“What is this?” The wolf demon suddenly appeared behind Mu Anxiao.
“Gold,” Mu Anxiao said, moving her hand and turning to face the wolf demon, “Impressive, isn't it?”
“This is gold.” The wolf demon was surprised, walked closer, examined the golden gate carefully, and then laughed, “You truly are greedy.”
“You say, if I were to take this gate…”
“Moving it might be unrealistic, don’t you think?” The wolf demon took a step back, interrupting Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao smiled, “I know. Oh, right,” she fixed her gaze on the wolf demon’s face, “Do you know a kind of demon art?”
“A kind of demon art? Can you be more specific?” The wolf demon remained composed.
Mu Anxiao picked up the last date paste cake, took a bite, and said, “A kind that can take a piece of it, and its owner won’t even notice.” She didn’t quite know how to phrase it.
“This gate has an owner?” the wolf demon asked, surprised.
Mu Anxiao nodded, “Yes, otherwise, I would have already gotten my hands on it,” she said, then glanced at the shimmering golden gate, smiling, “Do you know this kind of demon art?”
“…” The wolf demon chuckled foolishly.
“Can you stop just chuckling and offer some useful advice, quickly.” Mu Anxiao said, tilting her chin up.
The wolf demon chuckled foolishly a couple more times and said, “After you marry Ouyang Ye, you’ll have everything, you…”
“Can we not talk about topics that upset me.” Mu Anxiao’s face hardened.
The wolf demon was speechless.
Mu Anxiao looked at the wolf demon’s evasive reaction, pouted, and suddenly realized, “I see, you don’t know how, so you’re coming up with all sorts of convoluted ideas, aren’t you?”
The wolf demon lowered his head.
Mu Anxiao let out a cold snort, “That’s right, all you need is demon art, not gold. I suppose,” she said, turning her back, “you’ll never understand the joy I feel.” She then sat down on the ground.
Wolf demon: “I can understand.”
“So, do you know that demon art?” Mu Anxiao asked, without looking back.
The wolf demon sighed, “I’ve genuinely never heard of the demon art you speak of, but… I think spellcraft might be able to do it.”
“Spellcraft?” Mu Anxiao was startled and immediately turned sideways… looking at the wolf demon.
The wolf demon nodded, “I’ve only heard about it. However, I think you might find something in your immortal scriptures.”
“Immortal scriptures…” Mu Anxiao said, clenching her fist in frustration, thinking how detestable Yue Ci was.
The wolf demon looked down at Mu Anxiao’s vexed expression and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao came back to her senses, looked up at the wolf demon, and said, “It’s nothing, I’ll look,” she said, handing the empty plate to the wolf demon, “Hold this plate, let’s go.”
“Do you need me to keep watch for you?” the wolf demon asked, bending down to take the plate.
Mu Anxiao shook her head, “No need, I want to spend some time alone with it.”
“You want to cultivate a relationship with it now.” The wolf demon laughed again, “You’re truly peculiar.”
“Don’t tell those two.” Mu Anxiao reminded him.
“I understand, you can study it yourself.” The wolf demon finished speaking and turned to leave.
Mu Anxiao watched the wolf demon’s retreating figure, let out a sigh, then turned back to stare at the golden gate in front of her, muttering, “Golden gate, golden gate, you must feel so stifled being a door here.” As she spoke, she propped her chin in her hand, recalling… whether she had learned the spellcraft the wolf demon had mentioned.
Inside the palace.
Ouyang Ye returned to his study immediately and sat at his desk, repeatedly pondering Mu Anxiao’s unreasonable and abnormal behavior, growing increasingly vexed.
Just then, Juan’er stopped outside the study. As she was about to enter, Wang Hu leaped down from the rooftop and blocked her path, “You can’t enter,” he whispered.
Juan’er stopped helplessly before Wang Hu, “Why?” she knew Wang Hu was Ouyang Ye’s trusted subordinate, so she was much more polite.
Wang Hu: “Master is in a bad mood.”
“Mu Anxiao has been found, and my Xiao Yi has been sent to Mu Anxiao’s side,” Juan’er heard Wang Hu and accepted the fact that Xiao Yi was with Mu Anxiao, “How could he be in a bad mood.”
“I can’t say…”
“Did you upset Ye?” Juan’er said, glancing at Wang Hu’s arm blocking her.
“I did not.”
“You didn’t? Then why is Ye unhappy? Tell me, and I won’t go in.” Juan’er stared intently at Wang Hu’s face.
Wang Hu looked down at Juan’er’s persistent, determined demeanor and hesitated, saying, “This is Master’s private matter, I cannot speak of it.”
“Could it be that Mu Anxiao upset him?” Juan’er speculated.
Wang Hu’s face hardened.
Seeing this, Juan’er let out a low growl, “How bold.”
“You already know more than enough about Master’s affairs. This…” Wang Hu was completely unfazed by Juan’er’s tactics, becoming serious, “You don’t need to know.”
“Whenever Ye is unhappy, it’s always me who comforts him. This time,” Juan’er straightened her back, “if you stop me, Ye might become unhappy.”
“You…” Exhaling the word, Wang Hu realized… it seemed to be as Juan’er said. Every time Ouyang Ye was unhappy, Juan’er would be by his side. And each time… as long as Juan’er stayed inside for a while, his mood would calm down. If he recalled correctly, it had been like this a year ago.
Thinking this, Wang Hu looked at Juan’er’s confident expression and was moved, “Can you really do it?” he asked intentionally.
Juan’er nodded, “Yes.”
“Then… go ahead.” Wang Hu said, stepping aside.
Following this, Juan’er gave Wang Hu a faint smile, “A wise person knows when to yield, no wonder Ye values you so highly.” She then walked past Wang Hu and went inside.
Wang Hu said nothing, merely watching Juan’er’s retreating figure.
Inside the study.
Ouyang Ye remained seated at the desk, clenching his fists, muttering Mu Anxiao’s name, and falling into a helplessness about what to do with Mu Anxiao…
At the same time, Juan’er walked in, “Ye, are you in a bad mood?” she asked, waving her arm, and the door automatically closed.
Wang Hu watched the door close, then turned and vanished.
Ouyang Ye, hearing this, slowly raised his head to look at Juan’er standing by the door and asked, “Why are you here?”
“I’ve heard about Mu Anxiao too,” Juan’er said, walking slowly towards Ouyang Ye, “Tell me, what’s troubling you now?”
“This matter has nothing to do with you.”
“Your matters are my matters.” Juan’er stopped opposite Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye looked up at Juan’er’s sincere expression of wanting to help him resolve his troubles, and stood up, “I don’t know what to do with Mu Anxiao anymore!” He liked Juan’er’s comforting presence.
“What about her?”