Chapter 216: 216- Mystery Girl [3]

"You’re stalking me!" the girl blurted, finger stabbing the air in his direction.

Fang Yuan only shook his head, expression unreadable. "From how I’m seeing things, it’s you who’s stalking me. I clearly saw you heading south."

Her mouth opened, then snapped shut. Opened again—nothing came out.

She looked like a fish gasping for air before finally spinning on her heel and marching toward the counter.

"Innkeeper! I want a room. As far away from this creep as possible!"

Fang Yuan blinked. For a moment, his mind was blank.

Then, deadpan, he thought, What the heck happened to the kind, generous maiden from earlier? How did we go from ’thank you, good man’ to ’burn this pervert alive’ in one afternoon?

He rubbed his forehead, suppressing the chuckle tugging at his lips.

"Women," he muttered under his breath. "Heaven’s greatest mystery."

The innkeeper, caught between them, looked like he wanted to melt into the floor.

His eyes darted from Fang Yuan’s calm face to the girl’s flustered glare, as though he’d been dragged into the middle of a marital spat he had no business witnessing.

Fang Yuan sighed and stepped forward, voice even, almost courteous.

"One room will be fine. Preferably not next to hers. I wouldn’t want to encourage any... misunderstandings."

The girl whipped her head around, cheeks still flushed. "You—!"

Fang Yuan merely raised a brow, his silence the perfect shield.

After a few minutes later, they each got their own rooms and Fang Yuan arrived in his room at last.

It was a modest space, walls of plain timber, a narrow bed with rough linen, a small table with a lantern resting on it.

A single shelf leaned against the wall, sparsely lined with a few old books whose spines were cracked from use.

Since he was playing the role of a mere wanderer, Fang Yuan made no attempt to cultivate.

Instead, he stretched once, exhaled, and lay down.

An hour later, drowsiness finally claimed him—only for his sharp senses to rouse him again.

A faint creak of the door, the near-silent shuffle of feet across wooden planks. He didn’t need to open his eyes to know who it was.

The girl.

Still, he kept his breathing steady, chest rising and falling with the rhythm of slumber. If he was to act the part of a harmless drifter, then so be it.

She moved lightly, but to Fang Yuan’s ears each step was crisp and clear. He felt her presence circle the room, linger at the table, brush past the shelf.

She was snooping, clumsy but careful, eyes darting for signs of valuables or secrets.

After a time, she stopped. The pressure of her presence vanished.

Fang Yuan’s lips nearly twitched. She’s probably expecting me to jump up the moment she leaves, then rush back in to catch me. If she does that, she’s not just suspicious, she’s downright mental.

Sure enough, a rush of air stirred as the door banged open.

"Surprise!" she shouted.

The only answer was his steady, unbroken snore.

Her momentum collapsed into awkward silence.

"Uh... oh..." She scratched her cheek, leaning closer.

"So he’s not a cultivator? Am I... overthinking?" she muttered aloud.

Her gaze wandered until it landed squarely on the spatial ring at his finger.

For a moment, her eyes narrowed. Then she shook her head, muttering again. "Nevermind. I’m definitely overthinking."

And with that, she slipped back out into the hallway.

The next morning arrived.

Fang Yuan stepped out of his room, robes neat, expression calm. He decided on leaving early and heading for the Gu Family.

But... It looked like fate had other plans prepared for him.

Just as he reached the lobby, she appeared.

The same girl.

Fang Yuan had already resolved not to bring up last night’s farce. Better to ignore this lunatic entirely.

Except—

"Ahh! It’s you again, mister!" Her face lit up, her tone cheerful, as if greeting an old friend. "What are you doing here?"

Fang Yuan nearly stumbled. What is this? Did she... factory reset herself overnight?

Outwardly, he kept his composure. "I stayed the night here."

Her eyes widened. "Oh! I didn’t know that! If I had, I would have loved to have a chat with you."

Her voice carried genuine regret, as though last night’s "creep" accusation had never left her lips.

Fang Yuan’s gaze slid to the innkeeper, who stood frozen behind the counter, brows raised nearly to his hairline.

The poor man’s expression screamed what he dared not say: Didn’t this girl call him a creep just last night? Now she wants a friendly chat?

Fang Yuan smothered a laugh. Very well, if she wanted to pretend nothing happened, he could play along.

"How about we grab breakfast together, then?" he suggested lightly.

"Sure! That would be delightful!" she chirped.

Turning to the innkeeper, she produced a gleaming gold coin with a flourish. "Here. Bread enough for this, and a soup. Please." Her tone was polite, her smile warm.

The innkeeper blinked at the coin, then hurried off.

A short while later, the two of them sat across from each other at a small wooden table.

The rain had eased outside, the morning air cool and fresh. Steam curled from a bowl of broth between them, and a heap of coarse, dark bread sat piled on a plate.

Fang Yuan picked up a piece, studying it with faint curiosity.

Hard, uneven, with a rough crust, nothing like the refined meals of spirit grains and beast meats he was accustomed to.

Still, he tore it in half, dipped it into the soup, and took a bite.

The flavor was bland, the texture dense. Yet he chewed with a straight face, swallowed, and even gave a small nod.

"Not bad," he said evenly.

The girl’s lips curved, pleased. "Right? It’s simple, but it fills the stomach."

Fang Yuan gave her a small nod, finishing the last bite of bread in silence.

She set down her bowl, eyes bright as she leaned a little closer. "So... would you like to accompany me today?"

Her voice carried no trace of coyness, only a polite earnestness, as though she truly needed another pair of hands to help her hand out bread in the slums.

Fang Yuan’s reply came without pause, flat. "No."

She blinked, taken aback by the blunt refusal. "Why?"