d.a.m.n h.e.l.l!! Madam Guo'an cursed in her heart.
Yet, as Madam Guo'an recalled the humiliating spectacle at the palace banquet last time, which had kept her indoors for over half a month, an inexplicable unease washed over her upon encountering Qiao Mu now.
This girl was undeniably peculiar, and she couldn't muster the courage to confront her head-on again.
"Qiao Mu, I-I'm warning you!" Madam Guo'an quivered inwardly and attempted to a.s.sert herself. "You, put him down immediately. Let's part ways. Just go away, and I'll pretend I've never seen you… Aiyo."
Before Madam Guo'an could complete her sentence, Qiao Mu's sudden advance startled her, prompting her to hastily retreat a few steps.
"Why are you so shameless?" Qiao Mu regarded her dispa.s.sionately and remarked, "Fifth Young Sir Qin doesn't appear to have any fondness for you. Why persist in bothering him?"
Madam Guo'an seethed with anger, her face reddening. She couldn't contain herself and protested, "What do you know! He's mine now. Fifth Young Sir is simply shy by nature and isn't adept at expressing his feelings."
In response, Qiao Mu released her grip on Fifth Young Sir, who felt like a discarded heap of rubbish at the hands of the pet.i.te lady.
Her gaze upon him was akin to that of someone observing a clump of dirt. She even hastened to retrieve a small white handkerchief from her pocket to wipe her hands.
A mixture of humiliation and anger flickered across Fifth Young Sir's eyes. He strained to move his feeble limbs but found himself utterly powerless.
"You, don't, don't believe, believe her nonsense!" In a state of desperation, Fifth Young Sir reached out, clutching a ribbon on Qiao Mu's skirt. He struggled as much as he could. "She's spouting nonsense!"
"I have no interest in whatever you two are up to!" Qiao Mu retorted impatiently, her demeanor indifferent. "You can resolve your issues yourselves."
She had more pressing matters to attend to—she needed to promptly find Lian. She had no time to engage with these idle individuals!
"You, you can't… Cough, cough. I was captured by her! You, you were well aware!" Fifth Young Sir Qin erupted in anger until his entire body trembled. He seethed at the young lady's frigid and unyielding nature, as well as his own lack of cultivation, rendering him utterly helpless, like a fish on a chopping board, awaiting its slaughter.
"Wah!" He coughed up a mouthful of blood in the heat of his anger, and it splattered onto the ground, forming a pool of crimson.
The stoic young lady paused in her tracks and glanced down at him. Witnessing his genuine outburst of anger and visible distress, she found herself pacing in annoyance.
In the end, her conscience p.r.i.c.ked her, and she backtracked to lift Fifth Young Sir once more. Her expression remained stoic as she coldly commanded Madam Guo'an, "Leave."
Madam Guo'an seethed with anger and let loose a barrage of curses. "Stoic face, do you really think I'm afraid of you? Guards!"
At Madam Guo'an's order, four or five individuals who resembled hidden guards swiftly gathered behind her.
Qiao Mu cast her a disdainful glance and scoffed. "You think you can stop me with just a handful of weaklings? Your naivety knows no bounds."
"How sanctimonious!" Madam Guo'an retorted with a feigned smile. "Seize them!"
"Watch out for her poison."
Qiao Mu, once more, unceremoniously set down Fifth Young Sir Qin and withdrew a small black device measuring about a third of a meter from her consciousness pool. A few tiny blue flames shot forth toward the hidden guards, simultaneously taking flight.