Chapter 50: Don’t Be Afraid to Trouble Me Part 2

The more Emma talked, the funnier she found her own eagerness in front of Tang Yuwen, afraid to miss a chance. By the end of the voice message, she was laughing out loud. Tao Anhe said something garbled in the video, making Wu Yueran and Jiang Jingjing burst into laughter in unison.

“Spacing out?” Jiang Jingjing noticed Miao Zhu wasn’t fully there.

Everyone around her was lively and full of New Year’s spirit, and Miao Zhu curved her lips too.

Just one more hour.

One more hour, and after the show ended, she’d head to the temple on the mountain—maybe she’d run into Mu Shanyi there.

But Mu Shanyi appeared before Miao Zhu at an unexpected place and time, without any warning.

An hour later, Miao Zhu followed the dispersing crowd to the parking lot, where she spotted Mu Shanyi.

The temperature was low, so Mu Shanyi had flipped up the collar of her coat. She leaned alone against the car door, playing with a lighter.

She flicked it open with one hand, spun it, lit it, closed it… the tiny flame flickered in her palm and vanished, over and over.

Long ago, Mu Shanyi had waited for her in this very spot too, for a long time, back when the broad-leafed magnolias were still blooming.

That night marked the beginning of her entAngelment with Mu Shanyi…

A sudden phone ring jolted Miao Zhu back from the memory.

“On the road yet?” Sheng Xingran asked.

“Yeah, just about to get the car, heading out now.” The streetlights cast soft, dim glows in the winter night. No wind tonight—the shadows of lamps and people stood still. Miao Zhu gazed at Mu Shanyi in the distance, and Mu Shanyi turned toward her at the sound of her voice.

“The road up the mountain’s not great, and it’s night—better have the driver take you.”

“I’ve driven it before; I’ll be careful. … How’d it go with the brand today?”

“Not bad; we have a preliminary collaboration framework.”

Sheng Xingran said a few simple words. It was getting late, so she reminded Miao Zhu to drive safely, and they agreed to connect once at the temple.

Miao Zhu put away her phone. The shadow on the ground stood still for a few breaths before moving, passing over the frost-covered lawn, gradually approaching the other shadow.

Mu Shanyi stayed rooted in place.

Mu Shanyi, who had once set the rule of “meeting once a week,” had unconsciously stopped following it herself.

Miao Zhu stopped half a step away, in front of Mu Shanyi. At this point, she didn’t mind Mu Shanyi’s attitude at all, but the grievances still overwhelmed her. Looking at Mu Shanyi so closely, smelling her scent, her eyes grew hot and teary. She hastily lowered her head, waiting for the emotions to ease before lifting her face again.

A full month without contact—Miao Zhu picked a recent topic: “Why didn’t you come see me that night? Xie Dasu said you were at Mercy Grace.”

Not just Xie Dasu—Sheng Xingran had admitted that Mercy Grace treated Tao Anhe so well because she name-dropped Mu Shanyi. Mu Shanyi had specially come to Mercy Grace to check on the situation, giving her full face.

But if Mu Shanyi was at Mercy Grace that day, why wouldn’t she spare even a minute to see her?

“Are you okay?” Mu Shanyi offered no explanation.

“…Not really.” Even trying to control it, Miao Zhu’s voice sounded choked. What was there to not understand? The long silence said it all.

—It was time to end.

On this point, Mu Shanyi felt the same.

The persistent chest tightness since the attack intensified at that moment. In her teary peripheral vision, Mu Shanyi closed the remaining half-step.

Miao Zhu was pulled into Mu Shanyi’s embrace. Mu Shanyi’s palm gently patted her back, her warm lips brushing her cheek: “Baby, don’t cry over me.”

Back in summer vacation, after returning from France, when she found her Bamboo Node Platinum Chain in Mu Shanyi’s jewelry room, Mu Shanyi had said the same.

The subtext of “don’t cry over me” was that it was just for fun—taking it seriously ruined it.

“Mm.” Miao Zhu nodded, buried in her arms.

Thinking alike was a good thing.

Going to the temple to pray was forgotten. Miao Zhu followed Mu Shanyi back to Tower Shadow Sunny River.

As soon as they entered, she noticed new splashes of color—especially by the floor-to-ceiling windows, where a huge Christmas tree stood. Layers of ink-green pine branches were adorned with cute ornaments: candies, stars, bells… The colored lights were plugged in, golden strands wrapping the branches, bringing vibrant life to the once overly quiet space.

Christmas had already passed.

“Hungry? Want something to eat?” Mu Shanyi turned her head to ask.

“Not troubling you, right?” Miao Zhu no longer looked at the Christmas tree. She wrapped her arms around Mu Shanyi’s waist. “Sister A-Heng, hold me more.”

Mu Shanyi held her, her palm stroking the back of her head, fingertips gently rubbing her earlobes, over and over.

Miao Zhu tilted her face up from the embrace; they gazed at each other. Mu Shanyi said softly, “Don’t be afraid to trouble me.”

Mu Shanyi’s eyes were too vivid, too good at feigning deep affection, too easy to deceive with.

Miao Zhu couldn’t help but play along: “Then… a little something.”

Mu Shanyi: “I’ve recently learned to make soup—want to try?”

Miao Zhu smiled supportively: “Sure.”

Who had Mu Shanyi spent Christmas with? For whom had she learned to make soup? On whom was she spending her efforts?