Chapter 54: Probing

Since the Qin Yu incident, Xu Cheng and Lu Mingshuang had been keeping an even closer eye on the Qin siblings.

Bai Heng noticed.

Although the two still kept a low profile, every time Qin Yun went into the mountains, a gaze followed from afar. 

When Qin Yu played in the village, someone was always watching from not far away.

Their intentions were hidden, but it was true that they couldn’t escape her eyes.

The newly arrived Mu Xuejun had naturally fallen into their sights as well.

That day when Mu Xuejun followed Qin Yun up the mountain, Xu Cheng stood at the courtyard entrance, gazing toward that direction from afar.

Lu Mingshuang walked up beside him.

“You saw?”

Xu Cheng nodded.

“I saw.”

Lu Mingshuang frowned slightly.

“What’s her background?”

Xu Cheng did not answer, only gazing in that direction, lost in thought.

After a moment, he spoke.

“What do you think?”

Lu Mingshuang thought for a while. 

She paused. 

“I can’t tell her depth. Her aura is peaceful, her manner natural. She doesn’t seem like a cultivator. But she doesn’t seem like an ordinary mortal either.”

Xu Cheng nodded.

“Then let’s keep watching.”

In the following days, the two began paying attention to Mu Xuejun.

She moved around the village, chatting and laughing with the villagers, helping with work—everything was no different from an ordinary person.

But the more this was the case, the more the two paid attention.

It was too natural.

Natural in a way that didn’t seem feigned.

But a lone woman daring to travel around in these times—how could she not have some skill?

One day, Mu Xuejun was washing clothes by the stream.

Lu Mingshuang came over with a basin and squatted down beside her.

“Mu jie.”

Mu Xuejun looked up, saw it was her, and smiled.

“Miss Lu.”

The two washed clothes together, chatting on and off.

Lu Mingshuang asked.

“Mu jie, how long have you been wandering the jianghu?”

Mu Xuejun thought for a moment.

“Not long. I just walk around and look around, going wherever I end up.”

Lu Mingshuang nodded. “Aren’t you afraid, traveling alone?”

“Afraid of what? There are many bad people in this world, but there are also plenty of good ones. If you meet bad people, just run.”

Lu Mingshuang also smiled.

“Mu jie is quite open-minded.”

The two chatted while finishing the laundry, then walked back together.

When they reached the village entrance, Mu Xuejun suddenly stopped and looked toward the distant mountain forest.

Lu Mingshuang followed her gaze.

There was nothing there.

She withdrew her gaze and looked at Mu Xuejun.

Mu Xuejun had already continued walking forward, her expression normal.

Lu Mingshuang narrowed her eyes slightly.

That glance hadn’t looked like she was just admiring the scenery.

But she didn’t ask, only kept it in mind.

That night, Xu Cheng and Lu Mingshuang were talking inside the house.

“She noticed?”

Lu Mingshuang nodded.

“Today at the village entrance, she glanced toward the forest. That direction is where we usually observe from.”

Xu Cheng was silent for a moment.

“She could detect it? It’s uncertain. It might have just been a casual look.”

Lu Mingshuang shook her head.

Xu Cheng thought for a while.

“I’ll go meet her tomorrow.”

The next day, when Xu Cheng stepped out, he happened to meet Mu Xuejun coming out of Grandma Jiang’s courtyard.

He walked up and clasped his fists in greeting.

“Miss Mu.”

Mu Xuejun saw him and smiled.

“Young Master Xu.”

The two stood and talked.

Xu Cheng asked.

“Miss Mu, did you come to this village to see the scenery?”

Mu Xuejun nodded.

“I heard the spring scenery in these mountains is beautiful, so I came to have a look.”

Xu Cheng also nodded.

“It is indeed beautiful. I’ve stayed here for a while too. When I get tired of reading every day, I walk around.”

He looked at Mu Xuejun.

“Miss Mu has traveled to many places. What do you think of the scenery in these mountains?”

Mu Xuejun thought for a moment.

“Other places have their own beauty. But the mountains here, the village here, the people here—they make one feel at ease.”

She paused.

“What do you think, Young Master Xu?”

Xu Cheng nodded slightly. “Indeed. I also like this kind of peace and quiet.”

The two exchanged a few more words before parting ways.

When Xu Cheng walked back, Lu Mingshuang was waiting for him in the courtyard.

“How did it go?”

Xu Cheng shook his head.

“Not a single leak.”

He paused.

“But there is one thing.”

Lu Mingshuang looked at him.

Xu Cheng said.

“When she spoke, her gaze occasionally swept over that patch of forest in the distance. That direction happens to be where you usually observe from.”

Lu Mingshuang’s brows furrowed slightly.

“She really can detect it?”

Xu Cheng did not answer.

After a moment, he spoke.

“No matter who she is, as long as she doesn’t cause trouble, we’ll let her be.”

Lu Mingshuang nodded.

The two said no more.

That day, Qin Yun went up the mountain again.

He had just reached the edge of the forest when he saw Mu Xuejun squatting on a rock, gazing into the distance.

“Mu jie?”

Qin Yun walked over.

Mu Xuejun turned her head, saw him, and smiled.

“Why are you here?”

Mu Xuejun pointed toward the distance.

“Enjoying the scenery. The view is open here.”

Qin Yun followed her gaze.

In the distance were layers upon layers of mountain forest. It was indeed beautiful.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Mu Xuejun.

“Mu jie, do you come here every day?”

Mu Xuejun shook her head.

“Not really. I just happened to have time today.”

She stood up.

“Are you going to see Miss Bai? Shall we go together?”

Qin Yun nodded.

The two walked forward along the mountain path.

After walking for a while, Mu Xuejun suddenly asked.

“Qin Yun, how long have you known Miss Bai?”

Qin Yun thought for a moment.

“Almost a year.”

Mu Xuejun nodded.

“She treats you quite well.”

Qin Yun scratched his head.

“It’s my family who treats her well. She’s just remembering the kindness. At first, she seemed quite annoyed by me.”

The two reached the edge of that forest. Mu Xuejun smiled.

Qin Yun stopped and called out.

“Bai Heng jie!”

A moment later, Bai Heng leapt out from the forest and squatted on the rock.

She saw Mu Xuejun and gently flicked her tail.

Mu Xuejun also smiled and waved at her.

Qin Yun placed the food he brought on the ground and stepped back a few paces.

Bai Heng slowly walked over and began eating.

Mu Xuejun squatted beside her, watching her eat.

Qin Yun also squatted down, quiet and still.

Sunlight filtered through the mountain forest branches and leaves, casting irregular patches of light that swayed with the wind.

After finishing the food, Bai Heng lifted her head and looked at them.

Mu Xuejun suddenly spoke.

“Miss Bai, do you know Xu Cheng and Lu Mingshuang?”

Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.

She did not answer.

Mu Xuejun didn’t need her to.

“Those two have been observing me.”

Her tone was calm, as if she were talking about something completely unrelated to herself.

“Xu Cheng came to talk to me. Lu Mingshuang also chatted with me by the stream. They were both probing.”

Qin Yun listened, somewhat surprised.

“Mu jie, you mean…”

Mu Xuejun waved her hand. “It’s fine. They have no ill intentions. They’re just being cautious.”

She looked at Bai Heng.

“Miss Bai, what do you think?”

Bai Heng was silent for a moment, then gently flicked her tail.

Mu Xuejun smiled.

“Then it’s fine.”

She stood up.

“I’m heading back. You two chat.”

She waved at Bai Heng and turned to walk down the mountain.

Qin Yun watched her figure disappear, then turned back to look at Bai Heng.

“Bai Heng jie, who exactly is Mu jie?”

Bai Heng looked at him but did not answer.

Qin Yun waited a while, then asked no more.

He stood up.

“Bai Heng jie.”

Bai Heng looked at him.

Qin Yun stood there, thought for a moment, and said.

“No matter who Mu jie is, she treats you well and is warm-hearted yet measured toward everyone in the village. That’s already very good.”

“Mm.”

Bai Heng responded softly and said.

“She truly has no ill intentions. Her identity, on the contrary, isn’t that important.”

Qin Yun smiled and nodded.

Bai Heng nodded. “Then I’ll head back too. I’ll come again another day.”

Qin Yun waved at her and turned to walk down the mountain.

Bai Heng squatted on the rock, watching his figure disappear, and gently flicked her tail.

That night, Xu Cheng and Lu Mingshuang were talking inside the house again.

“She still goes up the mountain every day.”

Xu Cheng nodded.

“She should be going to see Miss Bai.”

Lu Mingshuang looked at him.

“Do you think she might also be here for that matter?”

Xu Cheng was silent for a moment.

“It’s possible.”

He paused.

“However, even though she gets close to Qin Yun, she hasn’t done much. She just enjoys the scenery or chats with Miss Bai.”

Lu Mingshuang frowned slightly.

“Then what is she waiting for?”

Xu Cheng did not answer.

After a moment, he spoke.

“Everyone is waiting. Let’s keep watching.”

Lu Mingshuang nodded.

Outside the window, moonlight spilled down.

The village was silent.