OFCC – Chapter 66

Yi Wulan pushed Mu Yanxi away, about to say something, when her hair was pulled forward as Mu Yanxi leaned back in again.

She looked down and saw that Mu Yanxi had secretly entangled their long hair together again. This time, she had learned her lesson and even used a small hair tie to secure it, making it harder to come loose.

Yi Wulan looked up, and just as she was about to speak, Mu Yanxi gave her a sly wink.

Yi Wulan opened her mouth, then swallowed her words. She simply reached out to undo the hair tie and combed through Mu Yanxi’s hair with her fingers. “It’s getting late. You should sleep.”

But Mu Yanxi was still staring intently at Yi Wulan. Hearing her words, she shook her head and said, “No, I haven’t told you a story yet.”

Yi Wulan reminded her, “You’re starting to get dark circles under your eyes from the past two days.”

Mu Yanxi immediately fell silent, but her face was still full of conflict.

Yi Wulan knew that if Mu Yanxi didn’t get certain things off her chest, she probably wouldn’t be able to rest all night. She paused for two seconds before saying, “…Then tell me.”

It was as if she were urging her, “Go on, make something up.”

Mu Yanxi was speechless.

Mu Yanxi felt she needed to properly display her acting skills in front of Yi Wulan. Her eyes lowered slightly as she feigned a flirtatious gesture, tugging at the robe of her pajamas. The already loose collar instantly slipped to the side of her shoulder, looking as if it would fall off at any moment.

A few strands of beautiful hair fell gently onto her long, slender neck. Yi Wulan, who had been calm and composed, slightly tightened her hand on Mu Yanxi’s waist.

The warmth in the room mixed with the faint fragrance from their bodies, wafting through the air.

“Loosen your hand a bit.” Mu Yanxi gasped slightly, glaring at Yi Wulan with no real menace. “It tickles…”

Yi Wulan released her grip, and only then did Mu Yanxi feel comfortable, taking a mile after being given an inch by rubbing against the other’s shoulder. She cleared her throat and looked up with a smile. “When we first got married, you didn’t believe me and always tried to keep your distance. Was it because we had little contact in the years before?”

Saying they had little contact was putting it nicely; they had no contact at all.

The novel she had seen in that other dimension was centered around the protagonist.

Even though Mu Yanxi had studied it repeatedly after her death in her previous life, there were only a few brief mentions of herself in the book.

Things like being the real heiress who bullied the protagonist, shamelessly chasing after the main protagonist even to the point of running away from her own wedding, being a useless vase completely inferior to the protagonist, and finally getting her just deserts and dying.

As for the fact that her family background had been stolen for over a decade, that her memories were forcibly erased, that she left the entertainment industry to help Yi Jingming accumulate wealth, and that she was then pushed out to be a scapegoat—not a single word was mentioned.

If not for Mu Yanxi’s rebirth this time, her impression of Yi Wulan would have remained at the level of a former fiancée, her sister’s friend, and Yi Jingming’s sister.

Mu Yanxi tugged at Yi Wulan’s shoulder strap, feigning composure. “Well, back then I was just a good student who had just entered university, upright and full of positive energy. I was busy studying for four years.”

Yi Wulan hummed in response, glanced at Mu Yanxi’s slender wrist, and shot her a look that said, ‘Keep making it up.’

“My dear Elder Sister, you’ve truly misunderstood me.” Mu Yanxi tilted her head up cheekily to kiss Yi Wulan. “I was always looking up to you. I didn’t forget to intern at Xinyu in Yancheng during university. But you know I have a frail constitution. My body was overworked, so I got sick.”

Yi Wulan’s brow furrowed. Recalling Mu Yanxi’s indeed delicate body, she asked, “Sick?”

“Yes.” Mu Yanxi’s eyes danced, lively and playful. “Did you think I only started getting high fevers from time to time after marrying you? It’s actually been many years. I have a special constitution. Every time I have a fever, it leaves some side effects.”

Yi Wulan stared intently at Mu Yanxi’s face, trying to find any clues. But aside from her initial admission that she was going to lie, Mu Yanxi’s expression was now too natural, without a trace of anything unusual.

Mu Yanxi continued telling her story on her own:

“Every time I wake up, I forget some things. At first, I didn’t want to trouble my sister, so I just saw a doctor on my own. Later, as it happened more and more often… I realized I had forgotten my own memories. If you don’t believe me, you can ask the family doctor who treated me the last few times, or next time you have a follow-up, you can have Doctor Xiusina’s team take a look at me.”

Mu Yanxi had once joked about having amnesia, and Yi Wulan hadn’t taken it seriously at the time. But hearing these words now, even though Yi Wulan knew this little liar was most likely lying again, her heart couldn’t help but sink.

Over the years, Yi Wulan had dealt with all sorts of people in the business world, all of whom were masters of disguise, but none had ever made her hesitate like Mu Yanxi did.

That smile clearly looked well-behaved and bright, yet Yi Wulan only felt a pang of heartache.

Perhaps, she really didn’t understand Mu Yanxi at all.

Mu Yanxi continued with a smile, “After graduation, I entered the entertainment industry and was always out on assignments. It was only after marrying you that I started leaving Yuncheng less. Don’t I look like a gentle and virtuous wealthy wife from high society?”

Yi Wulan glanced at her. No matter how she looked, no matter what kind of filter she applied, it was difficult to find even a hint of gentleness and virtue in Mu Yanxi.

She handed her a glass of water from the bedside table and reminded her, “Rest if you’re tired of making things up.”

“How can you not believe me at all?” Mu Yanxi took the water without a fuss and took a sip. After a droplet clung to the corner of her lips, she deliberately rubbed it against Yi Wulan, moistening the other’s lips as well. “Yi Wulan, aren’t you afraid that I really had forgotten you before?”

Yi Wulan: “Yes, I’m afraid.”

Extremely perfunctory.

Mu Yanxi instantly felt that her acting skills had been insulted, but she wasn’t discouraged. She tilted her head slightly, staring straight into Yi Wulan’s peach blossom eyes, her voice melodious as if laced with honey:

“My dear Elder Sister, even though I had forgotten you, I fell for you again at first sight when we renegotiated our marriage contract. Doesn’t that mean we’re fated to be together?”

Yi Wulan’s hand, resting on the bedsheet, suddenly clenched.

“I was telling the truth back then. The first time I saw you, I thought you were very beautiful.” Mu Yanxi suddenly sighed and complained, “But Elder Sister, you were so cold to me back then.”

Yi Wulan explained, “At that time, I knew my life was…”

Mu Yanxi suddenly leaned in, cutting off Yi Wulan’s words. Her tongue wreaked havoc in Yi Wulan’s mouth for several rounds before she was willing to let go, pressing on:

“Actually, the story I told my sister was wrong. I’m clearly the pitiful one who lost her memory and cried her eyes out every day, unloved by her wife and partner. And you, this cold and ruthless capitalist, pushed me away time and time again, just like you did years ago and still do now, sob…”

Yi Wulan was speechless.

“You, don’t be like this.” Yi Wulan was suddenly at a loss, taking the blame upon herself again. “It was my fault for not looking after you these past few years.”

Mu Yanxi reacted quickly, “So you admit this is all your fault?”

Yi Wulan nodded.

Mu Yanxi’s smile didn’t fade. Believing she had woven this story well, she righteously demanded benefits from Yi Wulan. Like an enchanting demon, she curved her eyes and said softly, “So, Yi Wulan, shouldn’t you compensate me a little more?”

Yi Wulan, who had been feeling a bit down just a moment ago, heard this and preemptively grabbed the back of Mu Yanxi’s neck to prevent her from sticking to her at any moment. She said coldly, “Now that you’re done talking, go to sleep.”

Mu Yanxi was speechless.

Mu Yanxi smiled obediently, her face full of innocence. “My dear Elder Sister, why don’t you feel sorry for me at all? Weren’t you just believing me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll get another high fever and forget something else?”

Yi Wulan pursed her lips, seemingly no longer trusting Mu Yanxi’s glib tongue.

But Mu Yanxi changed her tune, saying aggrievedly, “Sigh, but it doesn’t matter. I’m used to having no one dote on me anyway. I’ll be fine in the future.”

Yi Wulan released her hand. “You won’t.”

After a pause, she added an explanation, “You won’t be without someone… to dote on you.”

The warm light from the bedside lamp shone on Mu Yanxi’s face, her complexion fair, only her red lips were dazzling. She was silent for a long while, then suddenly grabbed Yi Wulan’s released hand, placed it on the back of her own neck, and pulled her closer, murmuring, “Yi Wulan, what if I forget you again?”

“You won’t. Don’t let your imagination run wild.” Yi Wulan soothed her by stroking the back of her neck a couple of times. “Your last few fevers were indeed unusual. I’ll take you to see other specialists another day.”

Mu Yanxi hummed in agreement, chuckling softly. “So you see, both of our brains have some issues. You shouldn’t always be overthinking about being a burden. If you really ignore me like you used to, be careful, I might run away from home and forget you completely.”

As she spoke, without even realizing it herself, a tear suddenly slipped from the corner of her eye and, with a soft ‘pat,’ landed on Yi Wulan’s collarbone.

The hot tear seared Yi Wulan’s collarbone. She moved her hand forward, cupping Mu Yanxi’s chin. After the bath, the faint, lingering, and intoxicating scent of the bath bomb wafted over.

She lowered her eyes, her expression returning to its usual seriousness. “Mu Yanxi, even if you want to comfort me, don’t joke about your own health.”

Mu Yanxi was silent for a long time, then her moist lashes curved into a brilliant smile.

She had said so much that anyone else might have been led astray by her, yet Yi Wulan still thought she was just trying to comfort her.

Well, it was good that she understood it as comfort.

This was the real Yi Wulan.

She would always consider things from a perspective that was good for her. In her past life, she had secretly given her Shallow Islet Bay and had rushed to help her, a competitor, break free from Yi Jingming. In this life, she had done even more for her secretly, yet never took the initiative to claim credit.

Although Yi Wulan was absent from her memories from university until her marriage, she believed that the person who had initiated the break in contact back then was definitely not Yi Wulan.

Just like after their marriage, even though Yi Wulan wasn’t expressive on a daily basis, and even when she gave Yi Wulan the cold shoulder, the necessary care was never absent from her WeChat messages.

But this tenderness was something only she needed to understand.

Mu Yanxi’s smile grew even more radiant, but unlike the pretense from before, it was now filled with specks of light, just like the little commandery princess she had portrayed. She slowly wiped the tear stains from her face and leaned in to hold Yi Wulan’s lips. “Alright, alright, I was just tricking you.”

Hearing this, Yi Wulan felt a sense of relief for some reason.

She turned her head to avoid Mu Yanxi’s kiss, intending to tell her to get some proper rest.

But Mu Yanxi seemed to have anticipated her move. Her lips followed her movement, brushing past her earlobe as she gently parted her lips. “But what I’m about to say next is true.”

The warm breath tickled her ear, making the tip of her ear tremble. Yi Wulan forced herself to remain calm. “What?”

The kisses moved up, fine and lingering, and her voice fell completely into her ear canal. “Elder Sister… I have admired you for many years, my longing has made me sick.”

---

After Mu Yanxi’s scenes in “Peach Blossom Debt” had all aired, she didn’t feel anything different that night.

She just felt that, compared to usual, with Rongjia Entertainment’s intervention, all the malicious comments deliberately targeting her had disappeared, and it was a rare moment of peace.

Fortunately, Rongjia Entertainment’s help was always measured, merely giving things a gentle push, so it wouldn’t seem like Mu Yanxi had found some powerful backer. Her actual success still depended on herself.

It wasn’t until she woke up the next day, when she was surrounded by her management team with congratulations on her way to record the second-to-last episode of “Secret Room Rush Rush Rush,” and then nearly missed the live broadcast because she was mobbed by the program staff, that she had a tiny feeling that things were really different from before.

After Jiang Tong left “Secret Room Rush Rush Rush,” the other guests had been slightly wary and distant towards Mu Yanxi. But as they recorded more episodes together, the grudge in their hearts gradually dissipated through their interactions.

At the same time, the biggest sponsor of “Secret Room Rush Rush Rush” also approached Mu Yanxi’s manager.

The sponsor was a Sino-foreign joint venture clothing brand, backed by a high-end luxury brand from abroad. In recent years, it had held many fashion shows in the country and had a high profile, and was now eager to penetrate deeper into the market.

The sponsor had only come on board midway through the variety show’s run, but they were very generous. Previously, Jiang Tong had connections with a high-level executive at the sponsor, which was why he could act so tyrannically on the show. But since Jiang Tong was blacklisted, it was said that the executive had also lost his job.

Although Mu Yanxi was called a ‘little vase’ by those haters, her looks were indeed stunning and her figure was tall. The temperament cultivated by the Mu family also surpassed that of many A-list actresses. There were many popular actresses, but they were often expensive and already had or had had related endorsements. Coupled with Mu Yanxi’s recent popularity, the sponsor extended an olive branch to her.

It wasn’t like Mu Yanxi’s previous endorsement ambassadorships; they were discussing an endorsement contract with her manager.

There were many historical sweet dramas, but tragedies often left a deeper impression.

Although the little commandery princess played by Mu Yanxi died, the plot of “Peach Blossom Debt” was only one-third of the way through, and the segment about Prince Qi had officially come to an end.

But even though the treacherous ministers who framed Prince Qi were dead, they didn’t die under the charge of framing him. The emperor, feeling weary in his middle age, became paranoid and refused to clear Prince Qi’s name, no matter how Prince Rui pleaded.

Logically, with the little commandery princess dead, Prince Rui would embark on the path to seize the throne, and the main storyline for the male and female leads of “Peach Blossom Debt” would officially begin. The viewership for the subsequent episodes should have been higher than the previous ones.

But for the four episodes of “Peach Blossom Debt” that were released over the next week, not only did the viewership not increase on the night of their release, but even after a few days, the numbers still couldn’t surpass the earlier parts. Meanwhile, the viewership for the episode where the little commandery princess died was still continuously rising.

It was clear that people were drawn by her fame, watched Mu Yanxi’s segments, then went back to watch the preceding plot. After finishing, they acted as if the male and female leads were dead and abandoned the show, causing the viewership to plummet.

Just two weeks prior, “Peach Blossom Debt” had crushed other dramas in the same time slot with its viewership in a league of its own.

It was still in the lead now, but its advantage was shrinking.

The reason for this was obviously the huge blow to the show after the little commandery princess’s storyline ended. During the casting process, someone on the director’s team had already pointed out that Mu Yanxi’s looks might overshadow the female lead.

But who could have expected that in the end, Mu Yanxi not only stole the female lead’s thunder, but she stole the entire show’s thunder.

Even her manager felt that Mu Yanxi’s marriage this year was like making up for all the bad luck of the past two years, as if she were possessed by some kind of metaphysical good fortune.

A perfectly good political sweet drama had been turned into a tragic revenge story. No matter how outstanding the subsequent plot was, the audience didn’t seem to buy it, tacitly considering “Peach Blossom Debt” to have ended after the little commandery princess’s death.

Ironically, when the little commandery princess and Prince Qi first met, a sky full of peach blossoms was used to enhance the atmosphere, which was very fitting and not at all out of place.

But “Peach Blossom Debt” was, after all, a proper production. Unlike Mu Yanxi’s previous drama, “You Are Like the Boundless Stars,” where the female leads could be replaced at will, “Peach Blossom Debt” had to continue broadcasting even if the subsequent ratings were not ideal.

Fortunately, “Peach Blossom Debt” immediately adjusted the subsequent plot, compressing the remaining two-thirds of the story, cutting out a lot of unnecessary drag, and making the pace fly, which managed to salvage a considerable amount of viewership.

When “Peach Blossom Debt” finally concluded, it was still far ahead of other dramas in the same time slot.

Of course, that was all in the future.

With her soaring popularity online, Ling Yi, as Mu Yanxi’s manager, finally began her busy work schedule after two years, just as she had hoped. She arranged all the tasks for the management team in an orderly manner, temporarily setting aside the other few newcomers she had signed.

And that little assistant, who had always been tricked and swindled by Mu Yanxi, had recently come to admire her Teacher Mu more and more, chattering incessantly whenever they met.

For once, Mu Yanxi didn’t find her noisy, because the little assistant wouldn’t have many more chances to chatter in front of her. The reason she had been obediently accepting all the assignments her manager arranged for her recently was that she needed to free up time to accompany Yi Wulan for her follow-up examination.

Whether it was an endorsement shoot, a guest appearance on a variety show, or a cameo in a small role, she refused nothing. Even a 996-work-schedule employee wasn’t as diligent as her.

On the first day of December, Mu Yanxi accompanied Yi Wulan to Boston again for a brain scan.

Doctor Xiusina’s medical team was already a gathering of top experts from around the world. After Yi Wulan’s legs had healed, and since Yi Wulan was paying enough, Doctor Xiusina had sought out brain specialists for her. After a few months, they had formed a temporary medical team.

After Yi Wulan completed a full examination, the medical team still needed to discuss her condition. During this time, Mu Yanxi, who was waiting on the side, was forcibly pushed by Yi Wulan to also undergo a comprehensive check-up.

In fact, Mu Yanxi had an ability in her abdomen and was somewhat resistant to this kind of examination. Who knew if the equipment for these check-ups was more advanced than usual, given how much money Yi Wulan had paid?

Afraid that her ability would be exposed, Mu Yanxi fidgeted for a long time before reluctantly walking into the examination room under Yi Wulan’s scrutinizing gaze.

Fortunately, her ability was very good at assessing situations and did not reveal anything unusual.

To her surprise, the doctor said that there was indeed a slight abnormality in her brain, a very tiny shadow, which could indeed be a sign of amnesia caused by high fevers.

As the doctor was speaking, the shadow in her brain, as if sensing her confusion, instantly transformed into an ability and flowed into her meridians, taking away her tension and fatigue.

Mu Yanxi instantly became righteously confident with Yi Wulan, with a smug look that said, ‘See, see, I really wasn’t lying to you, was I?’

And the results of this examination were much better than the previous ones. Although Doctor Xiusina’s medical team couldn’t provide a specific treatment plan, the usually cautious doctor said, ‘There is hope,’ just as she had before treating Yi Wulan’s legs.

This was undoubtedly good news.

The medical team needed time to analyze how to perform the surgery. Before returning to their country, Yi Wulan also cooperated by taking back some medication to nourish her body.

Night gradually deepened.

Mu Yanxi once again accurately sent her ability into Yi Wulan’s brain. After so many months of effort, the barrier in Yi Wulan’s brain that blocked the ability had become almost as thin as a cicada’s wing. In recent days, when Mu Yanxi was channeling her energy, she could always feel a few strands of the ability penetrating through and taking effect.

After finishing, Mu Yanxi leaned against Yi Wulan’s shoulder and fell into a deep sleep.

Perhaps because Mu Yanche had yet to return to the country, she was constantly on edge. Unconsciously, she had a dream of her youth.

In her second year of high school, Yuncheng No. 1 High School had already entered the tense period of preparing for the college entrance exams, with only a short one-day break on weekends.

School let out early on Saturday afternoon. When Mu Yanxi returned home, it was just past three. As she went upstairs, the cleaning lady in the hallway averted her gaze when she saw her and coughed violently a few times.

Mu Yanxi was long used to such looks and knew what these people liked to gossip about behind her back. But, the facts were the facts, and she really had no standing to criticize them. Just as they said, she truly didn’t fit in with this magnificent new home.

It was only out of respect for her parents that no one dared to say it to her face, but she had overheard it many times in private.

Mu Yanxi pretended not to see and walked towards her room on her own. The door was ajar. Thinking someone was cleaning, she said to the auntie wiping the window next to her, “I’ll tidy my own room. You don’t have to bother next time.”

The auntie nodded, raising her voice as if to warn someone, “I know, I know.”

Mu Yanxi didn’t understand, but when she pushed the door open, she understood the auntie’s intention.

Mu Yanche was standing in front of her bookshelf, rummaging through something. On the messy desk beside him, things were scattered all over the floor, and he was muttering, “Are there any other photos? Where do you think she put them? Is there a hidden compartment?”

At that moment, Mu Yanxi was overcome with anger and didn’t think deeply about Mu Yanche’s words. She strode over and snatched the things from him. “What are you looking for?”

Even after being caught, Mu Yanche maintained his usual nonchalant demeanor. He was doing something sneaky, yet it was as if everything had nothing to do with him, as if the whole world should serve him.

It was only after her death in her previous life that Mu Yanxi learned the reason from that novel.

Mu Yanche was a transmigrator, and he came with a heartthrob-like system that could influence the people around him and increase their likability points towards him.

However, when he was young, Mu Yanche’s system had limited effects. For the Mu family members who were related to Mu Yanxi by blood, it had little effect and could only exert a small influence on the hired staff.

That was why he always had a superior attitude; after all, to Mu Yanche, it was no different from playing a game.

“Just looking around,” Mu Yanche said, glancing at the things in her hand and casually walking out.

The warm early spring sunlight bathed Mu Yanche, casting a faint glow on him, his innate nobility on full display.

Mu Yanxi stood by the desk, but the sunlight never reached her, as if her entire being was hidden. She glanced at the box in her hands, quickly put it down, and chased after him. “Mu Yanche, give me back my things.”

Mu Yanche waved the photos in his hand, looking her up and down in her school uniform, and tutted twice. “Mu Yanxi, do you really think you’re a young lady? Look at you, what part of you matches this place?”

Having passed his growth spurt, Mu Yanche was a full ten centimeters taller than Mu Yanxi. By simply holding the photos up, he easily evaded Mu Yanxi’s grasp.

“I didn’t realize you liked Yi Wulan, huh? What do you think she’d say if I showed these to her? Would she find you disgusting?” Mu Yanche turned and ran downstairs. “Elder Sister said she’s bringing someone home tonight. It must be her, right?”

Mu Yanxi’s face flushed red as she chased after him, panting. She followed him all the way to the garden. The nearby servants and bodyguards saw them but pretended not to, letting the two of them squabble and fight.

Mu Yanche admired the few photos in his hand. “Mu Yanxi, do you know that the Yi family and our family have a marriage contract?”

Mu Yanxi’s hand, which was trying to snatch the photos, suddenly stopped. She asked blankly, “Wh-what?”

“Oh, so you didn’t know?” Mu Yanche feigned difficulty. “Then this is bad, this is bad.”

“What’s bad? Tell me!”

“They didn’t even tell you this, so it’s obvious they don’t want you involved. Doesn’t that mean it’ll be me?” Mu Yanche said it was bad, but his face was full of schadenfreude. “What to do? Once I come of age, I’ll have to get engaged to the Yi Wulan you like.”

Mu Yanxi’s face turned deathly pale in an instant. It was a young girl’s first stirrings of love, a time of utmost innocence and caution, only to be told that her crush was to be engaged to someone else.

Mu Yanche seemed very satisfied with her change in expression and even flipped through the photos in his hand a few more times. “Tsk, so old… and crippled.”

The last two words were spoken very softly, audible only to himself.

Next, in the dream, they began to fight over the photos in earnest.

The few photos were constantly bent, crumpled, and even torn during the struggle.

With such a commotion, the servants nearby finally realized something was wrong and ran over from a distance.

Mu Yanxi finally snatched back all the photos and was checking them one by one, but Mu Yanche’s hand reached out again, relentlessly trying to grab them.

Mu Yanxi’s wrist was grabbed, but Mu Yanche didn’t use his height advantage to snatch the items this time. He just suddenly smiled at her.

Then he suddenly leaned backward.

Mu Yanxi’s captured hand was pulled forward by the momentum.

“Bang—”

Mu Yanche fell into the water.

“Help! Help! Gurgle… ah, help…”

Her ears were filled with Mu Yanche’s cries for help. The tardy servants finally all rushed over. In the jostling crowd, Mu Yanxi, who was standing blankly by the edge of the pool, was also pushed in.

“Plop—”

Countless ripples instantly spread across the water’s surface.

The scent of magnolia blossoms drifted through the garden, and a path of smooth pebbles wound its way to the swimming pool. The pool water was still cold in early spring. The water seeped into her skin, bringing a bone-chilling cold.

Her vision underwater was blurry and indistinct. She heard the sounds of many people falling into the water, but none of them were coming towards her.

Mu Yanxi was in a daze, feeling her breath growing weaker. In her hazy vision, a figure seemed to be slowly swimming towards her.

“It had better be a woman,” Mu Yanxi still had the mind to think nonsense. “I really need to learn how to swim.”

Just as she closed her eyes and let herself sink, a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. With a sharp pull in the water where there was no leverage, it stopped her descent, pulled her into an embrace, and forcefully pushed her to the surface.

“Yi… Yi Wulan!” Mu Yanxi flailed her arms and grabbed, clinging tightly to the neck of the person beside her, murmuring unconsciously, “Yi Wulan, Yi Wulan, save… save me.”

A familiar cold fragrance filled her nose, mixed with a hint of floral scent, finally jolting Mu Yanxi awake from her dream. When she opened her eyes, she was still in a state of shock, her breathing labored, as if she were still submerged in the water, in that lonely and helpless despair.

She was covered in a cold sweat, trembling all over. It took a long time for her to fully come to her senses.

Dawn was breaking outside the window. By its light, Mu Yanxi saw that Yi Wulan was looking down at her.

Her deep gaze held a hint of worry, just like it had looked years ago when she woke up, unchanged.

She had always remembered that she had a conflict with Mu Yanche, and she also remembered that her sister’s friend had saved her. But the person’s face was very blurry, so blurry that only a single glance remained in her memory. But at this moment, it gradually overlapped with Yi Wulan’s gaze.

After waking up from that fall into the water, only a few relatives were left at home. Mu Yanxi still remembered the hesitant and guilty expressions on her parents’ faces.

Her parents were busy with Xinyu’s affairs, and Mu Yanqing was studying at Yanjing University. Mu Yanxi was well-behaved and sensible, and they had watched Mu Yanche grow up. They had thought that Mu Yanxi and Mu Yanche got along well.

But this incident completely shattered that false peace, revealing all the ugliness within.

By the time her parents found out, it was too late. The conflict between her and Mu Yanche had escalated to an irreparable point.

Later, Mu Yanche, who was studying art, was sent abroad.

That was also the first time after returning to the Mu family that Mu Yanxi truly felt—so she had a home.

Mu Yanxi lowered her eyes, only then realizing that she was curled up in Yi Wulan’s arms, her hands shamelessly clinging tightly to the other’s neck.

She loosened her grip slightly, and Yi Wulan’s voice came from above her head, “Had a nightmare?”

Mu Yanxi gave a vague hum. Hearing Yi Wulan’s concerned tone, she decided to cast aside all face, wrapped her arms around her again, and lazily leaned against Yi Wulan’s shoulder.

“Yi Wulan, do you remember saving me when I fell into the pool at the Mu family’s house?”

Yi Wulan was taken aback, not knowing why she suddenly asked. “I remember. What’s wrong?”

“It really was you,” Mu Yanxi said in surprise. “Then why didn’t I see you when I woke up?”

“That was your family’s business, after all. It wasn’t appropriate for me to be there.”

Mu Yanxi nodded. Yi Wulan was indeed not the type to pry into other people’s private affairs.

“It’s still early. Go back to sleep.”

Mu Yanxi shook her head. “I don’t want to. Why don’t you talk with me for a bit?”

Yi Wulan pulled the blanket up over Mu Yanxi and asked faintly, “When you said you pushed Mu Yanche into the water, was it that time?”

Mu Yanxi looked at her with a half-smile. “Yes, so I wasn’t lying to you. I’m very dangerous and spoiled.”

Yi Wulan glanced at her. “Tell me the truth. If you really pushed him, how did you end up in the water?”

“I was pushed in by the crowd. My parents even fired several people back then.” Mu Yanxi looked directly into Yi Wulan’s eyes, speaking this truth with great confidence.

Yi Wulan hummed in a way that suggested she was half-believing, half-doubting.

Mu Yanxi paused, then immediately pressed herself closer to Yi Wulan and asked in a small voice, “Elder Sister, are you angry?”

Yi Wulan turned a deaf ear, closed her eyes, and pretended she had never woken up. The room instantly fell silent.

Mu Yanxi leaned against Yi Wulan, studying her features for a while. Her sly fox-like eyes darted around, and then she had a sudden realization. “Ah, I knew Elder Sister wouldn’t be angry with me. The great President of Rongjia is so magnanimous, how could she haggle with me over such things.”

Yi Wulan opened her eyes but didn’t speak, looking as if she wouldn’t press the matter further.

Mu Yanxi immediately put on a grin and beamed at her. “Yi Wulan, you’re so magnanimous.”

When she needed something, it was ‘Elder Sister.’ When she didn’t, it was ‘Yi Wulan.’

She made the distinction crystal clear.

As she spoke, Mu Yanxi suddenly thought of something. She twirled a strand of Yi Wulan’s hair and pressed, “Yi Wulan, I clearly remember that those photos were soaked in water. How come they were in perfect condition when I took them out the other day?”

The more Mu Yanxi thought about it, the happier she became. She let go of the hair, sat up, and half-leaned over Yi Wulan. “You must have seen them when you saved me, right?”

Yi Wulan’s hand paused, and she subconsciously pressed down on the small of Mu Yanxi’s back, pulling the person who was half-suspended in the air down onto her body.

Mu Yanxi froze for a moment, about to say something, but saw that Yi Wulan had closed her eyes again.

She didn’t know how long she waited. Mu Yanxi was getting drowsy and wanted to force herself to stay awake to wait for Yi Wulan to speak, but her sleep schedule was closely related to the ability within her body, and it seemed the ability she had used up last night hadn’t recovered yet.

Mu Yanxi didn’t last long before she limply collapsed onto Yi Wulan’s shoulder, clinging to her as she fell asleep.

Once the sound of Mu Yanxi’s even breathing filled the air, Yi Wulan slowly opened her eyes. Feeling the warm presence on her, she let out a sigh of relief after a long moment.

Mu Yanxi pillowed her head on Yi Wulan’s shoulder, feeling the familiar presence, and slept very soundly.

In a state of half-sleep, a pair of hands gently moved her away, and the weight on the other side of the bed disappeared.

She groggily opened her eyes and saw that Yi Wulan had already gotten out of bed. The light filtering in from the side of the bed was also brighter. Yi Wulan seemed to have taken a box from the bedside table, looked through it for a few seconds, and then put it back.

In her half-awake state, Mu Yanxi recognized it. It was the box from her dream, the one used to store Yi Wulan’s photos.

But she clearly remembered that the box had a combination lock. She hadn’t told Yi Wulan the password after her rebirth, so she didn’t know how Yi Wulan had opened it so easily.

It was as if she had opened it many times before, many years ago.

Mu Yanxi’s mind was dead heavy, completely devoid of its usual sharpness.

She watched for a while, but drowsiness overcame her, and she closed her eyes again without a care in the world.

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