Mu Anxiao hadn't expected the wolf demon to use the tactic of goading so kindly, pulling Jiong Ye towards her side. Seeing the meaningful faint smile on his face, her lips curved upwards. Then, fixing her gaze on Jiong Ye's pensive expression, she said, "It seems you can't figure it out."
"For this past year, I've tried every method to escape. Zhao Mei'er knows all of this. If you're talking about leverage," Jiong Ye said, looking up at Mu Anxiao, "I really can't think of any leverage she has on me."
"How pathetic," Mu Anxiao shook her head and said.
Seeing this, Jiong Ye looked puzzled. "I just said I don't know what leverage she has on me. What's so pathetic about that?"
"It's not pathetic. Zhao Mei'er just came out of that screen with you, which means what she needs most right now is to establish herself here. And the way for her to truly establish herself is to find a stepping stone to speak with Ouyang Ye," Mu Anxiao said, lifting her chin. "Clearly, that stepping stone is you."
"I'm the stepping stone?" Jiong Ye was surprised.
Mu Anxiao's lips curled. "With her persuasive ability, it's likely that as soon as she says a few unkind words about you to Ouyang Ye, he will fly into a rage and assign you all sorts of crimes. As for you, you'll never have a chance to turn things around. Wanting to leave," she said with a soft snort, "is a fool's dream."
"I don't want to leave." Jiong Ye's eyes flickered.
"Don't want to leave," Mu Anxiao said, shaking her head slightly. "I don't believe you."
"You..."
"When you said that just now, your eyes clearly flickered. This shows you're lying," Mu Anxiao pointed at Jiong Ye.
Jiong Ye watched Mu Anxiao's every move, his brows furrowing as if realizing something. "What exactly do you want?"
"I don't want anything."
"You always have a purpose in what you do. Now you say you don't want anything. Do you think I'd believe that?" Jiong Ye put on an act of understanding Mu Anxiao very well.
Mu Anxiao knew Jiong Ye wasn't stupid. Similarly, she never thought of herself as a person with much purpose. So when Jiong Ye said that, she actually felt a bit annoyed. But to learn more about things here from Jiong Ye, she had to pretend to compromise.
"I didn't expect you to understand me better than I understand myself," she said in a low voice.
Jiong Ye sneered. "Your reputation here is indeed quite something."
"Is it?" Mu Anxiao smiled down. "If I'm not mistaken, you've been spreading it around, haven't you?" She truly didn't know how to continue this conversation with Jiong Ye on this topic, so in her helplessness, she could only say that.
Unexpectedly, in the very next second after Mu Anxiao spoke, Jiong Ye showed an awkward smile.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao frowned slightly. "That impolite, awkward smile of yours is truly quite obvious." She said, then recalled her previous sentence and suddenly understood. "Don't tell me it was really you spreading stories about me?"
Jiong Ye touched the back of his head.
Mu Anxiao gave a dry chuckle. "If I recall correctly, I haven't offended you much before, have I?"
"Honestly, I don't remember your past affairs anymore. But," Jiong Ye said, his expression suddenly becoming exceptionally serious, "I know Ouyang Ye has feelings for you."
"Are you trying to attract his attention?" Mu Anxiao suddenly couldn't understand this Jiong Ye.
Jiong Ye shook his head.
Mu Anxiao was confused. "No, then why are you spreading rumors about me like this? Don't tell me," she said, her eyes widening slightly, "you're also interested in me."
"I..."
"Mu Anxiao, I didn't expect someone with such an ordinary face to attract so many admirers," the wolf demon said, glancing at the suddenly hesitant Jiong Ye, and continued, "It's truly magical. But I think if Ouyang Ye knew about this, he wouldn't be happy."
"When you should speak, you don't, and when you shouldn't, you have to butt in. Also, that's not called admiration, it's called infatuation with me," Mu Anxiao said, casting a sidelong glance at the wolf demon, then looking at Jiong Ye, who was starting to swallow. "You're truly a hidden dragon."
"How am I a hidden dragon?" Jiong Ye looked back at them, unable to understand.
Mu Anxiao smiled. "Go on, tell me, when did you start to be infatuated with me?" As she spoke, she suddenly felt that her distance from Jiong Ye had closed.
Jiong Ye hadn't expected Mu Anxiao to have such a reaction after guessing something so absurd. Seeing her expectant expression, he felt uncomfortable. "I haven't," he mumbled, his eyes flickering.
"Your eyes can't betray you," the wolf demon added fuel to the fire.
This time, Mu Anxiao merely glanced at the wolf demon before fixing her gaze back on Jiong Ye. "It seems you're not interested in me."
"You're really not my type," Jiong Ye muttered quietly.
Mu Anxiao heard Jiong Ye's quiet muttering clearly. Clearing her throat, she lazily decided not to continue on this topic. "That's for the best. It saves me the trouble of keeping you around."
"You want to keep me?" Jiong Ye didn't quite grasp Mu Anxiao's words and frowned slightly. "What do you mean by that?"
"Can't you tell?" Mu Anxiao deliberately asked Jiong Ye.
Upon hearing this, Jiong Ye narrowed his eyes into a slit. "Tell what? I don't understand what you're trying to say."
Mu Anxiao hadn't expected such a lack of chemistry between her and Jiong Ye. Seeing his innocent look, she smiled helplessly. "Alright, we truly are not of the same kind."
"Not..."
"Zhao Mei'er is now somewhat trusted by Ouyang Ye, so she has a significant backing here. As for you," the wolf demon interrupted Jiong Ye's continued foolishness, shaking his head, "you're just a completely untrusted little demon. Tell me, what should you do at this moment?" He deliberately prompted Jiong Ye.
Hearing the wolf demon's words, Jiong Ye blinked, and suddenly realized. "You mean, I also need to find a backer to establish myself here."
Mu Anxiao deliberately straightened her back.
The wolf demon smiled and nodded.
Jiong Ye looked and then inexplicably smiled. "I know," he pointed at the wolf demon and said, "you want me to consider you my backer."
The wolf demon's face fell...
Jiong Ye completely disregarded the wolf demon's expression and continued, "This wolf demon is also amusing. If I'm not mistaken, you're just like me, right? If I consider you my backer, wouldn't that be seeking my own demise? To be honest, it would be more appropriate for you to consider me your backer," he raised an eyebrow.