A Sand of Loose Pearls

Mu Yuejuan wore a red short-sleeved cheongsam patterned with blue flowers. Swaying her hips, she strolled lazily out of the western-style house.

She held a rolled cigarette between a pair of tweezers, took a gentle drag, and wandered around the garden in front of the house.

The flowers blooming today were a feast for the eyes, but a patch of peonies looked a bit off.

Mu Yuejuan walked over to the peonies, lowered her head, and spotted fallen petals scattered amongst the damp soil.

Painting cultivators excelled at observation, and petals blown off by the wind differed greatly from those knocked off by a person.

Mu Yuejuan picked up a petal and studied it for a moment, realizing it had fallen to the ground yesterday.

Yesterday she had not left the western-style house, nor had Ai Ye Qing.

Aside from occasionally going out to the balcony for a breath of fresh air, the two of them had barely left the bedroom.

"Whose handiwork are these petals?" Mu Yuejuan jammed the remaining half of her cigarette into Ai Ye Qing's mouth. Whether out of revenge or not, she used quite a bit of force, nearly scorching Ai Ye Qing's lips.

Ai Ye Qing smoked the cigarette and looked down at the petals. "These were left by Li Qi. I know he came by yesterday."

Mu Yuejuan hooked the bridge of Ai Ye Qing's nose with her fingertips. "When did you get so chummy with him? He can come calling at your house without even needing to announce himself to you?"

Ai Ye Qing gave a bitter laugh. "This isn't a social call. Clearly, he came to scout out the place."

Mu Yuejuan pinched Ai Ye Qing's nose. "And you just let him scout? You let him walk away like that? If