Feng Qishi knew Mu Anxiao's obsession with silver. Seeing her determined gaze and the way she clutched his clothes, he sighed and said, "Alright, don't blame me for being impolite then."
"..." Mu Anxiao snorted and retorted, "What, are you going to hit me?"
"I won't hit you," Feng Qishi said, suddenly leaning his face much closer to Mu Anxiao.
Startled, Mu Anxiao quickly let go, took two steps back, and exclaimed, "Get out, are you crazy?" She swallowed, her heart pounding.
Feng Qishi was also surprised by his own actions, but he remained much calmer than Mu Anxiao. "I told you, if you go too far, I really won't be polite."
"How am I going too far?" Mu Anxiao protested. "I just want to ask you for some money, is this necessary?" She then averted her gaze.
"I'll keep that money for you for now."
"I don't need you to keep it for me, give it to me," Mu Anxiao said, holding out her hand.
"..." Feng Qishi deliberately remained silent, staring down at Mu Anxiao's palm.
Watching Feng Qishi's actions, Mu Anxiao grew confused. "What are you doing?"
"Why are there so many scars on your palm?" Feng Qishi asked, shifting his gaze to Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao was momentarily stumped by his question. Her eyes darted away. "What business is it of yours how I am?" she said, withdrawing her hand.
Then, Feng Qishi remembered what Jia had told him, his eyes darkening. "Was your mother not good to you?"
"What do you think?" Mu Anxiao stared at Feng Qishi, waiting to see what else he would ask.
Instead, Feng Qishi said nothing, just continued to gaze at Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao grew increasingly uncomfortable under his stare. "Can you stop staring at me and just talk?" she said seriously.
Feng Qishi's lips curled slightly. "Serves you right," he said, turning and walking into the room.
Mu Anxiao blinked in surprise, then immediately stepped into the room. Without thinking, she turned and closed the door, then faced Feng Qishi, who had stopped by the table. "Why aren't you giving it to me?" she asked, walking towards him.
Feng Qishi stood with his hands behind his back, tilting his head slightly. "Aren't you afraid of being misunderstood if you follow me in like this?"
Mu Anxiao: "Misunderstood? I just want my money. Besides," she chuckled, "it's you who should be afraid of being misunderstood, not me."
Feng Qishi nodded slightly. "Indeed, you have a point. However, as a man, I don't need any reputation. If you stay any longer, I can say your reputation outside will be ruined."
"My reputation..." Mu Anxiao was completely unfazed by Feng Qishi's words. Instead, she sneered, "I don't care about any of that. In my eyes, the only things that matter in this world are life and silver. So, give it to me."
In the past, Mu Anxiao would have obediently handed the silver to Feng Qishi for safekeeping. But now, facing this Mu Anxiao, he was truly at a loss.
"I've already told you, I'll keep the money for you. Can't you understand human language?" He turned to face Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao tilted her head slightly. "Whether you're human or not, I know better than you. Give it to me quickly, can't you understand human language?" She was angry.
Then, Feng Qishi sighed softly and walked over to Mu Anxiao. "I have my reasons for doing this, you..."
"Would you trust someone who doesn't value your life?" Mu Anxiao interrupted, holding a grudge this time.
Feng Qishi's expression froze. "You think I would want your life?"
"Who knows. I know this," Mu Anxiao said, looking up to meet Feng Qishi's eyes. "You find me not just displeasing, but extremely displeasing. Otherwise, you wouldn't have tried to kill me the moment you met me."
"..." Feng Qishi ignored her.
"Alright, I've said what I needed to say. Can you give it to me now?" Mu Anxiao said calmly.
Feng Qishi: "No, I'm helping you..."
"I'll use that money to treat my injuries. Unless you can heal me with healing techniques, I don't want it." Mu Anxiao interrupted again.
Upon hearing "healing techniques," Feng Qishi's gaze flickered away, just as before. "Mu Anxiao, are you sure?"
"Sure," Mu Anxiao nodded.
Seeing Mu Anxiao nod, Feng Qishi also nodded. "Alright, I'll heal you," he said, raising his hand. "But let me be clear, if your injuries heal, that Empress will make you do a lot of work. Conversely, with your injuries, you'll have more freedom in the palace. I'll give you three counts to reconsider."
"..." Mu Anxiao began to ponder Feng Qishi's words.
As Feng Qishi saw Mu Anxiao hesitating and was about to count "three...", Mu Anxiao quickly said, "No need."
"No need for what?" Feng Qishi feigned ignorance.
Mu Anxiao frowned. "No need... to heal me."
"Do you still want the money?" Feng Qishi countered.
"Of course, I do! That's my life-saving money!" Mu Anxiao said excitedly.
"What life-saving money?" Feng Qishi was surprised by Mu Anxiao's sudden words.
Mu Anxiao became serious. "Think about it, if I enter the palace, am I considered a newcomer?" She thought of another way to get her money back.
Feng Qishi nodded. "I suppose so." He was gradually being drawn into Mu Anxiao's trap.
Mu Anxiao: "Then that's right. I'm different from others. I have a mission. Naturally," she grinned, "I need to try and please them, don't I?"
"Women entering the palace are not allowed to carry any silver."
"I can hide it," Mu Anxiao said unhappily.
Feng Qishi sneered. "Naive. Tell me, where would you hide it..." He glanced down at Mu Anxiao's shoes. "Could it be, you plan to hide it in your shoes?"
"...." Mu Anxiao hadn't expected Feng Qishi to see through her and felt embarrassed.
"It seems I've guessed right," Feng Qishi said, scoffing. "Aren't you afraid it will be uncomfortable?"
"Tch, I'm not afraid of being uncomfortable," Mu Anxiao said righteously.
"..." Feng Qishi thought Mu Anxiao would calm down after his words, but instead, she became defiant. Especially seeing her smug expression, he had an idea. "Fine, if that's the case, let's try it."
"What?" Mu Anxiao was bewildered.
"Didn't you say you wanted me to give you the silver? Fine, I'll give it to you," Feng Qishi said, holding out his hand and conjuring the bundle he had taken from Mu Anxiao.
The next second, Mu Anxiao was blinded by the flash of Feng Qishi's magic. She quickly raised her hand to rub her eyes. "Didn't you say you wouldn't use magic? What a slap in the face!" She extended her hand.
Feng Qishi took a half-step back, holding the bundle above his head. "I'll get it for you."
"No need, I'll..."
"I insist on getting it for you," Feng Qishi interrupted coldly.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao dared not say more.
Seeing Mu Anxiao quiet down, Feng Qishi turned and walked to the table, placing the bundle on it.
Mu Anxiao watched Feng Qishi's series of troublesome actions. "It's just a bag of silver, do you have to be like this?" she said, then peered at Feng Qishi's hands as he untied the bundle, sighing.
A few minutes later.
Mu Anxiao sat in a chair, looking down at Feng Qishi squatting at her feet and personally placing the broken silver into her shoes. "I could have done it myself. You, a dignified general, doing this is unbecoming," she said.
"..." Feng Qishi ignored Mu Anxiao and continued his pretense.
Mu Anxiao sighed again, then looked up at the ceiling beams and muttered, "Shen Moyun, in less than a year, you've accepted this name, this identity. Tsk, you're really someone who forgets the old for the new." She shook her head.
Feng Qishi, while stuffing the silver, said, "I always thought you were doing quite well." He then looked up briefly before lowering his head again.
"I am doing quite well. With the people in this mansion..." Mu Anxiao looked down at Feng Qishi. "I get along quite well with the servants here."
"Aren't you a young lady?"
"Young lady..." Mu Anxiao repeated, frowning. "In this world, saying those words to a woman would get you beaten."
"..." Feng Qishi paused.
Mu Anxiao grinned. "I think no matter how much a person changes, their original intention should remain."
"Are you saying I've forgotten my original intention?"
"Haven't you?" Mu Anxiao said. "You are clearly Feng Qishi, yet you insist on becoming Shen Moyun, General Shen. I must ask, are you tired of living like this?"
"From the day I became Shen Moyun, it's been tiring." As he spoke, Feng Qishi placed two pairs of shoes, stuffed with silver, in front of Mu Anxiao.
"Tiring, so why can't you relax? Honestly," Mu Anxiao said, putting her feet into the shoes. "I still think you look best as Feng Qishi."
"What do you mean?"
"When you were Shen Yan, you were pretending. When you are Feng Qishi, you are most relaxed. Being with that version of you is easy. But," Mu Anxiao sighed softly, "the current you..." She shook her head.
"Why are you shaking your head?" Feng Qishi asked, confused.
"What I dislike most, although I know you must have gone through some bad experiences, is that I still want to tell you, Shen Yan was your past life, Feng Qishi is your current life. Shen Moyun..." Mu Anxiao pursed her lips, then struggled to put on the shoes stuffed with silver. She continued, "is nothing." She then began to put on the other shoe.
Feng Qishi lowered his gaze.
Mu Anxiao, unconcerned with Feng Qishi's feelings, continued, "That puppet looks quite young."
"Don't mention him," Feng Qishi said coldly, standing up.
Mu Anxiao remained impassive, continuing to adjust her shoe. "Fine, I won't mention him. Anyway, I know now." She didn't look up.
Feng Qishi looked down at Mu Anxiao, frowning. "Know what?"
"I know..." Mu Anxiao trailed off, struggling to pull on her shoe. She gasped for breath. "Heh, this feeling is truly something else." As she spoke, she held onto the table and stood up.
Feng Qishi frowned. "Know what? Why aren't you saying?" He was curious.
"It's uncomfortable... I forgot," Mu Anxiao interrupted, her face a mask of perfunctory dismissal.
Mu Anxiao knew it wasn't time to say certain things. If she did, she feared it would hurt Feng Qishi, and then he wouldn't help her, which would be disastrous.
Therefore, she could only fob him off like this.
Feng Qishi, seeing that Mu Anxiao didn't seem to be lying, didn't press further. Instead, he looked down at Mu Anxiao's bulging feet. "Are you sure you won't be discovered like this?"
"I have a skirt, what's there to fear?" Mu Anxiao said. Just as she was about to step forward, the sharp edges of the silver coins poked her sole. She gasped in pain and stumbled towards Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi quickly reached out and caught her. At the same time, Mu Anxiao's head bumped hard into Feng Qishi's chest, and he instinctively held her.
The air froze.
Ten seconds later, Mu Anxiao, having freed herself from the shoes, stood barefoot on the ground. She looked up at Feng Qishi, who was still holding her. "Thanks, Shen Moyun."
Hearing this, Feng Qishi released her.
Mu Anxiao stepped out of Feng Qishi's embrace, nonchalantly adjusted her clothes, and then looked down at the silver on the ground. "Hey, is there a way?"
Feng Qishi, not yet recovered from the recent moment, raised his hand to rub the back of his head. "What do you mean?"
"..." Mu Anxiao took a deep breath and looked up. "What do I mean? This method of hiding silver in my shoes is no longer feasible. Tell me, what should I do next?" She looked defiant.
Feng Qishi was unfazed by Mu Anxiao's attitude. "You should listen to my advice."
"Hmm, tell me." Mu Anxiao's opinion of him had changed just by the fact that Feng Qishi had helped her put the silver into her shoes.
Feng Qishi looked down at the faint scars on Mu Anxiao's face. "If I give you advice, then I suggest you give me the silver."
"Give it to you? Dream on," Mu Anxiao exclaimed, agitated.
Feng Qishi shrugged. "Since you're unwilling, then forget it." As he spoke, he glanced at Mu Anxiao's face. "Do you know what those empresses in the palace hate the most?"
"I don't know." Mu Anxiao shook her head.
Seeing Mu Anxiao's naive expression, Feng Qishi lowered his eyes and chuckled. "They hate servants who try to curry favor, especially with money."
"...." Mu Anxiao narrowed her eyes.
Feng Qishi: "Why are you narrowing your eyes? You can't see me clearly." He feigned ignorance, staring intently into Mu Anxiao's eyes.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao opened her eyes. "You're cutting off my escape route."
"Don't worry, my monthly salary is much more than this silver," Feng Qishi said directly.
Mu Anxiao's eyes lit up. "Really? You're just a general, how can you..."
"There are some things you don't need to know too clearly. In short," Feng Qishi interrupted Mu Anxiao, kicking the scattered silver on the floor with his foot. "I don't care about this."
"Don't care about it..." Mu Anxiao repeated, then grabbed Feng Qishi's arm. "Then you can't step on them." She then stomped hard on Feng Qishi's foot and squatted down to pick up the silver.
Feng Qishi felt nothing and calmly watched Mu Anxiao. "Not even a bit of strength. Truly useless."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao said while picking up the silver, "Even if I'm useless, I'm better than you. At least I have my original intention."
Feng Qishi: "..." He turned his face away.