CHAPTER SEVEN — PLAYING WITH ME
The moment Tang Kexin stepped into the meditation hall, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations faltered. Heads turned. And Mu Shaoyi, seated stiffly near the front, reacted exactly as she expected.
His expression darkened instantly. Disgust flashed openly across his face — not hidden, not softened, not even politely restrained. He lifted his hand slightly, as though preparing to shove her away the moment she dared approach him.
It was a gesture he had made countless times before.
A gesture the old Tang Kexin would have walked straight into.
But today, she didn't even glance in his direction.
Instead, she walked past him with calm, measured steps and took an empty seat at the far side of the hall. She sat gracefully, posture composed, gaze lowered in quiet dignity.
Mu Shaoyi froze.
His raised hand hung awkwardly in the air before he slowly lowered it, confusion flickering across his features.
Why wasn't she clinging to him?
Why wasn't she whining?
Why wasn't she making a fool of herself?
The hall murmured with surprise.
Even Dong'er blinked in astonishment — though she recovered quickly.
"Grandmaster Hui Yuan is benevolent and kind," Dong'er announced, her voice carrying just enough for the room to hear. "My lady has sought treatment for many years without success. Who would have thought the Grandmaster would cure her with a single session?"
A ripple of shock swept through the hall.
Cured?
The fool… cured?
Grandmaster Hui Yuan was revered — a living legend. If he had treated her, no one would dare question the result.
All eyes turned to Tang Kexin.
She lifted the teacup before her with steady hands, her movements slow and elegant. She took a sip, her expression serene, her gaze clear.
There was no trace of the vacant foolishness she had once displayed.
Mu Shaoyi's eyes narrowed.
Lu Ruyue's widened.
Ruyue's fingers tightened around her sleeve, knuckles whitening. A cold, sharp fear flickered in her eyes — quickly followed by something darker.
If Tang Kexin was no longer a fool…
If she had truly recovered…
Then Mu Shaoyi would no longer be able to break the engagement.
And Ruyue's dream of becoming Young Madam Mu would crumble.
No.
She would not allow that.
Lu Ruyue's smile remained gentle, but her eyes gleamed with ruthless calculation. She picked up her teacup, rose gracefully, and approached Tang Kexin with a soft, melodic laugh.
"Congratulations on your recovery, Lady Tang," she said sweetly. "Allow me to offer a toast — tea in place of wine."
Her voice was warm, her expression kind, her posture demure. Anyone watching would think her the picture of sincerity.
But Tang Kexin saw the truth.
Ruyue lifted the teapot and poured tea into Tang Kexin's cup. As she did, her pinky finger — the one facing the cup — twitched ever so slightly.
A tiny pinch of powder slipped from beneath her fingernail, dissolving instantly into the tea.
Colourless.
Odourless.
Tasteless.
A poison designed to be undetectable.
Ruyue's movements were flawless.
Her timing impeccable.
Her expression serene.
But Tang Kexin saw everything.
She recognised the poison at a glance — its texture, its behaviour in liquid, the faint shimmer that only someone trained would notice.
Inside, she laughed.
You want to poison me?
You think you can play this game?
Very well.
If Lu Ruyue wanted a performance, Tang Kexin would give her one she would never forget.
She lifted her cup slowly, her expression unreadable.
Liu Ruyue watched her with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Mu Shaoyi watched with a frown, uncertain.
The hall watched with curiosity, waiting to see what the "cured fool" would do.
Tang Kexin's lips curved ever so slightly.
The play was about to begin.
But neither Tang Kexin nor Grandmaster Hui Yuan knew one thing:
The man who had descended the mountain —the man who should have been far away by now —had turned back.