"My... what woke you?" Meng Ruji's confusion deepened as she looked at Mo Li, clearly not understanding his question. "When did I pull you out of the river?"
Mo Li blinked. "I sensed the breath of your inner elixir."
"It wasn’t me," Meng Ruji immediately denied. "You’re looking for someone else."
She hesitated, then decided to hide Mu Sui. Letting this "immortal old man" go after Mu Sui would only bring trouble!
So, Meng Ruji continued, "My inner elixir was stolen. It’s not with me. You’ve got the wrong person. Go find whoever has it."
"I gave you the inner elixir, and you used it to your advantage. I don’t care what happened after. I only recognize you." Mo Li’s voice became serious. "As for it being lost or stolen, that’s your problem. Whether grandsons should care for the elderly is up for debate, but children must. You’re responsible for me until I no longer want to live."
Meng Ruji was speechless, her lips stuck as if glued shut. She wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words.
The inner elixir *was* given to her by Mo Li.
Hengxu Mountain was built because of the elixir.
She had survived countless dangers thanks to its power.
In truth, Yan Tianjun had saved her life.
Mo Li wasn’t wrong!
And his request wasn’t unreasonable—just food, shelter, and care until he died. It wasn’t much.
If this had been before, Meng Ruji would have agreed immediately. But now? Now she didn’t have enough to support herself, let alone an elderly immortal!
She still had Mu Sui to worry about. How could she support them both?
"I’m broke," Meng Ruji finally muttered, pulling out a pill wrapped in oil paper. "This is all I’ve got. How can I support you when I can’t even support myself?"
Mo Li eyed the pill in her hand. "Eight silver?"
"That’s it."
"What’s it for?"
"Ingestion of Naihe water."
"Naihe water is slightly poisonous." He looked at her curiously. "You don’t look like you drank it."
"I bought it for a friend."
"A loyal friend. You’re quite good to Mu Sui."
"Saving a life... wait, what?" Meng Ruji stopped short. "What did you just say?"
Mo Li’s lips curled into a knowing smile. "You’re so good to Mu Sui."
Meng Ruji’s eyes widened. "How do you know Mu Sui?"
"I heard you call his name last night," Mo Li replied casually. "In his arms."
That sentence sounded ambiguous, causing Meng Ruji to rub her temples. The truth dawned on her—Mu Sui had fallen into the Nai River, and the inner elixir in his body had awoken Mo Li. In a panic, Mu Sui must have pulled him ashore.
"If you can’t support me, that’s fine. Mu Sui can. Since you’re such good friends, ask him for help."
Meng Ruji ignored him, pondering how to rid herself of this clingy immortal.
"He’s the Lord of Zhuliu City. He must have the means to care for me."
Mo Li’s comment froze Meng Ruji’s thoughts of knocking him out and burying him in a pit.
"What did you just say?" she asked, eyes narrowing.
Mo Li grinned. "Mu Sui is the Lord of Zhuliu City. You didn’t know?"
Meng Ruji, of course, hadn’t known. She tried to brush it off. "He came here with me. Maybe you’ve confused him with someone else."
But then, voices from her memories echoed in her mind.
*"We ferried a man not long ago. The mayor of Zhuliu City, a man wealthy enough to rival a nation."*
Meng Ruji fell into deep thought, connecting the pieces. She hadn’t seen Mu Sui’s face last night, but the name was unmistakable.
Mo Li’s voice broke through her thoughts. "Your loyalty is commendable, but it seems your friend hasn’t been entirely honest with you."
"It’s just a name," Meng Ruji murmured. "Besides, Mu Sui doesn’t remember anything."
"Does he really remember nothing?" Mo Li’s voice was soft, almost hypnotic, but it lingered like a question... or a confirmation.
Meng Ruji looked up at him. His thin red lips curled into a knowing smile. Had Mu Sui really forgotten?
She recalled his strange behavior after emerging from the Nai River and his confession that morning. He claimed to remember some things—how he had stolen her inner elixir—but nothing more.
"You won’t need much to take care of me," Mo Li said, drawing her attention back. "I can turn into a stone. You can carry me around, keep me warm, and only need to feed me occasionally. Easy, right?"
Meng Ruji stared at him.
"I’ve been in Wuliu Land a long time. There are rules you don’t know. I know people you don’t."
Meng Ruji raised an eyebrow, considering his words.
"You don’t have to agree right away," Mo Li added with a smirk. "Just try me."
"Try what?"
"Carry me around. Let me meet Mu Sui. If he’s really the Lord of Zhuliu City, we’ll know soon enough."
Meng Ruji stretched out her hand to Mo Li: "Come here..." Halfway through, she withdrew her hand, "This doesn't mean I promise to take care of you in your old age."
Mo Li smiled. "Alright, once things are confirmed, you can come back and talk to me. There are still many things you don’t understand about Wuliu Land and Zhuliu City. Don’t be too quick to reveal everything to Mu Sui."
"I’ll be careful with what I do, Lord Yan Tian. You should focus on your own tasks for now."
Mo Li looked at her with a knowing smile. "Xiao Meng, you’ve changed quite a bit since the first time we met."
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