The Third Prince, Mu Xueshi, the Madam, and Wu Cai all dined together.
Throughout the meal, Mu Xueshi remained curious about Wu Cai’s identity.
He did not know that Wu Cai was the Grand Tutor’s male companion. Even if he had known the term, he likely would not have understood its true meaning. Unsure how to address him, Mu Xueshi remained thoroughly confused.
The Madam wore a gentle smile the entire time, occasionally placing food into Mu Xueshi’s bowl.
As for the Third Prince—she did not dare show him such casual courtesy.
Everyone present noticed something during the meal.
Whenever the Third Prince looked at Mu Xueshi, his gaze softened slightly.
But toward everyone else, he remained cold as ice.
Merely looking at him sent chills through one’s spine.
Mu Xueshi also tried to restrain himself somewhat.
Normally he would chatter endlessly with the prince, but each time he met the man’s eyes, he quickly swallowed his words.
The meal felt unbearably awkward.
Each person understood why—but none voiced it aloud.
Only Mu Xueshi sat there looking as though something were stuck in his throat. He sighed repeatedly while eating.
Wu Cai, meanwhile, noticed that Mu Xueshi’s table manners had changed greatly.
Though they had rarely dined together before, Mu Xueshi had never eaten with such wolfish appetite.
Furthermore, Wu Cai clearly remembered that Mu Xueshi had been escorted to the palace by the Third Prince and had suffered greatly.
How had their relationship now become so intimate?
Wu Cai could not understand it at all.
“Why do you keep staring at me?”
Mu Xueshi suddenly shouted.
At last he could endure it no longer.
He had already been eating uncomfortably, and now Wu Cai sat there silently staring at him. Anyone would feel uneasy.
After speaking, Mu Xueshi quickly cast an apologetic look toward the Third Prince—silently asking forgiveness for losing his temper.
The prince showed no reaction and calmly continued eating.
Relieved, Mu Xueshi turned back toward Wu Cai with a smug, fox-borrowing-the-tiger’s-power expression, clearly signaling that he had best not respond.
Wu Cai immediately understood the warning.
Though he said nothing aloud, anger filled his eyes.
After the meal, Mu Xueshi and the Third Prince returned to the main hall for a while longer.
Unfortunately, they discovered nothing new.
Once away from the others, Mu Xueshi felt much more comfortable. Seeing the prince still frowning in thought, he couldn’t help complaining.
“This is way too difficult. It’s already been more than a month, and the crime scene’s been ruined like this. How are we supposed to solve anything?”
The Third Prince raised an eyebrow at his self-pitying expression, his gaze complex.
Mu Xueshi immediately grew uneasy under that stare.
“Wh—why are you looking at me like that?” he stammered. “Didn’t you say it wasn’t me?”
The Third Prince chuckled softly and stood.
“You must understand. Unless… you are not Mu Xueshi.”
Mu Xueshi’s face changed drastically.
His beautiful lips trembled slightly.
“What do you mean?”
“Before you lost your memory, your mind contained the world itself. Nothing escaped your eyes. Amnesia erases memories—not intelligence.”
Mu Xueshi immediately understood.
The thought he had been suppressing these past days resurfaced once more.
His chest felt suffocated.
Yet he dared not admit anything.
Before, he might have seized this chance to explain everything—to ask the prince to use his authority to help locate the silver coin and return the original owner of this body.
But now…
He did not dare.
He feared that before he could return to his own world, he and the Third Prince might already become strangers.
“Isn’t this easy?” Mu Xueshi laughed awkwardly. “Just watch—I’ve got the whole world in my mind too! I can perceive everything. I’m only pretending to be stupid to amuse you. Actually I’m just… a great wisdom hidden beneath foolishness.”
He forced a laugh.
Though his face showed arrogance, his confidence was clearly lacking.
Great wisdom hidden beneath foolishness?
More like great foolishness beneath idiocy, he mocked himself silently.
Seeing that evening had arrived, the Third Prince ordered preparations to return to the palace.
Mu Xueshi had wanted to remain and examine the scene further, but since the prince had spoken, he did not dare insist.
After all, he feared being left alone in this eerie hall.
And he still had to return to wait for the Yinglan flowers to bloom.
As he mounted the horse, Mu Xueshi hesitated.
Should he sit facing the Third Prince… or with his back toward him?
Facing him felt awkward.
Yet he found himself strangely addicted to that closeness.
While he was still undecided, Mu Xueshi suddenly noticed a figure in the distance.
But the moment he focused his gaze, the shadow vanished.
The Third Prince had clearly noticed as well.
The figure had appeared near the right side of the Grand Tutor’s manor gate—only half a head visible in the shadow.
Mu Xueshi paid careful attention.
On the left side of the figure’s hair was a hairpin adorned with three or four large pearls.
Two long pendants hung beneath them.
Futile Devices Scans 
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