Xin Yu narrowed her eyes, raising an eyebrow slightly as she looked at Nan Yu.
His face was expressionless, but his eyes held a clear expectation.
What was he expecting? Was he expecting her to go with him to see Mu Yichuan's secret? And then leave Mu Yichuan?
Xin Yu was startled by this thought, her resolve instantly hardening—she didn't want to!
However, before she could decide whether to go with Nan Yu or leave Mu Yichuan, she was interrupted by Nan Yu's shout.
"You're not going?!" Nan Yu was utterly astonished, her clear eyes making no attempt to conceal her unwavering judgment.
"Yes, you seem disappointed," Xin Yu said calmly, her arms bent as she clutched her backpack. "What a pity, I have other things to do, so I can't keep you company."
"Xin Yu!" Nan Yu grabbed her, his deep voice suppressing anger. "Why?"
She shook off Nan Yu, her beautiful eyes turning slightly cold. "I also want to ask you why you were so eager for me to come?"
Xin Yu remembered the first time she met Nan Yu; he had kept pressing her about whether she knew anyone from the Mu family. When she was at the restaurant with Mu Yichuan, he suddenly appeared, watching her with a ghostly, cold gaze…
Why was this happening?!
"Do you have a grudge against Mu Yichuan?"
As soon as Xin Yu finished speaking, she saw two flames spitting from Nan Yu's eyes, the scar on his face slightly grotesque. He took a sudden step towards Xin Yu, staring at her menacingly.
"A grudge?" he gritted his teeth, taking another step closer. "If you had a grudge, you would be dead by now."
Xin Yu's heart trembled, her back stiffening so much that cold sweat broke out.
"Dead without a complete corpse? This is a society governed by law!"
"You've fallen in love with Mu Yichuan!" Nan Yu said confidently.
Suddenly, Xin Yu's eyes widened in shock. She froze, staring blankly at Nan Yu, unable to react.
She'd fallen in love with Mu Yichuan…
No, she hadn't. She… she didn't even remember how they had their relationship. How could she possibly love him!
"You're talking nonsense!" Xin Yu shouted, backing away and running frantically out of the school.
Nan Yu watched her disappearing figure, a faint self-mockery playing on his lips…
Xin Yu's heart was heavy, completely unable to sort things out, until Cheng Che's phone rang, pulling her back to reality. She'd almost forgotten that she was supposed to teach Cheng Qiuzhe a traditional Chinese painting class today.
"Junior Sister, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Cheng Che asked with concern, his blue eyes filled with anxiety and doubt.
Xin Yu quickly shook her head, forcing herself to concentrate. She smiled slightly, "Senior brother, I'm fine. Where's Xiao Yuanzi?"
After saying that, she belatedly stuck out her tongue—that little guy definitely didn't want her to call him that!
"Go upstairs," Cheng Che said, then added, "If you're not feeling well, don't force yourself, okay?"
Xin Yu nodded gratefully and went upstairs. The class went very smoothly. Cheng Qiuzhe was more lively than last time.
"Sister Xin Yu, when are we going to Baimu Mountain?" he asked in his childish voice, bringing up the old topic again.
"This weekend," Xin Yu said, patting his little head. The little guy was really looking forward to it.
"Great!" Cheng Qiuzhe clapped his hands happily, his excitement overflowing.
"Then, Sister Xinyu, could you ask why our little Qiuze wants to go to Baimu Mountain so much?" Xinyu pouted, putting on an adorable expression, half-jokingly.
The little guy tilted his head, thinking seriously for a while before stammering, "I told you, but you can't tell my uncle."
Xinyu's lips suddenly pressed into a straight line, a strange sense of panic creeping in.
Could it be that the little guy knows some secret about Mu Yichuan?
"Okay, I promise you."
"I want to see my mommy." Cheng Qiuze looked hurt.
"Your mommy? She's at Baimu Mountain?" Xinyu asked, puzzled. Isn't that a natural scenic area?
Cheng Qiuze shook his head, looking extremely dejected and aggrieved, and said, "No, she was sent abroad to work."
Worked abroad? Shouldn't he go abroad if he wants to see her? What's he going to Baimu Mountain for? Xin Yu was even more confused. "Which country did your mommy go to?"
"I don't know, that's a secret." His expression was extremely serious, making one's heart ache a little. "Uncle, he—"
Knock, knock, knock. Cheng Che knocked and entered, his tall frame slightly hunched. "Qiu Ze, that's all for today's class. Teacher Xin Yu should go home and rest."
Interrupted, Xin Yu didn't dare ask anything more. She nodded deeply to Cheng Qiu Ze, whose eyes were full of expectation, before leaving and going downstairs.
"I'll take you home."
"No, no need." Xin Yu quickly refused, but she found it difficult to say that she lived in the Nanlong Villa. "I can manage on my own."
Cheng Che's blue eyes flashed, and he smiled. "Don't be so polite with me, and besides—Mr. Jiu isn't home right now."
Xin Yu's face flushed red!
A strange feeling swept through her heart. How...how did he know Mu Yichuan's whereabouts? "May I ask about your relationship with Mr. Jiu?" Cheng Che's expression remained unchanged, but there was a hint of awkwardness in his tone.
Xin Yu lowered her eyes, her brows furrowed, and she gently bit her lip. How should she answer?
"Boyfriend and girlfriend?"
Xin Yu shuddered, murmuring, "...I guess so."
"Really?" Cheng Che asked, utterly surprised, his expression revealing his astonishment.
Xin Yu's mind went blank for a moment. She was about to nod awkwardly when she heard Cheng Che add, "I didn't expect Mr. Jiu to have a girlfriend."
"Huh?" Xin Yu looked up blankly, just in time to see the darkness flash in Cheng Che's blue eyes. "Senior brother, what do you mean by that?"
Why was it so surprising that Mu Yichuan had a girlfriend?
"It's nothing, I was just being nosy." Cheng Che smiled as gently as possible, almost reaching out to pat Xin Yu's head. "Go back and rest early."
Xin Yu didn't ask any more questions. She knew that even if Cheng Che knew something, he wouldn't dare offend someone like Mu Yichuan! Back at the Nanlong Villa, she went straight to the bedroom, too lazy to even eat. Leaning against the bed, she casually sketched in her sketchbook…
A man like Mu Yichuan definitely had a story. From the first time she heard his voice through the door, Xin Yu had been certain of it.
She just hadn't expected that, by a twist of fate, she would become his nominal wife—well, physically too…
Xin Yu rubbed her forehead, her gaze falling on her sketchbook. She had unconsciously sketched a silhouette, a silhouette with a strange familiarity, like Mu Yichuan, yet not him.
But who was it?
While she was racking her brains trying to figure it out, Xin Yu received a call from Cheng Yao!
"Come to the Fifth Club immediately."
Damn it!
She hung up…
Why should she go just because he orders her around? Xin Yu, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth, lay down on the bed, enjoying its softness…
Ring ring ring. Xin Yu, still half-asleep, picked up her phone. "Disturbing my sleep!"
"Damn it!" Cheng Yao cursed. "You brat, you were sleeping? Didn't I tell you to come to the Fifth Club?"
"Why should I listen to you? Didn't you say—I'm just henpecked?" Xin Yu muttered discontentedly.
"…" Cheng Yao was both amused and exasperated by the lazy, cat-like voice on the other end of the line. This little girl was quite vengeful!
"Get out!"
Suddenly, Mu Yichuan's cold voice came from the other end of the line. Xin Yu sat bolt upright, instantly wide awake.
"What's wrong with him?" Was he angry?
"Now you know how serious it is?" Cheng Yao turned to look at the silent, cold, and sharp-tongued Mu Yichuan. "Hurry up, or someone might die."
"Someone might die… Hello… Will sending me even work?" Xin Yu spoke her mind to the busy tone. When she arrived at the Fifth Club, it was right at the peak of the day!
Watching handsome men and beautiful women, and high-ranking officials and dignitaries come and go, Xin Yu pouted, mocking everything. But as she reached the door of room 909, a brilliant idea suddenly popped into her head.
Gently pushing open the door, Xin Yu subconsciously glanced around the room. The air was thick with coldness, but there wasn't a soul in sight…
Was Cheng Yao just playing a trick on her?
Just as she was about to turn away, a tall figure loomed over her, radiating a cold yet noble aura.
Mu Yichuan!
Looking up, she met his dark eyes, which seemed to pierce her soul. Xin Yu trembled, her pupils contracted, and she instinctively shrank back, only to be grabbed by the man.
"Who sent you?" His tone was extremely unfriendly; a timid person would probably be paralyzed by those words.
"I've definitely been tricked..."
"I...I..." Xin Yu's eyelashes trembled, her clear eyes drooping lower and lower. "Then you go ahead, I'll go first."
If you can't afford to mess with someone, run!
Stepping into a minefield at this time is either foolish or idiotic!
"Who said you could leave?"
"..." This is really putting me in a difficult position.
"Who told you anything?" Mu Yichuan lifted Xin Yu up in his arms, lowering his head slightly to meet her gaze. "Wasn't that right?"
Although Xin Yu's hands gripped his clothes, her heart and body wanted to escape far away, because Mu Yichuan was dangerous at this moment. His palms were completely different from usual, conveying a chill that seemed to seep into her bones.
"What do you know?"
What do you know? Xin Yu stared at him blankly, completely puzzled.
"Kiss me."
"..." Such a jump in thought is definitely not a good thing; Xin Yu was feeling dizzy.
"Your vow is clearly written in the agreement, wife."
His words were vicious, as if he wanted to tear her apart and devour her. Xin Yu was so frightened that she tightly closed her cherry lips, her full lips turning slightly pale. After a long while, she managed to ask, "W-what's wrong with you?"
Mu Yichuan bit Xin Yu, making her gasp in pain. Her eyes welled up with tears, filled with endless grievance. What had she done to provoke him!
"It's your turn." He released her lips and strode into the bedroom.
What was she going to do? Bit him so cruelly?
She was perfectly normal; she hadn't been provoked at all!
"Why are you always so disobedient!" he growled, beginning his assault.
Xin Yu's heart suddenly began to pound wildly without warning. "Mu... Mu Yichuan, what's wrong with you? Ah..."
She was thrown onto the bed in his arms, completely disoriented. It took her a long time to calm down, only to find Mu Yichuan's tiger-like black eyes staring at her. "Say you'll never leave, and I can forgive you today."
Never leave? Who had left him?