For the sake of her little dresses, Mu Yanxi was adaptable and immediately opened the menu as Yi Wulan had instructed.
Although this Chinese restaurant was luxuriously decorated and touted itself with the gimmick of traditional Chinese delicacies, to a Chinese person like Mu Yanxi, the menu was rather conventional, with almost no distinctive features.
Considering Yi Wulan’s upcoming surgery, Mu Yanxi only ordered a few light dishes.
Seeing this, Yi Wulan wanted to add a few more substantial dishes, but Mu Yanxi shook her head. “I’m still recovering from the flight. I don’t feel like eating anything too greasy.”
Yi Wulan studied her for a moment before finally adding a seafood soup and a steamed seafood platter.
After the waiter who took their order left, the private room returned to its initial quiet atmosphere, with only the light tablecloth swaying in the air conditioning.
Mu Yanxi had no idea how she had offended Yi Wulan just now, but she hadn’t received a single pleasant look since signing the autograph.
Frustrated, she stood up and walked over to the curved floor-to-ceiling window to look at the night view, wanting to get away from the strange atmosphere at the dining table.
Boston Harbor looked mysterious under the shroud of night. A few cruise ships could be faintly seen sailing on the water, and on both sides of the river, it seemed some small event was being held, with colorful lights twinkling.
Mu Yanxi leaned forward slightly, trying to get a clearer view. But just as she moved, a dazzling searchlight swept past her face.
Her body’s instinctive reaction made her flinch back abruptly, but the high heels under her feet slipped on the overly smooth floor, and the world spun around her.
Her body felt light, and even though she knew she was about to fall, Mu Yanxi felt no impulse to grab onto anything nearby to steady herself.
Instead, she squinted her eyes and let her center of gravity shift, falling towards the floor—as if behind her wasn’t a cold tiled floor, but some luxurious, soft bed.
Just in the nick of time, a pair of arms wrapped around her lower back, catching her.
Having won her bet, Mu Yanxi’s lips curved slightly, but she quickly hid the smile.
Yi Wulan helped Mu Yanxi stand steady, frowning at the window. “How could a single searchlight scare you like this? Are you not feeling well? If you can’t handle it, you should go back to China sooner.”
Mu Yanxi’s back touched a warm body, and she unconsciously leaned against Yi Wulan. The dizziness from the bright light gradually faded, and she said softly, “I’m fine. I probably just haven’t recovered from the flight. I’ll be fine after a night’s sleep.”
Actually, what Mu Yanxi said wasn’t entirely accurate. It was the bizarre structure of this private room. Except for the wall with the entrance, the other three sides were all floor-to-ceiling glass windows, making the vast night sky outside seem within reach, with no obstructions at all.
It was like being suspended high in the air.
On a normal day, Mu Yanxi would have probably been posing for pictures by such a window long ago. But because she was mentally exhausted from the recent massive drain of her special abilities, coupled with a flight of over ten hours, her steps felt a bit unsteady when she stood by the window.
Leaning against Yi Wulan for so long, Mu Yanxi felt a little embarrassed. She slowly moved back to her seat and asked thoughtfully, “I didn’t crush you just now, did I?”
A vein throbbed on Yi Wulan’s forehead. She took a breath. “No.”
“Mm, that’s good.” Mu Yanxi continued to mutter to herself in a low voice, “If your leg doesn’t heal this time, I’m really going to be exhausted.”
Yi Wulan: …
Yi Wulan gently patted Mu Yanxi’s head and said awkwardly, “Kids shouldn’t say such nonsensical things.”
Mu Yanxi clutched her head and let out a little ‘ow’. If her leg didn’t heal, she would have to continue transferring her special abilities. What was wrong with that?
Mu Yanxi met Yi Wulan’s gaze, wanting to argue with her, but in the next second, as if she’d had a sudden epiphany, her eyes widened.
Mu Yanxi finally realized the ambiguity in her words.
Fortunately, at that moment, the door to the private room was pushed open, alleviating her embarrassment.
The waiters brought in the dishes one after another. When ordering, Mu Yanxi had been unenthusiastic, but she didn’t expect the dishes that arrived to be so colorful and exquisitely prepared. Just looking at them whetted her appetite.
Just as the waiters were about to leave, Yi Wulan stopped them. “Excuse me, will the searchlights be on all night?”
One of the waiters, dressed as a supervisor, stepped forward. “Recently, due to the weather, the searchlights are activated at regular intervals to guide incoming flights and also for city lighting. Would you like me to change your private room?”
Yi Wulan looked at Mu Yanxi, asking for her opinion with her eyes.
“No need.” Mu Yanxi hadn’t expected Yi Wulan to specifically ask about it. She gave an awkward smile. “I just wasn’t used to it being so close just now.”
It was her first time in a private room with three walls of floor-to-ceiling windows. Why would she give up a room like this for one with only a single floor-to-ceiling window, which could be found everywhere back home?
Yi Wulan turned to the supervisor. “Then please draw the curtains.”
The supervisor was probably hearing such a request for the first time.
Since the searchlight came from a different direction each time, customers in this situation usually requested to change rooms. After all, their restaurant wasn’t cheap, and a significant part of the price was for the high-altitude view.
If the curtains were drawn, what was the difference between this and an ordinary private room?
The supervisor and several waiters couldn’t help but glance back and forth between the two, their gazes then falling on Mu Yanxi, who was uncomfortable because of the windows.
If they had encountered such a customer in the past, they might have had the impression of meeting a country bumpkin.
But when their eyes fell on Mu Yanxi, even though she was sitting there lazily, her attire, her demeanor, and the aura she exuded had nothing to do with a country bumpkin.
She was like a little princess who had been pampered since childhood, a little flustered by the restaurant’s design, making one want to dote on her.
Mu Yanxi was looking down, replying to a message from her manager, and didn’t notice the others’ gazes. Yi Wulan, however, frowned. “Could you please draw the curtains for us?”
However, deterred by Yi Wulan’s cold and intimidating presence, the supervisor quickly reacted and said respectfully, “Of course, madam.”
Then she swiftly drew the curtains and led the waiters out.
The sound of the door closing pulled Mu Yanxi’s attention away from her phone. She looked at the completely covered room and sighed, “Isn’t this a waste of such a design?”
“You can pull them open yourself if you don’t mind the trouble.”
Yi Wulan glanced at Mu Yanxi. “Those waiters were all looking at you just now. As a celebrity, aren’t you afraid of being recognized again?”
It sounded like she was concerned for her, with the same tone as her manager. But Mu Yanxi inexplicably sensed a subtle emotion in her tone.
Mu Yanxi chewed on a shrimp and said vaguely, “So what if I’m recognized?”
Yi Wulan thought of the waiters’ gazes just now, and then of the declarations of love from netizens online. She said faintly from the side, “That’s right. After all, our Teacher Mu is very likable.”
Mu Yanxi was stunned. She winked her left eye at Yi Wulan and asked with a grin, “Does President Yi find me likable too?”
Yi Wulan: …
Having listened to Mu Yanxi’s endless stream of flirty words these past few months, Yi Wulan’s first instinct was to tell her to shut up.
But considering that Mu Yanxi had accompanied her all the way to Boston, Yi Wulan swallowed her words and remained silent.
But while Yi Wulan was silent, Mu Yanxi became even more audacious. She slowly peeled a shrimp, brought the meat to Yi Wulan’s lips, and said with a teasing expression, “Why aren’t you answering?”
Yi Wulan raised her head slightly to meet Mu Yanxi’s teasing gaze and said flatly, “Yes.”
Her voice was cold, and her expression was far too calm, so much so that Mu Yanxi couldn’t connect it with any kind of romantic affection at all.
Mu Yanxi, who had thought victory was in her grasp and that she could seize this opportunity to score a point, became dazed. She didn’t know if her own Chinese was lacking, or if Yi Wulan simply didn’t understand.
The second Miss Mu was a little horrified, instinctively sensing that something was not quite right.
But she still subconsciously rejected the most basic meaning of the word “like,” attributing it to: Yi Wulan didn’t dislike her.
Yes, limited to not being disliked, not being kicked out of the house, and limited to being able to swipe Yi Wulan’s card.
Mu Yanxi was very satisfied with her own understanding. She suddenly wanted to lecture Yi Wulan, to tell this honest and innocent president not to carelessly use the word “like” on any vixen she met outside.
But she held back the impulse.
Because she was really a bit hungry.
Yi Wulan, who had been observing Mu Yanxi’s expression from the side, saw that the deeper level of teasing she had expected did not come, nor did the shy embarrassment of someone flying into a rage.
Instead, her expression went from panicked and conflicted, to surprised and relieved, and finally back to her initial carefree state.
Yi Wulan’s heart was suddenly filled with complex feelings.
After two full days of pre-operative preparations, on the third day, Yi Wulan’s surgery proceeded as scheduled.
On the day of the surgery, Mu Yanxi waited outside the operating room, restless and anxious. Her heart was beating so fast it made it hard for her to breathe.
Time passed, minute by minute, from the dew-kissed morning until noon when the sun was high in the sky.
Mu Yanxi’s gaze was fixed on the tightly closed operating room door. She didn’t know how long she had been sitting there; even her legs had gone numb.
Gu Yan walked in from the entrance and placed a bag on the bench next to Mu Yanxi. “Miss Mu, why don’t you eat something first?”
Mu Yanxi shook her head. “I have no appetite.”
Gu Yan sighed, opened the bag, and spoke according to Yi Wulan’s prior instructions, “President Yi was worried you wouldn’t have an appetite, so she specifically told me to buy you some sweets. The surgery will take a long time. If you don’t eat something, you might collapse before President Yi comes out.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Yanxi finally turned around. She rubbed her temples, which were sore from intense concentration, and looked at the food in the bag.
They were all the sweets that Yi Wulan had bought for her on the way back from the hospital these past two days, the ones she had said she liked.
Mu Yanxi took out a mousse cake and ate a few bites, but she found it tasteless and put it aside again.
The surgery took longer than originally planned, not officially ending until after three in the afternoon.
The operating room door finally opened, and the lead surgeon, Doctor Xiusina, walked out.
Mu Yanxi reacted a beat too late. As she hurriedly stood up, her legs, numb from sitting for so long, caused her to stumble forward violently.
Fortunately, a bodyguard standing nearby was quick to grab her arm and steady her.
Doctor Xiusina was no stranger to Mu Yanxi. She took the initiative to walk over and, looking at Mu Yanxi’s leg, joked, “Miss Mu, I just finished Miss Yi’s surgery. Don’t tell me I have to go back in for another one because of you?”
Hearing Doctor Xiusina’s relaxed tone, Mu Yanxi’s heart, which had been on edge all day, was slightly soothed. She asked tentatively and carefully, “Doctor Xiusina, is Yi Wulan’s surgery over? Was it successful?”
“The surgery went quite smoothly, pretty much as we had anticipated. However, the specific degree of recovery will depend on the patient’s own rehabilitation.”
Doctor Xiusina spoke frankly, not offering any placating words to comfort the family. With years of experience, she maintained her usual rigor. “We’ve done our best. I’ll have a nurse give you the detailed post-operative instructions later.”
Mu Yanxi’s heart settled. She looked at the operating room door. “When can she come out?”
“In a little while. We need to observe her for about another twenty minutes.” After saying this, Doctor Xiusina put her mask back on and headed back into the operating room.
The operating room door was closed tightly again.
Mu Yanxi’s nerves, which had been stretched taut all day, finally relaxed at this moment.
Once her mind relaxed, the side effects of not eating for most of the day quickly became apparent. Her vision was suddenly obscured by various spots of light, and she almost collapsed again.
This time, the bodyguard acted even faster, helping Mu Yanxi to sit down on the bench. “Miss Mu, are you alright?”
After sitting for a while, Mu Yanxi finally recovered and smiled at the bodyguard beside her. “I’m fine. I just didn’t expect waiting outside an operating room to be so mentally draining. I’ve never been this exhausted, not even after filming all night and then going clubbing.”
Gu Yan pushed the bag of sweets towards Mu Yanxi again. “Miss Mu, you really should eat something.”
This time, Mu Yanxi finally didn’t refuse. Perhaps hearing that Yi Wulan’s surgery was successful had dispelled her earlier lack of appetite.
She chatted with Gu Yan while eating. “Gu Yan, how long have you been Yi Wulan’s assistant?”
“Seven or eight years,” Gu Yan recalled slowly. “I had just graduated and joined Rongjia to handle a project. Not long after, Rongjia began to experience turmoil. Because I did an excellent job on that project, President Yi transferred me to her side.”
Mu Yanxi raised an eyebrow. “I remember Old Master Yi hadn’t relinquished power a few years ago, right? Yi Wulan’s father was lost to sensual pleasures, but her uncles were no pushovers; they had already established their own networks. Yi Wulan was the first of her generation to enter Rongjia. It looked glamorous, but she didn’t have much power at first. How was she the best choice?”
Gu Yan chuckled. “Miss Mu, I’m just a minor figure. It was my good fortune that President Yi saw my potential.”
“To be noticed by Yi Wulan just for one project, you can’t be that minor of a figure, can you?” Mu Yanxi looked at Gu Yan, unable to resist gossiping, trying to pass the next half hour. “Did no one else from the Yi family approach you?”
After all, the transfer of power in a corporation usually happens from one generation to the next, but at Rongjia, it had jumped directly from Old Master Yi to Yi Wulan. Mu Yanxi was quite curious about what had happened back then.
Gu Yan looked at Mu Yanxi and smiled helplessly. “Yes, other members of the Yi family did approach me. But I was young and ambitious, fresh out of college. On the surface, they were fighting for power, but behind the scenes, they were all planning to carve up Rongjia. At that time, Rongjia was in urgent need of transformation, facing the impact of new internet industries. To establish a long-term foothold in Rongjia, one had to align with someone who had a grand vision and genuinely cared for Rongjia. While it was easy to get on the boats of President Yi’s uncles, it would have been difficult for me to make a real impact, and they were sinking ships.”
Mu Yanxi smiled.
It had to be said, Gu Yan’s judgment was as outstanding as his ability. Rongjia’s internal strife and transformation lasted for five years, and Yi Wulan ultimately emerged victorious from among all the Yi family members, leading Rongjia to new heights.
After years as Yi Wulan’s assistant, Gu Yan’s ability to read people had been honed to perfection. After a few sentences, he quickly guessed what Mu Yanxi wanted to hear and continued:
“Before President Yi’s accident, she was probably the envy of Yuncheng’s high society. When I accompanied her to those receptions, countless gazes fell upon her, from men and women alike. Many even came up to offer themselves. Don’t be fooled by how everyone respectfully treats Yi Jingming as Rongjia’s next leader after the car accident. In my opinion, besides sharing the same bloodline as President Yi, there’s really no comparison between him and her.”
Yi Wulan was already good-looking, with a softer and more reserved beauty than Mu Yanxi. Even with her seemingly cold and indifferent personality, her peach blossom eyes made people want to get closer.
Young, beautiful, wealthy, and having taken control of Rongjia with an iron fist, she was naturally a dazzling presence wherever she went.
Mu Yanxi pictured Yi Wulan from a few years ago in her mind—cool and distant, yet extremely measured in her actions. She suddenly regretted not following her sister’s advice to join Xinyu a few years ago.
Perhaps they could have met sooner after graduation?
Mu Yanxi finished a piece of cake, opened a milk tea whose ice had completely melted, and asked, “And then?”
“And then, Miss Mu, you probably know what happened. The darling of the heavens had a car accident, was confined to a wheelchair, and had a fatal injury in her brain that could act up at any time, with no cure to be found. Even though President Yi was already the head of Rongjia, it still made those long-extinguished side branches stir with ambition again.”
Gu Yan paused, then added, “So President Yi’s reputation among outsiders is not very good. Miss Mu, please don’t believe the rumors.”
Mu Yanxi chewed on a pearl and said casually, “Is it? I don’t think so.”
Gu Yan raised his eyebrows and smiled. “That’s probably because President Yi is different with you than she is with others.”
Mu Yanxi thought of all the times Yi Wulan had been so flustered by her teasing that she was left speechless. Her inner fox tail was practically spinning like a pinwheel, but on the surface, she maintained a calm expression. “…Mm.”
She would have to praise Gu Yan in front of Yi Wulan later. An assistant who could talk so well deserved a raise.
As they were chatting, the operating room door opened again, and the medical staff finally wheeled out Yi Wulan, who was lying on a hospital bed.
Mu Yanxi put down her cup and quickly walked over. When her eyes fell on Yi Wulan’s pale face and chapped lips, her already relaxed brows furrowed tightly again.
She murmured in a low voice, “Yi Wulan.”
A nurse at her side saw this and reminded her, “The patient’s anesthesia hasn’t completely worn off yet. She can’t hear you. Please cooperate with us and let us move the patient to the ward first.”
It wasn’t until after ten o’clock that night that Yi Wulan finally woke up.
Having been injected with anesthesia and undergoing surgery for most of the day, she was groggy. Even though her eyes were open, her consciousness hadn’t fully returned.
But the first thing her wavering gaze focused on was a pair of familiar fox-like eyes filled with joyful surprise.
Yi Wulan was slightly taken aback, only then remembering that Mu Yanxi had come with her for the surgery.
“You’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you?” Her voice was still a bit hoarse as she spoke. Yi Wulan’s hand moved, happening to touch Mu Yanxi’s hand on the edge of the bed. “Did you eat on time?”
Who asks about others as the first thing they say after waking up from surgery?
Mu Yanxi grumbled inwardly, but her eyes inexplicably stung with tears. She hooked her fingers around Yi Wulan’s and said sullenly, “I had no appetite. You’ll have to make it up to me later.”
Yi Wulan’s lips curved slightly. “Alright.”
Mu Yanxi pressed the call bell by the bed. “Let’s have the doctor come and check on you first. If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, tell the doctor.”
Several doctors quickly entered the room, and along with some nurses, they swarmed around the hospital bed.
Mu Yanxi was squeezed to the side. After a long wait, Doctor Xiusina finally came over. “No adverse post-operative reactions. Her condition is temporarily stable. The first night is crucial. We’ll arrange for nurses to take turns observing her later tonight.”
Mu Yanxi had been exhausted all day and really didn’t have the energy to guarantee she could do a better job than the nurses, so she didn’t try to be a hero. “Then I’ll have to trouble you.”
Soon, the only sound in the room was the beeping of medical equipment. Yi Wulan beckoned to Mu Yanxi. “Help me adjust the backrest. I want to sit up.”
Mu Yanxi hesitated. “You just had surgery. Is it a good idea to move around?”
Yi Wulan pointed to her leg. “I only had surgery on my lower leg. My upper body is fine. Lying down for so long has made my neck uncomfortable. Let me lean up for a bit.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Half-convinced, Mu Yanxi helped Yi Wulan sit up, carefully supporting her. She couldn’t help but remark, “I finally know how husbands in TV dramas feel when they’re waiting outside the delivery room for their wives.”
Yi Wulan gave Mu Yanxi a strange look and said helplessly, “It’s not even bedtime yet, and you’re already talking nonsense?”
“I am not. It’s fine if you don’t understand.” Mu Yanxi looked around the room and asked, “You haven’t eaten all day, have you? Should I have them go buy something you can eat?”
“No need, I’m not hungry.” Perhaps because she had been on an IV all day, Yi Wulan didn’t feel hungry. She also didn’t want Mu Yanxi to make a trip for nothing. Seeing Mu Yanxi’s exhausted expression, she felt a little guilty. “Don’t busy yourself. You should get some rest first.”
Mu Yanxi couldn’t stand seeing that guilty look on Yi Wulan’s face. It had been there ever since they arrived in Boston and had persisted until now.
Now that the surgery was over, Yi Wulan’s focus on her own body would lessen. Given Yi Wulan’s usual bossy, matriarchal nature, she would probably turn her attention even more to her.
Mu Yanxi hesitated for a few seconds, then put on a smile again and said stubbornly, “I’m fine. Who said I need to rest?”
“But, you…”
To prove that she was really fine and still had plenty of energy, Mu Yanxi reached out and hooked Yi Wulan’s collar, her voice as if laced with honey. “Yi Wulan, it’s not good for you to not eat anything. If you don’t want to eat that… why not eat me?”
Yi Wulan was still immersed in the peaceful scene of just having woken up. Hearing this so unexpectedly, her whole body stiffened.
Mu Yanxi’s eyes were filled with rippling affection. “I also think it’s a hassle to have the bodyguards go out to buy food so late at night. Eating me is so much more convenient.”
Under Yi Wulan’s incredulous gaze, Mu Yanxi smiled slowly.
She gently pressed her upper body forward, maintaining a tantalizing distance. Her hands rested on Yi Wulan’s shoulders, gently embracing her as she whispered, “Yi Wulan, welcome back to the world of the living.”
Yi Wulan’s breathing gradually grew heavier. Her body, which had been slightly suspended, was pressed down by her.
Even Mu Yanxi, an observer, had been worried and afraid. Yi Wulan, the person involved, no matter how calm and composed she appeared on the surface, couldn’t help but reveal a long-lost vulnerability at this moment.
After her car accident, Yi Wulan had been in the operating room many times, but every time she woke up, she was faced with cold machinery and the bodyguards still diligently standing guard outside the ward.
Yi Wulan’s hands around Mu Yanxi’s waist slowly tightened, like a piece of driftwood that had been floating for years finally finding a sense of belonging.
It had been many years since someone had looked at her with such eyes when she was sick.
Unfamiliar.
Yet it intrigued her.
At the same time, she was also a little moved.
She never expected that after all these years, after all the twists and turns, the person by her side after her surgery would be Mu Yanxi.
Although she had known Mu Yanxi for over a decade, Yi Wulan’s impression of her had always been that of Mu Yanqing’s younger sister, a child who needed to be taken care of.
In recent years, she had been busy with Rongjia’s affairs, and with Mu Yanxi leaving Yuncheng for university, she had almost lost contact with her.
As a result, the child who was still a half-grown kid in her memory had unknowingly undergone a huge transformation at some point.
She had become bright and flamboyant, eye-catching and vibrant.
She had become that one-of-a-kind treasure.
“Don’t worry, I’m fine now,” Yi Wulan said softly, holding her as if reluctant to let go.
“Who was worried about you?” Mu Yanxi muttered in rebuttal, a little embarrassed and a little sullen. “I was afraid you’d have a medical accident and not have time to write a will. Then there’d be no one to buy me things.”
Yi Wulan’s hair brushed against Mu Yanxi’s chest, and the increasing pressure on her lower back made Mu Yanxi squirm, trying to break free.
But Yi Wulan seemed not to feel it and continued to hold her. Mu Yanxi was at a loss. Hearing the breathing in her ear, that mischievous streak in her heart acted up again.
Her tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth as she drawled, “Yi Wulan, you don’t really want to eat me, do you?”
Yi Wulan’s hands around Mu Yanxi’s waist tightened again, and Mu Yanxi felt a bit constricted. She had been on edge for Yi Wulan all day, and now that she had relaxed, her mind began to turn nimbly, planning to get some interest back from Yi Wulan.
Mu Yanxi loosened her hands, tilted her head back slightly, and gave Yi Wulan a soul-stirring smile.
Yi Wulan looked at Mu Yanxi’s smile and thought expressionlessly: The little ancestor is about to start flirting again.
Sure enough, Mu Yanxi, who had been well-behaved for only a short while, didn’t push her away this time.
Mu Yanxi reached out one hand to hook around Yi Wulan’s neck, while the other sought out Yi Wulan’s hand, guiding her fingers to climb up her waist.
“The people outside won’t just barge in. Are you sure you don’t want to try a late-night snack in the hospital room?” Mu Yanxi’s expression and tone were very practiced, every move full of seduction, as if she were genuinely inviting Yi Wulan to taste her body.
She had given enough hints. If this had happened before, Yi Wulan would definitely have withdrawn her hand in bewilderment and scolded her in a cold voice.
But the current Yi Wulan was still somewhat immersed in her post-awakening thoughts, wanting to hold on to this long-lost warmth. Faced with Mu Yanxi’s incessant teasing and desire, her heartstrings were stirred, and she, as if possessed, actually agreed with a “Okay.”
Mu Yanxi’s smile froze. She wanted to turn her head in astonishment to see Yi Wulan’s expression.
But before she could move, one of Yi Wulan’s hands covered the back of her neck. A hot, moist breath washed over her, and a sharp pain shot through the area below her neck and above her collarbone.
Mu Yanxi: …
The scorching breath was different from the touch of Yi Wulan’s hair at the beginning. The moment it washed over her, Mu Yanxi’s entire body had already stiffened.
When the cool tips of teeth touched her fragile skin, Mu Yanxi almost uncontrollably clenched Yi Wulan’s hospital gown. Forgetting that Yi Wulan had just had surgery, her legs kicked out randomly on the bed.
Even a single strand of hair brushing against Mu Yanxi’s neck could make her whole body tremble, let alone being bitten directly.
But Yi Wulan’s bite was neither light nor heavy. Just as she felt the sharp pain, she retracted her teeth, leaving a warm, soft sensation.
Mu Yanxi didn’t need to look to know it was Yi Wulan’s lips.
Her breathing was now completely chaotic.
What started as a slight struggle turned into faint gasps, which fell clearly into Yi Wulan’s ears.
By the time Yi Wulan came to her senses, she had already left a soon-to-fade tooth mark on Mu Yanxi’s snow-white skin.
It was like finally putting a unique brand on an item she cherished.
Yi Wulan’s fingertips curled slightly. She caressed the spot next to the still slightly damp neck, feeling guilty for the first time in her life.
She couldn’t help but regret being overly provoked by Mu Yanxi just now. She quickly went to support Mu Yanxi’s shoulders to see her reaction.
Mu Yanxi was no longer making her usual improper, flirtatious expressions, nor was she saying any teasing or provocative words.
She just quietly let Yi Wulan handle her. Those fox-like eyes, usually so wantonly flamboyant, seemed to be tinged with a layer of mist.
Her eyes were full of panic and confusion, as if she hadn’t yet processed what had happened, and everything she did was an instinctive physiological reaction.
The rims of her eyes had also turned slightly red.
Yi Wulan: …
Yi Wulan’s eyes darkened slightly, finding it hard to believe that the usually unreliable Mu Yanxi was actually someone who only talked a big game.
She recalled all the flirty things Mu Yanxi had said to her over the past few months, things like ‘come and eat me,’ ‘you’ve ruined my innocence,’ ‘holding someone doesn’t count as having improper designs,’ and so on.
Whatever could make her feel ashamed, Mu Yanxi would say with gusto, as if her sole purpose was to enjoy her flustered reactions.
Yi Wulan’s gaze towards Mu Yanxi was extremely complicated.
She couldn’t understand how Mu Yanxi, who looked like a nation-toppling siren and usually acted like a seasoned veteran of the romantic battlefield, was in reality a pure-hearted person who would be brought to tears by a single bite.
At this moment, Yi Wulan was absolutely certain that Mu Yanxi had never had any intimate contact with Yi Jingming before, and not just Yi Jingming, but definitely not with anyone else either.
Perhaps Yi Wulan’s expression was too subtle. Mu Yanxi, who was still pressed against her, finally came back to her senses.
Her first reaction upon coming to her senses was the desire to jump into the Boston Harbor outside.
Her heart was beating rapidly. Even though she was the one on top, she didn’t have an ounce of a domineering aura.
Mu Yanxi used a trembling hand to cover the spot on her neck that had been bitten. The moment she touched it, she felt a bit of moisture, and her hand recoiled as if it had been bitten again.
But Yi Wulan was still watching her.
This time, it was finally Mu Yanxi’s turn to be overwhelmed with shame and anger.
She turned her refocused gaze to Yi Wulan, completely baffled as to why a single, not-so-heavy bite had reduced her to such a pathetic state.
If she didn’t know that Yi Wulan was a workaholic with no interest in romance, Mu Yanxi would have suspected that Yi Wulan had a crush on her.
Mu Yanxi took a deep breath, deeply reflected on her own behavior just now, and felt more and more that she had gone too far, provoking Yi Wulan into doing such a thing out of shame and anger.
After mentally berating herself a hundred and eight times, Mu Yanxi finally dared to look at Yi Wulan.
As if to confirm Mu Yanxi’s thoughts, there were still no ripples in Yi Wulan’s peach blossom eyes. Mu Yanxi glanced at them and felt inexplicably guilty.
She scrambled off Yi Wulan in a hurry. “I… I, I’m sorry.”
Yi Wulan didn’t know why Mu Yanxi was apologizing, but having just bitten someone, she didn’t want to go against her wishes. She went along with Mu Yanxi’s words and replied, “It’s okay?”
Mu Yanxi said in a muffled voice, “Mm.”
Yi Wulan looked at Mu Yanxi’s rare expression of conflict and remorse, and then thought of her pure reaction just now.
After a long moment, she finally couldn’t help but laugh.
Mu Yanxi pulled her messy collar straight. Hearing the laughter, she glanced at Yi Wulan with even more embarrassment. “What… what are you laughing at?”
Yi Wulan had no intention of telling Mu Yanxi that she had discovered the true nature of her teasing.
She shook her head mysteriously. “Nothing. I’m just very happy that the surgery was a success.”
Mu Yanxi studied Yi Wulan for a moment and suddenly felt that made some sense. “Mm, I hope the follow-up goes smoothly too.”
After saying this, Mu Yanxi felt even more like she wasn’t being a decent person.
Yi Wulan had just had surgery, and yet, for a momentary desire to win, she had pushed her to the point of abandoning her usual dignity and self-possession.
She… what kind of sin had she committed?
Overwhelmed with shame, Mu Yanxi covered her face with her hands, then quickly threw herself onto the adjacent companion bed, wrapped herself messily in the blanket, and with a muffled “ooh,” turned her back. “You get some rest. The nurse will come to stay with you later. If you need anything, just call them.”
Yi Wulan responded with a soft sound and didn’t rush to sleep either.
She turned slightly to look at Mu Yanxi’s back.
She still remembered the first time she saw Mu Yanxi. She was also curled up like this, immersed in her own world.
At that time, Mu Yanxi had just started her first year of high school and hadn’t yet integrated into the group. She was like a porcelain doll that couldn’t speak. Even when her hypoglycemia acted up, she would just quietly huddle under a tree, trying to endure it, observing the world with an introverted and confused gaze.
Only when those fox-like, lively eyes looked over could one glimpse some of the emotions in her heart.
When the words ‘introverted’ and ‘confused’ emerged from Yi Wulan’s memory, the curve of her lips never flattened.
Looking at the current Mu Yanxi, how could she possibly be associated with those two words?
She wondered where the little ancestor had gone for tutoring during the years they hadn’t seen each other, to have returned with such a spoiled and domineering temper.
Especially the way she feigned confidence when teasing people. The snippets from the past few months of their marriage unexpectedly flooded Yi Wulan’s mind.
In the otherwise quiet hospital room, a few of Yi Wulan’s low chuckles could be heard.
Perhaps she had always misunderstood Mu Yanxi?
After growing up, the little kid seemed to have really changed a lot.
A bit too lively, but also much more interesting than she had imagined.
In that short time, Mu Yanxi had already fallen asleep while still fuming.
When she turned over to face Yi Wulan, her brow was still tightly furrowed. It was unclear how long she had been worried about her surgery during the day, to the point that she was not at peace even in her dreams.
The companion bed was placed right next to Yi Wulan’s bed. Yi Wulan’s upper body was free, and she could touch it with just a slight movement.
Yi Wulan sat by her side and watched for a long time before reaching out to smooth Mu Yanxi’s furrowed brow, bit by bit.
Mu Yanxi seemed to be annoyed by the hand. She turned her face towards the pillow in a daze and mumbled, “…Yi Wulan.”
Yi Wulan responded softly. After watching Mu Yanxi continue to sleep soundly, she finally turned off the light.
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