“Since when do I take orders from that fellow?” Mu Mu said with a hint of disdain, setting his pack down on the table.

Jiu’er gave him a look. “He may be your — oh, never mind. Can’t you just get along with him?”

“Be his what? His rival in love?” So who, exactly, gets along with a rival in love? That’s only asking for misery.

“What rival in love? Don’t talk nonsense. There’s nothing between you and me.”

“You have no martial arts right now — I’m well aware of that. If I truly wanted there to be something, it wouldn’t be all that difficult.”

Mu Mu settled into the chair and fixed his gaze on her face, his smile carrying a trace of roguishness. “So don’t test my willpower. It’s far weaker than you imagine.”

Jiu’er picked up the water kettle and swung it at his head — he had actually just said that because she had no martial arts, he could do as he pleased, clearly counting on her inability to fight back.

Absolutely outrageous! She had once been a respected martial arts expert, after all!

To be this helpless now — how utterly mortifying!

“It seems you’ve already sized up the situation. All the people downstairs are mine. Xue Gu and Qiao Mu are both here, of course — but if things truly came to blows, I could restrain them both.”

He poured himself a cup of water, sipped it at his leisure with an air of utterly unruffled ease — the very picture of try me if you dare — quite the effortlessly self-possessed figure.

Jiu’er wanted to bite him!

“Fine, you’re coming along — what’s the point of saying all this rubbish?”

She went to sit on the edge of the bed, eyeing his attractive profile. “And another thing — it’s late and quiet, and I need to sleep. Might the great hero Mu be so good as to return to his own room?”

“This is my room.”

“What? You want to fight me for the room on top of everything else! You’re really taking advantage of the fact that I can’t fight back!”

Why oh why had she lost her martial arts? This was infuriating. So infuriating!

Though to be fair — even when she had her full martial arts, she probably wasn’t his match anyway.

But this man — he was just too unreasonable!

“No, I didn’t say I was taking it from you. This room is for both of us to share.” Mu Mu set down his cup and stared at her flushed, fuming little face.

“What did you just say?”

“From this point on, we are husband and wife. That identity will hold until we’ve found the treasure and the secret technique and returned safely.”

He leaned back against the chair, thought for a moment, and added, “Of course, if you’d like to keep that identity going indefinitely, that’s also an option — just let the act become real, and once the rice is already cooked, so to speak…”

“Mu Mu — has someone put a hex on you?” His manner of speaking was getting more and more brazen.

“It’s not often I get the chance to play husband and wife with you — can’t I even enjoy it a little?” He suddenly stood and walked toward her.

Feng Jiu’er met his gaze head-on, without the slightest intention of evading. “What are you doing?”

“A fine night, a lovely scene, a lone man and a lone woman — what do you think I’m going to do?”

He was already right in front of her, leaning down and drawing close. “Jiu’er — you smell so good tonight.”

“Hey! I’m warning you — I will resist with everything I have!” She meant it!

“Go ahead — hit me, scold me — just let me get close.”

“Are you really Mu Mu? Or has someone actually put a hex on you?” Good heavens — this Mu Mu was something else entirely! Had he been swapped out with someone?

“Don’t come closer — if you come any closer, I’m calling for help!”

“Go ahead and call. Everyone outside is my people. You could scream yourself hoarse and no one would come to your rescue.”

“Mu Mu, you — get away from me right now — ah! What are you doing! Let go, let go — ahh!”

Bang — the door was kicked open with a single blow.

A guard with a face full of blade scars stormed in, his icy gaze locking directly onto Mu Mu.

Jiu’er had barely had time to process what was happening before she was rolling across the bed, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. “It tickles — it tickles so much — ah — ha! Hahaha — let go! Let go! It tickles — hahaha!”

Mu Mu finally released her. His indifferent gaze settled on the guard, his smile carrying an unreadable quality.

“It’s nothing — just teasing the little lady. Go back to your post.”

The guard’s fierce, ruthless eyes swept across them both. As Feng Jiu’er sat up, he stepped back swiftly toward the door, and with a bang, pulled it shut behind him.

That temperament… what a peculiar guard — with a temper that sharp, wasn’t he at all afraid of his employer?

“He’s your man?” Feng Jiu’er smoothed her hair. “He’s so cool!”

“Mm.” Mu Mu gave a nod, and whatever glimmered at the depths of his eyes, Feng Jiu’er couldn’t quite read.

“Why tease someone like that on purpose — look, you even startled the guard.” Jiu’er couldn’t help herself and landed a kick at his waist.

“You’re just too sensitive — you were grabbed for all of two seconds and you laughed like you were being ravished.” Mu Mu chuckled and climbed off the bed, returning to the chair.

Judging by his manner, his mood seemed, if anything, even better than before.

She had no idea what was going on in that man’s head. The whole thing earlier — it really did feel like it had been deliberate. Making her look like she’d been ravished — or had she been wrong about that? Did he not know she was terribly ticklish? He’d actually gone and tickled her — that was simply lethal!

“I’m warning you — no more of that.”

“I’ll do it again tonight. Count on it.”

“Just try it!”

“Alright—”

“Fine, you win — happy now?” Don’t, really — she genuinely couldn’t bear being tickled, not even the slightest bit. She would laugh herself to death.

A pleased smile settled into Mu Mu’s eyes, and his gaze drifted briefly to the door, his lips curving a fraction deeper.

“Since you’ve accepted reality — come help your husband change and retire for the night.”

Feng Jiu’er sat cross-legged on the bed, studying him. “But if you leave — what about the Ninth Imperial Uncle? What happens on his end?”

If the Ninth Imperial Uncle were truly caught up in something, and during that very time someone led troops against Phoenix City — at least Mu Mu could get back there first.

With Mu Mu’s command abilities, he could hold things together safely until the Ninth Imperial Uncle returned.

Now that Mu Mu was gone, Phoenix City would still face an unknown threat.

“Why are you thinking about that fellow? Do you really think so little of him? Is that why you worry so much?”

“Who said the Ninth Imperial Uncle is incompetent?” Incompetent was not the word. But the Ninth Imperial Uncle was, for all that, an ordinary man — and being an ordinary man meant he couldn’t truly be without limits.

“I thought in your eyes he was all-powerful — turns out he’s only so-so after all.”

Mu Mu refilled his cup of tea. His mood tonight was even better than usual. He called out toward the guard at the door, “Nothing here that needs you. Go rest in the next room.”

The guard outside gave no response whatsoever, remaining exactly where he stood — motionless and cold.

Jiu’er frowned slightly and couldn’t help tilting her head to peer toward the door. “That guard of yours… he certainly has a personality. Who is he?”

Mu Mu didn’t answer her. Instead he called out toward the door, “She’s asking who you are.”

The guard promptly turned — and walked away.

Feng Jiu’er was completely speechless. A guard with that much nerve — this was simply… remarkable. Too cool for words.