"You're too dirty," Ouyang Ye stated simply.
"You're disgusted by me..." Before she could finish, someone grabbed her arm. She quickly retracted her words and turned to look. The flowers had all transformed into human form, and each one was more beautiful than the last. Faced with such a 'lovely sight,' she blushed. "What are you doing?" she forgot their true identities.
"Follow us," they said politely, leading Mu Anxiao toward the bedroom.
Ouyang Ye watched Mu Anxiao's tomboyish retreating figure and sighed, "I really don't know... if you're actually a woman." With that, he turned and sat down at a nearby stone table.
Moments later, Mu Anxiao entered the room, supported by the flower spirits. To her bewilderment, the bedroom, which appeared so grand from the outside, contained only a large pool. Swallowing, she looked at the light silks hanging around and realized... Ouyang Ye had only asked her here to take a bath.
Thinking about the flower spirits holding trays, ready to 'serve' her, she felt awkward. "You want to watch me... go in?" she gestured towards the pool.
"Master arranged it, saying you need a thorough... cleansing," the flower spirit said softly.
Mu Anxiao gave an awkward laugh. "This is rather embarrassing," she said, pointing at the trays. "You can put them down, I'll..."
"Master hopes you'll be a dazzling sight when you come out. Otherwise," the second flower spirit said with a pitiful expression, "Master will take our lives."
"Yes," they echoed in unison.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao felt even more embarrassed. "Well, you wouldn't like people watching you bathe, would you? I can do it myself, I can."
"This..."
"Can you stand over there with your backs turned? I'll call you when I need you, alright?" Mu Anxiao suggested, forcing a laugh.
"This..."
"If you don't listen to me, I won't wash," Mu Anxiao threatened them intentionally.
Upon hearing this and considering Mu Anxiao's reputation here, they dared not say more. "Alright, but you must use the flower dew by the pool, otherwise, you won't smell nice," the flower spirit said, and together they stepped forward, placing down the trays.
Mu Anxiao nodded, unsure what to say.
Half an hour later...
With the 'help' of these flower spirits, Mu Anxiao had changed into a light blue long dress. However, because of Ouyang Ye, these flower spirits had pleaded with Mu Anxiao for a long time before she agreed to let them style her hair and dress her. Sitting before the bronze mirror, Mu Anxiao looked at her elaborate hairstyle and yawned, asking, "Are we done?"
The flower spirits smiled. "Done," they replied in unison.
Mu Anxiao was startled. She stood up.
Shortly after, Mu Anxiao followed the few flower spirits towards the pebble path.
At the same time, Ouyang Ye walked over. "Where is Mu Anxiao?" he asked.
The flower spirit smiled faintly. "Master, as per your instructions, she is ready." Saying this, she pursed her lips and smiled, stepping aside.
The other flower spirits, not understanding the first one's intention, stared at Ouyang Ye in panic...
Seeing this, the first flower spirit quickly said, "Hurry and move aside." As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance cautiously at Ouyang Ye.
Upon hearing this, the flower spirits instantly understood and one by one, they moved aside.
Next, Ouyang Ye's expression darkened. "Where is she?" he asked, looking at the empty space nearby.
The flower spirit peered over quickly and was shocked. "Strange, where is she?" Just as she was about to go look for Mu Anxiao, Mu Anxiao was pushed out by the second flower spirit. The flower spirit saw her and breathed a sigh of relief. "Here she is." She then looked back at the indifferent Ouyang Ye, her expression growing tense.
"What's with that expression? Strange, right?" Mu Anxiao said, striding past them and walking in front of Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye looked down at Mu Anxiao's fresh and elegant dress and hairstyle and said in a low voice, "It's very good, it's just..." He paused, looking at the red cheeks Mu Anxiao had 'decorated,' and frowned. "Your makeup is a bit exaggerated."
"I designed it myself. Does it look just like that woman?" Mu Anxiao said deliberately.
"Which woman?" Ouyang Ye didn't react.
Mu Anxiao put her hands on her hips. "Who else but Mo Juan?" she said, lifting her chin. "Look, does it look similar?"
As soon as Mu Anxiao mentioned 'Mo Juan,' the flower spirits all lowered their heads.
Ouyang Ye extended a finger and lightly tapped Mu Anxiao's forehead. "You don't resemble her at all. Compared to her, your makeup is also slightly inferior," he said, withdrawing his hand and turning away.
From the moment Mu Anxiao first saw Juan'er, she knew Juan'er had feelings for Ouyang Ye. It was for this reason that Juan'er was endlessly jealous of all the female spirits. Similarly, she herself had been constantly pestered by Ouyang Ye. Therefore, putting herself in Juan'er's shoes, she thought... if she changed her makeup to resemble Juan'er's, perhaps... Ouyang Ye would no longer want to marry her.
Who knew that all the effort she had put in would lead to this result. With a soft sigh, she picked up her handkerchief and wiped her face vigorously, saying, "I'll return the clothes tomorrow."
"Send the prepared clothes to her courtyard later," Ouyang Ye said, then turned back, his gaze fixed on Mu Anxiao.
Everyone in this place of cultivation knew that Mu Anxiao lived there, so the moment Ouyang Ye said this, the flower spirit responded, "Yes, Master."
"Go make the arrangements," Ouyang Ye instructed, his eyes still on Mu Anxiao's face. "I'm taking you somewhere else."
"How many places do you have to..."
"Let's go," Ouyang Ye interrupted, turning and walking ahead.
Mu Anxiao was also speechless at Ouyang Ye's proactive reaction...
Just then, a flower spirit seemed to remember something and walked to Mu Anxiao's side. "Did you remember the magic for styling hair?" she asked, her voice laced with fear after hearing Mu Anxiao's earlier words.
"I remember, but whether I use it depends on my mood," Mu Anxiao said, turning her head to stare at the flower spirit.
Hearing this, the flower spirit immediately showed a timid expression. "If you don't maintain this, Master will... kill us. We are all innocent, little flower spirits who love beauty. Can you really bear it?" she asked, gently tugging Mu Anxiao's arm.
Mu Anxiao looked at the flower spirit's pitiful expression and thought of Ouyang Ye's merciless killing of demons. Her eyes darkened, and she said, "Don't worry, I'll do exactly as you dressed me, alright?" She had softened after all.
"Thank you, hurry and go," the flower spirit said, releasing her hand.