Why was this on Mumu’s bed?
Between her fingertips was a strand of hair, light and snow-white. That was right—it was a single hair.
‘Is this the hair of that fox demon?’
‘Why would it be on Mumu’s bed?’
‘What on earth is going on…?’
‘No, maybe it’s cat fur…’ Jiang Mengxin turned the hair back and forth, examining it repeatedly and carefully. However, no matter how she looked at it, the conclusion remained the same.
This was a human hair.
It wasn’t cat fur at all…
It was eerie, absolutely bizarre!
Jiang Mengxin shuddered violently.
She quickly slapped her own cheeks with such force that faint red marks remained on her face.
‘No, no!’
‘Calm down…’
‘Even though it’s a hair, it might not be one hundred percent from that fox demon!’
‘Maybe it’s Mumu’s white hair… right?’
‘She always stays up late and has an irregular diet. It’s possible for her to grow a few white hairs once in a while…’
Though the possibility wasn’t high.
But… in comparison, the likelihood of that fox demon appearing here was even smaller!
An unidentifiable glint flickered in the depths of Jiang Mengxin’s eyes.
After a moment of thought, she quietly hid the hair in her pocket, making sure it wouldn’t fall out.
“What mischief is Xin Xin up to?” After washing her hands, Su Mumu took the opportunity to wash her face as well. Crystal droplets of water hung from her hairline as she gave a wicked smile.
“Thinking about sleeping in Lord Mu’s bed again?”
Jiang Mengxin puffed out her cheeks. “I’ll sleep here if I want to.”
With that, she flopped down onto the mattress.
“Eh?” Su Mumu tilted her head, unable to figure out what Jiang Mengxin meant. Was she angry?
Or…?
Shy?
Don’t be ridiculous. Why would she be shy for no reason?
So, Su Mumu sat on the edge of the bed, kicking her legs idly. As she kicked, a slipper flew off her foot.
*Clatter.* It landed pitifully on the floor.
“By the way,” Jiang Mengxin said, still lying on her back and staring at the ceiling.
“What’s up?” Su Mumu was desperately trying to use her toes to hook the slipper back.
“Where did Mumu buy that Yaoshen powder before?” Jiang Mengxin’s voice was soft.
It sounded like their usual casual conversation.
Su Mumu finally hooked the slipper with her toes. Without thinking, she replied, “Just that longevity pill shop nearby.”
Jiang Mengxin’s expression dazed for a split second. “You went out while you had a cold?”
Su Mumu successfully reclaimed her slipper and put it on happily. She turned her head to look at Jiang Mengxin, flashing a victorious smile.
The slipper battle just now was a complete success!
“I went when it wasn’t that serious.”
“I see…” Jiang Mengxin pondered.
If it wasn’t serious, that meant she went either before the cold started or shortly after it began.
That would be… within this week?
In that case.
Who is lying to me?
“How was it? That slipper battle move?” Su Mumu asked innocently.
Jiang Mengxin sat up from the bed, her beautiful hair slightly messy. She smiled. “It was awesome! You should change those rabbit slippers soon, though. They’re turning black.”
“Ah, haha…” Su Mumu scratched her head.
Everything about Mumu seemed normal.
Her tone.
Her smile.
Her state of mind.
Even her… scatterbrained, cute appearance hadn’t changed.
‘But why… why do I just feel like something is strange?’
‘What is it?’
‘What is giving me this sense of dissonance…?’
‘What on earth is it?’
‘What detail am I missing that feels wrong?’
‘No.’
‘I shouldn’t doubt my best friend.’
Jiang Mengxin knit her brows and then closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to try and adjust her emotions.
‘Mumu is my best friend. Why do I keep overthinking things…?’
Seeing Jiang Mengxin dazing for a long time, Su Mumu couldn’t help but feel puzzled. “Is there something on my face?”
Jiang Mengxin shook her head and pulled a small packaging box from her dress. After opening it, a few pills were revealed. “This is the cold medicine I just bought. The doctor said to take two pills at once.”
“Thanks, Xin Xin.” Su Mumu took the whole box, then pinched two pills and swallowed them. “Hiss… so bitter.”
“You’ll get better soon,” Jiang Mengxin said.
“Mm-hmm.” Su Mumu nodded.
Jiang Mengxin stood up and walked toward the bathroom. “I’m going to wash my face.”
Su Mumu stared at her blankly. “Oh, oh… okay.”
Only after watching Jiang Mengxin leave did Su Mumu extend her palm.
Her tongue moved slightly at the base, spitting out the two cold pills. She hurried to throw them into the trash can and pulled several facial tissues to cover them.
Once one had consumed an alchemy pill, one theoretically couldn’t take other medicine…
Su Mumu still knew this bit of basic common sense.
That was why she secretly spat out the pills.
***
Inside the bathroom.
The faucet was running heavily. Jiang Mengxin examined herself in the mirror.
The face in the mirror showed obvious confusion and shock.
She scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on her face.
Yet, it still couldn’t extinguish the fire in her heart.
So, she splashed cold water on her face again and again.
Over and over, she repeated the action.
It continued until her forehead and the hair at her temples were completely soaked. Only then did Jiang Mengxin raise her face like she had lost her soul, staring directly at herself in the mirror.
Her lips trembled as she murmured softly.
“Mumu… you don’t actually have a cold, do you?”
“…You don’t have a single symptom of a cold.”
“How did I not notice such a simple detail?”
“Why… why lie to me?”
“What is really going on?”
Jiang Mengxin felt like she was about to have a breakdown.
Various doubts and troubles swirled in her mind. Every time she thought about them, her nerves tightened uncontrollably, like a string about to snap.
“No!”
“I can’t take it anymore!”
Jiang Mengxin lowered her gaze, turned off the faucet, and strode out of the bathroom.
At that moment, Su Mumu was lying with her upper body on the mattress and her feet on the floor, looking like a salted fish on a cutting board.
She lifted her head slightly. “Want to rank up? I feel like my reflexes are peak today.”
“I’m not playing,” Jiang Mengxin said coldly. After a slight hesitation, she walked over with long strides and stopped in front of Su Mumu’s legs. If she wanted to, she could pin her down at any moment.
“…I can carry us to a win, though,” Su Mumu muttered.
Originally, Su Mumu wanted to say more, but a sudden sense of pressure left her dazed.
Jiang Mengxin’s beautiful face suddenly appeared in her vision, but her expression was icy.
“Xin Xin?” Su Mumu asked, confused.
Jiang Mengxin’s hair fell forward, surrounding Su Mumu’s senses.
“Mumu, are you hiding something from me?”
“Ah…?” Su Mumu’s heart skipped a beat.
“Don’t play dumb.” Jiang Mengxin’s voice was eerie. “I want to hear the truth.”
“I’m not…” Su Mumu tried to reach out to push Jiang Mengxin away, but in the next second, her hands were seized and pinned to the mattress above her head. “Huh?… No…?”
Jiang Mengxin’s strength was immense.
Only now did Su Mumu realize that Jiang Mengxin was no weakling. After being in the elite class for so long, her physical fitness was incredibly good.
“Can you… let go of me?” Su Mumu said weakly. Her hands were completely immobilized.
“Why?” Dark clouds seemed to fill the depths of Jiang Mengxin’s eyes.
“I’m a bit…” Su Mumu hesitated.
“A bit what? Just say it,” Jiang Mengxin said.
“Your grip is too strong. My wrists hurt.” Su Mumu turned her face to the side and whispered, “And this posture… isn’t it a bit inappropriate?”