“Why aren’t you sitting?” the young master asked, supporting his chin and smiling lightly at Yi Qing.
Yi Qing was stunned, quickly removing his hand from the chair back. I understood; sitting down would mean he’s with us, while not sitting would maintain his status as the groom’s family member—the young master was warning Yi Qing about his position.
I noticed that the cup from earlier had been knocked over on the ground. I bent down to pick it up; fortunately, it wasn’t broken. After wiping it clean and placing it back on the table, I looked up and met his gaze.
“I heard… that spirit foxes can transform into humans. I wonder if other animals…”
I recalled: Could other animals transform into humans, like—a cat!
Mu Jiyu! That little baby who hung a bell on me and stole my first kiss!
I stared at him with wide eyes, but he had already withdrawn his gaze, smiling and pouring wine, toasting everyone at the table.
Did he recognize me? It was understandable that Xiaozi and Wuchen, with their extraordinary backgrounds, would recognize me. But how could he know? It made me uneasy to think he viewed me as a cat demon.
Watching him glide between the tables, I felt a tingling discomfort from being seen through.
“Cough, that man is quite nice.”
“Yes, he is… uh.” I turned to Xiaozi, whose expression was unsettling, though she smiled brightly. Closing my eyes, I steeled myself—not admitting to any improper thoughts about him, which I convinced myself I never had.
“Does Xiao Xin know him?” Even Wuchen was curious.
“No!” I replied firmly, “Who would know such a messy guy who doesn’t comb his hair or dress properly?” I curled my lip.
Meng Yu’s finger moved back and forth on his cheek. “But his clothes seem made of silk from snow silkworms, and the slippers are agarwood…”
“So what… what? Agarwood!”
I screamed, drawing the attention of nearby guests. Laughing awkwardly, I waved to indicate it was nothing, and everyone returned to their previous liveliness. Mu Jiyu, as if knowing my thoughts, glanced over with a smile.
“Is agarwood really that valuable?” Yi Qing, who had been silently watching us, suddenly spoke.
I was stunned: “Those slippers could buy this entire Mu residence.”
Yi Qing nodded blankly: “Oh.”
