Chapter 22: Tangled Schemes

Inside the small, dilapidated wooden house, Mu Sui had returned early. He sat where he always did, looking weak and haggard—completely unlike the confident man who had spoken decisively with Chen Sha in the forest earlier.

Mu Sui had thought it through. Though he had fallen into the Nai River the previous day, he hadn’t choked on the river’s poisonous water, but Meng Ruji didn’t know that. The river was notorious for its deadly toxins; anyone at the marketplace could confirm it. Mu Sui was certain that in this broken-down market, Meng Ruji wouldn’t be able to find a way to detoxify the river’s poison. 

So, he decided to pretend to be poisoned and trick Meng Ruji into revealing how to practice the inner elixir. As long as he continued acting like the same foolish Mu Sui, she wouldn’t suspect anything.

After a while, Meng Ruji returned. Mu Sui eyed her gloomily, noticing that something seemed… off about her. She wasn’t as anxious or concerned as he expected. Instead, she was eyeing him with suspicion, and her steps were slower than before.

If she had found out at the market that the Nai River’s water was poisonous and there was no antidote, she shouldn’t be so calm, right?

Something had changed. He was sure of it. But Mu Sui pushed those thoughts aside and did his best to keep up his act.

Meng Ruji, too, was studying Mu Sui carefully. He sat exactly where she had left him, his face still pale. Even the faint sparkle in his dark eyes made him appear pitiful. 

Yet, despite his outward appearance, Meng Ruji couldn’t shake off her doubts. His expressions and movements seemed a bit… off to her. But she didn’t rely solely on her instincts. She was waiting for a sign. 

She had tucked a small, gray-black stone into her belt, leaving just enough space for it to signal her. According to Yan Tianjun, if Mu Sui was truly the Lord of Zhuliu City, the stone would jump twice. 

But time passed, and the stone didn’t react. Meng Ruji found herself standing at the door for what felt like an eternity. Finally, unable to wait any longer, she walked toward Mu Sui, despite the lingering doubts in her mind.

Mu Sui, noticing her strange hesitation, asked, "What's wrong?"

Meng Ruji gave a nervous laugh. "Nothing... You just look so pale; it startled me."

She smoothed her dress and moved closer, preparing to sit. As she bent down, the stone in her belt moved. 

Once.

Meng Ruji froze mid-movement.

Once—not twice. 

Her mind raced. If Mu Sui was the Lord of Zhuliu City, the stone should have jumped twice. So what did it mean that it only jumped once? Was Yan Tianjun wrong? Or was the stone just being unreliable?

Mu Sui, noticing her awkward posture, tilted his head in confusion. "Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

Meng Ruji’s irritation at the situation was mounting. She resisted the urge to storm out, throw Yan Tianjun to the ground, and demand an explanation. Instead, she awkwardly patted the hem of her dress. 

"I thought I had something on my clothes," she muttered, before finally sitting down.

Mu Sui watched her, still confused, unsure what to make of her strange behavior.

The silence stretched on. Eventually, Meng Ruji broke it, choosing a neutral topic. 

"How are you feeling?"

Mu Sui seized the moment. "I drank some of the Nai River’s water, and my chest hurts a little."

As he mulled over how to subtly steer the conversation toward the inner elixir, Meng Ruji casually responded, "Oh."

That one word seemed suspiciously nonchalant to Mu Sui.

"I bought an antidote," Meng Ruji said, pulling a small pill wrapped in oil paper from her sleeve and handing it to him. "Here, take it."

Mu Sui stared at the pill, stunned. 

He looked up at her, confusion and shock written across his face. There’s an antidote? In this market? Since when? And how did she afford it? Was it real medicine or a fake?

But before he could voice any of his doubts, Meng Ruji swiftly unwrapped the pill and shoved it into his mouth. "It’s not bitter!" she exclaimed, lifting his chin so he had no choice but to swallow it.

Mu Sui swallowed the pill before he even knew what had happened. 

"It’s something I learned with children," Meng Ruji explained cheerfully. "They don’t like taking medicine because of the bitterness. But if you do it like this, it goes down quickly without any trouble."

Mu Sui glared at her silently. Was the medicine real? Fake? He couldn’t tell.

But what unsettled Mu Sui even more was his body’s involuntary reaction. His heart raced, and his throat tingled. He felt like shouting, "She touched my Adam’s apple!"

"Stop it!" He scolded himself inwardly. "What a ridiculous thought!"

Meanwhile, Meng Ruji, noticing Mu Sui’s clenched jaw and closed eyes, asked, "Is it bitter?"

Mu Sui didn’t respond.

Growing more anxious, she grabbed his arm. "Did I give you the wrong medicine? Should I take you to a doctor?"

Just as she was about to pull him to his feet, Mu Sui suddenly placed his hand over hers.

"There’s no need." He opened his eyes and looked at her, his face flushing red with embarrassment. He struggled to speak, his lips trembling slightly. "I’m just... overwhelmed with joy because you touched me."

Meng Ruji froze, her heart skipping a beat. 

"He... said the same thing before falling into the Nai River."

"Shameless..."

Inwardly, Mu Sui cursed himself as well. "Where did I learn to say something so cringeworthy?"

"So disgusting..."

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