Outside the courtyard, after a period of silence, Juan'er refocused her gaze on Xi'er's face. "You say I am pitiable." She never considered herself pitiable. Now that Xi'er mentioned it, she couldn't understand.
Xi'er thought Juan'er's silence stemmed from recalling past events with Ouyang Ye after her words, prompting a desire for change. Unexpectedly, the result of her wait was so abrupt. Looking at Juan'er, her mouth twitched twice as she said, "I didn't mean that."
"You still think I'm ridiculous, don't you?" Juan'er suddenly said.
A helpless expression appeared on Xi'er's face. "I didn't mean that, I just... felt..."
"You all know I like Ye. Now that Mu Anxiao is here, Ye completely ignores me. Before," Juan'er was completely immersed in her emotions, "I dealt with many minor demons for Ye. Now you personally watch me being driven out by Ye. Don't you feel particularly pleased?" She stared intently at Xi'er's face.
"I didn't mean that." Under Juan'er's pressure, Xi'er didn't know what to say.
"If you didn't mean that, then what did you mean? Pity me, sympathize with me, thinking I'm like your past self. Yes," Juan'er said sarcastically, "you are indeed living happily now. Seeing me like this, don't you find it particularly amusing?" She lifted her chin.
"I..."
"Juan'er, what are you doing?" Ouyang Ye walked out of the courtyard, looking at Juan'er who was glaring intensely at Xi'er, and interrupted.
Upon hearing this, Juan'er pushed Xi'er away and turned to Ouyang Ye. "Nothing," she said, inadvertently noticing Mu Anxiao standing behind Ouyang Ye.
Mu Anxiao's gaze also locked onto Juan'er's face. "Hello," she greeted casually.
Juan'er's expression revealed disgust. "Don't talk to me," she said, looking up at Ouyang Ye and whispering, "Ye, she's a liar."
"I greet you, and you call me a liar," Mu Anxiao said, pulling Ouyang Ye aside and standing in front of Juan'er. "What do you mean?"
"Tell me, how many things are you hiding from Ye," Juan'er glared furiously at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao let out a cold snort. "It really is you."
"What do you mean by that?" Juan'er's eyes flickered, a sense of foreboding arising.
Seeing this, Ouyang Ye said in a low voice, "Alright, all this..."
"This is between her and me, can you shut up?" Mu Anxiao interrupted, turning her head to glare angrily at Ouyang Ye.
"I have somewhere to take you, can you stop being so unreasonable?" Ouyang Ye said without giving Mu Anxiao any face.
The wolf demon and the others, who had been thinking of turning around to be mere onlookers, gave up when they heard Mu Anxiao and Ouyang Ye talking...
"You only call me unreasonable, what else can you say?" Mu Anxiao said, glancing sideways at Ouyang Ye, then turning to look at Juan'er, who was secretly pleased opposite her, and sneered, "Don't worry, your Ye will always be your Ye. I don't want him." After speaking, she turned and walked away first.
Ouyang Ye watched Mu Anxiao's retreating figure and said coldly, "You're going the wrong way, this way." He then looked at Juan'er and said, "I want to eat osmanthus cake, go back and make it for me."
"Yes." Juan'er pursed her lips into a smile, gave Xi'er one last glare, and turned to disappear.
Xi'er felt awkward.
"From now on, Mu Anxiao can roam anywhere except the Demon Cultivation grounds," Ouyang Ye said to Xi'er indifferently.
Xi'er replied, "Understood." Then she turned to look at Song Xi, who was moving away from her, and said softly, "Let's go."
Song Xi nodded slightly at Ouyang Ye and left with Xi'er.
After the three of them left, Mu Anxiao turned around and deliberately looked at the wolf demon, the vine spirit, and Xiao Yi, who were standing with their backs turned. "I want snacks too, prepare them for me," she instructed. As she spoke, she looked up at Ouyang Ye, who was staring at her, and said, "Lead the way."
"No running away," Ouyang Ye commanded coldly and turned to walk ahead.
Mu Anxiao clicked her tongue and followed Ouyang Ye.
After they left, the wolf demon and the others turned around, sighing in relief. "Where do you think Ouyang Ye is taking her?" the vine spirit asked curiously, looking left and right at the wolf demon and Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi said in a low voice, "Master has always been clean. Perhaps he's taking her to bathe."
"Bathe..." the wolf demon said, turning his head to look in the direction they had gone, and said, "They can wash here too."
"I don't know." Xiao Yi shook his head.
"I knew you wouldn't know. But speaking of which," the vine spirit smiled, "I really didn't expect that woman to treat you quite well."
"Yes." Xiao Yi knew clearly that Juan'er was a demoness driven by profit. If she wasn't mistaken, Juan'er must have believed she had made all preparations to assassinate Mu Anxiao. That was why Juan'er favored her. Without this matter, she would likely have met her end long ago.
"But you are with us now," the wolf demon said, stepping towards the courtyard.
Xiao Yi sighed and followed the wolf demon, walking side by side with the vine spirit.
In an instant.
Mu Anxiao followed Ouyang Ye through an arched stone gate and arrived at a garden. Looking ahead, a rather large red-roofed bedroom stood in the center of the garden. Upon closer inspection, thin white veils fluttered in the wind, clearly visible hanging from the doors, while the rest of the area was planted with various flowers and plants.
The fragrance in the air made Mu Anxiao feel refreshed and invigorated. "This place is nice," she said. Just as she was about to rush towards the house, Ouyang Ye forcefully stopped her on the rough stone path. "What are you doing?" She couldn't understand why Ouyang Ye wanted her to stop here.
"Your clothes should be changed too," Ouyang Ye said indifferently.
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao understood Ouyang Ye's purpose for bringing her here. "I know," she said, suddenly enlightened.
Ouyang Ye was bewildered. "Know what?"
Mu Anxiao looked back at the distinctive bedroom in front, then at the surrounding flowers, and smiled, "You want to give this garden to me?"
"No," Ouyang Ye shook his head.
Mu Anxiao frowned. "You're really stingy. Not letting me live in such a nice garden. Fine, fine, fine, I've seen through you completely." As she said this, she was about to sneak towards it when the colorful flowers on both sides of the path emitted a dazzling glow. Seeing this, she had to withdraw her foot. "What is this?" she asked curiously.
"Flower spirits to serve you," Ouyang Ye said indifferently, stepping back a few paces.
Immediately, Mu Anxiao realized something was wrong and quickly turned to look at Ouyang Ye, asking, "You want me to forcibly cultivate demonic arts? You're too despicable."