Chapter 70 Cohabitation (Bonus Chapter with 1k Nutrient Solution) Temperature Rolling...
A week has passed since that dinner party.
Mu Tingyu has been living in Xing Ze's house for a week now. The day she woke up, she was moved into his house with her luggage, and they officially started living together.
His house was as large as he said, a detached villa located halfway up a mountain. When she arrived, the drive to his house was a long one on a highway, followed by a winding mountain road; she almost fell asleep before they arrived. Xing Ze said it was quiet and undisturbed, but there were still some servants. Fortunately, they were well-trained and never looked around; they just quietly went about their business.
Mu Tingyu felt very uncomfortable at first, but after a few days, she gradually got used to their presence.
His house was great in every way—spacious and comfortable, much bigger than the small house in Shitang Village, with more rooms. On the day she arrived, Xing Ze showed her around and let her choose a room she liked to use as her art studio. She chose a small, empty room on the top floor. It was because the room had excellent natural light, with a large glass window that let the sunlight flood the entire room.
There's just one thing: Xing Ze seems incredibly busy with work. Ever since that day he brought her home and spent the night with her, he's become elusive. He's gone every morning when she wakes up, and he doesn't come back until very late at night. She can only exchange a few words with him before she gets sleepy. Several days have passed, and she hasn't even exchanged more than a few words with him.
Moreover, she was really craving Xing Ze's cooking; it had been almost half a month since she had eaten it. He spent very little time at home, let alone cooking. Her three meals a day were prepared by the maids who would call her to eat. Although the food was quite good, she always missed the meals that Xing Ze would cook for her himself.
Mu Tingyu has been busy painting these past few days. When she is engrossed in her work, she doesn't feel anything. However, when she is resting, she always feels that the house is cold and quiet. The servants are elusive and never communicate with her, and she has no one to talk to.
Xing Ze probably sensed her boredom, so he gave her a surprise.
"—Little Rain!"
Mu Tingyu's eyes lit up as she looked at the puppy Xing Ze was holding. She ran over and took it from him. The puppy was also excited to see her, wriggling around in her arms, barking twice, and licking her face with its tongue.
It was very hot outside. Xing Ze had just entered the room, his hands still warm. He patted her head and asked with a smile, "Are you happy?"
Mu Tingyu didn't even look up: "So happy! It's been so long, Little Yu! Let me see if you've lost weight~"
She happily held the puppy, looking it over from left to right. It had grown a bit bigger and was quite heavy. She stroked the fluffy dog's head a few times with affection, then put it on the ground and tilted her head back.
Xing Ze looked down at her, his expression gentle. She rushed over and snuggled into his arms.
The man's clothes smelled of sunshine; she sniffed them and mumbled, "I thought Xiaoyu had stayed in the village."
Xing Ze wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace: "She was raised by Jiang Yu before."
"Did you bring it here on purpose?"
"Otherwise what?" Xing Ze smiled and rubbed her cheek with his knuckles. "Didn't you tell me several times that you were bored?"
"Oh dear, not many times." Mu Tingyu smiled and looked up at him. "Is it too troublesome? Actually, I've been using my brain too much drawing these past few days, so I wanted to find something to do. If I get really bored, I'll go out and play by myself!"
If the deadline for submitting her work hadn't been approaching, she wouldn't have been working so hard, staying cooped up in her studio.
Xing Ze said, "It's a bit far from the city center, so it's not very convenient to go out."
"You should be able to get a taxi, right? I heard that the Endless Summer flowers in Jiangming Park are blooming beautifully recently, and I'd like to go see them."
Xing Ze glanced at her, then leaned down and kissed her: "Okay, tell me whenever you want to come, and I'll have the driver pick you up."
"No need, it's too much trouble for him. I can just take a taxi myself." Mu Tingyu smiled and tugged at his sleeve. "Hug me."
Xing Ze picked her up and carried her to the room.
"You're back pretty early today." Mu Tingyu buried her face in the crook of his neck, squinting her eyes contentedly.
"Hmm," Xing Ze responded. "Chen Jiadong wants to see me about something."
Mu Tingyu propped her head up: "Oh right, speaking of him, he called me today and told me about Lin Yulan's trial results."
-
The day after the banquet, Xing Ze took her to see Xing En. In the top-floor office of Zhongtian Group, Xing En warmly embraced her and sat her on the sofa, asking about her recent situation. There were three men opposite them, one was Xing Ze, and the other two were people she also knew: one was Chen Jiadong, who brought her to the banquet, and the other was Duan Cheng, whom she had met once at the banquet.
The two were probably chatting idly in Xing En's office. Duan Cheng leisurely poured himself a cup of tea, while Chen Jiadong huddled beside him, unusually silent. Xing En glanced at him mid-conversation and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
Chen Jiadong looked up at the sky, while Duan Cheng took a sip of tea, seemingly unconcerned, and replied briefly, "Jiadong has upset Aze, and he's afraid he'll get beaten up if he speaks."
Xing En raised an eyebrow and said knowingly, "I heard that you secretly tricked Xiao Tingyu into coming to the banquet last night without Aze's knowledge, and even made her your date?"
"What do you mean by 'deceive'? This was a perfectly legitimate invitation!" Chen Jiadong glanced at Xing Ze, weakly defending himself, "Besides, I really did buy those shoes according to my size, who knew they were too small..."
Mu Tingyu was still wearing Gan Gong's coral fleece slippers. Upon hearing this, she quickly waved her hand and said with a smile, "It's nothing, just a little scratch. It'll be fine soon. Don't worry about it, Chen Lu."
“Tingyu, you’re such a nice person,” Chen Jiadong immediately smiled at her. “Don’t be shy, just call me Jiadong like everyone else.”
"........"
Xing En chuckled and kindly reminded him, "Don't try to act like that here, Aze's glaring at you."
Upon hearing this, Chen Jiadong shrank back and remained silent.
"What are you all doing, hanging around my office every day?" Xing En shooed them away. "Go find something to do and don't bother me and Xiao Tingyu while we're talking."
"Sister En, your tea is delicious. I'm here to steal a moment of peace. Back at the station, I'll only be able to drink instant coffee." Duan Cheng put down his teacup and leaned back casually on the sofa. "Oh, by the way, Miss Mu is here too. Lin Yulan's case has been submitted, but she's in detention and is making a fuss about seeing Miss Mu."
Duan Cheng turned his gaze over, asking Mu Tingyu's opinion, but before she could speak, Xing Ze answered for her: "No."
Ignoring him, Mu Tingyu asked Duan Cheng, "Did she say what it was about?"
Duan Cheng laughed: "It's nothing more than trying to get their understanding, but at this point, it's pointless..."
Mu Tingyu asked curiously, "So what exactly did she do wrong? I asked Xing Ze for ages but he wouldn't tell me."
Duan Cheng raised an eyebrow.
“No need to see her,” Xing Ze said, looking at her calmly. “Seeing her might affect the court hearing.”
"Huh? Really?" Mu Tingyu asked hesitantly.
Of course not. Duan Cheng, seeing Xing Ze's expression, took a sip of tea, knowing full well what was going on, and nodded to Mu Tingyu.
So Mu Tingyu swallowed the words, "If it won't have any impact, I can see him." Actually, she really wanted to kick him while he was down, but she decided to save that for a future prison visit.
Chen Jiadong chimed in from the side, "Don't worry, this matter couldn't be more perfect."
Mu Tingyu was being held by Xing En. Her face was fair and clean, and she was wearing a white T-shirt and loose pants that Xing Ze had sent over, making her look like a college student who hadn't yet entered the workforce.
Her clear, bright eyes glanced at Chen Jiadong and she asked, "Attorney Chen, when I came to see you that day, did you already know me?"
Chen Jiadong: "........."
Why is he interrupting?
"Yeah, I was just trying to play a joke on you. I handled all your cases myself," he said sullenly. "If it weren't for that bottle of wine, I wouldn't have done this thankless task..."
"The wine is gone," Xing Ze said from the side.
"?"
Chen Jiadong said indignantly, "Don't try to deny it! I recorded it, I really recorded it!"
Xing Ze scoffed: "Then explain yourself, what's the deal with that rumor about your fiancée that's been circulating all over the city?"
Chen Jiadong: "......."
"What fiancée?" Mu Tingyu asked curiously.
Duan Cheng replied to her, "Jia Dong never brings female companions to events. You are the first one to be photographed by the media."
—He was always eager for a good show, so he repeated the headline with dramatic intonation: "'Young Master Chen attends with female companion, suspected of having a pre-arranged fiancée, wedding date approaching,' how about that, isn't that a pretty good headline?"
Chen Jiadong swallowed his anger and said, "...Damn it. Stop talking."
Xing En watched with great interest the extremely displeased look on her younger brother's face and couldn't help but laugh.
........
-
Why are you daydreaming?
After they finished washing up, Xing Ze leaned against the headboard, hugged Mu Tingyu in his arms, and kissed her.
"It's nothing," Mu Tingyu murmured, hooking her arm around his neck, "It just feels a little unreal..."
"What's unrealistic about it?"
"......."
Mu Tingyu looked up at him and said, "Nothing here feels real."
She reached out and tugged at the man's cheek. "You're not fake too, are you? Is this all just a dream I had?"
Xing Ze's eyes looked misty in the dim light of the bedside lamp. He chuckled softly, "What nonsense are you thinking about now?"
"Really..." Mu Tingyu pouted in dissatisfaction. "Just a week ago, I was still overwhelmed with problems. I was thinking about how to deal with Lin Yulan's commotion after I called the police. How come you suddenly solved everything?"
"Hmm, are you praising me for being amazing?" Xing Ze asked affectionately, touching her cheek.
Mu Tingyu ignored him and said, "When you first told me this, I was really shocked for a long time. I asked you for the specifics, but you wouldn't tell me. I couldn't find anything online either, so I was really uneasy. It wasn't until today when Attorney Chen called me and sent me the court judgment that I felt a little relieved."
Xing Ze laughed: "Then why were you floating in the sky the whole time?"
After that night, the two returned to their previous inseparable state in Shitang Village. Although Xing Ze was not at home most of the time, he would stick to her whenever he came back, following her everywhere he went. He also became gentler and laughed more often.
He leaned against the headboard, wearing cotton pajamas, his eyes gentle, as if all his hostility had faded away, and his smile shone brightly under the light.
Mu Tingyu was stunned for a moment, and after a long while, she blushed and said, "Why are you laughing so unfairly..."
Xing Ze, in a good mood, pinched her cheek, turned off the light, pulled her down to lie down, and gently kissed her.
Mu Tingyu squinted in the darkness and suddenly exclaimed, "I have to say, money really does make a difference. Without you, I really might not have been able to handle this matter properly."
"Sigh, I suddenly feel like I gave you too little money, and I owe you so much more now."
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the kisses on her face stop.
She opened her eyes in confusion, but before she could ask anything, she noticed the man beside her move, wrap his arm around her waist, and turn her onto himself.
She was startled, and her entire weight pressed down on him, so she had to put her hands on his chest for support. "What are you doing?"
In the darkness, she couldn't see Xing Ze's expression clearly, but she could sense that the pressure around him seemed to have dropped.
Xing Ze looked at her without saying anything.
"What's wrong?" Mu Tingyu waved her hand in front of his face. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Xing Ze reached out and slowly touched her smooth, delicate skin along her back.
"Hey!" Mu Tingyu shuddered and quickly grabbed him, "What are you doing! Don't be a pervert!"
He didn't care that one of her hands was blocked; he simply pressed her down, and the two of them pressed tightly together.
Mu Tingyu grunted in response.
Suddenly, she noticed something and moved her leg.
“.......
She hurriedly and tremblingly reached out to push him away: "Tomorrow, don't you have to go to work tomorrow?"
Xing Ze didn't answer, but slowly spoke, his tone calm, "When will you stop saying things that upset me?"
Mu Tingyu tilted her head back, trembled slightly, and said in a shaky voice, "...No, no, what I mean is...you've done so much for me, I feel bad..."
As soon as she gave her explanation, Xing Ze seemed even more displeased, and his movements became more forceful.
Seeing that her pants were about to fall, she quickly reached out and grabbed them, saying in a panic, "Wait, wait, I... I haven't recovered yet..."
These past few days, Xing Ze has been leaving early and returning late, probably because he was too rough with her that day. So when he comes home at night, he only kisses her a little and doesn't touch her much. Actually, she felt much better after applying the ointment after waking up that night, and she wasn't feeling bad the next day. It's just that the psychological trauma from that night is too great, and she's a little scared now.
Xing Ze grunted in response, but his actions left no room for resistance as he pulled down her pants and said calmly, "Let me check."
"..."
This position left him completely at the mercy of his opponent. Mu Tingyu was held down firmly, and his resistance quickly ended in failure.
In the end, she could only grip the pillow tightly.
......
"Didn't you say it wasn't real?"
In the darkness, Xing Ze braced himself on either side of her, watching her tremble, his voice low and hoarse, "Now? Is it real?"
"......."
Mu Tingyu sobbed, completely unable to speak.
........
-
When Xing Ze woke up the next day, he was gone.
Mu Tingyu was still not fully awake. She subconsciously reached out and touched the other side of the bed, which was ice-cold.
I checked the time on my phone: 9:30 AM.
She lay paralyzed on the bed for a while, then slowly got up and got off the bed, her legs trembling.
She had been cleaned up, put on new pajamas, and the sheets had been changed.
She didn't know if Xing Ze changed her clothes last night or this morning, but she was completely unaware of it.
"......."
She cursed the scoundrel in her mind and turned to go into the bathroom.
The girl in the mirror looked a little tired, with red eyes and slightly messy hair.
She picked up the little rabbit toothbrush cup next to her, squeezed toothpaste onto her toothbrush, and then brushed her teeth while observing herself in the mirror.
She has the kind of skin that doesn't break out, no matter if she ate a lot of spicy food the night before or stayed up all night. She's never really cared about her appearance and has always been too lazy to dress up, going out with her hair down or in a braid every day. But looking at her closely now, she does look a bit tired, and her dark circles are quite noticeable.
Was it Xing Ze who kept kissing her while she was like this?
"........"
Mu Tingyu reached out and wet her hand, then flicked the water droplets onto the mirror, clearly annoyed.
She went downstairs, and the servants, having heard her get up, had already prepared breakfast for her and placed it on the table, where steam was still rising.
She greeted them with a smile, sat down at the table, and scooped a spoonful of porridge into her mouth.
Seeing her eating, the servants prepared to leave quietly.
Mu Tingyu exclaimed "Hey!" and called out to a woman who didn't look very old.
"Miss, is there anything else you need?"
"........"
Mu Tingyu felt that she might still not be used to it.
"Don't be so polite," she waved her hand and patted the stool next to her. "Please sit down, I just want to chat with you. What should I call you?"
“No, Miss,” the simply dressed woman replied respectfully. “You can just call me Qianhong.”
"Sister Qianhong," Mu Tingyu asked curiously, "were you hired by Xing Ze?"
“We came from the old house with the young master. He instructed us to take care of your daily needs,” Qianhong replied.
"The old... old mansion..." This name, which she had only ever heard of in TV dramas, was now a real sight. Mu Tingyu tried her best to maintain her composure. "It's that kind of... deep, secluded mansion..."
Qianhong lowered her head and did not reply.
She asked in turn, "Is that where Xing Ze's parents live?"
“That’s where the gentleman lived,” Qianhong replied. “His wife passed away many years ago.”
Mu Tingyu was taken aback.
I've never heard Xing Ze mention this before. It turns out his mother has already passed away.
She pursed her lips, suddenly remembering that she still didn't know why Xing Ze had left Hangzhou to live in seclusion in Shitang Village. Maybe it was related to this matter. She would ask him when he came back.
"Miss, if you have no further instructions, I will take my leave."
Mu Tingyu came to her senses and, seeing that Qian Hong really didn't want to talk to her anymore, didn't press her and simply agreed.
Watching Qian Hong's departing figure, she paused for a moment, then scooped another mouthful of porridge into her mouth and slowly nibbled on a salted egg yolk shumai.
This porridge isn't as good as Xing Ze's; it's too thick.
When will Xing Ze come back to cook for her?
Suddenly, my phone vibrated.
She peeked out.
I was just thinking about him when he sent me a message.
[X: Are you awake?]
[Not listening: Not awake.]
There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a voice message came through.
Xing Ze's voice, tinged with amusement, came through the receiver: "Are you tired? Have you had breakfast?"
How can I not be tired?
Mu Tingyu rolled her eyes, speechless at this kind of man who got the benefits but acted innocent.
She took a picture of the breakfast on the table.
The reply came quickly: "Baby, you've worked hard. Eat more."
The more Mu Tingyu read this line, the more irritating it seemed. She threw down her spoon, pressed the voice chat button, and asked, "When are you coming back?"
His voice was gentle: "I have a dinner engagement tonight that I can't cancel, so I might be a little late. Don't wait up for me."
It's already late, what are you going to do if it gets any later?
Mu Tingyu stroked her chin and replied, "Just a meal? There won't be a second round after this, will there?"
There was no further reply.
"......."
What's causing this inexplicable sense of crisis?
Mu Tingyu slurped down the bowl of porridge, ate a shumai, and then stood up and walked towards the sunroom.
Xing Ze's favorite place in this villa is the sunroom, which faces the small garden in the backyard. The garden has a small swimming pool, lounge chairs and parasols, a small fountain, and a whole circle of green plants and flowers.
But it's too hot outside now, and the heatwave would blast her back if she went out, so she can only look at the scenery from indoors.
Inside, there was a long table covered with a beige linen cloth, on which sat several porcelain vases filled with fresh, dew-kissed flowers, which the servants changed daily. A recliner with cushions and pillows sat before the glass door leading to the courtyard, next to a small tea table. It was unclear whether Xing Ze had arranged it this way intentionally, but it was exactly the same as the furnishings on the third floor.
She was too full to sit down, so she stood in front of the glass door to digest her food, staring at the splashing water in the fountain.
After watching for a while, she took out her phone and sent a WeChat message to Jiang Chu.
[Ignoring: Chu Bao, are you free today?]
Jiang Chu should have woken up by now, but before she could reply, Xing Ze returned with a voice message.
"Hmm, so you know to check up on me now," Xing Ze's voice came through the rustling of wind, sounding like he was saying it with a smile. "I'm very happy."
"........"
Mu Tingyu's ears turned slightly red.
“I was just asking casually,” she said into the microphone. “I’m going out to play today.”
This time, the reply came quickly, though the tone sounded somewhat disapproving: "You were so tired last night, why don't you stay home and rest today?"
Although his words seemed to be asking for her opinion, they still carried a subtle hint of assertiveness.
Mu Tingyu replied, word by word, "No good."
There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a phone call suddenly came in.
She pressed the answer button, and Xing Ze's helpless voice immediately came through: "Listen to me, it's so hot outside, what if you get heatstroke?"
"I won't listen, I won't listen, I won't listen." She said, hands on her hips. "I won't go outside to avoid the heat, I'll go to the mall."
Xing Ze asked in confusion, "What are you going to the mall for? What do you want to buy? Just tell me if you need anything."
"No, I'm just going for a walk. I'm so bored, I'm dying of boredom. Before, when we were in the art studio, I could talk to Chu Bao, but now that you're not here, there's no one to talk to." She complained, "You're always nowhere to be seen, and now you won't even let me go out and play?"
Xing Ze remained silent for a while before finally giving in and saying, "Okay, then I'll have the driver take you there."
"No need, can't you get a taxi here?"
"It's too far, I'll feel more at ease if the driver takes you."
Mu Tingyu pouted and replied, "Okay, when is he coming?"
"Tell the maid when you want to leave. The driver is at home."
"All right."
Xing Ze then asked, "Are we just going to the mall? Who are you going with?"
"Jiang Chu."
It sounded like someone called Xing Ze's name. Xing Ze's voice came through quickly: "Then take care of yourself, okay? Save the driver's number later, and have him take you home after you're done shopping."
"Okay, I got it," Mu Tingyu said with a smile. "You can get back to work."
"Okay, good girl."
He seemed genuinely busy; he hung up the phone quickly after saying that.
Jiang Chu replied at that moment: "Yes, what's up?"
Mu Tingyu chuckled: "Come shopping with me!"
......
-
"Tingbao, why did you suddenly decide to buy cosmetics?"
Jiang Chu looked at Mu Tingyu, who was engrossed in studying the cosmetics counter, and said blankly.
"I feel like I might need this later." Mu Tingyu asked without looking up, "Hey, what's this white stuff? Where do you apply it?"
Jiang Chu glanced at it and said, "Oh, that's highlighter."
She then asked, "By the way, Tingbao, have you been staying at your boyfriend's house these past few days?"
"yes."
Jiang Chu's expression was somewhat complicated: "I still haven't recovered. You got a boyfriend without saying a word. And what's with moving all your things out? The studio is so deserted now, it doesn't feel human at all."
Mu Tingyu rested her head on her shoulder, feeling a little guilty: "Oh dear, when I went to teach in the rural area before, you were the only one in the art studio."
"You have the nerve to say that," Jiang Chu glanced at her sideways, "You've only been back for a few days, and you've already run off again."
"I'll only stay for a while," Mu Tingyu assured her, putting his arm around her. "I'll come back to be with you after a while!"
"Please don't," Jiang Chu said helplessly. "I'm afraid he'll move the entire art studio home. Do you know how shocked I was when I walked in? If I hadn't seen your message, I would have definitely called the police. Everything you used in the inner room was gone; they almost took my bed and table too. —Did your boyfriend call Lalamove?"
“............”
Mu Tingyu mentally punched Xing Ze, then quickly smiled and said, "Maybe so, I'm not sure either. Um, which shade do you think suits me?"
Jiang Chu's attention was drawn to the color, and after comparing the two lipsticks, she said confidently, "I think they both suit me well."
“Then I’ll buy them all…” Mu Tingyu muttered to herself.
Jiang Chu looked at the pile of things in her hands and asked, "Do you need to buy all of these? Actually, if you're just starting out with makeup, a simple set is enough."
“Buy them all,” Mu Tingyu frowned and raised her eyebrows for a moment. “Hey, what was that sparkly stuff you put on my eyes the other day?”
"........"
Half an hour later, Mu Tingyu came out of the cosmetics area on the first floor carrying several bags of different sizes.
"I didn't expect there to be free makeup trials. The ladies are so kind."
Jiang Chu pinched her chin and looked at her, then nodded in satisfaction: "Hmm, it looks good. Usually, these counters have makeup trials. Maybe it's because you're pretty that they did a full face of makeup for you. This foundation is quite sheer; I'll try this next time."
Mu Tingyu reached out and brushed her eyelashes aside: "I'm still not used to it, it feels a bit sticky."
"It's normal, you'll get used to it after a while. You haven't even put on false eyelashes yet, so they'll be more noticeable." Jiang Chu grabbed her hand. "Don't scratch me."
Mu Tingyu smiled sheepishly, "Wait for me, wait for me to go back and practice my skills..."
Jiang Chu took her arm and led her upstairs: "Since we're already here, let's go buy some clothes! You wear T-shirts and jeans every day, it's time for a change. You look so good in a dress."
Mu Tingyu had originally wanted to go shopping for clothes, so she readily agreed.
The mall was huge, with several floors full of shops. The two of them wandered around for half a day, each carrying several bags.
Mu Tingyu stood in front of the shelf, biting her lip with some hesitation.
"Chu Bao, which of these two looks better?" she called out.
"Bring it here!" Jiang Chu sat down on the sofa. "I can't stand up anymore, I'll sit for a while."
So Mu Tingyu picked up two dresses and went over to her, stood in front of her, and held them up to compare them.
"To be honest," Jiang Chu said sincerely, "with your model and figure, clothes won't look good on you."
Mu Tingyu smiled and said, "Oh, why don't you pick one? This store is so expensive, I can't afford two."
"Hmm..." Jiang Chu hesitated for a while, "How about the light green one on the left? Your skin is fair, it will suit you. You should try it on first!"
"Okay!" Mu Tingyu turned around and excitedly went into the changing room.
"Wow, she's got so much energy..." Jiang Chu exclaimed. Just as she was about to take a sip of water, her phone on her lap vibrated and lit up.
"Huh?"
She glanced at it, her gaze immediately drawn to it, and picked it up to unlock it.
"I'm here! What do you think?"
Jiang Chu looked up from her phone, her eyes lighting up: "I told you this one looked good! It's so pretty!"
"Really?" Mu Tingyu's eyes crinkled into a smile, and she ran to the mirror to look at herself again.
The sales assistant next to me couldn't help but laugh: "It's very pretty, and it suits you perfectly."
"I think it's pretty good too." Mu Tingyu smiled, then looked down at the bottom with some hesitation, "But isn't it a bit short?"
“This isn’t short at all,” the sales assistant said, straightening the hem of her skirt. “It reaches your knees, which is a perfect length. You can wear it casually or to a party. Let me help you find a pair of shoes that will look even better.”
"Okay, thank you, sister," Mu Tingyu said sweetly.
"Hey, Tingbao, come here for a second," Jiang Chu called out to her from the sofa area.
"What's the matter?"
She walked over and heard Jiang Chu say, "Do you remember that client who was willing to wait for you for two months last time? He's messaged you again now asking about your availability."
"Yes, I know. Didn't he ask me before?"
"He said he wanted to order a landscape painting on a larger canvas and asked if you were interested." Jiang Chu looked somewhat shocked. "He quoted a price, guess how much?"
“…Huh?” Mu Tingyu looked at her expression and pondered for a moment, “Fifty thousand?”
"That's too narrow-minded." Jiang Chuyi waved his hand. "Guess again."
Mu Tingyu thought 50,000 was already a bit high, but she didn't expect it to be even higher. She asked in shock, "How much?"
Jiang Chu held up his hand and made a "two" gesture.
“...How much?!” Mu Tingyu gasped.
“Right? Isn’t that shocking?” Jiang Chu said. “But there’s one thing he said he wants to talk to you in person.”
Mu Tingyu frowned and hissed, "In person...?"
“I know you don’t like being exposed, but this client is really nice, easy to talk to and pays quickly.” Jiang Chu stroked his chin. “If you don’t want to, I can ask him if I can make a phone call.”
The words "two hundred thousand" and "disappearance" lingered in her mind for a while. Mu Tingyu crossed her arms and said hesitantly, "But that's two hundred thousand... I saved up for so long to get two hundred thousand back then."
“Yeah, why can’t there be one more rich person like me?” Jiang Chu sighed and asked her, “Are you going to give in to money?”
Just then, the sales assistant came over with a pair of white sandals: "Sir, please try these on, they go very well with your dress."
Mu Tingyu thanked her, sat down on the sofa, changed her clothes, and then looked at herself in the mirror.
These are a pair of white high heels with thin straps, and a transparent strap at the ankle, which makes the calves look even slimmer.
Jiang Chu also came over, looked at her in the mirror, and exclaimed, "You look so good, Tingbao... It's a good thing you didn't dress up in college, otherwise the confession wall would be flooded with confessions to you every day."
Mu Tingyu smiled and winked at her: "There's no need to mention the past glories!"
She stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself from left to right, and suddenly said, "Chu Bao, why don't you ask him to have dinner with you?"
"Huh?" Jiang Chu asked, "You've decided? Then I'll ask."
“Yes,” Mu Tingyu sighed, “You have to earn money to support yourself. Who would turn down money?”
"Isn't your boyfriend quite rich?" Jiang Chu said while looking down at her phone and texting.
"That's his money, not mine," Mu Tingyu laughed and said to the saleswoman, "Sister, I'll just take these two."
"Hey! He replied to your message, asking if you're free tonight."
"Tonight? Is the client in such a hurry?" Mu Tingyu muttered. "Alright, we haven't had dinner yet anyway."
She turned and walked towards the fitting room, preparing to change out of the clothes she was going to buy.
Jiang Chu quickly stopped her, "Just wear that, we're going to eat anyway. The restaurant he sent me seems pretty expensive..."
Mu Tingyu thought about it and agreed.
After the sales assistant finished processing her payment, she thoughtfully cut off all the tags and gave her some tips on washing and care products.
The two went outside, and Jiang Chudao said to Xiaohang, "It's quite far. Shall we take a taxi? It'll be lunchtime when we get there."
This was the first time Mu Tingyu had experienced a dinner party that she could just decide to attend on a whim. She felt a little forced into it, and she couldn't help but laugh: "Sure."
"Oh right, didn't you say your driver brought you here? Is he waiting for you in the underground parking lot?"
"Probably not." Mu Tingyu opened her mouth, "Would they wait that long for me to finish shopping?"
Moreover, Mu Tingyu only told Xing Ze that she was going with Jiang Chu before she left home. Unexpectedly, a dinner party came up halfway through the trip. She felt that it was better to avoid trouble, so she didn't tell him and just went back early after dinner.
Jiang Chu thought about it and also felt it was unlikely, so she said, "Okay, let's go then."
-
The restaurant chosen by the client was decorated in a Chinese style, with a rockery and flowing water at the entrance, the sound of the babbling water mingling with the thin mist, and even the door frames were carved wood, making it look very elegant. The waiters who led the way were dressed in Zhongshan suits and cheongsams that matched the restaurant's style, and in the center of the restaurant was a long rosewood table, where a young lady with a flower in her hair sat playing the zither.
They were caught in the evening rush hour and were stuck on the elevated road for half a day. By the time they rushed there, it was already quite late.
Mu Tingyu hurriedly stepped into her high heels and followed the waiter to the window table reserved by the customer. She was about to apologize when what came out was, "Huh?"
The man who had been casually leaning against the window straightened up, his expression showing some surprise: "It's you?"
Jiang Chu looked at the two of them: "You...know each other?"
Mu Tingyu was also surprised and nodded: "I know him. I met him once on a plane before."
The man before her was none other than the one who sat next to her on the plane back to Hangzhou. He had lent her his blanket and had politely inquired about her situation, so Mu Tingyu remembered him quite well.
He was wearing a formal suit back then, but now he was much more casual, wearing a light blue shirt with two buttons undone.
"Please have a seat," the man said with a smile. "What a coincidence, are you the artist yourself?"
“Yes, I didn’t expect that either.” Mu Tingyu laughed. “You don’t look like someone who would fly economy class.”
"Sigh," the man said with feigned helplessness, "I suddenly ran into some trouble and had to rush back. Make do with this seat."
Seeing that he wasn't upset about their lateness, Jiang Chu felt relieved and first explained, "Sorry, there was a bit of traffic on the way, so we're late. Have you ordered? Let's eat and chat."
The man nodded and gestured to the waiter.
"I originally wanted to treat you to a meal in a private room, but they have very few private rooms, and they are sometimes booked out. Today, we just don't have any available rooms, so I'm sorry to trouble you two ladies to dine in the main hall."
Jiang Chu quickly waved his hand: "That's great, we can even listen to someone play the piano."
The man laughed.
Although he was a customer, he seemed approachable and spoke with humor. Mu Tingyu and Jiang Chu were both talkative people, so the three of them quickly started chatting.
Halfway through the meal, Jiang Chu leaned over to Mu Tingyu and said, "Tingbao, I'm going to the restroom."
"Okay, go ahead."
The man continued to describe the visual style he wanted to her, while the waiter brought in the dishes.
"This steamed shad is quite good." The man gestured to her, "You should try it, it's their signature dish."
Mu Tingyu didn't particularly like eating fish, so she picked up a small piece, put it in her mouth, and gave a perfunctory compliment: "It's actually not bad."
"It's a pity we're a bit past the right time now; it's best in early summer," the man said regretfully. "My wife loves this dish, but unfortunately she's not in the country this summer."
Mu Tingyu asked in surprise, "You have a wife?"
“Yes, I’m married,” the man laughed. “Can’t you tell? That means I still look quite young.”
"I really can't tell."
"Moreover, my wife really likes your paintings and has ordered me to make sure I can book a time slot with you to buy a large one to decorate our new home."
Mu Tingyu smiled and said, "I see. Then you two must have a very good relationship."
The man couldn't hide the smile on his lips, but said, "It's alright, it can be quite annoying sometimes."
At that moment, the door to a private room not far away opened from the inside, and a group of people came out.
The two were chatting happily and didn't notice each other.
The leader was a middle-aged man who looked like he had been drinking. He turned to the young man next to him and said, "I don't see you've eaten much. Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"
The young man said, "Someone at home is waiting."
"Oh?" The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then asked in surprise, "—You're dating? When did that happen?"
"It's been two months."
"You little rascal, you kept it from us, didn't you? Bai Ping even said the other day that he would introduce you to a girl for a blind date."
The young man smiled slightly and said, "Thank you, Aunt Bai."
"Does Fang Bai know about this?"
"I understand."
"When are you planning to meet the parents?" the middle-aged man patted his shoulder and laughed. "I also want to meet that girl. Was it because of her that you asked for leave from the hospital the other day?"
“............”
The young man did not reply, and he stopped walking.
The middle-aged man looked over in confusion and saw that the man was squinting and staring intently at a couple eating at a table not far away.
Young people rarely show such obvious emotions on their faces. The middle-aged man looked closely at the couple who were chatting happily and couldn't help but ask.
"—What's wrong, Xiao Xing?"
"know?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: I'm late! Thank you for the nutrient solution! Please enjoy this short, two-in-one chapter.
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