless beauty?"
"And aren't you captivated by mine?" Mu Anxiao said, reaching out and lifting the demonic sword from the water.
The insect became displeased. "I'm asking you, can you... answer properly?"
"I'm being very serious."
"You're too plain, and you lack femininity, and..."
"You're not much better yourself, all skin and bones, your features are too crowded, and your height..." Mu Anxiao intended to interrupt, stepping forward to compare her height with the insect's, then stepping back again. "Just like me. Also, you're too effeminate."
"..." The insect's face darkened.
Xiao Yi, listening to Mu Anxiao's blunt and vivid words, chuckled.
Mu Anxiao glanced at the insect, turned away. "Alright, you can leave now." As she spoke, she walked in front of Xiao Yi. "Stop laughing, let's go."
"Okay." Xiao Yi didn't feel awkward and walked with Mu Anxiao towards the door.
To Mu Anxiao, every demon here was a 'hope', and this insect was no exception. By driving the insect away now, she was actually probing his intentions. Only then could she establish a relationship of mutual trust with him smoothly.
After a short while...
The insect left the kitchen and came to Mu Anxiao, who was squatting in the middle of the vegetable garden. "You speak too harshly," he said, glancing at the demonic sword in Mu Anxiao's hand.
"If you know I speak harshly, then leave," Mu Anxiao said, plucking a cucumber and taking a bite.
The insect frowned. "I am the most handsome."
"Then I am also the most handsome," Mu Anxiao said as she ate.
"Mu Anxiao, you..."
"Strange, didn't I tell you to leave? Why are you still here?" Mu Anxiao interrupted, finally looking up at the insect.
The insect looked down at Mu Anxiao's obviously feigned ignorance and said, "You have my demonic sword, you..."
"If I'm not mistaken, you stole this demonic sword, didn't you?" Mu Anxiao said, standing up.
Upon hearing this, the insect's expression froze.
Mu Anxiao looked levelly at the insect, who was the same height as her, and smiled again. "As expected, I was right. And," she said, scanning his face, "you were likely a worm in that garden before."
"...." The insect suddenly lowered his gaze.
Mu Anxiao smiled. "It seems I've hit the mark."
The insect frowned. "Do you think you're particularly clever?"
"Yes, if I weren't clever, you wouldn't have revealed yourself at all. If I weren't clever," Mu Anxiao smiled, "you wouldn't have spoken either. If..."
"You're just a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse."
"It should be a blind cat stumbling upon a dead stink bug," Mu Anxiao said deliberately.
The insect clenched his fists.
Mu Anxiao completely disregarded the insect's reaction and smiled again. "It seems you're getting angry."
"Mu Anxiao, you really are, as they say, full of wicked ideas."
"Oh." Mu Anxiao nodded. She hadn't expected the demons here to speak ill of her, so she was somewhat surprised internally. However, for the sake of her mission, she had to endure them.
"You're not angry?" the insect asked, surprised.
Mu Anxiao said indifferently, "Does being angry help? Perhaps," she said, looking down at the demonic sword in her hand, "you want me to use this demonic sword to just... hack you apart."
"You..."
"Ouyang Ye instructed me to cultivate demonic arts, and the first step of demonic cultivation is killing. If I kill you," Mu Anxiao deliberately tried to scare the insect, "I might succeed faster."
"My life isn't worth that price," the insect suddenly became frightened.
"Is that so? But if I do it, perhaps Ouyang Ye will let me leave here early. What do you think," Mu Anxiao said, finishing the cucumber in a few bites, and making a motion to draw her sword, "should I try it?"
"Don't," the insect was intimidated.
Mu Anxiao sneered. "I can't believe you're so afraid of death." Saying that, she lowered her hand.
Seeing this, the insect breathed a sigh of relief. "I won't leave here."
"Then what do you want to do?" Mu Anxiao retorted.
The insect hadn't expected Mu Anxiao to ask such a question. Hearing it suddenly, he was at a loss. "I don't know, but," he said earnestly, "I cannot leave here."
"Reason," Mu Anxiao said simply.
The insect's eyes flickered. "If I tell you, will you let me stay?"
"Speak, and if your reason is valid, I might..." Mu Anxiao said, faking a smile, "consider letting you stay and help out."
"Help out... you mean, have me do the dirty, tiring work?" The insect found Mu Anxiao's current words utterly incomprehensible.
Mu Anxiao's face darkened. "What, you don't like it?"
"I, a handsome young master, and you want me to do dirty, tiring work? You..." The insect expressed his dissatisfaction. "You're dreaming too big."
"Have you been to the mortal realm?" Mu Anxiao suddenly asked.
The insect was stunned. "Why are you asking this?" His eyes flickered.
Mu Anxiao said, "It seems you haven't been there." Saying that, she shook her head.
The insect was completely confused. "What is your intention in asking this?" He became nervous.
"We happen to be short of someone to help out here, and I think you're quite suitable, unless," Mu Anxiao said, tilting her chin up, "you leave right now."
"I can't leave," the insect said urgently.
Mu Anxiao remained calm. "Then stay and help out. I don't keep idlers here... oh, no, to be precise, I don't keep idle insects."
"Damn it."
"Scram," Mu Anxiao uttered the word coldly.
Hearing Mu Anxiao's 'dismissal', the insect instantly cowered. "I was joking. As long as you let me stay," he said with a fawning grin, "I'll do whatever you want, as long as you don't chase me away."
"Fine. From now on, the water缸 in this courtyard will be your responsibility." Mu Anxiao said flatly.
"Why?" the insect asked, not understanding.
Mu Anxiao took a deep breath and turned her back. "No reason. Go and change the water in the kitchen's water缸." Saying that, she squatted down again.
Consequently, the insect dared not disobey Mu Anxiao's order, and could only respond with a wronged "Yes" before turning to leave.