Chapter 22 (Combined with Twenty-Two and Three)

Twenty-two:

After washing up, Ye Qingxi opened the door and walked out as if nothing had happened.

Mu Shaowu was sitting on the edge of the bed. When he saw him come out, he stood up and walked towards the bathroom.

Ye Qingxi stood by the bed, preparing to change her clothes.

Recently, there have been many outsiders visiting the Mu family. One group wants to install amusement facilities for him, while another group wants to replace the furniture in his future room.

Therefore, Ye Qingxi has been wearing casual clothes at home these past few days, instead of pajamas.

He was an actor for thirteen years, practically growing up in front of the camera, especially after he became famous, when cameras were everywhere.

So, even though he's old enough that it wouldn't be a big deal for him to walk around in his pajamas in front of strangers, Ye Qingxi still prefers to dress more appropriately.

When Mu Shaowu finished washing up and came out, he saw that Mu Shaowu had already put on the cat-patterned short-sleeved shirt and shorts from yesterday and was sitting quietly on the sofa waiting for him.

He quickly changed into his big cat-patterned short-sleeved shirt and went out with Ye Qingxi.

As soon as he went downstairs, he saw Mu Shaoting sitting on the sofa.

She wore denim shorts on her lower body, and on her upper body... a kitten short-sleeved shirt?!

Mu Shaowu looked at his own short-sleeved shirt, then at Mu Shaoting's shirt not far away.

"What are you doing...?"

"Surprise~" Mu Shaoting exclaimed happily, "Isn't it cute?"

Mu Shaowu: ...Do you think I'm happy?

"No, how come you have this short-sleeved shirt?"

"Of course I bought it. Why would you buy it for me?"

When did you buy it?

"last night."

Mu Shaowu: ? ? ?

"last night?!"

"Yeah. What, you and Xiaoxi are allowed to wear matching outfits, but I'm not allowed to? I think this short-sleeved shirt suits me perfectly, it's so cute."

Ye Qingxi: ...

Ye Qingxi nodded silently. Indeed, Mu Shaoting looked like a vibrant and energetic female college student in that short-sleeved shirt.

"Suitable for what? I don't think it suits you at all. You should change into a short-sleeved shirt."

"No~" Mu Shaoting shook his head, "Not only will I not change, but I will also wear this when I take Xiaoxi out to play in the future. That way, we will be the most beautiful aunt and niece, and we will definitely get a lot of attention."

Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?

There's absolutely no need for that.

"You still want to take him out to play?" Mu Shaowu asked in surprise.

Mu Shaoting thought his question was very tactless. "I'm his aunt. Is it strange that I take him out to play?"

Mu Shaowu: ...It seems that it is indeed not surprising.

but……

Mu Shaowu looked at the kitten-patterned short-sleeved shirt she was wearing and felt it looked awkward no matter how he looked at it.

What were perfectly good matching outfits for parents and children have now become a set for three people.

The feeling changed instantly!

But Mu Shaoting is his sister.

She didn't want to change, and Mu Shaowu couldn't force her to.

So Mu Shaowu snorted, ignored her, and pulled Ye Qingxi toward the restaurant.

Mu Shaoting happily followed them, and even took Ye Qingxi's other hand.

Ye Qingxi: ...

Ye Qingxi looked up and saw Mu Shaoting smiling.

Ye Qingxi was speechless for a moment.

Okay, then let's hold hands.

On the other side, Mu Shaowu said unhappily, "Why are you everywhere?"

Mu Shaoting said matter-of-factly, "Excuse me, this is my home. If you are not satisfied, you are welcome to move out."

Mu Shaowu, "You think I wouldn't dare?"

"There's nothing you're afraid of, but it's best not to move too far away, so that when you miss us and Xiaoxi, it will be convenient for you to come back and visit."

Mu Shaowu: ...

Mu Shaowu sadly realized that she was right.

Ye Qingxi wasn't brought back by him, but by his father, so she would naturally be raised under his father's watchful eye.

Even if all four of them moved out, Ye Qingxi would not be able to move out easily.

"When are you moving, brother?" Mu Shaoting smiled brightly.

Mu Shaowu: ...

"I'll move out after you move out," Mu Shaowu said irritably.

Mu Shaoting smiled even more broadly, his eyes full of smugness, "Then you'll have to wait a while."

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingxi suddenly remembered that in the book, Mu Shaoting had actually moved out quite early.

She graduated from university, fell in love, and moved out.

This is precisely why she committed suicide.

At that time, Mu Shaoting was already a well-known singer. She had become a public figure and an idol star. Therefore, when the protagonist's sister revealed that she had stolen her love and interfered in her relationship, and that she was a mistress, it instantly attracted the attention of netizens.

But then, the person she liked betrayed her, not only saying that he had never really liked her, but also joining forces with the protagonist's sister to accuse her of being the other woman.

The entire internet was in uproar, and cyberbullying followed.

Mu Shaoting had always been showered with praise and flattery since childhood; he had never been subjected to such insults and attacks.

People online should tell her to die.

Her beloved also told her to die.

The protagonist's sister said, "You'd better just die."

Those around her who were jealous of her gloated and mocked, "It's gotten so bad that even Mu Shaowu has been dragged into this. Now the two of them are cursing each other online. She's completely ruined the Mu family's reputation. If I were her, I would have been too ashamed to live."

So, Mu Shaoting really chose to die.

She swallowed an entire bottle of sleeping pills on a rainy night, intending to never wake up again.

When people are vulnerable, they are prone to extremes.

Especially when emotions run high, you get stuck at that point.

Looking back, you might think you were really stupid, but at that moment, you can't think that much; you're just driven by your emotions and have no rationality whatsoever.

Therefore, Ye Qingxi did not think Mu Shaoting was stupid, and she would not condemn her.

He only felt sorry for Mu Shaoting and felt very sorry for her.

If she were still living at home, the other family members would definitely notice something was wrong with her immediately.

But she doesn't live at home. She says she's fine and wants to be alone.

Knowing she was upset, the Mu family didn't want to force her.

Little did they know that it was this very understanding and respect that led them to lose him completely.

Therefore, Mu Shaoting cannot move.

At least, it can't be moved before she dies in the original story.

and……

"Auntie, do you have someone you like?" Ye Qingxi asked her.

Mu Shaoting blinked, not quite understanding why he suddenly asked that. "No. Why do you ask that?"

"I saw on TV that people move out after getting married. Auntie, you don't have anyone you like, so you won't get married and naturally won't move out, that's great!" Ye Qingxi pretended to be innocent.

In her heart, she thought, "It seems that scumbag hasn't come online yet, or he has, but hasn't entered Mu Shaoting's field of vision and hasn't sparked any romantic feelings. That's good, there's still hope!"

Mu Shaoting laughed, "Xiao Xi, you don't want me to move out?"

Ye Qingxi nodded quickly.

"Did you hear that?" Mu Shaoting looked at Mu Shaowu triumphantly. "Xiaoxi doesn't want me to move out."

"That's because my son is kind-hearted."

"Xiao Xi, do you want your dad to move out?" Mu Shaowu asked him.

Ye Qingxi shook her head.

Mu Shaowu has moved out. How can he monitor his plot? If something goes wrong, he'll either die or become mentally impaired, which would be terrible.

Upon hearing this, Mu Shaowu looked proudly at Mu Shaoting, "Yes, sir!"

“What do you mean by ‘no’? This is what Xiaoxi’s kind heart is all about.”

"This is because my son likes me."

"So, did Xiaoxi not want me to move out, or does Xiaoxi like me?"

"That means you like me more."

"That's not necessarily true," Mu Shaoting retorted, unwilling to back down.

Ye Qingxi had a bad feeling. Sure enough, the next person heard Mu Shaoting ask him, "Xiaoxi, who do you like more, me or your father?"

Ye Qingxi: !!

Ye Qingxi has never known how to answer this question since she was a child.

I don't know now.

"I like them all."

"Whom do you like more?" Mu Shaowu asked.

Ye Qingxi: ...

Ye Qingxi pondered whether to answer "Grandpa" or not, because neither Mu Shaoting nor Mu Shaowu would dare to argue with their father.

As he was thinking, he heard the door open, and the next second, Mu Shaoyan walked in.

Ye Qingxi rushed over immediately, exclaiming joyfully, "Uncle, you're back! I missed you so much!"

The joy was real—a savior had arrived.

"I miss you so much" was fake—it was an act.

Looking into his clear eyes, Mu Shaoyan never expected that this would be what awaited him.

Mu Shaoyan, who was exhausted from a long day, was immediately moved.

After being moved, I felt guilty.

After all, he was so busy fighting with his brothers, lamenting his own fate, and reflecting on life that he didn't think of his adorable little nephew at all.

Mu Shaoyan felt very guilty and ashamed.

"Your uncle misses you too." He patted Ye Qingxi's head.

Ye Qingxi let go of him and said enthusiastically, "Let's have dinner together."

“Okay.” Mu Shaoyan replied without hesitation, even though he had just eaten before returning.

Mu Shaowu looked at Mu Shaoting and said, "This is what they call 'when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits.' Let's go eat, clam."

Mu Shaoting: ...

Mu Shaoting glared at the fisherman not far away. Really, he got the bargain.

It wasn't until they sat down in the restaurant that Mu Shaoyan was surprised to find, "Why are the three of you wearing the same clothes?"

"These are matching family outfits," Mu Shaoting explained. "Never seen them before?"

Mu Shaoyan: "I've seen matching outfits with my child before, but I've never seen my aunt wear matching outfits with her child before."

“Right?” Mu Shaowu suddenly found an ally and retorted, “You think wearing matching outfits makes you look like a real family? Dream on.”

“Matching outfits are for family members and children, and aunts are family too, so of course aunts can wear them!” Mu Shaoting said emphatically.

Mu Shaoyan instantly switched sides, "That makes sense!"

"Where did you buy it? Buy me one too."

Mu Shaoting: ? ? ?

Mu Shaowu: ? ? ?

Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?

"No, this is none of your business," Mu Shaowu said speechlessly. "Why are you getting involved?"

“If all three of you are wearing them and I’m not, wouldn’t I look out of place?” Mu Shaoyan said.

Besides, they both wore them, but he didn't. What was Ye Qingxi supposed to think?

Does he feel that his uncle doesn't like him?

Whenever Mu Shaoyan thought of Ye Qingxi's passionate embrace of him, his own burning desire, and the sincerity of her words, "I missed you so much," he felt guilty.

He deserves to die; he has completely betrayed Ye Qingxi's love and longing for him.

wear!

You have to wear it!

We absolutely cannot let Ye Qingxi think that he is not as liked as her father and aunt!

Mu Shaoyan looked at Mu Shaoting and said, "Buy it for me now, and I'll transfer the money to you."

Mu Shaoting: ...

Mu Shaoting sighed helplessly. "Fine, if Auntie can wear it, then Uncle can too."

that is……

"It suddenly became a family uniform."

"Home clothes?" Mu Shaoyan asked, puzzled.

Mu Shaoting looked at him and said, "Yes, what the whole school wears is called a school uniform, what the whole class wears is called a class uniform, and what the whole family wears now, isn't that family uniform?"

Mu Shaoyan: "That's true."

Mu Shaowu: ? ? ?

No, how is it considered home wear!

Did he get his consent?

Did he give permission?!

"Shouldn't we buy one for Dad too?" Mu Shaoyan asked, his soul seemingly awakened.

Mu Shaoting: ...

Mu Shaowu: ...

Ye Qingxi: ...

The three of them shuddered at the thought of Grandpa Mu wearing a cat-ear hat.

Mu Shaowu: "Let's forget it. It's not appropriate for Dad at his age."

"What about the eldest brother?" Mu Shaoyan asked again, posing the crucial question.

Mu Shaoting: "Since you bought one for my elder brother, shouldn't you buy one for my sister-in-law too?"

"And Xiao Cheng too," Mu Shaowu reminded him.

Mu Shaoyan: ...

Mu Shaoting: ...

Ye Qingxi: ...

"Forget it," Mu Shaoyan said, "Let's just have the four of us."

He looked at his older brother, older sister, and younger nephew in front of him, and said, "The four of us living a good life is better than anything else."

Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?

Ye Qingxi: ...

There's something off about what I'm saying.

After finishing his meal, Mu Shaoting called the store and ordered a garment according to Mu Shaoyan's measurements.

Not long after, the shop assistant brought the clothes over.

However, Ye Qingxi had already fallen asleep by then, so Mu Shaoyan didn't rush to put it on. He also slept for a while and only changed into it before dinner that evening.

So, after Ye Qingxi woke up and finished playing the game, she went downstairs to eat with Mu Shaowu and saw two cats sitting side by side on the sofa—Mu Shaoting and Mu Shaoyan, who were wearing cat-themed short-sleeved shirts.

Seeing him come downstairs, Mu Shaoyan stood up, pointed to his short-sleeved shirt, and said to him, "Look."

Ye Qingxi had already seen it.

He looked at Mu Shaoyan and Mu Shaoting, then at Mu Shaowu beside him wearing a kitten-patterned short-sleeved shirt, and finally at himself, who was dressed similarly. For some reason, he felt a little happy.

At this moment, he no longer thought the short-sleeved shirt was too cute; he just felt that the scene was not bad either.

The four of them were wearing the same clothes, so they were obviously a family.

However, while he was happy, Mu Shaowu beside him was not happy at all.

His perfectly good matching outfits for parents and children have been turned into casual clothes!

The more I think about it, the angrier I get!

Mu Shaoting and Mu Shaoyan, you two are out of pocket money this month!

Mu Shaowu silently deducted a subsidy for his younger brother and sister-in-law in his mind before pulling his son up and walking towards the restaurant without even looking at his younger brother and sister-in-law.

Mu Shaoting and Mu Shaoyan didn't argue with him, and walked beside Ye Qingxi with smiles on their faces, talking to her.

While they were eating, Mu Feng returned.

He had been living in the hospital for the past few days and rarely went home. Now that he had suddenly returned and said he would stay for one night, Mu Shaowu felt a pang of anxiety, thinking that Ye Min was probably about to collapse.

He didn't show it, and continued talking to Ye Qingxi as usual, serving him food.

After dinner, Mu Shaowu saw that Ye Qingxi was having a great time playing video games, so he made an excuse that he had something to discuss with Mu Feng and left.

As soon as he stepped out, Ye Qingxi stopped playing the game and looked up.

Mu Feng is back.

The return was sudden, and I'll be staying overnight.

Then there's only one possibility: Ye Min is dying.

Ye Qingxi put down the game console, no longer pretending that she hadn't noticed anything.

He thought he was probably going to attend a funeral.

As he and Mu Shaowu had predicted, Ye Min indeed couldn't hold on any longer.

“It will be in the next couple of days,” Mu Feng said. “He didn’t want me to watch him die in front of me, so he sent me back to wait for news.”

But Mu Feng wasn't the kind of person who could really sit still, so he only planned to wait one night. If there was no news by tomorrow morning, he would go and keep him company.

"Isn't Xiaoxi going?" Mu Shaowu asked him.

Mu Feng shook his head. "He couldn't bear it."

Watching your grandfather die right before your eyes is cruel for anyone, especially for a five-year-old child.

Ye Min couldn't bear to part with it, so he firmly opposed it.

He has always been a gentle person, especially towards his grandson.

Mu Shaowu remained silent.

After a long pause, she said softly, "Then you should get a good night's sleep."

However, Mu Feng was far from being able to sleep.

When he closes his eyes, all he sees is his past with Ye Min.

When he closes his eyes, he sees his wife and his deceased parents.

Mu Feng is getting old.

As people get older, they become more soft-hearted, nostalgic, and sentimental.

That's why he can't sleep.

Ye Min's death acted as a trigger, drawing out a group of people who had once surrounded him but were no longer around.

Mu Feng misses them, longs for them, and yearns for them.

He watched as death walked past him, reaping one life after another.

Sometimes, Mu Feng would wonder, who's next?

Could it be him?

He was not afraid of death—his children had all grown up, and the youngest, Mu Shaoyan, was already eighteen.

Even if he dies, his children should be able to take care of themselves. Even if Mu Shaoyan and Mu Shaoting might not be able to take care of themselves, Mu Zheng and Mu Shaowu will take care of them.

He was already quite relieved.

But now, there's another Ye Qingxi.

So he began to fear death.

Fearful that he would be unable to fulfill the promise he made to Ye Min.

Mu Feng didn't say much to Mu Shaowu, just a few words before sending him away from his room.

After Mu Shaowu left, he picked up the photo of him and his wife on the bedside table, wiped the spotless frame, and looked at it silently.

Two days later, Mu Shaowu received a call from Mu Feng: Ye Min was dead.

Mu Shaowu was stunned for a moment. Although he was mentally prepared, he still couldn't help but feel sad.

He hung up the phone, took a while to compose himself, and finally managed to organize his thoughts before going to find Ye Qingxi.

Ye Qingxi was watching a video when Mu Shaowu suddenly walked up to her. She asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Mu Shaowu looked at him with a serious and awkward expression. He looked at Ye Qingxi, opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Ye Qingxi guessed it almost instantly.

The video was still playing loudly in her ears, but Ye Qingxi was only focused on Mu Shaowu and couldn't hear anything else.

"Xiao Xi, I have something to tell you, you...you shouldn't be too sad." Mu Shaowu's voice was soft and gentle.

Ye Qingxi nodded.

Mu Shaowu struggled to speak.

He couldn't understand why the world was so cruel to a five-year-old child.

Why did he have to lose his grandfather after losing his parents?

He's so young, how should he face this, how should he accept it?

Can he really accept it?

Mu Shaowu felt resentful again.

I resent that so many people who deserve to die don't, while those who don't should die leave so early.

“Your grandfather, your grandfather he…” Mu Shaowu looked at him and tried to use the most tactful words to say, “…is gone.”

He said, "But don't be afraid, Xiaoxi. From now on, my dad will be your grandpa. I will love you and take care of you just like your biological father. I will always take care of you and always be with you."

Ye Qingxi listened quietly, her ears ringing.

The air seemed to thin out, time stood still, and Ye Qingxi felt as if a piece of her heart was missing.

Mu Shaowu quickly sat down next to him, hugged him, and comforted him, "Xiao Xi, don't cry. It's okay, you can cry. Have a good cry, and then I'll take you to see your grandfather."

Ye Qingxi then realized what was happening, and he cried.

He raised his hand to wipe away his tears, then turned to look at Mu Shaowu, "I'm fine now."

He said, "Let's go now."

Mu Shaowu readily agreed.

He drove Ye Qingxi to the hospital.

It was the same familiar ward, the same familiar bed, but the person lying on it would never wake up again.

Ye Qingxi looked at the old man in front of her. His eyes were closed, and there was a painting on his pillow—a painting of him and the "Ye Qingxi" he had grown up.

He's gone.

He's going to another world.

Go and be with his real grandson.

Well, Ye Qingxi thought, after all, his own grandson loves him so much and only wants to be with him.

He was so young, all alone. Now that his grandfather has passed away, he won't be lonely anymore.

They would live happily, just like before he transmigrated, together every single day, never to be separated.

very nice.

Ye Qingxi thought, this is good.

He bowed deeply to the old man in front of him.

Mu Shaowu and Mu Feng looked on, not quite understanding what he meant.

But they didn't ask.

Ye Qingxi is free to react to this matter in any way he wants. He is the biggest victim in this incident, and whatever he does is understandable to everyone.

Mu Shaowu patted Ye Qingxi's head, silently comforting him.

Ye Qingxi was still too young, so even though he was Ye Min's relative, Mu Feng was in charge of handling Ye Min's funeral arrangements.

Mu Feng buried him next to his wife and son's graves, just as he had wished.

Ye Qingxi stood beside Mu Feng, gazing at the cold tombstone before them.

Ye Qingxi thought that his body should now be resting in the cold underground.

I don't know where he was buried.

I wish I could be buried here.

He didn't want to be buried with his parents.

He wanted to escape before he died.

They shouldn't be together even after death.

The wind in the cemetery blew silently.

The wind made Ye Qingxi's body feel a little cold, but her hands were warm.

Because Mu Feng was holding his hand.

Ye Qingxi turned to look at him.

He was wearing a black shirt, just as imposing and tall as when we first met, except for a few more gray hairs at his temples.

Ye Qingxi suddenly became very curious, "Grandpa, how did you and my grandpa meet?"

Ye Min was not a rich second or third generation; he was a typical small-town student who changed his destiny through his own hard work and studying.

How could someone like Ye Min have such a deep friendship with a prodigy like Mu Feng?

"Didn't your grandfather tell you?" Mu Feng asked him, looking down.

Ye Qingxi shook her head.

In the memories he received, Ye Min only said—

"My grandfather only said that you are his best friend."

Mu Feng smiled, a faint smile, like a rainbow that might disappear if you weren't careful.

“Really?” he said. “He’s also my best friend.”

"Have you ever been back to your hometown?" Mu Feng asked him.

Ye Qingxi thought for a moment and then shook her head.

Ye Qingxi was born here and has lived here ever since, never returning to her hometown.

“Your hometown is very beautiful, with clear waters and lush mountains, lots of flowers along the way, and many stars in the sky at night.” Mu Feng said gently, “I met your grandfather there, or more precisely, in the county town there.”

At that time, Mu Feng was eighteen years old, young, proud, and unruly.

Like Mu Shaoyan now, he dislikes studying, enjoys fighting, likes skipping classes, has no plans for the future, and lives each day the same as the day before. He says he's living life, but he's really just wasting it. The scariest thing is that he doesn't realize he's wasting his life.

Mu Feng's father couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he chose a poor county and sent Mu Feng there, wanting him to know what human suffering was like.

The impoverished county that was chosen was Fenghua County.

Eighteen-year-old Mu Feng had never seen a city like this before. There was no airport, no high-speed rail, no subway, only a few buses that looked about the same age as him, and they didn't accept cards; tickets were sold manually.

Mu Feng wanted to escape on the spot, but his father froze his card, took his money, and hired bodyguards to watch over him.

Unconvinced, Mu Feng sat at the train station all night, waiting for his parents to soften and buy him a ticket to go home.

However, he only caught a cold and didn't get a return ticket.

The bodyguard told him, "President Mu said you have to stay for a full semester and can only go back during the summer vacation."

Mu Feng glared at him, his eyes filled with resentment and anger.

He had no money, so his parents transferred the money directly to the school, which is why he has a meal card in the school cafeteria and a dormitory room at the school.

If he goes back to school, he will have no worries about food and drink.

If he leaves school, he will have nothing.

Helpless, Mu Feng angrily returned to school, and his dormitory was the same dormitory as Ye Min's.

At first, Mu Feng and Ye Min didn't have much interaction.

Although his parents had abandoned him there, he was unwilling and resisted everything there.

He continued to skip classes, fight, and wander the streets and alleys of the county town, defying his parents by refusing to touch his books or talk to anyone in his dormitory.

Until that day, he had acute appendicitis and was lying in his dormitory bed, feverish and vomiting.

Ye Min was the first to notice and quickly called his roommates to help him to the hospital.

He sent his other roommates back to their dorm, but stayed at the hospital with Mu Feng for the night.

When Mu Feng woke up the next day, he was greeted by Ye Min's gentle smile. "You're awake? Are you still feeling unwell?"

Mu Feng listened to his caring words and looked at his tired face, which showed signs of fatigue from sleeping on the stool all night. He was touched for a moment.

He's just arrogant, not incapable of distinguishing between good and bad.

Ye Min brought him to the hospital late at night and stayed with him. If they were childhood friends, it would be fine, but they had barely spoken a few words to each other. Ye Min's actions could only mean that he is a good person.

Mu Feng thanked him, and Ye Min readily replied, "You're welcome."

He asked him, "Are you hungry? I'll go buy you something to eat."

Mu Feng was indeed hungry, and he nodded.

Ye Min went to buy him a bowl of porridge, saying, "This is all you can eat for now."

Mu Feng had no choice but to force himself to drink it.

Ye Min took care of him for a while, then Mu Feng was in a hurry to send him back.

They were not related, and he felt embarrassed to accept their help.

Seeing this, Ye Min didn't insist on keeping him and returned to school.

He came again after school that evening.

Appendicitis surgery requires hospitalization for two or three days for observation, so Ye Min came to check on his condition.

Mu Feng drank another bowl of porridge in front of him, said he was fine, and sent him back again.

Two days later, Mu Feng returned to his dormitory.

He is the kind of person who will repay both kindness and wrongdoing. Ye Min helped him this time, and Mu Feng wanted to repay him.

It would be best to do it now, so that he won't worry about it anymore.

He quickly found an opportunity. Ye Min's English was not very good, especially his spoken English. Mu Feng overheard him memorizing vocabulary in the dormitory and corrected him casually.

Ye Min exclaimed with astonishment, as if he had discovered a new continent, "Your pronunciation is so standard."

Mu Feng: ...Of course! His kindergarten was bilingual, okay?!

Then, Ye Min asked him with some curiosity, "Are your English grades good?"

"good."

"Could you help me with a few questions?"

Mu Feng immediately sat up. "Which ones?"

He found a way to repay Ye Min—by ​​tutoring him in English.

However, after only two days of mending, he discovered that Ye Min had washed the dirty clothes he had taken off and hadn't washed.

Mu Feng was astonished.

Ye Min didn't think it was a big deal. "You helped me with my English, so consider this my way of repaying you."

Ye Min laughed and said, "You don't like doing laundry, do you?"

Young Master Mu certainly doesn't like washing clothes. When has he ever washed clothes? From childhood to adulthood, his clothes have always been washed by the family's housekeeper.

Even after being exiled to Fenghua County, Young Master Mu was too lazy to do his own laundry—especially since their dormitory building didn't even have a washing machine.

Now Mu Feng felt like he owed Ye Min something again.

He tried to hand-wash his clothes himself, but being a young master, he lost patience after washing only two pieces, and Ye Min ended up washing the rest for him.

Mu Feng had no choice but to owe him another favor.

He quickly found a way to repay this favor, or rather, Ye Min took the initiative to approach him.

Ye Min's mother is ill and urgently needs money, but the family only has so much money, which is simply not enough.

So, Ye Min shamelessly asked Mu Feng, the young master from the big city, "Could you lend me some money?"

He explained the situation to Mu Feng and said, "I will pay you back; I will write you an IOU."

"How much do you want?" Mu Feng asked him.

Ye Min said, "Ten thousand."

Mu Feng: Huh?

"If that doesn't work, eight thousand, or six thousand will do too." Ye Min seemed afraid that he would be in a difficult position.

Mu Feng: ...

Judging from Ye Min's tense and serious demeanor just now, Mu Feng thought he wanted to borrow a million, but it turned out to be only ten thousand.

For the first time, Mu Feng realized that there really was a large gap between the rich and poor among people.

He called his mother and said he needed 10,000 yuan to help his classmate through a difficult time.

For a family like theirs, ten thousand is not even an "almost" number, but rather something that can be completely ignored.

Therefore, although Mu Feng's mother was surprised, she transferred the money to him without any suspicion, and even transferred an extra 10,000 yuan.

Ye Min was extremely grateful, his eyes filled with thanks.

Looking into his eyes, Mu Feng felt as if he had come to understand the hardships of life.

This incident brought the two closer together once again.

Mu Feng felt that he and Ye Min were even, but Ye Min felt that he owed Mu Feng a huge debt of gratitude.

He wanted to repay Mu Feng's kindness. For someone like Ye Min, studying was the most precious and important thing to him. So he put himself in Mu Feng's shoes and felt that Mu Feng had helped him so much. He couldn't just watch Mu Feng slack off like this. He thought that Mu Feng's parents must have sent him here from the big city so that he could change things here and study hard.

Ye Min did not directly advise Mu Feng.

Instead, she took advantage of a Friday and said to Mu Feng, "You helped our family a lot last time, and my parents asked me to thank you. They said they'd like to invite you to our house for dinner this weekend."

Mu Feng did not refuse and agreed.

He followed Ye Min onto the bus home. The bus was old and wobbled along. All sorts of people were on it: some carrying large and small bags, some with children, some carrying baskets, and some with chickens.

Mu Feng had never ridden in such a car before, especially when, halfway through the journey, the child started crying and the roosters began crowing, each trying to outdo the other in loudness.

However, that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that the various smells on the bus were mixed together, making it feel like a biological weapon. This caused the young master Mu, who had grown up riding in cars, to discover for the first time that he could actually get carsick.

He got off the bus early.

Ye Min followed him.

The two walked towards the Ye family's residence.

It was Mu Feng's first time visiting the countryside. He thought the scenery along the way was quite nice and that the countryside was pretty good. However, when he arrived at Ye Min's house, Mu Feng's opinion changed.

Ye Min's family was very poor.

Although they weren't the poorest in the village—most villages were like that—for a young master like Mu Feng, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, this was poverty beyond his imagination.

He couldn't believe that some people didn't have a dining room, that some people still had a black and white TV, or that some people didn't have a rice cooker or microwave.

There were too many things he couldn't imagine. What he couldn't imagine the most was how someone could have a house without a toilet, or how a toilet could be like that.

Mu Feng was so disgusted he almost couldn't finish.

He couldn't believe that Ye Min had grown up in such an environment.

He was clearly fair-skinned and handsome, with the air of a scholar, and looked every bit the part of a family of scholars. Yet, his family didn't even have a study, let alone a bookshelf, a desk, or a lamp.

Ye Min was doing her homework, hunched over the dining table in the dim light of the room.

This is his upbringing, this is his learning environment.

Young Master Mu, who had previously been so averse to food, finally experienced the realities of life here and discovered that there were people who lived like this.

The next day, Ye Min took him to the orchard to pick fruit, and they washed the freshly picked fruit by the stream.

Mu Feng took a bite, and Ye Min asked him, "Is it good?"

Mu Feng nodded, and Ye Min said, "Most people here make money by selling this."

"Of course, most of them are elderly. The younger ones go out to work and earn money. My parents are like that. But my mother's health has been poor these past two years, so she came back. My father is the only breadwinner in the family, so naturally they don't save any money."

"So my goal is to get out of here," Ye Min said, "to get into a good university, then find a good job, and change my family's circumstances. What about you?"

Mu Feng was stunned for a moment.

Mu Feng had no goals.

He doesn't need to get into a good university, nor does he need to find a good job. He was born the eldest son of the Mu family. His family environment is very good, even too good, and he doesn't need to change it at all.

"Why don't you like studying?" Ye Min asked again.

Mu Feng fell silent again.

Why doesn't he like studying? Mu Feng wondered.

“Because it’s boring,” he replied.

"What's interesting?" Ye Min asked curiously.

Mu Feng thought for a moment and said to him, "Neither of them are interesting."

“Since it’s all meaningless, then let’s just study,” Ye Min said. “I know you and I are different. Studying isn’t your only way out, and you don’t need to change your destiny through studying. But just like how you can easily correct my English pronunciation, that’s the meaning of studying for you. It doesn’t need to become your backbone; it just needs to be something you have when you need it, not something you can’t have.”

Ye Min said, "Mu Feng, you're such a proud person, you probably don't like people telling you that you can't do this or that, right? So tell them you can. There's nothing you can't do, only things you're unwilling to do, and nothing you're incapable of doing."

"This should be easy for you, right?"

Mu Feng didn't expect him to say that.

Everyone advised him to study hard, saying that at his age, studying is the most important thing.

But what makes it important?

Even if he doesn't study, he can still live a good life.

Why does he study for the sake of studying?

But now, Mu Feng feels that people still need to learn.

Like Ye Min, he has good grades and loves learning, so he can accurately pinpoint his own weaknesses and know what words will stimulate him.

Mu Feng looked at the mountain in front of him. He looked around and saw that there were mountains all around him.

The mountain is so high, yet it cannot conceal Ye Min's thoughts.

This is what reading has resulted in.

This is why learning is so important.

Ye Min vividly taught Mu Feng a lesson through her own experience and that of her family.

Mu Feng's feet touched solid ground, and he finally realized just how diverse this world was.

He began to understand why his parents had exiled him here.

Mu Feng began to study from then on, but he never paid attention in class since he entered high school. Even though Ye Min was willing to tutor him, his mock exam scores were not high enough to get into a first or second-tier university, and he could only get into a third-tier university.

Therefore, Mu Feng did not take the college entrance examination, but chose to repeat a year.

That year, he studied very hard for the college entrance exam, and he actually ranked among the top ten in the city.

Mu Feng's father saw this and kept it in mind. After the college entrance examination, he told him that he had helped him contact a prestigious university abroad and that he could go abroad to study.

Mu Feng did not agree on the spot, but instead went to see Ye Min, who was a freshman at the time.

Ye Min achieved excellent results in the college entrance examination and applied to the best university within his selection range, thus realizing his dream.

Mu Feng asked him, "Do you think I should go to university abroad?"

Ye Min nodded, "Of course."

He said, "If I can get in, of course I'll go for the best one. Whichever one is better, I'll go for it."

He is always very rational and pragmatic in this regard.

Mu Feng listened to him and went to a university abroad.

Before leaving, he told Ye Min, "Call me or send me a message if you need anything."

Ye Min washed his clothes for a semester, tutored him for a semester, and transformed him from a troublesome problem student into a top student. Mu Feng felt indebted to him and wanted to repay him.

Ye Min agreed, "Don't worry, you're my only wealthy friend. If I need anything, who else would I turn to?"

Mu Feng chuckled, agreeing with what he said.

Later, whether he was abroad, or he returned to China to inherit the Mu family's company, or whether they had all started their own families, Ye Min never actually contacted him for any troublesome matters.

He is a very capable person with a good temper and intelligence. No matter when or what age he is, he always has friends around him.

After graduation, he took the civil service exam, obtained a city household registration, and stayed in the city to work.

After that, he married and had children.

Mu Feng attended Ye Min's wedding, as well as Ye Min's son's full moon celebration, wedding, and even funeral.

He did not attend Ye Qingxi's full moon celebration because Ye Qingxi did not have a full moon celebration.

Ye Qingxi's father died five days before his one-month birthday. Ye Min's wife fainted after hearing the news and never recovered.

Having lost his son and then facing his wife's illness, Ye Min momentarily forgot about his grandson's one-month celebration.

It was only when Mu Feng visited him and mentioned it that he realized his grandson had turned one month old.

Mu Feng didn't go empty-handed; he brought gifts for Ye Min, Ye Min's wife, and daughter-in-law, as well as for Ye Qingxi.

It's a longevity lock, the perfect gift for a child.

They didn't drift apart because of their different social circles, but they did become less close as before because of their different social circles, Mu Feng's busy schedule, and the fact that they each started their own families.

When Mu Feng realized this, he felt a little sad. Ye Min was his most special friend, a friend who belonged only to Mu Feng as a person, not to Mu Feng's identity.

He had already tacitly accepted that she was his best friend.

Mu Feng wanted to rekindle the intimacy they had in their youth, but his pride prevented him from taking the initiative.

He complained to his wife, "He'd rather ask so-and-so for help than ask me. Am I not even as good as so-and-so?"

Mu Feng's wife looked at him with a smile, thinking he had a childlike nature.

“It’s not what you think,” she said. “He asked Zhang Yue for help because he could help Zhang Yue in return. They wouldn’t owe each other anything. But he asked you for help. It’s like using a cannon to kill a mosquito. Not only is it a waste of your power, but he also doesn’t know how to repay you.”

"The more you use human relationships, the weaker they become. He cherishes his friendship with you, which is why he won't bother you with such trivial matters. Don't worry, if there's anything important, he'll definitely come to you."

At that time, Mu Feng did not believe it and even snorted in protest.

His wife, on the other hand, was all smiles.

Now, Mu Feng realizes that his wife was right.

Ye Min hardly ever bothered him in the latter half of her life, but on her deathbed, she held his hand and begged him to agree.

He said, "I only trust you."

The young 18-year-old Mu Feng was willing to become friends with the impoverished 18-year-old Ye Min, and the 60-year-old Mu Feng was also willing to spend his time and energy on Ye Min, who, although not as poor, was still far inferior to him.

They had known each other for forty-two years, and had been inseparable at times, and had also drifted apart at others, but they both knew very well that the other was someone they could trust and rely on.

This is what they earned after 42 years.

Therefore, Ye Min only trusts him and only dares to trust him.

Therefore, he earnestly entrusted his most precious possessions and most cherished people to his best friend.

He placed Ye Qingxi's hand in Mu Feng's and said, "From now on, he will be your grandson."

"Mu Feng, thank you."

"Thank you for your help."

Mu Feng gripped Ye Qingxi's hand tightly.

His hands were dry and broad, while Ye Qingxi's hands were soft and delicate. The two hands, one large and one small, were quietly clasped together.

That handshake lasted for more than thirty years.

Mu Feng used his last moments to fulfill his promise.

Ye Qingxi, on the other hand, gave him the softest warmth and happiness in his later years.

Holding Ye Qingxi's hand, Mu Feng, after a long silence, left the desolate cemetery like a lion king leading his cubs.

On the day of Ye Min's burial, he called Mu Zheng, asked about his recent work schedule, and asked him to come over when he had time.

Afterwards, he informed everyone in the Mu family: "Come over for dinner next weekend at six o'clock. Everyone must come, including the children."

Mu Feng wanted to introduce Ye Qingxi to everyone in the Mu family, every single one of them.

He wanted them to know that Ye Qingxi was his grandson, that he enjoyed all the rights and glory of the Mu family.

He was no different from his own grandson; he was his own grandson.