Why would he call her!
Three years! He hadn't contacted her once!
He hadn't cared whether she lived or died!
Calling now, was it to defend Xin Ran again?
When did her father stop seeing her mother, stop seeing her as his daughter?
Xin Yu closed her eyes sadly, her mind filled with the image of her mother's heartbroken and resolute expression, and the scenes of her father questioning her time and time again for Xin Ran!
"Stop the car." She forced back her tears; she didn't want anyone to see her vulnerability! Xin Yu reached for the car door handle, but couldn't open it. She turned her head away. "Stop the car, open the door!"
"Don't open it!" Mu Yichuan said coldly, his cool fingers tracing Xin Yu's dark eyes. He frowned slightly, wondering why she had suddenly become so sorrowful. "What's wrong? Who called?"
"I want to get out of the car." Xin Yu had no choice but to open her eyes, her eyes filled with tears. Mu Yichuan's pupils contracted, and he reached out to pull her into his arms.
The familiar, cool scent instantly overwhelmed all of Xin Yu's senses, and suddenly, her tears flowed uncontrollably.
The tears soaked Mu Yichuan's shirt, burning his chest.
Xin Yu bit her lip hard, trying to suppress her sobs, nestling even closer to Mu Yichuan's chest, like a coward.
Fortunately, Mu Yichuan didn't ask anything. His long arms simply held her tightly. After arriving at the villa, he didn't say anything, carrying Xin Yu straight upstairs.
He kicked open the bathroom door, startling Xin Yu so much that her heart skipped a beat. She peeked out from his arms.
"I...I'm fine." Seeing his chest almost completely soaked, she stammered, her shoulders shrinking. "I'm sorry, please change your clothes."
Mu Yichuan stared at her with his hawk-like eyes, a surge of displeasure and coldness welling up within them. He ultimately placed Xin Yu silently on the marble countertop and turned on the tap.
He reached out, scooped up some water, and began to wash her face, handful by handful.
Xin Yu didn't move, her clear, bright eyes fixed on Mu Yichuan. Watching his focused movements, her heart warmed slightly.
"Will you always be this good to me?" she murmured involuntarily.
"What!" He didn't hear her clearly, caught in the sound of running water.
Xin Yu quickly snapped back to reality, shaking her head vigorously. "I'm fine."
Mu Yichuan's face darkened again. Crying like this and you call yourself fine! "You're not allowed to cry no matter what happens in the future!" His voice was icy as he stared at Xin Yu's pale face, a growing sense of unease settling in his heart.
"Okay." She nodded in agreement. This was something she had once told herself; she would never cry because of that family again!
Seeing her so obedient, Mu Yichuan leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Nan Yu is enlisting."
"Is it really decided? Is there no turning back?" Xin Yu frowned slightly.
"Oh?" Mu Yichuan took her small hand and began unbuttoning his shirt, one button at a time. "It seems you know about this news and have seen Nan Juechen?"
Xin Yu didn't look up, her eyes lingering on his fair, firm chest, the cold, hard, and perfectly defined lines. She gave a soft "Mmm."
"He saw her behind my back."
Mu Yichuan's words made Xin Yu tremble. Her small hand slipped onto his pectoral muscles, her fingertips lightly touching them, sending a faint tingling sensation through her.
"Don't listen to Qiu Zhi's nonsense! My meeting with Commander Nan was just a coincidence!" Xin Yu glared with her dark eyes. "How could we possibly be together! The age difference is so huge!"
Mu Yichuan's brows furrowed. "A-Zhi didn't say anything. But you... you've considered this?"
What?!
She hadn't considered anything! All she cared about was Nan Juechen's face!
It was all Qiu Zhi's fault for always misunderstanding her!
But now, what could she explain?
"You... you mustn't misunderstand anything." Xin Yu blinked, staring at Mu Yichuan, afraid he would also dwell on the issue. She was already very confused and had no idea how to explain.
The two stared at each other for a long time. Mu Yichuan chuckled softly and slowly turned his eyes. "If you don't want me to misunderstand, keep your distance in the future."
Xin Yu had no choice but to obediently nod.
"I will also inform Nan Juechen."
What?
Xin Yu was puzzled. Inform him to keep his distance too? "Tell him—you're mine, and you gave me your first time."
…!
Xin Yu's eyes widened in shock. Her small hands unconsciously pressed harder against Mu Yichuan's chest. How could this man be so abnormal!
Could she really say this to an outsider?!
"Unwilling?"
Xin Yu's cherry lips trembled. She nodded, then quickly shook her head. "No, no…you need to rephrase it."
"Press it? How?" Mu Yichuan moved closer to Xin Yu, saying ambiguously, "Not say the first time? Then…say the next hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times?"
…Such a private matter!
"Mu Yichuan!" Xin Yu shouted, her face flushed, then deflated. "You…you shouldn't do this. Change your clothes first."
"Okay, the two hundredth time today!"
…
Xin Yu opened her eyes and shuddered. She had class today; she had overslept! She ran all the way to school, her legs trembling and panting as she sat down. It wasn't until noon that she saw the calls and messages on her phone.
"Come to the Emperor Hotel, room 100, at 7 PM. If you can't come, I'll come to your school tomorrow."
Xin Yu stared at her phone screen, her lips twitching. Why did she have such a father!
What right did he have to threaten her!
Did she have to see him for the rest of her life?!
Just as she was feeling depressed, Liu Hen called to say that the second phase of the agency activity was about to start. "Oh, I'm sorry, Henhen, my design is still a little short. I'll finish it this afternoon and give it to you."
Without thinking about her father anymore, Xin Yu took out her design notebook and continued her previous work. She finished just in time, sent it to Liu Hen, and then got up and rushed to the Emperor Hotel.
At 7 PM, the Emperor Hotel was bustling with activity.
But it couldn't penetrate Xin Yu's heart at all. With a blank expression, she knocked on the door of private room number 100. Sure enough, there she was—her father, Xin Zhong. Almost three years had passed, and he was still the same, a stern and serious businessman.
"Xin Xin, you're here! Please sit down," her stepmother, Liu Shulan, feigned enthusiasm.
But Xin Ran didn't speak, only calling out in a wronged tone, "Dad."
*Bang!*
Before Xin Yu could even sit down, Xin Zhong slammed his hand on the table, glaring at her and saying, "Tell me, why did you hang up on me when I called yesterday?!"
"My phone died," Xin Yu said impatiently, propping herself up on the table as she sat down. "Did you need something?"
The whole family's here—something's up to no good!
"I can't call you if there's nothing wrong! You've grown wings, haven't been home for three years!"
"I haven't been home for three years and nothing happened, which shows no one dies without anyone else!" Go back and be at their mercy!
You guys have sadistic tendencies, but she doesn't! "You!" Xin Zhong was completely taken aback by his daughter's attitude. After all, he was the one who had raised her to adulthood!
"Dad, please don't point at people like that. My sister is still young; you might corrupt her," Xin Yu retorted sarcastically, her eyes lowered, not daring to look at the three menacing faces.
"You know your sister is young? Why are you bullying her?!" Xin Zhong roared, his shrewd eyes wide as saucers.
Bullying her?
Ha, she really knows how to tattle, as always! "Old Xin, don't be angry. We finally see Xin Xin, what are you doing!" Liu Shulan gently comforted Xin Zhong, pulling him aside. "Don't you know Ranran? She's always been spoiled and unreasonable."
"Auntie, you really know your daughter well," Xin Yu sneered. "My sister is quite spoiled."
"Spoiled!" Xin Ran shrieked angrily. "Do you dare tell Dad that you kicked me at the hospital yesterday? And that you were flirting with that handsome Qiu Zhi in broad daylight!"
"Sister, you've lived with Dad for so many years, and you really don't care," Xin Yu scolded. "What kind of person is Dad? Do you think we can believe him just by hearing him? I think we should reenact the scene to be on the safe side."
She was determined to use all her strength this time to kick Xin Ran's leg! "Rude!" Xin Zhong's temples throbbed with anger at Xin Yu's words. "Tell me, who is Qiu Zhi?!"
"That's right, Xin Xin, you should talk to your father properly about marriage. A young girl like you shouldn't be fooled." Liu Shulan continued her act, patting Xin Zhong's hand. "Old Xin, don't just get angry. Make sure Xin Xin marries well, so she doesn't suffer."
Xin Yu stared coldly at Liu Shulan. This woman was wasting her time!
"Tell me," Xin Zhong said, suppressing his anger, looking at Xin Yu. "Who is Qiu Zhi?"
"It's none of your business. If you don't have anything else to do today, I won't disturb your family reunion." Xin Yu said, getting up. She absolutely couldn't eat with them.
"You dare to find a boyfriend without my permission? You think you're so great?!" Xin Zhong kicked a chair angrily, pointing at Xin Yu. "You really think you're all grown up now? Marriage is such a big deal; without your family's support, you're nothing even if you marry into the family!"
Xin Yu smiled wryly. "If my future husband plans to rely on my family, he might as well marry you."
Marry her? Why would he?! "Xin Xin!" Liu Shulan stood up as well. This time, she could finally stop pretending and snapped at Xin Yu, "Xin Xin, how can you be so insensible! Your father is only doing this for your own good, and you don't appreciate it, fine, but what kind of talk was that?!"
"Exactly, and you're a graduate student at Dongdu University!" Xin Ran said coolly from her seat. "It's a wonder people still think you're smart. Well, yes, your emotional intelligence is lacking."
"Whether it's lacking or not, it won't bridge the gap."
"You... Dad..." Xin Ran gritted her teeth in anger, looking at Xin Zhong with a wronged expression, inwardly scoffing. With him around, she didn't even need to lift a finger.
"Since you won't say who Qiu Zhi is, I don't care anymore." Xin Zhong walked up to Xin Yu, looking down at her condescendingly. "Anyway, you're coming with me on a blind date the day after tomorrow."
"Why should I!" Xin Yu shouted, "What right do you have to demand this of me!"
"Because I'm your father!" Xin Zhong grabbed Xin Yu. "You've been playing around for three years; it's time to settle down."
"Let go of me!" Xin Yu frowned, genuinely finding the situation utterly ridiculous. "Playing around?"