Chapter 108: Ye Dong

“Bye-bye~”

The voice was soft and pleasant.

Watching the girl wave goodbye, Mu Nanqiu smiled and nodded.

Then, through the car window, she kept her eyes on Su Huan’s lively back until she disappeared through the community gate.

Only then did she press the accelerator.

The car started moving, gradually leaving the neighborhood.

Mu Nanqiu didn’t go straight home but drove around the City first. As expected, her phone on the dashboard lit up, displaying the name Ye Dong.

Mu Nanqiu slowed the car down a bit, found a parking spot by the roadside, and stopped.

She rolled down the window, letting the cold breeze flow in. The street was sparsely populated, but a few glances were still cast at the young lady.

Most of the time, Miss Mu wore a blank expression. Her aloof and refined face gave off an untouchable aura. After picking up the phone, Mu Nanqiu didn’t say a word but waited for the other side to speak first.

Ye Dong was her mother’s name.

“Xiaoqiu, why didn’t you come home for lunch?”

If it weren’t for waiting for Su Yao, Mu Nanqiu could have come home at noon, even yesterday. It wasn’t far—just a bit over two hours by car—but she dragged it until today.

If it were Beizhi, she would have already gone to her mother’s side early, showering her with affection.

Mu Nanqiu’s gaze drifted to the trees outside. Staring at their patterns absentmindedly, she said casually, “Some things.”

“Is there anything more important than having a meal with family?”

The tone carried a hint of reproach, clearly blaming Mu Nanqiu. If it had been Beizhi, she would have already surrendered by now, but Mu Nanqiu, as the legitimate daughter, was long immune to this.

Rolling her eyes slightly, she said, “You did it?”

“I, your mother, rarely cook, and you still don’t come back!”

“Well, then it’s nothing.”

“What do you mean?”

Hearing her daughter say this, Mu Madam’s brows twitched. Mu Nanqiu’s next words made her even angrier.

“Let Beizhi make some effort, or I won’t come back tonight either.”

“Fine, then I’ll hang up. Bye-bye.”

The moment she finished speaking, she hung up without caring whether there was anything else to say.

On the other end, Mu Madam was truly angry. The elegant noblewoman glanced at her second daughter lying on the sofa, playing with her phone and a handheld console. Putting her phone away, she asked, “Zhi’er, don’t you like mom’s cooking?”

“No, no, no!”

Beizhi shook her head vehemently to deny it. Although she couldn’t praise the taste, she said, “It looks pretty artistic, but the flavor is a bit strange.”

Mu Madam was speechless. Turning to the youngest son playing games, she walked over, snatched the console, raised her brows, and lectured, “You’ve been playing for almost an hour. Once you’re done, go finish your homework. You’re not on vacation yet.”

He clearly had permission to play for an hour, but it was only forty minutes. When the game console was taken away, the pain shifted to his face. But under the mother’s absolute authority at home, he could only obediently return to his room.

After the kids left, Mu Madam’s mood improved. She casually tossed the console onto the sofa and went to supervise. As soon as she left, Beizhi immediately took over the handheld, changed to a relaxed posture, and happily resumed playing.

After hanging up the phone, Mu Nanqiu put it away. She glanced around and noticed several restaurants nearby.

But all were crowded. She wasn’t in the mood to squeeze in.

She had a light breakfast this morning, barely enough to get by. Now it was lunchtime, and she hadn’t even taken a sip of water. She took out a lollipop from her pocket—apple-flavored, the one Su Yao had just given her on the road—tore open the wrapper, and popped it in her mouth. Suddenly, she wanted to visit Su Yao’s home.

Su Yao had mentioned that she could cook and occasionally made a meal at home.

At Mu Nanqiu’s house, they always hired someone to cook because Ye Mother really lacked talent in this area. Or perhaps her talent was too extraordinary—beyond the realm of ordinary human cuisine—so Mu Nanqiu could never comprehend the true taste of those strange dishes.

“I want to see Yao Yao cook.”

A young girl tied an apron around her waist, tied her hair back, and washed vegetables with delicate hands. Holding a cleaver, she sliced the meat into pieces, handled various seasonings, and carefully controlled the heat. With a click, the fire was extinguished, and she carried the finished dishes to the table. The aroma already teased the appetite. She took bowls and chopsticks from the cabinet, served a bowl of hot rice, and with a soft, gentle voice called out, “Come eat quickly.”

Mu Nanqiu’s lips curved upward. The frost on her face melted away, revealing a bright, charming expression. The car window slowly rolled up, and with the roar of the engine, the car left that place.

She was going home—not to the Apartment but the house where her parents lived. Mu Nanqiu entered, changed out of her thick clothes, and saw Beizhi already lying upside down on the living room sofa, playing with her phone and handheld console.

Squinting at her for a moment, Mu Nanqiu finally recognized that this untidy creature was her younger sister.

As if sensing the gaze, Beizhi grinned and called out to her sister, “Yo, isn’t this the big sister?”

“Heh.”

Beizhi held a bit of resentment toward her sister. While Mu Nanqiu was away, Mom’s cooking had all been eaten by her. Though it wasn’t inedible, eating so much was still a bit overwhelming.

Mu Nanqiu ignored her and headed straight to her room.

Beizhi quickly turned upright, slipped on her wool slippers, and followed, calling out “Sister! Sister!” nonstop, looking like she had a favor to ask.

“Oh, right, Mom seems to have something to see you about.”

“?”

Hearing this, Mu Nanqiu paused. Something to see her about? For what?

When her eyes met Beizhi’s, the latter had already slipped away, taking long strides like she was running away. Mu Nanqiu felt a bit embarrassed. Turning around, she was startled by the sudden appearance of Ye Mother.

“Why so quiet?”

Mu Madam had been in a better mood after supervising the youngest son finish five pages of exercises early but now it soured again.

Mu Nanqiu calmly looked at the woman in front of her, who was striking in both appearance and figure. As women age, their looks often decline, but this rare beauty required a lot of time and money to maintain, preserving her youth longer.

She was a wealthy madam, so she had no worries in this regard. Even as a mother of three, her eldest daughter standing before her was already twenty-one but still captivatingly beautiful.

The central air was on, warming the large house. Mu Madam wore a plush robe, the inner layers known only to Mr. Mu. Her face held both anger and a trace of joy. Mu Nanqiu inherited her mother’s sharp features—her narrowed, intense gaze exuded full queenly charisma.

Mu Madam glared at her eldest daughter who was back from vacation and complained, “You finally remember to come home?”

“Mm.”

Mu Nanqiu’s eyes shifted toward her room, responding lightly.

Seeing her glance, Mu Madam moved to block her way and said, “Wait a moment. Don’t leave yet. Stay and chat with Mom. It’s been so long since we last met.”

“Didn’t I come back just a few days ago?” Mu Nanqiu asked, puzzled.

Mu Madam was used to her eldest daughter always finding fault in words. At least it was Mu Nanqiu—if it were Beizhi, she’d already be scolded. If it were the youngest son…

Under Mu Nanqiu’s growing confusion, Mu Madam led her to the study to sit for a while.

At first, they made small talk about home life, then Mu Nanqiu’s school affairs, and finally the New Year’s Eve party. These were clearly just icebreakers.

If there was something important, they had to start with chit-chat, to draw closer and lay the groundwork.

The map of Yan Kingdom was long, so the details were omitted here. Mu Nanqiu listened patiently as her mother spoke, occasionally giving feedback. After about half an hour, it was time for the main topic.

Mu Madam had just said, “Come home more often,” then asked,

“Xiaoqiu, what are your plans for the future?”

“Graduate school.”

Mu Nanqiu answered without hesitation. On the surface, there was nothing wrong with this answer, but with added details, Mu Madam glanced at her daughter’s eyes and put extra emphasis on the word “future,” holding her daughter’s hand.

There was an undertone to this question, and so was Mu Nanqiu’s reply.

She dodged it. In the past, Mu Madam might have let it go, but today was different.

“Mom is forty-two today. She was your age when she had you.”

“Oh.”

“Your grandfather’s health hasn’t been good recently.”

Mu Nanqiu pretended not to understand her mother’s meaning and replied briefly. Mu Madam took a deep breath, massaged her aching temples, stood up, and said coldly,

“You’re smart and know what I mean. Think carefully.”

Mu Nanqiu’s expression remained calm and still, only no longer gentle but cold. The mother and daughter left the study one after the other. Mu Nanqiu returned to her room. Soon after, there was a knock on the door.

She tilted her head slightly.

“Dad?”

“Mom sent me…”

The usually stern man stood awkwardly before his daughter, avoiding eye contact.

Mu Nanqiu looked at him for a moment and said, “You said no matter what happens, I should follow my own path. I’m just doing that now.”

After saying this, she closed the door and even locked it. She lay on the bed, closed her eyes, and thought of Su Yao.

Waver?

Impossible!

What she inherited from her mother wasn’t just looks, but also that slightly obsessive personality.