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MTL - Not Spare the Years-Chapter 18
Mu Xueyi didn't sleep all night, sitting on the sofa waiting for Zhou Zhenyue to come back. But until dawn, the door she was staring at was not pushed open.
Not only this day, but for the next few days, Zhou Zhenyue never came back.
Mu Xueyi knew that she couldn't get a reply by sending WeChat to Zhou Zhenyue, and she didn't have her current mobile phone number, so she could only ask Xiao Ai. Xiao Ai just said that Zhou Zhenyue was busy, and it was unclear what she was doing.
Five days later, Xiao Ai came to the hotel, holding two air tickets in his hand, saying to send Mu Xueyi back to Anyang.
Mu Xueyi hesitated for a long time and asked if Zhou Zhenyue would be with her.
Xiao Ai replied, "Mr. Zhou went back yesterday."
Mu Xueyi opened his mouth and couldn't ask any more.
Zhou Zhenyue's sudden change made her like a person drowning in the middle of the sea, every pore on her body was at a loss, but she was helpless and unable to save herself.
After returning to Anyang, she still lived in the riverside apartment. Except for Xiao Ai, who will come over on time to fill up the refrigerator, no one else will come to visit.
During the period, Zhou Fengnian contacted her once and gave her 50,000 yuan, saying that it was a red envelope for his daughter-in-law. She wanted to refuse, but she was afraid that Zhou Fengnian would be suspicious of their relationship, so she had to accept it and put it in a new bank card without moving a penny.
Time passed silently for half a month.
One day half a month later, Mu Ruqing suddenly contacted her for the first time.
When the call came, Mu Xueyi was doing laundry. Seeing the string of numbers on the screen, she had a momentary daze in her eyes.
She deleted Mu Ruqing from her contacts, but the string of numbers was engraved in her mind. It was the number that Mu Guocheng gave them together in junior high school, and it was three numbers away from her number.
After a moment of hesitation, he still answered.
Mu Ruqing: "...Xueyi?"
His voice didn't sound as mean as usual.
Mu Xueyi took a breath and controlled her voice in an emotionless range: "Don't call me again."
Mu Ruqing chuckled lightly: "It's been more than a month since you left home, haven't you had enough trouble?"
Mu Xueyi frowned: "I didn't joke with you."
Mu Ruqing smiled again: "I thawed the card for you. I made some money yesterday. Today is your birthday. I have a small party at home and come home for dinner tonight."
Mu Ruqing's tone was like that of a sensible sister who easily forgave each other after a few days of temper tantrums in the most ordinary family.
Mu Xueyi is a person who lacks love, especially the love from family. Sometimes it only takes a little warmth to warm up her heart that she thought could no longer be shaken.
Even if her reason clearly understands, these are most likely just illusions, or Mu Ruqing's alms on a whim. Even so, she cherished the warmth.
But Mu Xueyi also knew that the line between him and the Mu family had to be clearly drawn.
She said, "I can go back to eat the rice, but I don't want the money."
Mu Ruqing should be at the desk, and can hear the faint click of the pen: "Whatever you want."
She changed the conversation and asked again, "How have you been recently, is Zhou Zhenyue treating you well?"
Mu Xueyi was silent for a while and said, "It has nothing to do with you."
Mu Ruqing wasn't angry with her attitude, she just said: "Xueyi, you have to figure out some things yourself. Who is Zhou Zhenyue? Like me, she is the manager of a big company. Manager. To be able to sit firmly in this position, you have to be a little suspicious in your character. You lied to her, and even if she still loves you, you will never go back to the past. What are you going to do? Let her guess and guess for the rest of your life. Go, hot and cold days?"
Mu Xueyi frowned: "What do you mean?"
Mu Ruqing: "I kindly persuade you to turn back early, if you don't like listening to it, forget it. Hang up."
Although the end of the phone call was not very pleasant, Mu Ruqing's willingness to help her celebrate her birthday still made Mu Xueyi a little softer.
Her older sister looked down on her since she was a child, and she thought that Mu Ruqing would never know her birthday.
In fact, of course she is looking forward to another person remembering her birthday.
However, she must be a little delusional. Most of the day has passed, but Xiao Ai has not even received a call.
At night.
Mu Xueyi arrived at Mu's house as scheduled.
Mu Ruqing really organized a small and warm party and invited a few classmates. Zhong Wan was also there. Seeing Mu Xueyi, her face that was always shrouded in haze became clear, and she walked over with a smile and holding the gift box.
Zhong Wan: "Xueyi, long time no see!"
She stuffed the gift into Mu Xueyi's hand, and took her by the wrist and led her inside: "Come and see the cake, I personally went to the store to pick it up."
The interior room has been carefully decorated, with delicate ribbons and balloons on the ceiling. The cake had five layers and was placed in a low cart, with a familiar person sitting next to the cake.
Seeing Mu Xueyi coming, Shen Huaixing stood up steadily and handed the gift: "Xueyi, happy birthday."
Mu Xueyi didn't expect to meet Shen Huaixing here, so she accepted the gift box unconsciously, and asked after a while, "Teacher...? Why are you here?"
Shen Huaixing pushed his glasses and smiled: "Your sister asked me to come here."
Mu Xueyi didn't know what to say to Shen Huaixing, so she nodded, "Thank you, thank you..."
Shen Huaixing sat next to Mu Xueyi, leaning halfway to face her, his posture and tone were a bit ambiguous: "Take it apart and see if it fits. If it doesn't fit, I'll take it and ask them to change it."
Mu Xueyi was a little uncomfortable, and silently opened some distance. She lowered her head to open the box and saw a cleverly designed bracelet lying inside. Sparkling with diamonds, with little platinum stars.
Shen Huaixing picked it up, held both ends with both hands, and looked at Mu Xueyi quietly.
Out of courtesy, Mu Xueyi still stretched out his hand.
Bracelet loops on wrist.
The length seems to be a bit awkward, there is an extra section for two circles, and a shorter section for three circles.
Shen Huaixing retracted his hand and sighed: "You are too thin, this bracelet is wound twice."
The inappropriateness of the bracelet made Mu Xueyi relieved. She said, "It doesn't matter, I'll take it as you wish. In fact, you can keep it yourself, and it's troublesome to change it."
Shen Huaixing smiled and said, "I understand if you don't want it. We are indeed not the kind of relationship where you can send expensive gifts."
She paused and lowered her voice: "But you really... don't remember it?"
Mu Xueyi looked at the bracelet, and the light in his eyes trembled slightly.
How could she not remember?
Back then, she pointed to the bracelet in the counter and said to Shen Huaixing, "Teacher, when we take wedding photos in the future, I want to wear it."
What Shen Huaixing didn't dare to buy for her back then, even if she bought it now, what's the point?
Late promises are meaningless.
Mu Xueyi blinked and replied:
"…Can not remember."
Shen Huaixing lowered his eyes and clenched the chain in his hand. Mu Xueyi's attitude was very firm. In so many trials, she rejected herself openly and secretly without exception.
But she was still not reconciled. Not willing to miss Mu Xueyi.
It's strange that the courage that she couldn't muster no matter what back then turned back to the present when she couldn't ask for it.
After the party, Mu Ruqing called Mu Xueyi to her room.
Mu Ruqing poured her a glass of water by himself as usual, and while handing the glass, she asked jokingly, "I think you came here by taxi today. Why, Zhou Zhenyue didn't ask someone to take you off?"
Mu Xueyi stopped when she took the water cup. He clenched his glass tightly, but said nothing.
Mu Ruqing sat on the sofa and casually raised Erlang's legs, "I think Professor Shen treats you very well, didn't you two love each other so much? Now that you have the opportunity to develop further, you should be happy. Dad also thinks Our family can marry the Shen family."
Mu Xueyi thought it was ridiculous: "Now you have changed your mind? When we were blocked back then, why didn't you see your support?"
Mu Ruqing: "You were still young back then."
Mu Xueyi sneered: "No. It's because Uncle Shen was not the principal of Anyang University of Finance at the time, so you have nothing to use."
Mu Ruqing's expression froze, and she slowly raised her eyes to look at Mu Xueyi.
Mu Xueyi asked, "Let's be honest, why did you call me here today?"
Mu Ruqing shrugged: "To celebrate your birthday."
Mu Xueyi stared at her: "I'm weak or useless, but I'm not a fool. Before you mention your father, I still have some confidence that you are really celebrating my birthday. I guess, you called me home today, or It's to match Shen Huaixing and me, or to coerce and lure me into stealing from the Zhou family, or..."
She gritted her teeth: "I did it on purpose for Ah Yue to see."
Mu Ruqing just smiled and said nothing.
Mu Xueyi: "Ayue will know that I have returned to Mu's house, she will guess if I have contact with you again, you know that these are the things she is most sensitive to now. ... You mentioned Ayue several times today, you I have never been disdainful to mention her before, and you have mentioned it so many times today, and you are still trying to provoke my relationship with her."
Speaking of this, Mu Xueyi suddenly thought of the phone call from Zhong Wan before, and then figured out what she had been unable to figure out these days: "She suddenly alienated me for a while, is it your fault?"
Mu Ruqing sighed softly: "Mu Xueyi, although I hate you, I have to admit that you are indeed smarter than I thought."
Mu Xueyi's face changed: "It's really because of you!"
Mu Ruqing no longer blocked her: "Yeah, it's because of me. I'm not afraid to tell you, half a month ago, I deliberately let Zhou Zhenyue misunderstand that you wanted to steal Zhou's quotation. I thought you were left out, Shen If the professor and I give you a little more care, you will come back obediently, and maybe you will be willing to steal the documents again."
She smiled a little too candidly, not at all like someone whose plans were revealed.
"It seems that these convoluted tricks can't catch you, so let's be straightforward."
Mu Xueyi's face was pale, her fingers curled up.
Mu Ruqing: "I want Zhou's quotation, and within ten days, you can find a way to get it."
Mu Xueyi laughed in anger: "Why do you think I will agree?"
Mu Ruqing stared at her calmly: "Master Zhou still doesn't know what you did three years ago?"
Mu Xueyi's body froze.
Mu Ruqing smiled lightly: "Guess, if he knew that you stole the documents back then, and that you nearly killed his precious granddaughter in a car accident, would he still be... amiable like he is now?"