Yun Shu Nian glanced up at him before turning her gaze away. "You should go first. Let me think."
The man didn't move.
"What? Are you going to drag me away by force?" Yun Shu Nian's eyes sharpened as she looked at the man.
The man avoided Yun Shu Nian's gaze, tracing the contours of her face inch by inch. "How could I?"
As soon as the man finished speaking, he disappeared again shortly after.
Yun Shu Nian remained silent for a moment, then stood up and walked to the window. Looking at the vast expanse of white outside, she suddenly smiled, yet the tears welling up in her eyes didn't stop.
That night, Mu Qi finally returned.
"Nian Nian." Mu Qi entered the lounge and, seeing the familiar figure, quickly walked forward and embraced Yun Shu Nian.
Yun Shu Nian continued to gaze at the deepening night sky, offering no response.
Mu Qi lowered his head and nuzzled into the crook of Yun Shu Nian's neck. Yun Shu Nian raised her hand and, at a moment when Mu Qi was caught off guard, shoved him away forcefully.
"Nian Nian?" Mu Qi looked at Yun Shu Nian's turning back and then a step further away, his phoenix eyes growing cold.
"Let's go home." Yun Shu Nian walked out without sparing Mu Qi another glance.
Home.
The words echoed in Mu Qi's mind, his expression softening slightly.
"Hey, President. The documents."
Assistant Li, who was waiting outside with documents for Mu Qi to sign, saw Yun Shu Nian and Mu Qi emerge one after the other. He immediately grabbed the documents and hurried after them.
Mu Qi's gaze was fixed on Yun Shu Nian's retreating figure. With one hand, he pushed the documents Assistant Li held out to him aside and quickened his pace.
Even after they both got into the car, Yun Shu Nian continued to ignore Mu Qi.
The driver saw Yun Shu Nian sitting close to the window, her eyes fixed outside.
Then, observing how Mu Qi's gaze hadn't left Yun Shu Nian since they got in the car, he sensed something unusual.
The driver cleared his throat and respectfully asked, "Young Master, where are we going?"
Mu Qi replied swiftly, "Home."
Hearing this, the driver slowly started the car.
"Are you tired?"
Not long after, Mu Qi couldn't resist moving closer to Yun Shu Nian.
Yun Shu Nian turned her head towards the car window, clearly unwilling to engage with him.
The neon lights outside were a kaleidoscope of colors. Yun Shu Nian frowned, finding them utterly obnoxious.
Mu Qi moved closer again, placing his hands on Yun Shu Nian's shoulders. Yun Shu Nian turned and flung his hands away.
What? Was his imitation not good enough?
Mu Qi's expression turned frigid.
The driver, startled again, immediately raised the partition.
Mu Qi reached out and gripped Yun Shu Nian's neck from behind. This time, he didn't give Yun Shu Nian another chance. Instead, he directly pinned her onto his lap, then held her with both hands, encircling her arms as well.
Yun Shu Nian squirmed but couldn't break free from Mu Qi's hold. She stopped struggling, allowing Mu Qi to nibble and bite at her ear.
Now that Mu Qi was willing to be intimate with her for whatever reason, shouldn't she be grateful?
Yun Shu Nian took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let Mu Qi have his way.
Seeing Yun Shu Nian's complete indifference, Mu Qi's eyes turned crimson.
They continued like this all the way to Qi Yuan. Mu Qi did not let Yun Shu Nian down. He carried her directly into Qi Yuan.
Aunt Ning asked Yun Shu Nian what was wrong. Neither of them responded, so Aunt Ning knew there was trouble between them again and didn't dare to interfere.
"I want to go to the wine cellar." Before they even reached the stairs, Yun Shu Nian tugged at Mu Qi's tie.
"What are you going to the wine cellar for?" Yun Shu Nian finally spoke. Mu Qi immediately lowered his head to look at her, his tone gentle.
"What else could I do but get some wine?" Yun Shu Nian pouted, avoiding Mu Qi's gaze.
Mu Qi didn't suspect anything. He carried Yun Shu Nian towards the wine cellar.
"What kind of wine do you want?" Mu Qi carried Yun Shu Nian into the retro European-style wine cellar.
Yun Shu Nian casually picked one. "Red wine."
Mu Qi put Yun Shu Nian down, letting her choose herself.
Yun Shu Nian walked to the nearest wine rack, picked up a bottle at random, and started to walk out.
Mu Qi hooked his arm around her waist from behind and pulled her back.
"Nian Nian, you picked white wine." Mu Qi said, but he didn't tell Yun Shu Nian where the red wine was, intentionally trying to make her speak to him more.
Yun Shu Nian glanced down at the wine in her hand, unconcerned. "I feel like drinking white wine now, is that not allowed?"
Mu Qi looked down at Yun Shu Nian and curved his lips. "It is."
During dinner, Yun Shu Nian put down her knife and fork midway. She said to Mu Qi, "Wait a moment."
Mu Qi paused, then responded.
Yun Shu Nian picked up the wine on the table, went into the bedroom, opened her locked drawer, and poured a packet of brown powder into the wine.
Soon, Yun Shu Nian came back down with the wine.
"Try this." Yun Shu Nian picked up the wine glass next to Mu Qi, poured red wine into it, and handed it to Mu Qi.
Mu Qi took it. "After you drink this, don't ignore me anymore."
Without waiting for Yun Shu Nian to agree, Mu Qi downed the wine Yun Shu Nian had offered him.
After drinking, Mu Qi tasted a lingering sweetness in his mouth, but it wasn't the taste of white wine.
Mu Qi smiled and walked towards Yun Shu Nian.
"Nian Nian." Mu Qi pulled Yun Shu Nian from her seat into his arms and murmured into her ear.
Yun Shu Nian lowered her head, feeling her heartbeat, and was confused.
She should be angry and upset right now, so why was Mu Qi still able to stir her heart so easily?
This time, Yun Shu Nian didn't resist. Mu Qi's gloomy expression lessened.
"Mu Qi, are you sleepy?" Soon, Mu Qi started to sway. Yun Shu Nian gently stroked his hair.
Mu Qi didn't respond. Yun Shu Nian let out a deep sigh.
Yun Shu Nian asked Aunt Ning to go back to her room to rest. Then, she guided Mu Qi to the sofa and used Mu Qi's phone to call Assistant Li.
"Hello." Assistant Li was still working overtime at the company, looking through documents. When the phone rang, he answered without checking the caller ID.
"Assistant Li, Mu Qi wants to see the sea."
Assistant Li: ???
Assistant Li paused for a few seconds before realizing it was Yun Shu Nian using Mu Qi's phone to call him.
After a moment of thought, Assistant Li tentatively asked, "Then should I bring Mu Qi... no, the President, to see the sea now?"