Huan Yang truly lived up to its reputation as the imperial capital. Even at dusk, the streets—though hardly main thoroughfares—remained bustling with people, flanked by rows of shops. She could have taken a moment to admire what the ancient capital looked like, if only that relentless shadow hadn't dogged her every step. Everything would have been perfect! Disregarding all decorum, Zhuo Qing crouched in a corner, gasping for breath. In stark contrast, Mo Bai stood ten paces away, his face unflushed and breathing steady. His sky-blue eyes calmly observed her without advancing to seize her or retreating. Zhuo Qing felt aggrieved—he had followed her for five entire streets! Five streets! Why was she panting like a beaten dog while he looked as composed as ever? Finally catching her breath, Zhuo Qing ceased running and approached Mo Bai, her voice heavy with exhaustion: "Blue eyes, what exactly do you want from me?" Mo Bai's expression remained impassive, offering no reply. Zhuo Qing cursed under her breath; she despised those who played the aloof, stoic type. With a flicker of cunning in her gaze, she suddenly stepped close beside Mo Bai, her mood lifting as she smiled: "If you want to follow me, you might as well stick close so you don't lose me." This sudden change in demeanor flickered a trace of surprise across Mo Bai's heart, though his inscrutable face revealed nothing.
Among the shops lining the street, one silk emporium stood out, lavishly adorned. A sly glint flashed in Zhuo Qing's eyes as she said, "My ragged clothes have become unbearable. I'm going to buy something new." Tugging at Mo Bai's sleeve, she pulled him toward the store. Mo Bai coldly withdrew his arm but still followed her inside. The moment the shopkeeper noticed customers, he hurried forward: "Gentlemen, please come in!" Catching sight of Mo Bai's pale blue eyes and alabaster skin, the shopkeeper trembled and stepped back nervously, unwilling to meet his gaze. Mo Bai seemed accustomed to this, his indifferent countenance unchanged. Though Zhuo Qing was draped awkwardly in a robe, hiding herself thoroughly, the shopkeeper preferred to address Mo Bai, trailing behind Zhuo Qing as he eagerly introduced: "Our silks are renowned throughout Qiong Yue. Please, feel free to choose. We also have ready-made scholar's robes here, and if you don't find a style you like, we can custom-make one."
Moving toward a side chamber, Zhuo Qing called out loudly, "I want to try these on—get two people to bring the clothes." The shopkeeper responded promptly: "Yes, right away!" Crossing his arms beside Mo Bai, Zhuo Qing's tone took on a teasing edge: "Blue eyes, aren't you coming along?" Mo Bai ignored her entirely, turning his back with a cold stare fixed ahead. Zhuo Qing secretly breathed a sigh of relief—if he had followed her in, she'd be in real trouble.
After a short incense burn, a piercing female scream suddenly echoed from the inner room, followed by several loud crashes. Mo Bai's eyes flickered—sure enough, that brat was up to some trickery. In an instant, he darted inside. The cramped space was in disarray; garments were strewn everywhere. A young boy lay on his back, a dark bruise marring his forehead. Beside him, a woman dressed as a maid lay on her side. There was nowhere left to hide. Beneath a half-opened small window rested a wooden step stool. Mo Bai pushed open the window, revealing the shop's backyard. Swiftly leaping out, he pursued toward the outhouse at the rear.
The shopkeeper hurried in, aghast at the chaotic scene, and looked up just as Mo Bai vaulted through the window into his backyard. "Wh-what is going on?! What do you think you're doing?!" The shopkeeper dashed to raise an alarm, but the blue-robed woman on the floor suddenly sat upright. Her exquisitely refined profile stunned him, and hesitantly he asked, "Miss, who are you?" How could such a stunning woman appear in his shop? He only remembered sending the boy to assist the young master with his clothes. Before the shopkeeper could process this, the woman stood facing him. Another shock gripped him—such beauty, yet one side of her face was horribly disfigured. A tragedy! Too tragic! He clutched his chest in despair as Zhuo Qing swiftly seized the moment, hoisting her fallen skirt high, and darted outside.
The shopkeeper caught only a fleeting glimpse of a blue shadow. Still dazed by recent events, when he finally recalled that the clothes Zhuo Qing wore belonged to his shop, she was already far from the store. Moments later, a terrified shout rang out from within: "Thief! No—robber!" Zhuo Qing slipped through the streets into a narrow, winding alley. The labyrinthine paths were so convoluted she would have been lost without her exceptional memory. Surely, "Blue eyes" couldn't find her so easily! Before she could savor relief, the clatter of multiple footsteps approached from behind. Just as she turned to see who it was, a dark silhouette flickered before her eyes, and a cold, menacing blade pressed against her neck.
Could she be this unlucky? After finally shaking off one tail, she was caught in a vendetta once again? The man before her sported a full beard, his age inscrutable. His bloodshot eyes brimmed with terror and madness, muttering incessantly, "Y-you, you… don't do anything reckless!" Reckless? That was his line! Bewildered and alarmed, Zhuo Qing froze.
Then, a young male voice, tinged with mockery and streetwise swagger, drifted from the shadow: "You won't escape my grasp anyway, so you might as well behave, or I'll have to get hands-on." The bearded man's panic intensified. Clutching Zhuo Qing's shoulder to shield her, he pressed the blade harder against her throat, his hand trembling violently. Zhuo Qing dared not move, feeling the blade wavering at her jugular. Stiffening, she whispered in helpless exasperation, "Could you stop shaking?!" The bearded man, breathing raggedly, paid no heed, his bloodshot eyes fixed ahead in terror. From the front came a low, rueful chuckle.
Looking up, Zhuo Qing saw a young man leaning lazily against the alley entrance, arms folded across his chest, clad in a blue short jacket, tapping his toes with a casual rhythm—the very image of a rogue. Though youthful, his refined features and sharp eyebrows gave him an elegant mien. His half-closed phoenix-like eyes flickered with nonchalant ease. As he straightened, the bearded man hissed like a cornered rabbit, "Don't come closer, or I swear… I'll kill her!" The youth's gaze swept over Zhuo Qing's face, a roguish smile curling his lips. "Do as you will. I'm here to capture for ransom; her life means nothing to me. You've already got five kills on your conscience—one more won't matter. Maybe I'll earn another hundred taels!" That's right! Bounty hunters were all about the money! The bearded man, sensing hope, pleaded earnestly, "Spare me! Name your price—I'll pay double, no, triple what the officials offer!" The black-clad youth absentmindedly rubbed his ear, visibly annoyed. "Cut the crap. Kill her quickly—I'm starving and want my reward!" Seeing the bribe fail, the blade pressed harder, and the bearded man screamed in desperation, "Don't come closer! I… I swear I'll kill her!"