"No."
Chen Xiao shook his head decisively. This was merely his own inference, and it hadn't even been confirmed yet, so there was no need to rush into formulating countermeasures.
"Then think about it now!"
Li Ziqing was clearly not satisfied with Chen Xiao's answer.
"..."
Chen Xiao felt helpless, like a proper tool.
In his helplessness, Chen Xiao once again tried to pry information from Susu. He asked, "How do you contact Wuxiang?"
Susu shook her head. "Susu never contacts Master Wuxiang proactively, and Master Wuxiang rarely seeks out Susu."
"Great, it seems to be completely useless."
Chen Xiao spread his hands in resignation. "That Wuxiang is very cunning. I can't get any more clues from Susu, but keeping Susu by my side is clearly not a wise choice. What do you think?"
"Hmm, I didn't expect Susu to be a double agent too. I thought she wasn't human, so I could trust her completely..."
Li Ziqing said with some disappointment.
Now that she knew Susu's origins, Li Ziqing naturally wouldn't keep her around.
However, she hadn't decided how to deal with Susu. She asked Chen Xiao, "What should we do with her?"
Chen Xiao raised his hand, stuck out his tongue, and made a throat-slitting gesture.
"That... doesn't seem very good..."
Li Ziqing hesitated. "Are there any other solutions?"
Li Ziqing was decisive in dealing with others, but when it came to Susu, she faltered.
This was because Susu had acted as a mole by her side not out of her own volition. To put it bluntly, Susu was merely a tool in Wuxiang's hands.
Moreover, Susu had indeed helped Li Ziqing with many things over the years. If she hadn't earned merit, she had at least put in the effort.
"Other solutions..."
Chen Xiao stroked his chin, appearing to be in deep thought. "Then we can only release her, return her natal charm to her, and let her fend for herself from now on."
Li Ziqing's gaze sharpened. After careful consideration, she nodded and said, "Yes, that's a good idea."
Chen Xiao gave a sly smile but said nothing. However, in his heart, he had a different plan.
Next, Chen Xiao patted Susu on the back of her head.
Susu blinked her eyes and asked blankly, "Master, Male Master, what just happened? What happened?"
She couldn't remember what had just happened.
It felt as if a blank space had suddenly appeared in her mind.
Li Ziqing didn't answer her question. Instead, she asked, "Susu, how long have you been with me?"
"Nine years, eight months, and fourteen days."
The answer came out of her mouth instantly. For a female spirit, such things didn't require deliberate memorization; it was as if they were imprinted in her mind.
"Very good. After tonight, you won't have to follow me anymore."
Li Ziqing said expressionlessly.
"Master?"
Susu was startled. "Master, did Susu do something wrong..."
"You didn't do anything wrong."
Li Ziqing shook her head. She held no grudges against Susu.
As a tool, she was merely fulfilling her mission.
"Your purpose in coming to me was to help me get revenge. Now, your mission is complete. You... are free!"
Li Ziqing's words had a double meaning: Susu's mission was both to help her get revenge and to monitor her for Wuxiang.
As she spoke, she took out Susu's natal charm and handed it to her.
"F-free..."
Susu looked bewildered.
As a female spirit, although she was refined from a human soul, she had completely forgotten her life before.
Her existence in this world was to complete tasks assigned by one master after another.
She didn't know what freedom was, but she still took the natal charm and put it away carefully.
Because she knew that whoever controlled her natal charm controlled her.
Rather than letting her natal charm be controlled by someone else, it was better to hold it firmly in her own hands.
"Master, what is freedom?"
Susu asked the question that was on her mind.
Li Ziqing was taken aback by the sudden question.
She knew what freedom was, of course, but the concept of freedom was too broad, and she didn't know how to explain it to Susu.
After a brief thought, she said casually, "Freedom is doing whatever you want to do... Of course, some things still need to be done within your capabilities, and you mustn't harm others indiscriminately!"
"Doing whatever I want to do?"
Susu mumbled the words, repeating them. She said with a naive expression, "Susu doesn't seem to have anything she wants to do."
"Or you can understand it in another way: the meaning of freedom is that you don't have to do what you don't want to do. No one can force you to do anything anymore... Because you are your own master!"
Chen Xiao said calmly. Susu's eyes lit up, and she seemed to understand.
"I think I understand."
Susu smiled sweetly and then bowed deeply to Li Ziqing. "Thank you, Master."
"I already told you, I'm not your master anymore."
Li Ziqing said helplessly.
"Then thank you, Sister Ziqing!"
Susu happily accepted her new identity.
Li Ziqing also had no worries about Susu facing any difficulties in life after regaining her freedom.
After so many years, Susu had managed to thrive on her own in the imperial city. Li Ziqing no longer needed to teach her how to do things in meticulous detail.
Susu's mood was joyful, and her entire being underwent a transformation from the inside out. The biggest change was the sentence Chen Xiao had taught her.
She didn't have to do what she didn't want to do; no one could force her to do anything!
Therefore, when they arrived at the banquet venue, faced with an old man's advances, Susu didn't hesitate and slapped him.
Judging by his attire, the old man was wealthy and a person of influence.
From his appearance, it was clear that he was a lecherous old man!
"You, you, you slut, how dare you hit me?"
The old man covered his face and yelled in disbelief.
"Why are you touching my butt?"
Susu rolled her eyes and retorted with contempt. "If you were handsome, I wouldn't mind, but you should look in the mirror! You're old and ugly, and I bet your little thing doesn't work anymore!"
"You, you damned woman!"
The old man was surprised that Susu would bring these things up. Moreover, it was clear that he and Susu were old acquaintances.
"You didn't say that when I touched you before!"
Serving men with her beauty was Susu's way of survival. Being taken advantage of by some men was almost her daily routine.
But that was before!
"It's different now!"
Susu raised her chin proudly. "I'm a free woman now. I don't have to do what I don't want to do, and no one can force me!"
"No one can force you? Susu, have you taken the wrong medicine today? Do you really think you're human?"
The old man sneered, then his expression turned fierce. "Today, I'll let you know that you're just our plaything! I can play with you whenever and wherever I want!"