Chapter 48 Who says unrequited love has no future?

A thin layer of mist rose from her bright eyes.

Su Cheng clenched her fist, then relaxed it after a moment.

Several crescent-shaped red marks were left on the palm.

He should really put that broken black mask back on his face.

She stood not far away, waiting for Jiang Muzhou to end the conversation quickly with a detached "thank you" or "sorry" as usual.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Muzhou, who was usually indifferent to such matters, actually smiled at the strange girl.

The smile was faint, yet it was like a dull knife, slowly cutting a gash in Su Cheng's heart.

She clenched her teeth slightly, enduring the faint soreness, and couldn't help but glance at it a few more times.

The girl was radiant with youthful energy, around eighteen or nineteen years old. Her peach-pink tracksuit made her skin look fair and rosy, and her eyes curved into crescent moons when she smiled.

Countless tiny silver needles pierced my heart.

So that's the type he likes.

An unbearable, dull pain lingered in her chest, and Su Cheng turned to run away.

The girl with the ponytail jogged after her, calling out, "Senior!"

Her voice was as sweet as honey.

Su Cheng stopped in her tracks, puzzled.

Why is she coming towards me?

Before the girl could even speak, the Cocker Spaniel pounced on her enthusiastically, placing its two front paws on Su Cheng's knees and blinking its black grape-like eyes at her.

Su Cheng couldn't resist and bent down to pat Kokabu's head.

Its fur is wavy and has a very special feel, like touching a breathing cloud, fluffy and silky.

"I just heard you guys were rescuing stray animals, that's so cool!" The girl smiled and gestured excitedly. "The senior said that there are related clubs at Lin University. I'm a freshman, I wonder if I can join you?"

“This…” Su Cheng pulled her hand back, which had become slightly damp from being rubbed against Kokabu’s nose.

The words caught in her throat, and she glanced hesitantly at Jiang Muzhou.

In high school, some girls joined the photography club, which they had no interest in at all, just so they could spend more time with him. As a result, they not only failed to exchange more than a few words with him, but also failed the club assessment, which affected their overall evaluation.

Looking at the hopeful junior in front of her, fearing that she might make the same mistake, Su Cheng quickly explained, "We are not students of Lin University. We just happened to be here today to rescue stray cats."

"Oh, I see..." The girl's shoulders slumped noticeably, and her voice lowered. "I was really looking forward to taking care of the animals with the pretty senior."

She blinked, "The way my senior was comforting the kitten was so gentle! She was like an angel descended from heaven!"

The tension in her heart suddenly eased, and Su Cheng realized that she had misunderstood.

Looking into the girl's sincere eyes, her eyebrows curved into a gentle arc, she said, "With this kind of heart, you are truly a warm-hearted little angel."

“The two people over there are the heads of the club. You can ask them for details about the recruitment arrangements.” Su Cheng pointed to Wu Xin and Lin Yang in the clinic and added with a smile, “The little strays will be very happy if they know that there is another person willing to help them.”

"Really?" The girl's eyes lit up suddenly, as if stars had fallen into her pupils.

She tightened the leash in her hand and took a half-step closer. "Would you have the chance to participate in rescue activities with me in the future?"

Su Cheng nodded in agreement, "Of course."

"That's great!" The girl instantly perked up and ran briskly toward the examination room.

The cuddly dog ​​wagged its tail happily and followed behind, its little paws making a series of crisp tapping sounds on the floor.

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the front desk fell silent, leaving only Su Cheng and Jiang Muzhou.

Jiang Muzhou's lips curled slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Why were you hiding just now?"

"Who...who's hiding?" Su Cheng forced herself to meet his gaze, but her fingers were nervously twisting together. "I just saw that Senior Jiang is so popular and you two were having a good chat, so I didn't want to disturb you."

Jiang Muzhou raised an eyebrow slightly.

How come he, the person involved, didn't know how much fun they were having?

Just now at the front desk, I clearly heard her and Lin Yang chatting and laughing in the consultation room.

Does this count as the guilty party accusing the innocent first?

"When it comes to popularity, I can't compare to Senior Su. She recruited new members for the club in just a few minutes." He deliberately emphasized the word "junior," "She always manages to catch the eyes of the juniors."

His gaze swept over her reddened earlobes, and he chuckled softly, "Unfortunately, someone seems completely oblivious."

Where did this junior come from? There's only one junior girl.

"How would I know?" Su Cheng muttered softly, completely confused. "I'm not like you, who has eyes for everyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, it was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

She took a step forward with her long, straight legs, her tall figure slightly bent down, and the shadow she cast completely enveloped her.

Jiang Muzhou's lips curved slightly, his eyes crinkling with a gentle smile, his warm breath brushing against the top of her head. "So, you're thinking about it too?"

A blush instantly spread from her cheeks to her neck.

Su Cheng immediately realized that she had said the wrong thing.

My heart pounded in my chest, revealing my panicked state of mind.

She pressed her lips together, desperately searching her mind for a suitable explanation, but found her thoughts in complete disarray.

Just then, the phone rang, like a timely rain.

Jiang Muzhou swiped his phone with his long, slender fingers.

His meaningful gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then he said in a low voice, "I'm going to take this call."

Su Cheng's tense shoulders finally relaxed, and she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

This call came at just the right time.

Her gaze unconsciously followed his retreating figure until he turned slightly to the side, at which point she snapped out of her daze, lowered her head, and walked back to the clinic.

"What's wrong?"

As soon as Jiang Muzhou pushed open the glass door of the pet hospital, a wailing voice immediately burst from the phone, "Ah Xing, I swear to God! I really didn't do anything to betray you!"

He disdainfully moved his phone further away.

On the other end of the phone was his college senior, He Sichao, who inherited his family's pet food factory after graduation. He had gone to great lengths to pursue his girlfriend, Jiang Xing, and eventually changed the factory's name to "Pet Star" to express his feelings.

"Giving gifts to female streamers isn't enough?" Jiang Xing's voice instantly rose eight octaves. "You promised a promotion fee of five thousand, but you secretly increased it to ten thousand and even gave away gifts! Did you get the idea to do something frivolous just because the girl is pretty?"

"Oh my god, I'm so innocent!" He Sichao's wails mingled with the clatter of keyboards. "It was all A-Zhou who made me do this! A-Zhou, say something!"

Jiang Muzhou chuckled softly, "Sister-in-law."

“Jiang Muzhou?” Jiang Xing clearly didn’t believe it. “If you’re going to find a scapegoat, at least pick someone decent. Muzhou watches female anchors? In his four years of college, he probably didn’t even have a female mosquito around him.”

Jiang Muzhou rubbed his temples and said helplessly, "Sister-in-law, it was indeed me who asked Brother Chao for help with this."

Su Cheng's account is just starting out, only just beginning. Although the data performance is good, most merchants are watching and waiting, and no one is willing to be the first to try something new.

Jiang Muzhou was worried that the quality of the brands that approached her was uneven, and that problems might affect her reputation; on the other hand, she was also concerned that big brands would take advantage of their fame to drive down the promotion price.

It just so happens that He Sichao runs a pet food business, and is a well-known, long-established manufacturer in the industry.

Jiang Muzhou knows their factory very well. Not only are their products cost-effective, but their quality control standards are also very strict, making them truly high-quality domestic products.

Having such a strong and reputable leading brand as Su Cheng's first business partner not only sets a high standard for cooperation from the very beginning, but also helps her lay a solid foundation for a good reputation.

After explaining the whole story, Jiang Xing's attitude softened noticeably.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" He Sichao cheered as if he had been granted a pardon, and the keyboard made its last few crisp clicks.

"Ah Zhou, I'm risking my marriage to help you!" He rubbed his aching knees and complained half-jokingly, "You'll have to personally promote our factory's products and soothe my wounded heart."

Jiang Muzhou smiled and agreed, and only then did the person on the other end of the phone stop.

Before hanging up, Jiang Xing's voice, tinged with laughter, came through: "I never expected that Mu Zhou, with such a charming face, would resort to this 'secret crush' thing. Secret crushes have no future."

The night was slightly cool.

The phone screen, which had just gone dark, suddenly lit up, and the cold white light reflected on Jiang Muzhou's face, outlining shadows of varying depths along his contours.

A group message popped up on the screen:

[Love Security Guard: @All members, dinner's served! A super sweet compilation of Mu Yi and Cheng Zhou's moments, come check it out!!]

He unconsciously raised the corners of his mouth.

Who says unrequited love has no future?

This wasn't just an ordinary crush.

His name can be openly listed alongside Su Cheng's, appearing in video titles, trending topics, and every fan's blessing comment.

This unspoken understanding, this connection that only they can comprehend, is a special bond that no one else can break into.

Although it's just for business purposes now, he can't help but hope every time he interacts in front of the camera that perhaps one day, these sweet interactions designed for viewership will truly bring their hearts closer together.

The night was deep.

After autumn arrived, even the last few cicada chirps disappeared.

The surroundings were silent, with only Jiang Muzhou's soft breathing remaining.

He believed that day would come soon.

The glass door of the pet hospital was suddenly pushed open.

Su Cheng walked out carrying a flight case, her eyes filled with a smile, searching for something in the night.

The bright moon hung in the night sky, its cool light pouring down like flowing water, gently enveloping her figure as if draping her in a hazy veil.

Two gazes met lightly in mid-air.

Jiang Muzhou's heart suddenly tightened, then accelerated rapidly like a drumbeat, each beat clearly audible.

Like a stone falling into a cold pool, it instantly shattered the reflected moonlight, leaving only ripples and traces of its trembling.

How can I describe this moment?

Perhaps, as that girl with the ponytail said, it was like an angel suddenly descending to earth.

At this moment, though a thousand words lingered in his mind, they ultimately boiled down to the simplest of phrases.

The moon is beautiful tonight.