Mu Yichuan was in a good mood. He put down his chopsticks and looked at Xin Yu seriously. With one hand, he lifted her into his arms.
He held her tightly.
She cared about him, otherwise she wouldn't have apologized.
"Ayu..." his little girl.
"I...I have nothing with Brother Shuihan, don't misunderstand." Xin Yu leaned against him, her small hand grasping his large hand, explaining softly.
"And what about in the future?" Mu Yichuan already understood Xin Yu to some extent. He didn't know how she would react when she learned the truth.
Would she go back to Liu Shuihan's side?
Even if she didn't, would she leave him?
Thinking this, he didn't wait for Xin Yu's answer, leaning down to invade her body, with domineering force and a hint of melancholy.
"I...I won't." Xin Yu's heart was in turmoil from the kiss, her words broken and intermittent, "No...you have to eat."
She had run back, afraid he would eat something cold.
Mu Yichuan and Xin Yu were on the same page, so he stopped kissing, but still held her, placing chopsticks in her small hand. "Eat with me."
Xin Yu didn't resist. She was hungry anyway, and she'd bought two of everything; if Qiu Zhi wouldn't eat, she could.
"You should eat more, and after you finish, lie down and get some sleep. I guarantee you'll be 80-90% recovered by tomorrow," she instructed.
Mu Yichuan smiled, reaching out to ruffle Xin Yu's hair. "Ayu, you're so considerate."
She blushed at the sudden praise, lowering her head to drink her porridge, ignoring him.
After they finished their delicious dinner, he leaned against the bed, staring intently at Xin Yu, his handsome face slightly darkened, his dark eyes deep, lost in thought.
"Oh no!" Xin Yu exclaimed, then scratched her head. "I...I forgot to contact Old Mu! He invited me to West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce tonight."
As she spoke, she hurriedly pulled out her phone, but Mu Yichuan snatched it away.
Xin Yu looked at him, puzzled. His eyes flashed, and his voice was still hoarse, "Looks like you've been living quite comfortably while I was away."
She chuckled, her eyes crinkling into a bright smile, and sat down next to Mu Yichuan. "Do you really want me to be all gloomy every day?"
It's just West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce, is it really that big of a deal? So stingy!
He tossed the phone aside, cupped Xin Yu's face in his hands, and stared at her with his hawk-like eyes. "Yes."
...!
Xin Yu looked back at him incredulously. "Yes?!"
"I want you to be like me, unable to eat or sleep, when I'm not around."
She paused, pouting. How could someone be so domineering!
But was that really how he was? A pang of heartache welled up within her, leaving her conflicted and torn.
"Then you'll always be with me?"
"Yes," Mu Yichuan answered firmly.
Xin Yu's dark eyes flashed. She grabbed his arm, leaned forward, and pressed her soft lips to his.
Mu Yichuan's slightly pale lips moved, but he didn't respond, letting her take the initiative.
"Okay, I—"
"Okay?!" He was displeased, stretching out his long arm to pull her onto his lap.
Xin Yu quickly pleaded, "No! I really have to call Old Master Mu, otherwise he'll worry, and Yuanzi too..."
Mu Yichuan ignored her, placing her on his lap, encircling Xin Yu, and dialing the number himself.
"Forced," she muttered.
Immediately, a hand reached for her back, causing her to shudder. She quickly covered her mouth, silencing herself.
Mu Yichuan briefly explained to Old Master Mu and then hung up the phone. "What did Old Master Mu say?" Xin Yu asked. "I've been taking care of you here, and he hasn't said anything? Won't he suspect anything?"
"So what?"
Huh?
Xin Yu looked back at Mu Yichuan. What did he mean by that?
"I'll find time to explain it to him in detail in the next couple of days," he added, which only confused her more. Explain what?
"Oh, right, I also need to call Yuanzi." She needed to ask Cheng Yuan to send over the design drawings; she needed to refine them tomorrow and hand them in the day after.
After explaining to Cheng Yuan, Xin Yu turned her head and saw Mu Yichuan fiddling with his phone, his face serious.
What happened now? "You..." She hesitated, unsure how to begin. He should be resting, but... "Is it urgent?"
Mu Yichuan glanced at Xin Yu and handed her his phone. "Take a look at this document."
She took the phone suspiciously and glanced at it. It was a tender document, and the person who finally signed and approved it was... Liu Shuihan.
"You don't want to bid on this?" Xin Yu looked up. She hadn't calculated the bid price in detail; she just intuitively felt that Mu Yichuan was showing her this because of the final signature.
He smiled slightly. "Reason."
Seeing Mu Yichuan's serious expression, she had no choice but to pick up the phone again and look at it carefully. "Is it because the bid content and price don't quite match?"
"So..." he guided Xin Yu.
But she wasn't completely hooked. "You think there's something wrong with Brother Shuihan?"
Mu Yichuan suddenly leaned in, biting Xin Yu's lip. "I don't want to hear such an intimate term from such a delicate mouth anymore."
Then, he took her small hand and placed it on his chest. "Can you feel it? It's angry."
Xin Yu's lips twitched slightly, her clear black eyes accusing him of being petty.
She had already explained her relationship with Liu Shuihan.
"I...I don't really have the right to speak on this, because I don't know about...Liu Shuihan's work situation at the Mu Group." Xin Yu pursed her lips. "I just have a gut feeling that he's not that kind of person."
"Then what kind of person do you intuitively think I am?"
"..." Xin Yu was speechless. Seeing that he wouldn't let the matter rest, she forced herself to say, "Mr. Jiu is, of course, a true man!"
Wasn't that sycophantic enough? "Do you know why I went to Beishi to invite Liu Shuihan to the Mu Group?"
This…
Xin Yu had pondered this question a long time ago.
"Because of the Liu family's status in Beishi?"
"Tch." Mu Yichuan scoffed. He truly looked down on the Liu family's reputation. "Then do you know why I brought Zhang Wan from Nanshi to Beishi?"
Xin Yu's eyes widened in surprise, staring at him without blinking. His words were incredibly bold.
Do the Zhang family and the Liu family have any connection?
"Tell me, you're jealous."
"I'm not as small as you—" Xin Yu covered her mouth, quickly forcing a smile. How could she have accidentally blurted out the truth?
"Small?" He bit her earlobe. "Tell me, where am I small?"
Xin Yu blushed and pushed Mu Yichuan away. This man, halfway through a serious conversation, started acting like a scoundrel again! "Is this...small?" He forcefully pulled Xin Yu's hand under the covers, startling her.
"Mu Yichuan!" she protested, "You only said half of what you were saying."
"This is even more urgent." He rolled over and pinned her down, his gaze deep and intense.
"You mean...ah..." Xin Yu tried to dodge, pleading for a while before finally stopping him, "You mean the Liu family and the Zhang family are related? They're working together to frame you?"
"You really want to know?"
Why wouldn't he ask that?
"Then you'd better be prepared."
"It's already reached a very serious situation?"
Mu Yichuan smiled silently, pressing his body down further. "Don't you feel how serious it is?"
"..." Let's get down to business!
"If I waste too much time explaining, I'll be even more aggressive later." He hadn't touched her for almost a week. "..." So that's what they were talking about again. Xin Yu was speechless. "Then be concise."
"They're all the eldest master's men."
The eldest master?!
Mu Yichuan's older brother!
Xin Yu was stunned. She had always felt that the eldest master's motives for approaching her were impure, but she hadn't expected it to be because of internal strife within the Mu family. "Him and you?"
"Nothing," Mu Yichuan said casually. "A large family and a big business, lots of conflicts."
That's true.
"But," Xin Yu was puzzled, "why are you telling me this now?"
Shouldn't he have reminded her about the eldest master earlier? Was he testing her?
"I was wrong," he said, surprisingly apologizing. "We should be doing something else now."
With that, he leaned over, leaving no room for anything else...
As the first rays of sunlight streamed into the ward, Xin Yu moved her aching body, gritted her teeth, and got out of bed. She had to buy breakfast for Mu Yichuan; otherwise, with him pushing himself so hard while ill, she didn't know when he'd recover.
When Xin Yu returned with the breakfast, she ran into her friend Cheng Yuan in the hallway.
"Yuanzi, why are you here so early?"
"I couldn't sleep, so I came." Cheng Yuan shook the bag in her hand. "Here, the design drawings. By the way, is Mr. Jiu alright?"
"Speak loudly, he can't hear you." Xin Yu smiled cautiously at the cautious Cheng Yuan. "Have you had breakfast? I bought a lot."
Cheng Yuan didn't plan to eat with Mu Yichuan; it was too much pressure. "I'll eat at the company."
As the two were talking, Qiu Zhi opened the door and stood in the doorway, looking at them, especially giving Cheng Yuan a second glance.
Xin Yu raised an eyebrow, her little head spinning. Qiu Zhi had been acting strangely this morning. In her memory, the famous Dr. Qiu had never given anyone a second glance, especially not a woman.
"What's this?"
"Ayu's drawings," Cheng Yuan said softly.
Good heavens!
What's going on?!
Xin Yu was completely baffled. Qiu Zhi actually spoke to Cheng Yuan!
Could it be that he…
"Um, I have to go now. I need to catch the bus later." Cheng Yuan put down the drawings and left.
Xin Yu blinked, standing at the door. Why did she feel like her friend was running away in a panic?
"What are you standing here for!" Qiu Zhi retorted, his tone forceful.
She looked up, her eyes filled with surprise. His change in tone was too obvious and rapid!
"You… why are you looking at Yuanzi like that?" Xin Yu blurted out, "You have feelings for Yuanzi?"
"…" Qiu Zhi was furious this morning. The angry light in his peach blossom eyes almost scorched Xin Yu. "You're sick!"
With that, he strode away.
Leaving Xin Yu still stunned.
If Mu Yichuan hadn't called her, she probably would have stood there forever, pondering the strange relationship between Qiu Zhi and Cheng Yuan. "When did you wake up?" He glanced at the breakfast and said in a deep voice, "These things can be handled by Mu Feng."
"Hey, I've noticed something."