Chapter 264: He's Getting Serious

Mu Nan Zhao looked at Gu Xixi, "Speak."

Gu Xixi clasped her hands, made a solemn bow, "Thank you for the seeds you found; they are exactly what I wanted."

"To be frank, I've been making inquiries everywhere, but even if it's An Qinghe from the Western Regions, his hometown has never seen cold melon and foreign persimmon."

Mu Nan Zhao had been listening calmly, but upon hearing An Qinghe's name, a faint gloom gathered in his eyes.

"How is it him again?"

The volume was almost a whisper, and somewhat muffled; Gu Xixi didn't hear clearly, "What him?"

Mu Nan Zhao said coldly, "Nothing, go on."

Gu Xixi said, "So I'm quite clear, these seeds were not easy to obtain; they certainly cannot be simply measured by money."

She stared into Mu Nan Zhao's eyes, solemnly said, "No reward without merit; Lord Mu, whatever you want, if I have it or can do it, I will give my all."

Saying that, she bowed again.

Mu Nan Zhao's eyes deepened and dark; after a moment, he spoke lightly, "Lord Mu? That title from your mouth is rather novel."

"You're being so polite with me; one thing for one thing, every item accounted for clearly."

"And with that barbarian, calling him by name, you can commission him to do anything."

"You don't fear owing him, but you dread owing me. Why?"

Gu Xixi startled.

He Jinglan saw the situation, knowing she shouldn't stay nearby, she casually made an excuse and slipped away.

Gu Xixi opened her mouth, "I..."

Her thoughts were in disarray; for a moment she didn't know how to answer.

Mu Nan Zhao said, "Because you fear owing me, you'll get entangled with me."

"You don't want to be entangled with me, so as long as each time we settle clearly, we can owe nothing to each other."

"Best if I, and that past Chen Fang, could completely disappear from your sight, never to appear again."

Gu Xixi felt a pang of panic, even daring not to look Mu Nan Zhao in the face, she couldn't help but step back.

Previously, when facing Mu Nan Zhao, she had never felt this way.

How did he know what she was about to say next?

Gu Xixi had originally intended to lay her cards on the table and say that today he publicly gave gifts in Chen Fang's name; although she didn't know his exact purpose, she hoped he wouldn't do so again in the future.

From now on, after this parting, there's no need to trouble oneself sending anything, nor need to be so ostentatious; Gu Xixi really couldn't bear it.

The trouble is, facing Mu Nan Zhao like this, the words she had prepared became hard to utter.

It felt as if she were treating Mu Nan Zhao's good intentions as waste and letting him down.

Mu Nan Zhao gazed at Gu Xixi and slowly stepped forward.

He took a step, she retreated a step, until her back hit the bathroom door, with no way back.

"Gu Xixi, what will you give me in exchange? Money? Grain? Like An Qinghe, help me make money?"

Mu Nan Zhao raised his hand and slammed it on the door with a bang. "If what I want is, to offer yourself?"

Gu Xixi shuddered in shock, her mind went blank and she even forgot to be afraid, she lifted her eyes and stared fixedly at Mu Nan Zhao.

Mu Nan Zhao curled the corner of his mouth, as if giving a cold laugh or a bitter smile, "Do you really just want Chen Fang to disappear?"

Gu Xixi's thoughts resumed, shocked, she wondered, his proposal last night—could it be genuine?

What to do?

How to respond?

No, no, why does hearing him say that make my heart flutter, even feel reluctant?

Gu Xixi was never one to deceive herself; she nervously tried to sort out her thoughts.

I must figure out what my feelings toward him really are.

In the past few times we've shared hardships, she indeed developed some fondness for Mu Nan Zhao.

But that was merely fondness.

Imagine a tall, handsome man, versed in both civil and military affairs, who not only often helps and protects her in daily life, but they also owe each other life-saving debts; it's hard to imagine not having any fondness.

Yet even adding up all those past fondnesses, they cannot outweigh the survival crisis of being a female side character.

And now?

Gu Xixi was still racking her brains, truly unable to come up with an answer.

Mu Nan Zhao, however, thought she was deliberately avoiding him, he let go of his hand and said coldly, "Gu Xixi, you like farming; for those lousy seeds, you don't hesitate to lower yourself before someone you don't want to be involved with."

"You value loyalty; you can take the risk to keep He Jinglan. You can set aside past grudges and teach those people to grow millet. You can support that barbarian, helping his Seedling Merchants Association gain a foothold."

"Gu Xixi, where is your loyalty toward me?"

"Even if you stayed with me at first because I coerced you, you had no choice. But later, when I fell unconscious in the rear mountain trap, you could have ignored my life or death, yet you still cared for me. On the snowy night at the border, you went and returned, not just dragging me along to survive. To detoxify me, you spared no expense seeking medicine, even encountering a wolf pack, your life hanging by a thread."

"Are all these things you did out of necessity?"

Gu Xixi's eyes flickered, her mind in a hundred twists and turns, becoming even more confused.

It seemed there was an answer she could grasp if she reached out, but she hesitated to do so.

"I..." she struggled to stay calm, returning to the previous topic, "I merely took your things and didn't want you to lose out. I treat other friends the same way, with give-and-take, and I'm not deliberately targeting you."

A light laugh came from above, Mu Nan Zhao's.

He was laughed at in anger, "You insist on harping on this? If we talk about owing, how would I calculate? Over the past year's medical expenses, the luminescent bone flowers used as medicine primers, you helped the Northwest Army reclaim land, which also benefited me; the lifesaving favor, the favor of sending charcoal in the snow and taking me in, even you baking steamed buns for me late at night..."

"Why don't you teach me how to assess the value of these?"

Gu Xixi muttered, "I know that in this world not everything can be calculated clearly."

"But you're quibbling! I never said you sent me seeds for me to repay with money!" She resentfully lifted her head and glared at him, like a trapped little animal.

"I just can't figure out what's going on! You said you weren't forcing me, but aren't you forcing me now!"

Mu Nan Zhao had never seen her look so wronged yet endearing; his heart softened involuntarily, and his tone relaxed.

He stepped back two paces to widen the distance, his eyes looking elsewhere.

Forget it, I still need to bathe; you may go.

At daybreak the next day, Lai Fu had already pulled the cart to the village entrance.

Hearing He Jinglan sigh repeatedly behind her, Gu Xixi said helplessly, 'From sighing since last night until now, I haven't been this worried; what are you worried about?'

He Jinglan sighed again, 'I just don't understand: since you're sure you have feelings for him, why are you avoiding him?'

Gu Xixi said anxiously, 'You don't understand; it's only him that I can't bring myself to act against!'

He Jinglan had tried to persuade her last night without success, and she also knew there was nothing to be done.

She muttered, 'You said you wouldn't leave the village lately, yet to avoid someone you're disregarding danger.'

Gu Xixi said, 'These days everything is peaceful; I need to quickly secure those two fields, as the tea saplings are suitable for July planting and cannot be delayed.'