Hearing this, Ye Zi’an glanced at Mu Shaoling indifferently, while Yang Chuxia eagerly looked at him as well.
But Mu Shaoling just wouldn’t speak.
Yang Chuxia knew Young Master Mu was just showing off again.
"Why don’t you say something!"
Yang Chuxia urged him once more.
But who would’ve thought that Mu Shaoling would widen his eyes, stand up from his chair, and say, "I won’t tell you!" before slipping away.
Leaving Yang Chuxia and Ye Zi’an staring at each other in disbelief.
"He just left like that?" Yang Chuxia asked incredulously.
Ye Zi’an nodded, "Yes, he really just left like that."
Yang Chuxia clenched her fists tightly, wishing she could stand up right now and chase after Mu Shaoling to punch him a few times.
"Xiaxia, don’t ask him about these things. If he really wants to say it, he’ll say it. If he doesn’t want to say it, he won’t tell you no matter how you ask him. Anyway, we know he has a purpose for coming here, so that’s enough," Ye Zi’an advised.
"Hmm, you’re right. I won’t ask anymore, no matter what he’s here for."
Yang Chuxia really didn’t ask anymore - she didn’t inquire about where Mu Shaoling went or what he was asking the villagers about, even when she occasionally saw him with Old Mu, and she never asked anything.
However, this time Mu Shaoling stayed for quite a long time. He had already stayed for a month, and he still hadn’t shown any signs of leaving.
"When are you leaving my house?" Yang Chuxia wanted to drive them away. This master and servant duo had been freeloading at her house every day, and they still didn’t tell her what their mysterious tasks were.
Alright, even though Yang Chuxia didn’t ask aloud, she was still very curious in her heart.
Seeing her disgruntled appearance, Mu Shaoling snorted, "It’s your honor that this young master is staying at your house. There are many people who would beg me to stay, and I still wouldn’t."
"I’m not begging you, so you can leave."
Upon hearing her words, Mu Shaoling hesitated for a moment before saying, "This young master won’t leave unless I’ve stayed here for three months to half a year."
"Give me money!" Yang Chuxia immediately stretched out her hand upon hearing this extended stay.
At the side, Ye Zi’an brought out an abacus and started to calculate, "Living expenses — including the one month you’ve already stayed and the next three months — total 300 taels of silver."
"Are you guys robbing me?"
Mu Shaoling shouted. Even if he stayed at the best inn in the county, he wouldn’t need 300 taels! Although, in his eyes, 300 taels wasn’t much.
Yang Chuxia snorted coldly, "You’re wrong; this isn’t robbery, this is extortion." As she finished saying this, she even laughed, and her laugh was as sweet as could be.
"You..." Mu Shaoling was momentarily speechless when faced with her openly shameless intentions. Grumbling, he pulled a silver note from his money bag and handed it to her, "Here, 500 taels. Keep the extra and consider it my reward for you!"
Yang Chuxia happily accepted the silver note, "Thanks a lot!"
After receiving the money, she no longer paid any attention to Mu Shaoling, and instead said to Ye Zi’an, "Brother An, remember the pair of jade hairpins we saw last time we went to town? The seller wanted a hundred taels, and we didn’t want to buy it. But now we have an extra 200 taels, so we can afford it."
"Whatever makes you happy!"
"Alright then, let’s go now!" And with that, Yang Chuxia dragged Ye Zi’an away.
Completely ignoring the fuming Mu Shaoling left in the room.
"She’s going to make you so angry that you’ll die," Ye Zi’an said once they left the room.
"Hehe, good. He’s so secretive on my territory," Yang Chuxia snorted, "and that Old Mu too."
"Speaking of Old Mu, have you thought of someone?" Ye Zi’an asked.
"That little girl who came with Mu Shaoling last time and always hung around Qingtong."