"My words are final. Either pay me fifteen hundred taels, or stay and become my servant."
"You push too far."
"I push too far? Who asked you to break my sword in two? If you hadn't, none of this would have happened."
"I didn't expect your sword to be so shoddy."
"Don't you dare call it shoddy! This sword fought alongside my grandfather on the battlefield..."
Before the old man's grandson could finish his sentence, his paternal half-sister, unable to listen any longer, interrupted, "Grandfather was a businessman. What battlefield could he have been on?"
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao and the old man's grandson simultaneously turned towards the old man's granddaughter as she crossed the threshold and walked towards them.
Mu Anxiao thought to herself, *Huh? Where is that little girl?*
The old man's grandson frowned. "Why are you here?"
"Sister-in-law asked me to supervise you," the old man's granddaughter said. Her eyes fell on Mu Anxiao, and she smiled. "Hello."
"Hello," Mu Anxiao nodded awkwardly.
The old man's granddaughter glanced at the old man's grandson and said, "My brother exaggerates. This sword isn't worth much. Don't listen to him."
However, Mu Anxiao believed him and wanted him to explain the agreement with the old man. Now, with the granddaughter's arrival, her plan was disrupted.
But seeing the granddaughter's earnest expression, she thought it wouldn't be worth it to say more and potentially hurt her feelings.
Therefore, she feigned surprise. "This sword isn't worth much, really?" she asked, looking at the old man's grandson.
Seeing Mu Anxiao look at him, the old man's grandson immediately pushed his sister's arm. "Don't listen to her nonsense. This sword, it's worth a thousand..."
"That's not an agreement with grandfather at all."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao stiffened, her eyes widening.
The old man, watching his granddaughter's agitated expression, frowned.
Then, in the instant his granddaughter uttered those words, the old man's grandson swallowed the rest of his sentence. "Don't think you're so great just because grandfather doted on you this past year. Stop spewing nonsense here."
"Grandfather didn't tell me anything this year. The so-called agreement you mention, I overheard it more than a year ago."
"You eavesdropped again."
"I did not."
"You didn't? You've always had a habit of eavesdropping since you were little. You really are..." The old man's grandson grabbed his sister's arm and then raised his hand, saying, "Asking for a beating."
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao quickly picked up a wooden stick and struck the old man's grandson's descending wrist heavily. "It's not good to resort to violence." As she spoke, she stepped forward and stood in front of the old man's granddaughter.
The old man's granddaughter, looking at the back of Mu Anxiao's head up close, stiffened.
"You broke my sword," the old man's grandson said, looking at his injured wrist. Angrily, he continued, "And now you've injured my hand. You... just you wait." With that, he turned and ran quickly into the courtyard gate, slamming it shut with a thud.
Mu Anxiao knew that even if she chased after him now, the grandson might not tell her about the agreement, so she abandoned the thought. She stepped forward, turned around, and looked at the old man's granddaughter. "Thank you. If you hadn't come out, I would have had to give him fifteen hundred taels."
"No, I should be thanking you. If it weren't for you, he would have hit me again," the old man's granddaughter said, lowering her head slightly.
"You were almost beaten because of me too," Mu Anxiao said, looking towards the old man.
The old man stared intently at his granddaughter, whom he had never paid attention to, his eyes darkening. He said, "I have something to say to her."
Mu Anxiao, wanting to fulfill the old man's wish and not wanting to refuse, turned to the old man's granddaughter and stammered, "Um, actually, I can see your grandfather."
"I know."
"You know?" Mu Anxiao was surprised.
The old man's granddaughter smiled. "Yes, I know. I heard everything you and your brother were just saying. He doesn't believe you, but..." she hesitated, "...I do."
"Really?"
After the exchange with the old man's grandson, Mu Anxiao felt utterly exhausted. Now, seeing someone reasonable, she felt a sense of relief.
"Really," the old man's granddaughter nodded and turned towards the old man. "I suppose grandfather wouldn't want to talk to me."
Mu Anxiao followed the old man's granddaughter's gaze to the old man who was staring at them and asked, "Why do you say that?"
"I have a question, I don't know if I should ask it," the old man's granddaughter said, turning back to Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao replied, "What question? Tell me."
"..." The old man's granddaughter took a deep breath and said, "I feel like the grandfather I had this past year wasn't my grandfather."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know how to explain it. My grandfather usually ignored me..." The old man's granddaughter gave a bitter smile and continued, "He was always indifferent. But after grandfather suddenly came back to life last year, he started being nice to me. That kindness felt so unreal."
"Being nice to you, isn't that good? Why does it feel unreal?" Mu Anxiao asked knowingly.
"I don't know, I can't really describe the feeling. Maybe I'm..." The old man's granddaughter sighed. "Just ungrateful for the good things I have. I couldn't even cry when grandfather passed away this time."
"The last time?"
"..." The old man's granddaughter felt embarrassed and rubbed her nose. "I was certainly sad, but this time, I didn't feel the same way. That's why I suspect the grandfather of this past year wasn't my real grandfather."
"Is that so?"
Some matters were not meant for mortals to know, so Mu Anxiao offered a perfunctory response.
Then, the old man's granddaughter cautiously glanced at Mu Anxiao and said, "I think my guess is correct, isn't it?"
Mu Anxiao bit her lip and said, "This is a heavenly secret."
"If my guess is right, nod."
"....." Mu Anxiao hesitated, then nodded.
Seeing this, the old man's granddaughter also followed Mu Anxiao's movement and nodded. "I suppose grandfather doesn't want to talk to me, so I'll be going now."
As she turned to leave, Mu Anxiao quickly said, "No, your grandfather has something to tell you."
Upon hearing this, the old man's granddaughter immediately stopped, her face filled with excitement. "Really?"
"Yes," Mu Anxiao nodded.
The old man's granddaughter asked, "Where is grandfather?"
"Over there," Mu Anxiao pointed towards the old man.
Following Mu Anxiao's gesture, the old man's granddaughter turned and looked in the direction of the old man. "Grandfather, are you there?"
"I am," the old man replied.
Mu Anxiao relayed the message: "Your grandfather says he is here."
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, tears welled up in the old man's granddaughter's eyes.
The old man said, "Mu Xiang, grandfather has been watching you grow. Over the years, grandfather hasn't spoken to you much. I hope you don't blame grandfather."