“What do you want to say?” Feng Qishi asked coldly.
Yuan Yan looked hesitant, staring at Feng Qishi for a few more seconds before saying, “If I listen to you and don’t capture him, can you help me?”
Feng Qishi asked, “Help you with what?” He didn’t quite grasp Yuan Yan’s meaning.
Mu An Xiao watched Feng Qishi’s dull expression and then Yuan Yan’s look of seeking help from Feng Qishi. He thought, it seemed he had given up on this kid.
Yuan Ye also understood Yuan Yan’s intention. He tugged at Mu An Xiao’s arm and asked, “Does he mean to let me off?”
Mu An Xiao glanced at Yuan Ye and shrugged, “Who knows.”
“You…”
“Stop with the ‘you.’ Just watch.”
“Protect me.” Yuan Ye leaned forward slightly, still hiding behind Mu An Xiao.
Mu An Xiao was already accustomed to Yuan Ye’s fear and didn’t say anything.
Yuan Yan said, “I’ve been like this for decades, this kind of life…”
“I can’t help you,” Feng Qishi said, finally understanding.
Yuan Yan’s face stiffened.
Then, Feng Qishi pointed at Mu An Xiao, “However, she might be able to help you.”
Hearing this, Yuan Yan revived and looked towards Mu An Xiao in the direction Feng Qishi pointed, “Her?”
Feng Qishi sighed, “However, you just spoke ill of her and hurt her with your words. Whether she helps you or not, I don’t know.”
Yuan Yan asked, “Who is she?” He sensed from Feng Qishi’s words that Mu An Xiao seemed quite formidable.
“She is the woman… no, the woman Shen Yan used to mention often in front of you.”
Originally, Feng Qishi didn’t want to introduce Mu An Xiao in front of Yuan Yan, knowing it would make Yuan Yan angry.
But after Yuan Yan said what he did, Feng Qishi thought that only Mu An Xiao could help with this matter.
Therefore, to avoid any future trouble, he had to make things clear to Yuan Yan.
“She’s the woman who harmed you.” Yuan Yan’s eyes widened. “Then I definitely can’t let her help me.”
“Why?”
Yuan Yan replied, “If she can harm you, she’ll definitely harm me too. I…”
“It was all a misunderstanding.”
“I don’t believe it.” Yuan Yan shook his head and said, “I was wrong just now. In my eyes, you are still my friend. Whether you are Feng Qishi or Shen Yan, you are my friend.”
“Huh?” Feng Qishi looked at Yuan Yan, who had suddenly said this, with astonishment, swallowing.
Then, Yuan Yan glanced at Mu An Xiao and said, “I believe you can think of a way. I’ll let that kid go.” After speaking, he turned around.
Feng Qishi was stunned. “Where are you going?”
Yuan Yan said, “I’ll leave now. I’ll come find you tonight.” He then left.
Feng Qishi was left in a daze.
Mu An Xiao peeked at Yuan Yan’s departing back, twitched his lips, and looked at the back of Feng Qishi’s head, asking, “Shen Fengzi, how much badmouthing did you do about me to him before?”
“…” Feng Qishi glanced at Mu An Xiao without speaking.
Mu An Xiao continued to glare at Feng Qishi.
Then, Feng Qishi shifted his gaze to Yuan Ye, “You brat, let go.” He pointed at Yuan Ye’s hand gripping Mu An Xiao’s arm.
Yuan Ye was startled and let go.
Mu An Xiao rubbed his arm, which was sore from Yuan Ye’s grip, and sighed, “Yuan Ye, you can go now.” He turned to look at him.
Yuan Ye shook his head, “No.”
“What do you want to do?”
Yuan Ye pursed his lips and said, “I don’t believe what that… ghost says. You protect me.”
“I don’t protect people easily,” Mu An Xiao raised an eyebrow.
“…” Yuan Ye understood Mu An Xiao’s meaning at a glance. He quickly took out a money bag from his embrace and tremblingly offered it to Mu An Xiao, “However much silver you want, I’ll give you.”
Mu An Xiao looked at Yuan Ye’s generous demeanor and smirked, “I want it all.” He then snatched the money bag, weighed it in his hand, and put on a stern face, “You have the nerve to offer so little.”
“My father only gave me this much. You…”
“You’re this old, can’t you earn money yourself?” Mu An Xiao interrupted with a look of disdain.
Yuan Ye looked embarrassed. “What does it matter to you how I am? I’m paying you, aren’t I?”
“…” Mu An Xiao was rendered speechless by Yuan Ye’s words. After a few seconds of hesitation, he said, “Fine, I want ten taels of silver.”
Yuan Ye pointed at the money bag, “Here…”
“There’s about three taels here, but it’s all in small change,” Mu An Xiao interrupted.
Yuan Ye was surprised, “How did you know?”
“When I spent money, you didn’t even know where you were,” Mu An Xiao said, then turned to look at Feng Qishi, who had stopped in front of him, “I can’t help your friend.”
“Help me out,” Feng Qishi said softly.
Mu An Xiao smirked and continued to act, pointing at the fake Lin Yan who was still standing at the table, “Let me catch him, and I’ll help your friend.”
Fake Lin Yan’s heart sank. “Master, no.”
Lin Yan glanced at the feigning-fear fake Lin Yan and said nothing.
Feng Qishi didn’t look at fake Lin Yan but continued to stare at Mu An Xiao, saying, “This is too much. My disciple did nothing, why should you catch him?”
“He is not your disciple.”
“You… stop talking nonsense, or I’ll get angry.”
“If you get angry, I’ll get angry too,” Mu An Xiao said, turning to Yuan Ye behind him, “Let’s go, take me to your home.”
“Why are you going to my home?” Yuan Ye asked, confused.
Mu An Xiao smiled, “What else? I’m going to find your father to get the remaining seven taels of silver.”
Yuan Ye was stunned for a moment and said, “If you go ask my father for money, he’ll definitely think something has happened to me. I don’t want my father to know about this. You…” He pursed his lips. “You protect me first, and after it’s done, I’ll give you the silver, okay?”
“What do you mean by ‘after it’s done’?”
“It’s when that guy…” Yuan Ye dared not say Yuan Yan would be annihilated. He cautiously glanced at Feng Qishi and said, “You should help him. If you agree, I’ll add more silver to you.”
“Do you really think I’m your boss?” Mu An Xiao pouted.
Yuan Ye chuckled foolishly, “Not really. I just feel that the only way I can get rid of him now is to… fulfill his last wish.”
“Still a last wish? Fine, tell me, how much will you give me?” Mu An Xiao deliberately tested Yuan Ye’s attitude.
Yuan Ye thought for a moment and held up two fingers, “I’ll add two more taels of silver to you.”
“…” Mu An Xiao let out a cold laugh.
Yuan Ye, seeing the cold smile on Mu An Xiao’s face, shivered, “Not enough?”
“I asked you for ten taels of silver to protect you, not to solve your problem. Now,” Mu An Xiao said, “you want me to solve your problem and only add two taels. Do you have the nerve?”
“My family is poor,” Yuan Ye said with difficulty.
“Your family is poor,” Mu An Xiao repeated in Yuan Ye’s tone, “Since your family is poor, why aren’t you working hard to support your family? You still rely on your father to support you. May I ask, do you think I’ll believe that?”
“I’m really poor,” Yuan Ye said weakly.
Mu An Xiao clicked his tongue a few times and said, “I don’t believe it.”