Chapter Twenty-One: Impatience

However... her gaze shifted to his attire, and a look of approval appeared on her face—his taste in clothing was excellent. He wore a spotless white suit, exuding a noble air, the very picture of a gentleman.

Sensing a bold yet unflattering gaze fixed upon him, Mu Zichen didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Intentionally, he refrained from looking back, giving her ample time to admire him.

Once he was certain the gaze had finally withdrawn, he turned and teased with a smile in his eyes, “Had your fill of looking?”

The girl, startled and flustered, hadn’t expected to be caught by her brother at that exact moment. Her cheeks flushed a rosy pink as she hurriedly averted her eyes, unable to meet his, and stammered, “I wasn’t... I wasn’t looking at anything...”

“Oh?” He took a deliberate step forward, his presence imposing. “Then what were you just looking at?” he asked, intentionally pressing her.

“Brother Zichen, you look... really good.” Not wanting to endure the man’s overwhelming aura any longer, the girl mustered her courage to speak the truth. As soon as the words left her lips, she felt mortified, her cheeks blazing as if brushed with rouge, stunningly beautiful—like a rose in full bloom.

The flower had blossomed, fully opened...

The little girl had grown up; now she could be... devoured...

Mu Zichen felt as though his heart skipped a beat.

His eyes, almost unconsciously, drifted from her face to her figure. A moment ago, he’d been too busy teasing her to truly appreciate her beauty.

But now, as he looked, he found his gaze glued to her, unable to move away.

Her features were exquisite, a faint smile playing at her lips, her beauty unparalleled, enough to topple kingdoms. Her eyes, clear as peach blossoms, sparkled like the stars; her brows arched gracefully like distant mountains; her skin was smooth and luminous as fine jade; her black hair cascaded like a waterfall down her waist. Every gesture, every movement, defined the very essence of beauty.

The more he looked, the more amazed he became—he couldn’t help but marvel that the little girl had truly grown up.

The girl, embarrassed by her brother’s scrutiny, shyly called out, “Brother Zichen, we should get going now.”

“Yes, all right.” Mu Zichen withdrew the dark glimmer from his eyes and wrapped an arm around the girl, leading her toward the car parked by the door.

The girl pressed close to the man’s chest, feeling the heat radiating from his body. She shifted away uncomfortably, trying to put a little distance between them.

Noticing her subtle movement, Mu Zichen’s other hand stiffened slightly, and his heart sank.

How could she be distant from him? Unacceptable.

“What’s wrong?” His voice was a touch stiff.

“It’s just... a little hot.”

Brother Zichen’s body was so warm, so hot.

Ignoring her explanation, the man firmly and gently pulled her back into his embrace. “It’ll be fine once we get in the car,” he said, his tone brooking no refusal.

Very well...

The system chimed in: [Jiujiu, torment him.]

Jiujiu was not particularly pleased either; after being pampered for so many years, she really couldn’t accept such a commanding tone.

Finally, once they were in the car, the man again insisted on holding the girl in his arms, refusing to let her go.

This time, the girl made no further attempt to retreat. Instead, she kept her eyes lowered, concealing her true emotions.

In truth, she was growing more and more weary of Mu Zichen. Ever since her confession in her previous life had been rejected, a knot had always lingered in her heart. No matter how well he treated her in this life, regardless of how much love he showed, she could not be moved—she felt only a deep, bitter irony. He did not love her; he loved her appearance, her gentle nature...

It was all false—so very false!

Suppressing the sneer in her eyes, she feigned reliance, burrowing into his arms to find a comfortable spot, then closed her eyes to sleep.

The best way to avoid conversation was to pretend to sleep!

Feeling her affectionate snuggle, Mu Zichen’s eyes brimmed with tenderness. Clearly, he’d been overthinking—how could the little girl ever be distant from him? After all, he was the one she was closest to.

Seeing her tightly closed eyes, he dared not disturb her, so he closed his own and rested as well.

When the car arrived at the restaurant, both of them opened their eyes almost simultaneously, and, despite themselves, exchanged a smile.

The man smiled, perhaps feeling that they were of one mind. The girl’s smile... was harder to read.

He opened the car door for her with gentlemanly courtesy, shielding her head as she stepped out, then took her hand and led her inside.

“Brother Zichen, why are we here?” Her apricot eyes held a hint of confusion.

“Don’t be impatient—you’ll soon find out.” The man’s lips curved into a particularly cheerful smile, but he offered no explanation.

The girl could only force herself to cooperate—clearly, the main event was about to begin.

It wasn’t until they entered a spacious private room that she finally understood what was happening.

The moment the door opened, she was stunned by the sight before her. A warm, romantic atmosphere pervaded the room, awash in shades of pink. Countless balloons, in various colors, lined the walls and floated overhead, while ribbons fluttered gracefully, forming beautiful arcs in the air. At the center, a giant screen played a slideshow of her photos from childhood to the present, the mood festive and poignant. To her surprise, the Mu family couple stood on either side, smiling at her with utmost gentleness.

As she gazed at them, she couldn’t help but smile—these were her uncle and aunt, the ones who had always doted on her.

She stared in a daze until Mu Qin and Mu Junze approached.

“Silly child, why are you crying?” Mu Qin gently wiped the girl’s tears.

Only then did the girl realize she was crying, tears streaming down her cheeks, impossible to stop.

She threw herself into Mu Qin’s arms, eyes brimming with tears, looking around at the people and the scene.

She let herself cry freely—she could hold back no longer. The love of this life mingled with the hardships of her past one, and she could not hold back the tide of emotion; she wanted, desperately, to vent all her pent-up sorrow and resentment.

Mu Qin hadn’t expected the girl’s emotions to be so intense. She had originally thought that, now the girl was turning eighteen and coming of age, it was time to celebrate properly. Together with her husband and son, she’d prepared all this, hoping to give the girl an unforgettable coming-of-age ceremony. She hadn’t foreseen this reaction...

It seemed the girl’s heart was still too fragile. No matter how well they treated her, they would never truly be her birth parents, and she would always feel a measure of restraint.

“There, there, don’t cry anymore, sweet child. If you keep crying you won’t look pretty,” she soothed the girl in her arms.

“Auntie—” The girl, having cried her fill, playfully complained, wiping away her tears.

Her eyes, washed by tears, now shone dazzlingly bright. Her smile radiant, she turned to Mu Qin and Mu Junze, saying, “Thank you, Uncle and Auntie. Thank you so much. I’m really happy!”

“Silly child, what are you thanking us for? As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters,” Mu Junze replied, a little emotional himself. The little one had grown so much, and was about to become an adult.

The girl kept smiling sweetly, saying nothing more—for her gratitude toward the Mu family could never be expressed with a few simple words.

Mu Zichen watched the three of them with a look of gentle affection. “Have you forgotten about your brother?” he joked, walking over to lighten the mood.

The girl arched her brows and replied good-naturedly, “How could I ever forget you, Brother Zichen? Thank you, too!” Her eyes sparkled with sincerity and gratitude.

“All right, come sit over here. Let’s eat and chat at the same time,” Mu Junze said with a helpless smile.

After all, what sense did it make to just stand around? Though he was no longer young and was experiencing such a romantic scene for the first time, he knew they shouldn’t remain standing and talking forever.