Inside and outside the carriage, there was no sound except the clatter of hooves.
After an unknown period of silence, a smile flickered across Wei Zimao's lips, restoring his image of being gentle and refined. "Young Master Bai must have misunderstood. I have never been one to instigate trouble from the sidelines. I merely convinced Madam Shen that Young Master Shen had his reasons and urged Young Master Shen to speak them out. This was clearly helping them."
"Whether or not you instigated trouble, Young Master Wei knows best. With Madam Shen's intelligence, she will eventually see through your methods," Ji Mo Bai said calmly. "However, as a friend, I kindly remind you, Young Master Wei, that hearts are fickle."
Over the years, he had seen too many dissolute young men turn into infatuated lovers, and deep-hearted individuals become selfish. He had witnessed the proud bow their heads, and the timid become brave...
People were never just one-sided.
Ji Mo Bai sighed. "Although I cannot see, I can feel that there is affection between Young Master Shen and Madam Shen. If a relationship becomes a regret, it will be carried in one's heart forever."
He had overheard the conversation between Wei Zimao and Li Yue Shu that day from a distance, his hearing being sharper than ordinary people.
He hadn't spoken up until now, wanting Wei Zimao to figure things out for himself.
Wei Zimao fell silent.
Fickle hearts?
Of course, he knew hearts were fickle, which was why he liked to plan every detail, no matter what he did.
If he won, he would have a chance to stand by Li Yue Shu's side; if he lost, he wouldn't even be able to be her friend...
Silence permeated the carriage until it stopped, and Zhai Song's voice came from outside, "Young Master, we have arrived."
Wei Zimao seemed to snap back to attention and looked at Ji Mo Bai. "Since Young Master Bai is leaving, why did you suddenly tell me all this?"
Ji Mo Bai picked up the bundle beside him and paused before replying, "Perhaps because besides Madam Shen, you are my only friend."
Since escaping, he had never lingered anywhere for long. Tongmu County was an exception, hence he had few friends.
"Friend?" Wei Zimao murmured to himself, his thoughts drifting.
Having said all he needed to say, Ji Mo Bai naturally did not linger and got up to bid farewell.
Wei Zimao saw him out of the carriage and watched the two figures, one large and one small, gradually disappear into the crowd, his eyes filled with an unreadable expression.
Zhai Song, standing beside him, observed his expression and asked cautiously, "Young Master, is this Young Master Bai really leaving for Madam Shen's sake?"
With his profound internal energy, he had clearly heard the conversation in the carriage.
Wei Zimao did not turn around. "He has no reason to lie about something like this."
Zhai Song scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat confused. "Such selfless dedication, does he also like Madam Shen?"
Wei Zimao turned to look at him, his expression deepening.
The word "also" was quite cleverly used!
As if sensing his gaze, Zhai Song turned his head, his expression blank. "Did I say something wrong?"
Wei Zimao pursed his lips, his eyes flashing. "He does not like Madam Shen."
Zhai Song was taken aback and didn't quite believe it. "When he discusses medical matters with Madam Shen, there's a tacit understanding that outsiders can't penetrate, and he always looks out for her. Even to the point of doing something like this selflessly. How can that not be liking her?"
"Mutual appreciation between men and women doesn't necessarily have to be love," Wei Zimao said, turning to get back into the carriage, not wanting to elaborate. "Let's go, we should be heading home too."
Zhai Song, having followed him for many years, immediately sensed that his last remark seemed to carry a hidden meaning.
He turned to look, only to see his young master had already entered the carriage and closed the curtain.
Zhai Song asked no further questions and obediently drove the carriage.
The carriage began to move again, without stopping, heading towards Li Yue Shu's home.
Meanwhile, Wei Zimao leaned against the carriage window, feeling the dazzling sunlight on his face, and recalled Ji Mo Bai's words.
Given Li Yue Shu's personality, even if she hadn't fallen out with Shen Wei directly due to the children, she shouldn't be acting as if nothing had happened.
Had he truly miscalculated something?
Should he continue to take a gamble?
...
The carriage gradually drove away, while Ji Mo Bai and Man Xing, who had already walked some distance, stood afar and looked back.
Ji Mo Bai could not see, but he knew that his words had unsettled someone's mind.
If not for the four children, even if Madam Shen had feelings for Young Master Shen, she would have surely fallen out with him.
But because of those four children, Madam Shen had more concerns in her heart, and would naturally be more tolerant towards Young Master Shen.
This was something Wei Zimao had not accounted for.
At some point, Man Xing had clutched a red bead with a string, one end of which was attached to a tassel, making it look as if it had been meticulously designed.
He gazed in the distant direction, his eyes filled with reluctance.
He had made many friends here, and now that they were parting, he didn't know if they would ever meet again. He was naturally reluctant to leave.
Man Xing looked up at the person beside him. "Young Master, now that we are leaving like this, aren't you worried that Madam Shen will use poison to harm people again?"
Ji Mo Bai's lips curved into a smile, firm and confident. "She won't."
When he had first learned that Li Yue Shu used poison to retaliate against Shen Wang, he had indeed worried that she would go astray.
However, after learning about the Shen family's actions and interacting with Li Yue Shu, he knew she would not do such a thing.
Man Xing did not know his thoughts and was only surprised by his confident tone.
"Young Master, aren't you always the one who hates people who use poison the most?" he asked, full of confusion. "In the past, when you encountered such people, you would deal with them mercilessly. Why are you different with Madam Shen?"
Ji Mo Bai did not explain and raised his hand to pat his head. "When you are a little older, you will slowly understand."
Man Xing was, after all, a child. In his understanding, everyone was either black or white.
While Ji Mo Bai indeed detested those who used poison, he did not pursue all of them to the death.
If they had not committed heinous acts and were genuinely repentant, he was naturally willing to give them a chance.
After all, his own early studies involved poison refinement, and he had once walked that path.
It was just that no one knew these things.
...
Ji Mo Bai was usually a man of few words, so his departure did not cause much discomfort to the others.
However, Shen Tingyi had grown accustomed to bickering with Man Xing, and suddenly having no one to bicker with, she even lost her appetite.
Li Yue Shu naturally noticed Ah Yi's unease but didn't say much. Instead, before going to sleep that night, she prepared some small snacks for her.
The little girl hadn't eaten much at dinner and would surely be hungry at night.
That night.
While everyone was fast asleep, a figure suddenly scaled the garden wall.
"Hiss—"
With a sharp intake of breath, the figure tumbled down from the wall, his palm covered in blood.
The next moment, a figure suddenly appeared before him. The restrained aura indicated that this person's strength was clearly superior to his.
He immediately became vigilant.
At the same time, Li Yue Shu, inside the house, opened her eyes.
She glanced at the sleeping Mother Mo and cautiously emerged from the room.
As she opened the door, she saw Shen Wei also emerging from another room.
The moment their eyes met, they both froze.
Then, their gazes shifted to the corner not far away.
There, two figures were locked in combat.
Li Yue Shu frowned and took a step closer, gaining a clearer view of the two faces.
They were both people she knew!