Out of consideration for Mu Yanqing, who hadn’t slept all night, Mu Yanxi obediently stayed in the side bedroom the entire morning and didn’t cause her any trouble.
But she wasn’t in the mood to do anything else. The dream from last night and Mu Yanqing’s words kept alternating in her mind, yet she couldn’t piece together her past memories no matter how hard she tried.
In her previous life, she had never had such a dream, so naturally, she wouldn’t have sought confirmation from Mu Yanqing like she did today. She had single-mindedly followed the suggestions in her head, giving her all for Yi Jingming.
If there was any difference between her two lives, besides her being reborn, it was being with Yi Wulan and using her powers to heal her.
Regardless of which event caused the butterfly effect, in the end, it seemed to be detrimental to Yi Jingming, the protagonist.
Thinking this way, Mu Yanxi didn’t dwell on it too much.
If the lost memories were meant to return, they would be complete one day. Before that, there was no point in her making wild guesses. So, she let herself drift off to sleep.
But just as she was about to shift into a more comfortable position to continue lying down, the phone under her quilt rang.
Mu Yanxi ignored it, burying her head deeper into the pillow.
But the phone was persistent, and the message tone rang twice more.
Mu Yanxi closed her eyes and fumbled for it impatiently, wanting to see who was being such a killjoy.
She froze for a moment when she swiped open the screen and saw Yi Wulan’s profile picture.
She couldn’t be blamed for her surprise. Yi Wulan had always been the type of person who would almost never message her unless she initiated contact.
They had just parted this morning, and Yi Wulan was already looking for her?
Could it be something urgent?
Mu Yanxi lowered her gaze and opened the message: 【Where are you?】
【You’re not home?】
【Auntie is asking if you’re coming back for lunch?】
Mu Yanxi: …
Couldn’t she have sent it all in one message? Did she have to send it out a few words at a time?
But quite unexpectedly, Yi Wulan was proactively asking her to eat.
Mu Yanxi deliberately ignored the word ‘Auntie,’ rounding it up and concluding that it was Yi Wulan who wanted to ask her to lunch.
A small sense of accomplishment instantly bubbled up in her heart.
She didn’t act coy and replied: 【I’d love to have lunch with Elder Sister too】
【But I’m at Mu Yanqing’s place right now, and she won’t let me out. Can you come pick me up? (big crying puppy.jpg)】
Yi Wulan: 【Why won’t she let you out?】
Mu Yanxi: 【It’s nothing~ Just a small misunderstanding between us, but that’s nothing compared to the regret of not seeing you all morning.】
【Because of this, I’ve been washing my face with tears, and my hands and feet have been ice-cold all morning. I’ll only get better if Elder Sister warms me up (crying soybean x3)】
Yi Wulan: 【Ice-cold?】
Mu Yanxi: 【(obediently nodding puppy.jpg)】
Yi Wulan: 【Turn the air conditioner temperature up, or go see a doctor】
【Your body might not be normal】
Mu Yanxi: …
You’re the one who’s not normal. Your whole Yi family isn’t normal.
Mu Yanxi took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the anger in her heart.
She wasn’t angry at all.
Anyway, Yi Wulan never disappointed when it came to killing a conversation.
In the end, Mu Yanxi just coolly sent Mu Yanqing’s address and specifically requested food from Chensi Private Kitchen.
Chensi Private Kitchen was a newly opened three-Michelin-star restaurant. Mu Yanxi had been there once last week and couldn’t forget a few of its signature dishes. However, Chensi had a limited number of guests each day, and reservations usually had to be made in advance.
Mu Yanxi rightfully threw this problem to Yi Wulan.
After all, when it came to money, Yi Wulan never disappointed her either.
During the time before Yi Wulan arrived, Mu Yanxi naturally opened Weibo, preparing to patrol her own plaza.
But before she could read a few posts, a WeChat message from her manager suddenly popped up: 【You’re on Weibo again?】
Mu Yanxi frowned, checked, and saw that she hadn’t liked anyone’s post, so she replied decisively: 【No】
Manager: 【I got a notification that you were online on Weibo. If you’re not busy, how about going to shoot a drama?】
Mu Yanxi: … Don’t think I don’t know that the filming location is some remote mountain forest with no phone signal.
She had more important things to do recently, how could she spend so many days on a film set?
So she refused outright: 【No, I’m busy】
On the other end of WeChat, a question mark slowly appeared above the manager’s head. Although Mu Yanxi was someone who never actively asked for work, in the two years they had worked together, she had almost never turned down a job.
Even if she had something on, she would try to negotiate. This was the first time she had refused outright without even asking about it.
The manager asked, puzzled: 【Why are you suddenly busy? What are you busy with? Don’t tell me you just got married and are already fast-forwarding to having a baby?】
Mu Yanxi: …
【First of all, my partner is also a woman. Second, I’m inviting you to take a vacation with me. If you feel too idle, I can always let my hand slip and get on the hot search right now (smiling soybean)】
Manager: 【Okay Teacher Mu, happy holidays】
After exiting WeChat, Mu Yanxi switched back to Weibo.
Since the Nansha Gala incident hit the hot search, Guan Zhou’s reputation had plummeted.
Not only were various endorsement deals terminated, but even the film and television dramas that were being filmed were all halted. The actors were replaced, and once Guan Zhou finished paying all the compensation, he could say goodbye to the entertainment industry for good.
The other protagonist, Chi An, was slightly better off. Wearing counterfeit goods was not uncommon in the entertainment industry. Once the storm passed, she might have a chance to make a comeback.
But she and Guan Zhou were a public couple. When things went wrong with him, she was also affected quite a bit.
The manager had mentioned Chi An a few times, saying that she had signed with a small agency, the kind with a thirty-year indenture contract, which stipulated that she had to constantly promote the company’s new talents.
She couldn’t make any big waves; she could just continue to stay in the entertainment industry, and that was it.
Even though the entertainment industry in Huaguo had always been fast-paced, not only did the glory of these two vanish overnight, but even Mu Yanxi’s rare confirmation of wearing a genuine product didn’t stir up much of a storm.
Her constitution as a long-time minor celebrity provided protection. On the night of the red carpet, netizens all went to feast on the gossip about Guan Zhou, that ‘time management master,’ using magnifying glasses to identify the female artists associated with him.
In addition, that night, various A-list celebrities bought press releases to praise their own red carpet looks, so Mu Yanxi’s hot search was pushed down after only a short while.
And the next day, it was revealed that a veteran film emperor had a late-night rendezvous with another top singer after the Nansha red carpet. After the news broke, they directly announced that they had been married for five years, which was like a thunderclap on flat ground in the entertainment industry, causing a complete explosion.
The third day, the fourth day, as if possessed by some kind of metaphysics, new revelations kept appearing.
Sure enough, she was still firmly seated on the throne of a minor celebrity. Even the anti-fans in her plaza had a familiar flavor, all using tags with her full name and running wild in the plaza:
【You there? It’s one thing to stay at home all day and not do any gigs, but you’re not even posting a selfie. Are you asking for a beating?】
【Heard you spent a fortune on your dress last time. How about I introduce you to a brick-moving job?】
【I’ve gone through all 108 of Guan Zhou’s rumored girlfriends, and in the end, I found that you’re still the most compatible. Is this the kind of beauty that comes from being a little vase for two years since debut?】
Thinking about the job she had just turned down from her manager, Mu Yanxi deleted the scathing reply she had already typed out, and just blocked and reported the particularly excessive comments.
By the time she finished all this, it was almost one o’clock. Just as Mu Yanxi’s stomach was growling with hunger, the doorbell finally rang.
Mu Yanxi jumped off the sofa and quickly opened the door.
At the door was Yi Wulan, with a bodyguard behind her carrying bags.
She stepped aside slightly to let them in.
The bodyguard placed the food on the dining table and left. Mu Yanxi, while unpacking the containers, asked casually, “You don’t have to work today?”
After all, Yi Wulan was someone who was busy with work even last night.
Yi Wulan helped Mu Yanxi unpack the containers and explained, “Today is Sunday. I finished my work in the morning.”
“That’s true. When I used to go to parties on weekends, there were quite a few presidents who had taken over their companies.” Mu Yanxi blinked and said with feigned pride, “By the way, I had a lot of people pursuing me before we got married.”
Yi Wulan’s hand paused, and her voice betrayed no emotion: “Then Miss Mu is truly popular.”
Mu Yanxi nodded: “That’s true. But who can I blame? I was engaged to you right after I came of age. What do those other people have to do with me?”
“If you want, what’s stopping you.”
She had thought Yi Wulan would bring up the past, saying something like ‘Our marriage was never forced’ or ‘If you find someone you like, we can divorce at any time,’ but she didn’t expect…
Mu Yanxi actually heard a subtle emotion in that calm tone.
She suppressed a laugh and served Yi Wulan a bowl of soup: “Of course, no matter how excellent those presidents are, they still can’t compare to you in my eyes. They are just the abcds of the social circle, and you are my…”
Yi Wulan took the bowl and looked up slightly. As Mu Yanxi leaned over, the distance between them closed.
Observed up close, Yi Wulan looked at the other’s extremely bright and captivating face. Even with the most critical eye, it was hard to find any flaws.
As if bewitched, Yi Wulan asked a question: “Is what?”
Mu Yanxi’s tongue curled, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly: “Beloved.”
Yi Wulan: …
The soup bowl in her hand clearly had a layer of heat-insulating material, but Yi Wulan inexplicably felt it was scalding hot.
She quickly put the bowl down and changed the subject: “…The Shuilin Fang project you discussed with me last night, I had them rewrite the proposal this morning. The plan will be finalized next week.”
The containers were all opened. The few dishes inside were all to Mu Yanxi’s taste, and the plating was familiar and very beautiful.
Good food promotes a good mood. Mu Yanxi sat down and picked up her chopsticks: “That’s good.”
Yi Wulan was still all business: “If there’s anything you’re not satisfied with then, you…”
But she was interrupted by Mu Yanxi halfway through her sentence: “I was just joking when I asked you for a cut before. You don’t have to ask me at every step.”
Yi Wulan was silent for two seconds before replying, “Mm.”
For the next few minutes, neither of them spoke again. Mu Yanxi paid attention to her image when she was outside, but at home, she was always a chatterbox even while eating.
Sitting next to Yi Wulan, she pondered for a while before slowly realizing that Yi Wulan seemed to have misunderstood her words.
Actually, she was just purely lazy.
Bringing it up again after a few minutes would seem a bit deliberate, so she simply reached out with her other hand, tugged on the corner of Yi Wulan’s clothes, her eyes sparkling, “Yi Wulan, did you come specially to take me home?”
Yi Wulan swallowed the food in her mouth: “You can stay here for a few more days if you want.”
“That won’t do. If I stay a few more days, you might have to see me in court.” Mu Yanxi sighed and said earnestly, “If you don’t take me away today, my sister will drag me to get a divorce.”
Yi Wulan was puzzled: “Why?”
Mu Yanxi slandered without batting an eye or feeling any psychological burden: “Because, because she’s been single for many years and just can’t stand to see us so happily married and in love. She’s just jealous of me, so she wants to break us up.”
Yi Wulan raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing this little ancestor’s story. Remembering what Mu Yanxi had boasted in her ear before, she asked: “So you don’t want your eight-figure monthly allowance anymore?”
Mu Yanxi choked as if fate had her by the throat. After brewing for a few seconds, she put on a pitiful expression: “So, seeing how much I’ve sacrificed to be with you, aren’t you very moved?”
The moment Yi Wulan heard the word ‘moved,’ she associated it with the ‘methods of compensation’ Mu Yanxi had mentioned several times before. She refused reflexively: “No.”
Her tone was very cold, but Mu Yanxi somehow heard a hint of avoidance in it.
She wiped her mouth, leaned closer to Yi Wulan, and smiled, “Yi Wulan, did you think of something?”
Yi Wulan averted her eyes and repeated, “No.”
“If you didn’t think of anything, why did you refuse me?” Mu Yanxi pressed on, feigning sadness, “Don’t tell me you think I deserve to lose all that allowance?”
“I can give it to you.”
“So that’s how it is.” Mu Yanxi smiled and brought up the matter Yi Wulan had just avoided again, “President Yi is so good to me, I must repay you properly.”
Yi Wulan frowned: “If you want to repay me, you’d better sit properly and eat, and not look like you want to…”
Her words trailed off, and she couldn’t continue.
After all, in Yi Wulan’s twenty-nine years of life, she had never met someone as bold as Mu Yanxi. Her life had always been conventional and extremely serious; she couldn’t possibly describe Mu Yanxi’s current actions.
Mu Yanxi guessed Yi Wulan’s thoughts and said without any reservation: “Yi Wulan, I’m just trying to seduce you.”
She wrapped her arms around Yi Wulan’s shoulders, her tone deliberately softened several degrees, and whispered right next to her ear, “But I just can’t seem to hook you.”
The soft breath sprayed by her ear. Even with the barrier of her hair, Yi Wulan couldn’t help but lean to the other side, only to be pulled closer by Mu Yanxi’s arms around her neck.
She turned her head helplessly, her gaze falling on Mu Yanxi’s arm: “This is what you call not being able to hook me?”
Mu Yanxi’s whole body was as boneless and lazy as a cat, filled with a bit of post-meal satisfaction, and her voice was also lazy: “The hook I’m talking about isn’t this kind of hook.”
Yi Wulan didn’t hear clearly and asked, “What?”
“Yi Wulan, you’re so close to me.” Mu Yanxi’s eyes sparkled with cunning. She was clearly the one holding Yi Wulan, yet she insisted on framing her with her words.
Yi Wulan lowered her head. Mu Yanxi was hugging her, studying her with a focused expression, looking very happy, her eyes overflowing with unconcealable amusement.
She was wearing a sleeveless dress. At this moment, her hands were wrapped around her neck, the shoulder strap was slightly bent, and the collar was a little loose, revealing a small patch of porcelain-like skin.
Closer and closer.
Mu Yanxi carefully observed the subtle changes on Yi Wulan’s face. For some reason, when Yi Wulan’s gaze flickered away, she no longer felt awkward about the red lips that had troubled her so much last night.
She even took the initiative to close the distance between them, tilting her head: “You… want to kiss me, don’t you?”
Yi Wulan’s body stiffened. Before she could react, the dining room door was suddenly pushed open without warning, shattering the ambiguous atmosphere.
Yi Wulan and Mu Yanxi turned their heads in unison to look.
Mu Yanqing, dressed in a snow-white bathrobe, with her hair disheveled, her face pale, and heavy dark circles under her eyes, leaned against the doorframe, looking just like a life-reaping ghost.
After a long moment, she finally spoke faintly: “Weren’t you going to kiss? Go on.”
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