Xu Xinning had no idea that Lin Ying was laying the groundwork for her. She was a proud person who always did things her own way and wasn't afraid of what others would say (wasn't it because she always had someone protecting her?).

Mu Jinghuai had drunk too much and was probably feeling unwell, groaning and moaning. Xu Xinning gave him some medicine and asked Mu Jingheng to take care of him.

After Mu Jingheng gave Mu Jinghuai the medicine, he finally slept soundly. However, Xu Xinning insisted that Mu Jingheng sleep with Mu Jinghuai. Mu Jingheng disagreed, saying that he couldn't sleep well at night without holding his wife.

Xu Xinning wasn't going to indulge him; she locked herself in her room as soon as she got back.

Mu Jingheng returned to the study feeling wronged, sighing and looking up to meet Mu Jinghuai's ambiguous smile.

Mu Jinghuai: "You were kicked out?"

Mu Jingheng retorted, "What do you mean by being kicked out? My wife was worried about you being a drunkard, afraid that if you woke up in the middle of the night, there would be no one to take care of you."

Mu Jinghuai: "Your wife is good. Don't act foolishly in the future, and treat her well."

Mu Jingheng: "Do you need me to tell you? What do you know, you single man? You're trying to teach me. I hope you settle your life's most important matters before your nephew is born, otherwise, when your son is born, my son can play with him."

Mu Jinghuai was amused by him. He knew that his younger brother was not like what he appeared to be. He would never forget how his younger brother earned extra money by helping the junior high school kids in the compound with their homework before he even started school. He was a true genius, and he didn't even know when he had started learning ahead of time.

Mu Jinghuai: "Marriage depends on fate. I don't want to settle. I also hope to have a marriage like yours and my sister-in-law's. I don't want my children to go through the pain we went through."

Mu Jingheng: "Sister Qin went to the countryside. I wonder how she is doing now."

Qin Yao was also a child from the compound. She had been classmates with Mu Jinghuai since elementary school. They often played together when they were young. Mu Jingheng knew that she had always liked Mu Jinghuai, but Mu Jinghuai only wanted to become stronger so that he could protect his younger brother and help him escape that woman's clutches as soon as possible.

Mu Jingheng thought Qin Yao was very good. They knew each other well, and most importantly, she was completely devoted to Mu Jinghuai. Moreover, she had a good personality, a typical Kyoto girl, straightforward and kind. Mu Jingheng thought she would definitely get along well with Xu Xinning.

Reminded by Mu Jingheng, a smiling face appeared in Mu Jinghuai's mind. Seeing this smiling face seemed to drive away all his fatigue and unhappiness.

He wasn't sure if his feelings for Qin Yao were romantic, but he felt quite comfortable around her.

I wonder how she is doing after all these years in the countryside?

When she first went to the countryside, she often wrote to him, but he was too busy, and gradually the letters became less and less frequent. Thinking about it now, I really miss that girl.

Mu Jinghuai: "Have you been in contact with her?"

Mu Jingheng shook his head. At that time, all his thoughts were focused on fighting wits with his stepmother. How could he have the mind to care about others?

Mu Jingheng: "Why don't we ask Qin Ye? Isn't she in the performing arts troupe?"

Mu Jinghuai thought for a moment and then shook his head. He couldn't figure out what his feelings for Qin Yao were. If he got it wrong, wouldn't he be hurting her?

Mu Jingheng knew about Qin Yao's later situation. She was sent to the countryside in Northeast China. Several of her companions from the compound went there together. The place was harsh, and some of her companions couldn't endure it and married locals. Qin Yao, however, always thought about Mu Jinghuai, so she endured until she returned to the city.

In her previous life, Mu Jinghuai sacrificed his life, and Qin Yao never married. Qin Ye told her that she would go to the martyrs' cemetery every year to sweep Mu Jinghuai's grave, and each visit would last a whole day.

Qin Yao's feelings for Mu Jinghuai touched Mu Jingheng quite a bit, but being touched was one thing, he couldn't make decisions for Mu Jinghuai. Even if he didn't like Qin Yao, he couldn't force her to marry him just because she was so affectionate.

Mu Jinghuai closed his eyes, lost in thought. Mu Jingheng, unwilling to give up, asked, "Brother, do you really have no feelings for Sister Qin Yao at all? You're both getting on in years, and Sister Qin Yao lives so far away. I've heard that many female educated youths were forced to marry locals due to various circumstances. I wonder if Sister Qin Yao has met someone she wants to marry all these years."

For some reason, Mu Jinghuai's heart felt as if it had been pricked by a needle, and he suddenly opened his eyes to look at Mu Jingheng.

Mu Jinghuai: "The Qin family said she got married in the countryside?"

Mu Jingheng, being an experienced person, knew what Mu Jinghuai's behavior meant. It seemed that he wasn't indifferent to Qin Yao; perhaps he just hadn't thought about it that way.

Mu Jingheng: "I haven't heard of it yet, but it's hard to say. Sister Qin Yao was a female educated youth. You don't know how difficult it was for female educated youth in some places."

Mu Jingheng felt he had to give Mu Jinghuai a strong dose of medicine, otherwise he would never understand his own feelings.

Mu Jinghuai closed his eyes again. Mu Jingheng thought he had fallen asleep, sighed, and went to knock on Xu Xinning's door again.

The bed in the study is too small; how can two people who are over 1.8 meters tall fit in there?

Xu Xinning continued reading her book, not wanting to let Mu Jingheng in.

This person has been unrestrained since getting married. He has to be exhausted every night before he will go to sleep, unless she is physically unable to. Xu Xinning is starting to find this person unbearable.

Seeing that no one came to open the door, Mu Jingheng knocked a few more times, pleading pitifully, "Wife, the bed in the study is too small; it can't fit both me and my brother."

Mu Jinghuai had just gotten up to get a drink of water when he heard Mu Jingheng's words, so he curiously leaned against the doorway to watch the spectacle.

In his mind, Mu Jingheng had always been a troublemaker, and Mu Jinghuai had never seen him suffer a loss. So how could he not be curious to suddenly see him being so humble?

Mu Jingheng glared at Mu Jinghuai, who was watching the show, and complained, "Wife, my brother was standing at the door watching me make a fool of myself, and he even laughed at me."

Xu Xinning's mind went blank for a moment. Wasn't her brother-in-law drunk?

Xu Xinning immediately put on her slippers and went to open the door; it was truly embarrassing.

When Xu Xinning opened the door, Mu Jingheng's attention was all on Mu Jinghuai. As soon as the door opened, he lost his footing and fell inside. Fortunately, Xu Xinning reacted quickly and caught him, otherwise he would definitely have fallen.

Mu Jinghuai couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Feeling embarrassed, Xu Xinning quickly changed the subject, saying, "Brother, you're awake? How are you? Does your head hurt? Jingheng, go make me a cup of honey water."

Mu Jingheng quickly asked, "Do you have honey at home?"

Xu Xinning: "I brought two jars of wild honey that Xu Laosan got for me, and I left them in the kitchen."

Mu Jinghuai put his arm around Mu Jingheng and said, "Sister-in-law, don't worry about it. Jingheng and I will go together."