The sudden soft touch and electric current made Liu Shuihan subconsciously loosen his grip.
He looked at Xin Yu leaning against the wall, her face flushed and glazed, her dark, grape-like eyes shimmering with a dreamy light.
"Brother, what are you doing? Help me!" Liu Hen pushed up his thick glasses and ordered, then ran into the living room to help Cheng Yuan up. "Yuanzi."
"Henhen, come on, let's drink!" Cheng Yuan hiccuped, then shook her head. "No, you have your parents' love, unlike me and Ayu... You can't drink."
"Yuanzi, you can't drink anymore either. I'll help you to bed."
"Ayu?" Liu Shuihan called Xin Yu in a very soft voice. The latter was completely disoriented; several figures appeared before her, the whole room seemed to be spinning, and she stumbled, almost falling to the ground. "Careful, let me help you lie down." Liu Shuihan placed Xin Yu on the sofa and brought a hot towel to wipe her face and hands.
Xin Yu felt a wave of comfort wash over her and couldn't help but moan, "Mmm... I want... some water."
After gulping down a large glass, Xin Yu leaned against Liu Shuihan, her head feeling increasingly heavy.
This was the scene that Mu Yichuan saw when he appeared at the door.
That was Liu Shuihan? He... was the person in Xin Yu's sketchbook...!
Yes, that back view looked like him!
Instantly, he flew into a rage, the veins on the back of his hand throbbing, his eyes sharp as a cheetah.
"Ayu..." Liu Shuihan softly called to Xin Yu, gently stroking her hair, "You really don't remember me?"
She slightly opened her dark eyes, her vision still blurry. She couldn't see the person in front of her clearly. This person looked like... Mu Yichuan?
"Ayu, have you forgotten? You used to follow me around calling me 'Brother Shuihan,' always calling me that. How could you forget?"
Mu Yichuan wanted to tear Xinyu apart. She and Liu Shuihan had such a past!
Who allowed this?!
"Ayu, I always thought you were in South America. I tried many ways to find you, but I couldn't. It turns out you're in Nanshi, never far from me..."
"Um, don't... don't say that... I..." Xinyu's heart and head felt like they were about to explode. Why did Mu Yichuan say that to her?
She couldn't afford to compensate the little one, but she didn't mean any harm!
Seeing Xinyu's pained expression, Liu Shuihan quickly laid her down. Just as he was about to take her hand, he caught sight of the cold man standing in the doorway.
Mu Yichuan! The two men stood staring at each other for a few seconds. Mu Yichuan strode confidently into the small living room. "Mr. Liu, you seem quite free."
Liu Shuihan shuddered. He wasn't unaware of Xin Yu's relationship with Mu Yichuan, nor was he unaware of the immense effort he had mobilized to find Xin Yu that night in Beishi!
Liu's parents, who had originally intended to act as matchmakers, had to abandon their plans…
But this was once his girl!
He shared a beautiful past with her, how could it all have vanished like smoke in the blink of an eye!
"Ah… Mu Yichuan, you bastard!" Xin Yu suddenly spoke, startling both men. "Mu Yichuan, I… I really hate you!"
How could he say that to her!
Didn't he have any feelings for her at all? That's why he spoke so coldly…
Mu Yichuan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly with anger. She hated him? Then who did she like?
Liu Shuihan?
Suddenly, he bent down and scooped Xin Yu up, causing her to feel extremely dizzy, as if she were plummeting from the clouds. "Mr. Jiu…" Liu Shuihan felt a pang of pity at Mu Yichuan's rough handling. How could the girl he cherished so dearly endure this?
But a glare that seemed to spit ice at him, a raised right eyebrow, and Liu Shuihan fell silent.
"Brother, why don't you take Ayu too—" Liu Hen was startled, feeling Mu Yichuan's chilling aura even across the living room.
The siblings stood there dumbfounded, powerless to stop him, watching Mu Yichuan take Xinyu away…
He silently watched the woman in his arms, constantly searching for the right position, his anger and lust surging forth!
Mu Yichuan leaned down and kissed Xinyu, skillfully attacking, relentlessly possessing her, first the entire car, then spreading to the presidential suite.
Dizzy, Xinyu felt as if she were floating on clouds, in a dream…
"Tell me—who am I?" He stared intently at the woman beside him, her flushed face and hazy eyes making him want to delve deeper. Who is he?
Isn't it Mu Yichuan? Who else would treat her like this?!
"Mu...Mu Yichuan...don't...bully me," she murmured breathlessly, instinctively flinching away, unable to bear it any longer!
"You're smart enough!" Mu Yichuan's long fingers gently caressed Xin Yu's face, but the thought of the sketchbook and Liu Shuihan made him uneasy!
"It hurts..." Why did he bite her?!
"If you ever have any connection with Liu Shuihan again, I'll eat you up."
"..." Xin Yu braced herself against Mu Yichuan, her mind blank, unable to think or respond. But even as she completely lost consciousness, she managed to utter a single word.
"Mu Yichuan, don't forget...the precautions."
He paused, then a slow smile crept onto his lips...
When Xin Yu woke up, it was already noon. She stared blankly at the room, her head still buzzing from the hangover, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
Where am I? Wasn't she drinking at Cheng Yuan's house?
Later, it seemed Liu Hen came too…and then, was it Mu Yichuan?
Xin Yu suddenly sat up, only to realize she wasn't wearing anything!
And she was covered in marks…!
She suddenly felt like the sky was falling. Mu Yichuan was angry with her yesterday; he shouldn't…
Ignoring the soreness in her body, Xin Yu wrapped herself in her pajamas and rushed into the bathroom, wanting to see who the culprit was. The door was pushed open.
Her heart pounded wildly, her face flushed as if covered in layers of red rouge.
Under the showerhead, the man's teasing eyes fixed on her, his dark pupils sharp and intense, his pale cherry-red lips moving rhythmically. "What? Want to relive last night?"
"..." Xin Yu hurriedly averted her gaze from Mu Yichuan's perfect body, a slight relief washing over her. It was him...
However, suddenly remembering his coldness and indifference from yesterday, her heart clenched again. She turned away dejectedly, only to hear Mu Yichuan speak again, "You're here. Aren't you going to shower together?"
Who wanted to shower with him!
She would never forgive him for questioning him like that yesterday!
Slamming the door shut in a huff, Xin Yu saw her torn dress on the floor, feeling stifled. What kind of nonsense was this!
She had no choice but to put on a new dress from the closet. She needed to leave now and reflect on her actions!
"Where are you going?" an unpleasant voice rang out.
Xin Yu had no choice but to turn around, seeing Mu Yichuan simply wrapped in a towel, water droplets still clinging to his dark hair and falling onto his fair chest—those firm muscles were enough to make any woman swoon! Of course, she wasn't…
"You…you said you'd let me visit Grandma Qiu when I had time?" Xin Yu's eyes darted around, searching for an excuse.
Mu Yichuan pondered for a moment before speaking, "Go directly to the Qiu family today."
Anywhere was fine with her, Xin Yu thought, as long as she wasn't under the same roof as him.
"I'll take you."
…
The whole way, Xin Yu felt like she was being watched, enduring the silent man's gaze until she was driven to the Qiu family home. Only after the car had driven far away did she let out a heavy sigh. What was he trying to do!
Or had she done something last night! When Grandma Qiu saw Xin Yu, she smiled kindly, her wrinkles smoothing out. "Girl, you've finally arrived! I've been thinking of you every day, but that boy Qiu Zhi insisted you were busy with classes."
Xin Yu, who was admiring the Qiu family villa, quickly replied, "Yes, Grandma, I just started school, I have a lot of classes, and next month will be even busier, I have to go to military training."
Grandma Qiu warmly took Xin Yu's hand, looking her over with a smile, praising, "You little rascal, you're getting prettier and prettier, especially your eyes, so beautiful."
Xin Yu was a little embarrassed by the praise, which made Grandma Qiu laugh. "Grandma gets shy after just a few compliments? I knew that boy Qiu Zhi wouldn't say such things."
Why is Qiu Zhi being brought up again?
Didn't Mu Yichuan and Qiu Zhi explain things to Grandma Qiu?
"Grandma, Qiu Zhi and I—" It's alright.
"I know everything," Grandma Qiu suddenly said, her face contorted with pain. She patted Xin Yu's hand. "Girl, you see how strong and optimistic my son and I seem, but only we know how we've gotten through these past three years."
"…" Xin Yu felt a pang of sympathy. She understood. The last time Grandpa Qiu suddenly showed signs of life, everyone was incredibly anxious, which showed how much they hoped for his recovery. "Grandma, I believe Grandpa will wake up. If my words have any effect, I'll visit him every day."
"Good child, my good girl!" She even started to cry.
Xin Yu was startled and quickly sat closer to hug her. "Grandma, don't be sad. I'll come to see you often."
Grandma Qiu recovered quickly. Perhaps this was how she had gotten through these three years; she couldn't stay sad forever!
"Girl, this is for you." She handed her a jade bracelet.
Xin Yu didn't know much about jade, but she could tell the jade bracelet was of exceptional quality—a warm, lustrous white jade. She quickly waved her hand; how could she accept something so valuable!
"Grandma, I can't accept it! I like you and Grandpa Qiu, so I want to be close to you, not for these things."
"Silly girl, Grandma can tell what kind of person you are at a glance!" Grandma Qiu knew Xin Yu didn't value these things; she trusted Qiu Zhi's judgment and, more importantly, her own.
However, after several refusals, she saw Xin Yu's difficulty and looked at the bracelet in her hand. It was indeed a top-quality jade; it seemed she would have to wait for the right opportunity to give it away.
"Then forget it," Grandma Qiu said cheerfully, telling the servant to take it back, but then handed a book to Xin Yu. "Girl, you can't refuse Grandma this again!"
Xin Yu flipped through it; it seemed to be a medical book. She roughly knew the Qiu family's status in the medical world, as evidenced by the number of international hospitals they owned.
"Learn medicine from Grandma?"
Huh? Learn medicine?
Xin Yu was stunned.
Mu Yichuan and Qiu Zhi, who were about to enter, were also stunned at the same time.