Ye Luosha did not answer Feng Jiu’er’s question. Her gaze had fallen upon Jiu’er’s feet.

Feng Jiu’er had already changed into a fresh set of clothing. Earlier, with her garments in disarray, the chain she wore around her ankle had been visible. Now, it was entirely hidden from sight.

Jiu’er did not know what she was looking at. Yet such a nakedly intent stare fixed at her feet caused her, inexplicably, to think of the chain around her own ankle.

The chain… she had a feeling that even she herself was beginning to recall something — yet all her thoughts were cut off by Ye Luosha’s voice.

“Could I…” Ye Luosha drew a deep breath, then said: “Could I see the chain on your ankle?”

So it was about the chain after all. Yet in this moment, the way Feng Jiu’er looked at Ye Luosha was guarded.

“I am sorry. It is not convenient.” Toward Ye Luosha, even now, Feng Jiu’er remained unable to feel any warmth.

She and Elder Shi had planted a Gu Poison parasite in her. Even now there was a Gu worm in her head that they had planted there. The only reason Ye Luosha currently held back was that Mu Mu had suffered grave injuries, and she still had to rely on Jiu’er and Ninth Imperial Uncle to treat him.

Whether she saved someone or not was her own affair, unrelated to Ye Luosha — even though Jiu’er would have saved him regardless of Ye Luosha’s presence.

Beyond that, Jiu’er knew very well: the moment Mu Mu recovered, Ye Luosha might very well begin looking for ways to harm her and Ninth Imperial Uncle again.

People sometimes were not entirely without feeling — they simply served their respective masters.

She did not hate Ye Luosha. Yet she had never been able to feel anything favorable toward her.

Of course Ye Luosha understood the hostility directed at her. Yet tonight, she truly had not the slightest ill intent — genuinely so.

“Jiu’er, let me see the chain, would you? I only want to look at it for a moment.”

“Why do you want to see it?” Feng Jiu’er stepped back half a pace, guarding against the possibility that she might suddenly seize her foot.

Given how Ye Luosha looked right now, she truly might, in an abrupt motion, hoist her leg up and force a look at the chain around her ankle.

Ye Luosha knew she was being too anxious. Yet how could she not be, in a matter like this?

On the clifftop earlier, that brief, fleeting glimpse had left her stunned all the way until the moment Mu’er was injured.

After that, with Mu’er gravely wounded, her entire mind had been consumed by nothing but her Mu’er. How could she have had the clarity to think of anything else?

Now, with Mu’er’s condition having stabilized somewhat, she had finally managed to wait until Feng Jiu’er was alone. Her heart burned with urgency. She could barely restrain herself from immediately lifting the hem of her skirt to look properly.

“This chain… bears a strong resemblance to a chain left behind by someone I once knew. Jiu’er, this chain did not originally belong to you — is that right?”

Something stirred in Feng Jiu’er’s heart as well. Certain connections were becoming clearer, bit by bit.

She fixed her gaze on Ye Luosha for a long moment before saying, in a measured tone: “It was indeed given to me by another.”

“By whom?” Ye Luosha’s expression shifted abruptly. “Was it Ninth Prince?”

“What does it have to do with you?” Ye Luosha was no friend — at the very least, she was an enemy to Ninth Imperial Uncle.

Ninth Imperial Uncle’s enemies were her enemies as well.

Before she understood whether saying it aloud might cause harm to Ninth Imperial Uncle, Jiu’er would not breathe a single word.

Ye Luosha was beginning to lose patience, her composure fraying. “Jiu’er, I truly only want to look at it. I have no intention of taking it!”

“I only want to know whether it was Ninth Prince who gave it to you. It is simply a chain. You wear it on your ankle, and you go out often — which means it is plain the chain is not so precious to you. Why must you…”

“If it is not precious, what use is there in looking at it?” Feng Jiu’er stepped sideways, intending to move past her and leave.

“Madam, I still need to bring snacks to Ninth Imperial Uncle. Please excuse me.”

“Feng Jiu’er — am I truly not permitted even one look?” Ye Luosha stepped to the side in an instant, blocking her path once more.

This girl was simply too impertinent. It was only a single look — what harm could it possibly do?

As she herself had said, this chain was worn on her ankle, and she went out at all times. It was clear enough that Feng Jiu’er was not averse to others seeing it.

Right now, she was simply making things deliberately difficult.

She would admit that she had done some rather discourteous things to Feng Jiu’er before. Yet she had also saved her life on a prior occasion. Could those not balance the scales?

“Then first tell me — why do you want to see this chain? Whose belonging was it, this chain of the person you knew?” Jiu’er was no fool. If Ye Luosha wanted to see it, she also wanted to know.

Ye Luosha’s lips moved. She looked at her — not making things difficult, but in a state of pent-up distress.

Was this girl determined to torment her? Who the chain had belonged to — how could she say?

Right now, it was not merely that she could not say. In front of outsiders, she dared not even breathe a whisper of it.

“Let me look first — to confirm whether it is truly my acquaintance’s!”

Jiu’er was equally unwilling to yield: “If you will not explain clearly, why should I show you? Whatever it is, for now it is mine.”

“You—!” Ye Luosha’s palm clenched in fury. A flash of cold intent swept through her eyes.

“What will you do — strike me?” Jiu’er was not afraid of her now. Even with Gu worms still planted in her head, she was temporarily unafraid.

“Or perhaps you intend to use hypnosis again? I cannot help but offer a reminder — if you take control of me, I will lose the ability to treat Mu Mu. Moreover, if any of you dare lay a hand on me, Ninth Imperial Uncle will immediately stop channeling energy into Mu Mu.”

Though these words were cruel — and though she knew full well she could never truly use Mu Mu as a bargaining piece against them — in certain necessary moments, to save herself the time and effort, this was all she could do.

Ye Luosha’s expression darkened all at once. Much as she wished to act, she did not dare. She could not gamble with Mu’er’s life.

Yet Feng Jiu’er’s coldly indifferent words had, in the end, pierced her heart.

“My Mu’er sacrificed so much for you — even willingly taking a sword in his body to shield you and Ninth Prince. And now you would use him to threaten me. Have you any conscience at all?”

Jiu’er had no desire to waste words with her. She had never cared in the slightest what Ye Luosha thought of her.

She remained expressionless, her gaze resting on Ye Luosha with quiet evenness.

“If you are unwilling to speak of the chain’s origin, then I will not press further. But if you will not say, I will not show you either. I have no obligation to accommodate you. It is as simple as that.”

“If you do not wish to see Mu Mu come to harm, you would do best not to waste any more of my time. I need to go back and keep watch. Please step aside.”

A sharp sting passed through Ye Luosha’s heart. Yet in the end, she stepped to one side and let her go.

After Feng Jiu’er left, Elder Shi, who had been standing watch at a distance, came hurrying over: “Palace Mistress, why did you…”

Ye Luosha drew a deep breath and pressed down the surging agitation and anguish within her. Only with great effort did her breathing finally settle somewhat.

Yet the moment she thought of that chain, everything rose up again in a rush of emotion.

“I suspect the chain on her ankle is… is the matching heart-locking key — the one paired with Mu’er’s, from twenty years ago!”