Mu Anxiao chuckled, "Rules are rules. If I ask for a pastry and you don't let me in, you don't let me in. But if you give me one, it's like giving charity to a beggar. But," she pouted, "I endured so many caning blows for nothing. Thinking about it, I've truly lost out."
"You still have the nerve to act wronged," the plump woman said, looking at Mu Anxiao with a helpless expression.
Mu Anxiao snorted coldly, "I was the one who was beaten, so naturally I feel wronged." As she spoke, she peered into the kitchen and added, "Those burly men didn't hold back at all. Not only that, they threw me out from inside. I can't swallow this insult." After saying this, she glanced at the plump woman and turned away.
Seeing this, the plump woman, recalling Mu Anxiao's recent words, suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of crisis. "What are you going to do?" she asked cautiously, stepping forward and grabbing Mu Anxiao's arm with her plump hand.
This was exactly the effect Mu Anxiao wanted. She deliberately tried to frighten the plump woman. "I'm going to find the General to reason with him," she said. As she spoke, she turned to look at the plump woman, whose expression had completely changed from before, and continued to feign a wronged look. "I refuse to believe I can't find someone to seek justice from."
The plump woman had never seen someone who had been caned dare to continue being so arrogant. This was truly her first time. Looking at Mu Anxiao's haughty demeanor, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear. "I'll give you a pastry then." She finally compromised.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao flashed a fake smile at the plump woman. "Oh, you wouldn't compromise unless I threatened to report you. Now that I've threatened to report you, you're compromising. Thinking about it this way," she said deliberately, "I truly took those twenty-odd caning blows for nothing. If I had known this would be the outcome, I would have done this sooner."
"But you didn't say anything," the plump woman said with a smile, releasing her grip. "I'll go get you a pastry right now. How many do you want?" She looked at Mu Anxiao obsequiously, afraid of offending her.
Conversely, Mu Anxiao liked this turn of events. She deliberately inhaled sharply and said, "It really hurts." As she spoke, she pretended to think for a moment in front of the plump woman and continued, "Just eating pastries really can't soothe my injured heart." She then lowered her head.
The plump woman said fearfully, "Then what else do you want? Do you want them to apologize, or..." She stared intently at Mu Anxiao's face. "Or do you want them to apply medicine for you?" Her tone was cautious.
Upon hearing the word 'medicine', Mu Anxiao was also startled. She cleared her throat, looked up at the plump woman, and feigned seriousness. "Do you have any liniment for bruises here?"
"Yes," the plump woman replied eagerly. She looked left and right and said, "But how are you planning to apply the medicine? Why don't I have them help you? Don't look at them being rough; they're quite meticulous about certain things."
Hearing the plump woman's suggestion, Mu Anxiao's scalp prickled. Swallowing, she gave the plump woman two dry laughs before saying, "No need. I have my good brothers. You just need to give me the medicine and pastries." After saying this, she pursed her lips and smiled, feigning contentment.
The plump woman now just wanted to appease Mu Anxiao's injured heart, so that Mu Anxiao wouldn't go to Feng Qishi to complain. Therefore, she decided to fulfill Mu Anxiao's every wish. However, she still wanted to ask some things clearly. "Um, can I ask you a question?" she asked, looking at Mu Anxiao cautiously.
Mu Anxiao nodded. "Go ahead. But I'll have to see if your question is difficult. If it's difficult, I won't answer." As she spoke, she began to put on airs.
To continue working in the kitchen, the plump woman started to act ingratiatingly towards Mu Anxiao. "The questions I ask are all very simple," she said, chuckling sheepishly.
In the kitchen, those burly men hadn't really heard the exchange between Mu Anxiao and the plump woman. However, judging by the plump woman's back, they had sensed something. After exchanging glances, the two men who had caned Mu Anxiao walked over.
Meanwhile, Mu Anxiao deliberately crossed her arms in front of her. "Your question is very simple, but," she said, "I know that people who say their questions are simple usually ask very difficult ones. You'd better think before you ask. If you stump me, I'll go to the General to seek justice."
When the plump woman heard the word 'General', she flinched. "My question is really very simple. It's just..." she suddenly became embarrassed, but this didn't stop her from smiling. "What is your relationship with Shuer?"
"She's my fiancée..." Mu Anxiao said halfway, calmly watching the plump woman's expression gradually change. After a pause, just as she was about to continue, the third burly man who had caned her suddenly interrupted. "You have this kind of relationship with Shuer?" he said, looking surprised.
Hearing this, the plump woman clicked her tongue and turned to the surprised third burly man. "Why did you come over? Didn't I tell you not to come? Why are you so proactive?" After saying this, she patted her own startled little heart and finally looked back at Mu Anxiao.
Unexpectedly, Mu Anxiao stared at the third burly man and asked, "Are you close with Shuer?" Not wanting to miss any opportunity, she decided to question this third burly man further.
The third burly man laughed. "I'm not close with her at all. But speaking of which, it's usually she who chats with Shuer." As he spoke, he glanced at the plump woman, then at Mu Anxiao. "It seems you got in through connections."
"That's part of it," Mu Anxiao thought about how hard the third burly man had hit her and decided to scare him properly. "Actually, I came in with the General. The General said he values me highly and told me to go to him immediately if I was bullied in this mansion. Um, I want to ask you a question, is that okay?" As she spoke, she straightened her back and stared directly at the third burly man.
Hearing Mu Anxiao say this, the plump woman's nerves tensed up.
Immediately, the third burly man was startled by Mu Anxiao's words. Swallowing, he, like the plump woman before him, put on a flattering smile. "Ask away, I'm listening." He wasn't good with words, so this was all he could do.
Mu Anxiao's lips curved into a smile. "If I report you to the General, what kind of end would you face? Would you also be caned?" she asked, glancing at the fourth burly man.
The next second, they all froze.
The plump woman glared at the third and fourth burly men for angering Mu Anxiao, then turned back to Mu Anxiao and said with a smile, "Don't listen to them. Do you want to come in and rest for a bit? I'll go get you medicine and pastries." She smiled at Mu Anxiao.