Chapter 33, First Release on Jinjiang Literature City, Ambiguous
"Does my lord expect me to ask something of you?"
When Yao Sisi's eyes, which possess a somewhat heroic quality, are focused on someone, one might think that there is a clear spring within them, with pink, ambiguous peach blossoms floating on its surface. Unconsciously, one would drift along with the peach blossoms, as if lost in a trance.
Qi Mu was stumped by the question, and he involuntarily took a step back. "Miss... be serious..."
Yao Sisi: "I was just curious, how is that inappropriate?"
She pressed closer and closer, forcing Qi Mu to retreat, clutching the medicine bottle tightly in his hand to hide his nervousness.
"I was being presumptuous."
Yao Sisi feigned confusion: "Young Master is good in every way, but his speech is so literary that it's hard for a common person like me to understand."
Qi Mu pursed her lips. She was no ordinary person. "Just pretend I didn't ask anything!"
Yao Sisi chuckled, reassuring him, "Young master, don't worry. Would I possibly harm you? To repay kindness with enmity would affect your path to enlightenment. Even if you don't trust me, you shouldn't doubt my devotion to the Dao."
Qi Mu explained, "It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that I've always had a rough life, and now that I'm encountering so many good things, I'm a little uneasy."
Yao Sisi didn't believe the young master really meant that, but she didn't press for details, and replied casually, "Is that really so?"
Qi Mu nodded heavily, but his eyes flickered slightly, and he said nothing.
After leaving the pharmacy, the two remained silent, the atmosphere strange. Yao Sisi wondered if it was because of the engagement, but Qi Mu seemed more tense than before, like a taut string that would play a different tune at the slightest touch.
She suspected he might have a phobia of marriage, but how could this happen if their marriage was a sham?
She couldn't understand it, so she simply stopped thinking about it. Just then, she ran into Qi Yuan on the street, the one who had tried to steal Qi Mujian before.
Qi Yuan crossed his arms, clearly having spotted them as well. As fate would have it, and being a spoiled brat, he immediately retorted sarcastically, "I told you before, Qi Mu, you pretended to be a gentle young master, but you were actually keeping a mistress in your household. What? Now that things have been exposed, you're just trying to get her to marry into your family? How cunning!"
The word "lovers" instantly caused an uproar in the crowd. A group of gossipy onlookers stood there with shining eyes, surrounding the group. Yao Sisi frowned slightly, took Qi Mu's hand, and prepared to leave. She glanced helplessly at the crowd and saw that Gong Yichen was standing in a gap in the crowd. He had also seen them and blatantly glared at her, clearly still holding a grudge about the demon core incident during their exploration.
Yao Sisi said to the crowd, "Everyone, please disperse. This aggressive young master originally liked me, but he held a grudge after I rejected him. Whenever he sees me befriending someone, he always has to say a few bad things about me. Please don't be fooled."
Qi Yuan's eyes widened: "Scumbag! What did you say?!"
Yao Sisi pulled Qi Mu back, asking, "Am I the jerk, or are you just too fierce and not a normal person?"
The crowd was just there to watch the drama unfold, not caring who the gossip was about. They initially thought it was just a story of a young man getting involved with a woman, but it turned out to be even more sensational. They immediately believed Yao Sisi's words. It wasn't that the people in the crowd lacked the ability to distinguish right from wrong, but rather that they preferred to enjoy the biggest gossip.
The crowd's attention was originally focused on Qi Mu's veil, which made him so angry that he couldn't vent his anger. He was extremely relieved that no one could see his face.
Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, all the gossipy eyes fell on Qi Yuan, making him so angry that he wanted to take out his sword and kill someone. He also showed his bad temper to the fullest, making the crowd believe Yao Sisi's words even more.
Qi Yuan was speechless and wanted to use his sword to cause trouble, but Yao Sisi and Qi Mu had already disappeared.
He was panting heavily, trembling with rage, "Aaaaah, those two scoundrels!"
Just then, a kind-hearted uncle said to him, "Young man, don't be jealous. Look at yourself now, what girl would want you?"
Qi Yuanqi's reaction: Jealousy? When did he ever feel jealous? What a bunch of fools!
A patrol of soldiers on the periphery of the crowd came over to keep an eye on him, as if they would arrest him on the spot if he dared to make a move.
Qi Yuan: "..."
Gong Yichen, who was leaving the crowd, was unaware of this gossip. He didn't know the ins and outs and thought it was true. After everyone had gone far away, he muttered to himself, "This is really chaotic!"
Yao Sisi led Qi Mu away from the center of public opinion, and Qi Yuan got himself into trouble. Knowing that person's personality, he must be furious. She let go of Qi Mu's hand and apologized, "The situation was urgent and I was abrupt with you just now. But if I hadn't said that, I wouldn't have left so easily."
Qi Mu said, "It's nothing. The contract states that holding hands is allowed under special circumstances, so please don't be so polite, miss..."
Yao Sisi: "No need to be polite... feel free to hold my hand if you want?"
Qi Mu coughed twice: "Does the young lady really want to hold hands?"
Yao Sisi: "I was the one asking you, why are you passing the question to me, young master?"
Qi Mu thought to herself: It's all because you're not serious at crucial moments, and you just...
He falls for that.
"Miss Sisi has really offended Qi Yuan today."
Yao Sisi started acting silly, pretending to be a pitiful rabbit that anyone could bully: "So what? Don't I still have you? It's enough that you protect me, young master. You wouldn't... not want to protect me, would you?"
Seeing that she looked relaxed, Qi Mu decided to joke along: "Want to protect you... What do you want Qi Yuan to do, young lady? Break his leg or break his tendons?"
Yao Sisi pretended to take a breath and said exaggeratedly, "I didn't know that you, young master, were the kind of person who would risk everything for a woman."
Qi Mu: "Don't you think I'm ruthless, young lady?"
Yao Sisi: "If you were ruthless, how could Qi Yuan dare to yell at you?"
Qi Mu smiled and said, "Does the young lady know what else our family does besides making medicine?"
Yao Sisi shook her head: "I don't know, I haven't researched this."
Qi Mu's eyes flickered, and beneath the veil, his gaze shone with an unusual brilliance, like a shooting star suddenly streaking across the dark night sky: "He's even more skilled at poison making than medicine making." Seeing that she showed no sign of disdain, he continued, "Miss... the young master you're protecting is actually a poison master..."
Seeing that he was like a taut string again, his voice sounding so close yet so far away, Yao Sisi reached out and grabbed his arm. "How venomous are you? Is it your words or your heart?"
Qi Mu paused, looking at her intently. "The way you're saying it..." It's as if you want to taste the poison somewhere.
Yao Sisi: "I'm saying this to see if what you're saying is true, young master." If it is, then things will get interesting.
Qi Mu wasn't sure what she meant, and what she meant by being honest turned into a different story: "Of course it's fake. You're allowed to lie to me just now, but I'm not allowed to lie to you?"
Yao Sisi rarely saw him like this, and couldn't help but tease him: "At least I was coaxing you, but you're just lying, not coaxing me at all. Even a donkey pulling a millstone has an apple tied in front of it, but your... coaxing is a bit too perfunctory, isn't it?"
Qi Mu frowned and said, "How can you use animals as a comparison? It's really..."
Yao Sisi: "Really?"
Qi Mu didn't speak; he was too embarrassed to say the words of heartache.
"I'm truly impressed."
The two chatted as they walked, and spent the rest of the time buying an engagement gift. Yao Sisi originally wanted to pay, but Qi Mu held her hand tightly, saying, "Girl, you gave me this precious medicine, so you really can't spend any more money this time."
Yao Sisi whispered in his ear, "Young master, you're being so proactive just because you don't want me to pay... Are you being so virtuous?"
Qi Mu pursed her lips: "You're such a chatterbox..."
Yao Sisi put away the storage bag: "Alright, since you don't want to, I won't do it."
Qi Mu: "..."
Although what he said sounded normal, something about it felt off. He looked at her hand warily, thinking he was just overthinking it.
After bidding farewell to Qi Mu, Yao Sisi received a message from Miao Yizhen: "Fellow Daoist, we have collected all the materials you requested. When are you free? Let's meet at our usual place."
Just then, Ri Jiu also sent a message: "Sisi, I've successfully broken through! Can I come find you?"
Yao Sisi messaged him: "Come over, let's celebrate. We've just finished collecting the materials for the array plate. Oh, and the person who explored the cave last time has come out too. I suggest you change your clothes to avoid trouble..."
After receiving the communication talisman, Ri Jiu frowned. "Hmph, I've already absorbed the demon core, so there's no point in wanting it anymore, but..."
I think I'd better change my clothes to avoid causing trouble for Sisi...
He reached out and tugged at his clothes, happily counting, "This one was a gift from Sisi, and this one too..." But when his palm touched something, he blushed and hid it away, as if it were something he couldn't bear to see.
"This is something I... secretly hid..."
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Author's Note: Author's Q&A: What did Ri Jiu hide?
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