Then, the men behind the plump man exchanged glances. They stepped forward and, bending over with effort, helped the plump man to his feet.
Once steady, the plump man pushed the others away and said in a low voice, "You'd better... make money for me properly, or I'll sell you too."
"I'm a man, how can you sell me?" Mu Anxiao asked, tilting her head up playfully.
"Old Master Zhang wants a boy to carry dung. As long as you don't give me any surprises, I'll sell you to him," the plump man said. He then glanced at Mu Anxiao and turned, leading his lackeys away.
Mu Anxiao watched the plump man's retreating figure with a look of fear. Her mind couldn't help but recall the miserable life she had while working odd jobs at Old Master Zhang's house. Clenching her fists, she squinted and muttered, "You dead fatty, I've really had enough of you." With that, she glanced around, pulled a dagger from her sleeve, and took out a handful.
At the same time, a man dressed in white, with a refined appearance, blocked Mu Anxiao's path.
Mu Anxiao, still holding the dagger, slowly tilted her head up and asked the man in white, "Big brother, what business do you have with me?"
The man in white remained silent for a moment, staring at Mu Anxiao, then he squatted down and asked, "What is your name?"
"Why should I tell you?" Mu Anxiao retorted, looking him directly in the eye.
"If you don't tell me," the man in white leaned forward, meeting Mu Anxiao's gaze, "I'll tell that fatty about your ambitions, and your gender."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mu Anxiao avoided his gaze and feigned ignorance.
"I've been observing you for a long time, little girl," the man in white said with a knowing smile.
Mu Anxiao tried her best to avoid the man in white's gaze, grabbed the broken bowl, and hastily stood up. She spoke in a rough voice, "I'm a man, what little girl? Stop talking nonsense." After saying that, she glanced around, saw no passersby looking their way, and quickly dodged past the man in white and ran off.
The man in white watched Mu Anxiao's retreating figure with amusement. He chuckled, "This girl can sure put on an act." As he spoke, he stood up, glanced at the small white bottle in his hand, and walked in the direction she had fled.
Mu Anxiao returned to the dilapidated temple at top speed. To avoid being followed, she quickly hid behind a pedestal where no divine statues were present. She thought, 'That person must have been sent by the fatty. What bad luck. I shouldn't have taken out the dagger outside just now. It seems I must leave here before tomorrow morning.' Having thought this, she took a breath.
At the same time, the man in white entered the dilapidated temple and went straight to the pedestal without divine statues. "I see you."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao's eyes widened. She slightly turned her face and thought, 'If I'm hiding here, it would be supernatural for him to see me.' Thinking this, she deliberately tightened her grip on the broken bowl.
When the man in white heard no response from Mu Anxiao, he said, "If you don't make a sound, I'm coming over." As he took a step forward, a small beggar ran into the temple shouting, "Young master, are you here to give us money?" The beggar stopped behind the man in white.
The moment the beggar's voice filled the air, Mu Anxiao felt a wave of relief.
The man in white calmly turned to look at the small beggar, who only reached his chest, and said, "I'm not here to give you money. I'm here to find someone."
The little beggar's eyes darted around. "Tell me who you're looking for, and I'll help you, but you have to give me silver."
"I've already found them. I don't need you," the man in white said coldly.
"But you're standing on my territory now," the little beggar insisted shamelessly.