Chapter 8 For the stars Meet a...

Wen Mu glanced at the arrogant man, his gaze lingering briefly between him and the researcher, then he bent down slightly and took the mineral water bottle that the girl with pigtails in front of him handed to him on tiptoe.

"Thank you, little sister." She rubbed the little girl's head, her voice even softer than when she was explaining.

The little girl raised her face and smiled sweetly: "Hey, you're welcome, Teacher Wen!"

The researcher scratched his head awkwardly. Song Xingran glanced at him sideways, his tone impatient: "Are you still not leaving? Are you being a light bulb?"

Wen Mu glanced at him and turned to the researcher: "Please go ahead and do your work. I'll talk to this kid."

The researcher nodded repeatedly as if he had been pardoned and left quickly.

Wen Mu squatted down and looked at the little girl at eye level: "What's your name?"

"My name is Lulu," the little girl answered in a baby voice. She stretched out her little hand and made the number seven, then hurriedly changed it to eight. "I'm eight years old!"

She stuck out her tongue sheepishly and said, "I was so happy to see my idol that I couldn't even count on my fingers."

Wen Mu was amused by her innocence, and a gentle arc curved in the corners of his eyes: "Where are your family members? Didn't they come with you?"

"I'm coming!" Lulu turned around excitedly and pointed her little hand behind Wen Mu.

"elder brother!"

Wen Mu turned around in the direction she pointed, and found that Song Xingran had squatted behind her without her knowing.

Seeing her turn around, he smiled mischievously: "Teacher Wen, do you want to talk to me about something?"

Wen Mu frowned: "Why haven't I seen you here before?"

"I wasn't in China before." Song Xingran looked innocent and reached out to pinch Lulu's cheek. "Isn't that right, little troublemaker?"

Lulu giggled and dodged.

Song Xingran: "I didn't realize you're quite popular. Wherever you go, people are courting you."

Wen Mu ignored him and lowered his head to straighten Lulu's crooked collar: "You are quite free, and you always show your courtesy to me wherever you go."

"You think too much. We just happened to meet." Song Xingran put his hands in his pockets, but his eyes were fixed on Wen Mu's slender fingers tying the bow for Lulu.

The woman had a pair of beautiful hands, slender and white, with neatly trimmed nails. He could imagine her holding the telescope with these hands.

It seems to be suitable for holding something.

Wen Mu took Lulu's hand and walked towards the explanation area, ignoring the burning gaze behind him.

During the second half of the lecture, Song Xingran leaned against the wall in the last row, his arms folded, his gaze fixed on her. Lulu, on the other hand, sat in the first row, her face tilted upward, listening intently and occasionally letting out exclamations.

At noon, the event ended. Wen Mu declined several parents' invitations to join him for lunch, packed up his materials, and left the planetarium.

The summer sun was blindingly white. She raised her hand to shield her forehead, her gaze fixed on the matte black Lamborghini not far away.

Song Xingran was holding Lulu in one hand and answering the phone with the other hand. The muscles in his arm were clearly defined, forming a sharp contrast with Lulu, who was wearing a pink puffy skirt in his arms.

Lulu lay on his shoulder, pulling his earlobe with her little hands, and he actually indulged her, only frowning occasionally to express his protest.

Wen Mu's heart trembled inexplicably.

If they have children in the future, will Song Xingran hold them like this and let the little one play around on him?

No, what is she thinking?

This marriage is clearly just for mutual benefit, why are they jumping to the topic of children when they haven't even gotten the marriage certificate yet?

Wen Mu patted his cheeks.

It must be too hot, she told herself.

She walked towards the flamboyant supercar and circled it: "Changed car again?"

Song Xingran had just hung up the phone when he raised his eyebrows and asked, "Do you know anything about cars?"

Wen Mu: "Do you know what people like you are called?"

The man asked curiously, "What's your name?"

"A bear trying to pick sticks apart—he falls in love with every one he meets."

Lulu suddenly giggled and struggled to throw herself into Wen Mu's arms. Song Xingran reluctantly put her down, and the little girl immediately rushed towards Wen Mu, standing on tiptoe to reach her neck.

Wen Mu bent down cooperatively, and Lulu leaned close to her ear and whispered in what she thought was a very quiet voice, "Sister-in-law, Lulu will treat you to a meal, okay?"

Wen Mu widened his eyes slightly and looked at Song Xingran: "Did you teach me?"

"It's not me," Song Xingran raised his hands in surrender and patted Lulu's back. "You're such a smartass, you're quick to talk."

Lulu pulled the corner of Wen Mu's clothes and shook it: "Is it okay, sister-in-law?"

Faced with the little girl's wet big eyes and sweet coquettishness, Wen Mu found that he was completely unable to refuse.

She nodded gently: "Okay."

*

Half an hour later, in a KFC in a large shopping mall in the city center, Song Xingran looked at Lulu happily playing in the children's activity area with a sullen face.

Do you dare to go to a more upscale place?

He glared with gritted teeth at Wen Mu who was slowly eating French fries across from him.

She was holding a French fry between her thumb and index finger, taking small bites of it, like a cautious squirrel, even eating in a methodical manner.

"It seems like you're having a hard time eating." Song Xingran supported his chin and looked at her, his eyes fixed on the corner of her mouth that was stained with a little ketchup.

He subconsciously reached out and gently brushed the corner of Wen Mu's lips with his thumb.

The action was so natural that both of them were stunned for a moment.

Wen Mu froze in place, feeling the warmth of his slightly calloused fingertips brushing against her skin. Song Xingran also froze, his finger still lingering on her lips, and he could smell the faint scent of jasmine on her body.

Wen Mu lowered his eyes to glance at the hand that was still at his lips, then looked up at him.

"Have you washed your hands?"

The man abruptly withdrew his hand, his ears reddening. "No. You're going to get sick."

After saying that, he stood up and strode towards the bathroom.

Wen Mu watched his back disappear around the corner before gently touching the corner of her mouth. The warmth and touch of his fingers still seemed to remain there, causing her heart to beat uncontrollably faster.

She lowered her head and took a sip of Coke, the cool liquid extinguishing the heat on her face.

When Song Xingran came back, Lulu was already tired from playing and was clamoring for Wen Mu to hold her.

He immediately frowned and said, "No."

"Why are you so fierce?" Wen Mu frowned.

The man took one look at Wen Mu's hazy blue silk dress, then at Lulu's ice cream-stained hands. He said stiffly, "She's not playing nice in my arms. I'm afraid you'll drop her."

In the end, Wen Mu carried Lulu into the back seat.

The little girl was tired from playing and soon fell asleep on her shoulder. Wen Mu patted her back gently, feeling a little drowsy himself.

At the red light, Song Xingran turned his head and looked at the back seat.

Sunlight filtered through the skylight, falling onto the woman's eyelashes and casting a tiny shadow beneath her eyes. She looked defenseless in her sleep, her lips slightly parted, her usual coolness gone. Lulu's tiny hand clutched a lock of her hair, like a precious toy.

The man gently turned off the music and silently turned up the air conditioner.

*

When Wen Mu woke up in a daze, he saw the deep night sky through the skylight. A few stars were looming among the clouds, and there was something twinkling in the distance, which might be the lights of an airplane.

She struggled to stand up and rubbed her temples. Her throat was dry and painful. She had slept for so long.

This was very unlike her.

Staying up all night observing was a common occurrence for her, and working through the night to sort out data was even more common. Perhaps it was because she was in a car today. She had never been used to riding in a car, especially a low-riding sports car like this. It always gave her a dizzying feeling, as if she were floating on water.

Something slipped off her leg, and she looked down to see it was a large denim jacket. When she picked it up, a faint scent of cedar mixed with leather and a faint hint of motor oil filled her nostrils.

——It’s the smell of Song Xingran.

She subconsciously gathered her coat to her nose, then suddenly let go as if she had woken up.

What about him?

Wen Mu looked around in the car, but there was no one there.

To add to her disquiet, her glasses were missing.

The 300-degree myopia made the world in front of my eyes blurry like frosted glass, and the street lights in the distance turned into a bunch of hazy halos.

She fumbled to open the car door, and the night breeze immediately blew in, carrying with it the unique fragrance of grass and trees on a summer night.

This was an unfamiliar, upscale neighborhood, dotted with a few European-style villas. The streetlights were bright but not glaring, illuminating the meticulously manicured shrubs and rose-filled gardens. The buildings were not large, but each one was exquisitely designed, with a small courtyard and white fence, creating an elegant and peaceful atmosphere.

Wen Mu stood by the car, her coat wrapped tightly around her. The cold wind made her shiver. It was strangely quiet, with only the rustling of leaves.

Just as she was hesitating whether to call for help, a faint cat's meow came from a distance.

"Meow~"

The voice was light and soft, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the night.

Wen Mu gathered her oversized coat and followed the sound. Turning around a dense clump of hydrangeas, she seemed to see him.

The man squatted beside a bench under a streetlight, his back to her, the lines of his shoulder blades faintly visible under the fabric. An orange and white stray cat was nuzzling his hand affectionately as he slowly tore open the sausage packaging, patiently breaking the meat into small pieces and placing them in his palm.

Wen Mu held his breath.

The streetlights cast a shadow over the man and cat like a spotlight on a stage. Song Xingran's silhouette appeared unusually gentle in the halo. He fed the cat gently, occasionally tickling its chin with his fingertips, causing the little creature to purr comfortably.

The kitten looked up alertly and meowed twice towards Wen Mu.

Song Xingran turned around, and light and shadow flowed across his well-defined face, from his high nose bridge to the slightly drooping corners of his mouth, and finally fell into his eyes that were now filled with tenderness.

Wen Mu stood there and suddenly realized how miserable he looked.

She was wearing his coat, her eyes must have been confused and hazy without her glasses, and her hair had been a few strands of mess in her sleep, and now it was being blown against her cheeks by the night wind. She subconsciously tried to adjust it, but accidentally let the coat slip halfway from her shoulders.

The man stood up, his tall figure casting a long shadow on the ground. He walked towards her, and every step seemed to step on Wen Mu's heartbeat.

The light from the street lamp was blocked by his broad shoulders, and the only thing left in Wen Mu's vision was his increasingly clear face.

"Did you sleep well?" He stopped in front of her, his voice lower than usual.

Wen Mu nodded: "My glasses, are they with you?"

Song Xingran said nothing. He pulled a dark blue handkerchief from his trouser pocket and carefully unfolded it. His glasses lay intact inside, the lenses gleaming faintly under the streetlight.

She reached out to take it, but Song Xingran got there first.

"Don't move." He whispered, pinching the temples with both hands and gently spreading them apart.

Wen Mu stood there, feeling the air from his breath brushing against her eyelashes. The man's fingers occasionally brushed against her temples and earlobes, causing a slight shudder.

When the glasses were finally put back on her nose, the world became clear again, and the first thing she saw clearly was Song Xingran's eyes that were so close to her.

Those eyes appeared amber in the light, with slightly upturned corners and unusually long eyelashes.

At this moment, they were looking at her intently, and their pupils reflected two small images of her wearing his coat.

These eyes are really beautiful.

"Follow me." Song Xingran said, turned around and walked in the direction they came from.

Wen Mu trotted after him, the hem of her oversized coat swinging slightly with each step. The man wasn't walking fast, but she still had to pick up the pace to keep up.

The night breeze brought his faint fragrance, mixed with the smell of ham, which was inexplicably soothing.

Maybe it's because she's hungry?

They stopped in front of a villa in front of the car.

Wen Mu was distracted and didn't notice, so he bumped into Song Xingran's back. His forehead touched his solid back muscles, and he could feel his body temperature and the outline of his muscles through the thin T-shirt.

She rubbed her forehead in pain and took a step back: "Why don't you leave?"

"Set a password." Song Xingran pointed to the smart lock with blue light on the door.

Wen Mu walked over, stared at the numeric keypad for a few seconds, and entered the numbers one by one: 0, 8, 2, 2.

The lock made a soft "beep" sound, and the screen jumped to the confirmation interface.

"How do you set this up?" a man's voice came from above his head.

She looked up at him: "Isn't this good?"

She remembered that his birthday was on this day and he was a Leo, which was quite consistent with his personality.

Song Xingran stared at her for a few seconds, then turned away: "Forget it, this is it."

Wen Mu looked at the door lock again and confirmed the password.

Finally, she had a chance to take a good look at the house. It was a two-story villa with a beige exterior and a black iron balcony. In front of the door stood a row of blue snowflakes, swaying gently in the night breeze.

"Where is this?" she asked softly.

The man leaned close to her ear, his voice lazy.

"Our home."

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Master Song: My wife remembers my birthday, she has me in her heart [shy]