"..." Mu Anxiao continued to ignore Feng Qishi's words, instead openly surveying her surroundings.
Feng Qishi looked down at Mu Anxiao's strange reaction, also puzzled. "Mu Anxiao, what are you doing?"
"Don't speak," Mu Anxiao said, suddenly catching the scent of ointment. She quickly took out an ointment box from her sleeve and held it in her palm. After a gust of wind passed, she tilted her head to meet Feng Qishi's eyes and asked, "Do you smell anything?"
"Ointment," Feng Qishi said coldly.
Mu Anxiao shook her head slightly. "No, I haven't opened this box."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Your manor has..."
However, before Mu Anxiao could finish her sentence, the woman Feng Qishi had rescued suddenly walked over. "Young Master, you're back."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao glared at Feng Qishi, put away the box, and turned to look at the woman. "..."
The woman ignored Mu Anxiao and went directly to Feng Qishi, smiling.
Feng Qishi ignored the smile on the woman's face and instead looked down at her clothing, his brow furrowing. "Who gave you these clothes?"
The woman smiled. "You can tell, it's..."
"Who told you to wear them," Feng Qishi interrupted.
The woman's expression stiffened, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Young Master, a sister just now said I could choose a guest room, so I..." she said, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I found one closest to your room, and when I went inside, I saw that the wardrobe was full of dresses, so I took one and changed."
"Did anyone give you permission to go in?" Feng Qishi asked.
The woman pursed her lips and said with a wronged expression, "Young Master, I..."
"General, she wanted to go in herself, it has nothing to do with this servant," the maid interrupted, coming up to them.
Mu Anxiao glanced at them but said nothing.
Feng Qishi said coldly, "Take off those clothes."
"Young Master..."
"Go back and take them off," Feng Qishi said, looking at the maid. "Take her to another guest room and have that room cleaned for me."
"Yes, General," the maid said, forcefully grabbing the woman's arm. "Let's go."
Conversely, the woman wasn't giving up. She called out, "Young Master," and then started crying in front of Feng Qishi.
Mu Anxiao looked down at the sobbing woman, turned her face away, and remained silent.
Meanwhile, the maid, unable to watch any longer, forcefully pulled the woman away.
During this process, the woman still did not look at Mu Anxiao.
Of course, for Mu Anxiao, this was also a form of relief.
After they left, Mu Anxiao looked up at Feng Qishi. "What's going on with that room?"
"It's none of your business."
"Those clothes look nice," Mu Anxiao said deliberately, glancing in the direction the woman had gone. "Never mind that, your manor has monsters."
"..." Feng Qishi's expression was blank as he stared at Mu Anxiao.
Seeing Feng Qishi's skeptical expression, Mu Anxiao tutted. "What, you don't believe what I'm saying?"
"I know better than you whether there are monsters or not."
"Hey, you..."
"Stop being so suspicious. If you dare to talk nonsense in my manor, believe it or not, I'll throw you out," Feng Qishi interrupted.
When Mu Anxiao heard this, and thought of his heartless behavior towards the woman earlier, she smiled. "You wouldn't be too harsh on me."
"I will be harsher on you than on them," Feng Qishi said indifferently.
"You..."
"If you say one more word, I'll have the carriage driver send you back," Feng Qishi said, intending to scare Mu Anxiao.
As expected, after hearing Feng Qishi's words, Mu Anxiao shut her mouth.
In an instant, Mu Anxiao followed Feng Qishi into the room.
The room was simply furnished with a desk, a bed, and a wardrobe. The rest was a large open space, which made Mu Anxiao, accustomed to inns, feel awkward. "It's such a waste to leave this place empty," she said, looking at the open space.
"This is my room, and how I furnish it is my business," Feng Qishi said, walking to the wardrobe. He opened it and took out a blue embroidered dress. "You can wear this," he said, turning around and throwing it to Mu Anxiao.
Immediately, Mu Anxiao, with quick hands, caught the embroidered dress. After a moment of愣, she peered into the wardrobe and asked, "Why are there women's clothes in here?"
"Wear yours and stop talking nonsense," Feng Qishi said, closing the wardrobe.
Mu Anxiao was bewildered. "In less than a year, you've developed quite a few more quirks." She looked around and frowned.
"What's wrong?" Feng Qishi turned to Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao frowned. "Big Brother, you're here, how can I change? Besides," she weighed the embroidered dress in her hand, "I can't change into it at all."
"Can't change into it? Change the way you normally do."
"No, this dress is too formal. My dresses are all very casual. How about," Mu Anxiao said critically, looking down at the embroidered dress in her hand, "you change into it for me?"
"No."
"Why?" Mu Anxiao retorted, then suddenly remembered what the woman had said earlier. "Oh right, aren't there clothes next door? How about..."
"That's the old madam's room. When she was alive, she specifically instructed that no one should enter, and if her clothes were worn, they should be burned immediately, otherwise, the person would die," Feng Qishi said coldly.
"That serious?" Mu Anxiao was surprised.
Feng Qishi nodded. "Yes, that serious. Actually," he said, "it should be fine for you to wear it, since your master can protect you."
"You..." Mu Anxiao uttered one word, and thinking of Feng Qishi's words, she compromised. "I'll wear this dress, you go out."
"..." Feng Qishi said nothing and turned to leave.
A quarter of an hour later.
Feng Qishi leaned against the doorframe, listening to Mu Anxiao's occasional grumbling from inside, and sighed. He looked at the approaching woman and asked, "Why did you come?" As he spoke, he squinted and stood up to walk forward.
The woman, dressed in a simple long dress, stopped and looked up at Feng Qishi with swollen red eyes. "Young Master, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so insensible."
"..." Feng Qishi frowned slightly.
The woman continued, "My name is A Mei. I have no relatives, so I have no surname. A Mei is truly happy that you took me in today." As she spoke, she started crying again.
Feng Qishi looked down at the always crying A Mei, his brow furrowed. "Why do you cry so much?"
Hearing this, A Mei sobbed, took a handkerchief, and dabbed the tears from the corners of her eyes. "A Mei is moved." Then, she opened her arms and hugged Feng Qishi.
The next second, Feng Qishi froze.
At the same time, Mu Anxiao happened to open the door and saw this scene. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she muttered, "They... they're actually hugging." After speaking, she blankly closed the door again.