“What do you plan to do with it?” He Yi suddenly leaned forward, gripping Mu Xi’s chin and forcing her to look up and meet her gaze.
“I have no intention of helping you, only for you to poison yourself in the end.”
Mu Xi didn’t resist.
A trace of painful memory flickered in her eyes, soon replaced by icy resolve.
“I just want to survive.”
Her voice was squeezed out through clenched teeth, “In this place, I could become a sacrifice at any moment. I’d rather poison others than be treated as a plaything again.”
He Yi released her hold, a genuine smile curling at her lips, tinged with a certain admiration.
“Very well, I’ll help you.”
She spoke softly, her fingers gently smoothing out Mu Xi’s long hair, “The fastest I can get it is tonight. Listen carefully: if I come, I’ll knock three times on the door, pause for a second, then knock twice more. Just like this—”
Her knuckles tapped crisply on the stone bench, the sound echoing in the Garden: “dong dong dong… dong dong”
“Got it?” He Yi stood up, sunlight shining from behind, casting a near-holy halo around her.
“Don’t tell anyone about this, not even your little follower.”
Mu Xi nodded lightly, a swell of complicated emotions surging inside.
Fear, gratitude, and suspicion tangled together.
“Thank you,” she whispered, gripping her sleeves tightly, “I won’t forget.”
He Yi glanced at Mu Xi with deep meaning, leaving her with a final sentence before turning away: “Be careful when you use it. That thing doesn’t have eyes.”
Her figure quickly vanished around the corner of the Garden, as if she’d never been there.
Mu Xi let out a long breath, her shoulders trembling slightly from the tension.
She was gambling on a dangerous Game, but she had no other choice.
***
She didn’t know how much time had passed when hurried footsteps broke the Garden’s tranquility.
Little An darted out from the flowerbeds, her vigilant eyes scanning all around before settling on Mu Xi.
“Young Mistress!” She strode over quickly, a sheen of sweat on her brow.
“I’m sorry, I just patrolled the whole Garden and found nothing unusual. It was just a guard who accidentally knocked over a flowerpot.”
Little An’s hand never left her waist, always ready to draw her weapon.
Her rough little hands looked especially tough in the sunlight.
Mu Xi noticed the edge of her clothes was slightly wrinkled, likely from brushing against something in her haste.
“It’s all right.” Mu Xi comforted softly, reaching her hand out to Little An.
“Thank you for always protecting me like this.”
Little An’s eyes instantly lit up, like stars being set alight.
She quickly came forward to support Mu Xi.
“Protecting the Young Mistress is my duty.”
Little An’s voice trembled with excitement as she subtly shifted position, using her body to shield Mu Xi from possible prying eyes.
“Shall we go back now? It’s not safe to stay outside too long.”
Feeling the warmth of Little An’s palm and recalling her secret agreement from earlier, Mu Xi felt a pang of guilt.
She nodded, raising her eyes toward the Manor’s main building, its gray-white structure looking especially cold under the sunlight.
“Let’s go back,” Mu Xi said softly, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the knife hilt hidden in her sleeve.
They set off toward their rooms, the cold marble of the Manor corridors echoing quietly beneath their feet.
Each step made Mu Xi feel as if she were walking on clouds, her nerves taut, as though disaster could strike at any moment.
“Young Mistress, you don’t look well. What’s wrong?” Little An stepped closer, her voice lowered to a whisper.
Mu Xi’s gaze flickered, her heart beating a little faster.
Little An’s concern always left her grateful and guilty at the same time.
“It’s nothing, just a bit tired.” She lowered her lashes, hiding the emotions in her eyes.
At the corner, a sound of synchronized footsteps suddenly approached.
A group of seven or eight female bodyguards in black uniforms took up most of the corridor, moving in unison with cold expressions and eyes fixed straight ahead, as if Mu Xi and Little An were nothing more than decorations on the wall.
Little An immediately positioned herself in front of Mu Xi, instinctively assuming a protective stance.
Normally, upon seeing Mu Xi, these bodyguards would make way at once—after all, she was Ye Lan’s most treasured “pet”.
But today was different.
The tall female bodyguard leading the group wore a cold sneer, deliberately edging toward Mu Xi.
Their shoulders nearly brushed against Mu Xi, forcing her to press tightly against the wall.
The air was thick with gunpowder.
Every gaze was filled with contempt and provocation.
“Excuse me.” Mu Xi said softly, her voice almost crushed in her throat, her body unconsciously curling in on itself.
No one responded.
The bodyguard squad even slowed their steps, deliberately displaying the new order following the shift in power.
Mu Xi bit down hard on her teeth.
She could feel her status collapsing the moment Ye Lan died.
“Didn’t you hear the Young Mistress speak?” Little An snapped her head up, her voice slicing through the silence like a sharp blade.
“Or are your ears as useless as your brains?”
The lead female bodyguard stopped and slowly turned, a glint of danger flickering in her eyes.
“So what if we didn’t hear?” She stepped forward, looking down at Little An.
“Your master is dead. Now, you’re just a pair of stray dogs.”
The air froze in an instant.
Mu Xi was inwardly startled.
The news had spread so fast—her situation was even more perilous than she’d imagined.
Little An’s body went taut, her muscles clearly outlined under her uniform.
Her hand was already on her weapon, eyes sharp as blades.
“Say that again?”
“Don’t!” Mu Xi grabbed Little An’s wrist, feeling the surge of anger racing through her veins.
She forced herself to squeeze out a smile, her voice gentle yet carrying an irrefutable strength.
“It’s all right, let them pass.”
Little An turned in shock, eyes burning with unwilling fire, “Young Mistress! They—”
“I said it’s all right.” Mu Xi’s voice grew softer, barely a feather falling to the ground.
She pulled Little An closer to the wall, making way.
The Head of Security sneered in disdain, deliberately bumping Little An’s shoulder as she passed.
“A dog that knows its place is at least smart,” she sneered at Mu Xi, her eyes roaming up and down Mu Xi’s slender figure in a revolting manner.
“Heard you were a favorite—good in bed, right? Maybe tonight we’ll test that for ourselves.”
The other bodyguards let out shrill, mocking laughs, their voices echoing through the corridor like countless knives stabbing at Mu Xi.
Little An trembled even more violently, her fingers gripping her knife hilt, just one step away from drawing it.
Mu Xi tightened her grip, firmly pinching Little An’s wrist.
Her expression was as calm as still water, but inside she was frantically calculating the odds of going up against seven armed bodyguards—
Almost zero.
“The night is still young, pretty girl.” The Head of Security left this final threat, leading the group away with arrogant, triumphant steps.
Only when the bodyguards’ figures disappeared at the end of the corridor did Mu Xi release her tensed body, leaning against the cold wall, gasping for breath.
“How dare they!” Little An gnashed her teeth, her face flushed red with anger.
“Young Mistress, we can’t let this go!”
“I said, it’s all right.” Mu Xi cut her off, dragging Little An quickly toward their room, every step filled with urgency.
“This isn’t the time to act tough. We need to survive first if we want a chance.”
Little An followed closely behind, her steps heavy, anger burning in her chest.
“How dare they look at you like that, talk to you like that…”
Mu Xi shook her head lightly, pushing open the door to her room.
The shadows cast by the Gothic windows spread like a great net, covering the entire space.
“It’s only natural, Little An.”
She walked to the window, her fingertips gently brushing the dark green curtains.
“With Ye Lan’s death, the entire Manor’s order is about to be reshuffled.”