After speaking, the pain in the depths of his heart grew even more intense.
"You can say such things, and Mu Yichen can too?"
"Who says he can’t? He was the one who started it."
Qin Mu listened to Jian Yan place so much trust in Mu Yichen and walked over to sit down on the sofa across from her.
In Jian Yan’s eyes, she seemed like a little girl who had been greatly wronged, desperately needing someone to coddle her.
After confirming his feelings time and again, showing restraint over and over, he finally just stepped back, leaned against the front of his desk, and watched her calmly.
"Haven’t you two always argued easily since you were kids? Every time, do you end up as upset as this?"
Jian Yan suddenly asked, even with a smile.
Qin Mu looked up at him.
Qin Mu almost cried but instead laughed.
"Who says I haven’t won? In the end, he always made up with me."
Qin Mu lowered her head, stubbornly finished her sentence, and then fell silent.
Indeed, after every argument, no matter how fierce or vicious, wasn’t it always him who made up with her?
Only this time, they weren’t arguing, they were lacking trust in each other.
Indeed, a rift had formed between them.
"I think Zhuo Wen is trying to stir up trouble between us, I think Zhuo Wen is trying to get involved with us, but what does he think? He believes Zhuo Wen doesn’t even fancy him, doesn’t see him as a man to date, Zhuo Wen calls her own fiancé ’brother-in-law’ in WeChat messages to Mu Yi, I don’t think that proves Zhuo Wen is uninterested in Mu Yi, it’s just that Zhuo Wen is more clever in her approach."
Later, not sure what happened, Qin Mu felt as if she were pushed to a point of no return by some situation and finally voiced her own thoughts to Jian Yan.
"Have the two of you talked it over?"
Jian Yan was still leaning there, still maintaining his stance without change, still so composed and serene.
"We did! But he thinks I’m too sensitive, that it’s my lack of security that’s making me think that way."
Qin Mu nodded, and as she spoke again, another wave of stomach pain hit her.
"Then don’t argue anymore. Don’t you always say to never let your enemies rejoice? Always remember this saying."
Jian Yan reminded him in real-time.
Qin Mu thought for a moment, then nodded again.
In Jian Yan’s eyes, she looked like a wounded child at that moment, seemingly covered in thorns, but in reality, she was just too certain of her own opinions.
That evening, Jian Yan asked Mu Yichen to meet him, and the two men encountered each other outside the studio building.
After Mu Yichen got out of his car and saw Jian Yan smoking there, he remembered that Jian Yan had been prohibited from smoking since his surgery, yet he was smoking now.
Mu Yichen knew his troubles might be related to him and Qin Mu, but still, he closed the car door and approached.
A bright moon hung in the sky, illuminating the area below.
The two men, both clad in light-colored overcoats, started to fight; Jian Yan punched Mu Yichen in the stomach, causing him pain, and instantly Mu Yichen was about to hit back at Jian Yan.
Because Jian Yan couldn’t withstand a punch from him, yet Jian Yan didn’t appreciate it, and instead landed another punch toward his face.
"Tomorrow I’ll take her away. This wedding, I’ll refuse for her."
"You’re rejecting me on her behalf?"
Mu Yichen was struck to the ground by him, and when he got up, he touched the bleeding corner of his mouth but looked fiercely at the man opposite him.
Jian Yan’s gaze was one of disdain. He was panting but very disappointed with the younger man in front of him.
"Do you think just because you are her mentor you can do this? You’ve only been involved with her for a few years. Do you think you can make decisions for her just because you hold her in your heart? She doesn’t have you in her heart, you can’t take her away from me."
Mu Yichen hunched slightly, his hand pointing fiercely at the ground, teeth clenched, reading each word deliberately.
"We’ll soon find out who is qualified."
Jian Yan told him, in contrast to Mu Yichen’s anger, he was too calm.
"Mu Yichen, you can’t even trust her, how can you still tell me you love her? Ask your heart, in all the years you’ve been together, aside from making her suffer, what have you given her?"
Jian Yan asked him again.
"I’ve given her a lot, do you want me to list everything one by one? Master!"
Mu Yichen let out a laugh as he uttered the word "master".
"Good, the night is long, take your time to tell me!"
"Jian Yan, do you really want to break up your disciple’s happy marriage? You finally can’t control yourself, can you? You want to fight with me, don’t you? Just because we’re having a few small issues right now, you think you have a chance?"
Mu Yichen asked Jian Yan, looking at Jian Yan’s composed manner, he was really furious. Not only had he been punched twice upon arriving, but he was also told that his wife was going to be taken away.
Mu Yichen felt it was the most ridiculous thing in the world, not even Qin Mu’s father had treated him like that.
"I’m telling you, don’t even think about it!"
"Then why don’t you trust her?"
"You know nothing, what right do you have to say I don’t trust her? Why isn’t it that she doesn’t trust me?"
Mu Yichen spread his hands, unable to understand why it must be his fault.
"Because I believe in her."
Jian Yan said in a soft voice.
"This woman, in this lifetime, even if I have to bind her, I can only bind her in Rongcheng, under my watch. Jian Yan, no matter how much you trust her, no matter how much she admires you, you can’t be anything more than a mentor."
"Alright, I’ll ask you one last time, tell me, do you love her or is it just habit? Don’t rush to answer, think it over first! She’s a person, not your pet, to bind?"
Jian Yan’s eyes were clear as he looked at the man in front of him and couldn’t help laughing to himself.
"I don’t care whether she’s a person or a pet, I just know I won’t let her leave me in this lifetime, no matter how big the rift between us might grow."
All of a sudden, Mu Yichen felt exhausted. He loved her, maybe his way of loving her was somewhat inappropriate, but their wedding was imminent. The last postponement was because she gave birth prematurely, this time, he wouldn’t allow for any accidents.
Qin Mu was standing outside the car.
Mu Yichen had probably forgotten that he brought her along.
Qin Mu had always known he was possessive, but only now did she realize the extent of it.
Their issues were not just about trust, there were other problems between them.
Mu Yichen indeed loved her very much.
She had been feeling tired lately, and now, her heart was even more exhausted.
Qin Mu opened the car door, took out her cellphone from inside, and then turned and walked back.
She would rather wander aimlessly than listen any longer.
At that moment, someone finally seemed to remember her existence.
Mu Yichen turned around in shock, watching her fragile figure walking back, suddenly cursed under his breath, and then ran towards her.
And Jian Yan, having seen Qin Mu’s figure as well, merely sat down dejectedly on the steps, watching quietly as the man and woman chased each other in the darkness.
Mu Yichen grabbed Qin Mu’s wrist: "Let’s talk about anything we have to say at home."
Qin Mu turned, her piercing eyes filled with resentment as she looked at him.