His Beloved Treasure

Just over half an hour later, the person who had been laughing and talking like a queen in the private room suddenly started to feel uncomfortable, involuntarily reaching to scratch her neck and the area beside her chin.

At first, none of the seven or eight people at the table noticed her restless behavior, but eventually they realized something was off.

The girl who had been sitting beside her curiously looked at her ceaselessly scratching her skin, which had once been as smooth as jade, and observed the reddened patches speckled with tiny dots.

”Oh no, Mingzhu, why do you have so many red spots on your neck?”

The warm touch of the girl’s hand on her neck stirred concern.

”Hmm? Really? I don’t know why, but suddenly it’s so itchy.”

Qin Mingzhu continued to scratch, getting more forceful by the minute.

A few of the boys couldn’t stand seeing her delicate skin being treated so roughly, their gazes filled with covetousness, but then they pretended not to harbor such thoughts and feigned concern, asking, ”Should we go to the hospital? You don’t seem quite right.”

”Yeah, it could be some food allergy.” Another person reminded.

”I really can’t take it anymore, hurry up, take me to the hospital quickly.”

She wanted to scratch her back but, with so many boys around, she had to endure and not long after was escorted out of the hotel by a few of them.

The staff member standing by the door watched as a whole troop of them came out from inside, involuntarily craning his neck to see, and eventually couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

In fact, Qin Mu didn’t know for sure at the time, only to find out later that indeed, they were all allergic to the same fruit.

Later, the young fellow told the manager about the incident, hoping the manager would relay it to Qin Mu. The manager didn’t have Qin Mu’s number but did have Xiaomei’s, so he told Xiaomei, and eventually the news reached Qin Mu’s ears.

In Qin Mu’s office, Xiaomei asked curiously, ”So what exactly is your relationship with this incident?”

”The relationship, well, it’s just me taking a small revenge on Qin Mingzhu, but it should make her suffer for a few days.”

Qin Mu had been drawing with Jian Yan, and upon hearing Xiaomei’s question, he set down his pen and smiled at Xiaomei.

”Uh! Can you reveal the details?” Xiaomei immediately wanted to know more.

”Well...” It was a long story, and Qin Mu was thinking about where to begin.

”Didn’t you see she was drawing?”

Jian Yan chimed in.

Xiaomei...

Knowing Jian Yan disliked interruptions when they were together, Xiaomei felt wronged but had no choice but to lower her head, apologize, and leave.

After Xiaomei left, Qin Mu turned to look at the man sitting opposite him: ”Weren’t you a bit too harsh on Xiaomei?”

”Me, harsh on her? Did I?”

Jian Yan hadn’t felt he’d said anything wrong at all.

”Haven’t you noticed that Xiaomei really likes you?”

”And you? Haven’t you noticed that besides Mu Yichen, someone else likes you even more?”

Qin Mu’s gaze grew distant, startled.

”So, if you don’t even know about your own affairs, how can you blame me for not knowing that Xiaomei likes me?”

Qin Mu...

”Master, I think you’ve been acting strange lately.”

Qin Mu tried to smile, though it seemed difficult.

”Let’s get back to drawing, remember to add the embellishment at the cuff.”

”Yes!”

Qin Mu dared not ask more and continued drawing.

Suddenly, he felt that Jian Yan supervising his drawing was very much like a master supervising his apprentice. It reminded him of being monitored by teachers at school, then by the master, and later by Director Mu.

After finishing work, Mu Yichen came looking for her. Xiaomei and the others were packing up to leave and greeted him politely upon his arrival.

”Is Director Mu here to pick up Qinqin? She’s upstairs drawing with Jian ge.”

A handsome guy mentioned.

”Thank you!”

Mu Yichen replied indifferently, courteous enough, and after pausing for a couple of seconds, he turned and headed upstairs.

Xiaomei wondered if this kid had lost his mind. He actually told Mu Yi that the mentor and student were drawing together, without realizing that the boss cared very deeply about this love rival.

Mu Yichen walked over softly, the door was open.

Just this detail made him feel slightly better. He strolled around, turning slowly, his dark eyes gradually lifting to see his beloved wife with her head down, intently drawing. Jian Yan sat opposite her, leaning in, with one hand gently pressing on a point on her drawing paper.

”Wouldn’t this area look more spacious without this point?”

”Try erasing it!”

Qin Mu also seriously contemplated the design on his shoulder, feeling that something was off.

Mu Yichen just stood at the doorway, fixedly. Their voices were soft, absorbed in their work, and he stood there silently for two minutes without them noticing him.

After that, he took a deep breath and then raised his hand to knock on the door.

His sharply defined contours were somewhat cold and oppressive, as if suppressing a small flame.

His gaze was exceptionally sharp and alert, making people smile unconsciously, and then they straightened up their backs while sitting in their chairs.

”Since when did you become so polite, Boss Mu?”

Qin Mu then lifted her head and saw her dear husband had arrived.

”Did I disturb your work?” he asked lightly, smiling as he stepped forward.

”Now that Boss Mu is here, I’ll head back too! Oh, and thank you and your wife for helping me find that apartment.”

When Jian Yan finished speaking, he had already stood up with the poise of a mentor, smiling as he bowed his head and walked out.

Qin Mu watched him leave without understanding what had happened, and only withdrew her gaze when his figure vanished. Her eyes then turned to the man who had been staring at her all along, and she subconsciously put down her pen, straightening her stiff back: What’s wrong?

His eyes were clearly amiss.

But then he managed a slight smile: Nothing!

What could he say? His wife had not noticed anything unusual.

Qin Mu...

Nothing?

Clearly, there was something.

”Has Master been acting weird lately, have you noticed?”

Qin Mu asked him curiously, looking into his eyes more seriously.

Mu Yichen couldn’t help but frown, attempting to smile without actually smiling.

”Qin Mu, do you really think your husband is not jealous?”

Boss Mu squinted his eyes, struggling to contain his anger and barely managing to smile with a menacing, intimidating air.

”Uh!”

”Can’t you leave work now?” he asked, his brow still furrowed.

”Hmm, just a little longer.”

She looked down at the drawing she was working on, then picked up her pen again but couldn’t help glancing up at him: You just mentioned being jealous, jealous of what?

”Keep drawing.”

Mu Yichen, hands in his pockets, said this and then fretfully went over to the window.

Qin Mu...

Brushing her off like that? Why wouldn’t he tell her?

Qin Mu had no time to seek confirmation, as she had to finish her drawings quickly, leave work, and head home, having promised Fanghua that she would try to have dinner with her every night, and she must keep her word.

On the way home, Mu Yichen was still not in good spirits. This wasn’t the first time, in fact, many times he had seen his wife and her mentor with their heads almost touching while working. And with Jian Yan suddenly saying he would be staying in town more often, it was odd if Mu Yichen felt happy about it.

While Qin Mu was drawing, Mu Yichen took out his phone and sent a message from the window: Let’s have a couple of drinks tonight.

No punctuation.

”Sure!”

The reply also had no punctuation.