His Beloved Treasure

Jian Yan had also been hospitalized for gastritis before, and the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.

”Stop overthinking and focus on preparing for the show at the end of the year.”

As she spoke, Jian Yan stood up with a cigarette clamped in one hand and the other hand tucked into her pants pocket, gave her instructions, and then left.

Qin Mu clasped her hands together, her elbows resting on her knees as she leaned forward. She couldn’t help but turn her head to watch him as he walked away.

She couldn’t quite explain it, but she had a very bad feeling in her heart.

Xiaomei came upstairs to bring her a drink, and upon entering her office, she saw that she seemed to be deep in thought and curiously asked, ”What are you thinking about? I added a few roses to it for you.”

”It’s nothing. Is this for Master?” Qin Mu asked quietly as she smelled the coffee aroma, Jian Yan’s favourite coffee.

”Yes!”

Xiaomei nodded her head; she had searched all over Rongcheng for this brand and wanted to make it for Jian Yan.

”Don’t give it to him for now, make him some lily tea instead.”

Qin Mu said softly, then looked up at Xiaomei. Knowing that Xiaomei would be puzzled, she added, ”Master’s stomach hasn’t been good lately, and if he drinks coffee...”

”Then I’ll go change it for him right now!”

Xiaomei turned and left upon hearing this.

Qin Mu...

How could she not understand? Xiaomei’s feelings for Jian Yan might already run bone-deep.

But Jian Yan, being the way he was, made Qin Mu worry. She wanted to create opportunities for them but feared it might backfire. Yet doing nothing made her feel sorry for Xiaomei.

Maybe loving someone means...

...being willing to humiliate oneself for that person?

So had Mu Yichen really loved her back then when he was always by her side?

Qin Mu continued to gaze at the door with a puzzled look, her memories suddenly being pulled back to a few years ago.

Given Mu Yichen’s indifferent nature, how could he possibly see her every so often if he had no feelings for her? It was said to be on business trips, but in reality, was it just to see her?

The more Qin Mu thought about it, the more she felt that their relationship probably traced back many years, and there were even some scenes she could no longer clearly remember, but those feelings were piercingly heartfelt.

How about her feelings towards Mu Yichen?

If he had always been giving, shouldn’t she give back a little more?

It was only after work when Director Mu called her to say he had a dinner engagement and needed to take leave that Qin Mu, standing by the office window looking outside, said, ”Then drink less alcohol.”

”Hmm! Will you wait for me after dinner?”

Mu Yichen was also standing at the window in his office. Hearing her caution him to drink less, his heart stirred, and he then asked for her opinion in a deep voice.

”If you come back too late and I’m too tired, don’t blame me.”

”Be good.”

His voice was soft and soothing. They talked for a while longer before he finally hung up the phone.

After Qin Mu hung up the phone, she couldn’t help but sigh and allowed herself a small, involuntary smile.

However, her good mood dissipated suddenly as she got home and saw that the Jing Family’s patriarch and Jing Qing were visiting.

Still, considering the respect due to an elder, she approached and stood before him with neither obsequiousness nor arrogance: ”Grandpa Jing!”

Feng Fanghua and Mu Zihao, seeing her return, felt a bit apprehensive, but they were reassured when they heard her respectful greeting.

Jing Qing, however, seeing her standing there, politely smiled and said, ”Even Yichen calls him Grandpa, so you don’t have to call him ’Grandpa Jing.’ Come over here and sit.”

Jing Qing patted the empty seat beside her, inviting Qin Mu to join with a smile.

Qin Mu returned the smile lightly, then looked at her daughter and, as she sat down, said to Huanhuan, ”Come to Mommy for a moment.”

Huanhuan immediately scampered from Feng Fanghua’s arms to hers, and Qin Mu kissed her forehead, ”In Mommy’s car, there seems to be some chocolate that Auntie Sophia sent over from Paris. Shall we ask Nanny Zhang to fetch it for you?”

”Yes!”

Upon hearing that the chocolate was from Auntie Sophia, Huanhuan’s eyes lit up. She gave her mom a big kiss on the cheek before running off to find Nanny Zhang: ”Nanny Zhang, Nanny Zhang...”

Nanny Zhang had heard and approached, taking Huanhuan by the hand, the two of them happily going to retrieve the chocolate.

Watching them from the side, Jing Qing couldn’t help but smile and lower her head, ”I don’t know where you get your good fortune from; not only did you bear him a child, but you also married him.”

Qin Mu, hearing the faint sadness in her words, simply replied softly, ”Perhaps it’s fate.”

Jing Qing turned to look at her, as if she found Qin Mu’s words disagreeable.

”Hmph! Whether it’s fate or playing the sympathy card, I suppose only you would know best,” Jing Qing said, not raising her voice, but she did not consider saving Qin Mu’s face at all, her piercing eyes fixed on her as she spoke.