His Beloved Treasure

Helian Hao couldn’t help but tease after hearing Wen Runuan’s comment, recalling how many letters she had left for Qin Mu all those years, with her heart solely waiting for Qin Mu to come back.

Qin Mu chuckled at this, clinked her beer bottle against Wen Runuan’s, took another sip, and said, ”Don’t listen to her nonsense! She wasn’t clinging to me like some pesky adhesive patch. It’s just that after I returned, she was the only one who cared about me, so naturally, things ended up the way they are now.”

Qin Mu’s explanation was simple, yet clear.

Wen Runuan nodded, ”To us three women of different surnames being able to sit together and share drinks tonight—cheers!”

Helian Hao and Qin Mu raised their glasses with her—meeting was already a stroke of fate, being able to sit together drinking and chatting like this was an even greater blessing.

”Does Zhang always turn a blind eye to your smoking?”

Helian Hao asked Wen Runuan.

Wen Runuan took another drag of her cigarette, then slowly lowered her head and answered, ”I smoke very rarely now! I used to be a bit of a rebel, but honestly, I first learned smoking because of a role. Later, I smoked in daily life too, but today’s the first time this month—just indulging myself since we’re out having fun!”

Sometimes, once you get used to something, it becomes hard to quit.

”They say women who smoke are women with burdens. Guess you both fit the type, huh?”

Helian Hao deduced.

”I don’t have any burdens!”

Qin Mu responded immediately, eyeing the cigarette she wasted in the ashtray.

”I don’t have any burdens either!”

Wen Runuan quickly denied as well.

”Fine, fine, it’s just me then!”

Helian Hao surrendered to their stubbornness, picking up her bottle to drink with them.

Wen Runuan looked mesmerizing when she smoked. Those two years must have made her more alluring, wilder, and she carried herself with the commanding presence of a boss; yet that face of hers remained annoyingly innocent.

The three were immersed in conversation when suddenly a sultry female voice started singing from the stage nearby.

They instinctively turned to look in that direction. Though the distance was some ways off, the singer seemed faintly familiar.

It was An Nan.

Jiang Zhiyuan was seated at a nearby table, holding a drink, his eyes inhabited by a beast as he gazed intensely at the woman singing an elegant English song on stage.

It was an old, old tune from way back in *The Bodyguard* movie.

An Nan had a solid foundation in English and a wide vocal range. As she sang, everything around her grew quieter.

The musicians accompanying her were captivated by her voice.

Qin Mu quietly said to the two women beside her, ”Look over there—Jiang Zhiyuan!”

Wen Runuan and Helian Hao turned their eyes towards him.

”Last time Jiang Zhiyuan brought this girl to my mother-in-law’s birthday celebration. Could it be they’re together?”

Helian Hao asked curiously, keeping her gaze fixed in their direction.

”Even if they aren’t together now, it’s only a matter of time.”

Qin Mu looked over, thinking that although Jiang Zhiyuan couldn’t quite figure out An Nan’s feelings, An Nan’s posture and gaze gave away that she had completely figured him out.

It was frustrating that Jiang Zhiyuan remained obliviously convinced that An Nan had other men in her life.

If she really had someone else, would she be flaunting such a sultry demeanor in front of him?

Jiang Zhiyuan never noticed the three women sitting in the corner; his eyes remained fixated on the stage, nearly popping out of his head.

This night was destined to be enchanting!

When Qin Mu and the others finished their drinks and stepped outside, the rain had turned into a drizzle. The three women bowed their heads, carrying their bags as they moved through the rainfall.

The nighttime scenery was enchanting, as if the rain had made it all the more captivating.

Because they’d been drinking, they arranged for a designated driver.

On the way home, Mu Yichen called her. ”Come to the apartment!”

Upon hearing Mu Yichen’s command, Qin Mu asked the driver to stop by a lingerie store. She dashed inside, quickly purchased a set of clothes, then came back out.

The handsome driver didn’t say anything, but couldn’t help feeling this woman was indeed... bold!

At the apartment, Qin Mu paid him and grabbed an umbrella from her car. ”Take it—it’s yours now!”

”Thank you!”

The driver smiled politely and, with professional decorum, used the umbrella to head off to the bus stop.

Qin Mu held the umbrella as she went upstairs, deliberately deciding against letting herself in. Instead, she rang the doorbell.

Mu Yichen had just finished his shower and furrowed his brows in confusion upon hearing the doorbell.

Qin Mu gave him a mischievous smile, seeing the slight crease in his brow, and couldn’t help teasing him. ”What’s wrong? Mu, did you think you were hallucinating?”

She waved the umbrella in her hand, setting it down casually once inside.

”Guess who I ran into at the bar?”

”Jiang Zhiyuan and An Nan! If my instincts are right, An Nan likes Jiang Zhiyuan.”

”Well, isn’t that convenient for that guy?”

”Though Jiang Zhiyuan seems unsure, like he’s not quite certain if An Nan is interested in him.”

Qin Mu continued.

”That’s kind of intriguing then.”

Mu Yichen responded.

After all, Jiang Zhiyuan deserved to struggle a little.

If girlfriends come too easily, how would he ever learn to cherish them?

Mu Yichen kept wondering if the taste on her lips wasn’t just the residual flavor of alcohol, but something else.

”Did you smoke?”

Mu Yichen asked, his low voice probing, as he gazed at the slightly tipsy woman, unsure of her mental clarity.

”Nope!”

Qin Mu’s head buzzed with the weight of her drinking.

Mu Yichen looked at her, wondering if she even knew what she was doing at the moment.

Later, she went for a shower, while Mu Yichen lay nearby and sighed helplessly, pinching his brow. Why did he strongly feel she’d smoked?

For no apparent reason?

Three women having dinner together—it wasn’t quite what he had imagined.

This woman’s nightlife—it might be better if it remained less extravagant.

Qin Mu changed out of her sexy lingerie in the bathroom, then turned on the faucet to rinse her mouth.

He actually knew she smoked. She exhaled onto her hand and sniffed it.

Qin Mu lifted her eyes to the mirror, looking at the flushed woman reflected there—likely a result of the alcohol, not cigarette smoke.

She was definitely tipsy, especially after being kissed by this rain.

But her mood was great!

She stepped out of the bathroom.

”Mu!”

——

The next morning!

Qin Mu hadn’t even opened her eyes yet when she felt the splitting headache, raising her hand to rub her brow and pressing against her forehead for relief.

In the overly spacious and silent bedroom, her faint voice was just noticeable enough to evoke pity.

Yet the culprit was no longer in the room.