Fu Yunmo felt as if she were trapped in a dream.
In the dream, she was having dinner with her family. Although her grandfather still wore a stern expression, he kept piling food into her bowl; her parents simply smiled without saying a word. A sudden wave of sorrow washed over her, and she began to cry. As she did, the image before her shattered and vanished.
“Sister Mo?”
Fu Yunmo blinked her eyes open to find herself back at the inn. Once her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, she recognized the person sitting by her bedside: it was Xiao Yu’er. As her senses fully returned, a sharp, searing pain radiated from her right shoulder.
“Ssh… ow, that hurts…”
Fu Yunmo clutched her shoulder and tried to sit up, but the slightest movement sent an agonizing jolt through her wound.
“Sister Mo, don’t move! You’ll tear the stitches,” Xiao Yu’er said urgently. “Stay still, I’ll go fetch Sect Leader Mo.”
Xiao Yu’er hurried out of the room before Fu Yunmo could process what was happening. Why fetch Mo Lixi? Did she already know about the injury?
Well, Fu Yunmo thought, if the Leader of the Cangyun Sect was notified, the news has likely spread through all of Tianji City by now. It’s only natural she would know.
Fu Yunmo let out a long breath. Since she couldn’t move, she might as well stay put. “But Yu’er…” she croaked to the empty room, “couldn’t you have given me a sip of water before running off?” Her throat felt like it was on fire.
Fortunately, the door soon opened again. Mo Lixi entered with Xiao Yu’er, followed by the Sect Leader of Cangyun, Ning Buqu.
Wait, why are both of these big shots here to see me?
“The poison from the projectile has been neutralized,” Mo Lixi’s voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, soft and soothing. “But the wound is easily agitated. You must not move recklessly.”
“Um… could I… have some water?” Fu Yunmo managed. This is vital! My throat is burning up!
Xiao Yu’er immediately poured a cup, but as she approached the bed, Mo Lixi intercepted her. “Allow me.”
Carefully, Mo Lixi supported Fu Yunmo as she sipped. Although the movement stung, Mo Lixi’s strength provided a steady anchor. Up close, the faint fragrance clinging to Mo Lixi was intoxicating.
After the water, Mo Lixi gently laid her back down. Only then did Ning Buqu speak.
“Young Master Nan told me that it was you who saved my daughter. This old man has come specifically to offer his thanks.”
Fu Yunmo’s heart sank. Is Nan Kunlun an idiot? He had a perfect chance to take the credit for himself, and he just threw it away!
“Actually… that kid Nan Kunlun did most of the work. I just… ow…” She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart.
“There is no need for such modesty,” Ning Buqu said. “Nan told me it was you who led him to the Twin Demons to rescue my daughter. Min’er is out right now looking for a gift to show her gratitude; she will come to thank you in person later.”
Fu Yunmo wanted to roll her eyes. Nan Kunlun, you’re honest to a fault.
“That’s right, Sister Mo,” Xiao Yu’er added. “Brother Kunlun stood guard outside your door all night waiting for you to wake. The Boss finally had to convince him to go get some rest; he only just fell asleep.”
Fu Yunmo sighed. At least the kid has a conscience.
“This old man shall visit again later,” Ning Buqu said, bowing slightly. He knew it was improper for a man to linger in a lady’s private quarters for too long.
After he left, Mo Lixi remained by the bed. She watched Fu Yunmo in silence, her gaze so intense that Fu Yunmo felt her heart skip a beat. Sister Lixi, don’t you know that staring like that makes people incredibly nervous?
“Miss Yu’er, could I trouble you to fetch some topical ointments from my junior sister?” Mo Lixi asked kindly. Even with her veil, her eyes curved like beautiful crescents, radiating warmth.
“Of course, Sect Leader Mo!” Xiao Yu’er chirped and left the room.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. With only the two of them left, the silence became heavy and strangely intimate.
“Um… Sect Leader Mo, thank you,” Fu Yunmo said, smiling awkwardly. Her mind was still a bit foggy, and she couldn’t quite decipher the complex emotions swirling in Mo Lixi’s eyes.
“There is no need… your injury requires rest. The Boss knows your situation and has granted you leave to recover.”
Fu Yunmo nodded. So you’ve already handled everything for me.
“Also, have you considered what I told you before?” Mo Lixi’s voice lost some of its previous softness, replaced by a hint of urgency. Before Fu Yunmo could recall what she meant, Mo Lixi continued, “Come to the Tianyuan Sect. I can teach you martial arts for self-defense. That way, in the future…”
…you won’t be hurt by such villains again. Mo Lixi’s hand, hidden in her sleeve, tightened into a fist, and her brow furrowed slightly.
Fu Yunmo raised an eyebrow and smiled. So that was it. “Well… my head is a bit of a mess right now. Could I give you an answer a bit later?”
To be honest, Fu Yunmo was torn. Learning martial arts was something she had dreamed of since arriving in this world, but joining a sect meant entering the “Jianghu”—the dangerous world of martial arts politics.
“You may. Rest well.” Mo Lixi was clearly disappointed, but she wasn’t the type to force others.
“Um… Sect Leader Mo, how much longer will you be staying here?”
“Five days.”
“Alright.”
The air fell silent once more until Xiao Yu’er returned. “The medicine is here!”
With Xiao Yu’er’s help, Mo Lixi began applying the ointment. Fu Yunmo had been afraid of pain since she was a child, and the sensation of the medicine hitting the raw wound was agonizing.
“Ow, ow, ow, ow!” The pain snapped her mind into sharp clarity.
“If you’re so afraid of pain, why did you jump in front of a poisoned projectile?” Mo Lixi sighed. There was no trace of a smile in her eyes; instead, her brow was knitted tight with what looked like genuine anger.
“It was the heat of the moment… I don’t really know why I did it…”
Heaven knows why my brain short-circuited, Fu Yunmo thought. Risking my life for that big oaf Nan Kunlun when I’m a total coward about pain.
“Done.” Mo Lixi finished applying the dressing and helped her lie back down. “Rest now. I will check on you later.”
“Actually, Sect Leader Mo… I’m really fine. If you have sect business, please don’t let me hold you up.”
“You aren’t holding me up.” With that, Mo Lixi departed.
Fu Yunmo looked at Xiao Yu’er, who was staring back at her with a dazed expression. “Yu’er… I’m not… actually dying, right?”
Xiao Yu’er shook her head.
“It’s just a shoulder wound, right?”
Xiao Yu’er nodded. “But Sister Mo, when Sect Leader Mo carried you back yesterday, you looked terrifying. Your lips were purple and your face was white as a sheet. I was so scared I cried.”
“Wait…” Fu Yunmo paused. “Did you say Sect Leader Mo carried me back?”
“Uh-huh!”
Fu Yunmo closed her eyes. Why does that… feel a little bit sweet?
Late that night, the Sihai Inn was eerily quiet. Boss Li was checking the day’s accounts behind the counter when a dark blue figure stepped into the lobby.
“Chief Night, so late today?” Boss Li looked up and smiled at Ye Xihan.
She didn’t even look at him. “You talk too much,” she replied coldly.
As she turned to head upstairs, Boss Li’s hand stopped. The rapid clack-clack of the abacus fell silent. “Thank you for saving Sister Mo.”
Ye Xihan remained silent but didn’t stop her pace.
“As a token of my gratitude, I can tell you something.” Boss Li lightly flicked a bead on the abacus. The sharp click echoed in the silence like a predator opening its eyes in the dark.
Ye Xihan stopped, her hand tightening on her sword hilt. She still didn’t turn around.
“The members of the Zhao family are still in Tianji City.”
Boss Li’s fingers began to move nimbly over the abacus again. Ye Xihan finally turned her head slightly, revealing half of her face. “You truly are no ordinary person.”
The coldness in her gaze was sharper than the autumn wind. It felt as if her sword would clear its sheath if Boss Li uttered one more word. But the Boss said nothing; he simply shrugged and returned to his thick ledger.
Ye Xihan went to her room. As she closed the door, she recalled the events of the day, feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement.
That girl actually pretended to be me to scare the Twin Demons? And they actually fell for it?
If she, Ye Xihan, wanted to kill someone, she would never bother announcing it. She was neither a “hypocrite” of Moon-Set Villa nor a “righteous gentleman” of the Cangyun Sect. If she wanted to kill, she killed. No words were necessary.
Her decision to tip off Mo Lixi earlier had been a mere whim. She still had an account to settle with that shop assistant for impersonating her, so she couldn’t let the girl die so easily. Besides, even without her tip, Ning Buqu and Mo Lixi would have eventually figured out the antidote.
Still, she hadn’t expected that cowardly little shop assistant to throw herself in front of a weapon for a companion.
Utterly foolish… A faint, enigmatic smile played on Ye Xihan’s lips.
Downstairs, Boss Li thought of Fu Yunmo and sighed. He looked toward the door leading to the backyard, his gaze drifting.
Her shoulder is injured. I wonder how long it will take before she can write those beautiful characters for me again…