"Mmm," Mu Anxiao nodded, her heart sinking slightly, but she decided to tell the truth. "However, I can only guarantee that you won't have nightmares. As for the demonic energy within you, I can't completely eliminate it until I find out who that woman is." After speaking, she observed the expression changes of the purchasing subordinate, feeling inexplicably nervous herself. xxs
Unexpectedly, as Mu Anxiao finished speaking, the purchasing subordinate inexplicably started laughing. "Really?"
Mu Anxiao was utterly bewildered. "You seem very happy." She thought he should be upset in this situation, but he turned out to be so easily satisfied. It seemed she had gained a new understanding of him.
"The hardest thing for a person is not being able to sleep well. Now that I can sleep, I'm content," the purchasing subordinate said. He glanced down at the money pouch in his hand and suddenly asked, "How much do you want?"
"How much do I want?" Mu Anxiao was truly stumped by his question.
The purchasing subordinate continued, "You've helped me out so much, I have to give you something good in return." As he spoke, he opened the money pouch.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao smiled. "You're quite generous. However," she glanced at the money pouch, "if I want it, I want it all. It won't be too late for you to give it to me after I catch that woman."
"Then I'll prepare it for you," the purchasing subordinate said, putting the money pouch away. He then fixed his gaze on Mu Anxiao's face. "By the way, aren't you curious about my name?"
"What's your name? Purchasing?" Mu Anxiao playfully teased the purchasing subordinate.
Upon hearing this, the purchasing subordinate laughed. "You're quite the imaginative one. My surname is Lin, and my given name is Lin Zhao."
"Lin Zhao?" Mu Anxiao repeated, smiling slightly. "I used to have a friend whose surname was also Lin. Hearing your name now feels quite familiar."
"Does it?" Lin Zhao said, looking around before lowering his head again.
Following Lin Zhao's gaze, Mu Anxiao surveyed the extremely messy kitchen and chuckled, "It's even messier outside."
"I know," Lin Zhao nodded, sighing softly. "Do you think they're afraid of me?"
"You haven't harmed them, so they shouldn't be afraid of you. However," Mu Anxiao said, looking down at the pots and pans scattered on the floor, tutting twice, "you have them to clean up."
"Yes," Lin Zhao replied, resigned to his fate.
In the past, Lin Zhao had been a young nobleman. After coming here, his days were filled with giving orders. Therefore, hearing Mu Anxiao's words, he instantly felt a sense of pressure. However, the reality was that all of this was his own doing. It was impossible for him to simply let it go. After several sighs, he smiled foolishly at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao looked at Lin Zhao's foolish smile and curled her lips. "If you smile at me, I won't help you either," she said, turning around and snapping her fingers. After removing the boundary outside, she turned back to Lin Zhao and said, "My identity is not to be revealed. If I find out, I'll make sure you're plagued by nightmares forever."
"I wouldn't dare," Lin Zhao said, intimidated. At the same time, after Mu Anxiao's reminder, he dismissed the idea of asking her for help.
Immediately after, Mu Anxiao coldly said, "It's good that you know," and then left.
Lin Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.
A moment later.
Lin Zhao followed Mu Anxiao to the kitchen's courtyard gate. Mu Anxiao glanced at Lin Zhao, her thoughts lingering, and took a step back. "You open the door."
"Me?" Lin Zhao hesitated.
Mu Anxiao scoffed. "What 'me'? You're too lazy to open a door. Are you just going to watch others clean later?" She pointed at the large door. "Hurry up."
"I must have terrified them with my appearance just now. If they see me," Lin Zhao said with a worried expression, "will they be scared? Will they chase me away?"
"They are all very worried about you. Besides, you are still a purchasing agent for our estate, so," Mu Anxiao became serious, "rest assured, they won't drive you away easily. You just need to open the door."
"I dare not," Lin Zhao said timidly.
Mu Anxiao looked helplessly at the timid Lin Zhao before her and then at the closed door. She spoke in all seriousness, "This might be a good thing for you."
"What do you mean?" Lin Zhao asked, confused.
Mu Anxiao said, "They weren't that afraid of you before. Now that you've done this foolish thing, they're scared of you." She then grinned broadly. "So, you just open the door. Perhaps without you even asking, they'll come in and help you clean." She knew Lin Zhao was reluctant to tidy up this mess. She also knew that without offering some incentive, Lin Zhao would never easily agree.
Therefore, she considered it a well-intentioned lie.
As expected, the moment Mu Anxiao uttered those words, Lin Zhao smiled. "Something good like that will happen?"
"Of course, but the prerequisite is that your attitude must be good. People who bravely admit their mistakes never have bad luck," Mu Anxiao said, taking two steps back.
Seeing this, Lin Zhao frowned. "Why are you backing away?"
"This door is long, and I'm afraid it will step on my foot," Mu Anxiao said, smiling at Lin Zhao. Then, she suddenly had a bad premonition.
"Alright," Lin Zhao took Mu Anxiao's words seriously. He stepped forward and, with one swift motion, opened the door. As soon as it opened, a group of burly men swarmed in, grabbed him, and beat him soundly.
A quarter of an hour later.
Mu Anxiao, Feng Qishi, and Zhao Xiang stood together at the doorway, calmly watching Lin Zhao, who was being ordered around inside. No one spoke.
Just then, Lin Zhao, holding a broom, let out a breath and turned around. Still holding the broom, he ignored those who were cleaning nearby and walked up to Mu Anxiao, pursing his lips into a smile.
Seeing Lin Zhao like this, Mu Anxiao was startled. "I didn't mean to trick you. I didn't expect," she glanced at the injuries on Lin Zhao's face and chuckled dryly, "that they would be so harsh." After speaking, she averted her gaze.
Similarly, Feng Qishi also avoided looking.
However, Feng Qishi's avoidance was not for any other reason than the fact that the method of letting them beat Lin Zhao to vent their anger was his idea.
Now, only Zhao Xiang remained candid.
"..." Lin Zhao stared at Mu Anxiao for a few seconds before saying, "They were showing me care. Thank you for letting me experience this feeling for the first time." As he spoke, he glanced at Feng Qishi, who was avoiding his gaze, smiled, turned around, and went back.
After Lin Zhao left, Zhao Xiang and Mu Anxiao both turned their attention to Feng Qishi's face.
Feng Qishi turned his head and looked at them both, remaining silent.
Mu Anxiao whispered, "If he finds out it was you who instigated it, he," her lips curled, and she glanced at Lin Zhao's happy figure working, tutting, "won't be smiling at you anymore, will he?"
"You should say less," Feng Qishi still felt guilty and turned to leave.