Chapter 33: If She Leaves, Will You Leave Too?

He knew his good brother had excellent hearing, yet as Dong Yuefan entered the hall, he discovered that despite knowing he had returned, Mu Zitao didn't even lift his head.

"Ahem, Brother Zitao, you're being rebellious," he reminded him, suppressing a laugh as he pointed at the book in the other's hands.

Hearing this, Mu Zitao hurriedly flipped the book around.

*Pfft.* Dong Yuefan truly couldn't hold back his laughter.

Seeing him like this, Mu Zitao frowned slightly. Once he realized what had happened, he looked back at the book in his hands—it was indeed upside down!

"Dong Annoying, are you itching for a beating?" he cursed, throwing the book toward him.

While his martial skills weren't as high as his brother's, it didn't mean he couldn't catch it; however, Dong Yuefan was simply too lazy to reach out, so he merely tilted his body to dodge. He let the poor book fall to the ground, even though he could see it was a rare copy by a master from the previous dynasty, difficult to find even with heavy gold.

Dong Yuefan sat down to the side, crossed his legs, and folded his arms to observe his good brother. His expression was truly quite grim!

In any case, he had never seen him like this before.

After pondering for a moment, he mused, "Something's not right. I know this Mopan Town fairly well; there are a few unreliable characters here, but they aren't so stupid that they wouldn't realize you're someone not to be trifled with."

Listening to his muttering, Mu Zitao felt his face burning. He would rather die than admit that his current frustration was caused by some little lady from who-knows-where.

To walk right past him as if he were air was one thing, but she actually told those seven children that he was sick? That they should stay far away lest they catch it? Crucially, those seven children actually believed her implicitly, avoiding him as if he were a plague god.

The mere thought of that scene caused the internal energy in his body to become chaotic.

"What time is it? Why are you only just back? I traveled all this way to see you, and I don't even get lunch?" The guilty party quickly changed the subject, fearing that this man—who wasn't necessarily smarter than him, but was certainly quicker-witted than most—might guess the truth.

As soon as he finished speaking, a servant entered with the restaurant's staff, carefully placing the contents of the food boxes on the table.

Without needing Dong Yuefan to speak, he paid the silver and gave the waiter an additional silver ingot as a tip.

"Aren't you hungry? Come over quickly," Dong Yuefan beckoned, taking the wine flask from the servant and personally pouring a cup for his brother.

Mu Zitao was in a bad mood and actually had no appetite at all, but seeing the wine, he finally stood up, sat down, and picked up the cup to drink.

Although there was still unrest in various regions, it had not yet reached the point where he, as a general, needed to take action.

With constant wars over the years, he had followed his father to campaign. After gaining fame in battle at a young age, he had spent most of his time in military camps.

He had only recently returned to the capital. Every day was filled with various social engagements following his grandfather's lead. Although his family knew he disliked such things and tried to decline as much as possible, he still found it too tedious. Thus, he had decided to come out to visit a friend.

During his first few days in this remote Mopan Town, he had felt quite good—leisurely and peaceful.

But that sense of comfort had vanished the moment he met that little lady.

It wasn't that he hadn't thought about staying indoors as much as possible lately, or even leaving this place, but then he thought: *I am the dignified Young General Mu, having fought countless battles on the battlefield. Am I really going to be intimidated by a mere little lady?*

After a few cups of wine, the two brothers began chatting about amusing stories from their childhood, and a hint of a smile finally appeared on Mu Zitao's face.

"Anyway, I won't be able to dine with you tonight, but the food and wine are already ordered—all your favorites," Dong Yuefan said, remembering to give him a heads-up.

Mu Zitao looked up at him. "And who was it that wrote in a letter saying that during the three-plus years here, they were too lazy to make acquaintances, had no friends, no social life, and were all alone? So, it was all just nonsense to win my sympathy?"

"What are you talking about? Don't you know me? I might have lied before, but I have never deceived you. Today is a special circumstance. Xiao Duo is leaving early tomorrow morning. Didn't I help them with their travel permits? They specifically asked me to have a meal with them before they left to show their gratitude.

I treated them to breakfast, and they graciously ate it. If they treat me and I refuse, wouldn't that make me seem pretentious? Besides, the meat buns you ate yesterday were paid for by them. Isn't social interaction all about give and take?" Dong Yuefan explained.

"Xiao Duo? You call her by name so naturally? You've only known her for a few days! Anyone else would think you're old friends! Wait, what did you say? She's leaving?" Mu Zitao suddenly reacted and asked.

Dong Yuefan nodded. "Yeah, they were just passing through. Once they've rested, they naturally have to continue their journey."

*Isn't it because you helped them with the permits?* Mu Zitao glared at him.

"I heard what you two were saying this morning. Didn't she say she hadn't decided where to go yet? You two hit it off so well. With your wealth and status here, why not keep them here and look after them? It's not like you lack the ability. With her around, wouldn't your days be less boring?" Mu Zitao said.

Dong Yuefan was completely unbothered by his brother's teasing. "I've thought about what you just said, but you know my situation. Believe me, if I truly kept them here to look after them, someone from my family would surely show up within a month. By then, I'd only be bringing her trouble."

At this, he sighed and shook his head, poured himself a cup of wine, and drained it in one gulp.

Mu Zitao felt a sense of kinship. Although he and this "Dong Annoying" both held status in the capital, they both had their own constraints.

That night, when the moon was high in the sky, Dong Yuefan returned to his lodgings, slightly intoxicated and carrying a faint sense of melancholy.

He saw that his good brother wasn't asleep and was reading in the study.

"If you're not sleepy, shall we have a bit more?" Seeing his brother, a sense of guilt rose in Dong Yuefan's heart.

Mu Zitao, however, declined. "I came back to tell you that I am also leaving tomorrow."

"What? You're leaving tomorrow too? Hey, wait, didn't you say when you arrived that you wouldn't return to the capital unless the person there summoned you? Why are you suddenly leaving out of the blue?

Was it just because I didn't accompany you tonight? I'm really not choosing a woman over a friend! I can swear to heaven! Starting tomorrow—no, starting tonight, right now, I will stay with you constantly. I won't even go to the yamen if there's business! How about that?" Dong Yuefan grew a bit frantic.

He was already feeling a sense of loss and sadness because the newly met Xiao Duo was leaving, and he had been thinking that at least he still had a good brother here. Now, his brother was saying he was leaving too?

Dong Yuefan suddenly felt a sense of being abandoned—it was bitter, aggrieved, and upsetting!

Seeing him like this, Mu Zitao suddenly felt like he was betraying a friend—guilty and ashamed! He even felt a bit of contempt for himself!

"How old are you? Why are you throwing a tantrum like a child? You know that for the past few years, I've been either killing enemies or training troops. Now that I finally have some free time, I want to take this opportunity to travel around.

Otherwise, when war breaks out again, who knows if I'll ever have the chance to wander through these beautiful mountains and rivers again." He knew how to play the sympathy card too!

To prevent this kid from thinking he was leaving out of spite, he figured a little self-curse wouldn't hurt.

Someone who had been on a battlefield wouldn't believe in such things anyway.

"Pah, pah, pah! Don't say such unlucky things. We will all live well and enjoy long lives. By the way, where do you plan to go? South or North?" Having heard this, Dong Yuefan couldn't bring himself to try and force him to stay.

Where to go? Such a simple question, yet Mu Zitao wasn't quite sure how to answer appropriately—how to answer without this kid suspecting things he wasn't supposed to know?

He truly wasn't certain of his specific route. It was just that since he knew that little lady was leaving, he thought about how some places were currently unstable; there were highwaymen and night-time robbers.

She was a young lady traveling with seven good-looking children; just because people saw the sword at her waist didn't mean they wouldn't target them.

Tomorrow morning, he would simply follow whichever direction she headed. Of course, it wasn't because he was being kind or worried about her and those seven little baldies.

Didn't she treat him like air? Didn't she look right through him? Well, he didn't believe in such things; he just wanted to see how she would ask him for help when she and those children encountered danger...