Yu Shan thought Qiu Ci had already boarded the plane back to the country. However, when she went to restaurant for lunch, she saw him sitting not far away, cutting his steak with his head down.
Across from him sat a man with a familiar back.
“Is that Mu Yu and Qiu Ci?” Mu Feng also noticed the two sitting opposite each other.
What was going on? Had they opened their hearts and officially gotten together?
Although Yu Shan very much hoped these two would end up together, she didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.
She knew Qiu Ci’s character well. Back then, despite clearly liking Mu Yu, he stubbornly refused to admit his feelings.
If A Ci could be so easily won over by Mu Yu, they wouldn’t have wasted so many years.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Yu Shan asked Mu Feng to find a seat and order while she went to see what was going on with A Ci.
She walked to their table with a playful smile, her tone teasing, “Little Lord Qiu, what’s going on here?”
“What do you mean, what’s going on?” Qiu Ci glanced at her, annoyed by her nosiness.
He had seen Yu Shan and Mu Feng walking this way through the glass earlier and had already guessed she would come and ask a bunch of nonsense.
Yu Shan turned her attention to Mu Yu, who was quietly eating and completely ignoring her. Just like before, Mu Yu couldn’t care less about anyone except A Ci.
Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she teased, “Little Lord Qiu, did our heart-to-heart talk make you realize what you want?”
Sure enough, the cold man’s brow twitched, showing he was starting to care.
“That’s nonsense,” Qiu Ci retorted, meeting Yu Shan’s crafty gaze, knowing she was up to no good.
He warned her with his eyes, “If you dare to spout nonsense, you’ll regret it.”
Yu Shan was only teasing Qiu Ci and wouldn’t actually say anything. She hoped that A Ci would come to realize who he truly cared about on his own.
She sighed, “I really wish your fans could see how irritating you are. They’d be shocked to see the difference between this and the modest, elegant gentleman they imagine.”
Qiu Ci smirked, “Then Qi Meng would have a good chat with you about life.”
Yu Shan clicked her tongue, “Forget it, I don’t dare provoke that lethal weapon.”
Qiu Ci continued cutting his steak leisurely, speaking slowly, “By the way, I forgot to tell you, I’m getting married.”
After saying that, he offered no further explanation and calmly continued eating, as if he had just stated the most ordinary thing in the world.
However, the two people present were stunned. Mu Yu didn’t expect him to tell Yu Shan, and Yu Shan thought there was something wrong with her ears.
Once she collected herself, she instinctively looked at Mu Yu, who had his gaze lowered, and then at Qiu Ci, who acted as if it was none of his business, and asked, “Who are you marrying?”
Qiu Ci swallowed the food in his mouth, looked at her, raised an eyebrow, and smiled, “Guess.”
Yu Shan’s mouth twitched. “Enough already.”
She glanced at the man who hadn’t said a word and subtly reminded, “You’re a grown man, stop joking around.”
But the person opposite her didn’t catch her hint at all and gave her a roguish grin. “Who said I was joking? Don’t believe me? I’ll take a photo for you after I get back and handle the paperwork.”
Their conversation immediately pulled Mu Yu’s memories back to the past.
Looking at the hint of wildness in Qiu Ci’s eyebrows and eyes, it was as if he saw that flamboyant young man again, whose bright eyes only ever focused on the girl named Yu Shan.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
For a moment, his heart was filled with bitterness.
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Yu Shan wasn’t foolish. She immediately figured it out and looked between the two men with wide eyes. After the initial shock, she started thinking deeply, wondering about Qiu Ci’s reasons for doing this.
She knew Qiu Ci very well. This was not how he would behave after realizing his feelings.
Realizing there might be more to the story, Yu Shan’s expression grew serious. “Come with me.”
In a secluded corner, Yu Shan took a deep breath before seriously asking, “Why do you suddenly want to marry him?”
Qiu Ci raised an eyebrow, playfully saying, “What, jealous? Regret marrying Mu Feng? Too bad, I don’t like you anymore, so you missed your chance.”
Yu Shan glared at him. “Cut the crap. You know what I mean.”
After staring at each other for a few seconds, the expression on Qiu Ci’s face faded, and he explained the rough reason in a nonchalant tone.
Hearing about this absurd deal, Yu Shan took a deep breath to keep her emotions in check.
She asked in a serious tone, “Qiu Ci, do you know what marriage represents?”
Qiu Ci vaguely guessed what she was going to say and responded indifferently, “It means different things to different people based on their needs.”
Yu Shan’s heart sank at his casual attitude, and she couldn’t control her voice, “I’m asking you, have you considered Mu Yu’s feelings? You know how much he likes you, isn’t what you’re doing…”
Noticing that her voice had grown loud and was drawing some looks, Yu Shan took a moment to compose herself. She stared intently at the man she thought had matured.
After a long sigh, Yu Shan lowered her voice, “A Ci, isn’t what you’re doing too much? People have feelings, Mu Yu will be hurt too. Why him out of all people?”
Looking on the bright side, perhaps the two of them might open up and finally end up together. But on the downside, wouldn’t it just lead to another heartbreak?
Hearing Yu Shan’s questioning, Qiu Ci merely frowned and said, “He knows the reason, and I didn’t force him.”
It was a clear-cut transaction where both parties got what they needed. What was wrong with that?
Yu Shan laughed angrily, “So you think this makes it okay to use his feelings?”
Mu Yu agreeing to Qiu Ci’s proposal clearly showed how deeply he loved him. No matter what Qiu Ci wanted to do, he was willing to go along with it.
She still remembered back then when Mu Yu had smiled faintly and told her, “As long as A Ci is happy, I’ll do whatever he likes.”
That boy had looked at her calmly, as if saying, A Ci likes you, so I’ll help him. That’s enough for me.
Honestly, Yu Shan didn’t understand this kind of love.
If she was Mu Yu, she would boldly pursue the person she liked, constantly trying to prove—
I like you, and I’m making an effort to get closer to you.
But Mu Yu wasn’t her, and she wouldn’t be Mu Yu.
“I’ve said all I needed to. Think it over yourself.”
That was all Yu Shan said. If Qiu Ci couldn’t understand the problem himself, no amount of her talking would help.
Qiu Ci wasn’t around, so Mu Yu couldn’t eat. When Qiu Ci returned with a blank expression and sat down, Mu Yu finally resumed eating.
He didn’t ask what the two of them had talked about while they were away.
If A Ci wanted to tell him, he would. If he didn’t, it was better not to ask, as it probably wasn’t anything good.
The two ate in silence, finishing their meals. As they were leaving, Qiu Ci paused by Yu Shan’s table and tossed a candy onto it.
“Don’t get angry over nothing. If you get sick from it, I’m not responsible.”
This brat still dared to get angry with him—an old habit from before.
At these words, everyone except Yu Shan looked confused.
Yu Shan glanced at the candy and said sarcastically, “I brought this on myself, meddling where I shouldn’t. Who would dare expect Lord Qiu to care?”
“Not bad, you have some self-awareness. Go ahead and stay mad then.” Qiu Ci didn’t argue with her, laughing as he left.
Once outside the restaurant, Qiu Ci looked sideways at Mu Yu, who had been silent the entire time, and narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you want to ask what we talked about?”
He knew Mu Yu well. This fool seemed calm on the surface but probably had a thousand questions running through his mind.
“I can probably guess.” Mu Yu had a fair understanding of Yu Shan’s personality.
“Let’s hear it.”
“You were discussing the reasons for our marriage. She probably thinks you’re messing around and that it’s unfair to me,” Mu Yu briefly summarized what he could guess.
He hit the nail on the head. Qiu Ci clicked his tongue internally and asked, “What do you think about it?”
Since they were on the topic, they might as well clarify things. It would be good for Mu Yu to reflect on it as well.
He was open to self-reflection now, though whether he could come to any conclusions was another matter.
Upon hearing this, Mu Yu’s expression remained unchanged as he kept pace with Qiu Ci.
“This is my own decision. A Ci, since I decided to play this role with you, I’ve considered all the consequences. I’ll bear them myself. You don’t need to feel any burden.”
Just like when he knew A Ci had feelings for Yu Shan but still seduced him when he was slightly drunk.
Just like when he knew A Ci could never like him but still shamelessly wanted to maintain a close relationship with him.
It’s the same now. He knew nothing had changed and still was willing to play this role with him.
A role in which he was deeply invested while Qiu Ci remained detached.
After a while, Qiu Ci said calmly, “The way you say that makes it hard for me not to feel a burden.”
Maybe he really should consider Yu Shan’s words. He shouldn’t have impulsively dragged Mu Yu into his antics.
His complicated expression made Mu Yu’s heart sink.
What did this mean? Why was A Ci looking at him like that? Was he planning to call off the deal?
Qiu Ci noticed the slight downturn of Mu Yu’s lips and looked away, not continuing the conversation. Mu Yu silently followed beside him, afraid to probe further.
When Qiu Ci swiped the room card and was about to enter the room, his right hand was suddenly grabbed by the person next to him.
“A Ci.”
Mu Yu looked at him, suddenly smiling in a way that seemed capable of melting the entire winter.
“I told you, as long as you’re happy.”
At that moment, Qiu Ci felt as if time had rewound to the past.
In his memory, Mu Yu was still a slightly youthful boy with a soft voice, tending to his wounds from a fight.
Back then, he had smiled at Qiu Ci just like this, saying, “As long as you’re happy. Anytime, I’ll help you if you like.”
At that time, they had been dating for more than half a month and had done many intimate things.
What was Qiu Ci’s reaction back then?
The slightly drunk evening glow cast on the boy’s face made his always cold features particularly gentle.
And Qiu Ci had turned his face away, saying, “No… I don’t need you meddling. I don’t care about that annoying girl Yu Shan anymore.”
Young Mu Yu didn’t take it seriously and just smiled.
No one heard the small voice in Qiu Ci’s heart at that moment saying: I kind of care about you now, just a little bit.
It was a fleeting feeling, quickly buried as if it had never appeared.
Until now, this vague memory gradually became clear, as if it all happened yesterday. Even the feelings from that time resurfaced in his heart.
The two stared at each other in the corridor for a long time until faint voices brought Qiu Ci back to reality.
He lowered his gaze, grabbed Mu Yu’s wrist with his other hand, pushed the door open, and the next second, the door slammed shut.
With the blackout curtains drawn, the room was dimly lit.
Pulled into the room, Mu Yu’s back pressed against the cold wall. He wrapped his arms around Qiu Ci’s waist, clutching tightly at his shirt.
The entangled breathing left him unable to think clearly, nor did he want to think. He only wanted to drown in this passionate kiss.
But he wasn’t satisfied with just this; he wanted more and more.
Urged on by his mind, Mu Yu tried to take some initiative, but Qiu Ci stopped his actions.
In the dimly lit room, only their breathing and heartbeats could be heard, and they could see the light in each other’s eyes.
As he gradually calmed down, Qiu Ci couldn’t help but cover Mu Yu’s eyes with his hand. Those eyes always made his heart restless, leading him to act irrationally.
“Mu Yu.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you stupid?”
His palm felt the flutter of Mu Yu’s eyelashes, a sensation that was soft and ticklish, reaching his heart.
Still covering his eyes, Qiu Ci leaned in again, his assault even more intense than before.
Silly and stupid, yet so obedient—it always made him want to bully him even harder.
