Chapter 69

"Nora, my name is Nora."

Including this time, this is the third time Jiang Jiawei has met Mu Zhengxi. The second time they met, she even did Mu Zhengxi's makeup for free when he was pulled onto the stage by the organizers to be an award presenter. Although they only exchanged a few words, she thought that at least he remembered her name. Now it seems that he didn't. Oh well.

No, I mean your real name.

Jiang Jiawei was stunned for a moment. The person in front of her had his hands in his pockets and an arrogant air about him. His tone sounded like a boss asking a new subordinate a question, but his trembling eyelids and unfocused gaze didn't seem to match his cold and imposing demeanor.

The eyes peeking out from behind the black mask curved into a smile.

Jiang Jiawei said, "Jiang Jiawei, my name is Jiang Jiawei."

"Which Jiang, which Jia, which Wei?"

Jiang Jiawei slowed down her speech and said clearly, "Jiang as in ginger, Jia as in award, and Wei as in azure."

Mu Zhengxi nodded as he wrote those three words in his mind, and introduced himself seriously and earnestly, as if meeting a business partner: "Mu Zhengxi, Mu as in Mu Guiying, Zheng as in justice, and Xi as in bustling."

She actually knew his name, but she still politely said it.

"Okay, I've got it."

This seemed to please the other person, who raised an eyebrow and coughed lightly with his fist to his lips. "Let's add each other on WeChat."

After saying that, seeing that Jiang Jiawei didn't react, he seemed to feel it was inappropriate and added, "Is it convenient?"

"It's convenient."

Jiang Jiawei took out her phone from her pocket and opened her QR code.

"I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now. Please tell Mu Yashan for me."

"good."

The dressing room door opened and closed again. Jiang Jiawei looked at the new contact on her phone. The profile picture showed her in a red racing suit, chin raised, leaning against a black motorcycle. Jiang Jiawei couldn't help but smile, admitting it was rather childish. The WeChat name was the pinyin of her Chinese name, ZhengxiMu. Surprisingly, her Moments were filled with a lot of posts, scattered and fragmented. Her friend's clumsy Samoyed and chubby Garfield made frequent appearances; nights spent fuming over League of Legends teammates and unable to sleep until 3 AM; the wounds from her glorious soccer injuries; complaints about heartless passersby spitting chewing gum on flowerbeds; and her decision to become a lifelong staunch advocate of Zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean paste)...

Before Jiang Jiawei could finish watching, Mu Yashan's first makeup shoot was already over. She turned off her phone and quickly got back to work.

This magazine shoot marks the fifth collaboration between the two, and their relationship has evolved from a service-to-service dynamic to one that can be considered as friendship.

Taking a break between photoshoots to recharge, Mu Yashan sipped the fruit and vegetable juice her assistant had prepared for her. The girl, who had her feet up on the chair, was a far cry from her elegant demeanor during the shoot, revealing her carefree nature. Upon hearing Jiang Jiawei mention that Mu Zhengxi had left early, a look of disdain appeared on her face, as if relieved that he was finally gone.

Mu Yashan's assistant breathed a sigh of relief, and her little expression and gesture made Mu Yashan unable to help but laugh. "What's wrong? You've met my brother so many times, are you still afraid of him?"

"It's not that I'm afraid, it's just... I feel a lot of pressure."

The agent joked, "Why are you under pressure? Didn't you say before that looking at handsome guys during work hours is good for your mental and physical health?"

"Mr. Mu is handsome, but... it's quite stressful."

In fact, Mu Zhengxi never had any opinions or guidance about their work. In fact, when he was around, they could enjoy various afternoon tea privileges under Mu Yashan's extortion.

However, given that Mu Yashan's family background is well-known in the industry, Mu Zhengxi naturally appears to be viewed through a lens of distance. His expressionless gaze, even without any ulterior motive, has the power to make people subconsciously reflect on whether their behavior was appropriate just a moment ago.

Mu Yashan noticed out of the corner of her eye that Jiang Jiawei's assistant was also quietly nodding in agreement, which made her even more amused, so she pointed at the person.

"You think so too???"

The person who was caught blushed and smiled awkwardly, looking at Jiang Jiawei.

Jiang Jiawei raised her eyes and curved her lips into a smile.

Mu Yashan chuckled. Indeed, when Mu Zhengxi made a deadpan face, it looked exactly like her aunt's, which was quite intimidating.

"Nora, what do you think?"

"Um?"

What do you think of my brother? Is he scary? Does he put pressure on you?

Jiang Jiawei applied eye makeup to her. "No, it won't happen." Recalling what she had just seen, she added, "Your brother is quite... interesting."

Mu Yashan laughed, not giving Mu Zhengxi any face, and directly exposed his mask, "Actually, he's just a child, and his serious face is all an act."

The person with her eyes closed began to recall her childhood with Mu Zhengxi. When talking about the past, her tone was light and cheerful. Mu Yashan said that because the two of them were the same age, there were basically no warm sibling moments. They would almost always fight as soon as they met, to the point that they would argue about who ate more meatballs than the other. But despite this, Mu Zhengxi was the brother she was closest to in the family.

The turning point came in his third year of junior high school. After Mu Zhengxi's maternal grandmother passed away, he was sent to study in the United States. With less contact, their relationship naturally became distant.

But when she insisted on entering the entertainment industry despite the opposition of her whole family, Mu Zhengxi was the only one who stood firmly behind her and supported her. Even though he was not good at using social media, he became the host of her fan super topic.

As people grow up, their tempers become somewhat strange and unpredictable, and they pick up some of the arrogant and conceited habits of spoiled rich kids. But Mu Yashan still believes, "My brother is a very good person, so there's no need to be afraid of him. If there's anything, just tell me and I'll stand up for you."

But it also feels strange.

"I don't know what's gotten into him, he keeps contacting me lately."

Ever since the two met at the hotel during Paris Fashion Week, Mu Zhengxi has visited the set several times. Mu Yashan would never believe there was nothing fishy about that.

Agent: "He's just concerned about you. Isn't it good that he came to visit you on set? My brother never calls me except to ask for money."

"Come on, Mu Zhengxi isn't that kind of person."

We grew up together, how could we not know each other's hairs?

The magazine photoshoot ended around 4 PM.

On the high-speed train back, when Jiang Jiawei opened Mu Zhengxi's WeChat Moments again, she found that the content had become blank, and couldn't help but shake her head and laugh.

"Sis, this candied hawthorn is really delicious, you should try it."

The assistant handed Jiang Jiawei a skewer of mini candied hawthorns that she had just bought at the high-speed rail station.

Okay, thank you~

A translucent, crisp caramel coating encases bright red, seasonal strawberries. With a light bite, the coating crumbles, revealing the soft, creamy flesh.

Much later, whenever someone asked what kind of person Jiang Jiawei thought Mu Zhengxi was, she would think of the strawberry candied hawthorn skewer she ate on the high-speed train that day, and she would describe him as a very cute person. In her heart, she would silently say, "He's like a strawberry candied hawthorn skewer."

Aside from the initial greeting, no new messages appeared in the WeChat chat box. Within two days, it was buried under a mountain of busy work messages at the end of the year.

Until the end of the year, at a party, Jiang Jiawei, having finished work, hailed a free "taxi" in the hotel lobby, with the driver being Mu Zhengxi.

Traffic became congested as large numbers of fans gathered after the evening event, and the event ended even later than expected.

Mu Zhengxi glanced at the time and the road conditions and said definitively, "You're too late."

Jiang Jiawei was already mentally prepared to miss the high-speed train, so she wasn't too panicked. She called her assistant to explain the situation and planned to call a car to go there. If they left now, they would arrive tomorrow morning.

After listening to her conversation with her assistant, Mu Zhengxi asked, "Are you planning to charter a car to go there?"

"Yes, otherwise I'm afraid I won't make it in time." Jiang Jiawei smiled helplessly, then said, "Just drop me off at the intersection after this traffic light. I'm really lucky to have met you today, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get a taxi. I'll treat you to dinner another time when I have time."

"I'll take you there."

The person holding the steering wheel kept their eyes fixed straight ahead, delivering a statement as if giving a command, completely ignoring the long paragraph that followed and only extracting the first sentence as the answer.

Jiang Jiawei turned her head to look at his profile, her mouth slightly open, and remained silent for a while.

"I'm going there tomorrow anyway, to see a friend."

The light has turned green.

Jiang Jiawei smiled and said, "Okay, let's take turns driving."

"Um."

"Hey, let's stop at May 1st Square up ahead."

Mu Zhengxi looked at her questioningly, his expression somewhat angry, as if she was about to go back on her word.

Jiang Jiawei explained embarrassedly, "I'm hungry..." After saying that, her stomach, which had been neglected all day, protested in a very cooperative manner.

The person who had lowered their guard relaxed. "Didn't you have dinner?"

Jiang Jiawei said, "My assistant didn't come today, and I'm too busy by myself."

Mu Zhengxi turned on his turn signal.

"What would you like to eat? It's on me."

At this hour, the nightlife is just beginning, and the restaurants in Wuyi Square are brightly lit.

The man with his hands in his pockets sparingly uttered two words.

"casual."

"Is there anything you don't want to eat?"

"Just pick what you like, I'm not that hungry."

Jiang Jiawei crossed her arms, rested one hand on her face, and lightly tapped her cheek with her fingers as she carefully selected from the wide variety of restaurants, then snapped her fingers.

"How about some Zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean paste)?"

The person who glanced at her sideways said "okay" after a few seconds.

After receiving the menu, Jiang Jiawei, upon learning that Mu Zhengxi had no dietary restrictions or allergies, began to make her own decisions and order.

Three servings of noodles with soybean paste, two beef patties, two servings of plum juice, one serving of fried pork with vinegar, and finally two candied hawthorn skewers.

"That's all for now."

"OK."

When Mu Zhengxi returned after finishing his phone call, Jiang Jiawei poured him a glass of water.

"Thanks."

You're too kind~

Jiang Jiawei said, "I've been to this shop once before, and I think their food is pretty good. The noodles are especially chewy. You should try it and see if it suits your taste."

Mu Zhengxi raised an eyebrow. "Do you come here often?"

"Yes, many events are held here at the end of the year. Is this your first time here?"

When she got in the car, Mu Zhengxi told her that he had driven here with friends.

"This is my first time. The last time I came was on business, and I went straight back after I finished."

The proprietress began serving them the dishes.

The rectangular table was quickly filled with food. Mu Zhengxi was a little shocked by the amount of food, but he didn't show it on the surface. He thought that Jiang Jiawei thought he was just being polite when he said he wasn't hungry.

But he was wrong. The person who mixed the two bowls of noodles together looked at him staring at him, bit his chopsticks, wrinkled his nose and smiled.

"I'm so hungry."

"Um."

Mu Zhengxi lowered his head and pursed his lips.

Having been busy all day wearing a mask, her face, which wasn't made up, was slightly oily, and her casually tied-up hair looked messy. She was completely focused on stuffing noodles into her mouth with her head down, showing no intention of caring about her image.

The man with bulging cheeks pushed the fried pork in vinegar in front of him, pointing excitedly to show how delicious it was.

Mu Zhengxi was genuinely not hungry, originally.

By the end, almost all the food on the table was gone. Jiang Jiawei, as the main contributor, finished two-thirds of it. After downing half a bottle of plum juice, he was completely reborn and became a hero again.

When she went to pay the bill after using the restroom, the shopkeeper told her that Mu Zhengxi had already paid.

"Didn't we agree that I would treat you?"

Mu Zhengxi handed her the candied hawthorn, saying, "Maybe next time."

"Okay, it's a deal, I'll treat next time."

Jiang Jiawei, who had tidied herself up in the bathroom, tied her hair into a low ponytail. There were still water droplets on her face that glistened in the night. The brown-rimmed glasses she wore made her skin look very fair, unlike the dullness she had just experienced.

Late at night, at the tail end of winter, the city was soaked in damp, cold air, and the wind was biting.

But the temperature inside the car is warm enough to wear a thin sweater, drink iced milk tea, and sleep for six hours straight.

Jiang Jiawei fell asleep shortly after the car entered the highway. Mu Zhengxi did not wake her up at the next service area as agreed, nor at the next one, nor at any of them.

Some things don't need to be said too explicitly between adults, unless they just want to pretend they don't understand.

The blank WeChat chat box began to fill with text, but not very frequently, it was sporadic, with Jiang Jiawei talking more and Mu Zhengxi replying less.

They didn't have many opportunities to meet. Jiang Jiawei was very busy, and Mu Zhengxi wasn't an idle rich kid.

Thus, expensive perfumes, expensive bouquets, and expensive bags began to become the compensation for days when they didn't meet, replacing replies to messages.

Jiang Jiawei stubbornly believed that Mu Zhengxi was different, but he often acted just like everyone else.

The mountaintop restaurant, booked out for Valentine's Day in spring, featured a lackluster fireworks show, like a meticulously replicated luxury item now owned by another person.

It's utterly disappointing.

So in the end, it's still the same thing: equally boring and equally meaningless.

Jiang Jiawei said this very seriously during their final farewell that day.

“This isn’t the kind of person I like, Jung-hee. The kind of person I like is Mu Jung-hee who watches me work attentively and attentively, who posts a lot of happy and unhappy little things on social media, who says it’s on the way even when it’s not. Not the kind of person I am now.”

She was smiling, but it was more painful than if she were crying.

Just as she was preparing to accept the fact that her first love was about to end without a trace, the next morning, the person who appeared at her door was still wearing the white suit from yesterday, his eyes red and he asked her cautiously, "Jiang Jiawei, shall we have breakfast together?"

There was no reason why it was not allowed. Jiang Jiawei felt she had no reason to say no to Mu Zhengxi.

The childish, tearful Mu Zhengxi was not what Zeng Yuan and Mu Shaoqing needed. He was a copy of Mu Zhengting, a one-to-one comparison, forcibly stuffing himself into an ill-fitting mold, causing his bones to be squeezed and misaligned, and his soul to become blurred.

The real person subconsciously added someone on private WeChat but was afraid of being discovered. There was too much nonsense to say, but they had to restrain themselves and maintain a composed and mature demeanor. They liked someone so much that they had to pretend to be carefree and at ease to prove that they hadn't become a coward who was indulging in emotions.

Then one day, the person he liked said to him, "Mu Zhengxi, don't be like this, don't be so awkward, don't be so strange, don't become someone else, be yourself."

Tears are once again preserved, vulnerability is permitted, hurt is acknowledged, and every word receives a corresponding response.

To become myself again, to know what it means to like.

Jiang Jiawei said that it's important to eat together, talk about the happy and unhappy things that happened today, complain about people you hate together, take a walk together, watch a movie together, and buy gifts. But it only has meaning if you remember what gifts the other person wants to give you...

Mu Zhengxi said, "You're really good at this, Jiang Jiawei. How many relationships have you had?"

Jiang Jiawei said, "I haven't talked about it. I just... really want to do this kind of thing with you."

Mu Zhengxi pursed his lips in disbelief, but immediately put his knowledge to use, "Then can I hold your hand now?"

In early summer, Jiang Jiawei met Ms. Jiang Wenqing at the cemetery and received a metal key as a gift.

Mu Zhengxi said that was the home where he grew up.

In the autumn, Jiang Jiawei got a Samoyed.

Mu Zhengxi was very dissatisfied, muttering, "Why raise a Samoyed? These dogs are so stupid."

"You're not clumsy at all, you're very cute, don't you like it?"

"What do I like about it?" the person chasing after her said angrily. "It's not about why! Why would a dog be called Xiaobao!"

One person, one person, and one dog, stringing candied hawthorns together to form a little train that goes around the house.

"Because it's so small, isn't it cute and endearing to call it that?"

"I don't care, it just won't work!"

"Woof!"

"What's your name? It's no use calling me! You're just a stupid dog."

Mu Zhengxi and the dog bared their teeth at each other.

Jiang Jiawei picked up the two-month-old puppy. "It likes you. It's talking to you, not barking, right, little one?"

The wet puppy poked its nose out and rubbed it against Mu Zhengxi's cheek.

"It licked my lips!! Jiang Jiawei!"

"It licks you because it likes you."

"Then I'll kiss you back!"

"No, no, no, stop fooling around."

Spring has come again, and they went together to attend the wedding of Mu Zhengxi's college classmate.

As the beautiful bride in her white wedding dress walked into the church arm in arm with her father, Jiang Jiawei cried. She covered her face, tears streaming down her face.

This was the first time Mu Zhengxi had seen her cry since they met.

"Jiang Jiawei, let's get married."

It may sound hasty, but it was indeed his first and only thought at that time.

"Huh what?" Jiang Jiawei hiccuped, her slightly oxygen-deprived brain not quite able to process the meaning of the sentence.

Mu Zhengxi leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Yes, I do."

The priest on the stage is reciting the wedding vows.

The evergreen summer seemed endless, with sycamore trees casting flowing green shadows on the asphalt road, and cicadas weaving a dense net that suspended the whole world in clear amber.

In October, when the goldenrain trees are laden with fruit, you won't feel cold even wearing a thin evening gown.

Jiang Jiawei held her uncle's arm. Her purple floor-length dress was made by her grandmother and great-aunt. Her aunt styled her hair, and her younger brother made the confetti she was holding.

The wedding was a low-key affair, with only the closest friends and family invited. Considering the father's inability to travel, the preferred venue was a manor hotel in Evergreen.

The groom, standing at the end of the line, was sobbing uncontrollably, while the bride, walking towards him, was smiling excessively, making the audience both cry and laugh.

Jiang Jiawei completely forgot the wedding vows she had prepared. The three glasses of red wine she had secretly drunk before the ceremony started to take effect, and she was speechless while holding the microphone.

The setting sun burned on my cheeks.

After a moment, she said.

"Mu Zhengxi, I will always protect your tears."