His Beloved Treasure

The snow outside grows heavier, but the thinly-dressed CEO Mu Yichen follows slowly behind the heavily-coated Qin Mu.

The two are separated by a distance of nearly ten meters, like a lengthy spiritual practice.

Qin Mu walks with her head down, feeling his presence behind her. Even though his steps are light, they still imprint on her heart, leaving her breathless under the numerous footprints he has tread on it.

”Isn’t he the kind of domineering CEO who goes crazy at the start? Why is he being so subtle this time?”

Mu Qingxin feels awkward, anxiously watching their unhurried figures.

Jiang Yan glances outside beside her, then turns to Mu Qingxin, ”Sometimes, I don’t dare to get too close to you either.”

”Really?”

Mu Qingxin looks up at him incredulously and nudges him with her shoulder gently, ”Annoying!”

”What do you like about me? A bit more domineering? A bit more arrogant?”

Jiang Yan, seeing that the elders are occupied with the TV, whispers into her ear.

”You wouldn’t dare!”

Mu Qingxin glares at him, her expression warning that he’s in for it if he misbehaves, but Jiang Yan isn’t intimidated and even laughs.

Qin Mu enters the living room first, then sits down on the sofa next to grandfather, ”Grandpa, shall I play a game of chess with you?”

”Sure!”

The old man lights up at the mention of chess, tossing back the sunflower seeds in his hand, thinking of the several games he’s just lost and is determined to win back.

Mu Yichen takes a while to follow in, and Mu Qingxin, ignoring Qin Mu, runs to the door, ”Brother, what’s going on with you two? Why torture yourself like this?”

Mu Yichen frowns, unable to recall when he ever mistreated himself.

”What’s going on between you and Qin Mu? You two just had your wedding.”

Mu Qingxin winks at him, feeling a bit embarrassed about her own words, especially when Mu Yichen gives her an expressionless stare, making it difficult for her to continue.

Mu Yichen walks further inside, and upon seeing Qin Mu playing chess with grandpa, he feels increasingly irate inside.

Is Mu Qingxin the only one who notices they are fighting?

Everyone knows there’s a problem between the two, yet no one creates an opportunity for them to be alone together.

He still remembers last year at this time, it was just him and Qin Mu keeping vigil in the living room.

But this year...

Qin Mu plays chess with grandfather until after midnight and then chats with him until the song ”Unforgettable Tonight” ends, and only then does grandfather stand up, ”I’m tired too, off to sleep.”

Feng Fanghua, already dozing off, goes to cuddle with her grandson to sleep. Mu Zihao glances at the four young people beside him, who though sleepy, show no intention of leaving for their rooms, so he too puts away his snacks back onto the plate on the table, ”I should go to sleep as well.”

Qin Mu stands up, thinking that since the others have left, she might as well go to sleep too.

But then she wonders what if Mu Yichen follows her there?

So she sits back down on the sofa.

”Qin Mu, you two should go to bed as well, let me and Ayan have our own little world, okay?”

Mu Qingxin yawns while making her suggestion to Qin Mu.

Qin Mu turns to look at her, ”Last year, it was your brother and I keeping the night vigil here, why change that this year?”

The stubbornness in her words actually gives relief to one who has been in low spirits for hours because of the mention of someone.

”Then should we go to our rooms? Let’s not disturb brother and sister-in-law’s world in the living room.”

Jiang Yan says, looking down at his near-sleeping wife.

”Then, brother, sister-in-law, we’re heading to our room!”

Qin Mu watches them with a minimal lift of her eyes, not wanting to speak to them.

Clearly, there’s a cold war going on, and those two are blatantly displaying their affection in front of them.

”Get lost.”

Mu Yichen looks at their insufferably smug demeanor and utters a single word.

Jiang Yan immediately carries off his wife, for he too actually wants to return to their room now.

Afterward, only the two of them are left in the living room. Qin Mu crosses her arms, waits a while, grabs the remote, and rewinds to the program they were watching, prompting Mu Yichen to frown.

The song ”Unforgettable Tonight” is indeed the one he loathes most, no exception.

By itself, the title isn’t too bad, but the singing style is beyond his tolerance.

Qin Mu, however, is fine with it because of his dislike; the lyrics are too good, the artist sings so sincerely, and those artists bowing on stage give her the sense that, yes, a new year has arrived.

Each on their own sofas, Qin Mu starts to doze off after a while.

The remote control sits beside her. Mu Yichen’s dark eyes fixate on the black remote, then lift to look at her again.