Don't mess with that Miao boy, he's sickly and perverted.

"What's going on here?" Jiang Zhiyu asked in surprise, looking at the sunflower seeds scattered all over the ground.

Song Yueyao had just called him up when she climbed back onto the roof beam and clung tightly to it.

"Look there!" she said, pointing randomly with her eyes closed, as if a terrifying thing was hidden there that could make one's soul fly away at the mere sight of it.

Jiang Zhiyu knew that Song Yueyao was fearless, carefree, and even a bit reckless and brave.

There's only one possibility that could make her show this reaction.

He looked in that direction and sure enough, there were more than a dozen rats curled up in the shadows of the corner of the room.

However, they were all stiff and motionless, their deaths bizarre.

In each eye socket, a melon seed is precisely embedded, deeply embedded in the brain.

He instantly remembered the bow that Wu Li had been carrying on his shoulder.

What amazing archery skills it must take to finish off these swift little creatures so precisely in such a confined space, using a tiny melon seed as an arrow.

Whether it was intentional or coincidental, every single one of the shots hit the eyes.

It was as if, before death, he was deliberately subjected to final suffering.

"There's another one that's disappeared to somewhere." Song Yueyao felt a chill run down her spine and couldn't bear to look at the pile of rats. Naturally, she was unaware of their miserable state and only urged Jiang Zhiyu to find the last one that had escaped.

She was awakened this morning by a rustling sound. When she opened her eyes, she saw a group of rats rummaging through her bundle, and several pieces of her clothes were torn.

The table and floor were covered with the crumbs of sunflower seeds they had cracked open.

In shock, she was about to rush out the door to find Jiang Zhiyu when she bumped into Wu Li passing by.

Without a word, the boy turned and went to the horse to get his bow. He grabbed a handful of melon seeds to use as arrows. The rats scurried away very quickly, but he hit his target every time, effortlessly wiping out the entire nest.

There was one last one left, which slipped into the crack in the wooden planks of the window. But after watching from the window for a while and saying a few words to those below, he didn't even bother to catch the last one. He turned around, said he had something to do, and hurriedly jumped out the window.

Before leaving, he also asked her for a cloak.

Song Yueyao initially wanted to refuse, since it was a woman's personal property and it wasn't appropriate for a man to take it. However, Wu Li gave her a reason that she couldn't refute.

He said this was what he used to catch mice—

*

"remuneration."

The boy's voice remained cold as he answered the girl's question while tying the ties on her cloak.

"Oh," Chai Xiaomi responded, her body suddenly enveloped in warmth, the fluffy trim brushing against her cheek, bringing a soft touch.

She felt a little more at ease.

It turned out he was just catching mice for the female lead; he thought she had ulterior motives for entering her room.

She was afraid that Wu Li had used a love potion on the female lead right under her nose.

However, he only helped a little and then stole the girl's clothes, which makes people wonder.

Chai Xiaomi moved her lips, but didn't expose him.

He secretly thought to himself: Who knows, maybe he just wants to keep it as a memento, to remember the person through the object.

Just as I was thinking this, Wu Li casually said, "I only lent you this because I felt sorry for you shivering like a leaf. Return it to me as soon as you get back to your room."

Chai Xiaomi pouted. Why is he being so fierce? I didn't offend him. He's acting like he owes me five million!

He even left her alone in the room, fearing for her all night.

Although, she was the one who took advantage of him first.

But last night, that was her first kiss...

Wu Li lowered his head and tied the knot. His gaze inadvertently lifted upwards, meeting Chai Xiaomi's slightly pouting lips. That dissatisfaction was clearly written on the corners of her mouth, which turned up higher and higher, almost catching the bow on his back.

Last night's soft tenderness suddenly returned to my mind.

His gaze was as if burned by something, and he abruptly looked away from her lips.

The fingertips that were tying the rope trembled almost imperceptibly, but then continued working as if nothing had happened, tightening the knot even more.

For the first time, his usually somewhat sarcastic expression cracked, revealing a hint of youthful, almost embarrassed embarrassment.

"Are you done yet?" Chai Xiaomi stood ramrod straight, following Wu Li's orders to stay still, but she was getting tired of standing, so she had to urge him, "Do you even know how to tie a knot? If you don't, I can do it myself."

Wu Li snapped back to reality amidst the urging, only to realize that she had unknowingly wrapped the knot layer upon layer, turning it into a tight, unyielding knot.

Chai Xiaomi noticed too, and, looking down at the tangled mess, she said with a stern face, "Tell me, did you do this on purpose?"

Okay, okay, but we just kissed, and you're already finding fault with me all morning.

Chai Xiaomi cursed under her breath as she began to struggle with the knots in the rope.

Wu Li's gaze fell on her temple, on the silver hairpin that he had taken off last night and placed by her pillow, only to have her put it back in. It was slightly crooked, swaying gently with her movements, radiating a soft glow and adding a touch of timidity.

"Do you remember what you did last night?" He suddenly reached out and grabbed the knotted rope, interrupting her movements. His eyes were filled with a complex and unreadable expression. "Or... have you forgotten everything?"

Chai Xiaomi hurriedly avoided his scorching gaze.

What's meant to happen will happen eventually.

Even if he managed to escape by sleeping, he couldn't escape being held accountable later.

Faced with Wu Li's accusatory questioning, her heart pounded, but she pretended to be nonchalant, blinking blankly and asking, "What is it?"

"I only remember drinking a few sips of rice wine, it was quite delicious, but then..." She touched her head, her face full of worry, "I felt dizzy afterwards. Did you ask me anything else?"

Wu Li suddenly released his grip.

Oh, I really forgot.

It turned out that her actions were merely involuntary, driven by the love potion, not her true feelings. Otherwise, how could she have forgotten so easily?

Even now, the soft touch and warmth against his lips are still so clear, as if they happened just a moment ago.

She said she had forgotten.

well.

To avoid blaming him later and demanding he take responsibility for clearing his name.

"It's best to forget." The boy pursed his lips, his eyes gradually turning red, his sinister gaze filled with coldness, devoid of warmth.

His originally aloof demeanor suddenly turned sinister and wicked.

He glanced at her indifferently, then turned and left.

"Hey, don't go!" Chai Xiaomi swallowed hard, and to make the act convincing, she fearlessly chased after him. "What's going on? Explain yourself!"

"Don't bother me." Wu Li continued walking.

"Where are you going?"

"Catch the rats." His voice was cold and hard. "There's still one left to clean up. Rats love to eat your kind of millet, always wanting more while eating what's in their bowl. And some rice just have the audacity to keep trying!"

Chai Xiaomi was completely confused by what he was saying. What was he talking about in such a sarcastic way?

A surge of anger rose within her, so she decided to provoke her: "What are you talking about? If you're so capable, explain what happened last night clearly!"

Wu Li suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Chai Xiaomi couldn't stop in time and crashed headfirst into his straight back.

She rubbed her temple in pain, only to see him slowly turn his head, a wicked smile curving his lips: "Then let me tell you, you drank bone broth last night, and it was stewed with corpse bones."

"Tch, you're kidding me, I don't believe you." Chai Xiaomi was sure he was just trying to scare her, that he really thought she was drunk, when she was perfectly sober.

His smile deepened, but it lacked warmth. His tone was light and airy: "That cup of rice wine tasted quite good, didn't it?"

Chai Xiaomi was completely stunned, her face disheveled in the morning breeze.

A voice screamed in her heart: He must be lying to me!

But his gaze was too certain, not at all like he was lying, and Chai Xiaomi suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.

"Yue Niang——!!!"

Just then, a heart-wrenching scream suddenly erupted from inside the inn, shattering the silence of the early morning.