Xin Yu's lips twitched, and she moved closer to Mu Yichuan.
"Let go, or I'll—"
"Pinch me!" Mu Yichuan walked away as if no one else was there, his arm around Xin Yu, completely ignoring her hand on his waist.
Hiss…
A gasp escaped her lips.
But not from Mu Yichuan.
It was from Xin Yu. She lowered her eyes and released her grip.
She knew she had pinched hard, but Mu Yichuan didn't react at all.
"Ayu, you feel sorry for me," he said firmly in her ear.
Xin Yu struggled fiercely, furious. She didn't want to maintain this kind of relationship with him, and she truly felt sorry for him, just as Mu Yichuan said.
"Yes, I feel sorry for you." Xin Yu stopped and looked up, pouting slightly, "But what about you? You schemed against me, you used me!"
Doesn't he feel any remorse?! His gaze was intense, his heart heavy.
"My hand hurts," Mu Yichuan suddenly said, holding up his tightly bandaged hand, a hint of grievance in his voice.
For no apparent reason, Xin Yu's heart clenched.
She couldn't pay attention to him! She couldn't feel sorry for him!
She composed herself and turned to walk towards the competition venue, refusing to ask what had happened to his hand.
"Ayu used to care about me a lot," Mu Yichuan said, turning to the side, his magnetic voice carrying a deep allure, "He even got incredibly worried when I had a fever."
"..." Xin Yu clenched her fists tightly, suppressing the surging concern in her heart. He treated her like that, why should she care about him!
No! No!
"And when I was shot in the back, Ayu was terrified."
She stumbled, almost falling. If Mu Yichuan hadn't caught her, she would have fallen flat on her face.
Bang! "Ah..."
It was that gunshot again, on that afternoon of rolling dark clouds and torrential rain.
"Ayu?!" Mu Yichuan was startled. He hadn't wanted to bring it up, but her resolute expression was unbearable.
Xin Yu's small hands gripped his arm tightly, she gasped for breath, a tearing pain shooting through her head again.
"Okay, okay, don't think about it anymore." Mu Yichuan's voice was strained as he gently massaged Xin Yu's temples. "Ayu, are you feeling better?"
She shook her head weakly.
Actually, she had no idea what was wrong with her. She used to think she had a mental illness, which was why she forgot things from the past, forgot certain scenes.
But...
Xin Yu looked up in surprise, forgetting they were still on the school path, and patted Mu Yichuan hard. "It's you...it's all because of you, you gave me that medicine, my head hurts so much..."
Mu Yichuan froze, a wave of unprecedented regret washing over him. This was the first time he regretted giving Xin Yu that medicine! "Don't dwell on the past, Ayu!" He suppressed his emotions, grabbing Xinyu's shoulders. "Ayu, look at me, follow me forward."
His clear, black eyes, so distinct, were now glistening with tears.
The sound of that gunshot still lingered in her mind; she knew he had saved her with his body that time.
And his kneeling on one knee—it was so genuine, not feigned.
No…
Xinyu abruptly closed her eyes. Her head throbbed, and her heart ached even more. She didn't want to believe him!
What if it was all a staged act?
A short, sharp pain is always better than a long, drawn-out one!
She couldn't afford to gamble…
"Good girl." Mu Yichuan pulled her into his arms, gently patting her back, his deep, resonant voice heavy with emotion.
The surrounding whispers suddenly reached her ears. Xinyu quickly wiped her face and pushed Mu Yichuan away. "Professor Mu, weren't we going to see the venue?"
"Okay." A gentle voice, a warm hand.
However, his cold, piercing gaze swept quickly across the surroundings, causing a collective gasp from those around him.
Some were even so startled they nearly tripped, and soon scattered.
The so-called venue was actually the outdoor basketball court of Dongdu University. Xin Yu looked around. "Here? Winter's almost here, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"
"Ah Yu, you're so thoughtful," Mu Yichuan praised openly, even patting Xin Yu's head.
"..." Xin Yu quickly turned away from him, pretending to pace on the rubberized court, waiting for his next words.
"Can you play basketball?"
Hearing his relaxed and carefree voice, she turned back, puzzled. "Mu Yichuan, what exactly do you want?"
He brought her to the venue, only to ask these irrelevant questions.
"I thought you'd be willing to spar with me," Mu Yichuan said, looking down at Xin Yu with gentle eyes. "Yesterday morning, you were standing here, and I could tell you liked it here."
Xin Yu's heart skipped a beat, her dark eyes blinking. She hadn't expected Mu Yichuan to have discovered her thoughts back then.
It was impossible not to be moved…
Mu Yichuan seized the opportunity to pull Xin Yu into his arms. "Ayu, trust me."
Tears welled up in her eyes unexpectedly again.
Xin Yu quickly held back, forcefully pushing Mu Yichuan away and turning to run.
Mu Feng, standing nearby, rushed over and respectfully asked, "Mr. Jiu, should we chase after her?"
"Follow her, protect her."
Mu Yichuan finished speaking and walked out of the sun-drenched basketball court.
Even the brightest sunshine couldn't warm her without Xin Yu…
Actually, Xin Yu had no idea where she was going; she just found Mu Yichuan's words incredibly seductive.
In that instant, all her reason crumbled. She had only one thought: to trust Mu Yichuan.
But…
When she received a call from her friend Cheng Yuan, Xin Yu happened to be nearby. She rushed over, afraid that Mu Yichuan would drag her back again.
Upon entering Cheng Yuan's small house, she found Liu Hen there as well.
"Yuanzi, Henhen," Xin Yu forced a smile, looking at her two friends, "What are you two talking about, chatting so enthusiastically?"
"Ayu, I'll tell you a shocking secret!" Cheng Yuan exclaimed in surprise, "You'll never guess."
Xin Yu's dark eyes darted around, pointing at Liu Hen, "It's about Henhen, isn't it?"
"Ayu, you're so smart," Cheng Yuan said exaggeratedly, seeing through Xin Yu's feigned ease, so she wanted to subtly cheer her up.
Sure enough, Xin Yu burst out laughing.
"This is so easy to guess, isn't it? There are only the three of us in this room!" Xin Yu analyzed, then sat down on the sofa, propping her chin on her hand and squinting her bright eyes. "Then I'll activate my sixth sense and guess again, is it that Henhen's good news is coming soon?"
It was just a joke, but seeing her two friends' wide eyes...
Xin Yu was also shocked...
Could it be that Liu Hen is really going to marry Senior Brother Cheng Che?
So soon?!
"Ayu, I think you could start a business now," Cheng Yuan exclaimed, clapping her hands, then tugged at Liu Hen, "Henhen, don't you think so?"
Liu Hen happily agreed, but her mind was racing.
She really wanted to tell her two friends what was on her mind, but she wasn't good with words to begin with, and this was even harder to say.
"Brother Cheng Che, let's get married." These were the words she had tried to say the night before last.
But all she got in return was Cheng Che's surprise and thoughtful expression.
Liu Hen desperately wanted to ask about the woman's cries beneath him that night, but she dared not. Accustomed to being timid and submissive, she feared that if she spoke, Cheng Che would angrily turn and leave.
Just like several times beneath him, things would start off intimately.
But then, suddenly, it changed. He was like a devil—no, more like a pervert—torturing her with various positions and tools.
She was terrified, terrified to death.
Yet, she was wildly enjoying it.
"Henhen…" Cheng Yuan pushed Liu Hen hard. "Henhen, do you have to be so detached from us? Are you thinking about your fiancé?"
Liu Hen quickly lowered her head, afraid her friend would discover her twisted state.
"Yuanzi, don't tease Henhen. She's always been shy." Xin Yu, though puzzled by Liu Hen's reaction, offered her blessings as a friend.
Especially since she had just been warned a few days ago that her marriage might not be blessed by anyone, especially her family.
Xin Yu raised her hand to rub her temples, which were starting to feel tight again.
And, she found herself thinking about Mu Yichuan again.
"Henhen, is your wedding going to be in Beishi too?" Of the three, Cheng Yuan was the most practical, currently preoccupied with the small details of the wedding, listing many things, while muttering, "I didn't expect Henhen to be the first of the three of us to get married."
"Is our Yuanzi also eager to get married?" Xin Yu looked up, suppressing her own thoughts, teasing her friend.
Cheng Yuan didn't say anything, but her face suddenly turned red.
"It should be held in the capital now, then in Beishi." Liu Hen's words interrupted Xin Yu's unspoken question, but after speaking, she lowered her head again.
She didn't really know how to face the Liu family, after all, this wedding…
was something she had risked her life for, something she had forced upon them.
"Ayu can't be a bridesmaid."
"Why?" Liu Hen and Xin Yu looked up at Cheng Yuan simultaneously. Cheng Yuan grabbed Xin Yu's hand and held it up. "She's engaged! Look at this diamond ring. Apparently, there's a custom in Beishi that married or engaged people can't be bridesmaids."
"So only Yuanzi can be one?"
"I can't!" Cheng Yuan quickly shook her head, pointing to her body. "Look, I seem to have gained a little weight recently."
Xin Yu looked her friend up and down, pouting. "Who said that? I think our Yuanzi has already crossed the 'slightly chubby' line."
...
"Brother Cheng Che, I really didn't know you had such a big appetite!" Nan Ya's sharp voice rang out, full of anger.
Her slanted eyes were filled with sharpness and malice as she coldly stared at Cheng Che.
Cheng Che picked up Nan Ya and placed her on the desk by the window. "Ya Ya, don't you know my heart? My engagement to Liu Hen is only for the support of the Liu family and the wealth Liu Hen possesses."
Hmph.
Nan Ya remained silent. "Ya Ya, don't you know? Everything I got is yours?"
"Mine?" Nan Ya retorted sharply. "I don't have Cheng Che's appetite; I can't digest it all."
"Ya Ya, stop making a scene." Cheng Che's tone also turned stern and cold. He wouldn't allow anyone to hinder his plans and progress, especially not a woman he no longer loved.
With the Liu family's support, he had plenty of ways to deal with Nan Ya's next move.