Still, no change at all?
Qu Yue stood under the scorching sun, but the golden sunlight seemed like icicles, constantly pounding into her body, seeping into her marrow, and freezing her blood.
She had thought that their heart - to - heart talk just now would be the starting point for resolving their conflicts.
Qu Yue shrank back behind the doorframe, her chest heaving violently and taking a long time to calm down.
It was not until the sound of the two people's footsteps faded away that she quietly peeked out again.
Her soft and delicate face was almost transparently clear in the sunlight.
She nodded her pointed chin solemnly, "I still have to run away quickly."
But this idea was nipped in the bud as another thought from her pen - pal overthrew it.
She fetched the letter from the mailbox, lifted the hem of her skirt, and sneaked back into the courtyard. Sitting in front of the desk, she unsealed the letter with the leaf on it, and the fragrance of ink wafted into her nose.
When the letter paper was unfolded, the regular and elegant regular script came into view.
The writing was just like the person. It was as if a woman in an elegant ruffled dress was standing right in front of her.
The gentle breeze blowing towards her placed Qu Yue in an illusory space.
A chess table was placed in the middle, with two black and white chess boxes on the outside. The warm yellow candle flames were dancing, making the whole space look calm and peaceful.
Her pen - pal, with a graceful figure, was sitting upright on the cushion. There was a gentle smile on her bright and generous face, welcoming Qu Yue's arrival.
As soon as the pen - pal spoke, her voice was as steady as a pine tree, "You violated a taboo?"
Qu Yue hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
The curling green smoke lingered around the two of them, calming her heart.
"Don't worry." The pen - pal took out a black chess piece, picked it up, and placed it on the chessboard. "There's always a way to break the deadlock."
Qu Yue imitated her and selected a chess piece to place. "Sister, why do you say so?"
"Let's play chess first."
But the pen - pal didn't seem to be in a hurry to solve this matter. Instead, she gave a gentle smile.
Qu Yue's impetuous heart gradually sank as she immersed herself in the chess game.
She had learned Go from an elder.
The pen - pal's way of playing chess was somehow similar to his.
Qu Yue couldn't help asking, "Pen - pal, who did you learn this way of playing chess from?"
The pen - pal raised a faint smile. There was a majestic and all - embracing momentum in her gentle and generous manner. "I created my own style."
"You're so amazing." Qu Yue softly praised and gave a thumbs - up. "I once knew an elder. His way of playing chess is quite similar to yours."
The pen - pal let out an "oh" but just smiled without saying a word.
Her slender fingertips gently tapped the chess piece. "You lost."
After the game, the pen - pal started to pick up the black chess pieces on the chessboard and put them back into the box.
Qu Yue helped her pick up the pieces and explained with a pursed - lip smile, "I haven't played Go for a while."
Or rather, since she separated from that elder, she basically had no time to play Go.
"Are you calm now?"
After putting away the chess pieces, the pen - pal gently asked her.
Qu Yue nodded quickly. "Yes!"
"Then let's talk about your problem."
The pen - pal analyzed Qu Yue's problem in detail, just like the chess game they had just played.
Qu Yue was bombarded with all sorts of strategies in her mind, and her bright eyes were filled with confusion.
"So, pen - pal, do you suggest that I do the opposite?"
"Regard all of them as suspects and instead of probing, try to entice them?"
The pen - pal smiled slightly. "You're very smart."
Qu Yue's mind was also opened up.
She had been too constrained by her fixed thinking, trying to reach a reconciliation with the suspects but failing to approach from a different angle.
Maybe she could turn these suspects into her own allies.
This novel idea was exactly the same as that of the elder.
Just like the chess game, it left a deep impression on her.
Among all the people in the capital, she could only think of him who had such a way of thinking.
Qu Yue couldn't help asking, "May I ask if you know..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a gentle breeze blew the whole space into pieces, and Qu Yue returned to her seat in front of the desk.
"No!"
A cry of struggle escaped her lips. Qu Yue instinctively reached out to grab the phantom in front of her.
But all she did was crumple the paper.
The rustling sound was telling Qu Yue that what had just happened was just her being led by the pen - pal into the world in the letter.
This was the pen - pal's amazing ability.
Every time she read the letter, it was like having a real heart - to - heart communication.
Next time, maybe she could ask in the letter if the pen - pal knew this elder.
With a plan in mind, Qu Yue felt much more at ease.
Since these people were so ambiguous about what happened that night, she could really play along.
But...
Thinking of what she had done that night, Qu Yue's snow - white cheeks blushed slightly.
How on earth could she win these people over?
Just as she was deep in thought, there was a commotion outside the door.
Liu Xu scolded, "Our mistress is resting. Please come back later, eldest miss!"
Mu Yao put her hands on her hips, tilted her chin up, and surveyed the whole courtyard. Her delicate eyebrows were filled with disdain. "Do I have to kowtow three times and bow nine times just to see her?"
"Qu Yue, come out!"
Liu Xu was no pushover either. "As the eldest miss of the marquis's mansion, is this all the quality you have?"
Hearing this, Mu Yao finally took a proper look at Liu Xu. "Oh, now that you've received a reward, your back has straightened, hasn't it?"
Liu Xu straightened her chest. There was no trace of the paleness from being scolded yesterday on her face, only disdain. "I just suddenly realized that some people don't deserve respect!"
Since the day they tried to harm the mistress, these people had ceased to deserve respect!
Mu Yao glanced at the sky, impatiently clicked her tongue, and pushed Liu Xu. "I don't have time to waste here with you."
"Get Qu Yue out quickly."
"Otherwise, I'll smash this shabby courtyard!" Mu Yao shouted menacingly. The next second, many people picked up the few axes in the courtyard and started hacking at the items.
Qu Yue had been listening inside the house for a while. Anger burned in her eyebrows. She suddenly stood up and walked outside.
Her hand beside her body clenched into a fist. Her soft face tightened as she stepped out of the house.
"That's enough!"
"Mu Yao, aren't you looking for me?"
She held onto the doorframe. Her long, crow - feather - like eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her beautiful eyes stared straight at Mu Yao.
A charming vixen who didn't even realize it.
Mu Yao cursed in her heart.
She had to admit that Qu Yue was beautiful.
If she were in a brothel, she would surely be the most famous courtesan in the capital.
Brothel...
The faint fragrance unique to Qu Yue wafted into her nose, and a more profitable idea popped into her mind.
But before that, she needed money first.
Mu Yao carelessly sat down on a chair and held out her palm towards Qu Yue.
"Money."
It was the same old story.
After she married into the Mu mansion and voluntarily gave Mu Yao money once, things had gotten out of control.
Almost every once in a while, Mu Yao would come to ask her for money. And each time, the amount was quite large.
Qu Yue stood beside her. "I didn't go out this week, so I didn't earn any money."
"You just received a reward. Can't you take the money from there and give it to me?!" Mu Yao clicked her tongue. "Do you want to keep it all for yourself?"
"I don't mean that." When it came to the reward, Qu Yue's face also looked unpleasant. "These things belong to my husband. I want to bury them with him when he passes away."
Mu Yao grabbed the armrest of the chair and suddenly stood up. "Are you crazy?!"