Meanwhile, Bailu looked over at March 7th, concerned. "But what if he doesn't truly care about Banxia?"
Upon hearing those words, Banxia's heart suddenly felt cold.
March 7th: "If he doesn't truly care, then at least you'll see his true face. This is your first time feeling this way about someone, right?"
Banxia, weighed down by thoughts, quietly replied, "Yes…"
Receiving this response, she continued, sounding quite experienced, "In that case, you need to make sure he's sincere. They say true feelings emerge in tough times. If he's using you, this approach will reveal it."
This left Banxia stunned. "That… can't be, right?"
March 7th, realizing she might have spoken too bluntly, quickly asked, "But, just imagine—what if he is using you? How would you feel?"
Banxia stammered, "I… I don't know…"
A hint of panic crossed her face. She'd never considered that possibility before. This was her first time feeling love, and all she'd thought about was him. Yet, March 7th's words planted the seed of doubt, and the thought of it becoming real stirred fear within her.
March 7th sighed, "Look, you don't have to worry. This is just a possibility. If it's making you anxious, we can skip it…"
She felt uneasy, realizing her suggestion might have only added to Banxia's distress.
Banxia was pained by the thought, but then she reconsidered—it was just a possibility, right? Surely her beloved… wouldn't do something like that. And understanding March 7th's intent, she felt her heart waver.
Banxia: "I understand. I won't respond to anything he says or does until Lady Bailu 'revives me.'"
Bailu took a deep breath: "Got it. Leave it to me. If he's just some jerk, I swear I'll knock his nose out of place. But if he's a decent guy… eh-heh, I'll make sure to give you both my blessing."
Banxia took a deep breath, "Thank you, March 7th, thank you, Lady Bailu."
As a member of the long-lived species, Banxia was tangled in emotions, but whether it was the lingering effects of the coffee or her own ability to restrain herself, she managed to stay calm.
March 7th: "Alright, then. When we get there, just stay hidden in the trash can, Banxia. I'll take us now."
Bailu: "Off we go!"
March 7th activated the teleport, and as they arrived, Pei Guang was already waiting. He'd chosen a spot inside a container, ensuring no one could see from outside.
Seeing Banxia arrive with a trash can over her head, Pei Guang immediately understood what was going on.
Pei Guang: "Go on, Banxia. Find your beloved and, when you're done, let me know exactly how things went, alright?"
Banxia: "Sure, but…"
March 7th jumped in, "We came up with a little plan! Heh-heh, Pei Guang, want to guess what it is?"
Pei Guang: "Let me guess… pretending to be hurt, coaxing him into tears, ending in a heartfelt reunion, right?"
March 7th: "Huh? You guessed it again! No fun…"
Pei Guang patted her on the shoulder, "I've seen this scenario more times than I can count. Back in the day, shows I watched had characters faking death, fake marriages, memory loss, even fatal injuries—this one's pretty mild."
March 7th looked at him curiously, "And what do you think of these kinds of tricks?"
Pei Guang pondered, "I think it's fine! Sometimes people love someone deeply but are afraid to admit it. Other times, they just need a little push to face their feelings. As the saying goes, 'tricks win hearts.' If a trick's needed, then play it."
March 7th looked at him thoughtfully, "Pei Guang, have you ever used one of these tricks on me?"
Pei Guang paused, "Can't say I have. With you, I'm afraid if I tried, you'd cry yourself to sleep and wouldn't let it go."
March 7th leaned back, feeling a chill at his words. Even if they weren't entirely serious, they left her feeling uneasy.
Pei Guang waved his hand, "Alright, go pull off your little scheme. We're running out of time today; it's okay if we don't use up all our teleportations now. One less tomorrow won't hurt. It's not like skipping this would be the end of us. If it were, that'd be quite the twist."
The moment he finished, March 7th quickly covered his mouth, "Shush! What are you saying? You promised we'd all go down together if something bad happened. If you went before me, I'd cry!"
Pei Guang laughed, "Alright, alright. How about this: I'll tell you a secret later that'll ease your worries."
March 7th's curiosity was piqued, "What secret?"
Pei Guang chuckled, "You'll find out later. Now go on and enjoy your live drama."
March 7th: "Roger that~"
Following the plan, she tucked Banxia into the trash can and added a bit of makeup to make her look paler and weaker. Once everything was set, she carried Banxia to the designated spot.
March 7th placed the trash can on the ground, while Pei Guang positioned a nearby trash bin. After checking that no one was watching, he climbed inside.
Eyeing the trash can, Bailu looked skeptical: "Won't hiding in such an obvious place get you caught?"
Pei Guang replied, "Not a chance. As long as no one sees us actually hide, we're fine. And if you think it's unsightly, I've got delivery boxes too. Trust me, even the smartest AI can't detect someone hiding in a trash bin, let alone regular folks."
Seeing him produce a delivery box, Bailu looked puzzled. She knew the trash can had some mystical properties, but what was the deal with the delivery box? She could see it was addressed to Starskiff Haven—even though the exact location was blurred, it was clearly a Xianzhou delivery box. Could hiding in a normal delivery box really keep someone from being found?
Pei Guang: "Give it a try. This one's too small for me, but you'd fit perfectly."
Swallowing nervously, Bailu took the delivery box and climbed inside. She'd already seen how effective the trash can was, so hearing Pei Guang vouch for the box made her believe him.
March 7th, once she'd prepared everything, approached the trash can, checked around to make sure no one was watching, and slipped inside.
Banxia waited a moment, then began calling out softly for her beloved, "Liangmu… Liangmu…"
Her voice and tone were exactly the same as when they'd first met her. Although she wasn't on the verge of becoming mara-struck anymore, her body was still weak. Her earlier enthusiasm had come from sheer willpower, but after March 7th's words, she felt her strength waning. Fortunately, the coffee's effect was still there, keeping the mara influence at bay.
Inside a hidden container, Liangmu, who had been sleeping, heard Banxia's call. Instinctively, he peered out through a crack. Seeing no one, he cautiously stepped out, but not out of love—out of selfish desire.
After checking that the coast was clear, he moved toward the trash can Banxia was in. Hearing his footsteps, Banxia cracked her eyes open, saw it was him, and quickly closed them, lowering her breathing.
"Hey! Hey!" Liangmu's voice was tinged with nervousness, and hearing it made Banxia's heart warm. She wanted to reach out and embrace him. But his next words chilled her heart.
"What's with this woman? How did you become this ugly"!"
Inside the trash can, March 7th's hand shot out, pinching Pei Guang's arm in fury as she muttered, "That jerk!!! What is he even saying?!"
March 7th was livid. Who starts by judging the looks of someone in distress? Even a stranger would show more empathy.
Pei Guang, feeling her grip tighten, sighed. It hurt, sure, but since it was March 7th, he let it go. But even he was irritated. Regardless of feelings, anyone seeing someone they supposedly cared about this weak would show concern.
Then things got even worse—Liangmu began touching Banxia's frail form without a hint of concern. That was enough for March 7th, who was about to jump out, but Bailu beat her to it.
Bailu leaped out, glaring at Liangmu, and demanded, "What do you think you're doing, you scoundrel?!"