“Mu Qi, what are you doing?”
“Taking you back to your room to sleep.”
“No, put me down. I’m not sleepy.” Yun Shu Nian knew very well that in her current state, she’d likely fall asleep the moment she touched a bed. If Mu Qi left then, she definitely wouldn’t notice.
Yun Shu Nian’s reaction was fierce. Mu Qi had no choice but to put her down to prevent her from falling.
“You’re sleepy,” Mu Qi said, his gaze fixed on Yun Shu Nian, who stood before him, her eyelids fluttering incessantly.
“I’m not sleepy!” Yun Shu Nian’s stance was firm.
“Then shall we continue stargazing?” Mu Qi’s eyes remained locked on Yun Shu Nian, ensuring she wouldn’t accidentally tumble to the ground.
Yun Shu Nian lowered her gaze in thought, then swayed over to the old man’s door.
*Knock, knock, knock—*
The old man covered himself with his blanket, muffling his ears with his hands.
After a while, the old man gradually came to his senses.
Recalling his thoughts from earlier in the day, the old man felt that he didn't need to wait until tomorrow. This was an opportunity.
“Ahem, my good disciple, what brings you to your master?” the old man opened the door with both hands, his hands clasped behind his back. He spoke in a deliberately calm tone, adopting his master persona.
Yes, he needed to make his identity clear to his good disciple. Otherwise, his good disciple wouldn't remember that she needed to learn and improve alongside him.
Fortunately, Yun Shu Nian was too drowsy to argue with him. If she had been energetic, she would have certainly teased him.
Then, a little old man who was hopping mad would appear.
Yun Shu Nian didn’t say much. She handed over the chain and glared at the old man with her wide, crescent-shaped eyes.
The old man’s face was a mess of black lines as he took it. He thought it was something else, but it was still related to that brat.
The old man took hold of it, but Yun Shu Nian didn’t let go. She continued to stare at the old man with her crescent eyes.
The old man’s eyes darted around, and he instantly understood. There was nothing else that could concern his disciple at this moment except for Mu Qi.
The old man took a deep, deep, deep breath, then wrapped the extra chain around his wrist, tied a knot with one hand, and then pulled the chain tight with the other.
Mu Qi’s brows furrowed at this, but Yun Shu Nian seemed somewhat satisfied.
Yun Shu Nian lowered her gaze and checked it several times.
“Mu Qi, wait for me here for a moment.” A few minutes later, Yun Shu Nian finally removed her hand from the chain.
“…Mm,” Mu Qi agreed after a slight hesitation.
Then, Yun Shu Nian hurried to the kitchen, smoothly took out a bowl, poured some water from the thermos, and then took out a packet of powder from her sleeve, which she poured into the bowl.
“Hmph, what a handsome disaster, delaying my precious disciple from her work,” the old man muttered, picking his nose with disdain, as he watched Mu Qi’s gaze constantly fixed on Yun Shu Nian.
Mu Qi’s expression was placid, and it was unclear whether he had heard or not.
“Hey, do you know you were wrong? Have you apologized to my precious disciple?” the old man grumbled, tugging at the chain.
The old man didn't care; his little Nian Nian could never be wrong.
Mu Qi’s expression finally showed a slight change, but because he was always looking in Yun Shu Nian’s direction, the old man could only see his profile and didn't notice.
“Hey, apologize quickly and make my precious disciple happy, so my precious disciple can learn and progress with me!”
The old man tugged at the chain again, and still seeing no reaction from Mu Qi, he became agitated.
“Kid, are you listening?” the old man grumbled, wishing he could gnaw through the chain in his hand.
“Baby, is she unhappy?” Just as Yun Shu Nian was about to emerge from the kitchen, Mu Qi finally turned his head to look at the old man.
“Nonsense, if my little Nian Nian were happy, would she need this?” Although Mu Qi finally spoke to the old man, the old man’s agitated mood didn't just vanish.
Mu Qi calmly replied, “This is a form of foreplay.”
He certainly knew how to drop a bombshell. The old man’s eyes widened at this.
Just then, Yun Shu Nian returned. Seeing the old man’s extremely surprised expression, Yun Shu Nian handed the bowl in her hand to Mu Qi.
Then, as she untied the chain connecting them, she stepped in front of Mu Qi with a displeased look. “What did you say to Mu Qi?”
“Ah? Oh, I didn’t say anything,” the old man replied hesitantly, recovering from his shock.
Yun Shu Nian then looked at Mu Qi.
Mu Qi’s expression softened. “He didn’t say anything.”
Yun Shu Nian had no choice but to let it go.
“Mu Qi, there are no cups here. You haven’t drunk much water today,” Yun Shu Nian cleared her throat and glanced at the bowl of water in Mu Qi’s hand.
“I’m not thirsty,” Mu Qi said tentatively. Baby was being a bit too obvious.
Yun Shu Nian, who had been drowsy, was now a little more awake and realized she had been too obvious.
Yun Shu Nian pursed her lips, regretting it inwardly. She should have brought a glass of milk; it would have been more convincing.
“Ah, I was too sleepy just now. I wanted to pour you a glass of milk, Mu Qi. Wait a moment, I’ll get you some milk again.”
Yun Shu Nian pulled the old man over again, re-wrapping the chain attached to Mu Qi’s wrist around the old man’s wrist.
Mu Qi frowned, watching himself be connected to the old man by the chain.
“No need, water is fine too,” Mu Qi picked up the bowl and tilted his head back, drinking all the water in one gulp.
“Then, then let’s go to sleep.” Yun Shu Nian untied the chain again, clutching it in her hand, and walked towards the room with a guilty conscience.
Mu Qi followed closely behind, leaving the old man stunned in his spot.
“Foreplay?”
He was sure he remembered the meaning of that word correctly?
The old man looked at the backs of Yun Shu Nian and Mu Qi, finding it hard to believe that the atmosphere between them at that moment could have anything to do with that word.
And he remembered his good disciple’s expression last night, which was clearly not a relaxed, playful one.
No, he needed to figure out what was going on as soon as possible.
Otherwise, how could he continue to learn and progress with his good disciple?!
“Mu Qi, let’s sleep,” Yun Shu Nian led Mu Qi to the bed.
Yun Shu Nian glanced at the broken headboard, then quickly averted her gaze.
“Mm,” Mu Qi responded, but neither of them moved.
A moment of silence hung in the air.
Soon, Yun Shu Nian was suddenly scooped up by Mu Qi, his arms around her waist, and placed on the bed.