Chapter 152: Don’t Go Back

The moment Su Yao saw Mu Nanqiu, she almost cried out loud.

Thankfully, she managed to force the words down her throat at the last second, swallowing them back.

Otherwise, at the very least, people would’ve looked over, and making a fool of herself was inevitable.

After clearing her throat, she hurried over with quick little steps and immediately took Mu Nanqiu’s arm as she stood up, looking her up and down.

Only after confirming that Mu Nanqiu hadn’t lost an arm or a leg did Su Yao finally let go of the worry that had weighed on her all the way here.

Even though Mu Nanqiu had said on the phone that she was fine, Su Yao still couldn’t quite believe it until she saw her with her own eyes.

Thank goodness she’s all right.

Mu Nanqiu blinked, thinking to herself—maybe she should’ve gotten a little injured, like a broken leg, so Su Yao would have to take care of her every day?

Of course, that was just a passing thought.

She glanced around; apparently, people were curious that a young girl had come to pick Mu Nanqiu up, but Mu Nanqiu had no intention of satisfying their curiosity. She simply took Su Yao with her and walked straight outside.

By the time they reached the front, the taxi driver was reversing, ready to leave. But seeing Su Yao coming out with a tall, beautiful woman, clinging to her like a little bird nestled in its perch, the driver was briefly bewildered.

What’s going on here?

Seeing there was a car right there, Mu Nanqiu put her phone away. She’d been wondering how to get back, and was just about to call out to the driver, but suddenly stopped herself, turned with Su Yao, and the two of them began strolling down the sidewalk.

It wasn’t all that far, after all. They might as well walk back and grab a bite to eat along the way.

Su Yao soon realized Mu Nanqiu was leading her along the street, but she had no idea where they were headed. Curious, she asked, “Aren’t we taking a taxi back?”

“Let’s walk. It’s not that far, and I’ll take you to eat along the way.”

Hearing this, Su Yao sounded a little disappointed, muttering softly, “But I already made food at home…”

“Uh, then let’s eat at home.”

“Never mind, the dishes will be cold by now.”

There was a trace of plaintiveness in Su Yao’s voice, though she herself didn’t notice it. Maybe it was because Mu Nanqiu doted on her a little, or perhaps her body was affecting her mood, but she was gradually becoming more and more like a little girl, just like her appearance.

These little habits didn’t feel out of place on her at all—in fact, they suited her perfectly. Of course, aside from being a little girl, she was still as innocent as ever.

“You have to treat me to a feast.” Su Yao lifted her chin and declared proudly, “I won’t eat anything cheap.”

“Of course.”

Mu Nanqiu chuckled.

Su Yao hadn’t seen much of the world. Occasionally, having some fried chicken or eating at a small Restaurant was already a treat for her. She didn’t have much money herself, and if not for Mu Nanqiu, she’d never have had the chance to dine at a Restaurant in a private room.

And just the two of them, too—for Su Yao, this was already what she imagined a feast would be.

Mu Nanqiu thought it over and decided they should still take a taxi.

Once they arrived, Su Yao looked up at the towering building with its giant sign, and the dedicated staff waiting at the entrance. The moment they walked in, a neatly dressed waitress with impeccable makeup greeted them.

Su Yao instinctively hid half her body behind Mu Nanqiu, but Mu Nanqiu was used to this. She asked the waitress to show them to a private room. Once seated, she ordered their dishes—since she was treating, of course it was up to her to choose.

The table wasn’t very large, but the room itself was truly spacious, and the décor gave it a remarkable atmosphere.

A special touch: the wall next to the table was made of glass, so you could look out through the clear glass at the world outside.

It was already seven in the evening, and the city was ablaze with lights. Underneath the myriad neon colors, car headlights streamed along the roads, and each illuminated window in those buildings belonged to a different family.

Gazing down at the exquisite night scene, Su Yao suddenly felt a bit wistful.

“Yao Yao, are you tired?”

“Huh?”

Su Yao turned her head and saw Mu Nanqiu, propping her head up with her hand, gazing at her intently. She looked a little confused.

“I’m okay, I guess?”

She didn’t really know what Mu Nanqiu was asking, but she answered anyway.

Mu Nanqiu stifled a laugh and looked out the window, speaking with a hint of emotion.

“My mother once hired a tutor for me. I was really little, probably still in primary school. The tutor was a girl, apparently a college student, very good at everything and working part-time. One time, I saw her crying. I couldn’t understand it at all back then, and for a long time, I didn’t get why she was crying.”

“So what happened after that?”

Su Yao asked curiously, and Mu Nanqiu thought for a moment before saying that, after she got paid, the girl ended her job.

“Do you remember Hua Mingye? She may be a bad woman, but she’s always had a talent for seeing into people’s hearts, even as a child. She said the reason that girl cried was because she couldn’t accept the gap between them—the kind of gap that can’t be bridged, no matter how hard you try. She made several tutors cry because of it.”

“Ah…”

Su Yao looked a little dazed—she seemed to understand, but also didn’t. She nodded, pretending she understood.

Mu Nanqiu didn’t mind. Normally, she wouldn’t be so sentimental, but today, after accidentally hitting someone and discussing compensation, she’d heard the number the other party quoted and thought it was a bit low. After all, she was the one who hit them, so she doubled the compensation. The family went silent, and the mediation went smoothly.

Forget it, no need to dwell on it.

Shaking off the gloomy thoughts in her mind, Mu Nanqiu glanced at Su Yao, who was sitting upright waiting for the food, and teased with a smile.

“Yao Yao, don’t go back to sleep tonight, okay?”

“Huh?”

Mu Nanqiu looked at the dazed Su Yao. She knew Su Yao was trying to play dumb, but Mu Nanqiu had no intention of letting her off that easily.

She narrowed her eyes, staring intently at Su Yao, and continued.

“Even if Yao Yao’s a bit slow, you should know what I mean, right?”

“Ah, um, I…”

Su Yao was terribly nervous. Being told by her senior that they wouldn’t be sleeping at home tonight—how could she not be anxious?

She knew full well that Mu Nanqiu would never take her to a net café for an all-nighter, so there was only one possibility: a hotel.

Gulp…

She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, but just couldn’t get the words out.

Mu Nanqiu didn’t rush her, just quietly enjoyed the sight of Su Yao’s adorable expression.

Before long, the waitress brought out two beautifully plated steaks, followed by a bottle of red wine. She poured a little into two tall glasses and set them before the pair. Mu Nanqiu took hers and sipped delicately, while Su Yao drank boldly.

She gulped down a mouthful, but the taste of the wine made her hesitate to swallow. Spitting it back into the glass would be rude, so she had no choice but to pinch her nose and force it down. As it burned its way down, a soft pink flush crept across her face.