Yun Shunan whispered, "I..."
Mu Qi's unexpected accusation left Yun Shunan even more flustered.
"How could that be? Niannian loves you very much," Yun Shunan instinctively spoke her inner thoughts.
"My Niannian has always wanted to escape me," Mu Qi didn't take Yun Shunan's words to heart, merely repeating what he had endlessly told himself.
"I am not a good person." Before Yun Shunan could explain, Mu Qi continued to speak the words hidden in his heart for a long time.
Yes, he had always known.
Yet, he knew nothing. He didn't know how great a mistake his self-righteousness was.
Yun Shunan choked. Mu Qi's words, "I am not a good person," struck Yun Shunan's heart. It wasn't because Mu Qi was demeaning himself, but because Yun Shunan feared she herself was not a good person for Mu Qi.
"Mu Qi, we are the most suitable for each other. No one is a better match for us. We are a match made in heaven!"
Yun Shunan's gaze no longer wavered. She cupped Mu Qi's face with both hands, her eyes firm as she emphasized their compatibility, as much to convince herself as to convince Mu Qi.
It was as if Yun Shunan's persuasion had succeeded. The sadness in Mu Qi's eyes gradually disappeared.
Mu Qi gazed intently at Yun Shunan, his eyes regaining their fated obsession: "Yes, we are... a match made in heaven."
"That's right, we are a match made in heaven," Yun Shunan reiterated, and was then enveloped in Mu Qi's embrace.
About fifteen minutes later, listening to Mu Qi's steady breathing and rhythmic heartbeat, Yun Shunan gradually relaxed and fell asleep in his arms.
Time ticked by. After enduring the deepest night, the sky began to brighten.
At some point, Mu Qi opened his eyes. The raw emotion from before was gone, replaced by an inscrutable, veiled expression.
Mu Qi gently stroked Yun Shunan's hair, then tightened his arms around her waist.
Yesterday, Yun Shunan had spent a long time preparing the hangover soup, and then she and Mu Qi had been at it for a while longer. She was still sleeping soundly.
When the sky had fully brightened, Ning Yi and Shan Gong stood outside the master bedroom door.
They exchanged a look, and then Ning Yi knocked.
"Young Master, Madam. Breakfast is ready."
After speaking, Ning Yi and Shan Gong held their breath, listening intently for any sound from the room.
Mu Qi, who was awake, remained silent. However, Yun Shunan, nestled in his arms, stirred at the sound of Ning Yi's voice and burrowed deeper into Mu Qi's chest, grumbling with dissatisfaction, "Sleep."
Looking at the person in his arms, as docile as a cat, Mu Qi's heart settled slightly. He patted Yun Shunan's back, then got up and opened the door.
"Young..." Seeing Mu Qi standing perfectly well before them, Ning Yi and Shan Gong's hearts leaped with joy.
"Niannian is still sleeping. You two go on ahead," Mu Qi said softly, closing the door and re-entering the bedroom.
Shan Gong and Ning Yi exchanged another look, both seeing a mixture of happiness and helplessness in each other's eyes.
Mu Qi lay back down on the bed. Yun Shunan, catching the unique scent of Mu Qi, burrowed back into his embrace.
The unconscious frown on Yun Shunan's brow, which had appeared due to Mu Qi's departure, smoothed out. A faint smile even graced her lips.
Thus, Yun Shunan slept peacefully through the morning, and Mu Qi watched her contentedly. It wasn't until nearly one o'clock in the afternoon that Yun Shunan finally woke up.
"Mu Qi, did you call me yesterday? I didn't ignore you on purpose. That place I went to might not have had a signal. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
As Yun Shunan's consciousness returned, the events of the previous day slowly came back to her. Her tone was cautious. The person she cared about was right in front of her, yet her fear and anxieties hadn't lessened.
"It's my fault for not trusting you. Niannian, it's my fault," Mu Qi, unusually, avoided Yun Shunan's gaze and pulled her into his arms. Mu Qi knew that his actions were excessive and would place an unbearable burden on Yun Shunan.
"I..." Yun Shunan was about to blurt out what had happened yesterday, but recalling the words of that person, she immediately stopped herself. She didn't want Mu Qi to know that his feelings for her might not be entirely genuine.
"Mu Qi, I've already had Shan Gong destroy all the medicine you gave him. Don't be afraid of hurting me anymore. Trust me, I can always control you." Saying this, Yun Shunan lifted her head from Mu Qi's embrace, her gaze fierce as she threatened him, "But if you don't behave, it won't just be about control."
"If I catch you using that kind of medicine again, I'll stick to you for 24 hours. You won't have any space, any privacy!"
Mu Qi couldn't help but smile at her words, but seeing Yun Shunan's innocent crescent eyes, he immediately adopted a serious expression and nodded.
"Does it still hurt?" Yun Shunan's hand traced the area where Mu Qi's internal organs were.
"No," Mu Qi replied, enduring a slight tremor. His hand slipped under Yun Shunan's waist.
Yun Shunan coughed lightly and cupped Mu Qi's chin. "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Mu Qi lowered his gaze. Yun Shunan removed his hand and pulled him along to wash up.
-------------------------------------
"Ge?" Ning Jing placed her hands on Ning Chen's shoulders, trying to push him away.
"Don't move, my head feels a little dizzy." Ning Chen didn't cooperate and instead wrapped his arms around Ning Jing's waist.
Ning Jing had fair skin, and any slight blush could make her appear feverish. Now, her flustered face was even redder.
Leaning against Ning Jing's shoulder, Ning Chen slightly raised his eyes and looked at the men standing frozen in place, feeling slightly better.
Ning Chen looked in their direction and, as if sealing it, gently kissed Ning Jing's neck.
The men awkwardly averted their gaze and left with their companions.
"Ge, do you need an ambulance?" Ning Jing asked, flustered.
"No, I just need to lean for a bit longer," Ning Chen said, pressing himself more heavily against Ning Jing. A smile played on his lips, but his tone was pitiful.