Chapter 202

Meng Jue, like Tian Xianzi, still hasn’t woken up.

It seems that the drug in Jiuzhou Spring Return matches Ning Ning’s guess: the higher one’s cultivation, the deeper the poison’s effect. Fortunately, Pei Ji and He Zhizhou have already awakened, indicating that this is not a deadly poison. Presumably, Meng Jue and Tian Xianzi will gradually wake up in due time.

“If you both have other pressing matters, you may leave him here for now.”

The old grandma who sells paintings comforted the girls, coughing lightly as she spoke gently, “Meng Jue is very well-behaved. He always calls me grandma and gets along well with the other children. You needn’t worry.”

Meng Jue appears affectionate but is actually the most indifferent person. He always smiles warmly, but he is genuinely unconcerned about anyone.

This character mainly stems from his childhood experiences. His mother was a lowly concubine who died of illness after giving birth to her only son. His father didn’t care, and the main wife didn’t love him. Meng Jue was no different from an abandoned pawn in a deep mansion, even bullied by servants.

It is said that only an elderly lady cared for him, but unfortunately, the mansion was later attacked by a demon, and no one survived except Meng Jue.

Shortly after, he was taken as a personal disciple by Tian Xianzi, who had come to exterminate the demon. Since then, Meng Jue has become even more distant, rarely showing any emotion.

Now, drunk, he perhaps mistook this grandma for the elderly lady who tragically died years ago.

In this cultivation world, life and death seem both near and far. As time passes, only the shadows of old acquaintances linger in one’s heart.

Ning Ning recalled the original story’s descriptions of Meng Jue and sighed inwardly, then nodded gently.

Luo Yuanming said in the teahouse that Luan Niang has been inseparable from him since last night and even has maids and servants accompanying her today.

If she truly committed a crime, she would need to hide it under the eyes of everyone in the City Lord’s Mansion and quickly see the results. The best time to act would be at midnight, when everyone is deeply asleep. If they could investigate the City Lord’s Mansion before midnight, they might find something.

“That’s really strange.”

Ning Ning looked over the painting in her hand, finally focusing on Luan Niang’s glance back, “Grandma made two paintings in total. Why did Luan Niang only buy the one with the two figures’ backs?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Cheng Ying chattered excitedly.

Ever since hearing Ning Ning say “like,” he seemed as if he had swallowed a whole bottle of stimulants: “To have a decent life, one must wear a bit of green on their head. The City Lord’s head is already starting to grow grass. If Luan Niang took this painting back too, when he saw his wife’s face in the painting, wouldn’t it turn from a grassland into a dense forest?”

Naturally, Ning Ning couldn’t hear this, so she didn’t argue with Cheng Ying. Thinking it over and unable to come to a conclusion, she decided to set the matter aside for now. After storing the painting scroll, she said softly, “Grandma, I really like these paintings and want to buy them.”

“If you like them, just take them.”

A faint light of joy appeared in the old woman’s dull eyes, as if she were lightly smiling.

“It’s been a long time since anyone said they liked these paintings. You don’t know that when I was young, I was the most skilled painter on this street. Even the portraits of the courtesans were done by me, and everyone who saw them praised them for their lifelike quality. But alas, I’m old now and can hardly sell any.”

Ning Ning shook her head with a smile.

After coming to Luan City, she spent almost all her pocket money on night pearls. This time, she experienced a lot in the secret realm and collected a lot of precious herbs, which she sold for a good price. If she gave them all to Grandma, it should support this large family for some time.

So what if she is poor? She has gotten used to it anyway.

Determined, Ning Ning was about to take out her money pouch from her storage bag when she suddenly heard Pei Ji’s cold, young voice say, “Five thousand spirit stones for all the paintings.”

Ning Ning widened her eyes at him.

The exchange rate of spirit stones is not like RMB. Five thousand is no small amount. Did he see her intent to spend everything and decide to do it for her instead?

“Five, five thousand spirit stones?”

Not only was Grandma stunned, but even Ah Hui showed disbelief, “Sir, these paintings aren’t worth that much!”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Pei Ji rarely showed a hint of hesitation, quickly glancing at Ning Ning with an expressionless face before swiftly looking away, like a dragonfly skimming water.

His tone was cold: “As long as she likes them.”

How could he say such things with such an indifferent tone?

Ning Ning: …

Ning Ning also showed no expression, her face stiff as a wooden plank. Feeling Ah Hui’s direct gaze, she awkwardly lowered her head and touched her nose with her right hand.

Ah Hui glanced at Pei Ji, who was holding a sword, and couldn’t help but laugh, “Pfft.”

—

At midnight, the City Lord’s Mansion.

Ning Ning concealed her spiritual energy and sneaked into the mansion with Pei Ji.

It was her first time doing such sneaky things, so she was naturally very nervous. To avoid detection, she even wore black clothes. Standing next to Pei Ji, who was also dressed in black, they could almost blend directly into the night.

They had mastered the movement patterns of the Luan Bird statues and sneaked into the mansion during a visual blind spot. The mansion was deserted at midnight, with the dense darkness reflecting the flowing moonlight and a few lanterns giving off an eerie light.