With Chen Mu beside me, we entered an isolated hut at the farthest corner of the Mo Manor. Prince Mo Li wanted to come but Riu had him locked up in his room.

An old man was seated on the center of the narrow room with two shadow guards behind him. He looked tired and the obvious dark bags underneath his eyes made him look more pitiful.

"Is he the one you mentioned?" I whispered to Chen Mu.

Chen Mu nodded in confirmation.

I took tiny steps forward as the old man cautiously eyed my every movement. Chen Mu grabbed a chair and placed it in front of the man. I sat and cleared my throat.

"Hello, I am Princess Bai Fan," I awkwardly introduced myself, "I need your help."

The man just stared at me without speaking a word.

"I'm sorry that Chen Mu had to drag you here. Don't worry, your help will be awarded and I'll make sure Chen Mu won't have you tied up again." I continued.

Still no answer.

"Can you please help me?"

The man blinked his eyes.

I turned to Chen Mu and asked in a hushed voice, "Is he mute?"

"No." Chen Mu answered.

"Then why isn't he talking?" I raised my brows.

"He's from another empire," Chen Mu gestured for one of his men to bring him a chair and sat beside me, "he speaks a different language."

I glared at Chen Mu.

Then why didn't you tell me?!

Chen Mu began to talk in a foreign language that I have no idea of and the man answered. I sat there listening to their exchange in awe.

I was not aware that Chen Mu can speak another language. The words rolled off his tongue so smoothly that I couldn't help but gaze at Chen Mu in admiration.

Wow...

He looks so sexy...

I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

After a few minutes, the man sighed and nodded his head. Chen Mu dismissed the shadow guards and only the three of us were left. The old man pointed at my hands and I looked at Chen Mu.

"Raise your hand." I did as I was told and Chen Mu draped a white cloth over my wrist.

The old man touched my wrist with his fingers and felt my pulse. He spoke to Chen Mu and Chen Mu stood up. He motioned for us to follow him in the hot spring just beside the hut.

As we stood beside the steaming waters, Chen Mu took out a dark cloth from his sleeves and tied it around the old man's eyes, covering his sight.

"Take of your clothes." Chen Mu instructed me.

"What..." I creased my brows.

"We're going in the water." Chen Mu answered.

"Do I really have to take off my clothes?" My face starting to heat up.

"Mm..."

"Then cover your eyes too!" I demanded.

"Why?" Chen Mu asked with a stoic expression.

What do you mean why?!

"Turn around." I pleaded.

"Mm..." Chen Mu did.

My eyes wandered at the surrounding, making sure that no one is around.

"No one will come here. I've cleared this area." Chen Mu said as if reading my mind.

"Okay." I said, still worried that someone might pop out of nowhere. I untied the ribbon in front of my dress and the silk fabric easily slid from my body down to the ground. I took off another layer and was left with nothing but the thin negligee that Xiao Yu had sewed for me.

"Done." I said.

Chen Mu was about to turn around but I quickly moved and held his back, "don't look."

Chen Mu held his hand backwards and I took it. He led me inside the hot spring until we were waist deep and I felt the warm water envelop my skin.

"Wait." Chen Mu said and went to guide the old man inside the water, too. Chen Mu positioned him behind me then stood in front of me.

"It will hurt a bit." Chen Mu said and took out a knife.

He held the last cloth covering my body and cut it off. I immediately covered my breasts with my hands. The heat of the hot spring contributed to the steady rise of my blood onto my face.

Chen Mu turned his head sideways and cleared his throat. He spoke to the old man and I felt the pricking in my back.

A whimper escaped my mouth as I felt the intrusion of needles into my flesh. I grabbed Chen Mu's arms as the pain started to occupy my senses, tears slowly dripping from my eyes. I couldn't care anymore if I was exposed in front of Chen Mu. Chen Mu held me and steadied me on my feet.

"It hurts." I bit my lip, trying to contain the scream that is threatening to come out.

"Look at me." Chen Mu hushed me, tightening his grip on me.

I looked up at Chen Mu with my blurred sight. He lowered his face and gave my forehead a kiss.

After several agonising pricks, the stabbing pain stopped but the aching still lingered in my body. Chen Mu called one of his female shadow guards. The shadow guard took the old man and disappeared from the hot spring. Chen Mu ushered me to the shallow part of the hot spring and helped me sit in a rock, the water engulfing me 'til my chest.

"Mu Mu..." I breathed.

"Mm..."

"You keep staring at my breasts!" I wanted to sound angry but I felt like all my energy ran out of my body.

"Mm..." He smiled, "I like them."

This man...

Then I noticed the water surrounding me started to darken. I looked at Chen Mu in question.

"Blood."

"Will I not run out of blood?" My head was starting to feel lighter seeing the blood around me.

"Its releasing the toxins in your system."

Wow...

Ming Shu did a really good job in poisoning me.

"Is it really going to work?" I reached my hand to cup Chen Mu's head and raised it upward.

"Mm..." Chen Mu took my hand and brought it to his chest, "let's try tonight."

Let's try tonight?

Did he mean we're going to...

Ahh, Xiao Yu, you're not a good influence.

I don't think I could get any redder than this.

"Mu Mu..." I nudged him, wanting to change the topic.

"Mm..."

"I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Why did you help me back then? At the market?" I questioned him. I remembered how he helped me retrieve my mother's jade hairpin. That was our first encounter.

"You were interesting."

"I was?"

"Mm... You had a terrible disguise." Chen Mu answered.

I laughed. Even Xiao Yu said that.

"Then why did you follow me back home?"

"You were interesting."

"Are you going to keep giving me that answer?" I pouted.

"You were interesting," Chen Mu repeated, "I was interested."

I couldn't help but smile.

"So you thought I was cute, right?" I teased him.

He looked me in the eye, "You snore."

I scowled at him.

Way to ruin the mood, mister no-romantic-bones.

"Then what about the blood? It just disappeared out of nowhere." I asked again.

"Riu."

Ahh, I should have known. The almighty shadow guard, Riu.

The atmosphere turned silent. I wanted to ask more questions but I stopped.

"Mu Mu, thank you for everything."

"You have to pay me." He said.

"You're already rich. I bet you own every business in this entire empire. I don't thi-"

Chen Mu leaned in and whispered, "I want you."

The first time he told me those exact words flashed in my mind. I was taken aback back then. I thought he was confessing to me. It turned out, he wanted me to work for him.

"You want me to work for you?" I laughed, remembering his ridiculous offer.

"No."

"Then what?"

"I want you, Bai Fan."