OFCC – Chapter 60

If she truly cared about her reputation in the eyes of outsiders, she wouldn’t have used the excuse of visiting the old woman to trick her into playing the role of a loving couple.

Mu Yanxi should have understood this logic long ago.

Yi Wulan was always rumored to be a person aloof from love and passion. Now, watching her accept the absurd title of ‘puppy’ with that emotionless, ascetic, and cold face, Mu Yanxi was not only incredulous but also felt a pang of guilt, as if she had corrupted Yi Wulan.

“I… I was just kidding.” Mu Yanxi, ever adaptable, tried to dodge the hand on her lips.

But even as she opened and closed her mouth to speak, Yi Wulan’s fingertips didn’t move.

With every word she uttered, it was as if Mu Yanxi herself was kissing Yi Wulan’s hand.

The person who would usually shy away from the slightest intimate act.

Now, unexpectedly, did not pull away immediately.

Mu Yanxi forced a smile, her hand pitifully tugging at the hem of Yi Wulan’s inner dress. She blinked at Yi Wulan in a fawning manner.

Her face was a clear plea of ‘let me go.’

Yi Wulan lowered her gaze to the hem of her dress being tugged, then slowly shifted her eyes back to Mu Yanxi’s face, but she remained in the same position, unmoving.

Mu Yanxi grew even more guilty under her seemingly all-seeing gaze.

The more guilty she felt, the more her mind grew muddled with anger, and she could no longer maintain the well-behaved facade she had painstakingly put up.

Adhering to the principle that if she wasn’t happy, Yi Wulan couldn’t be either, she suddenly grabbed Yi Wulan’s collar, pulled her down, and flipped over to press her down, giving Yi Wulan a fierce kiss.

Ever since Mu Yanxi discovered her special ability could make Yi Wulan’s body enter a rapid state of repair, every one of her kisses for Yi Wulan seemed to have ulterior motives.

It was either out of exasperation and a desire to bully her, or out of shame and anger and a desire to shut her up.

This time, however, there were no ill intentions.

Mu Yanxi was confused and at a loss about Yi Wulan’s abnormal behavior. Feeling cornered, she bit down hard on Yi Wulan’s lip, subconsciously forgoing the possibility of using her ability.

Mu Yanxi didn’t hold back with her teeth. The moment she bit down, she wished she could vent all the inner turmoil and dissatisfaction of the past month, wished she could just swallow Yi Wulan whole.

It wasn’t enough that Yi Wulan had deceived her during her adolescence; now she was deceiving her present self, always putting on a ‘I’m very sick, I don’t want to drag you down’ act to reject her.

It was truly detestable.

Besides, Mu Yanxi had always been the type of person who had to get what she wanted. In truth, playing this house-like emotional game with Yi Wulan for a month had already pushed her to her limit.

In those few dreams, in those dusty photographs, Mu Yanxi had indeed felt her past self’s feelings for Yi Wulan. For the past two days, she had been repeatedly trying to confirm whether she was being influenced by her past self.

In her past life, she had been manipulated by the world’s consciousness and had experienced the feeling of being implicitly told to like someone. She loathed that kind of misguided emotion, so after her rebirth, she was naturally more cautious about her feelings.

Although the memories of her adolescence were real and completely different from the world consciousness’s manipulation, she was still very cautious. So cautious that she had to distinguish whether the indescribable emotional changes in her heart were her past feelings acting up, or her present self sinking deeper.

Even though, it was all her.

But Mu Yanxi had overestimated her own willpower.

In the end, she was still easily influenced by her surroundings. She would soften towards Yi Wulan after learning the truth about her car accident from Old Madam Yi, and she would bristle with grievance at Yi Wulan’s sudden apology.

Ultimately, no amount of excuses could deny it: her present self was deeply concerned about Yi Wulan’s every joy and sorrow.

Even if Yi Wulan was a person who only ever wore a stern face and seemed to have no joys or sorrows.

As she thought, the force of her bite lessened. The moment her teeth slightly released their grip, the salty, metallic taste of blood spread between their lips.

Mu Yanxi seemed to finally snap back to her senses, scrambling to get off Yi Wulan.

Previously, Yi Wulan would either dodge and scold her, or let Mu Yanxi do as she pleased before finding a way to push her away. But this time, perhaps reminded by the old madam, she belatedly realized that Mu Yanxi’s patience also had its limits.

Faced with Mu Yanxi’s bristling outburst, just as Mu Yanxi’s force slackened, Yi Wulan suddenly exerted strength in her waist and legs, flipping them over and pinning Mu Yanxi underneath her.

Yi Wulan reached out one hand, suddenly covering Mu Yanxi’s perpetually bewitching eyes. Her other hand rested on the side of Mu Yanxi’s neck, pressing her into the soft, pure white bedding.

With a muffled “thump,” the back of Mu Yanxi’s head bounced on the mattress. She wasn’t hurt, but she was thoroughly frightened.

Yi Wulan gazed with a complex expression at the lower half of Mu Yanxi’s face, which was still uncovered. Her rosy lips were stained with a few streaks of blood taken from her, looking exceptionally bewitching.

She leaned down and captured Mu Yanxi’s lips.

The bloody kiss carried a hint of aggression, sending a shiver down Mu Yanxi’s spine.

It was clearly Mu Yanxi who had initiated the kiss, but when she was forcibly held down and kissed, she angrily clenched her jaw and pursed her lips in resistance. She tried to turn her head away, desperately pushing against Yi Wulan’s shoulders.

But Yi Wulan’s upper body was leaning on her, and Mu Yanxi didn’t want to kick her legs. It had taken so much effort to heal Yi Wulan’s legs that she subconsciously abandoned the thought.

The kiss deepened, breaking through one defense after another, and Mu Yanxi’s entire body gradually softened. But her hands didn’t stop moving, and it was unclear whether she was trying to pull her closer or truly push her away.

Yi Wulan’s restraining hold also lightened considerably. Mu Yanxi managed to force out a few muffled sounds from between her blocked lips and teeth: “Get… Yi, you get… off mmmph!”

The spacious bedroom, with its own study and walk-in closet, seemed to shrink at this moment. The ambiguity in the air seemed to be everywhere, gradually heating up.

Mu Yanxi’s eyes were covered, and the soundproof windows blocked all outside noise. Coupled with the fact that this was the room Yi Wulan had lived in for many years since childhood, the sensation on her lips felt particularly clear and forbidden, causing shivers to run through her.

Yi Wulan always wore a crisp, cool perfume. As a president, it always inspired awe and a sense of lofty detachment.

But this scent had lingered on Yi Wulan’s body for too long.

So long that it had sealed away all her emotions over the years, so long that it seemed to have seeped into her very bones. Even now, as she kissed the person in her heart so forcefully, she still carried an aura as cold as frost and snow.

Mu Yanxi’s waist grew weak in waves. If she weren’t being forcibly held down, she probably would have collapsed.

Her pale skin, from being in the cold wind outside just now, gradually regained its color, a flush showing through her light makeup. Her lips were filled with whimpers she couldn’t hold back.

The sounds entered her ears, and Yi Wulan’s movements paused for a moment, but she quickly pressed down again.

Mu Yanxi was forced to tilt her head back, accepting a kiss as fierce as a violent storm. Her pushing hands had long since given up; she now just tightly gripped the collar of Yi Wulan’s clothes by her shoulder, her slender neck trembling and swallowing gently.

On the small balcony outside, a gentle breeze blew through the branches and leaves, causing petals to fall and cover the roots. It was a scene of tranquility, seemingly completely unaffected.

As if sensing Mu Yanxi’s distress, Yi Wulan’s hand, which was originally on Mu Yanxi’s shoulder, slowly moved to the nape of her neck and gently stroked it.

Mu Yanxi’s entire body was sensitive. Especially after gaining her ability, any injury could self-repair, and her body’s natural protective mechanisms seemed to have been weakened, making her perception of the outside world much more sensitive.

Before, when Yi Wulan hadn’t moved and they were just pressed together through their clothes, it was enough to make her waist go weak. Now, the warm palm gently stroking and kneading the back of her neck sent a shiver through her entire body. Her fingers dug into Yi Wulan’s shoulders, changing from gripping the collar to clawing with her fingertips, her knuckles turning white from the excessive force.

Suddenly, the palm Yi Wulan had placed over Mu Yanxi’s eyes slowly grew damp.

Yi Wulan’s pupils constricted, and she finally let go.

In such a lingering and ambiguous kiss, tears involuntarily welled up in Mu Yanxi’s dazed eyes. This was a normal physiological reaction, but when Yi Wulan saw those unfocused fox-like eyes, she still froze for a moment.

The corners of Mu Yanxi’s lips were still glistening. Her once impeccably neat shirt was now wrinkled, and her dark hair was tangled in it like a blooming cluster of flowers.

“Yi…” She seemed to want to speak, but she was panting from the prolonged lack of oxygen. Her eyes, which had just regained their sight, hadn’t fully adjusted yet. She could only futilely clutch Yi Wulan’s collar, a rare, fragile confusion flashing in her eyes as she looked at her.

Just moments ago, the little ancestor arguing with Yi Wulan had been baring her claws, berating her without a shred of mercy or hesitation. But now… Yi Wulan looked at Mu Yanxi’s tear-filled eyes and gently wiped the moisture from the corner of her lips with the pad of her thumb.

Yi Wulan spoke in a low, soft, and slightly hoarse tone, “Are you okay?”

“Get… get off!” Mu Yanxi regained a bit of strength. Panting heavily, she slapped at Yi Wulan’s hand. With a loud ‘smack,’ she didn’t hold back at all, finally knocking the hand away from her lips.

Mu Yanxi saw her own disheveled reflection in Yi Wulan’s pupils. She placed the back of her hand over her eyes, trying to escape the unbearable feeling.

She panted lightly, finally regaining some strength from the afterglow of her limp state. After a while, she could finally speak a complete sentence: “I had no idea the great President Yi wanted to have a spring night with me so badly…”

Her eyes were slightly red, and her hand didn’t cover them completely. The skin at the corners of her eyes could be seen, still flushed with a crimson hue.

Mu Yanxi took a breath before continuing coolly, “…This doesn’t seem to be within the scope of our cooperation agreement, does it? I wonder how much President Yi plans to pay me this time? Why don’t you give me a little more, and I can let you have your way with me.”

Yi Wulan: …

Mu Yanxi’s hand clutched the bedsheet as she struggled to calm her breathing. She cursed Yi Wulan countless times in her heart while also feeling a little intimidated by the person who hadn’t left.

Yi Wulan was someone who never showed what she was going to do or what she was thinking on her face. Just like now, you couldn’t tell at all that she was the same person who had pinned her to the bed and kissed her senseless just a moment ago.

Back when Yi Wulan’s leg had just healed, she had been able to hold her on the hospital bed and bite her until she was a mess. During this time, Mu Yanxi had tempted her countless times, and it seemed even Yi Wulan’s lingering hang-up about fainting from intimate contact had dissipated.

That round of kissing was almost enough to make her pass out.

If this were to happen again…

The fearless Mu Yanxi felt that she was probably no match for the legendary ‘frigid’ Yi Wulan.

Mu Yanxi was completely enveloped by Yi Wulan’s presence and couldn’t regain her footing. Seizing the moment Yi Wulan was stunned by her words, she pushed her away with all her might, scrambled off the bed without even grabbing her coat or phone, and fled as if for her life.

Yi Wulan watched Mu Yanxi’s panicked and disheveled figure.

Mu Yanxi grabbed the doorknob and pushed twice without success before realizing she had to pull it open. Recalling her frantic escape, she realized how undignified she had been. She turned around and coldly delivered a threat:

“Yi Wulan! You, if you dare do this to me again, I’ll get really angry!” She patted her chest with a trembling hand, then pointed at Yi Wulan threateningly, “I’ll cut… cut off your funding, you know, and you’ll go bankrupt!”

Normally, if Yi Wulan heard such a threat, she would probably already be calculating how to respond and turn the tables.

But the Mu Yanxi who said this now had eyes full of mist, her wet lashes stuck together. There was no deterrent force at all; all that remained seemed to be…

…vibrant and seductive charm.

Mu Yanxi was already halfway out the bedroom door but couldn’t resist glancing back at Yi Wulan. Yi Wulan’s expression was calm; it was impossible to tell if she believed her threat.

But it seemed she wasn’t affected by her harsh words.

After looking, Mu Yanxi only felt even more embarrassed.

She immediately put on a stern face and hurried out the door, like a little fox on the run.

Yi Wulan watched Mu Yanxi leave with a blank expression. She reached up to touch her lip, which had been bitten at the beginning, then slowly moved her hand up to the back of her head.

She had been so emotional just now, yet she hadn’t fainted…

Recently, the injury in her brain had been affecting her daily life less and less. This autumn, it seemed she hadn’t experienced any unbearable headaches.

Did that mean she could really be saved?

But Yi Wulan had never been one to indulge in fantasies. After her legs were healed, Doctor Xiusina had performed a brain scan. At that time, her insomnia symptoms had gradually disappeared, but she still didn’t meet the conditions for surgery.

Yi Wulan sighed. When it came to Mu Yanxi, she always seemed to cross the boundaries she had initially set for herself, time and time again.

Just now, it seemed she had… really angered the little ancestor.

Her gaze fell on the coat Mu Yanxi had thrown on the floor. She picked it up and walked out.

After leaving the bedroom, Mu Yanxi didn’t know where to go. Although she and Yi Wulan were married, there were still elders here. She had no choice but to find a window in the second-floor hallway and lean against it to look at the scenery.

But she had only been idle for a few seconds when she heard the sound of hurried footsteps behind her. Mu Yanxi turned to look and saw a stately woman accompanied by a young man she seemed to have seen before.

Mu Yanxi squinted at them. Her naturally upturned fox-like eyes narrowed further, taking on a sharp edge.

She finally remembered—that was Yi Zizhuo’s younger brother. She then looked at the displeased woman beside him, and the corners of her mouth slowly curled up. She had been holding in her frustration since fleeing Yi Wulan’s bedroom, and now, seeing these two, she was suddenly ecstatic. An unknowing observer might have thought she’d seen her beloved.

She turned around proactively, leisurely leaning against the windowsill, her eyes shining brightly.

“You are… Mu Yanxi?” The woman’s gaze looked like it could devour her. “So she really has the nerve to come back after doing something like that. Where is Yi Wulan?”

Mu Yanxi wasn’t reserved like Yi Wulan. Even if she couldn’t do anything drastic because of Old Madam Yi, she had to win the war of words and not let this branch of the Yi family have an easy time.

The smile on her face deepened as she asked lazily, “Ah, why is Third Aunt so angry?”

The woman had come looking for trouble. Upon hearing the obedient-sounding ‘Third Aunt,’ her lips twitched, and she immediately had a bad feeling. She said sternly:

“It was you, it was a trap set by you and Yi Wulan, wasn’t it? My Zizhuo is still so young, yet Yi Wulan insists on prosecuting him to the end. Why are you two so vicious?”

Mu Yanxi nodded and said with a grin, “Third Aunt, my condolences. With two people suddenly gone from the family, it must be a bit lonely. My condolences.”

Yi Zizhuo’s case hadn’t been finalized, and Yi Hongwei was still being treated in the hospital.

The final outcome for them wasn’t even decided, so why the condolences?

At these words, the woman’s face turned pale then green. She pointed at Mu Yanxi, speechless for a long time. After more than ten seconds, she finally roared, “You’re an outsider, shut your mouth!”

This was the scene Yi Wulan saw when she came out to deliver the coat.

The little ancestor who had just threatened her with bankruptcy now seemed to have stirred up more trouble.

The woman fell silent abruptly upon seeing Yi Wulan. As a woman who never interfered with company matters, she didn’t know much about Mu Yanxi, but she had long since experienced Yi Wulan’s methods.

Yi Wulan gave her a cold glance, and the woman shivered, unable to utter a single word.

“Hee, I won’t!” Seeing Yi Wulan arrive, Mu Yanxi didn’t even spare her a glance. Acting completely like the mistress of the house, she leisurely took a couple of steps. “I’m here to see Grandma. What does that have to do with you? What, are you going to kick me out?”

Yi Wulan could tell Mu Yanxi was walking around to warm up. She pursed her lips and stepped forward to drape the coat over her.

Seeing Mu Yanxi’s fearless attitude, how could the woman not see who she was relying on? She immediately turned her grim face towards Yi Wulan and scolded, “Yi Wulan, we watched you grow up. How have we ever mistreated you? Are you really going to disregard all blood ties and be so ruthless?”

Yi Wulan didn’t speak, meeting her with silence.

“Fine, fine.” The woman laughed in extreme anger, praising her twice. “Yi Wulan, you truly are cold-hearted and ruthless, willing to sacrifice your own family for righteousness. Zizhuo is one thing, but you won’t even show mercy to your own brother!”

Yi Wulan rarely spoke much even to Mu Yanxi on a normal day, let alone argue with someone here. She just stood in front of Mu Yanxi, her eyes lowered, not saying a word.

“Oh, how strange.” Mu Yanxi had no such scruples. Plus, she was looking for a way to vent her anger. Faced with a punching bag that had delivered itself to her, her mouth started running a mile a minute.

“I don’t recall you showing any mercy during the Yi family’s internal struggles back then. Trying to snatch the company was one thing, but did you really think no one knew about your behind-the-scenes actions? Now that you’re facing retribution, you want to talk about family ties? Since when in this country are right and wrong not decided by the law, but by you?”

The woman was indeed choked by the retort: “You!”

Mu Yanxi peeked out from behind Yi Wulan. “Me? Ah, me, what about me?”

The woman was so angry she lost all composure, her jewelry rattling like a country bumpkin’s. “What right do you have to interfere in the Yi family’s affairs? What do you think you are?”

“Third Aunt, watch your words,” Yi Wulan finally said coldly. “Yi Zizhuo’s case will be decided by a judge. My condolences.”

Hearing the words ‘my condolences’ for the second time, the woman’s face changed completely. She pulled her younger son forward. “Quick, say something for your brother.”

Yi Ziqi stepped forward reluctantly. “I’m asking you to let my brother go.”

It sounded like he was pleading, but his face showed no intention of doing so.

Yi Wulan glanced at him, unmoved.

Yi Ziqi said as if he had completed a task, “Mom, she won’t listen to me.”

The woman was furious. “Yi Wulan, aren’t you afraid I’ll go and tell the old madam?”

Yi Wulan looked at the harshness in the woman’s eyes and suddenly said, “There’s no need to disturb Grandma.”

Mu Yanxi tugged on Yi Wulan’s sleeve. “Hey?”

The woman silently breathed a sigh of relief. The atmosphere in the hallway finally eased. As long as Yi Wulan agreed to let them off, even if he was sentenced, they could find a way to reduce his sentence.

With a blank expression, Yi Wulan suddenly took out her phone and sent a voice message into a chat box: “Urge them to set a court date for Yi Zizhuo’s case. Submit the previously discovered financial records to the court to be tried together.”

The smile on the woman’s face froze instantly. “You, what did you say?”

Before Yi Wulan truly became the president of Rongjia, the internal struggles had nearly turned the group into an empty shell. Seeing the building about to collapse, everyone was busy carving it up and transferring assets.

After Yi Wulan took over, everything started anew, and for so many years, she had never investigated the old accounts. But now…

The previous charges of stealing secrets and framing others for the Shuilin Fang project would only land Yi Zizhuo and the others in prison for a few years. But the amount in the accounts that had now been uncovered was so huge that even the woman, who never asked about Rongjia’s affairs, knew it was enough to keep them in prison for life.

The woman’s face turned deathly pale. Unable to support herself any longer, her legs gave way, and she staggered and fell to the floor.

At that moment, Yi Wulan, who didn’t pay much attention to social niceties, added to Yi Ziqi, “Everything in Australia has been arranged. You can go anytime, but don’t disturb Grandma.”

Yi Ziqi immediately broke into a smile, as if Yi Wulan were his real sister. “Okay, okay, I’ll… no, I’ll go buy a plane ticket right now.”

Yi Wulan nodded and headed downstairs.

Seeing her younger son’s reaction, the woman, no matter how slow, figured it out. “Ziqi, what do you mean?”

As Mu Yanxi passed by, she clicked her tongue twice and offered a rare, kind reminder, “Third Aunt, it’s not scarcity but inequality that causes strife. This is how a household becomes unsettled.”

After saying that, she followed Yi Wulan downstairs obediently, like a little chick.

Yi Wulan had originally intended to go outside, but after glancing back at Mu Yanxi’s thin clothes, she changed direction and headed towards the small living room.

After sitting down, Yi Wulan asked the auntie for a glass of milk. Hearing this, Mu Yanxi said, “Iced Coke!”

Yi Wulan glanced at her. “Hot milk.”

Mu Yanxi gritted her teeth. “Then I want it sweet.”

Yi Wulan nodded, signaling the auntie to bring a bottle of room-temperature sweet milk.

Mu Yanxi had had a row with Yi Wulan in the bedroom and had just vented in the hallway, so she was indeed thirsty. She took the milk and drank more than half the bottle, then looked askance at Yi Wulan. “Why are you sitting next to me? Move further away.”

Yi Wulan studied Mu Yanxi’s expression, then suddenly reached out and poked her forehead. “You tell me to stay away, yet you just stood up for me? Didn’t you seem to enjoy scolding them just now? Why are you still angry?”

Mu Yanxi slapped Yi Wulan’s hand away with a ‘smack’ and threatened her with noble coldness, “Touch me again and I’ll cut off your funding.”

“What funding are you two talking about?”

Just then, Old Madam Yi, who had been napping, came downstairs. Both Yi Wulan and Mu Yanxi stopped talking and looked over.

Yi Wulan looked at her grandmother and immediately changed the subject. “It’s nothing, Grandma. It’s getting late, we can have dinner now.”

The old madam always ate early. Her gaze darted back and forth between the two of them, but she didn’t ask any more questions, simply nodding. “Let’s go to the dining room.”

Yi Ziqi kept his promise and had already left with his mother, not disturbing the old madam. The atmosphere at the dinner table was very warm.

Although the afternoon’s events were ambiguous, Mu Yanxi still fulfilled her promise, playing the part of a loving couple with Yi Wulan. Only this time, she didn’t need to initiate the intimacy; Yi Wulan took the initiative to set out her bowl and chopsticks and was very attentive in serving her food at the table.

Little Ancestor Mu had been a picky eater since childhood, and this time, Yi Wulan managed to perfectly avoid those foods. To Mu Yanxi’s surprise, Yi Wulan chided her with a look of disdain, “You’ve gotten older, but your eating habits haven’t improved at all?”

The small bit of touched feeling that had just sprouted in Mu Yanxi was instantly extinguished. She expertly tattled, “Grandma, look at her!”

Seeing this, the old madam gave a light cough.

Yi Wulan’s expression immediately softened visibly, though her tone was still a bit stiff with unfamiliarity. “Do… do you want some shrimp?”

Mu Yanxi initially thought she was asking the old madam, but after a long silence, she realized Yi Wulan was asking her.

Feeling the old madam’s gaze, she understood.

So, she ordered Yi Wulan without any politeness, “I want that scallop. Help me get the meat out.”

Yi Wulan stiffly took it, carefully scooping out the meat bit by bit, dipping it in sauce, and placing it in Mu Yanxi’s bowl.

“I want that one too.”

“And that one.”

Yi Wulan did as she was told.

Mu Yanxi was satisfied. With an elder present, she didn’t make things difficult for Yi Wulan anymore. She served soup to both Yi Wulan and the old madam, which counted as fulfilling her contract.

After dinner, the old madam suddenly spoke, “You two went to the room this afternoon, didn’t you? I’ve always had someone clean it, and the bedding is new. You two should rest early.”

After speaking, she was helped upstairs by an auntie.

Seeing the old madam’s figure disappear around the corner, Mu Yanxi instantly dropped her act and walked towards the room without a word.

Yi Wulan tightened her hand hanging by her side, closed the door, and walked over.

Once the door was closed, the bedroom seemed to shrink again.

Yi Wulan usually looked about the same size as her, but standing by the bed now, her presence was extremely strong, as if she were blocking all the light.

But when her gaze fell, her usually distant eyes softened unexpectedly, like ice and snow beginning to melt.

Mu Yanxi had just taken advantage of the old madam’s presence to deliberately tease Yi Wulan. Now, seeing Yi Wulan’s still-acting expression made her quite uncomfortable, as if Yi Wulan was throwing sugar-coated bullets at her, ready to pounce and restrain her when she wasn’t looking.

After all, Yi Wulan had a prior record.

Yi Wulan’s actions that afternoon had already left an indelible shadow on Mu Yanxi’s young and fragile heart.

Mu Yanxi habitually scooted back, wanting to escape this oppressive position.

She glanced around and asked casually, “Are there any extra blankets?”

Yi Wulan thought Mu Yanxi was cold and explained, “If you’re cold, we can turn on the heat in a bit.”

Mu Yanxi denied it. “Not that. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“Sleep on the floor?”

“Yeah. After all, you’re the one paying and you’re the patient. I can’t very well make you sleep on the floor, can I?” Mu Yanxi nodded as if it were a matter of course and reminded her, “Besides, Grandma isn’t here now, so you can stop acting.”

Yi Wulan didn’t reply for a long time, as if she were brewing some long-winded lecture. But when she did speak, she just stared straight at Mu Yanxi. “I’m not acting. Don’t pretend you don’t understand.”

Mu Yanxi blinked, asking with an innocent face, “What is there to not understand? Heaven and earth can witness, I’ve already used all the brainpower that got me into Yanjing University to understand your meaning.”

Yi Wulan gave Mu Yanxi a cold look.

In truth, Mu Yanxi wasn’t sure what Yi Wulan meant. Plus, she had just deliberately made things difficult for Yi Wulan in front of Old Madam Yi, so she now had a guilty conscience. She hung her head low, playing dead and refusing to say another word.

“Mu Yanxi.”

With a couple of ‘clacks,’ Mu Yanxi kicked off her high heels and buried her head in her knees like an ostrich, not making a sound. She treated Yi Wulan’s words as wind past her ear, wishing she could just go deaf.

A faint, cool fragrance slowly approached, and Mu Yanxi’s whole body stiffened.

Yi Wulan reached out and grabbed the nape of Mu Yanxi’s neck, like lifting a little fox, and forcibly raised her head.

Mu Yanxi: …

Mu Yanxi was very adaptable. She skillfully acted cute and coquettish, spouting a stream of flirtatious nonsense: “Aiya, Elder Sister Yi’s acting is truly amazing. Even with Grandma gone, you’re still so dedicated. If Rongjia ever goes bankrupt, you’ll definitely become a movie queen if you enter the entertainment industry. How can Elder Sister Yi be good at everything? You’re so much better than me. Why don’t you teach me how to act sometime? To repay you, I won’t sleep on the floor tonight and will warm the bed for you instead, okay?”

The temperature in Yi Wulan’s eyes plummeted.

Mu Yanxi knew that this Yi Wulan wasn’t as easy to fool as before. Her mischievous eyes darted back and forth as she desperately tried to figure out how to get through this difficult situation.

Yi Wulan watched Mu Yanxi’s intertwined fingers. When she looked up, she expertly caught the flash of cunning in Mu Yanxi’s eyes.

She knew Mu Yanxi was about to pull another trick, but she didn’t stop her, letting her do as she pleased, curious to see how the little fox would try to deceive her this time.

But for some reason, in the next second, Mu Yanxi’s expression suddenly changed. She clutched her abdomen and collapsed. Not only was her previous liveliness gone, but it was as if all her vitality had been drained away in that instant.

When her small face turned, her lips were also extremely pale.

Even though she was prepared, when Yi Wulan heard Mu Yanxi’s sudden muffled groan, she still subconsciously reached out to support her falling body.

Mu Yanxi whimpered and nuzzled against Yi Wulan’s shoulder. She seemed to struggle to speak, but just as she was about to open her mouth, another wave of pain shot through her abdomen, and she immediately coughed as if she were dying.

Yi Wulan was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted, “Did you eat too much seafood just now and get an upset stomach?”

Mu Yanxi’s face was full of seriousness and bitterness, as if it were really happening.

“I’ll contact a doctor for you right now.” Yi Wulan didn’t dare to delay, taking out her phone to call a doctor.

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t!” Mu Yanxi nervously grabbed Yi Wulan’s hand.

“What’s wrong?”

Mu Yanxi was only pretending. Now, looking at Yi Wulan’s serious expression, she suddenly found it hard to keep up the act.

But before she could think of what to say, Yi Wulan’s gaze slowly moved down to her own stained wrist.

—After wiping off her lipstick with her hand, Mu Yanxi had accidentally grabbed Yi Wulan’s wrist with that same hand.

Now, a triumphant patch of bright red, dotted with fine glitter, adorned Yi Wulan’s wrist.

Mu Yanxi: …

Yi Wulan immediately came to her senses, looking like she was about to scold someone.

Mu Yanxi, deciding to go all in, played dead. “Don’t scold me. If I’m in a bad mood, I’ll go tattle to Grandma. We’ll see who loses out then.”

Yi Wulan: …

Yi Wulan sighed. “You even joke about your own health. When will you ever say a single true word?”

Mu Yanxi turned over, her incredibly stubborn back serving as her refusal to answer.

Yi Wulan didn’t say anything more, and the bedroom returned to silence.

Mu Yanxi’s eyes darted around randomly. The other end of the snow-white bed was wrinkled, triumphantly displaying the ‘results’ of their afternoon battle.

Mu Yanxi suddenly froze. She gently touched her lips, and her thoughts, which she hadn’t had a chance to properly sort out, began to fly about in disarray.

Had Yi Wulan really thought things through this afternoon, finally disregarding her body that would faint with a single kiss?

Or was it because she had pushed her too far, causing her to act impulsively like she sometimes did in the past?

Mu Yanxi’s mind was filled with two voices pulling at each other, fighting. The stomachache just now was fake, but this time, her head was genuinely buzzing, making her dizzy.

Perhaps from lying in one position for too long, she felt a little numb. Mu Yanxi gently turned over, wanting to lie flat on her back.

But as soon as she turned, she saw that Yi Wulan was still by the bed. This time, she was sitting right on the edge, looking down at her.

They were extremely close; Mu Yanxi could feel the touch of Yi Wulan’s long hair brushing against her arm.

Mu Yanxi was so startled she almost jumped up. She clutched her fluttering heart, taking several breaths to recover before saying faintly, “Great President Yi, are you trying to scare me to death?”

Yi Wulan sat there with a complex expression, her peach blossom eyes sweeping over Mu Yanxi’s face.

After a long moment, she parted her lips lightly. “Stop acting.”

Mu Yanxi froze.

Acting what? Don’t tell me Yi Wulan thinks I’m still pretending to be sick?

Do I look like someone with that much free time?

But it wasn’t until her gaze swept over Yi Wulan’s cheek and landed on the barely perceptible scab on her lip that Mu Yanxi’s muddled mind finally cleared.

Only then did she realize…

Yi Wulan was telling her to stop acting like this was just an ‘intimate cooperation.’

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