Chapter 419

Yueyun nodded: "Then why did Master leave him there to guard the prisoner?"

Actually, she still had many questions to ask.

Qilin: "Don't ask so many questions for now; finding Andeluo is urgent!"

He was still worried about Mu Yuanzhi, but now he could only entrust her to those four people; he had to focus on finding Andeluo.

Senior Sister will definitely be fine!

At this moment, Mu Yuanzhi still didn't know where she was; the sound of the lock being opened just now seemed like an illusion, and there had been no movement outside for a long time.

But for some reason, she always felt that someone was outside!

This feeling was very strange, without cause, just intuition.

If there was someone outside, who could it be? Xiao Yichen? Why wouldn't he just come in?

Was he trying to make her panic?

An hour had already passed, and sometimes she wondered if she was just being paranoid.

Just as Mu Yuanzhi was about to give up that thought, there was movement outside the door again—this time it was the sound of the door creaking!

She immediately sat up straight, focusing all her attention on the direction of the gatehouse.

There really was someone outside!

They were about to come in!

I have to say, this trick is really brilliant—it makes people's nerves extremely taut.

This time, Mu Yuanzhi wasn't suspicious; the door was pushed open directly from outside, and a pair of expensive boots stepped in first.

Mu Yuanzhi recognized those boots; they were the ones she had once given to Xiao Yichen!

As expected, in the next instant she saw the face she least wanted to see—Xiao Yichen's sinister face.

He smiled like a ghost, showing no trace of the former noble young master.

Even during his exile, or the last time he kidnapped her son, when he was miserable and crazy, he had never been like this…

Mu Yuanzhi didn't know how to describe it; he didn't resemble Xiao Yichen at all, as if someone had possessed him and taken control of his mind.

She used the word "possession," even though she had only seen such bizarre things in storybooks.

Now it fits Xiao Yichen perfectly.

What's scarier than a ghost is the human heart; what happens when a corrupt heart meets an evil spirit?

Mu Yuanzhi warily stared at the slowly approaching Xiao Yichen, her palms clenched into fists, and she unconsciously shifted back a bit.

"Ah Zhi, long time no see." Xiao Yichen tilted his head and smiled.

Even his behavior and demeanor were different from usual Xiao Yichen!

Long time no see? We've only met twice!

Mu Yuanzhi decided to first temporarily calm Xiao Yichen, not to provoke him.

"It's been so long, but Master Xiao's hospitality has regressed."

She pondered, not knowing how to address Xiao Yichen without suddenly angering him.

"Master Xiao? That's an unfamiliar way to address me." Xiao Yichen chewed on that title, then laughed: "But I haven't heard it before; not bad."

He answered off the point, and his steps didn't stop.

Now she is the fish and meat, he is the knife and cutting board; she must not act on impulse!

Mu Yuanzhi silently warned herself.

"What exactly does Master Xiao want to talk to me about? And why did he bring me to Changle Palace?"

She pretended to think this place was Changle Palace, hoping to get Xiao Yichen to talk.

Xiao Yichen stopped his steps, standing a few steps away from Mu Yuanzhi.

He glanced around the room, then answered off the point: "Do you like this place? I remember you used to love Changle Palace; it was that vile woman Pei Yunxi who seized your sleeping quarters, forcing you to live in that desolate, abandoned palace!"

Xiao Yichen looked mentally unstable, his facial expressions somewhat twisted.

Mu Yuanzhi tried not to show contempt, and continued to argue with Xiao Yichen: "I haven't cared about Changle Palace for a long time."

Xiao Yichen said: "You don't care, but I do; we must return to how we were before, Ah Zhi. Changle Palace is where we first met; do you remember?"

She remembered; Mu Yuanzhi didn't want to remember, but this was a memory imprinted in her bones from a past life, and of course she remembered.

The first time she saw Xiao Yichen, she felt a fondness for him; this fondness accumulated day by day, quickly turning into love, a hopeless love, which was the beginning of her irreversible downfall.

Now, looking back, she only finds it laughable, feeling nothing at all.

What exactly does Xiao Yichen mean?

"You must live in Changle Palace, Ah Zhi; you are a little princess, my future wife." Xiao Yichen said, showing a look of longing, as if immersed in his own beautiful fantasy world.

If it were normal times, Mu Yuanzhi would have already cursed him, but now she can't do that; she can only suppress her nausea and pretend not to have heard.

"Ah Zhi, why no reaction? Aren't you happy?" Xiao Yichen stepped forward.

Mu Yuanzhi involuntarily leaned back, wanting to distance herself from Xiao Yichen.

However, behind her was a wall, so she could not distance herself at all.

How not to provoke a lunatic? It's too hard; Mu Yuanzhi recalled the last time Pei Yunxi schemed against her, when she was locked up with a madman, barely escaping death, and even thinking about it now still leaves her with lingering fear.

"Master Xiao knows full well."

She needed to respond, but couldn't anger him, nor could she disgust herself—it was too difficult!

"Knows full well?" Xiao Yichen repeated, looking suddenly enlightened: "You're still thinking about Gu Rongjin!"

Upon mentioning that name, Xiao Yichen's eyes filled with killing intent, his whole body exuded cold, and his entire aura changed.

"Why? Why do you love Gu Rongjin so much? Is it because he protects you everywhere? I can do that too! I can do anything for you now! Pei Yunxi is dead; no one can come between us anymore; we can reconcile as before!" Xiao Yichen spoke from the heart.

Ha, protecting her everywhere?

This is what she had dreamed of in her past life; telling her past self would surely move her to die without regret.

Yes, she is that humble and crazy; she could have died for Xiao Yichen, but Xiao Yichen only sends her to a dead end.

"It's too late." Mu Yuanzhi chose her words as gently as she could to avoid angering Xiao Yichen.

But Xiao Yichen wasn't appeased; hearing such words akin to rejection, he instantly flared up, raising his voice: "Why?! Because Gu Rongjin isn't dead yet, right?!"

Mu Yuanzhi's eyes snapped open, staring sharply at Xiao Yichen; she summoned every ounce of her lifelong patience to keep from cursing him out.

How dare you, of all people, speak of him?!

"Ah Zhi, what's that look? You can't bear to hear me mention Gu Rongjin, can you?!" Xiao Yichen was visibly more furious, his chest heaving violently, his whole being on the brink of madness.

Mu Yuanzhi wished she could grab something to defend herself, but there was nothing within reach; moreover, she was bound hand and foot, making it impossible to match Xiao Yichen—claiming she wasn't afraid or panicked would be a lie.

No one knows what a madman will do when he loses his mind.

"It's okay, I'll kill him; you wait here for me, Ah Zhi."

To Mu Yuanzhi's surprise, Xiao Yichen turned and walked away, but after only a few steps he turned back.