His Beloved Treasure

”Mu Yichen!”

”Yes?”

”Don’t do too much for me.”

The two who had returned to the apartment were entangling each other on the bed, yet their conversation was remarkably rational.

”How so?” he softly kissed her lips, nipped at her chin, forcing her to tilt her head up to get closer to him.

”Just like tonight, don’t do things that will offend the Jing Family for my sake anymore.”

”Does it bother you?”

”Yes!”

He suddenly chuckled lowly, his dark eagle-like eyes staring directly at the woman beneath him. She still tilted her chin up sexily, meeting his gaze without a hint of resistance, her eyes gentle as water.

But he, more than anyone else, knew that this woman had a clear head on her shoulders.

”I like it when you feel bothered. What did you just buy at the drugstore?”

Mu Yichen quickly changed the topic, Qin Mu’s lower half was still pinned by him, but she moved her upper body to the side to grab the box of condoms, then returned under him, their position becoming even more ambiguous.

”When a man is thinking with his lower half, a woman needs to remind him to take precautions, to protect herself.”

He looked down at the box and then chuckled lightly, ”Why be so formal, isn’t having a child nice?”

A tremor ran through Qin Mu’s heart, and her gaze suddenly froze, still maintaining the tender look as she watched him.

Having a child would of course be wonderful, but she already had Huanhuan.

”Do you really like kids?” she suddenly asked, her hands fiercely ripping open the packaging.

”If they are born to you and me.”

”It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or girl?”

”Yes!”

”But not now.”

”You do it yourself!” she demanded assertively after opening the packaging, especially with those clear, piercing eyes that hid no trace of her certainty.

Mu Yichen’s mischievous gaze lingered on her, ”I don’t need protection, whoever needs it should do it themselves.”

”Mu Yichen you—”

In the end, Mu Yichen complied with her wishes, and watching her bite her lip in embarrassment, he found he didn’t want to trouble her further. However, he soon found himself unable to endure any longer.

”The smallest size?”

”Uh! There are sizes for this thing too?”

”What do you think?”

Qin Mu licked her dry lips, clearly unaware of such details, ”So what do we do now?”

”I could kill you!” he sighed in frustration, like a petulant child wanting to scold her but not willing to go through with it.

At this point, Qin Mu was a bit resentful towards Mu Yichen, they had done it several times and he had never worn one before. Now, he was getting impatient and frowning in disdain because of the wrong size of condoms she had purchased.

”Sleep.”

So she watched him for a while, guessing that he wouldn’t go buy more and she certainly wouldn’t either, so she simply lay down, turned her back to him, and pulled up the blanket to sleep.

”Qin Mu you...”

----

By the time Qin Mu got up in the morning, Mu Yichen was already gone; she ate the breakfast he had prepared for her in the dining room alone.

She felt a little uncomfortable, a tightness in her chest, thinking about how he had complained the night before that, as Mrs. Mu, she was not fulfilling her duties, and then collapsed beside her with a look of utter desolation.

Later, when the doorbell rang, she thought she was hallucinating, but when she opened the door and saw the woman standing there, she froze involuntarily.

”Mrs. Mu!”

This was the real Mrs. Mu, Mu Yichen’s mother, dignified and composed, the dark-colored cheongsam she wore seemed very comforting.

Mu Yichen’s mother was clearly taken aback, but then she smiled slightly, ”May I come in?”

”Please.”

She immediately made way, and although she was very nervous, she had no choice but to follow Mu Yichen’s mother back into the room.

Mu Yichen’s mother sat down on the sofa designated for elders, her demeanor and actions proper, even her gaze upon the person before her managed not to offend.

”Even though I was somewhat prepared, seeing you here still startled me.”

”Yes, I am very sorry.”

Qin Mu truly didn’t know what to say, but this was Mu Yi’s mother, so she could only cautiously give her responses, enduring her apprehensions.

”How long have you and Yichen been together?” Mu Yichen’s mother asked softly, her eyes still on her.

Qin Mu pursed her lips and looked up at her, ”We... I am just staying at Mr. Mu’s place for the time being, I will leave soon...”

”Don’t give me that kind of polite talk. I probably know better than you, the person involved, how he feels about you.”

Qin Mu no longer had the courage to meet her gaze and lowered her eyes, hiding the sparkling tears.

”I’ve heard of you. You came back this time for a fashion show, didn’t you? That day I went with a few friends, but I had to leave early due to some matters, so I didn’t notice you.”

”Yes, that’s correct. I came for that show,” she replied.

Qin Mu looked up again, this time with obedient but resolutely clear eyes.

”Then why didn’t you leave with your team?”

That question left Qin Mu choking on her words. How could she tell this elder it was her son who insisted on keeping this person she didn’t approve of?

Or should she just say your son has already married me through a civil ceremony, and I am legally his wife?

”My mother’s death anniversary is in a few days, and I was thinking of leaving after that.”

So she pondered for a while and then replied unhurriedly.

It was then that Mu Yichen’s mother didn’t immediately ask anything further but slightly tilted her head, as if remembering something.

”It’s been over ten years since your mother passed away.”

”Yes!”

”You must have been only seven or eight years old back then. Mumu, Auntie has -- thought of you over these years. Auntie also knows that Yichen treated you differently than other friends. He liked taking you with him since he was little. But Mumu, now you’re both grown up, and you must be over twenty now, right?”

”Yes!”

”These days, we’ve been discussing Yichen’s marriage with Jing Qing with the Jing Family. No matter what you think in your heart or if I’ve wronged you, I just hope you won’t disrupt the life he is supposed to continue. I’m asking you as an aunt, okay?”

Qin Mu listened with her head down and then suddenly smiled slightly, ”Yes!”

Truthfully, she wanted to leave.

”Auntie would like to thank you on behalf of the Mu Family and the Jing Family! Exchange phone numbers with me, and if you ever find yourself in trouble, just call. I will definitely help you, okay?”

Mu Yichen’s mother smiled as she picked up her own phone and opened it first.

Qin Mu inwardly refused to exchange numbers with this elder, but still replied softly, ”Please wait a moment, I’ll go upstairs and get my phone.”

Later, she regretted going upstairs. She headed to Mu Yichen’s room, and any elder wouldn’t fail to realize that it was her son’s room.

But just as Mu Yichen’s mother said herself, Qin Mu thought maybe the elder knew much but simply didn’t want to make it awkward for her by confronting it directly.

——

As she walked out with her phone, she searched online for the earliest flight to Paris that day, but then she suddenly heard the elder downstairs say, ”Shall I arrange another house for you?”

Qin Mu looked up and then walked downstairs calmly.

”I’ve already got a ticket for the earliest flight to Paris today. If you’re available, maybe you could take me to the airport.”

Mu Yichen’s mother stood by the sofa looking at the phone in her hand; the ticket had just shown as purchased successfully. She was suddenly at a loss for words, only managing to raise her eyes and give an indescribable look towards the young girl.

”Mumu...”

”If you don’t mind, I’d like to call you Auntie. Yichen has been the only friend who still keeps in touch with me over the years. I might have crossed a line, but I promise not to cling to him.”

For some reason, even though she was smiling and speaking kindly, her eyes inexplicably blurred with tears.

”Let Auntie take you to the airport!”

Her departure was silent and unnoticed by some; she didn’t even take luggage with her, just some personal belongings as she set out for the airport.