While Mu Yanxi was stunned for nearly half a minute, several more messages popped up on WeChat.
The pilot episode of the variety show, Secret Room Rush Rush Rush, had received a good response on Weibo. When the director’s team aired the bonus clips from the latter half of the recording this week, they deliberately added many shots of Mu Yanxi.
Her manager saw it and called specifically to ask whether Mu Yanxi’s performance in the pilot was real or just an act.
After all, in the two-plus years since this artist of hers had debuted, aside from being tirelessly cooperative when rushing to engagements, she was quite delicate in private. Coupled with Mu Yanxi’s deceptively innocent appearance, she always evoked a desire to protect her when she wore light makeup.
Mu Yanxi’s mind was a mess at the moment, so she was naturally a bit perfunctory about work. She replied with a single sentence: 【No, I was scared】
Her manager seemed to believe her and didn’t send any more messages.
After replying, Mu Yanxi looked up and froze slightly. Without realizing it, she had walked to the door of the study. The door was shut tight, and she couldn’t hear any sound from within.
Just as she was about to return to her bedroom to wait, an auntie who had gone in to serve tea came out.
As luck would have it, it was the same auntie she had run into last time when she was eavesdropping on Yi Wulan’s phone call.
Mu Yanxi instinctively wanted to hide.
But the auntie didn’t give her the chance.
She even leaned in and asked in a low voice, “Miss Mu, it looks like they’ll be a while longer. Do you want to go in? Or wait here?”
Mu Yanxi felt the embarrassment of being caught in the act again. She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. I’m a little thirsty after my bath, I’m going to get something to drink.”
The auntie nodded and said no more.
But as she left, she didn’t close the study door tightly.
It was as if she had seen through Mu Yanxi’s little scheme and, having received Yi Wulan’s permission, had deliberately left the door ajar for her.
Nearly an hour had passed since she got home. Yi Wulan’s relationship with her family wasn’t good either. What if she was being bullied?
Mu Yanxi finally couldn’t resist. She glanced around the second floor like a thief, and after confirming no one else was there, she finally pressed herself against the crack in the study door.
The closer she got to the study, the stronger the cold air from within became. Even though it was late September, the air conditioning in the villa was still running high, especially in the study tonight, as if heralding the icy atmosphere inside.
Through the crack, she saw Yi Wulan sitting at the desk, looking down at something with a blank expression.
Sitting opposite her was Yi Wulan’s father, Yi Hongda. From his meticulously styled hair and upright posture, one could see no trace of age. This matched what Mu Yanxi had previously learned about him—a philandering, idle middle-aged playboy.
Mu Yanxi peeked from the door, her eyes fixed on Yi Wulan. But whenever Yi Wulan’s gaze seemed to shift her way, she would immediately take a guilty step to the side, leaving the doorway empty, terrified of being caught peeking.
During her recent chat with Bai Yu’an, Mu Yanxi had caught a glimpse of a corner of her true heart, but she couldn’t quite see through the fog that shrouded it.
The more she tried to peer into it, the more chaotic her thoughts became.
Memories from this life and the last rushed in like a tangled mess of yarn, impossible to sort out.
So she had to come find Yi Wulan. While they were still talking inside, she desperately tried to figure out what this indescribable emotion in her heart was.
And where did that occasional flutter come from?
Was it the covetous desire for Yi Wulan’s beauty when they first met in this life, or was it a fondness for this kind of life that had developed over their time together?
Or perhaps, was it the kind of thing that commonly happens in arranged marriages in novels… love?
Mu Yanxi couldn’t figure it out, but she finally understood one thing: in her heart, Yi Wulan was different from everyone else.
It wasn’t because of Yi Wulan’s identity as the major villain in that novel, nor was it out of the initial desire to save Yi Wulan and prevent Yi Jingming from succeeding.
It was because of the heart-stirring, fatal attraction that Yi Wulan herself exuded.
Yi Wulan’s every move seemed to affect her. Her focus shifted from Rongjia’s projects to Yi Wulan’s physical condition, and later to Yi Wulan’s every action, every expression.
Mu Yanxi thought dryly that if this was the manifestation of coveting, then she did indeed covet Yi Wulan.
She just wanted to stay by this person’s side, like a dragon guarding its treasure.
Mu Yanxi recalled a line Yi Wulan had promised in a dream that felt both real and illusory: 【I won’t leave. I’ll always be with you, as long as you want.】
Mu Yanxi didn’t know if Yi Wulan still remembered this sentence, but she herself knew it clearly.
Unconsciously, she had grown accustomed to the days spent with Yi Wulan.
As long as Yi Wulan was willing, she would always stay with her too.
Covet her then, so be it. There was nothing to be ashamed of.
Everyone knew that she, the second miss of the Mu family, was arrogant, domineering, spoiled, and willful. She was going to monopolize Yi Wulan.
Hee.
As Mu Yanxi was thinking this with a rather good mood, the voices inside suddenly grew louder.
She moved over again, assuming a very standard posture, and eavesdropped brazenly.
Yi Hongda seemed to have gotten agitated, slapping his phone on the table with a loud smack. “Xiao Lan, did the car accident make you muddle-headed? The Yi family isn’t just our branch. What good does it do you to send your younger brother to prison?
Besides, this was all that little bastard Yi Zizhuo’s doing. You can’t even find any substantial evidence of your brother’s involvement. Do you have to keep him detained for trial? Can’t you just let him off the hook?”
Yi Wulan looked up indifferently, as if she were facing a stranger rather than her own father. “I thought we had already reached an agreement. If you want to go back on your word, it’s not too late.”
“Is that any way to talk to your father?” Yi Hongda slapped the table. “Fine, I won’t talk about your brother. Your brother has lost his inheritance rights, and you don’t have long to live either. Are you going to give all the shares in your hands to that Mu family member? You’re sick, but if you don’t want to give birth yourself, you can find a surrogate, can’t you?
Listen to me. While you’re still in good health and your cell viability is high, hurry up and have a child to leave behind a bloodline for yourself.”
“Surrogacy is illegal,” Yi Wulan refused flatly. “And I’ve never had any intention of leaving behind an heir. Not in the past, and not in the future.”
“You! How did I end up with a daughter like you? If you don’t leave an heir, do you think the rest of the Yi family will accept Rongjia being renamed Mu? That girl from the Mu family, do you think someone so young can handle it?”
After speaking, Yi Hongda took a gulp of water. Seeing Yi Wulan’s hard-to-persuade expression, he began to speak earnestly again, “If you leave an heir, it’s a bloodline. I can say I haven’t failed your mother.”
At the mention of her mother, who had been dead for many years, Yi Wulan’s expression finally changed.
Her brow lowered, devoid of any warmth.
Just as she was about to speak, a familiar voice came from the doorway.
“Leave an heir for what? So you have leverage to control things? You’re already so old, don’t tell me you’re still dreaming the sweet dream of being a retired emperor controlling Rongjia?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the study instantly froze. The large room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Of course, it only froze the one who had just been pontificating with the arrogant air of an elder—Yi Hongda.
In contrast, much of the suppressed emotion on Yi Wulan dissipated the moment she saw Mu Yanxi, who brazenly pushed the door open.
She slammed the door shut with force and sat on the armrest of Yi Wulan’s chair, making an intimate gesture. “Miss me?”
Yi Hongda finally reacted, looking at Mu Yanxi’s actions with great disapproval. “You’re the one from the Mu family?”
Mu Yanxi smiled very politely and courteously. “Hello, Uncle Yi. I’m Mu Yanxi. My elder sister spoils me, so I’m a bit spoiled and willful. You wouldn’t hold it against a junior like me, would you?”
At first glance, it sounded like she was introducing herself and even disparaging herself. But by deliberately mentioning Mu Yanqing in front of Yi Hongda, wasn’t she intentionally bringing up her backer, Xinyu Bank?
There were some things Yi Wulan couldn’t say due to family ties and propriety, but she could.
No matter how dissatisfied Yi Hongda was at being interrupted, he couldn’t act on it now.
Yi Hongda’s face darkened as he glared at Yi Wulan.
Yi Wulan was kind enough to say, “Nonsense.”
Her tone was light, without a hint of blame, more like indulgence.
Yi Hongda’s face grew even darker.
Two years ago, he had heard that Yi Wulan and this member of the Mu family were no longer in much contact, so he had given Yi Jingming a lot of ideas behind the scenes. When Yi Jingming first started interacting with Mu Yanxi, he had complained a lot about her personality, but later he said he was close to succeeding.
Who knew that on the day the engagement was to be broken, Yi Wulan, the one who had been in a car accident, would once again be favored by Mu Yanxi. It made him so angry that he bought another ticket and flew away right after landing.
Yi Hongda had had countless partners and never believed in love. He and Yi Wulan’s mother had never seen eye to eye.
But Mu Yanxi’s actions just now… Yi Hongda had to exert great effort to maintain his elder’s decorum.
After hearing Yi Wulan’s “Nonsense,” Mu Yanxi just puffed out her cheeks, then took Yi Wulan’s fingers and began to complain as if no one else was there:
“Yi Wulan, you only know how to be fierce with me, but now you’re being nice to someone who wishes you were dead? Are your bodyguards paid to do nothing?”
Yi Wulan raised her eyes and studied Mu Yanxi for a moment, then suddenly chuckled softly. “Finished your bath? Did you like the new bath bomb?”
Mu Yanxi shook her beautiful hair, letting the scent of the bath bomb waft out, and said lazily, “It was… alright, I guess.”
If Mu Yanxi didn’t like something, she would reject it directly.
Yi Wulan didn’t expose Mu Yanxi’s little thoughts. “Then I’ll have them send some more over.”
The two chatted idly, completely ignoring Yi Hongda who was sitting opposite them.
Whether intentionally or not, Yi Wulan even took out her phone, planning to order them for Mu Yanxi on the spot. Feeling the gaze from across the room, Mu Yanxi finally couldn’t keep up the act.
“Is there anything else?” She blinked at Yi Hongda, then frowned with great difficulty. “I’ve had all the rooms on the third floor renovated, and there are no spare bedrooms on the second floor. If you want to stay the night, you’ll have to stay on the first floor.”
The rooms on the first floor were reserved for the aunties.
As soon as she said this, Yi Hongda’s expression finally cracked. He frowned and sized up Mu Yanxi. “Your parents are both gentle and modest people. How did they raise someone like you…”
“Like what?” Mu Yanxi met Yi Hongda’s gaze. Because she was sitting on the armrest of Yi Wulan’s chair, her line of sight was somewhat condescending and contemptuous. “No matter what I’m like, at least I hope Yi Wulan lives a good life. That’s better than a father like you who helps his son and wishes for his daughter’s death, right?”
Mu Yanxi released Yi Wulan’s hand and hooked a strand of the other woman’s hair. “I’m a petty person. I can’t tolerate others taking a share of Yi Wulan. When we get old, we’ll donate Rongjia to the country as a contribution. No one else should even think about taking a single cent of advantage.”
Yi Hongda’s face grew darker, on the verge of exploding. “Yi Wulan, is that what you think too? I really raised you for nothing, you…”
“Dad.” Yi Wulan cut Yi Hongda off. “After Mom died, her assets were all left with the Yi family. You know very well how much you’ve actually raised me. My marriage was arranged by Grandpa, so you don’t need to worry about it. It’s getting late, you should go back.”
“You child, don’t think that just because you’re older and your wings have grown strong, I can’t control…”
“Dad.” This time, Yi Wulan’s tone was heavier. “For Yi Jingming’s sake, so he can get out sooner, you should go back and prepare the contract.”
With things said to this point, it was no different from tearing off all pretenses. Yi Hongda’s expression was extremely ugly, but he hadn’t been able to handle this daughter of his for years. “Fine. I won’t meddle in your affairs anymore. If you get scammed and go bankrupt, don’t expect me to help you.”
The study returned to silence. The sharp, cold aura around Yi Wulan softened considerably. She asked in a rare, gentle tone, “You’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you?”
“It’s fine. I didn’t interrupt you guys just now, did I?” Mu Yanxi said apologetically, but her hand was still messing with Yi Wulan’s hair, braiding it into a plait. She then demanded brazenly, “Do you have a hair tie?”
“No.” Yi Wulan glanced at her helplessly, trying to pull her hair back. “Stop fooling around.”
“Me braiding your hair is fooling around? Someone was just eagerly plotting against you, and I didn’t even see you get angry.”
Mu Yanxi twisted her hand holding the braid, dodging Yi Wulan’s attempt, and said sarcastically, “Yi Wulan, does having a blood relation with you mean you’ll tolerate them like this?”
Yi Wulan leaned towards Mu Yanxi and asked, “Are you angry?”
“Who cares about you!” Mu Yanxi undid Yi Wulan’s hair, then took a strand of her own and began to weave it with a new technique, full of interest.
Yi Wulan reached out to pat Mu Yanxi’s head, but Mu Yanxi dodged as soon as she was touched. Because their hair was entangled, Yi Wulan’s head was forced to bump towards Mu Yanxi’s.
The distance between them closed, so close that both of them held their breath, their faces almost touching.
Mu Yanxi blinked. The strand of hair in her hand loosened and slid down between their chests, bringing a ticklish sensation.
It was Yi Wulan who reacted first. She tilted her head back slightly, creating some distance from the ambiguous proximity where sparks could easily fly.
She cleared her throat and said, “I won’t tolerate them unconditionally. The reason I didn’t do anything to the others in the Yi family before was just to give them a chance to behave themselves.”
“But they didn’t appreciate it,” Mu Yanxi pointed out bluntly, squeezing Yi Wulan’s fingertips. “President Yi is rumored to be decisive. How come you’re so indecisive when it comes to your relatives? Yi Wulan, how long are you going to be soft on that pack of ingrates?”
Yi Wulan’s hand stiffened slightly, but she didn’t pull away as she usually would. “Not anymore.”
“Really not anymore?” Mu Yanxi eyed Yi Wulan suspiciously, trying to find a flaw in her expression.
But there was none.
Only then did she feel relieved and ask about what had been puzzling her. “You and your dad were talking in here for almost an hour. What were you talking about before? He didn’t give you a hard time, did he?”
Yi Wulan looked at Mu Yanxi, her gaze deep.
Seeing this, Mu Yanxi immediately changed her tune. “If it’s not convenient, just pretend I didn’t ask. Anyway, I’m not very interested in your business matters. As long as you don’t lose out, it’s fine.”
“It’s not inconvenient.” Yi Wulan held onto Mu Yanxi’s hand as she tried to pull it away, her tone tinged with sarcasm. “My dad started by telling me he’s getting old and wants to retire, and that he wants to transfer his ten percent stake in Rongjia to me.”
“Is it for Yi Jingming?” Mu Yanxi realized. “He wanted to use that as a bargaining chip to get you to let Yi Jingming off this time, right? Ten percent is quite a lot. What do you think?”
“The shares I have were given to me by Grandpa when he designated me as the heir before he passed away. Besides what I hold, the rest of the Yi family holds over thirty percent.” Yi Wulan recalled the ugly faces of the Yi family members when the will was announced back then, and a fierce glint flashed in her eyes.
Mu Yanxi was curious. “So how much do you have?”
“Forty-five.”
Mu Yanxi fell silent.
Yi Wulan seemed to hold the most shares, and Rongjia was indeed in her hands, but if the other members of the Yi family united and secretly bought up shares from small retail investors, they might not be unable to contend with her.
A description of Yi Wulan’s fate, which she had seen in that white, otherworldly space, suddenly flashed through her mind.
When the aftereffects of Yi Wulan’s car accident flared up, Yi Jingming had united with the other members of the Yi family and taken over while Yi Wulan was still in the intensive care unit.
Mu Yanxi’s face gradually turned ugly.
Yi Wulan noticed something was wrong with Mu Yanxi and asked, “Why do you look so pale? Are you sleepy?”
Mu Yanxi came to her senses and asked, “How much evidence have you collected against Yi Jingming? Is it enough for a conviction?”
“Not enough.” Yi Wulan’s answer was very direct, but she still explained, “Yi Zizhuo was the one who did almost everything. It’s very difficult to convict Yi Jingming. If it’s really necessary, we might only be able to charge him for the group gathering at the villa that night…”
Yi Wulan’s words trailed off, her brow furrowing slightly as if she found it hard to say.
“Group licentiousness?” Mu Yanxi raised an eyebrow. “Was their celebration party that wild on the day the police went?”
“The message from Gu Yan said so. It can be classified as such.”
Mu Yanxi teased, “Those young masters of your Yi family always look so listless. It’s normal for them to end up like this. Yi Wulan, don’t you think I’ve hit the jackpot? I just randomly picked the only stream of integrity in your Yi family?”
Yi Wulan was very honest. “I have a few female cousins who are quite nice.”
“Fine.” Mu Yanxi looked around, poured herself a cup of water from the teapot, and the heart-refreshing aroma of tea filled her nose. A tea lover would surely praise it, but in Mu Yanxi’s mouth, it was just two words: tastes bad.
Her powerful family background meant she didn’t need to pretend like other socialites. She had always been straightforward. “Yi Wulan, this tea of yours tastes awful.”
“Should I have the auntie bring you some milk?”
“Send it to the bedroom. We’re heading there anyway.” Mu Yanxi licked her lips and returned to the main topic. “So, are you going to let Yi Jingming off?”
She asked in a light and breezy manner, but after asking, Mu Yanxi’s hand holding the teacup couldn’t help but tighten.
Yi Wulan sent a message to the auntie, then replied, “I promised him.”
It was expected, yet somewhat regrettable.
Although this was a rare opportunity, it was indeed difficult to find evidence of Yi Jingming’s theft and slander regarding the Shuilin Fang project.
Afraid that Yi Wulan would notice, Mu Yanxi put on a smile again. “It’s fine. Ten percent of Rongjia’s shares, we’re not losing out.”
As she spoke, as if to add persuasiveness, she added, “Originally, your dad’s shares were all going to be left to Yi Jingming, his favorite son born from his mistress, right? Now he’s just given them to you for free. Your dad’s heart must be bleeding.”
Actually, Mu Yanxi could understand Yi Hongda’s actions. A man whom Old Master Yi would skip over to hand Rongjia to his grandchild naturally didn’t have much foresight.
Furthermore, Yi Wulan’s actions during the Yi family’s internal strife back then must have made Yi Hongda wary to this day. His love for his son, coupled with his wariness of Yi Wulan, forced Yi Hongda to negotiate with her.
What’s more, if Yi Jingming, who was currently in the detention center, found out about this, he would probably be angry enough to bang on the cell door.
Mental torture was the cruelest.
Mu Yanxi immediately convinced herself as well and didn’t voice any objections for the time being. After all, there were many opportunities to strike at Yi Jingming, but getting that ten percent of the shares to become the absolute controlling shareholder was rare.
Just as Mu Yanxi was comforting herself this way, Yi Wulan suddenly laughed.
Mu Yanxi turned her head and heard Yi Wulan mention slowly, “I just received a test report.”
Mu Yanxi was unenthusiastic. “Which hospital did you go to for a leg rehabilitation test behind my back?”
“I didn’t.” Yi Wulan unlocked her phone on the side and pushed it in front of Mu Yanxi. “Take a look?”
Mu Yanxi cooperatively took it, planning to humor this person whose legs were finally about to recover with a few perfunctory words.
But when her eyes swept over the title, her gaze suddenly froze.
Mu Yanxi’s expression immediately turned serious. She looked at the professional terminology on it, and finally confirmed the results in the appraisal section several times, her voice filled with a disbelieving surprise. “Is this real?”
Yi Wulan also smiled, saying lightly, “It’s real.”
“But, but didn’t you just promise your dad?” Mu Yanxi’s eyes flickered. “Is it really okay to take the money but not do the job?”
“That was promising to let Yi Jingming off for the Shuilin Fang matter. But this is an unexpected situation. I was only informed by the police after the fact.”
Mu Yanxi looked at the report on the phone again.
It was indeed a medical test report, but it wasn’t Yi Wulan’s.
It was a urinalysis for everyone who attended the celebration party at Yi Zizhuo’s villa. The results were mostly positive.
This “mostly” also included Yi Jingming.
Whether Yi Jingming actively or passively inhaled the new type of aphrodisiac-like drug, he could not escape responsibility.
“The police detected this result that night, but they delayed releasing the news so as not to alert the suspect.” Yi Wulan’s fingertips tapped lightly on the edge of the phone as she delivered a cold conclusion, “Yi Jingming is not innocent.”
So he was involved in this matter.
Yi Wulan was like a hunter who had long been in control of the whole situation, loftily drawing the boundaries for her prey and luring them with temptations. When the prey thought they were safely crossing the line, she would mercilessly close the net.
By then, she could both get the shares from Yi Hongda and ensure Yi Jingming got the punishment he deserved. Coming into contact with this side of Yi Wulan, Mu Yanxi felt a bit of unfamiliarity, but also a great sense of security.
Although Yi Wulan was sometimes strict with her, she had never been guarded against her, which was evident from the many times she had freely entered and exited the study.
But before her expression could change, Yi Wulan took back the phone from her hand, hesitated for two seconds, and asked, “Will you… think I’m going too far?”
Mu Yanxi looked at her with some amusement.
This was a matter concerning the Yi family and Rongjia; Yi Wulan had every reason to pursue accountability. Besides, if Yi Wulan really let them go, and their roles were reversed one day, not only would they not appreciate the kindness of being let off the hook, but they would also very likely kick her when she was down.
Yi Wulan was just legitimately fighting back, yet she was so worried that she wouldn’t be able to accept it, as if she had really done something heinous.
“How could I?” Mu Yanxi gave up her own chair and sat on the armrest of Yi Wulan’s again. The wound on her foot hadn’t fully healed, and it happened to be pressed, causing her to lunge forward.
She perfectly wrapped her arms around Yi Wulan’s shoulders, half-pressing against her. “Why don’t you, President Yi, comfort my poor little heart that was almost deceived by you?”
She was originally just joking, but to her surprise, Yi Wulan frowned, seeming to genuinely consider what words to use to comfort Mu Yanxi.
Mu Yanxi didn’t want to hear those lukewarm words, so she quickly retracted the arm around Yi Wulan’s neck. “I, I was just kidding.”
In Yi Wulan’s past experiences, yes was yes, and no was no. It was only after interacting with Mu Yanxi that she learned there was a third kind of duplicitous right and wrong.
Yi Wulan’s brow was still furrowed, as if trying to judge the truth of that statement. “But…”
“If you really want to soothe me, that’s fine too.” Mu Yanxi interrupted Yi Wulan’s thoughts, her released hand wrapping around her again, revealing that familiar, flirtatious posture.
Yi Wulan instinctively felt that nothing good would come out of Mu Yanxi’s mouth, but she still asked, “What way?”
Mu Yanxi took one of Yi Wulan’s hands and said mischievously, “My heart hurts. It will only get better if Elder Sister rubs it.”
Yi Wulan: …
Just before touching Mu Yanxi, Yi Wulan abruptly pulled her hand back. The new level of Mu Yanxi’s thick skin scared her so much she almost stood up.
But Mu Yanxi’s other arm was still around her neck, so naturally, she didn’t succeed.
Mu Yanxi’s long, silky hair fell on Yi Wulan’s skin. She lay on Yi Wulan’s shoulder as if boneless, the corners of her eyes lifting slightly. “Hurry up.”
Her voice was flirtatious, landing right by her ear.
Yi Wulan froze for a moment. The ambiguous kiss from the afternoon was still vivid in her mind.
Those lingering images now made it hard for her to breathe.
Yi Hongda’s visit seemed to have mercilessly uncovered the fact she had been deceiving herself into ignoring due to her leg’s recovery.
—The fatal injury in her brain could relapse at any time.
It was as if heaven was constantly playing a joke on her.
Whenever she regained something she had lost, it would always deliver the most realistic, fatal blow.
When Yi Wulan came back to her senses, Mu Yanxi was still waiting for her answer, asking with a smile, “What, President Yi dares to bite people, but you can’t do this?”
Yi Wulan looked at the vibrant, healthy Mu Yanxi, closed her eyes, and said, “Stop fooling around.”
Mu Yanxi turned a deaf ear and, as was her habit, continued to lean in closer.
Yi Wulan raised her voice and called Mu Yanxi’s name directly: “Mu Yanxi.”
This time, her tone was not gentle, and even carried a hint of warning.
Even though it was just a name, Mu Yanxi, who had been with her for a long time, still understood the meaning behind it, as if telling her: Stop talking nonsense.
Then, Yi Wulan slowly pushed her hand away.
Mu Yanxi was stunned and was about to cling to her again.
Then, she saw Yi Wulan’s frowning, extremely repulsed expression.
Unfamiliar, distant.
Mu Yanxi curled her fingertips. A hidden emotion spread from her heart.
It was very sour.
Mu Yanxi thought her vision was poor from overusing her powers these past two days and that she had seen wrong. She took two steps, then turned back to pull Yi Wulan. “It’s getting late, aren’t you going to bed?”
Yi Wulan grunted in acknowledgment.
Mu Yanxi was about to walk with her, but she saw Yi Wulan go around the other side of the desk and head straight for the study door.
Mu Yanxi watched Yi Wulan’s back quietly, frowning.
Yi Wulan had called her name sternly many times before and had also faced her with such a back.
But this time was different.
Back then, Yi Wulan’s expression was flustered, more like she was angry out of embarrassment. Her harsh words seemed like a deliberate attempt to hide her nervousness, which Mu Yanxi found very amusing.
But this was the first time the two were combined without any warmth.
Thinking of Yi Wulan’s suddenly cold expression just now, Mu Yanxi was very bewildered.
Just a moment ago, she was discussing the fate of the Yi family with her and even deliberately concealed the drug test to see her reaction. How could she change her face so suddenly?
And here she thought that after that sober kiss in the afternoon, her relationship with Yi Wulan would be different.
And that she would be able to figure out her own strange feelings.
Mu Yanxi thought of Yi Wulan’s cold eyes before she left, and felt her own, previously racing heartbeat, gradually turn icy.
Yi Wulan wouldn’t do something like this for no reason. There must be a reason.
Mu Yanxi tried hard to remain calm and walked towards the bedroom, but an inexplicable panic that even she couldn’t explain rose in her heart.
The door to the master bedroom was ajar, and Mu Yanxi breathed a small sigh of relief.
At least Yi Wulan hadn’t reached the point of kicking her out of the room.
When this thought surfaced in her mind, the corners of Mu Yanxi’s lips couldn’t help but curl up. Why was she acting so much like the poor, wronged husband kicked out by his wife in those TV dramas?
Ah, forget it. Whatever was wrong with Yi Wulan, she was a magnanimous person, so she would graciously not hold it against her.
They were on the same household register, after all. For the sake of her future sports cars, private islands, and grand villas, she would deign to coax Yi Wulan.
She pushed the door open and walked in. In the dim light, Yi Wulan was sleeping on the large bed with her back to the door.
But she had left the bedside lamp on her side on.
There was also a glass of milk on the bedside table.
Mu Yanxi slowly climbed onto the bed and tugged at the corner of Yi Wulan’s quilt. “Yi Wulan, did something happen? We were talking about Yi Jingming’s matter just fine, weren’t we?”
Seeming to feel that her trembling voice was truly embarrassing, Mu Yanxi let out a breath, trying to keep her voice steady, and asked again, “Are you in a bad mood today? Is it because of your father’s visit?”
But she quickly denied this herself. “But you were fine when he left.”
Yi Wulan’s voice finally came. “I’m in a good mood. It’s getting late, let’s get some sleep.”
Mu Yanxi was quiet for a moment, then poked Yi Wulan’s back again. “Don’t think I’ll believe you. I’ve acted in so many dramas in the entertainment industry and read so many melodramatic scripts. Someone who’s fine doesn’t act like you.”
“Then how should I act?” Yi Wulan sighed. “I’m really a bit tired. Be good, okay?”
Her voice reached Mu Yanxi’s ears, tinged with fatigue and a hint of powerlessness.
Mu Yanxi’s breath hitched.
She opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn’t disturb Yi Wulan any further.
Mu Yanxi lifted the covers and lay down, turning her back to Yi Wulan and curling up her body.
She should have slammed the door and left, then comfortably laid down on the luxurious big bed in the adjacent bedroom.
But she didn’t.
Yes, it was because the wound on her foot hadn’t healed yet, and she didn’t want to move.
But she had to admit, Mu Yanxi was angry.
She was angry at Yi Wulan.
Even when she learned in her previous life that Yi Jingming was getting engaged to someone else, that he had deceived and used her, she had never felt this upset.
At that time, she was gradually breaking free from the world consciousness’s control, and her dependence on Yi Jingming was decreasing. So at that time, she only felt that she had been deceived, but she didn’t feel too sad. Instead, she felt a sense of relief that she could finally be free.
But now that Yi Wulan was ignoring her so inexplicably, her heart felt very uncomfortable, stuffy and painful. Only by curling up and hugging the quilt could she feel a little better.
Mu Yanxi was used to staying up late and had no intention of sleeping for the time being, so she began to sort through what had just happened, bit by bit.
Before she angered Yi Hongda into leaving, Yi Wulan had been cold to her, but her words were quite indulgent, and she even cooperated with her little scheme to annoy Yi Hongda.
So it definitely wasn’t that.
After Yi Hongda left, Yi Wulan’s state was also fine, until… until she started flirting with Yi Wulan?
Mu Yanxi was completely baffled. She had flirted with Yi Wulan so many times, and what she did in the study just now wasn’t even the most outrageous. Why did she suddenly start ignoring her?
Mu Yanxi felt a stuffiness in her chest. She curled up even tighter and covered her ears with her hands.
She didn’t want to hear Yi Wulan’s breathing at all.
She took back what she said before entering the study.
If she coveted Yi Wulan again, she was a puppy.
Mu Yanxi thought to herself.
Suddenly, she felt a little wronged, and even the tip of her nose began to feel sour.
Mu Yanxi bit down on the edge of the quilt, biting it viciously several times.
She closed her eyes and gradually fell asleep.
The moonlight was sparse, and the bedroom returned to silence.
Yi Wulan’s hand under the quilt slowly unclenched, revealing several deep crescent-shaped marks.
After a long while, she turned over.
It was a sleepless night.
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