The scene inside the room was vastly different from the one outside.
Mu Anxiao stared at the door, unable to stop thinking about Feng Qishi and Amei embracing outside. She lowered her gaze slightly and muttered, "Those two... they embraced." After a moment's thought, she gently pulled the door open a crack and peeked outside through the gap.
Outside the door.
Feng Qishi snapped back to reality and pushed Amei away. Amei stumbled back a few steps, then steadied herself and asked with a hint of grievance, "Young Master, why did you push me?"
Fearing Amei would embrace him again, Feng Qishi deliberately took two steps back and said coldly, "Stay away from me."
Amei: "Young Master, you saved me from those bad people, so naturally I must..."
"I don't need you to repay me with your body," Feng Qishi guessed Amei's unspoken words.
Mu Anxiao listened through the door crack, watching them, and pouted, "This woman is really bold, talking about repaying him with her body, how terrifying." With a slight cough, she continued to watch.
Conversely, the moment Feng Qishi uttered those words, Amei stopped speaking and chuckled slyly.
Feng Qishi looked at her, puzzled. "What are you laughing about?"
Amei stole a glance at Feng Qishi and said, "Young Master, you guessed my next words before I could even say them. This shows we are... telepathic, of one heart, so..."
"You'd better shut up," Feng Qishi interrupted. Looking at Amei's demeanor, he suddenly recalled her relationship with the second black-clothed man and said, "You are already spoken for. You and I can have no future."
"How could you..." Amei pouted. "Young Master, he and I are not married."
"Not married, but you are still his person," Feng Qishi stated calmly.
"I..." Amei lowered her gaze. "I understand, Young Master. You just look down on me. If that's the case, I might as well die, to avoid embarrassing you here." With that, she began to look for a way to end her life.
In the less than a year he had been around, Feng Qishi had witnessed his share of life and death. Looking at her, he wore an expression of disdain. "Stop pretending. If you continue to pester me like this," he had intended to spare Amei some dignity, but seeing the situation, he felt it unnecessary, "get lost now."
"..." Amei froze.
"I brought you back simply because I felt pity for a woman wandering alone, I had no other intentions," Feng Qishi said, his brow furrowed slightly. "If you continue to provoke my patience with your schemes, then don't blame me for being impolite." His gaze was cold.
Amei, seeing this, pursed her lips.
Feng Qishi continued, "If you understand, then leave. Tomorrow morning, I will have them arrange work for you."
"Yes, Young..."
"Call me General," Feng Qishi corrected.
Amei's body stiffened, and she realized... Feng Qishi was indeed different from any man she had met. Thus, she abandoned her tactics and became obedient. "Yes, General."
"Go," Feng Qishi uttered the word flatly.
Amei nodded slightly, took two steps back, and turned to leave.
Feng Qishi watched Amei's retreating figure, letting out a sigh of relief. He turned back towards the door and said, "Stop lurking and open the door."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao's eyes flickered. She gently opened the door, looked at Feng Qishi, and gave a dry chuckle. "You really don't give that woman any face."
"..." Feng Qishi remained silent. He glanced at Mu Anxiao's attire, then stepped onto the stairs, stopping in front of her. "Fix your collar." As he spoke, he reached out and began to adjust her collar.
Mu Anxiao tilted her head up, watching Feng Qishi intently as he tidied her collar, and asked, "Do you feel happier being Shen Moyun or Feng Qishi?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Qishi paused, withdrew his hand from Mu Anxiao's collar, and took half a step back. "It's fixed," he said, his gaze fixed on Mu Anxiao's collar.
Mu Anxiao looked up at Feng Qishi's deliberate evasion of the topic and said, "You really don't want to answer my question, do you."
"..." Feng Qishi's eyes darkened. He retorted, "Do you feel happier being Mu Xiao or Mu Anxiao?"
"I'm asking you, you..."
"Answer," Feng Qishi interrupted.
Mu Anxiao frowned. "If I answer, you have to answer." She pointed at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi grunted in agreement.
Mu Anxiao curled her lips and said without hesitation, "Mu Anxiao has magic, so I prefer being Mu Anxiao. As for Mu Xiao," she shook her head slightly, "it's too tragic. However, being Mu Xiao allows one to understand human nature. But if I had to choose one, I would naturally choose... myself."
"I am different from you," Feng Qishi said softly.
Mu Anxiao: "You and I are different. You have always been yourself, merely with two names. But I..." she lowered her gaze slightly, "am just a substitute for Mu Xiao."
"A dual identity means dual responsibilities. Feng Qishi's mission is to cultivate immortality, and Shen Moyun's mission is to protect those who need protecting. If I had to choose between the two," Feng Qishi became serious, "I would choose Shen Moyun."
"Shen Moyun," Mu Anxiao murmured, suddenly realizing... there was no going back.
Feng Qishi looked down at Mu Anxiao's self-muttering expression and said calmly, "If happiness is the goal, of course Feng Qishi is happier, carefree, but..."
"No need to say more. You have chosen responsibility," Mu Anxiao interrupted, nodding slightly. "I understand."
"...." Feng Qishi fell silent.
Immediately after, Mu Anxiao walked past Feng Qishi to the front of the stairs and looked up at the star-filled night sky. "That strange medicinal ointment smell is still here," she said, sniffing the air.
Feng Qishi, hearing this, turned and stared at the back of Mu Anxiao's head. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"You haven't been here for even a year," Mu Anxiao said, turning to look at Feng Qishi. "And you only returned not long ago. May I ask, how much do you really know about that carriage driver?" She met Feng Qishi's gaze.
Feng Qishi: "He is very pitiful."
"Pitiful..." Mu Anxiao repeated the word, then looked down and smiled faintly. "It seems that's all you know about him."
"What are you trying to imply?" Feng Qishi asked.
Mu Anxiao shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not trying to imply anything. I just feel..." she smiled, "that he's problematic."
"What kind of problem?"
"What kind of problem..." Mu Anxiao said, then thought for a moment and shook her head slightly. "I'm not telling you, lest you accuse me."
"You..."
"I'm done talking to you. I'm going to explore your mansion, so you don't need to follow me," Mu Anxiao said, pointing at Feng Qishi. She turned, hitched up her skirt, and descended the stairs.
Feng Qishi watched Mu Anxiao's leisurely departing figure, then pondered every word she had spoken. His heart sank, and he quickly caught up to her, saying, "Clarify what you mean." As he spoke, he casually grabbed Mu Anxiao's arm.
Pulled by Feng Qishi, Mu Anxiao stopped and tilted her head slightly to meet his eyes. "..." She deliberately remained silent.