Chapter Forty-One: The Beginning of the School Year

The girl obediently followed behind, watching the charming and composed figure of the man ahead. Her heart was filled with reluctance; it would be a long time before she saw Uncle Tingye again, and she wondered if he would miss her.

At the breakfast table, silence reigned as the two quietly ate their own meals. The girl ate her blueberry fruit salad with graceful elegance, occasionally glancing at Mu Tingye, as if she had something to say. Yet Mu Tingye ignored her gaze, dismissing her completely...

[Sigh, System, I wanted to tell him that I won’t be able to come home during military training, but I didn’t expect him to ignore me.]

The system was helpless in the face of Jiujiu’s frequent recent attempts at acting spoiled. Perhaps everything was proceeding according to her expectations, so she was no longer so repressed, gradually becoming more relaxed, confident, and radiant. This was something it was glad to see, wasn’t it?

Finding an excuse for Mu Tingye, the system remarked, [One shouldn’t talk while eating, nor speak when sleeping.]

The girl rolled her eyes. As if! It’s been so long, and Mu Tingye has always indulged her; those rules no longer exist, do they? Such a flimsy excuse...

System... Is it easy for me?

Finally done eating, she watched Mu Tingye wipe his mouth, then obediently followed him outside.

At the entrance, a car was already parked. It was no longer the black Maybach, but a discreetly luxurious Lexus. Likely Mu Tingye’s idea—he was indeed an elegant, restrained, and attentive man.

Assistant Xia, standing nearby, walked resolutely toward the girl and respectfully opened the car door. Internally, he affirmed himself; since the boss valued this young lady so highly, opening the door for her first was undoubtedly correct.

The girl was momentarily surprised, then smiled in thanks, “Thank you, Uncle Xia.”

She knew this man—he was Uncle Tingye’s assistant, always by his side. But why did he open the door for her and not for Mu Tingye?

Turning to observe Mu Tingye’s expression, she found he had already opened his own door and gotten in.

Assistant Xia still held his posture, so she didn’t delay further and slipped inside.

Once seated, the man gave a signal and the engine started, swiftly and steadily heading up the mountain road.

The villa district was built among the hills, and the journey to Zhuoguang University would take nearly an hour and a half.

On the road, the man studied financial reports in his hands. His profile was sharp and striking, unusually captivating. The girl sat quietly beside him, exceptionally well-behaved.

The atmosphere was somewhat strange, but soon it was broken. “Uncle Tingye, are you unhappy?” the girl asked sweetly.

His hand paused on the report, then he replied calmly, “No.”

Does saying no really mean no? Words from a man are even less trustworthy than those from a woman, especially one who appears so genteel and proper!

Yeah, right.

But the girl was undaunted, adding fuel to the fire, “Uncle Tingye, I’ll have military training for half a month—can I not come home during that time? It’s really tiring~”

Mu Tingye’s breath stalled, feeling as though cotton clogged his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Half a month? That was a bit long...

Still, it wasn’t impossible to wait. After all... every prey he set his sights on had never escaped!

He exhaled softly, his tone flat. “Alright.”

The girl was a bit surprised.

[He was so cold and distant this morning, but now he’s so agreeable?]

The system echoed her confusion, [Exactly. Who knows, maybe that’s just how bigshots think—it’s beyond our understanding.]

She shot a dissatisfied glance at the system, [If you don’t get it, don’t drag me into it.]

The system protested, [You don’t know either...]

...Not worth responding.

Her eyes curved into little crescents as she spoke sweetly to the man beside her, “Thank you, Uncle Tingye. I’ll miss you at school.”

“Mm,” the man’s voice was low, but his gaze met hers directly, exerting pressure.

A deep sense of oppression filled the car, making it hard to breathe.

The assistant in the driver’s seat didn’t dare move, fearing the boss’s gaze would fall on him—who could withstand such intensity?

But the girl wasn’t afraid, because her intuition told her: don’t be afraid, he would never hurt you!

Staring into Mu Tingye’s cold, stern eyes, her smile didn’t fade. She reached out, gently tugged at the corner of his suit, and pleaded softly, “Uncle Tingye, why are you upset again? You should smile more—Jiujiu loves the way you smile, it’s very handsome.”

Her eyes sparkled mischievously, head tilted in pride at her discovery that Uncle’s smile was so attractive; her youthful charm and liveliness were undeniable.

Her words took immediate effect—the oppressive atmosphere vanished, replaced by a gentle warmth, like a spring breeze.

Mu Tingye pressed his tongue against his jaw, fist clenched, struggling to suppress the turbulent waves within.

The girl said his smile was handsome!

And that she liked it!

The joy rising in his heart threatened to overwhelm him, submerging him in a sea of happiness, every cell in his body relaxing.

His lips curved unconsciously, his eyes lost their cold clarity, dark irises tinged with honey, reflecting the girl’s radiant smile.

“That’s right, just like that. Uncle Tingye, you’re so handsome—even more than the male leads in novels.”

Another sweet compliment, and the man’s aura grew even more gentle.

The assistant driving was nearly stunned. All these years with the boss, he’d never seen him like this. Miss Wei truly was extraordinary!

But the boss was so easy to please? Why hadn’t he noticed before?

If that’s the case, he’d have tried it ages ago—who can’t say sweet words? Promotion and a raise would be within reach!

His hands trembled with excitement on the wheel, secretly vowing to try it next time.

...

If the girl knew what Assistant Xia was thinking, she’d surely grumble inwardly: Dreaming is good, but you have to recognize your audience. Mu Tingye is famous for being a work machine—aloof and cold, with no warmth to spare. Without any foundation, acting spoiled is as useless as last year’s peach charms. Only with the help of memories from her previous life, gently infiltrating his heart like spring rain, did she manage to elicit a smile from him—so rare and precious.

Soon, they arrived at the university. The girl gazed out the window at Zhuoguang, unchanged from her memories, determination flashing in her eyes. This time, she would live brilliantly!

As a national key institution, Zhuoguang was extraordinary, boasting beautiful surroundings, a strong faculty, and countless outstanding students. Yet it also had those who entered through connections—like Mu Tian. Why she chose this school, the girl didn’t know; perhaps it was the rules of the virtual world.

The annual freshman registration was bustling. New students from all over the country flooded onto campus with their families, and countless senior students stood by the gates holding signs to welcome them.