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墨書 Inktalez
"What's there to be afraid of? If something happens, I'll take the blame. If I can't handle it, there's a tall guy to back me up."
As soon as Xia Muxin, the tall guy, landed, everyone's gaze turned to Ouyang Xuan, who was still looking around curiously. Ouyang Xuan was surveying the villa when he suddenly felt a chill in the air. He turned his head and jumped in fright.
What did Xia Muxin say to them? Why does everyone look like they're about to eat someone?
Xia Muxin gave Ming Yi a playful knock on the head and scoffed, "Are you stupid? With that height of his, how can he be intimidating?"
Ming Yi felt a sense of relief wash over him. Thankfully, Miss Muxin hadn’t fallen for someone else; otherwise, their leader would definitely have taken it out on them.
"Are we picking it up or not…"
Seeing that they were still hesitating, Xia Muxin spoke in a serious tone.
Ming Yi dared not hesitate any longer and immediately bowed his head, saying, "We'll pick it up..."
He was the first to jump into the Lotus Pond, bending down to dig for lotus roots and tips. The others followed suit as soon as they saw him jump in.
All of them were skilled young men, and this task was effortless for them. In an instant, arcs of lotus roots flew past their eyes, while on the shore, fresh lotus roots and tips were scattered everywhere.
Although it seemed a pity to dig up the lotus at this season, they were tender and delicious—just not weighed for sale. However, they had perfectly timed their harvest for the lotus tips.
Xia Muxin had somehow managed to bring over several large bags. While calling for Ouyang Xuan's help, she began filling the bags with the lotus from the shore. After more than half an hour of work, Ming Yi and the others finally finished digging up the lotus roots just as Xia Muxin completed filling her bags.
"How many people are there in this villa?"
Ming Yi and the others climbed ashore, covered in mud, but they didn’t dare return without Xia Muxin’s orders. At that moment, Xia Muxin was struggling to drag a few bags to one side when she inadvertently caught sight of them. A sudden wave of saliva caught her off guard, and she choked. She had sent them to dig for Lotus Root, not to engage in a mud fight. Some of them were so covered in mud that only their eyes were visible. After coughing a few times and clearing her throat, she finally asked.
Ming Yi, unsure of what she intended to do, glanced at the few people with faces full of grievance and timidly said, “What about Fourth Miss?”
Upon hearing this, Xia Muxin shot him a sharp glance. Ming Yi instinctively shrank his neck and lowered his head, repeatedly reciting a prayer for mercy.
At that moment, Ouyang Xuan was struggling to suppress laughter, his face turning red. If he weren’t afraid that laughing too loudly would cost him his life, he would have burst out laughing. The scene was simply too amusing.
Ming Yi was still terrified at the thought of how he might meet his end when he suddenly heard Xia Muxin say, “Of course, she’s a person too. And a woman.”
A woman...
Ming Yi felt as if a thousand tiny knives were flying toward him, ready to pierce him like a hedgehog. The master’s master... her jealousy was immense... After hesitating for a moment, he whispered, “Thirty.”
“Alright, stop dawdling. Get these back to the kitchen. I’m in a good mood today; I’ll prepare a full lotus feast for everyone.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Muxin propped her chin on her hand in thought. Suddenly, a chilling smile crept across her lips as she clapped her hands and spoke up.
Ming Yi and the others could only hear their hearts racing wildly. The big boss’s big boss—if we enjoy your full lotus feast tonight, you better bring more paper money for us next year on this day and pray that we are reborn into good families so we never lose our lives over a banquet again...
After that, Xia Muxin followed them into the kitchen.
Though small like a sparrow, this kitchen was fully equipped—just as the saying goes.
According to Xia Muxin's understanding, among the thirty people, including Qingyue, there were only her and Jiao Jiao as the other women. Since neither Qingyue nor Jiao Jiao would ever step into the kitchen, their daily lives relied solely on the twenty or so men.
"Who usually cooks for you?"
The kitchen was pitifully small compared to the entire villa, barely even a corner of it. It was equipped with everything one could need, yet everything looked brand new, especially the knife, which was practically pristine except for a thick layer of yellow rust. The cutting board was covered in a dense layer of green mold—essentially mildew—which could be deadly if ingested. She wondered how they managed to survive without getting poisoned.
The pot and rice cooker were quite clean, particularly the frying pan, which gleamed with oil. The plates and bowls were also washed thoroughly and neatly stored in the cupboard. Xia Muxin turned to Ming Yi, who had not yet left, with a puzzled expression.
Ming Yi scratched his head awkwardly and replied slowly, "We... we take turns cooking."
"Then who’s cooking today?"
This was her second visit, but she had only seen Ming Yi each time; she had never encountered Ming Peng or Ming Qi. Although Xia Muxin was curious, she thought it unnecessary to ask further. After all, Ming Yi was the first person she had met and probably knew them best.
"It's me..."
Suddenly, a shadow approached and respectfully lowered his head to speak.
Xia Muxin studied him for a moment, feeling as though she had seen those eyes somewhere before but couldn't place them. She pointed to the side and said, "Please help me cut these meats and bones. Also, you need to slice these lotus roots according to my instructions."
Without a knife or cutting board available for her to use her hands, she figured they would manage since they usually cooked anyway.
The man in black lowered his gaze towards where Xia Muxin pointed. He drew a knife from his waist. Xia Muxin's eyes widened in surprise as she quickly grabbed a plate to shield herself. Yet after a moment of silence without any action from him, he respectfully asked,
"Miss, should I slice or julienne? How thick or thin? Long strips or short? Should I remove the fat? Do you want the bones cut in half or split directly? If you're making bone broth, you can just boil it without cutting; if it's spare ribs, cut them into smaller pieces..."
Xia Muxin's eyes widened like copper bells as she listened to the man's incessant chatter. She quickly waved her hand to stop him.
"Stop, stop, stop..."
Goodness, he was quite the talker. And that knife of his, used for cutting meat...
"Brother, may I ask how many people you've killed with that knife? How much blood has it tasted? And how many vegetables have you chopped?"
Xia Muxin felt like she was about to lose her mind. Were Qingyue and Jiao Jiao still normal people?
At her question, the man fell silent. After a moment, he replied, "Uh... I really haven't kept count, but it should be a lot."
Xia Muxin felt a headache coming on; her whole body began to ache, and every hair on her body stood on end. Suddenly, she pulled out a small curved knife from her belongings, smiled as she handed it to him, and feigned calmness.
"Let's use this instead. It hasn't tasted blood yet, so it should be very eager to work."
The man was momentarily stunned when she offered him the small knife. Seeing Xia Muxin's hand still extended, he took it and then began chopping vegetables under her guidance.
"You like Fourth Miss."
The man chopped quickly and skillfully, and Xia Muxin was quite satisfied. She prepared the spices, washed a pot, and started a fire. Once the pot was heated red, she added water to begin boiling soup. Just as she covered the pot, she suddenly asked a question.
The man's hand froze mid-slice; a piece of lotus root he had been tossing in the air fell straight to the ground with a thud.
"I deserve death."
After a long pause, the man finally reacted and immediately knelt on one knee, speaking solemnly.
He kept his head down, but Xia Muxin could still faintly see a layer of red at his neck. What else could it be if not embarrassment?
Xia Muxin busied herself with the plate beside her and said lightly, "Isn't it strange that I could tell at a glance?"
The man fell silent, lowering his head even further.
"Because everyone in the manor refers to me as the master’s master, and some even call me 'madam.' Yet you, while respectful, remain distant and avoid looking me in the eye, calling me 'miss.' When you first saw this room full of Lotus Roots, there was a flicker of murderous intent in your eyes. From all of this, I guessed that you like Fourth Miss."
"I don't..."
The man paused for a moment before stammering his response.
"I don't care whether you do or not. In any case, today's dish is yours to prepare. Besides, happiness is yours, not mine. It's up to you to seize it. However, that Fourth Miss has crossed me. If you want to kill me, do it quickly; don’t wait until they all notice before making your move."
Suddenly, Xia Muxin's gaze turned cold as she flipped a plate of sliced lotus root onto the ground, then resumed her work as if nothing had happened.
The man's face turned pale, his fists clenched tightly. He thought the poison would go unnoticed, but he never expected to be discovered.
Killing her? Ha... It sounded easy enough, but if she died, the blame would fall squarely on him.
Taking a deep breath, he met Xia Muxin's gaze and suddenly said, "Miss truly lives up to being our leader's chosen one; nothing escapes your keen eyes. This was merely a little trick I played with you. However, congratulations, you've passed."
Xia Muxin forced a smile and returned to the stove to add some firewood, responding coolly, "Thank you."
At the same time, because of his unwavering gaze, Xia Muxin could see his features more clearly; he looked like a refined scholar, and those eyes—weren't they the same as the ones in Dragon Pool?
No wonder, back then when she asked them to help Shen Muhan, he was the only one who stayed behind. When she saw him being besieged and hunted down, he was only focused on fighting others, completely disregarding her life or death. Now it all made sense.
At that time, he must have wished for her to die...
Was this Qingyue's attention?
Or was it simply because he liked Qingyue...
After that, the two of them interacted like strangers, yet they worked together seamlessly—one chopping, the other stir-frying.
"Miss, here you go. Thank you!"
Once the vegetables were chopped, the man presented a small curved knife back to her.
Xia Muxin accepted it readily and tucked it into her waist.
"Miss, you really aren't suitable for our master. He has a significant mission to complete. Whether it's Fourth Miss or Azure Dye Young Master, they will stop at nothing to eliminate any obstacles in his path, even if it means sacrificing his beloved."
Before leaving the kitchen, the man turned back and said to Xia Muxin in a low voice.
Xia Muxin shot a wooden branch directly at him. The man did not dodge; instead, the branch pierced into his right arm. Xia Muxin even heard the sound of flesh tearing. He merely cast her a faint glance, effortlessly pulled out the branch with his left hand, and blood sprayed from his arm. He shot Xia Muxin a heavy look before striding away.
Watching the bloodied, sharpened branch on the ground, Xia Muxin's gaze lingered for a long time. She had always known her aim was good but never realized it could be this precise. Moreover, no matter how sharp that branch was, it shouldn't have penetrated so deeply into flesh.
The sun gradually dipped in the west, casting a faint layer of mist over the entire courtyard, creating a hazy atmosphere that blurred her vision. At this moment, Xia Muxin's full lotus dish was already on the table.
Twenty bowls in total, all made from the same material, yet not a single stir-fry method was repeated.
"Everyone, don't be shy. Dig in!"
Xia Muxin cheerfully set the bowls and invited everyone to eat.
She was the first to sit at the table, sampling a few dishes, and they were truly delicious.
"Wow... I can't believe this is actually edible. I thought you were joking!"
Ouyang Xuan suddenly appeared out of nowhere, rushing to the table. He grabbed a pair of chopsticks and began to devour the food, smacking his lips and exclaiming how tasty it was.
"Everyone, go ahead and eat."
Ming Yi couldn't stand Ouyang Xuan's exaggerated eating style any longer. Besides, he was well aware of Xia Muxin's culinary skills and had already swallowed several times in anticipation. If he was going to die, he might as well die full, so he picked up his chopsticks and took some stir-fried lotus root into his mouth. His eyes lit up as he spoke to everyone.
Seeing this, the others no longer hesitated and grabbed their bowls to eat. Once they tasted the food, they couldn't stop.
Xia Muxin watched everyone enjoying their meal with a smile, feeling a great sense of accomplishment. They say that to win a man's heart, you must first win his stomach, and now she had captured the appetites of so many men. How could they still look down on her?
"Wow, Senior Brother, who made this meal today? They seem to be enjoying it quite a bit."
At that moment, a sweet voice came from outside the door. Everyone paused mid-bite, placing their bowls down and immediately standing in two rows, respectfully bowing.
"It was made by me. If you're interested, come join us."
Xia Muxin glanced at the two people entering and spoke in a casual tone.
Hearing her voice, Shen Muhan froze for a moment before looking at Xia Muxin. However, she didn't even glance his way; instead, she continued to enjoy her meal with satisfaction.
His gaze dimmed slightly as he pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a weary sigh.
"Hmph, this is my home, so it's only natural to eat."
Qingyue's gaze turned cold as she saw Xia Muxin. She let out a huff through her nose, then grabbed two bowls and hurried to fill them with rice. She handed a large bowl to Shen Muhan and said softly, "Senior Brother, you've been with me day and night for almost three days now. You've worked hard. Here, eat up quickly. After you finish, take a hot shower, then have a good sleep. You'll feel much better in the morning."
After speaking, she looked curiously at the table full of dishes. Noticing Xia Muxin's pause while serving herself, she added some vegetables to Shen Muhan's bowl before starting to eat herself.
"Wow, the cooking is quite good. You could probably qualify as a cook in our village," she praised after trying several dishes.
Her hand continued to serve food without stopping.
"What are you staring at? Eat! After we're done, we need to head back while the fog is still light; this is someone else's territory," she urged.
Shen Muhan took a few bites of rice without much appetite and ate the vegetables Qingyue had served him. Xia Muxin watched him eat with a cold expression, feeling an inexplicable chill in her heart. In frustration, she scooped some vegetables into the bewildered Ouyang Xuan's bowl and said flatly.
Shen Muhan paused mid-bite, his eyes meeting Xia Muxin's gaze. However, she shot him a glare and buried her head in her food.
Why has everything changed? Just a few days have passed, and you've become a different person.
Are you still that uncle who dotes on me?
But all that answered her were the sounds of Qingyue and Ouyang Xuan eating; Shen Muhan remained silent throughout.
"This dish looks quite fresh and has a unique flavor. Where did you buy it?" Qingyue asked casually after finishing her bowl of rice and setting it down.
“Fourth Miss, this is all from the Lotus Pond's Lotus Root.”
The voice belonged to a man in black, who wore a hint of gloating on his face. Although it was fleeting, it did not escape Xia Muxin's keen eyes.
“Oh... what?”
Qingyue initially thought nothing of it; after all, the term "Lotus Root" was quite novel. However, as she grasped the meaning, she shrieked in anger and swung a slap toward Xia Muxin. Relying on instinct, Xia Muxin turned her face just in time to avoid it.
At that moment, Qingyue was already in tears, looking at Shen Muhan with grievance while casting accusatory glances at Xia Muxin. She seemed to be in a state of extreme madness, as if demanding an explanation for herself.
Xia Muxin felt a sudden pang in her heart. She stood there motionless, quietly locking eyes with Shen Muhan. His gaze was cold, a chill she had never seen before. Her heart tightened painfully, leaving her speechless. At that moment, she wished more than anything that this wasn’t Shen Muhan but merely an imposter. She hoped desperately that she was dreaming and would wake up to find everything back to how it used to be.
Why had they never quarreled or lost their tempers? On the day he left, he had tenderly kissed her and playfully pinched her nose, telling her to take care of herself at home, not to overexert herself, not to be willful, and especially not to get too close to other men. He promised he would return in no more than three days.
Yet today marked the fourth day. Had he really gone back?
Had he ever considered that everything she did was for him?
He forbade her from getting too close to other men but allowed himself to be so close to his junior sister.
“Muxin, didn’t you say July? You’ve broken your promise.”
Shen Muhan set down the bowl in his hand and pulled the weeping Qingyue into his embrace. There was deep pain in his eyes. When he looked at Xia Muxin again, his expression was icy cold—so cold that Xia Muxin trembled all over. His words about breaking a promise pierced her heart like a sharp blade; there was no blood, yet the pain was excruciating.
For the first time, she felt lost in life. Was this promise light or heavy? Which one did he mean—the light one or the heavy one?
As she sank deeper into her thoughts, she failed to notice the strange expressions on some faces around her.
Suddenly, Qingyue doubled over, clutching her stomach in agony. Her face twisted in pain as her voice trembled and broke:
"Stomachache, Senior Brother, it hurts..."
In an instant, beads of sweat the size of beans slid down her forehead, and her complexion turned pale.
"Ah... I also have a stomachache."
"I’m in pain too..."
Just as she collapsed, a large group of people fell down shortly after, including Ming Yi and even Ouyang Xuan.
Xia Muxin dropped her chopsticks, which clattered on the ground, and she stared at the scene in shock, inexplicably wanting to burst into laughter.
Shen Muhan's face showed agony as he tightly held the nearly unconscious Qingyue in his arms. Sweat dripped from his exquisite features as he glanced at the others who were writhing in pain before turning his gaze to the unharmed Xia Muxin. He suddenly gritted his teeth and asked, "Do you have something to say?"
Xia Muxin was startled by his chilling expression. Biting her lip, she replied word by word, "I didn’t poison the food."
Upon hearing this, Shen Muhan smiled—a terrifying and sinister smile. "But why is it that you are the only one who isn’t poisoned?"
- End of Chapter -
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