The carriage stopped, and when Feng Jiu’er got out, she realized they really had returned to that same brothel.

Well, at least her little scheme just now hadn’t been wasted — and she’d even swallowed poison for it, hadn’t she?

A man like Mao Linye surely had a household full of concubines back home.

She hadn’t even made it home yet, and she’d already had her brush with “death.” If he truly hadn’t wanted her to die, he probably wouldn’t have brought her along in the first place.

If he didn’t trust her, if he didn’t care whether she lived or died, that was another matter entirely.

After the two got off the carriage, someone from the brothel came out to greet them. That person said something to Mao Linye that Feng Jiu’er didn’t catch, and then she and Qiao Mu were led back to their private room.

Inside the room, Gong Xinyue had been waiting the whole time.

Feng Jiu’er also noticed two tall, formidable men standing guard outside the door, both holding swords.

Hearing the door open, Gong Xinyue stood and hurried out to meet them.

“Big brother, you’re finally back.”

Gong Xinyue looked at Qiao Mu. “They said the token is missing and searched this whole place from top to bottom.”

“Not only that!”

Gong Xinyue glanced at the two men by the door. “I’ve even been confined here.”

“Big brother, are you two all right?”

Anxious, Gong Xinyue grabbed hold of Qiao Mu’s arm and looked her over.

She saw no injuries on Qiao Mu, so she turned her attention to Feng Jiu’er — clearly, Qiao Mu mattered far more to her than Feng Jiu’er did.

“Is she all right?”

Gong Xinyue hadn’t failed to notice that Feng Jiu’er’s face was paler than before, but for now, she could only hide her own worry.

She’s just a little sister who got sold off — why would anyone feel that much for her?

“Second brother, I’m fine.”

Feng Jiu’er kept her head down, hiding behind Qiao Mu.

The two men standing guard outside, along with the one who had escorted Qiao Mu and Feng Jiu’er back, all took note of the scene.

Qiao Mu turned and asked one of them, “Is the token really missing? When did this happen?”

“That’s not something you need to concern yourself with!”

The man glanced at her and turned away.

“Until the token is found, none of you — especially you!”

He looked at Qiao Mu, the one who had returned with Feng Jiu’er.

“Don’t even think about leaving this place. Someone will come to search you shortly.”

“The token disappeared while it was on you. You’re the most likely suspect — you’d best cooperate!”

The man snorted coldly and turned to walk away.

The two guards pulled the door of the private room shut from either side, quickly, slamming it closed with a bang.

Qiao Mu barely managed to step back in time and was nearly struck in the nose.

She let out a muffled grunt and turned to walk further into the room.

“Didn’t they say a thief broke in? Don’t think I didn’t hear it. Calling this a brothel — it’s more like a den of thieves.”

“For all we know, they hid the token on purpose to frame someone! We should never have stayed.”

“Big brother.” Feng Jiu’er went over and took hold of Qiao Mu’s hand.

Qiao Mu snorted again and shook her off, sitting down at the low table.

“I think big brother has a point. Why would the token vanish the moment it appeared? This is all your fault!”

Gong Xinyue stared at the woman standing off to the side.

“Why did you even touch that token? And then hand it to big brother? Is that something we’re even allowed to touch?”

“Now look what’s happened — the token’s gone, and I don’t even know if big brother and I will be trapped here for the rest of our lives.”

“I’m telling you, you did this on purpose, didn’t you? You just want to get back at us, don’t you?”

“Come here…” Gong Xinyue, looking ready to explode with anger, pointed a finger at Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er didn’t step forward — instead, she took half a step back.

“I didn’t,” she said, head lowered, fingers laced together in front of her chest, feet turning slightly inward, her big toes nearly overlapping.

“I think…” Feng Jiu’er’s voice came out a little hoarse.

She let out a sob before continuing. “I think the boss isn’t a bad person. He’s been very good to me.”

“Maybe the token really did just go missing. Maybe. The boss even saved me just now — how could he possibly be a bad person?”

“That’s not it!”

“Are you already speaking up for him now?”

Gong Xinyue abruptly stood up. “I told you to come here. Are you coming, or not?”

Soon, a girl’s low cry of pain sounded from within.

Mao Linye raised a hand and personally pushed the door open.

Inside the private room, Gong Xinyue had shoved Feng Jiu’er hard. Feng Jiu’er stumbled backward, unable to keep her footing, and fell into a corner of the room.

“What’s going on here?”

Mao Linye’s low voice echoed through the entire room.

His appearance made even Qiao Mu, who had been sitting, rise to her feet.

Whatever the case, they’d both come from a poor mountain village with no power or standing, so of course they’d be afraid of someone as wealthy and powerful as Mao Linye.

Gong Xinyue coughed lightly and said, “Nothing’s going on.”

Feng Jiu’er braced herself against the shelf behind her and stood up, shaking her head vigorously. “Boss, I’m fine, I just tripped and fell on my own.”

Mao Linye personally went over and helped Feng Jiu’er up.

Feng Jiu’er bit her lip and looked up at him. “Boss, my big brother and second brother didn’t steal the token. Really, they didn’t.”

It was Jian Yi, that’s all! Feng Jiu’er noted to herself that she was genuinely relieved — a whole hour had passed and the token still hadn’t been found, which meant Jian Yi hadn’t been caught.

“You just took the antidote. You need to rest now.”

Mao Linye, supporting Feng Jiu’er, glanced around. “Which room is yours?”

The private suite was designed as a small hall with three rooms attached, and Mao Linye had no idea which one belonged to Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er glanced at the door on the left and said, “This one.”

“I’ll walk you in.”

As Mao Linye guided Feng Jiu’er forward, he glanced outside. “Have someone bring bathwater in for the young lady.”

“Yes.” A man nodded in acknowledgment and left.

Mao Linye pushed open the door, and after entering with Feng Jiu’er, he quickly stepped back out.

Qiao Mu and Gong Xinyue stood on either side, neither one speaking.

Mao Linye swept a glance over both of them and said coldly, “Whoever bullies her again — get out of my sight!”

He dropped those words and left.

The door to the suite was closed, and only the presence of one person remained outside.

Soon after, someone else came in, bringing bathwater for Feng Jiu’er’s room.

A woman stayed behind to attend to Feng Jiu’er’s bath, then had the water carried away and left as well.

A while later, someone brought in food, delivering it directly to Feng Jiu’er’s room rather than leaving it in the main hall.

After delivering the food, the woman paused and looked at Qiao Mu and Gong Xinyue seated by the low table.

“The boss says that without his order, none of you are to leave, not even a step.”

The woman set down her words and left without waiting to see if there would be any response.

The suite’s door was closed. Qiao Mu and Gong Xinyue stood up and pushed open Feng Jiu’er’s door.

“What happened to you?”

Qiao Mu sat down on Feng Jiu’er’s left side.

Gong Xinyue went in and sat down on her right.

Feng Jiu’er put away her packet of silver needles and looked at the two of them. “You can eat, go ahead. We didn’t eat much at midday either.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she scooped up a spoonful of bird’s nest soup and put it in her mouth.

“I’m fine, don’t worry!”