Chapter 7: Remarriage (Seven)

Mu Yao enjoys playing chess very much, but unfortunately, her parents are busy capturing monsters, leaving her with only a wealth of theory, as she lacks an opponent

Mu Sheng looked at the box of white pieces in front of him, frowning: "Have the pieces been changed?"

Mu Sheng instantly frowned, "Miss Ling..." He spoke half a sentence, his impatience between his brows forcibly suppressed by reason. He let out a gentle breath and continued to make his move.

Upon finishing my words, I suddenly realized that my heart was racing violently, as if I had stolen something.

The voice of admiration and the depth of gaze gradually intensify

Cough, Young Master Mu, where are we going?

It is too cold outside. Ling Miaomiao shivered slightly in the night breeze and boldly suggested to Mu Gongzi, "How about... you come to my room for a while?"

She thought to herself that the Black Lotus was probably worried that she would be detrimental to Mu Yao, hastily trying to drive her away and take her to a remote place to dispose of her body.

"That's not the case. " Miao Miao sighed and squatted down, "I just can't sleep and wanted to find someone to chat with." She looked up at Mu Sheng and lowered her voice, "I didn't expect you all to be asleep, only the light in Liu Ge's room is still on. I was going to call him, but I was afraid of disturbing him, so I was hesitating."

When he felt fatigued, he scrutinized Miaomiao across from him. A stray lock of hair that had slipped down was roughly tucked behind her ear as she leaned forward, her eyes fixed intently on the chessboard. After a while, as if she had spotted a mouse, her eyes suddenly brightened, her body arched, and she pounced fiercely, capturing her prey with a "thud".

You won again! Play well and don't always let me win!

I just mentioned that while Go-moku appears simple, it is actually quite difficult. She insincerely and smoothly changed the subject, saying, "Young Master Mu, no matter how well you play Go, it does not necessarily mean you can master this little game of Go-moku"

He only knows one way to play Go, which is the method that Mu Yao taught him

Only a fool would intentionally line up the chess pieces in a row

"Then you are probably mistaken." Ling Miaomiao leaned closer and wrapped her arms around his, "In fact, I don't care about empty formalities at all. I usually don't show it, just afraid of scaring you all." She felt Mu Sheng's body instantly tense up, and looking up, she laughed mockingly, "See, didn't Young Master Mu get scared?"

At that time, Mu Yao would show a hint of a helpless smile and pat his head, saying, "No, you must go all the way to the end"

Miao Miao forcibly led Mu Sheng away from the residence of the main characters, walking stiffly along the path paved with blue stones.

There were two deep dark circles under her eyes, which, upon a sudden glance, appeared somewhat terrifying

Mu Sheng furrowed his brows and complained, "My eyes are all blurred."

You observe... Her hand traced along a continuous line of white pieces on the chessboard, carefully reminding, "They are connected in a row."

A pair of eyes, shimmering with a watery hue, scrutinized her, their thoughts unknown. Unfortunately, behind that soft, moist color lay an unfathomable vortex.

He is in the Mu family, dispensable and bullied by everyone. However, what others do not know is that in any field, as long as there is an opportunity to engage, he will absorb knowledge like a seedling being watered, desperately seeking ways to make himself stronger and more perfect

He is that awkward presence in the Mu family... His adoptive parents, apart from providing food and clothing, hardly ever took the initiative to care for him. Most of the skills he possesses were taught to him by his sister. Mu Yao is the eldest daughter of the Mu family, a family renowned for hunting demons, bearing heavy responsibilities. She leaves early and returns late, working tirelessly, and must learn everything, and she lives up to everyone's expectations.

It was the fourth watch of the night, and Ling Miaomiao, despite her heavy dark circles, remained energetic and passionate. This frenzied excitement evidently infected Mu Sheng, causing the few remaining traces of sleepiness he had to vanish completely

"Why are you looking at me?" Miao Miao laughed, "Don't you believe it?"

The long eyelashes of Mu Sheng gently droop, casting a shadow on his pale face. He gazes intently at the chessboard, his brows unconsciously furrowing. His nails are neatly trimmed, and the chess pieces are absentmindedly rubbed between his fingertips

The night breeze carries the last hint of coolness of late spring. Mu Sheng's tone is casual: "Taking a stroll is beneficial for Miss Ling to fall asleep"

Had I known she was mentally unstable, staying up all night and deliberately toying with others. He is also unwell, as he actually accompanies her in this game.

But I will lose, my sister is almost winning

Ling Miaomiao rolled up her sleeves, thought for just a few seconds, and then made a decision with a snap.

Several floor-standing crane-shaped lamps are placed in the room, with twinkling lights resembling stars. Along the wall, there are also low candle holders, one every few steps, varying in height, flickering and shimmering, illuminating the room as bright as day

Ling Yu. Mu Sheng also began to call her

Mu Sheng, you have lost again

Miao Miao shuffled the pieces on the chessboard and set them aside: "Do not underestimate Gomoku; it may seem simple, but there is a lot of knowledge behind it." She paused thoughtfully and asked, "Mu Sheng, are you good at playing chess?"

For a moment, he reached out his hand and affectionately placed it on her shoulder. Ling Miaomiao instinctively flinched but did not evade. He exerted a bit of strength with his arm, skillfully turning her around, "What a coincidence, I am still awake. I will keep Miss Ling company for a chat."

There are some concerns. She weakly nodded, agreeing to Mu's words.

I... she hesitated to speak, biting her lower lip, as if finding it difficult to say, "... I have been suffering from insomnia."

Then you can call me by my nickname, Miaomiao

He glanced down and indeed found a row of hidden black pieces, continuous among a chaotic pile that nearly filled the entire chessboard

Silence left him speechless. He suddenly recalled a saying he had heard while wandering the world, which went something like this: to befriend a man, share a drink with him; to befriend a woman, watch a play with her. This saying is not entirely accurate; for some women, playing a few games of chess with them is enough for them to stop calling him "Young Master Mu".

Mu Sheng gazed at her face, slightly lost in thought

However, Mu Yao has not played chess with him for a long time. This is because Liu Fuyi is also a skilled player, and he is the type that her sister admires the most, with a steady and upright style of play. They are evenly matched, each a worthy opponent to the other.

According to legend, "Nüwa created humanity, and Fuxi invented chess." The game of Five in a Row originated before Go and flourished during the time of Yao and Shun. The ancient ancestors loved it, and it was popular in every street and alley. Although it may not be as sophisticated as Go, who dares to question the significance of Five in a Row in history? She did not speak carelessly; Mu Sheng's ignorance only indicates his limited knowledge.

The young man unexpectedly fell silent.

"Mu Sheng, look, look, you have lost again!" She was overjoyed, with a hint of cunning glee in her brows.

Ling Miaomiao avoided his gaze, secretly cursing: he is fishing for information again, the black lotus flower has started to probe again

On the table, there is an exquisite hexagonal glass lamp placed beside the chessboard, giving a warm glaze to each of the black pieces

Ling Miaomiao was momentarily at a loss for words. Mu Sheng glanced over with a sidelong look and said, "So, Miss Ling, is this kind of intimacy only special for Young Master Liu?"

Indeed. Ling Miaomiao arched her eyes, picked up a lustrous white piece to show him, the light reflecting in her eyes like two small moons. "This is a cloud piece, its color resembles tender teeth, as white as Young Master Mu, how beautiful it is."

Mu Sheng paused for a moment: "... ... again."

Playing chess is the same; moreover, this is something that my sister taught me step by step

Thus, she quietly taught Mu Sheng, and the two siblings often engaged in discussions to enhance their chess skills

My eyes are also blurry! She was still immersed in joy, her smile had not faded, and in her delight, she exclaimed, "How can I possibly find it now?"

Mu Sheng, you have lost

Under the moonlight, Ling Miaomiao raised her head, her complexion pale, with a pair of apricot-shaped eyes gazing at him pitifully

"Having trouble sleeping?" Mu Sheng said, crossing his arms. He did not criticize her for her irrelevant response, but simply smiled and said, "Oh, it seems you didn't sleep well." He took a few steps closer, lowered his head to examine her face, which bore an impeccable expression of concern, and asked, "Miss Ling, is there something on your mind that is causing you to lose sleep for no apparent reason?"

Miao Miao observed the black lotus flower, whose face, as white as jade, displayed several fluctuations of expression, and felt a twinge of regret for her indiscretion in speaking out

Let me explain this to you. This is a popular local game in our Taicang County, and it is just as interesting as the way you play. Miao Miao smiled at him and said, "Whoever connects five pieces first wins; this is called Go-Moku."

Ling Yu, is it not just a prison, confining the original self for a lifetime

"Do not call me Ling Yu," Miao Miao said with a frown, "It sounds unpleasant"

Mu Sheng turned to stare at the chessboard: "This is indeed the first time I have heard of it"

At this moment, there is a faint sound of cicadas, and occasionally a loud croak from the pond can be heard. The moonlight shines on the lush green grass, as if it has been coated with a layer of soft luster. A subtle fragrance of plum blossoms wafts from the sleeves, persistently infiltrating Miaomiao's nose.

At the beginning, he always lost, but later on, Mu Yao was no longer his opponent. However, he rarely won against his sister; most of the time, he deliberately lost the game.

A sudden feeling of guilt arose in my heart

"I am not very good at it." Miao Miao smiled apologetically

"Young Master Mu, please do not be angry." Miao Miao glanced at the coldness in Mu Sheng's eyes and softly apologized, "I am not very good at traditional Go, but..." She pointed at the Go board, "Could you take a closer look?"

Mu Sheng: "... ..."

The chamber of the county magistrate's daughter is grand and luxurious, with soft Persian carpets covering the floor. Even the curtains hanging over the bed are made of layers of fine gauze, as thin as a cicada's wing. When a gentle breeze blows, the gauze drapes flutter, resembling the delicate clouds at the edge of the sky

Because Mu Yao did not like his unpredictable style of playing chess, nor did she appreciate his unscrupulous means to win. Since his sister did not like it, he chose not to win, preferring to appear naive and foolish, fidgeting and pleading with Mu Yao: "Sister... I don't know how to move anymore"

Mu Sheng let go of her hand, the ends of her hair lifted by the wind, and she rubbed her wrist with a hint of grievance, "I thought Miss Ling would be able to pick food from my bowl, which must mean we are familiar enough to not care about such formalities."

In fact, he not only will not lose, but he also knows how to enable Mu Yao to win without leaving a trace

Mu Sheng completely discarded the facade of politeness, lifting his eyelids: "The three words 'Miss Ling' are quite awkward"

Mu Sheng cast a displeased glance at the chessboard, where his carefully considered and cautious black pieces contrasted with her free-spirited and whimsical white pieces. After staring for a long time, he could not discern any meaning behind it.

Looking at this situation, it must not have gone well... Who could blame her for not knowing how to play Go, unable to discern the intricacies? The black lotus flower struggled and exerted herself for half a day, only to be outplayed by her...

"How could this be?" Mu Sheng immediately reined in the darkness that was about to overflow from her eyes, obediently allowing her to pull her along

"Is it related to Young Master Liu?" He seemed to smile without smiling, glancing towards the window where Liu Fuyi was.

He paused for a moment, not uttering a word, but under the throbbing headache from staying up late, in a daze and almost as if compelled, he replied, "I also have a courtesy name, which is Ziqi."

She arranged the pieces, keeping the black ones for herself and pushing the white ones over to his side, "Shall we play a game and give it a try?"

At the moment she placed her piece, he could no longer contain his sarcastic tone: "Miss Ling... do you know how to play chess?"

The light in Ling Miaomiao's room was still on, and Mu Sheng was sitting face to face with Ling Miaomiao

"Hmm, I see." Mu Sheng forcibly suppressed his anger, looking at her with cold eyes, almost sneering.

Mu Yao's expression turned serious: "We cannot refrain from playing just because we fear losing. Come on, A Sheng, make your move."

At the fourth watch of the night, when it is the deepest, all things are in slumber

"Then you ... ..." Miao Miao continuously lowered her head, trying to evade his constraints, "Do we really have to take a walk together like this?"

When Ling Miaomiao raised her hand again, she noticed Mu Sheng was staring intently at her hand. Seeing his restrained expression, she felt a bit amused in her heart

Not quite right? This is completely nonsensical! The anger in Mu Sheng's heart spread like wild grass in an instant, and a glance at the hourglass revealed that it was already the third watch of the night