“Little Master, you can turn around.” Little An noticed Mu Xi’s reaction and made a soft suggestion.
“No, I want to watch.” Mu Xi shook her head stubbornly, her fingers tightly clutching the bedsheets.
“This injury happened because of me.”
Little An said nothing more and focused on treating the wound.
Her movements were both fast and precise, clearly the result of professional training.
Li Xin drifted in and out of consciousness amid the pain, letting out suppressed groans, but her eyes remained fixed on Mu Xi even in her most agonizing moments.
Mu Xi helped Little An by handing over gauze and disinfectant.
Every time Li Xin convulsed from the pain, Mu Xi’s own body trembled as if the agony were being transmitted directly to her nerves.
Little An efficiently completed the simple surgery.
After letting out one last weak groan, Li Xin fell into a coma.
The scent of blood and disinfectant permeated the Bedroom.
Mu Xi’s fingertips trembled slightly; she had witnessed Li Xin’s suffering the entire time without once averting her gaze.
“It is ready,” Little An said as she packed away the blood-stained instruments, her eyes sliding toward Mu Xi’s slender figure.
“Are you injured, Little Master?”
Mu Xi shook her head, her long silver hair shimmering with a cold light under the lamp.
“I am fine.”
“Then give the gun to me,” Little An said, reaching out her hand.
Her tone was flat but brooked no refusal, “I will be responsible for the security here. There may still be danger outside; I need to go and check.”
Mu Xi hesitated for a moment before taking out the small Gun.
As the cold metal passed between their fingertips, Mu Xi noticed a strange glint flash through Little An’s eyes.
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
Little An took the gun and quickly checked the magazine with practiced movements.
She tucked the gun into her waist and turned back to Mu Xi, “Please take off your coat. I want to confirm that you have no hidden wounds.”
“That is not necessary,” Mu Xi took a half-step back, her chin lifting warily.
“I said I am fine.”
Little An stood still, her gaze landing on Mu Xi with palpable weight.
“Ye Lan specifically instructed that your safety is the top priority. I must see for myself.”
The air suddenly felt thick.
Mu Xi felt an invisible pressure squeezing in from all sides.
Little An’s expression was neither fierce nor aggressive, yet it possessed an unsettling firmness.
The walls of the Safe House seemed to be slowly closing in, and the Gun in Little An’s hand had become a silent threat.
“Fine.” Mu Xi slowly unbuttoned her coat and let the fabric slide off her shoulders.
Little An’s gaze immediately locked onto several abrasions on Mu Xi’s arms.
“You are injured after all.” She immediately took medicine from the medical kit, her tone carrying a hint of reproach.
“Why did you not say so sooner?”
Mu Xi allowed Little An to treat the minor wounds.
She frowned as the sting of the medicine touched her skin.
Little An’s fingers seemed to linger on her skin a bit longer than necessary.
The gentle touch carried a sense of focus and some indescribable emotion.
“Are there any other places?” Little An asked after putting down the medicine bottle and shifted her gaze upward.
“Please take off what is underneath as well…”
“Enough,” Mu Xi interrupted her, her tone turning sharp, “These small injuries are not worth making a fuss about.”
Little An did not back down.
Her eyes were as calm as water, yet they carried a sense of pressure that could not be ignored.
“Little Master, in this situation, any wound could lead to trouble. Please take it off. I need to check carefully.”
Mu Xi felt a chill crawl up her spine.
Little An’s words sounded perfectly reasonable, but something felt hidden and wrong.
Even more disturbing was that the Butler who used to be subservient to her now possessed an aura of someone in control of the situation.
This transformation had occurred the moment she obtained the gun.
“I refuse,” Mu Xi tried to regain her dominance, “Li Xin needs rest. We should…”
“Miss Li Xin is stable,” Little An interrupted softly.
She stared straight at Mu Xi with a look that was not threatening but was nonetheless hair-raising.
“I am simply performing my duty to ensure your safety.”
Mu Xi realized the delicacy of her situation.
This Underground Safehouse was far away from everything, and Li Xin was unconscious.
Meanwhile, Little An—this servant who had once been as humble as dust before her—was now holding a gun and looking at her with an uncomfortable level of focus.
Fear and anger intertwined in Mu Xi’s heart.
She had never missed that small Gun she had handed over more than she did now.
“For the last time,” Mu Xi said through gritted teeth, “I am not injured. I do not need an inspection.”
Little An did not speak.
She simply stood there silently, her gaze following Mu Xi’s every move like a shadow.
What was hidden in those calm eyes?
Was it the persistence of duty, or was it something else?
Mu Xi recalled Little An’s impulsive behavior earlier at the Gold Mine, and a chill instantly shot from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
Li Xin’s heavy breathing in the corner was the only background noise.
Mu Xi felt herself being backed into a corner.
Every second of silence amplified the fear in her heart.
“If you will not cooperate, I will simply have to do what I must.” Little An’s voice was as light as a feather, yet it carried the weight of a thousand pounds.
Mu Xi closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Revenge, survival, dignity—all of it required her to endure, at least for now.
She slowly unbuttoned her shirt, forcing herself to ignore the flash of longing in Little An’s eyes.
“The underwear must come off too.” Little An took a step closer, her tone terrifyingly calm.
Mu Xi snapped her head up and glared at Little An.
In normal times, such a look would have been enough to make Little An retreat, but now it only met a calm stare.
“Are you not going to take it off?” Little An’s fingers lightly brushed the handle of the gun.
The movement was not an overt threat, yet it conveyed the message with total clarity.
Mu Xi’s trembling fingers moved toward the clasp of her underwear.
In the dim light of this Basement, she truly realized for the first time that when the scales of power tip, a former servant can become the master.
She slowly unfastened the clasp, feeling Little An’s gaze become almost a physical touch, roaming over her exposed skin.
Little An’s slender fingers pinched the garment Mu Xi had just removed.
Her movements were almost ritualistic, but her eyes remained firmly locked on Mu Xi’s bare upper body.
She lifted the fabric to her nose and took a deep breath, her eyes half-closing as if savoring some precious fragrance.
“It is dirty and needs washing.” Little An’s voice was calm, but her gaze grew increasingly heated, “You should not wear it for now.”
Mu Xi crossed her arms over her chest, her throat dry from tension.
The air in the Safe House seemed frozen.
Every second was stretched into an unbearable ordeal.
Li Xin’s heavy breathing in the corner reminded Mu Xi of just how dangerous her situation was.
“But I am cold.” Mu Xi tried to regain control of the conversation, though her voice trembled slightly.
At the same time, she was thinking of how to get the weapon back from Little An’s hands.
The corners of Little An’s mouth curled up slightly, revealing an untimely, tender smile.
Beneath that smile lay something deeply unsettling.
“It will be warm soon.” She took a step forward, closing the distance between them.
The scent of cheap soap on her body mixed with the smell of sweat.
Mu Xi’s delicate jaw tightened, and her back pressed against the cold wall.
There was nowhere to retreat.
She had heard stories of servants turning the tables to become the master, but she had never imagined she would become the protagonist of one.
After surviving so many crises, she had actually fallen into the hands of a lowly Butler.