A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

Gu Xixi turned to Mu Nanzhao and smiled calmly.

Like a spring breeze sweeping across the northwest wilderness, it is unhurried and unperturbed, without selfish thoughts or distractions, simply narrating the story.

"With such a vast and complex mind, you can't just stay in my little courtyard forever, can you?"

Mu Nanzhao stared blankly at Gu Xixi.

He had previously accused her of being eager to get rid of him.

But now, looking into her eyes, he could no longer utter those words.

Mu Nanzhao turned his gaze away, looking at the dying embers in the stove.

"I'll leave in a couple of days."

Gu Xixi tilted her head to observe his expression, "When you say 'two days,' do you mean specifically, or just in general terms?"

Mu Nanzhao said irritably, "My affairs are none of your concern."

Gu Xixi frowned and speculated, "You're not thinking of just dragging this out, are you?"

no answer.

Gu Xixi asked again, "Does the General know that you've returned to the village this time?"

Still no word.

Gu Xixi closed her eyes, feeling suffocated; it seemed that what was said had come true.

She grew anxious, lowered her voice, but her tone became harsher, "I knew there was a problem. At this point, given General Huo's personality, how could he possibly agree to you idly staying in Huachi Ferry Village!"

Mu Nanzhao still didn't look at Gu Xixi, but retorted in a low voice with displeasure, "Am I doing nothing? Don't forget who saved you today."

Gu Xixi said, "I can manage on my own without you. It just takes a little more effort, but I won't die."

Mu Nanzhao suddenly turned to look at her, "You don't actually think that useless barbarian can protect you, do you?"

Gu Xixi also turned around and glared at Mu Nanzhao.

"Speak politely, stop calling me a useless, barbarian."

Mu Nanzhao sneered and mocked, "Isn't that right? He's always chasing after a woman and has no opinions of his own."

Gu Xixi's face darkened. "As a businessman, Brother An not only has his own ideas, but his abilities are also beyond reproach."

"He helped me solve the problems of every Pinpo fruit grower because of my delayed return. Thanks to him, I did not break my promise."

"And today, it is precisely because he is a foreign barbarian that he was able to leave before Gu Youfu and his men."

"Besides him, who else could have helped me bring Grandpa Gu here back then?"

Mu Nanzhao wanted to say, "You could have come to me, but you chose to go to all this trouble instead of coming to me."

But he simply looked up at the sky, nodded, and let out a cold laugh.

"Okay, so only he can help you, right? You trust him completely."

Gu Xixi was even more puzzled by his reaction, and even became genuinely angry.

Why can't I trust Brother An?

"I always remember those who have been kind to me and done me a favor, including you."

"Since you started living in my house, apart from the Gu Qingye incident, have I ever wronged you in any way that makes you speak to me like this?"

"Even though I disregarded your wishes and tried to match you up with Gu Qingye, I have done my best to make up for it later."

"Make up for it later?" Mu Nanzhao suddenly stared angrily at Gu Xixi.

"So you went to great lengths to find the Firefly Bone Flower and save my life just to make up for this?"

Gu Xixi was stunned; she really hadn't thought of it that way.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Mu Nanzhao assumed that he had guessed correctly.

He stood up. "Boss Gu really knows how to calculate every penny. He's very clear about things with me."

Mu Nanzhao laughed angrily, "That's right, you had no choice from the beginning."

"They had no choice but to buy me, no choice but to let me stay, and no choice but to seek medical treatment for me."

"After that, I coerced them, implicated them, and bound them, forcing them to come to this point with me."

Gu Xixi thought to herself, "That seems to be the correct process."

but……

According to what Mu Nanzhao said, Gu Xixi was the one who would suffer.

But his tone and expression make it sound like she's a heartless person!

What are you talking about?!

Mu Nanzhao continued, "So you refuse to marry me, push other women onto me, refuse the silver notes I give you, and are afraid I'll send people to monitor you. It's all to draw a line and settle our scores."

"After I leave this time, you can pretend you've never known me."

Gu Xixi told herself she shouldn't feel guilty, and with her head held high, she asked back, "Otherwise what?"

Her reasons were quite valid:

If I dared to marry you and become your son-in-law, and you regain your powerful position in a few months, wouldn't I be doomed to a terrible death?

If I don't draw a clear line beforehand, am I supposed to stay in touch with you and wait to die at your hands someday?

And another thing, didn't you yourself tell me to never set my sights on you?

Mu Nanzhao stared straight at Gu Xixi, a half-smile on his face, his eyes filled with sorrow, as if he had suffered some kind of severe blow.

He didn't say a word for a moment.

Gu Xixi's eyes darted around, her heart filled with unease. What on earth had gotten into this person tonight?

She was about to say she was going back to sleep.

Mu Nanzhao suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Then how do you plan to repay the debt of saving my life?"

"Do you want me to pay with my life?!"

Gu Xixi's pupils dilated.

Afraid of waking the whole family, she coldly scolded in a low voice, "Everyone else is sleeping, I don't want to argue with you, let go!"

Seeing that Mu Nanzhao still wouldn't let go.

Gu Xixi's eyes turned completely cold as she stared at him icyly.

"What use is your life to me? Can it make my crops grow more, or make everything I grow successful?"

"You say you're giving me this and that, but I refuse to accept them and insist on drawing a clear line."

"Let me make this clear: I only want what I want, and I never covet anything else."

"What I want, I will reach out and get myself, I don't need you to arrange it for me."

Mu Nanzhao's expression changed slightly, his eyes dark and inky as he looked at Gu Xixi, waiting for her to continue.

“Bring Master Liu here and place your men around me.”

“Give me a silver note, I want to buy out this trouble and let me leave Huachi Ferry Village.”

"You can arrange with Master Liu to send my whole family to a safe place if trouble breaks out."

As Gu Xixi spoke, she looked up at Mu Nanzhao and said, "When you made these decisions, did you ever discuss them with me or ask for my opinion? You didn't even think of informing me, did you?"

"And what makes you think I shouldn't be wary of you, shouldn't draw a line between us?"

She felt the pressure on her wrist ease; Mu Nanzhao had released her grip.

Gu Xixi smiled and said, "I didn't originally intend to say so much."

"But it's good to make these things clear before we part."

She glanced at the sky; there was no moon, only pitch blackness.

He then waved and walked towards his bedroom.

"Go to sleep early. You should conserve your energy now. I don't want anything to go wrong with you. After all, you have the ability to make the future of this great cause better, and I am just a small citizen of this world."

Mu Nanzhao watched as Gu Xixi's bedroom door closed.

He lowered his head, asking himself, "Did I really do something wrong?"