While Shangguan Qing was busy looking for clues about General Shangguan, an unexpected person arrived.

Xu Muzhi appeared at the door of Dengqing Antique Shop with a dull look in his eyes.

"Sir, do you want to let her in?" Yu Hai asked Shangguan Qing.

Shangguan Qing sat behind the counter, facing the door.

She looked at the woman in front of her with mixed emotions, "No, let her stand by herself."

Yu Hai didn't expect that she would keep Xu Muzhi out of the door.

He pretended to clean the house and gave a look to Xu Muzhi at the door.

Xu Muzhi understood what he meant and walked straight into the antique shop.

"Shangguan Qing, I want to talk to you." She walked to the counter and stood still.

Shangguan Qing looked coldly, "Tell me, what's the matter?"

Xu Muzhi's voice trembled a little, and his eyes were slightly red, as if he was trying hard not to let tears fall.

She lowered her head and stroked the corner of her clothes, her voice as thin as a mosquito: "I... I have nowhere to go. My family has suffered a misfortune, and my relatives have all scattered. Only here with you, I feel that I still have a little support."

As she spoke, she looked up at Shangguan Qing, her eyes that usually seemed bright were now filled with pleading and helplessness.

The light in the store was dim, stretching her thin figure and making her look even more desolate.

Shangguan Qing's heart softened involuntarily, but his face remained indifferent and he did not comment.

Shangguan Qing sighed softly, walked out from behind the counter, and slowly came to Xu Muzhi.

He pulled out a banknote from his sleeve and said calmly, "Here is some cash. Take it for emergency use."

Xu Muzhi hurriedly shook his head, his hands folded in front of him awkwardly, his eyes reddened, "I... I don't want money. I just hope to stay in the store, do some odd jobs, earn a living, and have a place to stay out of the wind and rain."

As she spoke, she looked up, her eyes full of sincerity and determination.

Shangguan Qing looked at her with mixed feelings in his heart. He finally nodded and said, "Okay, then you can stay. Yu Hai, take her to the backyard and arrange a place for her to live."

As night fell, Cheng Ji, dressed in an elegant long gown, walked into Dengqing Antique Shop under the moonlight, ready to pick up Shangguan Qing to go out.

The candlelight in the store flickered, illuminating an unexpected figure——

Xu Muzhi was busy in the backyard with his head down. His slender fingers gently brushed over each antique, and his eyes revealed a gentleness that did not belong here.

Cheng Ji's gaze swept past her, paused slightly, and turned to look at Shangguan Qing who was walking out of the house, with a hint of confusion flashing between his brows.

Shangguan Qing shook his head slightly, indicating that they would discuss it later, and then the two of them walked out side by side.

Under the moonlight, Xu Muzhi looked up at the door, and his eyes happened to meet Cheng Ji's.

At that moment, the shadows of the three people stretched out in the night, interweaving into a complex and indescribable picture.

The moonlight was like water, pouring down into the backyard of Dengqing Antique Shop. Cheng Ji's face looked particularly grim under the silvery moonlight.

He walked closer to Xu Muzhi step by step, his voice low and powerful: "Why are you here? Shangguan Qing's shop is not a charity hall, leave immediately, I don't want to see you again."

Xu Muzhi's hand trembled slightly, and the dust on the antique was gently raised. A trace of astonishment and uneasiness flashed in her eyes, but she still looked up stubbornly.

His voice was thin but firm: "I stayed here by my own ability, without asking anyone for help. I will not leave unless Lord Shangguan drives me away personally."

The moonlight outlined her thin figure; the night wind blew past, lifting her clothes lightly; an unquestionable determination filled the air.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Ji frowned and stared at Xu Muzhi for a moment with sharp eyes, and finally turned to Shangguan Qing who had just entered the backyard.

There was a hint of reproach in his tone: "You know the rules of the store, how can you easily keep someone of unknown origin? Besides, she..."

Before she could finish her words, Shangguan Qing gently raised her hand to interrupt her. Under the moonlight, her face looked particularly gentle yet firm.

"She has nowhere to go now, and her family is separated. I can't just watch her live on the streets. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have more people in the store. I know what to do, so you don't need to say anything."

After saying that, she slowly walked to Xu Muzhi's side and spoke softly, as if she was comforting a frightened child.

The scene, against the backdrop of the moonlight, appears particularly warm and peaceful.

Cheng Ji snorted coldly, his eyes revealing unquestionable determination.

He turned to Xu Muzhi who was standing aside and said, "Since Shangguan Qing is determined to keep you, I won't say anything more. But you have to remember that this is not a place for you to do whatever you want.

I will build a simple residence for you on the other side of the backyard. From now on, your activities will be limited to this area. Without my permission, you are not allowed to step into the front hall, let alone appear in front of Shangguan Qing. Do you understand?"

As he spoke, he pointed to a corner of the backyard, which was overgrown with weeds and obviously had not been taken care of for a long time.

Xu Muzhi bit his lip, his eyes reddened, but he still nodded stubbornly. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes, as if he was uncertain about the future, and seemed to be fighting against fate.

Xu Muzhi's eyes were particularly clear in the night. She took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly, but she still said firmly, "Mr. Cheng, although I am from a poor family, I know how to repay kindness. I will never hurt Lord Shangguan in the slightest. I only ask that you give me a place to stay. If you don't believe me, I can swear an oath."

In the moonlight, she raised her right hand with a solemn expression.

However, Cheng Ji's expression did not change at all. His eyes were as cold as iron, as if there was no room for negotiation: "Oath? Humph, oaths in this world are the most unreliable. Go away before I change my mind."

As he spoke, he slowly stretched out his hand and pointed outside the yard, his tone brooking no room for rebuttal.

Cheng Ji's eyes suddenly became sharp. He took a step forward and approached Xu Muzhi, his tone full of questioning and distrust: "Have you forgotten how you hurt Shangguan Qing before? In my opinion, your oath is nothing but empty words, without any weight!"

In the moonlight, his shadow was long, like a beast ready to pounce.

Xu Muzhi's face turned pale in an instant, and her body leaned back slightly, as if she was hit by an invisible force.

Tears welled up in her clear eyes instantly. Her lips trembled as she tried to explain herself, but she found herself unable to speak.

The wind seemed to have stopped at this moment, and the whole world fell into dead silence. Only Cheng Ji's cold words echoed in the air.

Shangguan Qing sighed softly, and the moonlight cast a faint silver glow on her face.

She walked forward slowly, her eyes gentle but with unquestionable firmness, and said to Cheng Ji: "Cheng Ji, I will leave Xu Muzhi to you to settle down, and I will not interfere in this matter. I believe you can handle it properly. After all, we are all for the peace of the store."

After saying that, she patted Cheng Ji's shoulder gently, and that action showed both trust and expectation.

Then she turned and walked to the stone table in the yard, where a pot of warm tea was placed.

She sat down slowly, the moonlight and the fragrance of tea intertwined, outlining a peaceful and profound picture, as if all the troubles had been isolated.