When Jiang Yan arrived, Mu Qingxin was actually feeling restless. Although they had started communicating recently, she had been feeling quite awkward deep down.
It was anger, grievance, feeling sorry for him.
As Jiang Yan’s car stopped at their house, just hearing the sound of the door closing nearly brought her to tears.
Mu Yichen and Qin Mu were waiting for him in the living room; only Mu Qingxin hadn’t come downstairs.
"Big brother! Sister-in-law!"
Jiang Yan came bearing gifts. Despite feeling guilty, he greeted them very politely.
Sitting on the couch, Mu Yichen glanced at him, "She’s upstairs!"
Qin Mu smiled at him, finding Jiang Yan’s struggle to balance his rush to go upstairs with his respect for his elder brother and sister-in-law quite admirable.
"Okay! We’ll talk later!"
Jiang Yan said, about to set down the gifts, when the housekeeper came by, took the gifts as he wished her a happy new year, and then he strode towards Mu Qingxin’s room upstairs.
Qin Mu turned to look at Mu Yichen, "It’s really not easy, huh!"
Mu Yichen, legs crossed and one arm around his wife, chuckled smugly, the posture of a successful man.
"What are you laughing at? Don’t you think they have it tough?"
"Was it ever easy for anyone?"
That’s all Mu Yichen responded with a counter-question.
"Oh, you! Can’t you have a little compassion? I see that recently, although Qingxin tends to act happy, she’s actually very sad inside. You’re her big brother, and since we’re at home, can’t you act a bit more normal?"
Qin Mu reached out to touch his face.
"I’m already being normal!"
Mu Yichen said, looking down at her as he replied.
Qin Mu was at a loss of what to do with him, anxiously peering upstairs, wondering what the young couple was doing.
Mu Yichen saw the look in her eyes, pulled her into his embrace, and covered her eyes with one hand, "What are you trying to see?"
"Let go! I’m just curious!"
Qin Mu replied, trying to free his hand from her face.
"Curious? What’s there to be curious about?"
Mu Yichen asked, cradling her face in his hands.
Qin Mu didn’t speak, just snuggled into his embrace and barely managed to look up at him.
"I’ll just tell you then!"
Mu Yichen’s dark eyes gazed at her, and in an instant, he silenced her lips.
Qin Mu felt her vision suddenly darken. In the quiet descent of night, she heard her heart as if a drop of honey had slipped into it, spreading slowly.
It wasn’t until dinner that Jiang Yan came down with Mu Qingxin, by which time her mood had already improved significantly, radiating happiness from the inside out. Jiang Yan, needless to say, was also contented after having cheered up his wife.
During dinner, he even toasted Mu Yichen, "The past while has put Qingxin in my brother and sister-in-law’s care. I’d like to toast to you both first."
He didn’t have the aloof CEO demeanor he usually displayed in public but looked more like a little brother a few years younger than Mu Yichen, with an everyman’s warmth.
Mu Yichen watched him drink without stopping him, merely holding his glass without taking a sip.
"I’ll have another! Thanks again to my brother and sister-in-law."
"Oh my, don’t drink too much!"
Right after Jiang Yan finished speaking, before he could take a drink, Mu Qingxin snatched the glass from him, "We’re all family, why the need for all these thanks?"
Mu Yichen sighed helplessly, thinking that daughters married away were like water splashed out, wondering if one day his own daughter would also side with some outsider boy like that.
"Hehe, my wife is right!"
Jiang Yan laughed in relief, promptly putting his arm around her shoulder.
It seemed, everything he did was just to make his wife happy.
Mu Yichen sighed helplessly, then started serving food to Qin Mu, "Let’s eat!"
Qin Mu glanced at him and couldn’t help but chuckle, noting the siblings both truly had the same temperament.
After dinner, each couple retreated to their respective rooms to rest. Qin Mu, lying in Mu Yichen’s arms, couldn’t resist saying, "I remember the first time I met Jiang Yan, is he still the Jiang Yan I knew back then?"
"What are you trying to say?"
Mu Yichen asked her dispassionately as he held her.
"Jiang Yan really loves Mu Qingxin."
Qin Mu couldn’t help but laugh, like a little girl spoiled with affection.
Mu Yichen lowered his gaze at her, "What about you?"
Qin Mu’s face flushed red immediately, her?
Two words, and she turned around to sleep.
Clearly moving at a snail’s pace, but once she decided to ignore, she simply did.
Mu Yichen didn’t press her, only after she fell asleep did he tuck her in and then get out of bed.
After smoking two cigarettes downstairs, Jiang Yan finally came down.