Before dawn the next morning, Mu Yanxi woke up.
Yi Wulan was still fast asleep beside her. Even though Mu Yanxi was the one who had been given the cold shoulder last night, Yi Wulan’s brows were tightly furrowed, as if she were having a bad dream.
After waking up, Mu Yanxi’s emotions had stabilized considerably. Looking back on what happened last night, she was no longer so emotional.
Mu Yanxi reached out and quickly sent a wave of her ability into Yi Wulan. Then, taking advantage of the fact that the other woman wouldn’t wake up, she brazenly pinched Yi Wulan’s face a few times, kneading it into various strange shapes until some of her anger subsided.
She suddenly felt that she knew far too little about Yi Wulan.
Although they were already married, her impression of Yi Wulan seemed to have always been that of the elder sister of the Yi family, the president of Rongjia, and someone she might have known in the past.
Mu Yanxi realized that her low spirits last night were perhaps not entirely due to Yi Wulan’s sudden change in attitude, but also due to a hidden selfish desire of her own.
After spending several months together day and night, Mu Yanxi found it difficult to see Yi Wulan as just a villain from the book who needed to be won over to thwart the protagonist.
Mu Yanxi had a spontaneous personality, unlike many people who would compromise to save face.
After her parents passed away, she was spoiled rotten by Mu Yanqing, always doing as she pleased. She was notoriously difficult to provoke in Yuncheng’s high society circles.
Even the group of anti-fans on Weibo who had been tearing her down for two years sometimes couldn’t withstand her fighting power.
After being snubbed, Mu Yanxi naturally wouldn’t wallow in self-pity like others, nor would she let this misunderstanding continue to fester.
Yi Wulan didn’t want to talk, right? Well, she was determined to find out.
She wouldn’t let Yi Wulan get her way.
So, Mu Yanxi rolled out of bed and called Mu Yanqing.
After ringing for a long time, Mu Yanqing finally answered, her tone extremely unfriendly, as if she were about to stage a scene of righteous familicide.
“Mu Yanxi, you’d better give me a good reason for calling me at four in the morning and waking me up after I only got an hour of sleep from a transnational conference call.”
Mu Yanxi got straight to the point: “Did you say some weird things to Yi Wulan again yesterday?”
Mu Yanqing: …???
Mu Yanxi’s reasoning was very simple.
Since it wasn’t Yi Hongda’s fault, nor was it her own, then Mu Yanqing must have said something when she visited yesterday.
Last night, Yi Wulan must have had a sudden fit and remembered Mu Yanqing’s advice, which was why she suddenly distanced herself.
But you couldn’t blame Mu Yanxi for her wild guess. After all, Mu Yanqing, that single dog who couldn’t stand to see others happy, had a history of trying to obstruct them.
She had finally managed to claim Yi Wulan as her own territory; it must be the suspect, Mu Yanqing, who was trying to steal her treasure.
“What weird things did I say?” Mu Yanqing was about to laugh with anger at this little debt collector. If anyone else had called her this early, she would have cursed them out and blocked them.
But since it was her own sister, Mu Yanqing still offered a few more sarcastic remarks: “What? Calling me this early to ask about this? Don’t tell me Yi Wulan is dumping you? Ah, that would truly be a cause for universal celebration.”
Mu Yanxi was unfazed by Mu Yanqing’s words. A flash of inspiration struck her, and she blurted out, “Don’t tell me you’ve had a secret crush on Yi Wulan all along, and that’s why you’re trying every trick in the book to break us up?”
Mu Yanqing: …
Mu Yanqing didn’t speak, but a whoosh sound came from the other end of the line.
Mu Yanxi immediately lost her nerve. “Elder Sister?”
Hearing the change in her sister’s tone, Mu Yanqing sneered, “It’s nothing. I just opened a window to get some cold air. My heart is already as cold as the wind outside anyway. Maybe one day you’ll anger me enough to jump.”
Mu Yanxi instantly backed down. “I… I was wrong.”
“Alright, tell me what happened between you two. Weren’t you fine when you went back last night?” Mu Yanqing lay back down on her bed.
Somehow, after Mu Yanqing said this, Mu Yanxi fell silent.
It wasn’t that her memory was poor, it was just that if she were to recount last night’s events, it would sound rather awkward…
Was she supposed to say that Yi Wulan started ignoring her after she teased her in the study? Or that when she returned to the bedroom, Yi Wulan had left the bedside lamp on and a glass of milk for her?
Or that when she asked Yi Wulan for the reason last night, Yi Wulan just told her to be good and go to sleep early?
Help me.
You really couldn’t blame Mu Yanxi for being unable to describe it. Yi Wulan was a woman of few words to begin with, and she said even less when she was distancing herself last night.
No matter which sentence she picked, it seemed quite normal, didn’t it?
If it were anyone else, Mu Yanxi might already be making things up and slandering them with all sorts of complaints.
But the person in question was Yi Wulan.
Instinctively, Mu Yanxi didn’t want to tarnish Yi Wulan’s name just to win a verbal spat.
After a long while, Mu Yanqing, who had been waiting for a reply, spoke up, her tone rather cheerful as she continued to offer Mu Yanxi bad advice:
“Aren’t you quite bold? If she makes you unhappy, just provoke her back. Yi Wulan’s health is so poor, it’s not like you can’t beat her in a fight, right?”
Mu Yanxi: … “Elder Sister, domestic violence is illegal.”
“As long as you get what I mean. But I did want to ask about her physical condition yesterday. I didn’t bring it up since her leg had just healed.” Mu Yanqing dropped the joking tone. “How is the injury in Yi Wulan’s head? Don’t tell me it’s still incurable? If it really is, you need to be mentally prepared.”
Mu Yanxi froze. It was as if a thread had connected everything in her mind.
If even her sister was concerned about this, Yi Wulan naturally understood it even better.
And on top of that, last night Yi Hongda had told Yi Wulan to leave behind an heir before she died…
Mu Yanxi took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself before covering it up, “Yi Wulan’s leg is all better, so of course the injury in her head is fine too. Elder Sister, you don’t need to worry.”
“Really?” Mu Yanqing smiled. “That’s good. Do you have any other relationship problems you need advice on? After all, I’m so much older than you, I have some experience.”
Mu Yanxi: … Is it your secret to being single, accumulated over nearly thirty years?
But Mu Yanxi did feel a need to vent, and she didn’t know who else to talk to about this, so she decided to take a chance. “Elder Sister… then, can you explain to me, what are feelings?”
“Feelings?”
Mu Yanxi put on a teasing tone. “Yeah, didn’t you say you know everything?”
Mu Yanqing cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment. Drawing on her limited experience from reading novels and watching dramas, she feigned profoundness and summarized it for Mu Yanxi in one sentence:
“It’s when you love me and I love you, and when the feelings are deep enough, you’d bleed for me, dig out your kidney, or give me your liver.”
Mu Yanxi: …
Mu Yanxi frowned, feeling like she had seen those words somewhere before, but she couldn’t recall where.
She couldn’t be bothered to use her brainpower on such things, so she went along with Mu Yanqing’s words. “Then isn’t being in a relationship miserable?”
To defend her dignity, Mu Yanqing quickly said, “Of course not. That’s just a more extreme example. Actually, it’s, um, being willing to make sacrifices for the other person, right?”
Mu Yanxi fell into deep thought.
Could it be like how she used her ability for Yi Wulan, exhausting her energy?
Mu Yanqing’s original sleepiness had completely vanished during their chat. Seeing her sister go quiet, she began to probe cautiously, “Xiao Xi… you, didn’t you say Yi Wulan was deeply in love with you? What, have you fallen for her too?”
Who knew that in the next second, Mu Yanxi, who had been silent for a while, would speak up, sternly stopping her. “Not yet!”
Mu Yanqing: …
No means no. What was this “not yet” business?
Did that mean it was about to happen?
“I see.” Mu Yanqing was both embarrassed and amused. She said mockingly, “Is there anything else you want to ask?”
Mu Yanxi’s brows furrowed tightly as she asked another question, “Then how can I know if someone likes me?”
Mu Yanqing found this strange. “Didn’t you say Yi Wulan fell deeply in love with you years ago?”
Mu Yanxi was taken aback and said drily, “I’m asking for someone else. I, I have a friend named Bai Yu’an. Her dad recently forced her to go on blind dates, so she came to me for relationship advice.”
Mu Yanxi threw Bai Yu’an under the bus without a shred of guilt.
“Isn’t it the same principle? See if she’s done anything for you.”
Mu Yanxi thought for a moment, and her head drooped. She muttered in a low voice, “She had Chanel come forward to support me, she dealt with Yi Jingming for me, she designed Shuilin Fang according to my wishes, and she gave me so many things…”
Mu Yanxi’s voice was too soft for Mu Yanqing to hear clearly, but she caught a few keywords. She raised an eyebrow, realizing that in these few months, she, the elder sister, seemed to have been outdone by Yi Wulan.
The bit of resentment she felt about Yi Wulan stealing her sister away seemed to have dissipated quite a bit.
Mu Yanxi didn’t know what Mu Yanqing was thinking. Memories replayed in her mind like a movie, frame by frame. “She would stand up for me, acknowledge my contributions in front of reporters, and she would wait for me when I came home late. Every time I had a fever, she would stay with me all night…”
As she thought about it, the tightness in Mu Yanxi’s chest seemed to worsen.
She sighed. “Forget it, Elder Sister. You should go back to sleep.”
Mu Yanqing was just getting into the story. She chuckled twice. “Figured it out so quickly? Don’t you want to know why Yi Wulan is ignoring you anymore?”
“I don’t want to know anymore.” Mu Yanxi felt that discussing relationship problems with someone who had been single since birth was a complete waste of time. “You should save your brain cells to work tirelessly for Xinyu.”
The money-making tool, Mu Yanqing: …
Mu Yanqing hung up in a fit of anger.
After being hung up on, as if to confirm something, Mu Yanxi called Doctor Xiusina on the other side of the ocean.
Due to the time difference, Doctor Xiusina was at work. She was surprised to receive Mu Yanxi’s call. “Miss Yi also called me a few hours ago to ask about the progress of the new treatment plan.”
Mu Yanxi’s eyes narrowed slightly. She tried to keep her voice calm. “Then can I learn a bit more about her injury? After all, your explanation would be more professional.”
Doctor Xiusina seemed to be flipping through some documents, as the sound of rustling paper could be heard. “Miss Yi Wulan’s head injury is quite severe, and the chance of successful surgery has always been very low. The last time she came for her leg surgery, we examined the injury in her head, and the outlook was still not optimistic. That’s why I’ve been contacting experts in the field of neurology for her during this time…”
Doctor Xiusina had witnessed Mu Yanxi’s attitude towards Yi Wulan at the hospital last time, so she didn’t hide the condition. She patiently explained it to Mu Yanxi for over half an hour, until the sky in Yuncheng began to lighten, before the call ended.
The reason for Yi Wulan’s strange behavior last night was crystal clear. Mu Yanxi was both amused and annoyed by it.
There was also a surge of indignation at not being fully trusted.
Before Yi Wulan’s legs were healed, she had tried to distance herself from her.
Who knew that after letting her guard down for a while, Yi Wulan’s ‘old ailment’ would flare up again.
She could understand the psychology of a terminally ill patient. Compared to those who lost themselves to their illness, Yi Wulan was already calm enough.
But when that terminally ill patient was someone on the same household register as her, Yi Wulan’s calmness was so rational that it made Mu Yanxi’s heart ache.
Mu Yanxi looked at the slowly rising sun by the window and let out a soft breath.
The words Yi Hongda had said in the study last night had made Yi Wulan completely withdraw into her shell.
All the warmth, the ambiguity, the things she had been indulging in, seemed to have vanished overnight, suppressed deep in a corner where Mu Yanxi couldn’t find them.
But… even the protagonist of this world, Yi Jingming, was about to be finished. Why couldn’t Yi Wulan’s injury be healed?
Just a little more time, if she was given a little more time, maybe, just maybe things could get better?
Yi Wulan wanted to reach out but worried she didn’t have long to live. She wanted to retreat but was unwilling to leave completely.
If you want to distance yourself, then do it decisively. Why leave the bedside lamp on and invite her to sleep together?
If you want to scare her away, then say something harsher. What does telling her to be good and sleep early even count for?
Damn it.
Mu Yanxi rolled around in the guest room’s quilt several times, messing up the bed completely before she stopped.
When Yi Wulan woke up, the space beside her was, for the first time, empty, and it was just past five o’clock.
Mu Yanxi, who usually loved to sleep in, was gone. An inexplicable panic seized Yi Wulan’s heart.
She had only slept for about two hours, but she didn’t feel much fatigue from the lack of sleep.
Yi Wulan quickly got out of bed. Her legs had been recovering better and better recently, and simple walking was no longer an obstacle, though she still stumbled a bit when she walked quickly.
After not finding her in the bathroom, the panic in her heart grew stronger.
The contents of her brief call with Doctor Xiusina after returning to the bedroom last night were still fresh in her mind.
Yi Wulan pressed her lips together and comforted herself. This wasn’t overstepping. She would leave as soon as she confirmed Mu Yanxi was okay.
Doctor Xiusina’s medical team consisted of the best medical professionals from around the world. They were excellent in surgery and world-class in neurology.
If she were a cancer patient, there would at least be the hope of chemotherapy or surgery. But the injury in her head didn’t even meet the requirements for surgery; it was like a time bomb that could go off at any moment.
At Mu Yanqing’s house, she had only fainted. What if something more serious happened in front of Mu Yanxi?
Besides their marriage, there was no other substantive relationship between her and Mu Yanxi. They hadn’t confirmed anything like other couples, which added a layer of uncertainty to their feelings.
Therefore, keeping a distance was the best option.
But all through last night, Mu Yanxi had been restless in her sleep, occasionally murmuring single syllables in her dreams. For the first time, Yi Wulan questioned whether distancing herself from Mu Yanxi was the right thing to do.
Perhaps, Mu Yanxi’s reliance on her was far greater than she had imagined.
Yi Wulan’s steps slowed down. A hint of bewilderment and helplessness flashed in her usually wise and decisive eyes.
She wasn’t even paying attention as she walked, nearly bumping into the edge of the coffee table. It was the cleaning lady who promptly grabbed her. “Miss, be careful!”
Yi Wulan came back to her senses and waved her hand. “I’m fine. Have you seen Yanxi?”
The lady pointed towards the dining room. “Miss Mu woke up a long time ago. She’s having breakfast over there.”
“Okay, I’ll go take a look.”
Yi Wulan walked towards the dining room. Mu Yanxi was wearing a white dress, and the sunlight from the window cast a gentle glow on her, making her look beautiful, youthful, and full of life.
When Yi Wulan reached the doorway, she subconsciously stopped.
Just as she was about to leave, Mu Yanxi at the dining table looked up and stared straight at her.
Her brows were slightly furrowed, and there seemed to be faint dark circles under her eyes.
Yi Wulan’s feet were instantly rooted to the spot.
Mu Yanxi just stared at Yi Wulan without a word, making Yi Wulan, who was always so high and mighty in the business world, unable to stop herself from looking away.
Seeing this, Mu Yanxi’s fingers suddenly tapped twice on the tabletop. The crisp sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet dining room.
This time, Yi Wulan completely froze into a pillar.
If she were all white, she could probably blend in with the wall next to her.
Without any sense of disharmony.
“Yi Wulan.” Mu Yanxi raised her hand slightly and beckoned to her twice, with a calmness that seemed to precede a storm.
Yi Wulan walked towards Mu Yanxi but stopped three steps away from her.
Mu Yanxi waved her hand again. “A little closer.”
Yi Wulan walked right up to her.
Satisfied, Mu Yanxi propped up her head and spoke slowly, “Was it fun secretly asking the doctor about your condition behind my back and not telling me?”
Yi Wulan’s hands by her sides slowly tightened. “No…”
“No what?”
Yi Wulan frowned and said stiffly, “It wasn’t fun.”
She came over when beckoned and answered whatever was asked, just like a primary school student being questioned by a teacher.
President Yi had always been the one telling her to stay away. When had she ever been so obedient?
Even Mu Yanxi, who had originally planned to give Yi Wulan the silent treatment with a stern face, almost couldn’t maintain her expression.
It had to be said, Mu Yanxi’s proud ego was greatly inflated in that moment.
But on the surface, she showed nothing, just letting out a deadpan “oh” and pushing a tablet towards Yi Wulan. “Doctor Xiusina said she sent your medical report to you. Let me see it.”
Yi Wulan took the tablet, did something on it, and handed over the report.
Mu Yanxi flipped through it, finding it full of professional medical terms. She compared the normal ranges of the few indicators she barely knew with the data on the report and found that it was all just as Doctor Xiusina had said.
“Forget it, I can’t understand it anyway.” Mu Yanxi put the tablet down and looked at Yi Wulan with a faint smile, her voice soft. “Anyway, as someone in a business marriage, I just need to be a quiet mascot. What right do I have to interfere in President Yi’s affairs?”
Yi Wulan was stunned and looked at her in astonishment.
She did hope Mu Yanxi would keep her distance, but when Mu Yanxi actually said those words, Yi Wulan found she couldn’t respond. “I…”
Before Yi Wulan could finish a complete sentence, Mu Yanxi suddenly stood up, hooked the belt of Yi Wulan’s pajamas, and forcefully pulled her over, making her lean down to meet her gaze.
The warmth of their breath sprayed around them, making Yi Wulan subconsciously want to shrink back.
Mu Yanxi lowered her voice, her words seemingly coated in sweet honey. “Whether you get treatment or not in the future has nothing to do with me. But out of consideration for our marriage, I’ll still take the time to help you find a burial plot with good feng shui. When President Yi distributes her inheritance, don’t forget about me, okay?”
Yi Wulan finally sensed that something was wrong. She carefully studied Mu Yanxi’s expression and stammered, “You… are you angry?”
Mu Yanxi smiled, her voice even softer. “No, I’m being serious. How would I dare to question President Yi’s decisions?”
She said she wasn’t angry, but the tip of the stylus in her hand suddenly shattered.
Yi Wulan: …
As expected, this little ancestor of hers was furious.
The moment Yi Wulan heard Mu Yanxi mention her condition, she knew Mu Yanxi had guessed everything.
That’s right, how could someone as smart as Mu Yanxi not guess?
In that instant, a flicker of secret delight even crossed Yi Wulan’s heart that Mu Yanxi understood her.
But this joy quickly dissipated, replaced by the worry of not knowing how to interact with Mu Yanxi.
Especially since Mu Yanxi had just said she was going to buy her a grave…
She was clearly very angry.
Yi Wulan hesitated for a long time before comforting Mu Yanxi with unfamiliar words, “You… you don’t have to buy the burial plot.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Mu Yanxi’s gaze shot over like a knife, her eyes screaming, ‘Are you planning to have someone else buy you a burial plot?’
It was as if she were questioning whether Yi Wulan had found some other little vixen and was planning to be secretly buried with someone else.
Yi Wulan: …
Mu Yanxi glared at Yi Wulan and started walking towards the door with a blank expression.
Yi Wulan hurried to follow.
But she didn’t dare get too close, afraid that Mu Yanxi would get angry again if she did, so she maintained a distance of half a meter behind her.
The cleaning ladies saw Mu Yanxi up so early today and Yi Wulan looking for her first thing in the morning, and had thought the two were having a disagreement.
But seeing their expressions now, one in front of the other, how could they not understand?
It looked like she was angry, but in reality, she was just throwing a little tantrum.
Yi Wulan’s words swirled in her mouth for a long time. The habitual ‘Are you still angry?’ reached her lips but was forcefully swallowed back down, as she instinctively felt it would make Mu Yanxi angry.
In the short distance from the dining room to the staircase, Yi Wulan stepped on Mu Yanxi’s slippers twice.
Finally, Mu Yanxi, who had been pretending not to notice, couldn’t take it anymore. After quickly climbing three steps, she turned around with a grim face, looking down at Yi Wulan who was about to step onto the stairs.
Yi Wulan looked up at her, a hint of evasion in her eyes.
Mu Yanxi glared at her. “Follow, follow, follow. If you have the spare time to trail me around, couldn’t you have paid a little more attention to me last night?”
Yi Wulan: …
Yi Wulan grabbed the hem of Mu Yanxi’s dress and squeezed out a sentence, “I was not considerate enough last night.”
Mu Yanxi snorted coldly, continuing her sarcasm. “Of course President Yi had to hide it from me. What if I, the legal heir on the household register, found out you don’t have long to live and got the wicked idea to murder you for your money?”
Yi Wulan: …
Yi Wulan: “That’s not what I meant.”
Mu Yanxi scanned her up and down. “Whether you meant it or not has nothing to do with me. After all, I’m just an ordinary tool person lying on the household register.”
“You… you’re not.”
Mu Yanxi let out a soft “oh,” neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Yi Wulan was completely at a loss, staring blankly at Mu Yanxi. “Are… are you still angry?”
“No.”
Mu Yanxi wasn’t actually angry anymore.
When Yi Wulan had suddenly ignored her last night, she had indeed been a little angry, having just discovered her own ‘covetous’ feelings for Yi Wulan.
For a little peacock as proud as Mu Yanxi, caring so much for someone other than her family was a first in two lifetimes.
She couldn’t understand what had gotten into Yi Wulan to make her just stop talking to her.
But that anger had dissipated by half when Doctor Xiusina told her that Yi Wulan had indeed called last night. The other half vanished when Yi Wulan came when called, followed her everywhere, and hesitantly asked if she was angry.
In its place was a heartache.
Imagining Yi Wulan deliberately pushing her away with a cold heart because of her incurable illness, Mu Yanxi felt a needle piercing her heart, a fine, dense pain spreading through it.
Actually, hadn’t she done something similar?
In her previous life, when Mu Yanxi learned that she was being controlled by the world’s consciousness, had done many things against her will, and was in a predicament where she was almost made a scapegoat by Yi Jingming, hadn’t she resigned herself to death?
Her life was a mess back then. Even when Yi Wulan came to help her with a team of lawyers before her death, she had been extremely perfunctory towards Yi Wulan, and no one knew what she was about to do.
When she woke up in that white, otherworldly space after her death, Mu Yanxi didn’t dare to guess how Mu Yanqing would react to the news of her death.
But if she had to do it all over again, she still wouldn’t want to ask for help from those around her.
Mu Yanxi sighed, her gaze towards Yi Wulan growing more complicated.
Before, she only worried about Mu Yanqing. Now that she thought about it, when she rejected Yi Wulan back then, did Yi Wulan feel as bad as she did last night?
At least last night, she had felt Yi Wulan’s concern. But in her previous life, controlled by the world’s consciousness, she hadn’t shown Yi Wulan any warmth in her final years.
Yi Wulan must have been… even more upset, right?
Fearing she would give something away, Mu Yanxi turned to leave.
Yi Wulan followed her all the way to the cloakroom before she finally couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you going to sleep a little more?”
“No, I’m going to work.” Mu Yanxi casually grabbed a set of clothes. Understanding was one thing, but to prevent Yi Wulan from suddenly ignoring her like this again, Mu Yanxi wanted to teach her a lesson.
“If I don’t work, I won’t have money. President Yi isn’t willing to talk to me about things now, so next she’ll probably stop giving me money, right? I’m afraid I’ll starve to death on the streets.” She said it with a smile, but it sounded particularly harsh.
Yi Wulan grabbed her. “I wouldn’t do that.”
Mu Yanxi brushed Yi Wulan’s hand away, walked towards the changing room with her clothes, and continued, “I just reflected on it. Since our marriage is to fulfill the last wishes of our elders and for the cooperation between Rongjia and Xinyu, it’s only right that you want to keep your distance from me. I’ll start sleeping in the guest room tonight.”
Yi Wulan looked up, watching Mu Yanxi in disbelief.
Then she was met with the sound of Mu Yanxi slamming the door with a loud bang.
For the next week, Mu Yanxi was also busy, unable to make it home for dinner every day.
She also fulfilled her ‘promise,’ sleeping every night in the guest room she had long neglected.
Aside from the trouble of getting up in the middle of the night to give Yi Wulan her ability, Mu Yanxi was quite used to it.
This day, in the dressing room, Mu Yanxi had just finished a photoshoot. Her manager was having her change her makeup and hair in the dressing room, preparing for the evening’s banquet.
Having completed the afternoon’s shoot, the makeup artist was also more relaxed. While removing Mu Yanxi’s makeup to apply a new look, she chatted idly with her.
The idle chat was nothing more than praising Mu Yanxi’s good skin and beautiful looks.
Mu Yanxi had heard such compliments countless times and was used to it, but she was still in a good mood and played along with the makeup artist’s words.
After all… sleeping in the guest room right in front of Yi Wulan every day and seeing Yi Wulan’s expression of wanting to say something but being unable to was really satisfying.
If Yi Wulan didn’t like to talk, then she shouldn’t.
She wouldn’t mind.
Hehe.
There was just one thing limiting her performance: after getting up last night to give Yi Wulan her ability, her sleepiness had dissipated in the process. After humoring the makeup artist for a few sentences, she was now extremely sleepy.
As dusk approached, Mu Yanxi arrived by car at the venue for the Xinyi magazine banquet.
Xinyi was one of the country’s veteran fashion magazines, holding a significant position in the fashion circle. For the decades since its founding, it would hold a fashion banquet every spring and autumn, inviting artists who had performed well that year to walk the red carpet.
Furthermore, artists invited by Xinyi magazine would have a greater chance of appearing on the cover of Xinyi magazine in the coming year, as well as access to some fashion resources provided by the magazine.
In fact, for a minor, obscure celebrity like Mu Yanxi with no real achievements, although she had gone viral a few times, she had always been accused of wearing fakes in public and had to pay for her own outfits behind the scenes. Logically, she shouldn’t have received an invitation.
But ever since Chanel’s official Weibo account had specifically claimed her dress last time, her position in the fashion circle had become somewhat subtle. Brands were all shrewd and were watching her. Many brands that had previously looked down on her were now willing to lend her dresses.
But Mu Yanxi never wore borrowed clothes. Who knew if those dresses had been worn by others? What if she had an allergic reaction?
Her manager was helpless about this. Firstly, the brands that proactively offered dresses weren’t very famous, and secondly, the dresses Mu Yanxi brought herself were indeed more beautiful.
So she let her be.
She had thought that only her resources for dresses had improved, but she hadn’t expected the Xinyi banquet to send Mu Yanxi an invitation as well.
However, the person in question, Mu Yanxi, was not too surprised.
She even felt it would be strange if Xinyi didn’t invite her.
Two years ago, when Xinyi was hit by turmoil in its senior management, a large number of its shares were acquired by Rongjia Entertainment, making it a rather important part of Rongjia’s entertainment sector.
Xinyi’s invitation was delivered specifically to her manager, so it wouldn’t arouse suspicion from her management team.
Mu Yanxi glanced at her phone, at the message Yi Wulan had just sent her, asking to have dinner together.
She replied: 【Busy with work, you eat by yourself.】
After all, Yi Wulan seemed to regret it, but she hadn’t really made any promises.
Maybe she’d have another fit in the future and suddenly go silent again without a word.
She had to be taught a lesson.
“Teacher Mu, are you listening to me?” The manager helplessly nudged Mu Yanxi’s shoulder. “I’ve taken people to the Xinyi banquet before. The atmosphere is relatively relaxed. The organizers will arrange for performances to liven things up. You just need to focus on clapping.”
Mu Yanxi knew she had been distracted and quickly nodded her head in an attempt to please.
The manager tidied her hair and added, “Why have you been so distracted lately? Are you having problems with your partner at home?”
Mu Yanxi leaned back, relaxing completely against the soft backrest. “No.”
“If you’re in a bad mood, just tell me. I’ll reduce your workload.” The manager didn’t know how to comfort her, so she switched back to business. “Pay attention to your image when you walk the red carpet later. It’s a bit windy tonight. Even if you’re cold, don’t hunch your shoulders. It’s a rare opportunity, so seize it. You might even get on the hot search.”
Mu Yanxi nodded to show she understood.
The performances at the banquet lasted longer than scheduled. Since the big-name movie stars and queens hadn’t left, Mu Yanxi naturally couldn’t leave early either.
It was nearly twelve when she got home. The living room was brightly lit.
The housekeeper saw her and came forward to ask, “Miss Mu, do you need me to prepare a late-night snack for you?”
Mu Yanxi shook her head. “No need. You should go to bed early too.”
“Miss was out just now and only just came in.”
Mu Yanxi raised an eyebrow slightly and smiled. “I know.”
Since she had come straight home from the banquet, she was still in her evening attire. This was different from usual parties; the red carpet makeup was always heavier for effect, yet it wasn’t gaudy, making her look extremely exquisite.
Yi Wulan was sitting on the sofa. Hearing footsteps, she deliberately put on a dark face and looked over. “Why are you so late…”
Her words stopped abruptly when she saw Mu Yanxi.
The warm light fell on Mu Yanxi, making the fine diamonds on her dress sparkle, giving the illusion that she had returned under the stars and moon, causing Yi Wulan to be slightly stunned.
Mu Yanxi turned her head to look at Yi Wulan. Remembering what the housekeeper had just said, she sat down on the sofa opposite Yi Wulan and asked, “Waiting for me?”
Yi Wulan came back to her senses, picked up a cup, and took a sip of water to hide her gaze. “I was just thirsty and came downstairs to get some water. I didn’t expect you to be just getting home.”
“So that’s how it is.” Mu Yanxi stretched and stood up. “It’s getting late. Let’s go up to bed.”
Yi Wulan opened her mouth. The question ‘Where are you sleeping tonight?’ was about to come out, but Mu Yanxi had already left.
She quickly followed.
At first, Mu Yanxi’s steps were fast, but she deliberately slowed down when Yi Wulan caught up.
Then she leisurely walked to the door of the guest room, reached out her hand, and even pretended to glance at Yi Wulan unintentionally.
Yi Wulan finally couldn’t hold back and called out to her, “You…”
Mu Yanxi took a step inside, her attitude very clear.
When she looked back, her smile was brilliant, and she blinked her foxy eyes, which had been colored red by the makeup artist. “What’s wrong?”
Yi Wulan looked at Mu Yanxi for several seconds before squeezing out in a cold voice, “Nothing.”
Mu Yanxi raised an eyebrow and turned around.
With regal coldness, she left Yi Wulan with a closed door.
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