His Beloved Treasure

Mingzhu and Huanyu were still at home, creating a rare bustling atmosphere. Qin Mu came back only with a backpack, without bringing anything else. Seeing her only carrying ten large carrots, Mingzhu couldn’t help teasing her: ”You could at least bring some fruits.”

Qin Mu looked down at her hands and indeed, it wasn’t quite appropriate.

But she was already here, what could she do now?

”Should I go and buy some?”

Qin Mu asked sincerely.

Just as Mingzhu was about to speak, Huanyu came out, wrapping his arm around Mingzhu and covering her mouth with his hand: ”Why buy anything when you’re coming to your own home? Come in and sit.”

Mingzhu widened her eyes in resistance, but she was helpless as Huanyu physically restrained her from speaking.

Qin Mu watched Mingzhu’s pitiful look but only raised an eyebrow and then walked over to the sofa.

Haiming was reading the newspaper and was very happy to see her come back, even taking the initiative to pour her a cup of tea: ”I heard Chengcheng has been weaned off breastmilk?”

”Yes! I can join you for a couple of drinks later!” Qin Mu responded, placing her bag gently at the side.

”Oh? You’d better keep your word.”

Upon hearing this, Haiming became so excited, it seemed like the first time in many years he was that happy, although still restrained.

”Of course!”

Qin Mu originally wanted to mention that she went to the graves, but seeing Haiming so joyful, she chose not to disturb his mood.

Sitting next to them, Mingzhu watched her father and Qin Mu get along so closely, feeling a sudden surge of jealousy.

Huanyu joined in the conversation: ”Can Qin Mu drink liquor?”

Qin Mu turned to him, surprised that he initiated a conversation with her.

”I can’t! I’ve never tried!”

Qin Mu told him truthfully.

Huanyu laughed: ”Then forget it, my dad mentioned he had a good bottle of wine to share.”

”This bottle I mentioned was actually sent by that guy Yichen. Mumu knows about it.”

Haiming slightly lifted his gaze, talking about the wine again with enthusiasm.

Upon hearing the name Yichen, Qin Mu felt like a thorn suddenly punctured her heart, yet she kept a smile on her face.

——

At home, Yichen was having dinner. Noticing Qin Mu’s absence, his mother Feng Fanghua glanced at her son: ”Today Mumu said she wasn’t feeling well, did you know?”

Yichen looked up: ”No, I didn’t know!”

His eyes showed confusion. He genuinely didn’t know because he hadn’t seen her all day. This morning when he woke up, she had already finished in the bathroom while he was still in bed, barely awake, so they hadn’t spoken. Then he left without having breakfast...

Yichen suddenly found himself without an appetite tonight, but seeing his daughter staring at him, he didn’t stop eating.

Huanhuan felt that her dad wasn’t very happy, but she was too busy eating to take the time to talk to him.

”You really don’t care enough about your wife!”

Zihao admonished his son.

”If I don’t care, do you two care?”

Yichen looked at his parents somewhat displeased and asked rhetorically.

”What do you think? Now Mumu talks to us for one evening, which is equivalent to talking to you for a month.”

It was clear who was close and who was distant.

Yichen surprisingly had no counterargument, only lifting his eyebrows: ”Let’s eat!”

Zihao and Fanghua decided not to further upset him, so they stopped there.

Later, Mingzhu suddenly called Yichen: ”Brother Yichen, Qin Mu is drunk at my house and can’t go back tonight! Do you want to come pick her up?”

Yichen, having just finished showering, threw his towel into the sofa, frowning: ”Mingzhu? Where is Qin Mu?”

”She’s drunk and of course lying in bed! Dad said to let her stay the night at our house, ha, as if she has any right to stay at my house. I’m going to throw her out.”

”You dare touch her and see what happens!”

Yichen threatened coldly, his towel slipping off his waist as he turned to find his clothes.

Qin Mingzhu hummed after being hung up on, then sneakily glanced toward the bathroom and gave Wang Huanyu an OK sign before putting Qin Mu’s phone back on the sofa.

After washing her hands, Qin Mu came out and saw the couple watching TV and prepared to leave. As she went to grab her bag, she asked, ”Why is it just the two of you?”

”Dad went to the study room to look at some materials, he will come down soon.”

Wang Huanyu said, his eyes fixed on her.

Qin Mu noticed Wang Huanyu’s gaze, then unconsciously widened her eyes, asking with her eyes if there was something wrong?

Wang Huanyu actually wanted to tell her there was something, but if he said it now, Qin Mingzhu would surely make a scene, so he held back.

Qin Mu, thinking she misunderstood, lowered her head to put her phone in her bag: ”Then please tell him on my behalf, it’s getting late, I should go.”

”Actually...”

”You’re leaving? Well then, go! I’m not seeing you out!”

Qin Mingzhu interrupted Wang Huanyu, raising her eyes and asking Qin Mu to leave.

Qin Mu wouldn’t bother arguing with her, just slinging her bag over her shoulder about to leave, when Qin Haiming came downstairs: ”Leaving?”

”Yes! It’s late!”

Qin Mu turned to look at him and agreed with a nod.

”It’s so late, let Uncle Wang drive you home!”

”It’s this late, I wouldn’t want to trouble him, plus I haven’t drunk much, I can drive myself.”

Qin Mu explained to him.

”Then let me walk you out!”

Qin Haiming thought about it, didn’t try to keep her longer; just having a simple meal and chatting with her was satisfying enough for him.

Qin Mu didn’t refuse, letting the ’leader’ escort her out.

Qin Mingzhu couldn’t help pouting, murmuring unmistakably: ”Dad always favors her!”

”Dad has favored you for so many years, you don’t need to be jealous now.”

Wang Huanyu looked at her and reminded, then remembered how Qin Mingzhu had used Qin Mu’s phone to call Mu Yichen, the more he thought about it, the more troublesome it seemed, given Mu Yichen’s temper, knowing he was tricked he would definitely torment whoever tricked him.

But Mu Yichen might not torment Qin Mingzhu, yet him, Wang Huanyu...

Wang Huanyu was always reluctant to provoke the major trouble that was Mu Yichen, but because of his little wife, it looked like he no longer had a choice.

Qin Haiming escorted Qin Mu out, the father and daughter standing beside the car, Qin Haiming with his head down asked Qin Mu: ”Do you still remember what you told me about Mingzhu’s mom’s illness?”

”Yes!”

Qin Mu lifted her eyes and then nodded in agreement.

”That day she came to me, crying and begging me to take her in, told me she was in the late stages of cancer, Mumu, when you told me she had cancer, I was actually worried, but when she deceived me again...”

”It’s like the boy who cried wolf, there’s no way to make you turn back, is it?”

Qin Mu asked while adjusting her bag strap on her shoulder.

”Yes!”

Qin Haiming nodded slightly, a hint of sorrow visible between his brows.

”It’s just a pity my mom passed away like that!”

Qin Mu suddenly choked up, the words spilling out despite her efforts.

Could things have been different if her mother had known the truth earlier? Would it have not reached such an irreversible point?

But now, even if the truth is fully revealed, her mother is only left as ashes.

It was drizzling, Qin Haiming’s shoulder getting a bit wet, Qin Mu reflexively raised her hand to brush off the rain, but then froze the next moment.

Qin Haiming’s heart skipped a beat, was Qin Mu actually worried about the rain wetting his clothes?

Qin Mu stiffly withdrew her hand, before turning to tell him, ”Go back inside, you’ll catch a cold if it gets worse.”

Qin Haiming just stood there, struck mute, unable to say or do anything.

He so wanted to stop her, but only managed to shove his slightly trembling hands into his pockets.

Qin Mu got into the car and drove away.