Zhao Xiang left as the wind began to stir, and quietly reminded Mu Anxiao, "He seems angry." He nudged Mu Anxiao with his elbow.
Mu Anxiao glanced at Zhao Xiang, then back at Feng Qi Shi's retreating figure. Her lips curved upwards as she said, "He's not angry, he's guilty." With that, she went inside.
Seeing this, Zhao Xiang took advantage of the noisy atmosphere and asked, "What are you doing?"
Without turning her head, Mu Anxiao raised her hand and replied, "It's none of your business." She then walked towards Lin Zhao.
Zhao Xiang was completely bewildered by this. Hesitantly, he turned and walked towards Feng Qi Shi.
Inside.
Mu Anxiao approached Lin Zhao in a few steps and whispered, "I have something to ask you." She reached out and tugged at the corner of Lin Zhao's clothes.
Lin Zhao's body stiffened. He stopped his cleaning work, straightened up, turned to look at Mu Anxiao, blinked, and asked, "What do you want to ask me?" After speaking, he didn't forget to glance at the burly men helping him clean.
Mu Anxiao: "Do you want to completely eliminate that nightmare?" Her expression was serious.
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, Lin Zhao nodded excitedly, "Yes."
"Yes," Mu Anxiao said, glancing at the woman approaching. She then hesitated for a moment, let go, and walked towards her, saying, "I have something to tell you."
The woman was startled, stopped, and smiled, asking, "What do you want to say?" She smiled as she looked at Lin Zhao. xxs Yier.
Ever since Mu Anxiao brought Lin Zhao out, the woman's tone towards Mu Anxiao had inexplicably become gentle. Moreover, whenever Mu Anxiao approached her, she would smile. Clearly, her gentleness made Mu Anxiao extremely uncomfortable. "No, can you stop being so gentle? I'm not used to it."
The woman continued gently, "You've helped our kitchen so much, what kind of person would I be if I were still harsh with you?" she said. "So, please accept my attitude. Just say what you need to say."
"Alright then," Mu Anxiao conceded, feeling she couldn't argue with the woman. "I'll be direct."
"Go ahead," the woman nodded.
Hearing the woman's words, Mu Anxiao cleared her throat and said, "Then I'll say it, that..." She glanced at Lin Zhao, who was watching them from behind, then turned back to the woman and said, "There are some things I want to investigate thoroughly. Lin Zhao is the only one who can assist me with this."
"What do you mean?" the woman frowned.
Mu Anxiao: "It means I'm taking him with me now. If possible..."
"He made such a mess in the kitchen, and now they're helping him, which is already good. You still want to take him away? Cao Gen, what are you thinking? Why should we clean up his mess?"
"I knew you'd say that," Mu Anxiao murmured, then turned to look at Lin Zhao. "Come here."
Lin Zhao obeyed immediately, coming to Mu Anxiao's side. He lost the courage to look directly at the woman.
The woman glared at Lin Zhao and then looked at Mu Anxiao, crossing her arms. "I don't agree with this."
"If you don't agree, then," Mu Anxiao said, "name your price."
"What?" The woman was shocked by Mu Anxiao's words.
Conversely, Mu Anxiao calmly looked at the woman and said, "Don't 'what.' Since you don't want to agree directly, I'll use another method to make you agree. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
Hearing Mu Anxiao's arrangement, the woman couldn't help but laugh. "Cao Gen, you really think of everything. Do you think... we're all that greedy for money? Let me tell you, I..."
"How much can you offer?" the first burly man interrupted.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao and Lin Zhao both shifted their gaze to the first burly man's face. The woman also looked at the first burly man.
The first burly man, seeing them looking at him, became shy. "No, why are you all just looking at me? Just say what you have to say." He avoided their gaze.
Mu Anxiao twitched her lips at the first burly man's demeanor. "You're acting too strangely," she said, and then turned her gaze back to the woman. "Right now, whether you agree or not, he has to go with me."
"If he leaves, he's not to come back," the woman said firmly.
Mu Anxiao lowered her eyes and smiled. "This is the General's mansion kitchen, you..."
"If you say another word, I'm leaving."
"You..." Mu Anxiao was speechless.
The woman looked at Mu Anxiao calmly, deliberately widening her eyes.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao smiled and said, "Fine. If you all still want him to have an episode, I'll grant you that." She smiled at the woman. "Some things, when they can be controlled, aren't controlled, and eventually they will develop. When he has another episode, it won't be as simple as smashing the kitchen." After speaking, she glanced at Lin Zhao and turned her back.
The first burly man, upon hearing this, recalled Lin Zhao's sudden outburst and quickly said, "She's trying to help us, why are you refusing?"
Under the first burly man's words, the other burly men also stopped working and looked over.
Mu Anxiao completely ignored them and walked towards the courtyard gate.
The woman, prompted by the first burly man, hurriedly called out to Mu Anxiao, "Wait."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao stopped and asked without looking back, "What is it?"
The woman: "I agree, you can take him. However, we need compensation, because this is really too difficult to clean."
However, this was exactly the outcome Mu Anxiao wanted. She curved her lips and turned to the woman, "Fine, tell me, what do you want?" As she spoke, she glanced at the others.
Lin Zhao consciously moved to Mu Anxiao's side.
The woman also curved her lips. "Five taels of silver for each of us."
"What?" Mu Anxiao was truly startled by the woman's exorbitant demand.
The woman remained calm. "You said you'd give us benefits, isn't this the benefit? Since..."
"Two taels each," Mu Anxiao interrupted.
The woman's expression stiffened. "Two taels? To clean all this? Isn't that bullying us?"
"Bullying? This cleaning and tidying is your duty. If you don't want these two taels," Mu Anxiao nodded, "that's fine too."
"What do you mean by that?" the woman panicked.
This time, it was Mu Anxiao's turn to cross her arms. "It means, if you don't agree, I'll go ask the General to find other servants to help, and as far as I know, those servants don't require any extra fees."
"You..."
"Think it over carefully, so you don't end up making a losing deal." Mu Anxiao deliberately interrupted, pursed her lips into a smile, and said, "I'll give you time."
Hearing this, the woman fell silent.