Do You Like Me That Much? Miss Villainess

Little Bai's guilt persisted until the carriage stopped.

Before them stood the gates of Prince Qi's mansion.

The gatekeepers knew her well, nodded, reported to their superiors, then let her in.

Bai Yuyu acted sneakily, looking from afar inexplicably like a tiptoeing cat stealing fish, quite comical.

She always felt Shen Yao's gaze looked particularly eerie.

She had arranged to go out with Mu Qinglan today, with the meeting point set at her back garden. After all, Fragrant Mountain was still quite a distance from the city center, and Little Bai wanted to fiercely make up for all the chatting they hadn't done these past few days in the carriage.

Arriving at the back garden.

Seeing Mu Qinglan staring blankly at the flower beds, Bai Yuyu's eyes flashed. She lightened her steps and silently approached.

Hehe, I'll startle her.

Mu Mu definitely didn't expect me to arrive this early.

But before she could get close, she saw Mu Qinglan "happen to" turn her head. Seeing her like this, she feigned surprise:

"Little Bai is here? What's with that posture—you look like a cat stealing fish."

"Who... who's a cat stealing fish!" Bai Yuyu loudly protested guiltily.

Not sure which word hit her sensitive spot.

Mu Qinglan looked puzzled: "Then why are you sneaking around? People who know you would know you're a constable, but strangers might think you're some kind of criminal."

"What criminal! I just wanted to startle you!" Bai Yuyu said angrily.

"How would that startle anyone?"

Mu Qinglan scoffed mockingly and led Bai Yuyu to the carriage at the back gate.

The coachwoman cheerfully nodded, thinking to herself that this white girl had finally come again. She hadn't visited for half a month—they thought she'd had a falling out with their young miss!

The past few times Bai Yuyu visited Prince Qi's mansion and was sent out by carriage, it was always this coachwoman driving.

"Hold on tight."

The auntie reminded them and cracked her whip.

Crack—

The carriage rolled westward.

Fragrant Mountain was located west of Heyang City, about dozens of li away. Leaving the city required passing through several checkpoints and layers of inspection, potentially taking several hours on the road.

So both gave up lunch and brought a portable meal instead.

"What did Mu Mu bring? Let me see." After boarding the carriage, Little Bai was in high spirits, leaning forward eagerly.

"Just eat less on the road, didn't prepare anything fancy." Mu Qinglan said lazily.

"I knew I'd get hungry in the carriage, so I specifically had my family pack lots of delicious food," Bai Yuyu said proudly, winking suggestively: "Mu Mu, beg me and I'll share mine with you."

"Hehe," Mu Qinglan turned away, casually looking out the window: "Fatty."

"Who's fat! I'm a warrior—eating more is normal!"

Bai Yuyu was very angry, puffing up like a pufferfish, looking at her with dissatisfaction.

How could you call a girl fat!

Outside the carriage, the driving coachwoman revealed an "as expected" smile. They were flirting again—the young miss and the white girl had such a good relationship.

○

In the end, Bai Yuyu still shared her lunch with her.

And unilaterally declared victory.

Mu Qinglan smiled and didn't mind, letting her think that way.

Sometimes, accepting such unilateral gifts from others without giving equivalent returns could appropriately bring two people closer together. Moreover, gifts of low value but containing heartfelt intentions were most suitable.

On one hand, it could create an unequal relationship dynamic, forcefully bringing them closer.

On the other hand.

I don't have much to give back right now, so I'll find an appropriate opportunity later to give something back and ask her out—she probably wouldn't refuse.

Of course, Mu Qinglan wasn't constantly thinking about these things.

She just felt her stomach wasn't great, and soft meals were indeed delicious.

In the end, they arrived at Fragrant Mountain around 2 PM, with Bai Yuyu pushing her as they rolled along to find the pre-booked inn.

They booked four rooms total—one for each person.

Aside from Mu Qinglan and Bai Yuyu, the coachwoman was responsible for maintaining the carriage, and Miss Shadow One was responsible for protecting their safety.

Honestly, Mu Qinglan had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds. She'd toss and turn on foreign beds and couldn't fall asleep. But she had a solution—sleeping while hugging familiar things. Ah Qi was perfect for this, but she couldn't say this as it would damage her bad woman dignity.

In the room, Bai Yuyu held a box of pastries, speaking unclearly:

"Mu Mu, aren't you hungry?"

"..." Mu Qinglan looked at her with disgust, everything left unsaid.

Her health really wasn't good—she couldn't eat much or she'd feel very uncomfortable. But Little Bai, aren't you worried about becoming fat at all?

When Mu Qinglan asked, Bai Yuyu had this expression o.o

Head itchy, would beautiful girls really get fat from eating?

"When the sun gets smaller, let's go out and look around. Didn't your family say Fragrant Mountain would recently have a weapon containing moonlight power emerge?" Mu Qinglan asked.

"Mm." Bai Yuyu swallowed the rice cake in her mouth with a gulp: "They want me to get it myself."

"This thing should be quite popular, right? Your family is so at ease with you?" Mu Qinglan was puzzled.

Bai Yuyu smugly hummed.

"Originally my family was going to send an auntie to support me, but when I said I wanted to come with you, Mu Mu, they all felt reassured and said the two of us together would be fine."

"Plus they've already found leads on another weapon for me, so this time is just trying our luck."

"Too many people here want to compete for it."

Mu Qinglan's eyes moved slightly as she nodded in understanding.

I thought so—the weapon Bai Yuyu gets early on shouldn't be this one from Fragrant Mountain. She probably didn't manage to get it in the end.

So it stayed here and became a weapon side quest for players.

Right, a side quest.

One that Mu Qinglan had played through several times. Why several times? Simple—the weapon was too strong and useful for pioneering, though it wasn't suitable for spellcaster and mechanist professions, so she had no attachment to it in this life.

Therefore, when she heard Bai Yuyu's invitation, Mu Qinglan's first reaction was what a coincidence.

Her second reaction was...

Interesting possibilities?

She had played this side quest several times and was very familiar with it. With her guidance, even an eighty-year-old grandmother could single-handedly complete the non-combat portions. Guiding Bai Yuyu would naturally be no problem. Googlᴇ search novelꜰire.net

Of course, there were benefits for her coming too.

This was a weapon side quest plot—not too long, but with many combat segments. And combat meant...

Combat! Awesome!!

Sorry, wrong set. Let me try again. And combat meant...

Experience!

Lots of experience!

Even if this early-stage dungeon's strength was far inferior to fifth-rank experts, accumulating bit by bit, a bunch of full-strength eighth and ninth-ranks combined could yield considerable experience.

Your timing is perfect.

Moreover, this weapon's phenomena were restrained, attracting few experts. The dungeon was simple but the rewards quite good.

This could be called the dog company's welfare for players struggling with pioneering.

So when Mu Qinglan learned of this, she immediately agreed and ignored Miss Bai Yuyu's three-day tour idea, preparing to help her explore herself and awaken a strong desire for compatible weapons.

Mu Qinglan: You want it.

Bai Yuyu: I don't, don't talk nonsense o.o

Mu Qinglan: Hehe, whether you want it or not doesn't matter. Get a gold weapon so you can conveniently help me in the future!

If you don't work hard, how will the bad woman boss upgrade to a new car and live in a big mansion in a first-tier city?!!

"Let's go, let's go."

As soon as the sun got smaller, Mu Qinglan urged Bai Yuyu to go out.

Bai Yuyu had done some homework beforehand. After leaving the inn, she looked left and right, occasionally muttering a few words, looking quite knowledgeable: "Let's go that way—the scenery is better there. Want me to add a layer of clothing for you?"

"No need, just return before nightfall," Mu Qinglan said: "By the way, do you know the way?"

"Of course."

"I've wanted to visit Fragrant Mountain for a long time, but I was always too busy before and had no time. I finally solved a major case and can finally come out for some fresh air."

Little Bai chuckled.

There was another reason she kept to herself.

As an honorary constable of Six Bureaus, though Little Bai was busy, she wasn't without any leisure time. The reason she didn't come out was simply that she hadn't met friends she wanted to accompany on outings.

Shen Yao had a good relationship with her, but she was cold and boring. After going out once, she never invited her again.

Being friends with a big ice block was fine, but going out to play together?

Boring, boring.

Hmph, compared to that, Mu Mu was much better.

But she couldn't tell her this, or where would her chief constable dignity go? She'd think I was begging her to come out and play!

Hmph!

○

Deep autumn in November, with layers of forest in full color.

Outside the city at Fragrant Mountain, the upward slope was covered with red leaves. Looking up, it seemed to burn all the way to the horizon following the mountain's contours.

Little Bai pushed Mu Qinglan upward.

The stepped mountain path was on the other side, quite far from where the weapon was suspected to appear. Building stone steps was quite troublesome, so both were strolling on mountain trails with relatively little grass.

The path was fairly spacious, with occasional hurried passersby brushing past.

"You two?"

Suddenly, a black-clothed woman in casual dress called out to them from a few steps away.

Mu Qinglan was startled. Could someone actually recognize them in this place? Enemies? Or petty thieves seeking death?

While thinking, the woman approached a few steps and said:

"If you two are tourists visiting the mountains, it's best not to go that way. There's a rare treasure emerging there, and many martial artists have gathered for days. In their irritation, they might harm you both."

Bai Yuyu raised an eyebrow. Seeing it was well-intentioned advice, she didn't say much.

Just hummed: "We're not pushovers either."

The black-clothed woman looked slightly surprised: "Are you two also here for that item?"

"Yes."

Bai Yuyu didn't want to say more. She was quite wary of strangers.

Seeing she couldn't learn anything, the black-clothed woman could only nod, excuse herself, and leave with her companion down the mountain, gradually disappearing into the distance.

After confirming they had gone far, Bai Yuyu turned around and said earnestly to Mu Qinglan:

"Outside isn't like Heyang—there are many more bad people."

"Mu Mu, don't casually trust others. Some people smile at you but can stab you twice in the blink of an eye. That person just now might have good intentions, but we should just accept the advice and not rashly let them extract information from us."

Mu Qinglan looked impressed: "I see."

Bai Yuyu blinked and boasted:

"Hmph, Mu Mu still has much to learn! Talent alone can't catch up to Master Bai's rich jianghu experience!"

"Master Bai is so amazing—" monotone

"You don't believe me?"

"I believe—" monotone

"Then why that tone?"

"Isn't this being shocked by Master Bai's domineering aura—" monotone

"Ahhhh, I'm seriously teaching you about the world and you don't believe me! So infuriating!"

Bai Yuyu stamped her feet angrily, quite indignant.

○

Down the mountain path, the black-clothed woman's companion looked back indifferently.

"They're problematic?"

The black-clothed woman's eyes turned slightly cold as she shook her head, but still explained: "Rich family miss, just worth noting. This rare treasure's emergence has weak phenomena, but surprisingly many people want to compete. It's been dragged out for two months—even rich young ladies from the city have come."

"Heh."

Her companion smiled coldly. After returning to their inn room, she continued: "The more people who come, the better, isn't it?"

"True."

The black-clothed woman smiled and said: "We've planted quite a few people. Unless this attracts sixth-rank or higher top experts, they're all just making wedding clothes for us."

"Sixth-rank? Unless someone urgently needs moonlight weapons, who would care about this?"

"Only we who are ordered to collect special weapons..."

Her companion pursed her lips and sighed:

"But we can't be too careless either. I heard that a few days ago, Lord Wu Zhong was forced to confess and beheaded by the court over a small matter," she said with a slight shiver: "That was fifth-rank!"

The black-clothed woman also felt chilled. After a while, she sighed:

"Let's just do our job. Such matters are far from us."

"Mm, everything for the Lord."

"Everything for the Lord."

Creak—

After the door lightly closed, the room returned to quiet.

○

"Look, that's the divine light from the rare treasure's emergence. It's quite clear at night, but we don't know where exactly it is."

Little Bai stood behind, pouting as she adjusted the wheelchair's direction.

Mu Qinglan squinted to look.

The sky was already somewhat dark, but in the mountain hollow before them, there was faintly a pale moonlight slowly flowing. The light was like floating ribbons continuously circling in the mountain forest.

Below the light were many martial artists, looking like a swarm of industrious ants from afar.

"They'll know once I arrive." Mu Qinglan said casually.

Bai Yuyu looked sideways: "Mu Mu is that confident?"

Even she wouldn't dare say that!!

"Just wait and see." Mu Qinglan was indifferent.

"No, no," Bai Yuyu shook her head vigorously, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration and smiled mischievously: "Mu Mu is so reliable today, I want to commemorate it! How about we make a bet?"

Mu Qinglan pondered briefly: "What kind of bet?"

"Let's bet on whether we can find that weapon, how about it?" Bai Yuyu said expectantly.

Mu Qinglan looked at her strangely, as if looking at someone mentally ill.

Bai Yuyu felt uncomfortable and pouted: "What's wrong?"

"Aren't you the one who came to find this weapon? I think we can find it—what are you betting? Betting you can't find it yourself?" Mu Qinglan asked back. She could tell Little Bai's words hadn't gone through her brain.

"Oh right!" Little Bai slapped her hand, saying blankly: "I came to find that thing."

Head itchy, feels like a brain is about to grow.

Fragrant Mountain's scenery was actually quite nice. Normally at this time of year, many people from the city would come to enjoy autumn.

This year there were fewer city folk.

But more jianghu wanderers.

Since there was no rush to return, Mu Qinglan watched Bai Yuyu think and think, occasionally sneaking glances back at her. When she noticed her staring, she'd quickly turn back around.

After a long while, Bai Yuyu mysteriously ran back and said:

"Mu Mu, I thought of how to bet!"

"Mm?"

Mu Qinglan made a magnetic sound, her expression casual.

Bai Yuyu's eyes were about to turn red with envy, thinking when would she have such an alluring appearance, but still said generously:

"Whoever finds it wins. If neither of us finds it, you win. How about it?"

"Consider it compensation for dragging Mu Mu out."

"Fine." Mu Qinglan said.

She leaned back in her wheelchair and began thinking.

In that case, she would definitely win. Little Bai's methods for finding things were eight hundred streets behind hers.

Not to mention she still remembered most of the side quest plot.

"But..." Mu Qinglan frowned, thinking: "This isn't convenient for winning."

No way, no way.

No one would really develop fighting spirit when going out to play and betting with a girl, trying everything possible just to beat her once, saying "Haha, good thing I didn't lose, or where would I put my face!"

Hehe.

She thought only silly things like idiots would say that!

"If I win, you have to date me, okay?"

"No problem! But we won't lose!"

Mu Qinglan wasn't deliberately trying to lose, but Little Bai had been teased so many times on the road. Getting some compensation like this was good—consider it leaving a beautiful memory.

She had to think...

"By the way, what's the wager?" Mu Qinglan remembered this matter.

"Uh... treat to a meal then," Little Bai hadn't thought of any good ideas and said simply, then quickly added: "Made by a master chef!"

"As you wish."

Whatever, treating to a meal was treating to a meal. She wasn't short on money and could treat anyone.

Besides, didn't this provide another excuse to ask her out?

Little Bai chatting with her daily was one thing, but specifically asking her out gave a completely different feeling from daily interaction.

Just... inexplicably more intimate!

○

Around 9 PM, Bai Yuyu refused Mu Qinglan's suggestion to go down and take a look. She firmly turned around and pushed the wheelchair back, stating that she had already promised Sister Shadow One they couldn't stay out too late.

Miss Mu Qinglan was a delicate child who couldn't stay up all night and had to listen to her bodyguard sister and Little Bai sister.

In Heyang City, curfew had already begun—just past the second watch.

But outside the city, there weren't so many restrictions.

You could have ghost armies passing through or hundred demons walking at night, and no one would care. At most there'd be investigation afterward.

Saying goodbye to Bai Yuyu in the third-floor corridor of the inn, the door banged shut. Mu Qinglan sat in her room, summoned Ah Qi, then under the latter's bewildered gaze, hugged her and vigorously petted her.

Ah Qi didn't talk much and felt comfortable being petted, so she quickly closed her eyes and ascended to heaven.

Occasionally meowing twice.

"..."

Mu Qinglan thought for a moment.

From Little Bai's expression tonight, she seemed firmly convinced that she couldn't possibly gain anything from this. This wasn't her looking down on or belittling Mu Qinglan.

Rather.

This phenomenon had been circling this damn place for two whole months. During this time, even sixth and fifth-rank experts had come to look. After two days of finding no clues and feeling this small phenomenon wasn't worth the effort, they left.

It really wasn't an easy item to find.

If not for its phenomena and containing moonlight power, continuously attracting newcomers, plus some weaker martial artists dreaming of obtaining powerful weapons for instant success, no one would be looking anymore.

Did they really think everyone's time was for wasting? With this time, wouldn't doing other things be better?

Little Bai didn't have a must-obtain mindset either.

She was actually quite indifferent. Even if she couldn't get this one, her family would prepare a weapon no worse than this for her—it would just take longer.

But this trip was a sightseeing tour for her!

With a good friend.

If not for happening to coincide with Mu Qinglan wanting to farm some experience and help Bai Yuyu improve her strength, this trip would probably just be sightseeing, then returning empty-handed like the original plot.

'Mm, let me recall the process... what was the first step again?'

Mu Qinglan rubbed the cat's belly while pondering.

'Hiss... I really can't remember clearly. I only remember it was in a tree hollow of a crooked-neck tree, stuffing a stone picked up from the ground? The stone seemed to have requirements too…'

'Forget it, never mind. I'll check tomorrow.'

'Looking at the scene, I'll mostly remember what I don't recall. At most it's just a little trial and error.'

Hmm, that's settled.

"Ah Qi, come sleep!"

Meow~ Ah Qi looked confused. Before she could react, she was swept into a pair of slender arms, then sealed with flesh.

Snore snore, time to sleep.

○

In autumn, the weather was naturally colder than usual.

Even these past couple days had been quite overcast—clearly looking like rain was coming.

Bai Yuyu glanced overhead worriedly:

"Mu Mu, let's go back this afternoon. It's going to rain, and taking the carriage home will be troublesome."

Mu Qinglan nodded: "Alright."

Yesterday, after some searching, Mu Qinglan had completely recalled how to trigger this side quest and found the corresponding location, but she wasn't in a rush to start.

In her view, discovering the ruins opening when they were about to leave on the last day—that was called a surprise.

This was called playing hard to get.

Finding it and immediately making a fuss, bringing Little Bai into the ruins—that was called being a brute. She might even think you got dog-shit luck without much feeling.

But if the timing was right, dog-shit luck could also be destiny!

Right?

Miss Bai Yuyu?

And now was about time to let Little Bai feel destiny.

"Little Bai."

"Mm?"

Mu Qinglan acted like she just remembered: "I recall your family's hereditary skill is throwing techniques. Did you know in advance this thing would be useful for you?"

"No, no," Bai Yuyu shook her head. Remembering she hadn't told Mu Mu, she said: "It's for personal reasons. I want a weapon with moonlight power."

"They don't sell them in the city?"

"They sell them in the city, but what they sell isn't great. I want a better one."

Mu Qinglan nodded curiously, then said:

"Then show me your skill. My family's skills are all for warriors—I haven't seen much of this stuff!"

Bai Yuyu hesitated for a moment: "Find an open space?"

"Right here is fine," Mu Qinglan smiled sweetly. "No need for the real skill. Just take a stone and show me Chief Constable Bai's never-miss throwing technique... um, with the stone, go ahead and hit... mm, that tree hollow over there."

"Eh?"

Little Bai pouted, obviously unable to accept that her family's skill had fallen to the same level as stone-throwing.

She wanted to refuse, but...

"Chief Constable Bai, please, I want to see!" Mu Qinglan clasped her hands together, speaking sickeningly sweet.

Bai Yuyu felt secretly pleased, hummed twice, nodded, and didn't care about these things anymore.

She took the small stone and without really looking over there, casually flicked it.

Whoosh—

The stone streaked across in a white line, thudding into the tree hollow.

"How's that? Amazing, right!" Little Bai put her hands on her hips, looking very proud.

"Amazing." Mu Qinglan smiled.

"Now that you know it's amazing... eh?"

Bai Yuyu was speaking when suddenly the ground began to shake. The surrounding pale moonlight bands suddenly accelerated, converging before that tree hollow into a mysterious swirling portal.

"Eh? A secret realm?"

Bai Yuyu was stunned, instinctively turning back to look at Mu Mu, who had just told her to throw a stone at that tree hollow.

Was it her?

But she discovered Mu Mu's expression was even more surprised than hers, with curiosity and faint anticipation mixed in.

Didn't seem like her doing.

So it was luck? Little Bai's mood soared.

Worthy of being Mu Mu, my lucky star. Every time I go out with Mu Mu there are surprises!

Looking forward to next time!