"Hey, Aunt Ning, what's that in your hand? Is it the newspaper?" Yun Shunián, seated at the dining table, called out to Ning Yi, who was about to go upstairs.
Ning Yi stopped and turned around. "Yes, Miss Yun."
Yun Shunián walked up to Ning Yi. "Let me see it first. After I'm done, I'll personally take it up to Mu Qí for him."
Ning Yi looked at Yun Shunián with confusion. In the past, Miss Yun had never bothered to glance at anything belonging to the young master. Why would she suddenly want to read the newspaper today?
Ning Yi grew wary.
Seeing Ning Yi's lack of reaction, Yun Shunián understood her concern.
Yun Shunián blinked her bright, crescent-shaped eyes, sniffled, and put on a pitiable expression. "Aunt Ning, Mu Qí confiscated my phone. I'm so bored."
Ning Yi pondered. It was true. The books in the young master's study were rather obscure, and Miss Yun's phone had been confiscated by the young master. She must be quite bored. Besides, the young master would likely be very happy if Miss Yun personally went to find him.
Seeing that Yun Shunián was on the verge of tears, Ning Yi immediately handed the newspaper to Yun Shunián.
Being older, Ning Yi couldn't bear to see people cry.
"Then Miss Yun can read it first. I'll go up and inform the young master." Ning Yi turned and went upstairs.
Yun Shunián watched Ning Yi's retreating back, wiping away tears that weren't actually there. It seemed her acting skills had reached perfection!
Yun Shunián held the newspaper, crossed her legs, and sat on the sofa.
She casually flipped through a few pages and quickly spotted a familiar face.
"It is reported that an indecent video of the esteemed socialite Yun Róng of the capital city was broadcast last night at Jiangxin Mansion."
It seemed her dear elder sister had already received the gift she had prepared! But my dear elder sister, how could a sister's gift be just a single 'emperor's new clothes'?
Just you wait, my dear elder sister. We have a long time ahead of us.
Yun Shunián's expression turned sinister, lost in her thoughts. When she came back to her senses, she realized the newspaper had slipped to the floor without her noticing.
Yun Shunián bent down to pick up the newspaper and looked towards the study on the second floor. The cold sharpness in her eyes dissipated, replaced by a warm glow.
*Knock, knock—*
Yun Shunián lightly tapped on the door a few times, then peeked her fluffy head through the opening.
Almost instantly, their eyes met.
"May I come in?" Yun Shunián, smiling brightly, waved the newspaper at Mu Qí.
Mu Qí stared blankly at Yun Shunián, who was like a little sun in front of him. He still wasn't used to this version of Yun Shunián. When had his study ever been a place she couldn't enter whenever she pleased?
Seeing that Mu Qí remained silent, Yun Shunián felt a bit awkward.
She realized that since her rebirth, Mu Qí had often become unfathomable to her. Like now, why wasn't Mu Qí speaking? Even if he were to refuse her, he should have said it loudly and clearly!
Unlike in her past life, where their interactions were merely a game of her escaping and him pursuing. Mu Qí and her own thoughts didn't need to be guessed; everyone understood.
Yun Shunián sighed inwardly and asked again, "Mu Qí, may I come in?"
"Enter."
A cold, brief word was tossed to Yun Shunián, but it didn't diminish her enthusiasm in the slightest.
Because in this life, no matter the circumstances, Mu Qí would always be her unwavering choice.
"Mr. Mu, your Daily Times." Yun Shunián leaned forward, smiling, and presented it with both hands.
To her surprise, Mu Qí stood up and took it with his own hands.
This time, Yun Shunián was the one who froze. Tears streamed down her face.
Yun Shunián stepped forward and hugged Mu Qí tightly. This one action made Yun Shunián realize everything.
Scenes from her past and present lives flashed through her mind.
In her past life, Mu Qí, bleeding, was still comforting her. In this life, he was willing to suffer an allergic reaction just to eat the fish she had served him.
Mu Qí had never explicitly said he loved her, but everything he did was telling her that he loved her deeply. Mu Qí had clearly been responding to all of her actions!
Even something as small as taking the newspaper was treated with utmost seriousness by him.
Feeling Mu Qí's warmth, Yun Shunián's voice choked with tears. "Mu Qí, don't be so good to me. Be good to yourself."
Feeling the sorrowful emotions of the person in his embrace, Mu Qí raised his hand and then let it fall. "Yun Shunián, what happened last night?" Faced with Yun Shunián's sudden emotional state, Mu Qí could only speculate about his unclear memories from the previous night.
Hearing Mu Qí's words, Yun Shunián's crying instantly stopped.
She slowly pulled away from Mu Qí's embrace, wiping her tears very, very slowly while her mind raced.
Mu Qí stood in front of Yun Shunián without moving. It was as if he were a different person from the Mu Qí who had hesitated for only a second before sending Shan Gong to hell.
After a long while, Yun Shunián slowly lowered the hand from her eyes. "Last night, you were drunk. Then I had Shan Gong bring you back." This was the first time after her rebirth that Yun Shunián had lied to Mu Qí without stammering. Because it concerned Mu Qí, Yun Shunián couldn't afford to make a mistake.
Yun Shunián looked at the patch of her tear-soaked shirt on Mu Qí's chest, her head bowed.
"Mu Qí, I'll go and help you..." Before she could finish, Mu Qí pinched her chin, forcing Yun Shunián to lift her head.
Mu Qí's eyes were deep and complex, like an abyss. "Zuo Nán, isn't dead yet, is he?"
"No, no," Yun Shunián answered without thinking, her mind momentarily blanking as she met Mu Qí's gaze.
"Good. Yun Shunián, if you dare to leave me, I will take Zuo Nán's life." Mu Qí's tone was no different from usual, but his phoenix eyes, like an abyss, were stained with a scarlet hue.
Yun Shunián heard Mu Qí's words and, surprisingly, felt a sense of relief. "I won't run. Mu Qí, truly, I won't run."
Yun Shunián raised three fingers. "I swear."
"Mu Qí, look, it's three fingers." Yun Shunián held her three fingers in front of Mu Qí and waved them, her expression much more relaxed.
Yun Shunián continued her oath: "I swear I will never leave Mu Qí. Otherwise, may heaven..."
Mu Qí interrupted Yun Shunián's oath and closed her three fingers in his hand, a barely perceptible gloom hidden in his eyes. "No need to swear."
Mu Qí did not believe in gods or Buddhas, and therefore did not believe in any oaths. However, Yun Shunián was higher than his beliefs, or rather, Yun Shunián was Mu Qí's belief.
How could Mu Qí put Yun Shunián in danger, even with a one-in-a-million chance?