Chen Qing and the Ancient Miao People exchanged a few more probing words. Upon realizing that both sides were deliberately hiding something, the Clan Leader departed from the front of the dilapidated house amid a facade of ‘harmony.’
Once the Ancient Miao Clan’s Clan Leader had left, the ‘harmonious’ atmosphere instantly chilled.
Seeing Chen Qing’s icy expression, Su Mu’s little head spun rapidly.
She could roughly guess the reason for Chen Qing’s anger this time. It was likely because she had told Su Mu to wait in place, but Su Mu had oiled the soles of her feet and fled due to the threat of fierce beasts in the woods.
After fainting from fright midway, she had been picked up by Xiao Meng and brought back to this village.
However, Su Mu felt quite aggrieved deep down. The fault for not listening to her this time wasn’t entirely hers.
Chen Qing, who had chosen the wrong location, bore some responsibility too. After all, the sudden thick fog and the fierce beasts in the woods were what caused her to run.
And running into the fog and beasts was all because of Chen Qing’s poor choice of spot.
With this in mind, Su Mu felt a bit more emboldened.
Gathering her courage, she met Chen Qing’s eyes.
But the moment she collided with those scarlet pupils, all of Su Mu’s courage deflated instantly.
The words bubbling in her belly were reduced to just parting her lips before she swallowed them back down.
However, Chen Qing had witnessed the entire process, from Su Mu mustering her courage to it leaking away.
Chen Qing stared at Su Mu, ‘smiling’ as she asked,
“What do you want to say? Go on.”
Though Chen Qing’s tone was flat and even, her icy gaze made Su Mu’s heart inexplicably flutter with panic.
As for trying to reason or argue with Chen Qing, the now-deflated Su Mu absolutely didn’t dare. She could only say meekly,
“It’s a bit cold in these mountains. You should wear more layers.”
But in Chen Qing’s ears, Su Mu’s words of concern carried an extra layer of meaning.
“The mountains get cold, so your savior stuffed you with clothes, is that it?”
Chen Qing’s words dripped with sarcastic jealousy. She knew there was something suspicious about this Traitorous Shizun’s so-called savior.
After all, the attackers had been summoned by her. How could she have innocently saved this Traitorous Shizun?
Thinking of Miao Meng made Chen Qing’s anger toward Su Mu burn even hotter.
Setting everything else aside, this Traitorous Shizun truly had a knack for attracting other women.
First there was Shen Ling, and now Miao Meng had popped up. She was really quite ‘popular.’
Though Su Mu didn’t realize Chen Qing was secretly jealous, the sarcasm in her words told her that her mood wasn’t great.
Glancing at the clothes still clutched in her hands, Su Mu hesitated before offering them to Chen Qing.
“You wear them. These look pretty thick.”
Su Mu’s plan was solid: butter up Chen Qing and soothe her temper.
But seeing the clothes Miao Meng had given her right there in Su Mu’s hands nearly made Chen Qing laugh in frustration.
She slapped the offered clothes straight onto the ground, her scarlet eyes boring coldly into Su Mu.
“To me, you’re worth even less than this detestable rag. If you cause me any more trouble from now on, I’ll send you off to reunite with my dear senior brothers and sisters.”
“G-Got it.”
The threat and warning in Chen Qing’s eyes made the panicked Su Mu nod obediently.
“Clean this house spotless. You know what happens if it’s not.”
“Mm!”
Su Mu’s such compliant response left Chen Qing with the sensation of punching cotton.
To think this foolish Traitorous Shizun could be tricky to handle at times.
But once the house was cleaned, she’d make sure this Traitorous Shizun learned the price of flirting with other women and stirring up trouble for her.
Chen Qing released Su Mu’s hand and pushed open the somewhat dilapidated wooden door of the hut first.
Watching Chen Qing stride ahead, Su Mu smugly arched her delicate brows.
Though this detestable Villain’s martial prowess far outstripped hers, after spending these past few days together, she had figured out her personality.
As long as she played along with her whims, there was nothing she could do.
Even if she wanted to pin her down on the bed and have her way, that would wait until night. Su Mu was safe during the day.
Convinced she had seen through Chen Qing, Su Mu followed her in high spirits into the dilapidated wooden hut.
But Su Mu’s good mood soon vanished into thin air.
After all, Chen Qing wasn’t joking. If she said Su Mu had to clean this rundown wooden hut, then clean it she would.
Surveying the dust-blanketed empty rooms, Su Mu felt an urge to turn tail and head back to Xiao Meng’s place.
But after sneaking a careful glance at Chen Qing beside her, Su Mu knew that acting on the thought might really send her off to join those disciples she had yet to even meet.
Plus, there was only one bed in the whole house. Wasn’t this just handing Chen Qing the perfect chance to bully her at night?
Even with two beds, Chen Qing would bully her anyway, but Su Mu still wanted to put up a fight.
Chen Qing, however, couldn’t care less. She had turned down the Ancient Miao Clan Chief’s offer to help clean specifically so Su Mu would handle it alone and learn her lesson.
“Get to it.”
“Oh.”
Knowing escape was impossible, Su Mu rolled up her thin sleeves, baring her ivory-smooth white forearms.
Luckily, though the hut had sat empty, the cleaning tools were plentiful.
Brooms, rags, and the like were stacked neatly in the corner.
Su Mu grabbed a small wooden basin and headed to the trickling stream beside the hut, fetching a basin of water and sprinkling it across the floor.
That way, sweeping later wouldn’t kick up dust.
Chen Qing was somewhat surprised by Su Mu’s efficient motions. She hadn’t expected this airheaded Traitorous Shizun to be so handy with housework.
But Su Mu’s follow-up actions promptly drew a few black lines across Chen Qing’s forehead, fresh after her silent praise.
In her careless sprinkling, Su Mu dumped nearly half the basin.
Staring at the sopping floor, Su Mu actually thought it wasn’t enough yet and moved to fetch more from the stream.
Unable to stand it, Chen Qing reached out to stop her.
“Hold on—are you trying to wash the floor?”
“No, my mom always said you have to sprinkle plenty of water when sweeping to keep the dust down.”
With Su Mu’s expression screaming ‘you’ve got a lot to learn,’ Chen Qing raised her palm and rapped her little head hard.
“You wipe the tables. I’ll sweep the floor.”
Faced with Su Mu’s half-baked skills, Chen Qing abandoned the idea of letting her clean solo.
Heaven knew if the place would even be habitable once she was done.
Su Mu rubbed her sore head and gazed at Chen Qing in surprise.
She had braced herself to clean the entire hut alone, only for the Villain to suddenly show a spark of humanity.
Since Chen Qing wanted to sweep, Su Mu was more than happy to oblige.
She hurriedly shoved the corner broom into her hands.
