However, what Mu An Xiao didn't expect was to see Mu Gui and the servants lying on the floor when she entered the reception hall. A heavy and tense atmosphere immediately swept over her. At first glance, she only saw Mai Xia squatting on the ground and Shen Lü squatting beside Mu Gui. As for where Mai Liang had gone, she didn't know.
"Where is Mai Liang?" she asked.
Following that, Mai Xia and Shen Lü finally noticed Mu An Xiao's return. They both stood up, looked at each other, and then Mai Xia began to cry. Shen Lü stepped forward and said softly, "Sacrificed."
"Sacrificed?" Mu An Xiao hadn't expected things to have escalated to such a serious point.
Shen Lü nodded, then glanced behind Mu An Xiao and asked, "What about Jia He and that demon?"
Seeing this, Mai Xia excitedly spoke up, "What about that demon? Did you not catch it?"
"Caught, just didn't bring it back," Mu An Xiao said calmly. She looked at Shen Lü, unwilling to accept reality, and asked, "Was it scattered to the winds... scattered to the winds?" Her voice trembled noticeably.
Shen Lü nodded again.
Upon hearing this, Mu An Xiao's entire body felt weak. But at that very moment, she began to worry about Mai Xia. "Everyone dies eventually, especially since Mai Liang was so severely injured, so..." She walked over to Mai Xia. "Please try to think it through." She was concerned Mai Xia might have thoughts of ending her own life.
"I know..." Mai Xia said, then hugged Mu An Xiao tightly, crying.
Shen Lü watched Mai Xia embrace Mu An Xiao tightly and heard her uncontrollable sobs, his heart clenched. He understood that before Mu An Xiao's return, she had been holding back her grief, and now, the suppressed sorrow had finally erupted.
Looking at this scene, he didn't feel sad; instead, he felt relieved.
Mu An Xiao also hugged Mai Xia.
After crying for a while, Mai Xia finally let go of Mu An Xiao and said, "I've decided to live well. From now on, I will never think of leaving the Mu family. This way," she said, wiping away excess tears with a handkerchief, "you will have a home."
"Mai..."
"From now on, call me Mother in front of others, and call me by my name in private."
"Okay, I'll listen to you, but..." Mu An Xiao said, glancing at Mu Gui lying on the ground. "Before that, I need him to give you a proper status."
"As you wish," Mai Xia smiled faintly.
If it were before, as soon as Mu An Xiao said something like this, Mai Xia would have definitely gotten angry. But now... she was so cooperative and calm. Looking at her, Mu An Xiao was truly surprised, "You actually agreed?"
"The kind are always bullied. In the past, I was too cowardly, which is why that lady could push me around. If I had been more assertive," Mai Xia clenched the handkerchief in her hand, "my daughter wouldn't have been harmed. So, from now on, I will torment that lady bit by bit. I will let her know that I am not to be trifled with."
"Mai Xia," Mu An Xiao said with relief.
Then, Mai Xia took a deep breath and continued, "From now on, if I do anything wrong, please point it out, and I will correct it."
"Me too, but..." Mu An Xiao said, suddenly remembering Ouyang Ye. "I have something to attend to and will have to go out for a while. I won't be able to accompany you. Is that okay?" She was concerned about Mai Xia.
Mai Xia smiled, "You can go wherever you want. I'll always be here waiting for you."
"Okay, with you saying that, I'm relieved," Mu An Xiao grinned, then turned to look at Mu Gui, who was still lying on the ground. "I'll go talk to him now."
Mai Xia followed Mu An Xiao's gaze and also turned to look at Mu Gui lying there, saying, "Okay, I'll listen to you."
"Follow me," Mu An Xiao said, turning and walking towards Mu Gui.
Shen Lü, carrying the sack, watched Mu An Xiao's receding back with a calm expression. Before he could even sigh, he suddenly felt the aura of the wind beginning to stir. 'Senior Brother.' he thought, quickly turning his head to look at Mu An Xiao's back, and asked, "Hey, is my senior brother coming?"
Hearing this, Mu An Xiao stopped in her tracks, suddenly remembering what happened when the wind began to stir. She said, "Oh, right, he's outside the mansion. You can take this sack to him." She glanced sideways at Shen Lü.
"The main gate?" Shen Lü asked tentatively.
Mu An Xiao replied, "Yes." Then she squatted down beside Mu Gui.
As soon as Shen Lü heard this, he turned and ran off without a word.
"What are you doing?" Mai Xia asked curiously about Mu An Xiao's actions.
"Waking him up and getting your promise," Mu An Xiao said, tapping her finger on Mu Gui's forehead.
Mai Xia smiled, "You're waking him up like this?"
"Yes," Mu An Xiao's fingertip glowed with a blue light. "And while I'm at it, I'll wake them up too." With that, the light spread to the other servants.
Soon, they all woke up.
Because of Mai Liang's presence, Mai Xia wasn't surprised by Mu An Xiao's actions; instead, she felt relieved. "I'm relieved knowing you can do this."
"What do you mean?" Mu An Xiao asked, standing up.
Mai Xia shook her head slightly, not wanting them to overhear.
Mu An Xiao understood Mai Xia was acting for her own good, so she didn't press further. She then looked down at Mu Gui, who was sitting up and holding his head, and said, "Father, you're awake."
Hearing her, Mu Gui flinched, looked up, and was startled. "Mu Xiao, why are you here?" he asked, staggering to his feet.
The servants also stood up.
Mu An Xiao smiled, "You ask why I'm here, I've been here all along."
"All along..." Mu Gui repeated, then shifted his gaze to Mai Xia's face. "Are you alright?"
Mai Xia replied coldly, "What could be wrong with me?"
"I..." Mu Gui uttered a word and tried to recall. "You weren't... by Hong'er..."
"Don't mention her to me," Mai Xia snapped, remembering how Mai Liang was 'killed' by that Hong'er, and clenched her fists.
Mu Gui knew Mai Xia was upset and didn't dare say more. Instead, he looked at Mu An Xiao. "Take your mother back to her room to rest."
"Father, things have come to this point, I think it's time we discussed other matters."
"My head is a mess right now. Can we do it another day?" Mu Gui said helplessly.
"No," Mu An Xiao stated firmly.
"You... why are you so inconsiderate? You..."
"My mother has never had a proper status in this family, yet you want to give a demon status. This matter," Mu An Xiao said, glaring at Mu Gui, "the more I think about it, the more excessive you seem."
"I just lost a child, aren't you being too much?"
"Oh, the child," Mu An Xiao said, counting on her fingers in front of Mu Gui, and continued, "According to my calculation, that child of yours... was a girl."