Catching a Secret

On the woman's wrist, dangling by the edge of the bed, a dark green bracelet caught Mo Zhu's eye.

The jade bracelet was too striking; the snake's body coiled around it as if alive, its entire form smooth and exquisitely crafted, even the veins around the pupils of the snake's head were clearly visible.

Why was that thing on her hand? And why didn't it attack her?

Mo Zhu raised his hand, his jade-like fingertip lightly touching the bracelet's surface. The moment he touched it, a burning sensation immediately transmitted, and he withdrew his hand, a layer of skin on his fingertip already peeled off, fresh blood seeping out instantly.

Mo Zhu waved his hand to erase the wound, and in his heart, he found his answer.

That snake jade bracelet... had recognized its master.

It had recognized her as its master.

Yu Zhi Ling still slept peacefully, oblivious. It seemed she had no idea what this object was; if she did, how could she wear it so nonchalantly in front of him?

How dare she wear it in front of him?

Mo Zhu sat by the bed, watching her for a long time. By now, the sun had completely set, the twilight glow illuminating one side of her face, her long, curled eyelashes drooping like small fans over her eyes.

The person was still the same, but no longer the same person.

Yu Zhi Ling gave him a strange feeling, both familiar and distant.

Mo Zhu stared intently at her face, as if wanting to see through this flesh and skin, to discern whether the soul within was white or black.

Suddenly, the slightly ajar window slammed shut with a "clack" due to the wind. She mumbled softly, frowned, and pulled his consciousness back to reality.

Mo Zhu took a deep breath, trying to suppress the killing intent in his heart. Just as he was about to get up and leave, Yu Zhi Ling suddenly turned over, seemingly hot, and kicked the blanket off.

The brocade blanket flew off and landed on the small table at the foot of the bed, causing a book on the table to fall to the floor. The wind swept through, opening its first page.

Mo Zhu bent down to pick up the book. As he lowered his head, several large words on the first page immediately caught his eye...

"The Villainous Master's Survival Handbook"

Mo Zhu: "?"

The first line, written in large letters:

- First, find a way to whitewash.

Immediately below, a chaotic self-questioning and self-answering monologue:

- The problem is, how to whitewash?
- Give some sweet treats to warm the heart? Say some Mary Sue-esque lines?
- No, Yu Zhi Ling, wake up! He's seventeen, not seven, he's past the age for candy!
- Then it's over, it feels unsalvageable.
- If you don't want to die, there's still hope!
- Waaah, save me, just die already, Mo Tuan Zi hates me to the bone!

...

Just one page, full of rambling, disorganized monologues, messy handwriting, and chaotic sentences.

Mo Tuan Zi... was that what she called him?

But what did "whitewash" mean?

At the very bottom, there was a simple hand-drawn picture serving as an end to this page.

A chubby little snake was biting the neck of a small person in green robes, while that person clutched their chest, head tilted to the side, tongue sticking out as if poisoned to death.

In a round frame next to it, a large line of text was written:

I'm dead, I'm dead, the most likely outcome is that I'll still die in the end!

No matter what, I'll die. That rebellious disciple, I must: Expel - him - from - the - sect!

Mo Zhu never expected someone to be able to talk to themselves so fluently.

He had met many people, but never anyone with such a strange mental state as her.

The young man frowned, his gaze resting on the bed beside him, but he no longer saw the sleeping figure, only a pair of dark eyes wide open, staring at him.

He could clearly see the fragmented light in her phoenix eyes; those eyes had shed all their sharpness, looking at him with intense focus. That year, it was precisely because of these eyes that he was deceived by her, willingly taking her hand and stepping onto Ying Shan Sect.

Yu Zhi Ling blinked sleepily, her gaze inadvertently landing on the notebook in his hand.

Mo Zhu suddenly chuckled, an evil thought in his mind: Ah, she's awake.