Chapter 40: A Call from Mu Zichen

After returning to her bedroom, the girl eagerly opened the gift that Mu Tingye had given her. She couldn't help but wonder, what would such a reserved and attentive person choose for her?

What greeted her eyes was a delicate, petite wristwatch, its face adorned with tiny diamond particles, sparkling like a sky full of stars. The band was made of pearls, beautiful and elegant, and she loved it dearly as she fastened it to her wrist. The pearl's gentle sheen illuminated her skin, making her wrist appear even fairer.

Uncle Tingye, truly has a keen eye!

She was absorbed in admiring the watch when her contemplation was interrupted by the sudden ring of her phone. Glancing down, her brows arched in slight surprise. She had planned to look for him tonight, but unexpectedly, he called first.

Clearing her throat, she answered softly, "Hello, Brother Zichen~"

"Why didn't you reply to my messages?" The voice on the other end was low, tinged with anger.

Her clear, cat-like eyes flickered—because... I didn't want to deal with you... Of course, she dared not say that aloud. Instead, she replied with a hint of grievance, her voice trembling: "Brother Zichen, I'm sorry, I've been sick these past few days. I only started feeling better today. I didn't mean to ignore your messages..."

Upon hearing she was ill, he grew anxious. "Sick? How did you get sick? Are you feeling better now?" His voice, usually gentle and calm, was now urgent and remorseful.

How could his little girl deliberately ignore him? He must have been possessed to even suspect her.

A soft, sweet voice came through, "I'm all right now, Brother Zichen." She paused, then quietly added, "I knew you'd worry, so it's good you didn't see my message. But... even if you had, I wouldn't have told you I was sick. What if it distracted you from your work..."

Her voice was small, barely audible, as if she were talking to herself.

Mu Zichen felt his heart skip a beat.

This was his girl, his thoughtful, well-behaved girl! After living with her for so many years, how could he not know her nature? How could he doubt her? And to question her the moment he answered the phone, without knowing anything—his girl had always been sensitive, surely she was quietly upset now.

He had promised to protect her, to cherish her, yet here he was, making her sad...

What was he doing?

Mu Zichen silently admonished himself: from now on, whenever it concerned his girl, he must keep calm, communicate well, seek out the reasons, then respond. And above all, never doubt her—he must trust her!

"Jiujie, promise me you'll tell me about anything that happens, no matter what. I don't want you to hide things from me," he said, his voice hoarse but gentle.

"Alright, but... Brother Zichen, you can't scold Jiujie; it would make her sad," her voice, aggrieved and bewildered, came through the receiver, like a tiny creature burrowing into Mu Zichen's heart.

"I was wrong. Jiujie is so kind, she will forgive me, won't she?" His tone was solemn, yet tinged with nervousness and unease.

Indeed, Mu Zichen felt uneasy. Though he knew his girl would never hold these things against him, he couldn't shake the feeling that someday, she might not forgive him for something, and he would lose her forever.

He didn't have time to dwell on it. Her soft, sweet voice rang out, "How could Jiujie ever blame you, Brother? Jiujie likes you best!"

He knew she meant the affection a sister feels for her brother, yet his gaze transformed, waves surging within him.

Likes best?

If you can still say these words after you learn how I truly feel about you...

Mu Zichen's eyes sharpened, filled with determination, confidence, and bright visions of the future.

My girl, wait for me—when I win the Best Actor award, I will declare my love for you to the whole world!

"Brother Zichen, are you busy? You haven't said anything," the girl inquired softly, testing the waters—as if prepared to hang up at the slightest indication that he was.

Mu Zichen, finally having time to chat with her, wouldn't let this chance slip away.

"No, I'm just marveling at how wonderful my Jiujie is." On his end, Mu Zichen's smile was as radiant as spring.

On the other side, the girl rolled her eyes. He seemed in such a good mood that he was even teasing her.

"Brother Zichen, how come you're only realizing how good Jiujie is now!"

Hearing her playful complaint, Mu Zichen felt even happier, suddenly wanting to pull her into his arms.

He was about to say more when the girl interrupted him.

"By the way, Brother Zichen, I don't want to stay at Uncle Tingye's anymore. I'm planning to live at school."

On hearing this, Mu Zichen felt nothing but calm, perhaps even a touch of joy. He didn't know why, but subconsciously, he didn't want his girl to get too close to his third uncle; he always sensed something might happen.

Besides, living at school would be good—she'd have plenty of friends to play with, and as for the boys... young and inexperienced, and more importantly, none as outstanding as himself. She shouldn't be swayed by them.

The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. "Alright."

They chatted about other things for a while, until the girl claimed sleepiness and ended the call.

After hanging up, she saw it wasn't too late and quickly went to speak with the Mu family couple, informing them of her intention to live at school. They agreed, assuming she simply didn't get along with their third brother, and didn't interfere further. After all, sending her to stay at his place had already been a bit unfair to her; they didn't want to restrict her any more.

When she heard that even their third brother had agreed, the Mu couple assumed he had given up on keeping her around, and so refrained from intervening, offering only a few reminders about boarding life before hanging up.

As she played with her phone, the girl reflected on everyone's attitudes toward her decision. Compared to her previous life, everything was drastically different; things were changing, moving in a better direction, and she felt deeply comforted. At least, her efforts were not in vain.

Soon enough, the day of the new semester arrived. The girl applied a light touch of makeup, tied her hair into a cute bun, put on a white T-shirt and jeans, and slipped her feet into white sneakers. Since it was her first day meeting everyone, she wanted to leave a fresh, quiet, and adorable impression.

Whether she attracted others, she didn't know, but she was certain her Uncle Tingye would love this look.

Descending the stairs, she spotted Mu Tingye seated in the living room.

"Good morning, Uncle Tingye," she greeted.

Hearing her, Mu Tingye turned, taking in her clean, youthful outfit, and nodded in acknowledgment.

Such a pretty girl—would those little wolves at school snatch her away?

"Uncle Tingye, are you taking me to school today?" She walked up, tilting her head playfully.

Struck by her sudden, mischievous tilt, Mu Tingye's heart quivered, though his expression remained unchanged. "Yes, let's have breakfast first," he said, heading toward the dining table.