The thing that made Mu Qingxue angry was that Chen Xiaoyan hadn’t mentioned Liu Yue even once—she didn’t want to tell her at all.
What did that mean?
Could it be that she actually wanted to join that woman’s faction?
At this moment, Mu Qingxue felt a flicker of crisis.
“Leader, leader, your expression looks a bit strange,” Zhenwu Junior Sister approached with a bunch of grapes in hand, smiling cheerfully.
“Is there a problem?”
Mu Qingxue cast her a brief glance.
“No, no, Leader, do you want to eat some grapes?”
“No.”
Mu Qingxue exuded an aura that warned strangers to keep their distance, her face so sour it seemed like her bad mood was written right on her forehead.
Zhenwu Junior Sister pouted but didn’t insist further, quickly turning to leave the ice mountain she was standing in front of.
Breathing around her had become difficult.
“Junior Sister, how did it go?”
Yu Tian hurriedly pulled her aside, whispering.
“Yu Tian-ge, it seems someone upset the Leader. She’s like a powder keg now, ready to explode anytime. I didn’t dare ask.”
“This…”
“Wasn’t she fine just a moment ago? Why did she suddenly change like that?” another player asked, puzzled.
“Who knows?”
“Leader just came out after talking with Xiaoyan-jie, right? Could it be related to her?”
“Why don’t you go ask Xiaoyan-jie again?”
“Huh? Go again?”
Zhenwu Junior Sister’s face soured.
Was she just a ruthless question-asking machine?
Seeing her hesitation, Yu Tian quickly reached out, pretending to snatch the grapes: “If you don’t go, give me back the grapes.”
He hadn’t even had a bite of the grapes he’d just managed to snatch.
Zhenwu Junior Sister was happily peeling a grape skin when she heard that, immediately turning into a protective little hamster, stuffing a few grapes in her mouth and hiding the rest behind her back.
“Don’t lay a finger on my grapes. I’m going, okay?”
On the second floor of the Moonlit Guesthouse, hundreds of people gathered around tables, chatting noisily.
Chen Xiaoyan was at one end, Mu Qingxue at the other, as if they were strangers with no connection.
“Xiaoyan-jie,” Zhenwu Junior Sister appeared again, holding her grapes.
“Hm?”
“Are you and the Leader having a quarrel?”
“No.”
“Then what about the Leader…” Zhenwu Junior Sister started but glanced back, only to see Mu Qingxue staring coldly at her.
A chill ran down her spine, her whole body shuddered.
That look was definitely a death stare, right?
Right?
Feeling uneasy, Zhenwu Junior Sister wasn’t sure what she had done to offend this ice-cold Leader, but one thing was certain—
This was definitely related to the woman right in front of her.
No matter what, the best strategy was to run away.
“Sorry to bother you, I’ll take my leave,” she said, lowering her head and hurrying back to her place.
“I don’t want the grapes anymore.”
Then, she slapped the bunch into Yu Tian’s hand.
Yu Tian and a few players from the Ri Pavilion exchanged stunned glances.
Ten minutes later
Mu Qingxue gathered herself, clapped her hands, and began hosting the meeting.
She couldn’t just abandon the faction on a whim.
“Quiet, quiet!”
Nearly six hundred people immediately fell silent and looked toward Mu Qingxue.
Chen Xiaoyan smiled at the scene.
There really was a difference between those who got paid and those who didn’t.
“This gathering is not only to help everyone get to know each other but also to announce some news. From now on, Xiaoyan will be the Deputy Leader of the Snow Smoke Pavilion, with the authority to decide all faction matters.”
“Oh~”
Yu Tian and several others immediately cheered, fully supporting Chen Xiaoyan as Deputy Leader.
“Qingxue, can I refuse?”
“Why? Give me a reason,” Mu Qingxue didn’t turn to look at Chen Xiaoyan.
She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to accept the answer.
She had intended to use the deputy leader position to bind her heart and keep her in the Snow Smoke Pavilion.
But she refused.
Damn it, was Liu Yue really that good?
Enough to make her give up so much just to join the Sword Pavilion?
Thinking this, Mu Qingxue’s cold, beautiful eyes blinked, a mist of tears threatening to spill, but she quickly held them back.
She had never experienced an emotion called grievance that made her want to cry—it was so uncomfortable.
“I’ve said before, I really don’t know how to manage a faction. Seriously, I’m not lying.”
This time, Mu Qingxue finally turned around.
She quietly looked at the person in front of her, emotions tangled and complicated.
She had given her so much, yet she was still dissatisfied and wanted to join that woman’s faction.
Was Mu Qingxue really inferior to Liu Yue?
No, impossible.
Someone must have used some despicable trick to make her join the Sword Pavilion.
Yes, that must be it.
But… sigh.
Mu Qingxue sighed inwardly.
She had wanted to find an excuse to face reality, but her pride wouldn’t allow it.
Forget it.
You can’t force what’s not meant to be.
What must be let go should be let go.
“Fine, you can go. I won’t stop you.”
Hearing the extreme disappointment in Mu Qingxue’s voice, a question mark immediately appeared above Chen Xiaoyan’s head.
Since the moment she arrived, something had been off.
She said strange things like this…
“Wait, I’m going? Then why don’t you stop me?”
“I’ve felt you were acting weird all along. Did something happen?”
“Xiaoyan, stop pretending. If you want to go, it’s your freedom. I won’t interfere.”
At first, Chen Xiaoyan saw all the expressions Mu Qingxue’s eyes showed—
Anger, grievance, sadness.
She didn’t know what Mu Qingxue was thinking, but one thing was certain: this girl had definitely misunderstood.
“Leader, tell me clearly, do I have to go?”
Chen Xiaoyan calling her ‘Leader’ made Mu Qingxue start.
Was she really speaking as a member of the Snow Smoke Pavilion?
“Go to the Sword Pavilion, Liu Yue’s faction.”
Chen Xiaoyan shrugged helplessly.
It was neither crying nor laughing.
“Qingxue, where did you hear such rumors? When did I ever say I’m going to the Sword Pavilion?”
Mu Qingxue was stunned but didn’t speak aloud.
Instead, she started a private chat for a secret conversation.
After all, there were still six hundred members present.
[Mu Qingxue: Did you agree to join the Sword Pavilion with Liu Yue?]
[Chen Xiaoyan: Eh? How do you know about this?]
[Mu Qingxue: Sword Pavilion has my people.]
[Chen Xiaoyan: Alright~_~, I haven’t agreed or refused yet. I was planning to ask your opinion after the meeting.]
[Mu Qingxue: Ask me?]
[Chen Xiaoyan: Yeah, since I’ve joined Snow Smoke Pavilion, I have to ask you, the great Leader, before making any decisions.]
Seeing this message, Mu Qingxue felt a surge of secret joy, excitement bubbling up but quickly suppressed it.
Now was not the time to celebrate.
Just because she was consulting her didn’t mean she wouldn’t go.
[Mu Qingxue: So do you want to go?]
[Chen Xiaoyan: Of course, it depends on what you want, Qingxue.]
[Mu Qingxue: You don’t have to depend on me. Do you want to go or not?]
Chen Xiaoyan’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. She didn’t rush to reply but quietly pondered.
Mu Qingxue asked again and again, clearly very concerned.