Su Mu never expected that she would be frightened by the gaze of the person behind the Fox Mask.
She hurriedly tried to sit up, pulling her little feet back onto the bed.
However, Chen Qing beneath the Fox Mask directly leaned down, pressing one hand on Su Mu’s shoulder while placing the other on her soft and plump waist.
“Miss, you actually want to repay the interest this way? I’m more than happy to accept.”
Amid the teasing, Chen Qing couldn’t resist pinching Su Mu’s firm waist.
“You dead Female Patron! If you keep groping me, I’ll scream and have the officials arrest you. You’ll rot in prison for a few more years!”
Seeing Silly Shizun blushing with shame and issuing furious threats, Chen Qing showed no signs of holding back. Instead, she went further, using her finger to tug open Su Mu’s clothes.
“Go ahead and scream, Miss. But once you do, you’ll belong to me alone.”
Seeing that the Fox Mask wasn’t intimidated at all and was being so shameless, Su Mu was so angry that her teeth itched.
Yet the hand pressing down on her shoulder felt like it was forged from iron—she couldn’t struggle free at all.
“Hmph! When you were tailing me, you must have seen that fierce-looking woman by my side, right? She’s my guard. With one punch, she could explode a giant who’s over a meter taller than you. If you don’t let go now, you’re finished once she gets back.”
Since the threat of the authorities hadn’t scared this thick-skinned Fox Mask, Su Mu could only bring up Chen Qing.
However, she portrayed Chen Qing as her own guard.
This way, she could not only make the Fox Mask think her identity was extraordinary and thus wary of her, but also subtly demean the detestable Villain.
After all, this Fox Mask and the Villain didn’t know each other, so whatever she said would be taken as truth.
Watching Silly Shizun threaten her so seriously, a playful glint flashed in Chen Qing’s eyes.
How was she unaware that she had become this Silly Shizun’s guard?
“Is that so? Then I really do need to give it some serious thought.”
Seeing the Fox Mask’s attitude soften, Su Mu assumed her words had worked and continued to crow triumphantly.
“Hmph hmph, let go of the hand on my shoulder right now. Later, when my guard beats you up, I’ll put in a good word for you.”
Seeing Silly Shizun’s expression grow smugger by the second, Chen Qing decided it was time for a lesson.
With one arm directly around Su Mu’s waist and the other on her soft thigh, she scooped her right up off the bed.
“Since your guard is so powerful, I’ll have to take you hostage. Otherwise, how am I supposed to handle her if I can’t beat her?”
Beneath the mask, Chen Qing’s teasing gaze left Su Mu momentarily stunned.
“Th-there’s really no need. My guard is very obedient to me. If I tell her not to hit you, she won’t. Let me go—we can talk this out.”
The situation wasn’t unfolding as Su Mu had anticipated. She’d thought scaring the Fox Mask would let her slip away smoothly.
To her surprise, while she had indeed startled her, Su Mu hadn’t escaped—instead, she was about to become her hostage.
Only someone valuable could serve as a hostage. Given her status with the Villain, if the Fox Mask tried using her to threaten the Villain, the Villain might just take them both out.
“What is there to talk about? I’ve made up my mind. I don’t want your silver anymore. Before your guard gets back, I’ll whisk you away to a far-off place. That silver can be my betrothal gift to you.”
As she spoke, Chen Qing’s cool fingers on Su Mu’s waist dishonestly trailed over her heated skin.
The itchy, tingling sensation made Su Mu’s body go limp, her delicate, jade-like toes curling up from the strange feeling.
A bewitching blush colored her stunning face, and her clear eyes filled with shy annoyance.
Truth be told, Chen Qing felt a twinge of nervousness after saying those words.
She bullied and lectured this Silly Shizun every day. If Silly Shizun actually wanted to run off with the person she was role-playing as to escape her…
At the thought, a shadow of gloom flickered in Chen Qing’s crimson eyes, and her grip on Su Mu’s thigh tightened involuntarily.
Thanks to the veil of her Internal Energy, Su Mu couldn’t see that gloomy look.
But the sharp pain in her thigh was all too real.
“Ow!”
A layer of pitiable mist clouded her clear eyes as she looked at the unreasonable Fox Mask with grievance.
“Miss, what’s your answer? Will you come with me?”
Chen Qing didn’t relent at Su Mu’s heartbreaking expression. Instead, she stared at her even more intently.
“Help! There’s a thief!”
Su Mu didn’t answer. Instead, she screamed for help at the top of her lungs while wriggling nonstop in Chen Qing’s arms.
Seeing Silly Shizun’s answer through her actions, Chen Qing felt an inexplicable wave of relief.
Unaware that the person under the mask was Chen Qing herself, Su Mu noticed the loosening grip and promptly sank her teeth into her shoulder.
She bit down with full force, her jaw clenched tight. Crimson blood seeped from Chen Qing’s shoulder.
Wincing in pain, Chen Qing released Su Mu from her embrace.
Now free, Su Mu swiftly snatched the Broken Sword Chen Qing had left on the table and pointed it at the Fox Mask.
Though her gaze wavered a little, she stared her down with full momentum.
As Su Mu and the Fox Mask faced off, a knock came at the door.
“Guest? What’s going on?”
The waiter outside asked anxiously, having clearly heard Su Mu’s cry for help.
In a good mood, Chen Qing glanced once more at Silly Shizun before flipping out the window and fleeing the room.
Once the Fox Mask had vanished through the window, the tense Su Mu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness she was quick-witted enough to grab the Villain’s Broken Sword from the table. Otherwise, she really would have been captured as a hostage by that shameless Fox Mask.
After brushing off the waiter at the door with some excuse, Su Mu hurriedly sealed the windows shut tight, leaving not even a crack.
This close call served as a wake-up for Su Mu.
Though the System had granted her the Internal Energy of a Second-Rate Warrior, she had no idea how to use it.
For the time being, if she wanted to defend herself, she’d have to rely on other methods.
As Su Mu pondered her self-defense options, Chen Qing—who had removed the Fox Mask—returned to the Inn.
The moment she entered the room, her gaze flicked toward the windows Su Mu had sealed tight.
She knew exactly what this Silly Shizun was guarding against, but she still had to play it off.
“Why’d you shut the windows?”
“The wind was getting chilly, and crazy night cats might sneak in.”
Of course, Su Mu didn’t dare mention the Fox Mask in front of Chen Qing.
After all, if this detestable Villain dug into it, her secret outing in Cloud City would come to light.
Even though so much time had passed, given the Villain’s petty streak, she’d surely bully Su Mu mercilessly once she found out.
She could only vent her frustration by secretly likening that thick-skinned Fox Mask to a rabid night cat.
