We Could Be Allies

[It's just bloodshot, I'm dying of laughter]

[Little Xing says, do you want to hear what you're saying?]

[Actually, even if I agreed here, nothing would really happen, right? At most, my cognitive distortion level would increase a bit more... cough cough, would it be a loss?]

Do you want to hear what you're saying?!

[Mingzhu has this skill? But she seems quite gentle, why chain her up?]

[I don't think there are any normal people in the Fang Mansion. Her whole family was killed by the Fang family. Could she have stayed willingly? Definitely not.]

[Starting today, I'm joining the LSP Foundation. I will openly and honestly shout: Take off that trench coat! Let me see it again!]

[Do they really treat us like outsiders? (???)]

[The above content will be blocked by the system if we are not outsiders.]

[Cold Wine:...]

[Qu Xuanqing: Hahahahahaha]

[Cold Wine:...]

[Qu Xuanqing: Hahahahahahahahahahahaha]

[What?! Even Boss Qu would get involved in this kind of fun? Shocking!]

[Carlos: Anyway, this clip will definitely be destroyed, haha, why not laugh! It's even funnier to see that expressionless guy looking shocked, and I even managed to capture it on camera, hahaha]

[Cold Wine:...]

Yu Xing Fang Xiao took Yu Xing's refusal as a sign of embarrassment, after all, this word carries the same meaning as other descriptions.

He drawled out an "Oh," and pushed Yu Xing towards Mingzhu: "No need, no need. Well... since it's your first time meeting, you can chat alone and build some rapport, right?"

Know more.

The tactful wording seemed to have already saved Yu Xing's face. Mingzhu smiled, also appearing to have no objections at all. Yu Xing's fingers twitched slightly, and she did not refuse again.

Fang Xiao turned and walked out of the room, turning back to give Yu Xing a raised eyebrow and a smile, "If you're tired of chatting, come find me at my place again."

Peng.

The door was closed, neither too loudly nor too softly.

The footsteps outside the door gradually faded into the distance until they could no longer be heard, and only then did Yu Xing raise her eyes to look at Mingzhu.

He didn't move, and Mingzhu stood still, neither asking about his plans nor taking any initiative. She just looked at him with the eyes of an elder sister-in-law, like a quiet ghost.

"Sister-in-law." Yu Xing's throat was a little itchy, so he used that as a topic of conversation. "I'm a little hot, can I have a glass of water with you?"

"Of course." Mingzhu finally moved. She blinked slowly, then turned around. Although there was a teapot on the small table in the outer room, she gestured for Yu Xing to come into her inner room. "I've brewed some flower tea. I don't know if it suits your taste."

"But your brother likes it, so you probably won't dislike the smell either."

Yu Xing narrowed her eyes, forcing her voice to sound gentler, "My brother and I have the same tastes. Did he tell you about this?"

"Yes, he always mentions you to me." Mingzhu paused, "He... whether in the past or now, he misses you a lot."

"Yeah."

Yu Xing followed behind her, her gaze unconsciously falling to the shackles on Mingzhu's ankles.

Mingzhu's ankles were also very slender, and the thin golden chains around them almost looked like ornaments. Unfortunately, the long chains extending from her ankles into the inner room still revealed the fact that she was a prisoner.

Yu Xing calculated the length of the chain scattered on the carpet. If it wasn't untied, Mingzhu could only reach the door of her room at most, just as Fang Xiao said, she couldn't get out.

Some people in town saw Fang Xiao and Mingzhu going out to buy groceries, which means that Fang Xiao didn't forbid Mingzhu from going out, but rather he didn't allow Mingzhu to go out alone.

Then the motive for imprisonment becomes clear: it wasn't because Fang Xiao liked Mingzhu too much and didn't want anyone to see her, but because he was afraid Mingzhu would escape.

Mingzhu took a few steps, glanced back, and noticed where Yu Xing's gaze was fixed. "Does my little brother like my legs, or is he interested in this chain?"

Yu Xing thought for a moment and replied, "Yes, I have both."

"Pfft, little brother is really honest." Mingzhu reached out and brushed aside the veil. As she walked over, the veil swayed lightly and fell in front of Yu Xing's face. He quickly turned his face away to avoid getting his face covered in the water-red veil.

The jingling and clanging of the beaded curtains, which were originally crisp sounds, now seemed to be adding an ambiguous, almost suggestive, element to the music.

The delicate gauze brushed against his neck, and Yu Xing's brows still betrayed a hint of impatience and annoyance. However, this was not directed at Mingzhu, but at the twisted power within the Fang Mansion that was constantly eroding him.

The physical sensations didn't subside for a while.

This is inconvenient; I wonder if the power of the curse can forcibly suppress the body's reaction...

As he thought this, hidden black lines emerged from beneath his skin.

The pattern started from the tree-shaped mark on the back of his hand, with its intertwined roots disappearing into his sleeve and spreading along his arm to his limbs and bones.

Yu Xing controlled the black patterns to prevent them from creeping up above her chest, then casually and naturally put her hands back into her trench coat pockets, concealing the unusual marks on her hands.

After all, no matter how he controls the lines, they always start from the tree on the back of his hand; that can't be changed.

Perhaps because of his bad mood, the black pattern also seemed much more irritable and manic. Yu Xing could feel every inch the pattern had climbed over, and the extreme coldness was like real silk threads, sealing off the heat little by little.

Phew, that worked.

It's a bit hardcore, though.

It was like being in a sea of fire one second and then suddenly thrown into an icy ocean the next, with the latter's cold penetrating straight to the soul. Even the ice and snow of Nanshui Town seemed as warm as a spring breeze under the influence of the curse.

The chill seeped over the taut muscles, around the thighs, hesitated for a moment, and then enveloped the most unruly spot. The sudden change in temperature brought an indescribable sensation, and even Yu Xing couldn't help but squint.

The power of the curse worked wonders, destroying all impulses and even dissipating the faint influence in the mind.

I'm so angry! I'm absolutely furious!

Yu Xing would rather it be simple pain, since his pain tolerance is extremely high anyway. On the contrary, because he has had so little experience with this kind of thing, he is very dissatisfied with his performance.

From an angle where Mingzhu couldn't see, Yu Xing ground her back teeth, secretly making a fuss about Qianjie.

Mingzhu walked to the table in the inner room, stood up and placed the teacups, picked up the jade pot with her slender hand, and as she bent over, her nightgown rode up, revealing a section of her fair thigh, the indentation behind her knees small and cute.

The pale golden tea flowed from the spout of the long-necked jade teapot, swirling as it fell into the cup. Two pink petals mingled with it, floating and sinking, finally trembling as they floated on the gradually calming surface of the water.

Unlike Fang Xiao, who poured tea only to chat, Mingzhu didn't pour one for herself, nor did she offer Yu Xing a seat. Instead, she picked up the cup, walked over to Yu Xing, and offered it to him. "Want to try some?"

She was rather petite; her figure wasn't very noticeable from a distance, but when she stood close, she only reached Yu Xing's chest.

If Yu Xing simply lowered her head, she would see everything she hadn't seen before clearly.

The comments section already showed from his attitude that he was quite serious. They thought they would be able to enjoy the embarrassment and forced composure of Captain Broken Mirror, like right now, when Yu Xing might be stiff and afraid to move.

[I want to see micro-expressions, I love watching handsome guys trying so hard to hold back their emotions, hehehe]

[Damn it, we've run into people from the real LSP Foundation.]

Result.

The black markings on Yu Xing's body had successfully disappeared. He stretched out his right hand, firmly grasped the cup, and took a sip.

His gaze also lowered slightly, making no attempt to conceal it, following the natural point of his eye.

If I'm not mistaken, he even subtly curled the corners of his mouth, his eyes filled with an inscrutable expression.

"It's delicious." Yu Xing said softly. When Mingzhu smiled and leaned towards him, he not only didn't dodge, but also put his other arm around Mingzhu's waist.

Looking down at Mingzhu, he watched her slip her hand inside her open trench coat and press it against his chest through her shirt. He placed the teacup he had only taken a sip of back on the table and smiled, "The tea my sister-in-law poured is indeed to my liking."

[???]

[You little brat, you have two faces, one when Fang Xiao is around and one when he's not, right???]

[How dare you call Old Master Xing "you brat"! Who gave you the guts!]

[Holy crap, I thought he was some serious big shot, but it turns out he just looks like a seasoned veteran!]

Are we about to be blocked...?

[Cold Wine: sneer]

Those familiar with Yu Xing could see that this was a sign of his regained composure, because once he had regained control, his skillful and charismatic acting had returned.

If it weren't for this kind of temperament, Zhao Yijiu wouldn't have assumed Yu Xing had a rich romantic history from the first time she met him, and wouldn't have responded with "Mmm, you're right" to Yu Xing's repeated defenses of her.

"My brother's been out there all these years, he must have had quite a few girlfriends, right?" Mingzhu sensed Yu Xing's sudden composure, and lowered her head shyly, concealing the look in her eyes. "I wonder if you and your brother even share the same quirks?"

Yu Xing could naturally tell that some of the marks on her body were too heavy, and Fang Xiao probably wouldn't be very gentle with her. As for his fetishes... forgive him for not being able to judge.

He pressed the tip of his tongue against his cheek, then gently wiped the bluish-black fingerprint on Mingzhu's neck with the pad of his thumb.

Mingzhu flinched very subtly, but because she was in his arms, Yu Xing didn't miss this genuine and unmistakable reaction.

Really...

"Actually, I have no experience," Yu Xing, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. "So I don't know what to do. Maybe I'll need my sister-in-law to teach me."

Mingzhu looked up at him with some surprise, but quickly composed herself. "I really didn't expect that. However, if it can help teach my younger brother, I would be quite honored."

The gentle voice continued, "Your brother probably also hopes you'll like me, so you'll be even less inclined to leave the Fang Mansion. He really cares about you."

At first glance, it doesn't seem like anything special; Mingzhu seems to have this attitude of listening to everything Fang Xiao.

But anyone with a discerning eye could sense something amiss. Mingzhu's words at this moment seemed like a subtle reminder.

Yu Xing seemed not to have noticed, and glanced towards the canopy bed. "Can we go over there, sister-in-law?"

Mingzhu's long eyelashes fluttered. "Okay, little brother, take off your coat, it's inconvenient."

The trench coat was left on the table, along with a pair of glasses with chains.

Mingzhu, dressed in pajamas and barefoot, sat on the bed with an unusually natural posture, as if it had become a habit.

She dangled her legs together over the edge of the bed, sizing up Fang Xing, who looked to be only in his early twenties. Compared to Fang Xiao, Fang Xing, wearing a shirt, didn't have such exaggerated muscles, nor did he exude such a strong presence.

A face even more handsome Fang Xiao's, in this ambiguous situation, could easily make one feel dizzy; a tall and outstanding figure, no matter where he was placed, would definitely be the kind that would be fought over.

Compared to him, Mingzhu even felt that she paled in comparison.

If this weren't the Fang Mansion, and the two of them were to sleep together, it's hard to say who would suffer more.

Mingzhu noticed that Fang Xing didn't talk much, probably because it was his first time and he didn't know what to say. So she took the initiative to start the conversation. "The Fang family has really good genes. I thought your brother already had one in a million good looks, but I didn't expect your younger brother to be even more outstanding."

Yu Xing raised an eyebrow. "If my brother heard my sister-in-law saying something like that, wouldn't he be unhappy?"

"I don't think so. You're much more important than me," Mingzhu said with a smile.

"Is that so..." This was the second time Yu Xing had used those two words to express his emotions. His gaze darkened. "If I hadn't received his letter and decided to come back to see him, I might never have known what had happened at the Fang Mansion, nor how good he truly was to me."

"Sister-in-law." Yu Xing leaned down, bracing herself on the edge of the bed with her hands, resting her forehead on Mingzhu's shoulder. Suddenly, as if moved, she said in a nasal voice, "You spoil me so much. I've never met anyone so good to me outside."

Indulgence... Mingzhu was taken aback.

Yu Xing's breath brushed against Mingzhu's skin. Mingzhu subconsciously raised her hand and ran her fingers through the hair at the back of Yu Xing's head before realizing that this was not Fang Xiao, who had always been so doting on her, but her younger brother whom she had only met once.

He didn't seem gloomy or introverted, nor was he wary or averse to strangers.

The descriptions of Fang Xing that she heard from Fang Xiao were outdated. The young man had gone out to gain experience and then returned; no one knew what he was really thinking.

"Fang Xing," Mingzhu hesitated for a moment before murmuring, "If I were very likable to you, would you treat me well?"

Yu Xing looked up, slipped her hand behind Mingzhu's knees, and gently lifted her to the center of the bed. She then bent one leg and rested it on the bed herself. "If you're good to me, sister-in-law, I'll be good to you too."

He bent down, but instead of touching her, he hooked a finger onto the winding chain at Mingzhu's ankle, listening to the crisp clinking sound it made, and played with the thin chain wrapped around his fingertip.

"Well..." Mingzhu looked at the flirtatious actions, which were clearly not those of a novice, and silently took a breath. "For the first time... perhaps you should be a little gentler with your sister-in-law? You and your brother still have things to discuss later, right? It's not good to be too tired."

"Okay, whatever you say, sister-in-law." Yu Xing knowingly put down the chains. "First step, what?"

A thin layer of mist rose in her Mingzhu eyes. She reached out and unbuttoned the second button of Yu Xing's shirt, whispering, "Kiss me first."

"Oh?" Yu Xing reached out, "It's here—"

He pinched Mingzhu's chin, his fingers tracing Mingzhu lips, then his gaze shifted, his fingers sliding down to stop at her neck. "Still here, or perhaps..."

He leaned closer, his nose brushing against Mingzhu's reddened earlobe, and gently rubbed it. "Here?"

"You—" Mingzhu began to speak before being pressed down on the shoulder and knocked to the ground. She looked up and found herself completely enveloped in the man's shadow.

The difference in their body types is quite obvious.

Noticing the mockery in Yu Xing's smile, Mingzhu closed her eyes briefly, then her expression brightened slightly as she laughed and scolded, "You little brat, saying you have no experience, you're just playing me."

"Because you seem so calm, I can't help but want to see a different expression on your face." Yu Xing's narrow phoenix eyes curved into a smile, his dark bangs casting a few shadows. He unbuttoned the third button, right in the middle of his shirt, and without his glasses, his aggressive aura intensified. He smiled and said, "But one thing, I won't tease you, I'll be gentle."

[Aaaaaaahhhhhh, please don't block me, please don't block me, let me keep watching! Aaaaaahhhhh!]

[How could he be so clever! He's so wicked!]

[Zeng Lai: Oh my god, is the system malfunctioning? Why isn't it blocking? System, please be mindful of my brother's privacy!]

Ren Yi:...

The Broken Mirror Squad is going crazy.

Qu Xuanqing, blushed slightly and whispered, "Luckily, when I slept in the same bed with him last time, I was still an innocent child." And Zhu Yan was also there beside her.

How to describe her current feeling? It's strange, very strange, the kind of strange that makes her face turn yellowish.

"Is this the point?!" Carlos exclaimed in surprise. "Hey, wait, this isn't right! He should be able to handle this kind of cognitive distortion, right? Isn't he the kind of person who just talks big?! There's no need for him to actually—"

"Zhao Mou." Zhao Yijiu's gloomy voice was like a running refrigerator, instantly extinguishing the restlessness of the others. He turned his head, "Based on your extensive experience in nightclubs, judge just how skilled he really is."

"Cough cough cough..." Zhao Mou coughed, choking on his own saliva, and frantically winked at his younger brother, "What nightclub? There's no nightclub here. I analyze data until the wee hours every night, and I have to get up early to make breakfast for you guys. Where would I find the time to go to a nightclub?"

Zhao Yijiu didn't say anything, just quietly looked at him.

Zhao Mou said helplessly, "Don't rush, he definitely has his reasons. Don't let your intelligence drop just because of something like this."

It's not that seeing this kind of thing makes you stupid, but rather that seeing Yu Xing do this kind of thing makes you stupid because you get too excited.

Zhao Mou understood, especially his younger brother, who was a complete novice and hadn't even seen many films, which was why he was so scared that his ears turned red.

But as the vice-captain, he was indeed the most rational one. "The system didn't block him, probably because it knows his plans. As for you want me to judge his experience... you overestimate me. How about I use my abilities to calculate it for you?"

Zhao Yijiu turned her head back. "No need."

"He said he had no experience." He leaned back on the sofa. "He really is the same old conman."

The conman Yu Xing was unaware of the outside world's reaction. He also assumed the system should have started blocking access. At that moment, his shirt was fully open, and he had one hand on Mingzhu's thigh.

Mingzhu's body temperature is slightly elevated, which is definitely the temperature of a living person.

As the ambiguous atmosphere grew increasingly intense, as if it could ignite into a passionate fire at any moment, Yu Xing glanced out of the corner of her eye at the spot separated by a wall.

Damn it.

Aren't you leaving yet?

Does he really have a penchant for eavesdropping? Or does he have to confirm his behavior before he'll stop? But we've already dragged this out long enough; if we continue, he'll run out of things to say...

"Sister-in-law." Feeling that there was enough time, Yu Xing leaned down, whispered in Mingzhu's ear, and said with a smile, "I actually discovered something."

Mingzhu Tongkong was a little disoriented. She never expected that her younger brother Fang Xiao would be so cunning. He hadn't touched her much, and the promised kiss hadn't happened at all. He had already made her feel weak all over and dizzy, almost unable to think, just by using words and eyes.

Her wrists were held by Yu Xing and placed above her head, leaving her completely powerless. She instinctively trembled as she answered, "What is it?"

"I've noticed that my sister-in-law's habitual attempts to please me, and the attitude you just expressed..." Yu Xing's eyes were clear, "Seem somewhat contradictory."

It took Mingzhu two seconds to hear what he said. Her dazed eyes refocused, and the blood in her body seemed to freeze from the sudden chill.

Yu Xing lowered her voice so much that, apart from the viewers in the live stream, even someone with excellent hearing couldn't hear her outside. "You don't really want to, do you?"

Mingzhu: "I--"

"Shh." Yu Xing curled her lips. "You just don't want to. You weren't this docile before. You rebelled against him, and as a price, you have chains on your ankles now."

"No one in Nanshui Town could control him, so gradually, you learned to obey, to make Fang Xiao happy, and to cater to his preferences."

"When you poured tea, when you offered me tea, those little gestures were all learned under Fang Xiao's pressure, weren't they?"

With each word he spoke, Mingzhu's eyes widened, her body froze, and cold sweat seeped from her back.

"You see me, but you don't bother to guard me, because I'm Fang Xiao's brother. You know how important I am to him. Rebel against me will offend him."

"You tried to tell me not to do this to you, otherwise you'd be completely trapped in the Fang Mansion, but I seem to have lost all desire to leave. So you convinced yourself that as long as I'm gentler Fang Xiao in bed, you've won, because you're really afraid of his violent tendencies."

What you fear most is letting him know that you are still fully conscious.

After saying these words as if they were whispered by a demon, Yu Xing stepped back slightly, giving Mingzhu room to breathe.

Mingzhu was indeed scared. She wasn't sure why her "brother" knew so much about her situation, nor did she know what Fang Xing wanted to do by bringing these things up.

Fear caused her chest to heave violently as she gasped for breath. The mask on her face was ruthlessly shattered, and her body was so forcefully restrained that the blush that had risen on her face from passion vanished, leaving only a deathly pale white.

Tears streamed down her face and into her hair. She sobbed softly, her voice broken by fear, only able to utter fragmented gasps. "Please don't tell him, please, I'm willing... I'm willing, you can do whatever you want to me, I don't want to be gentle anymore... Don't tell him..."

Yu Xing released her hands, and she immediately grabbed Yu Xing's open shirt, frantically reaching up to him. Her trembling fingertips were already icy cold as she pleaded humbly, "Don't be gentle anymore, just don't say anything, I'll do whatever you say..."

"I don't want to become like other people... like a puppet..."

"Sigh..." Yu Xing sighed silently, reaching out to wipe away Mingzhu's tears, but Mingzhu's tears flowed like a broken string of pearls, impossible to stop.

He knew he might have scared her too much, but maintaining his composed smile, he grabbed Mingzhu's hand and led it towards his chest. "Gentleness isn't really my style; I need pain right now."

Mingzhu already knew that this person was definitely a pervert, and she was fully aware that she was about to be abused.

But this was nothing compared to the clarity she had managed to maintain. Without the slightest hesitation, she nodded, indicating that she would cooperate with everything.

The next instant, she experienced a sudden earthquake.

Outside Mingzhu's room, Fang Xiao stood facing the door, not moving an inch since it closed.

He listened as the two people inside, initially a little awkward, gradually relaxed and got used to the atmosphere, their smiles growing wider and wider.

That's right.

He knew that no matter how much his younger brother's personality changed outside, once he returned to the Fang Mansion, it would be gradually twisted back to its original state, and he would definitely be unable to resist Mingzhu's charm, because Mingzhu was someone who could tempt him in every way, and his younger brother would absolutely be unable to control that impulse.

"Let's go even crazier, little brother," Fang Xiao muttered to himself, "That way you'll never leave."

The sounds inside gradually became indistinguishable. Mingzhu seemed to be suffocating and was breathing heavily. Fang Xiao heard his younger brother vaguely saying something like, "Gentleness is definitely not my style," which made him even more satisfied.

The next second, Mingzhu let out a suppressed gasp, and at the same time, his younger brother also groaned. Fang Xiao naturally filled in the blanks in his mind, felt that his goal had been achieved, and finally turned to leave.

He told his younger brother to enjoy the rest of the time as a precaution, not to deprive him of even this basic privacy. He worried that his brother would resent it if he found out.

Fang Xiao walked towards his room, but there was no sound of his footsteps at all. He was clearly walking on two legs, but all that was left was a slight sliding sound like a snake.

Tick-tock.

Seeing Mingzhu's stunned and frozen expression, Yu Xing held her hand tightly and pushed it closer to her chest.

Tick-tock.

A drop of viscous, deep red liquid flowed down Mingzhu's raised hand to her wrist, then disappeared into the sleeve of her pajamas.

Tick-tock.

Another drop of blood landed on Mingzhu's disheveled pajamas, which inexplicably covered all her private parts. She suddenly woke up. "You?! What are you doing?"

"Heh." Yu Xing chuckled lightly, released his grip, wiped the blood from his fingers onto his shirt, and sensing that the aura outside had finally withdrawn, he spoke much more casually, without a trace of ambiguity, "It's so obvious, sister-in-law, I needed pain, so I let you stab me."

Mingzhu stared blankly at the dagger piercing his chest.

Her hand was still gripping the hilt of the dagger, and blood from the wound gradually dampened between her fingers.

Just now, Fang Xing shoved the dagger into her hand, covered the back of her hand with his hand, which was a size larger than hers, and then resolutely stabbed himself in the heart.

Did she... kill Fang Xiao's brother?

What exactly happened?

"Don't be afraid." Yu Xing patted the back of her hand to comfort her, and as her hand fell limply and frantically, she easily pulled the Sheqing Dreamscape from her heart.

The only weapon he could readily draw upon when he had no pockets was the sacrifice, the Sheqing Dreamscape.

The wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. Black mist appeared out of nowhere, covering the scattered bloodstains. In the blink of an eye, the fresh blood melted into the mist and disappeared without a trace.

"I'm sorry, I offended you just now." Yu Xing flipped her hand, and before Yi Qing in the Sheqing Dreamscape could float out to see what was going on, she put the dagger back into her Persona Mask.

He straightened up, adjusted Mingzhu's Mingzhu, and pulled down the hem of her pajamas. "Because Fang Xiao didn't leave, he was at the door checking to see if I had made a move on you. Heh, this is the first time I've encountered such a troublesome monitor. To avoid alerting him, I had no choice but to take advantage of you."

Because Fang Xiao is the actual controller of Nanshui Town, he is both an individual and has many hidden perspectives.

For this reason, Yu Xing only dared to use the power of the curse subtly on himself, and dared not use it on Mingzhu. Otherwise, if it alerted the consciousness of the thing that distorted Mingzhu's cognition, it would be equivalent to being exposed by Fang Xiao at the same time.

Since the power of the curse couldn't be used to make Mingzhu see the illusion directly, Yu Xing had no choice but to intervene personally.

Overall, it's a bit difficult.

At first, he wanted to deceive Mingzhu as well, because for Mingzhu, the sudden change in her "brother's" stance and behavior would easily catch her off guard, thus causing her to reveal her flaws.

So you have to act convincingly, and say some witty things to buy time, but you can't be abrupt.

He didn't want to kiss anyone so hastily, nor did he want to offend a girl who was actually resistant to the idea. Even when touching Mingzhu's ear, he only dared to brush it with the tip of his nose, which was the most appropriate thing he could think of.

Acting in this scene was more tiring than fighting with Hua Subai.

Mingzhu had already realized how absurd things were. She had been able to pretend in the Fang Mansion for so many years, so her mind was naturally very quick. As long as it didn't suddenly involve her greatest fear, she was very receptive.

Seeing that Yu Xing's wound was smooth and fresh, and his expression remained unchanged, and that he had even begun to button up his shirt, coupled with what he was saying, she knew that this person would not inform on Fang Xiao.

Not only would they not inform on her, but their goal also seemed to be the same as hers: to keep it from Fang Xiao and maintain a clear understanding of the situation.

"You... so... now..." Mingzhu's voice was still hoarse. The ups and downs of her life had left her bewildered. She paused for two seconds before finding the right words. "So now Fang Xiao can't hear us anymore?"

"He went back to his room. As long as his attention isn't on me, I can keep it from him." Yu Xing buttoned up her clothes, tidied her messy hair, and smiled at Mingzhu.

It was the same face, yet her smile conveyed so many different qualities. This smile, however, was devoid of any desire, only pure kindness, which inexplicably brought Mingzhu a sense of peace.

Mingzhu was about to say something when Tong Kong suddenly shrank back, "No, Nanny Li is spying on me, she—"

"She's dead." Yu Xing lazily adjusted his posture, instantly transforming the previously ambiguous bed into a business chair.

"... Dead?" Mingzhu was even more bewildered, rubbing her red, tear-filled eyes, but the sensation was not a dream.

"Mrs. Li's eyes are really annoying, especially in the Fang Mansion. With her around, nothing is convenient. She's like an omnipresent surveillance camera, and she reports everything she sees to Fang Xiao." Yu Xing's thinking was very clear, which is why, before going to see his sister-in-law, who was the only one who might be forced to stay in the Fang Mansion, he first threw a tantrum and made Fang Xiao kill Mrs. Li.

Hearing him talk about these things as casually as eating and drinking, Mingzhu finally remembered to sit up and asked somewhat anxiously, "Who... are you? Are you a policeman sent from outside? Has someone finally noticed the problems in Nanshui Town?"

"No." Yu Xing glanced at her. "I am Fang Xing himself, your real younger brother. Look at my face."

He pinched the flesh of his own face and showed it to Mingzhu: "This face, I guarantee it, you'll never find another face as handsome as mine. Even if someone else disguised themselves, they couldn't replicate it."

Mingzhu: "... Pfft."

The feeling was somewhat strange. Just moments ago, the man had been completely dominating her like a apex predator, but now he was making funny faces at her to cheer her up. It was as if he had shed his disguise and was showing his true personality, revealing his personal charm.

"So, you really are my younger brother." Whether forced or voluntary, Mingzhu and Fang Xiao's marriage is a fact, so it's perfectly fine for her to directly call "Fang Xing" her younger brother.

"So you weren't completely ignorant after all." After experiencing fear, confusion, relief, and joy, doubt rose within her. "Then why did you come back? Not only back to Nanshui Town, but you even dared to enter the Fang Mansion. Didn't you know that once you went in, you wouldn't be able to get out?"

"Or... did you come prepared?"

Mingzhu spoke so quickly that Yu Xing couldn't get a word in edgewise, but the more she guessed, the closer she got to the truth. At this moment, her eyes, usually so gentle and calm, lit up completely, as if flames were burning within them. After years of suppressed emotions, an unexpected hope had suddenly appeared. How could Mingzhu not be excited?

Like a swimmer exhausted after a shipwreck clinging to driftwood, she knelt on the bed, tightly gripping Yu Xing's arm. "You came to resolve all this, didn't you? You even killed Nanny Li."

Yu Xing didn't explain to her how the nanny Li died, but Mingzhu didn't know about the commotion before Li died, so it seems that while her body was locked up, some of her senses were also blocked.

"Sister-in-law," Yu Xing sighed again, "Although I'm much more normal now than before, you're really thick-skinned. You've already forgotten how scared you were of me just now?"

He pulled his arm out of Mingzhu's arms like a radish, and said with certainty, "This is really my first time, no, I've never had a first time before, so I won't let you touch me when we don't need to act."

"Two hundred for a touch."

Mingzhu is penniless now—she uses everything Fang Xiao gave her, and even the money was created by Fang Xiao and will disappear once she leaves Nanshui Town. Where would she get two hundred?

Of course, she knew her brother was joking. She really didn't expect that someone who had spent his entire childhood with Fang Xiao, someone who shared the same blood, would grow up to be such a reliable person.

Although, when the pressure is at its peak, it can be truly terrifying.

"But sister-in-law is right, I came here to resolve this matter. I also have two friends with me, and they are very capable as well." Yu Xing blinked, stretched out his hand, and performed a "magic trick" for Mingzhu. Dimensions quietly overlapped, and a small branch appeared above his palm.

Why am I so tiny?

[This woman smells delicious, may I lick her?]

Having just done something that even she herself felt was a bit excessive, Yu Xing heard the consciousness coming from the branch and fiercely relayed it back.

[Stay put and don't try to eat every ghostly thing, or I'll crush you!]

The branches immediately became as still as if they were dead.

Mingzhu possessed a faint ghostly aura; being a living person, this ghostly aura could be sensed.

Part of it came from the aura emanating from her body; after staying in Nanshui Town for so long, she was ultimately and irreversibly affected.

A large portion of the aura came from Fang Xiao; as long as one doesn't come into contact with Fang Xiao for a period of time, this aura will dissipate on its own.

Mingzhu stared blankly at the small branch in front of her, which exuded an ominous aura. She wanted to touch it, but instinctively knew that she shouldn't touch it.

"This is..."

Yu Xing wanted to show Mingzhu the method of summoning branches out of thin air, so that his next words would appear credible.

He let the branch return to its own dimension and lowered his hand. "Fang Xiao possesses superhuman power, and so do I and my friends. There are many strange things in this world, and I only returned because I obtained a way to resist Fang Xiao."

"I'm telling you this for two reasons: first, because I've gauged your level of sobriety; and second, because I need your help."

"I'll help you." Mingzhu had calmed down considerably; she didn't even ask what kind of help she wanted, and simply gave her the answer.

Glancing down at the marks all over her body, her gaze darkened, but remained resolute. "I've lost so much already, but there's still something I want—freedom. I dare not rebel, I try so hard to please Fang Xiao because this pervert likes me, he won't even let me die. I can only live here, so I hope I can live a little easier, and besides, I really want to be myself."

Rather than a completely controlled puppet.

"If I had the chance to leave, I'd be willing to die." Her voice was hoarse. "What do you want my help with? I don't know how long you plan to spend resolving this problem. If you want me to cooperate with you like I am today, that's perfectly fine. You can even be more blatant and genuine with me. This body of mine is no longer important."

In her mind, "Fang Xing" would have to remain hidden in the Fang Mansion for a long time, and wouldn't be able to keep it from Fang Xiao every day like he did today.

Perhaps one day Fang Xiao will be in the mood to witness the process firsthand, or even participate together... She just wants her younger brother to know that if necessary, he doesn't need to consider her feelings.

"I understand your decision." Yu Xing didn't explain anything, but simply stated what he wanted Mingzhu's help with, "I need you to stab me twice from your most ruthless angle every time I offer to help."

Mingzhu: "...?"

Yu Xing: "Oh, if I feel that my cognitive distortion is too severe, I might need you to stab me a dozen times or something."

Yes, Yu Xing has found the simplest and most effective way to alleviate cognitive distortion.

You have to pay back what you've gained; being harmed by the Fang Mansion is one form of repayment.

The other Fang family would never give him a chance to sober up through such means, but his Sister-in-law Mingzhu happened to be willing to do so.

Mingzhu, a fully automatic cognitive correction device.