What kind of business is this! It's all a scam!
Doing business with a swindler is like walking into a trap, courting death!
Xin Yu sighed inwardly, weighing the strength of the two of them. She couldn't beat Mu Yichuan in terms of strength!
As for intelligence, it seemed she wasn't much better; his schemes were too deep…
Thinking this, Xin Yu decided to maximize the value of this deal!
"Have you thought it through?" Mu Yichuan placed her on the marble counter by the door, his hawk-like eyes fixed on her.
Little girl! She's up to no good again!
He gently stroked Xin Yu's dark eyes, which had been darting around like diamonds. "Have you noticed that when someone lies, their eyes can't help but glance downwards?"
Someone is lying?!
"Who's lying between us?!" Xin Yu couldn't help but question him, only to see a flash in Mu Yichuan's eyes, seemingly intense yet sharp.
She pouted, falling silent, her small hand trembling as she touched his collar. "Business...we still have to do it, right?"
Mu Yichuan frowned, his large hand landing on Xin Yu's head. "Whether you do it or not, are you still planning to leave me today?"
Damn it!
Xin Yu was genuinely displeased; nothing he said pleased her!
"So, are we doing it or not?" she muttered, clearly dissatisfied. She had made all the necessary plans!
"Of course we'll do it, and we'll do it until you're satisfied." His deep, husky voice, magnetic with the night, was alluring. "Go run the toilet."
Xin Yu glanced at Mu Yichuan sideways, jumped off the counter, and headed towards the bathroom.
*Smack.*
His hand lightly slapped Xin Yu's bottom.
"Mu Yichuan!" she turned around, glaring angrily, almost cursing. "You have—I'm an adult!"
This was the second time he'd slapped her, just as humiliating as the first! "Nice elasticity." He commented matter-of-factly, completely unconcerned by her outburst, his eyes occasionally glancing towards that spot.
Xin Yu, her lips twitching with anger, quickly slipped into the bathroom.
There's no way to have a proper conversation with this kind of person!
And certainly not with normal thinking!
"Mr. Jiu, the water's ready," Xin Yu diligently performed her duties. Only after Mu Yichuan had entered the bathtub as if no one else was there did she squat down beside him, extending her left hand. "Mr. Jiu, can you tell me about the design on this ring?"
Glancing sideways at Xin Yu, Mu Yichuan grasped her small hand and squeezed it.
"So eager to know?"
"Yes, yes," Xin Yu nodded vigorously.
"It's a long story, long enough to last all night," he leaned back lazily, his gaze serene, revealing no emotion. "But, I've tried to summarize it, and it boils down to four words—I missed you."
...! Xin Yu stared at Mu Yichuan, her hands frozen in place. "Mu Yichuan! You...you...you're simply—" Bastard!
We agreed to do business!
We agreed to do it until you were satisfied!
Why did he set her up again!
"How could you do this!" Xin Yu immediately threw down the towel, huffing, "What are you thinking about all day?!"
The president of the prestigious Mu Group, has his skin been grafted with tree bark?!
Mu Yichuan didn't react. A slight smile played on his lips as he picked up the towel and pressed it against Xin Yu's puffed-up face.
"What was I thinking?"
Still asking!
Xin Yu bit her lip, looking directly at him. "Didn't you just say we'd do business first? How could you change your mind so easily!"
His dark eyes darted around.
But she didn't give him a chance to speak. "What do you want me to do! We've only been apart for two days!"
Only 48 hours!
"You think two days is short?"
Short! He clearly said in his initial message that he'd be back in a week!
Mu Yichuan was displeased by Xin Yu's obvious answer. He slightly rose and pulled her into the bathtub.
"What exactly do you want? Aren't you the dignified Ninth Master? You have to keep your word even to a little woman like me. The order of things, wasn't that what you said?!"
This bastard, he's completely driven mad by that certain insect!
"I've finished the business." He pinched her chin, looking her directly in the eye. "What I just said was the meaning of this ring."
Xin Yu looked at him, confused.
Huh, this time he doesn't seem to be joking.
Could the meaning of the design on the ring be—I miss you!
Could it really mean that?
Xin Yu raised her left hand, looking at the ring, still not quite believing Mu Yichuan!
"Not going to scold me anymore?" He gently bit her lip. "Who's the one who always thinks about random things, hmm?"
Xin Yu's face flushed red. Even if she was wrong, it was because he had been misleading her.
"You're teachable," his voice tinged with pleasure.
Teachable or not teachable!
"I'm asking you, what you just said was true? Then tell me that long story!" Xin Yu blinked her big, innocent eyes. "What is this pattern? A plant? An animal? Is it something passed down from your Mu family ancestors? I've never seen anything like it before."
Mu Yichuan reached out and hugged Xin Yu, whispering, "It's a phoenix holding an iris, painted by the old man."
A phoenix holding an iris? Painted by Old Master Mu?
I've heard that Old Master Mu liked ancient culture!
Examining the ring repeatedly, Xin Yu pondered, "I never imagined your father was such a refined person."
Mu Yichuan held Xin Yu's small hand. "It's too early to draw conclusions."
"Hmm?" She didn't understand what he meant. Such delicate words, such romantic connotations—wasn't that refined? Mu Yichuan fell silent, then ripped open Xin Yu's skirt...
"Hey, hey, I... I haven't finished asking yet!" Xin Yu grabbed his strong arms with both hands. "Please, I have two more questions."
Mu Yichuan tossed Xin Yu's clothes out of the bathtub with a swift motion, and sighed softly, "Speak."
Feeling their naked skin pressed together, even in the warm water, his embrace carried a cool, deep scent that sent a shiver down her spine.
"I asked, but don't get angry." Xin Yu preemptively warned him, otherwise, she knew what would happen.
Afraid of making him angry, she still asked!
This little girl has been ignoring him more and more lately!
"What's the relationship between Senior Brother Cheng Che and Cheng Yao? Why does Cheng Yao react like he's on fire whenever Cheng Che is mentioned?" She finished quickly, observing Mu Yichuan's expression.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes as his sharp gaze locked onto Xin Yu, as if he wanted to bore a hole through her.
After a long silence, he finally said, "Brother."
Brother! That Cheng Yao guy has definitely changed—
"Half-sibling."
"Cheng Che's mother?"
"Yes, the other woman."
Xin Yu fell silent. She was quite surprised by Cheng Che's background, especially hearing it in Mu Yichuan's icy tone, as if he had already sentenced him and his mother.
If Cheng Che was like her stepmother and stepsisters, then Cheng Yao's hatred for him was understandable.
However, if Cheng Che had always been a gentle person, then the mistakes of the previous generation shouldn't be held against him.
"Stay away from Cheng Che from now on." Mu Yichuan picked up Xin Yu's damp hair and placed it behind her shoulder.
"What about Cheng Yao!"
Why does it feel like he wants her to stay away from all the men in the world!
Except for him and his two good brothers.
Noticing Mu Yichuan's displeasure, Xin Yu quickly lowered her eyes and raised two fingers. "Second question, the Nan family—"
"Are you going to ask them one by one?" He raised an eyebrow; this little girl's energy was truly boundless.
Xin Yu shook her head. "No need! I have no interest in the Qiu family."
She dared not be interested.
"The Nan family, did Nan Juechen's generation have any girls?"
"Girls?" Mu Yichuan draped a warm towel over Xin Yu. "No."
Really no?
Xin Yu paused, a strange feeling washing over her, and simply gave a faint "Oh."
"The Nan family has had no girls for four generations, so they adopted Nan Ya."
An adopted girl?
Xin Yu had never heard of this, and she didn't care.
She had only wanted to subtly inquire whether the Nan family had ever lost a girl; otherwise, she couldn't understand how her mother and Nan Juechen could look so alike! Could it be…
"Nan Juechen was also adopted by the Nan family?"
Mu Yichuan glanced at Xin Yu, then began splashing water on her, gently stroking her porcelain-smooth skin, softer than a baby's.
"I asked you a question."
"Nonsense."
Well, that makes sense. Four generations without a girl, how could they possibly adopt a boy!
And the other party is the dignified Commander of the Qing Dynasty!
"Ouch! That hurts." Xin Yu looked at Mu Yichuan in surprise. Why did this guy bite her?
"Business done." He had patiently waited until now.
"No, no." Xin Yu rolled her dark eyes. "Ask one more question."
"…" Mu Yichuan didn't speak, but pulled her closer. Instantly, she sensed a certain presence.
Xin Yu tried to move away, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I want to ask, Nan Yu and Mu Yi'ai, were they—"
"No!" Mu Yichuan interrupted Xin Yu coldly. "They have no past! And none of it!"
Why was he in such a hurry?
Xin Yu rolled her eyes. "What do you mean? If they were, they were; if they weren't, they weren't. Can you deny the past with just a few words?"
"Don't mention it again."
"Why!" If they were clearly in love, why should they be so forcefully separated by external forces?
"Because Mu Yi'ai has amnesia."
...!
Xin Yu stared at Mu Yichuan, stunned for a full minute, her mind blank.
He said Mu Yi'ai had amnesia.
"That's not a funny joke at all."
Mu Yichuan was also slightly taken aback, not expecting Xin Yu's reaction, looking both regretful and shocked.
"It's true, otherwise why would I have come back?"
He came back because Mu Yi'ai woke up! "Then why didn't you say so sooner!"
"Say soer sooner? You can cure it? Even Qiu Zhi couldn't cure it." He frowned. "Worrying."
Of course, she couldn't compare to Qiu Zhi!
But, if she had said so earlier, she could have thought of a solution more often, right?
She could have gone to see Mu Yi'ai.
"Where is she? Did she go back to the capital?"
"Oh, at the old house."
"Then I'll go see her tomorrow." Xin Yu didn't even think about it and made the request directly. After all, the accident happened right under her nose.
Perhaps she could recover some of her memories!
"Go see her at the old house?" Mu Yichuan asked back. "No."
"Why! You're not afraid I'll make her remember something, are you?"
She felt that amnesia couldn't possibly happen so coincidentally!
The probability was so small!
"Tch," Mu Yichuan tapped Xin Yu's head. When did this little girl become so enthusiastic towards him? "It's not the right time for you to see the old man yet."