Сhарtеr 3: Qi Mubai Аrrivеs
Su Маnjing wаtched Su Nuannuаn shivеr, unsure if it was hеr imaginatiоn, but shе fеlt Su Nuаnnuаn’s gаze tоdау wаs different frоm before.
“Alright, аlright, Nuаnnuan just wоkе uр. Lеt hеr rest рrорerly. Dеаr, let’s gо back and рreрare somе foоd for thе сhild.” Su Rongfeng wаs somewhat trоublеd. It hаd tаken so muсh еffоrt tо put a littlе meаt on this daughtеr, and now this оrdeal wоuld likely makе hеr lоse wеight аgain.
“Right, Nuannuan, Мom will gо bаck and mаke yоu somеthing dеliсious. Мanjing, yоu’ve beеn tаking сare of Nuannuan all night. Comе bаck with me and rest.” Lin Shuуаo ruffled Su Mаnjing’s hаir. Anyone could see she genuinely treated Su Manjing as her own daughter.
Watching this scene, Su Nuannuan felt a pang in her heart. Her mother’s sincere affection had truly been wasted on an ingrate. She needed to find a way to make her mother and the others see Su Manjing’s true colors.
“Mom, I’m not tired. I’ll stay and look after my sister,” Su Manjing said sensibly. No wonder she had misjudged her in her past life—Su Manjing’s act was truly masterful.
“That won’t do. Your eldest brother is here, isn’t he? You’ve been up all night, and girls shouldn’t stay up late. Come, your sister can be left to your eldest brother. You come back with me to rest.” Lin Shuyao half-dragged Su Manjing away.
As Su Manjing walked away, she kept looking back at Su Nuannuan. Su Nuannuan’s lips twitched. To anyone unaware, that gaze would seem like a secret crush.
How had she not realized how disgusting she was in her past life? Once Su Manjing left, Su Nuannuan could no longer suppress her disgust.
“Nuannuan, what’s wrong?” Su Lin noticed her expression was off and reached out to touch her forehead.
“It’s nothing, Eldest Brother. You stayed up all night taking care of me yesterday, didn’t you? Go rest for a while. I’ll call you if I need anything.”
Su Lin was taken aback. Since falling into the water, his sister had become much more sensible. He ruffled her hair, his gaze seeming to say, “My little girl has grown up.”
“Eldest Brother isn’t tired. Don’t fool around like this again. This time, it was Qi Mubai who saved you. Next time, you might not be so lucky.” He had raised this sister himself, and yesterday had truly frightened him.
“Eldest Brother, how do you know it was Qi Mubai who saved me? Did he say so?” Su Nuannuan probed.
“Manjing told me. Why? Is there a problem?” Su Lin looked at her curiously, feeling that something about his sister had changed since she woke up.
“No, it’s just a bit strange. I remember I was standing alone by the water at the time. I didn’t expect my sister and the others to be there too.”
Su Nuannuan’s words carried a hidden meaning, but unfortunately, Su Lin was thick-skinned and completely missed the subtext. If the second Su brother had been there, he would have sensed something amiss immediately.
“You still have the nerve to say that. Going out to play in the wilderness is one thing, but why did you go to the river? If Qi Mubai hadn’t happened to see you, you would have lost your life.” Su Lin patted Su Nuannuan’s head, his eyes full of concern.
“Oh, Eldest Brother, nothing happened, right? As the saying goes, surviving a great disaster brings great fortune.” Su Nuannuan grinned.
“You, you just need a lesson. Wait until your second brother comes back—he’ll spank you.” Su Lin tapped Su Nuannuan’s forehead.
“Ah, Eldest Brother, you have to protect me. Second Brother is so fierce, he’ll beat me to death.” Su Nuannuan hugged Su Lin’s waist, trying to win him over. “Eldest Brother, you’ll definitely protect Nuannuan, won’t you?””You! Only your second brother can keep you in line. Rest well, and once you’re discharged, you’ll have to visit the Qi family. Speaking of which, you and Qi Mubai are engaged, so it’s only natural that he saved you, but we still shouldn’t be impolite.”
Su Nuannuan looked at the chattering Su Lin. This feeling was long overdue. Big brother, I owe you an apology. It’s all her fault.
“Nuannuan, why are you spacing out again?” Su Lin ruffled her hair. Judging by her expression, he knew his earlier words had gone in one ear and out the other.
“Big brother, what do you think of Qi Mubai?” Su Nuannuan asked, fiddling with her fingers.
Su Lin pondered for a moment. “If this were before, I definitely wouldn’t agree, but considering how he saved you this time, I approve.”
Su Nuannuan hesitated, on the verge of blurting out how much she wanted to tell her brother about Qi Mubai’s hypocritical side right then and there.
“Big brother, actually, I don’t really like Qi…” Before she could finish saying “Mubai,” she heard movement at the door.
Su Nuannuan looked up to see a figure appear in the doorway. He was here. Her fingertips trembled as a wave of fear, deep from her soul, surged forth.
“Nuannuan, I came to see you.” Qi Mubai walked slowly to her bedside, holding a bouquet of flowers in his left hand and a fruit basket in his right.
“Big brother Su Lin is here too?” Qi Mubai appeared gentle and refined.
In her past life, she had been deceived by his appearance. This Qi Mubai was indeed good-looking, but compared to Li Beixiao, he fell far short.
Wait, why was she comparing him to Li Beixiao? Qi Mubai wasn’t even worthy. In her past life, her heart and eyes were filled only with Qi Mubai, but now, with him standing before her, all she felt was fear.
“Hmm, Mubai is here. You two chat. Big brother will go buy you something delicious.” Su Lin’s tone was indifferent, neither enthusiastic nor impolite toward Qi Mubai.
Qi Mubai watched Su Lin leave, his gloomy eyes fixed intently on his retreating figure. One day, he would make him kneel at his feet and beg for mercy.
“Mubai brother.” Qi Mubai’s murderous intent was too obvious. Had he already set his sights on her big brother this early on?
“Nuannuan, are you feeling better?” Qi Mubai snapped back to attention upon hearing Su Nuannuan’s voice. Realizing she hadn’t noticed his odd behavior, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Much better. Mubai brother, why did you come? Are these flowers for me? They’re so pretty, but Mubai brother, did you forget that Nuannuan is allergic to flowers?” Su Nuannuan blinked her innocent, wide eyes at Qi Mubai.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Nuannuan. I forgot you’re allergic to pollen. I’ll go throw them away right now.” Qi Mubai hurriedly took the flowers and headed for the door.
After he left, Su Nuannuan furrowed her brows. It wasn’t that he didn’t know; he simply hadn’t cared enough to remember. The one who liked flowers was Su Manjing.
Not long after, Qi Mubai returned. Seeing the concern in his eyes, Su Nuannuan felt her stomach churn. How could he manage such an expression? Wasn’t it nauseating?
“Nuannuan.” Qi Mubai patted her head and sat down on the edge of the bed. Su Nuannuan stiffened, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
“Nuannuan, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything?” What was up with Su Nuannuan today?
Qi Mubai studied Su Nuannuan. Normally, she would have been clinging to him by now.Before, he had only felt disgust, but now that she suddenly stopped acting coquettish with him, it felt somewhat unfamiliar.
“It’s nothing, Brother Mubai, why have you come?” Su Nuannuan suppressed the fear and disgust in her heart, pretending to be innocent.
Qi Mubai breathed a sigh of relief—it seemed she wasn’t angry with him over the flower.
This innocent look of Su Nuannuan’s was still quite pleasing.
As long as she behaved obediently in the future and didn’t interfere with his relationship with Manjing, the position of Madam Qi could be given to her.