Chapter Twenty-Five: Mutingye in the Darkness

Remove makeup, soak in a good bath, and soon she would have to put on another performance with Mu Zichen. Her patience was wearing thin; she was getting annoyed.

That night, the girl slept with Mu Zichen. Tired of pretending, she was just about to find an excuse to sleep alone the next day when Mu Zichen came to her.

"Jiujiu, I have to go to City C for filming. I probably won't be able to see you off," Mu Zichen said, his face full of helplessness and reluctance.

When he first received the news, he nearly exploded, tearing off his usual gentle mask and becoming utterly cold, shooting his assistant a chilling glare.

The assistant hugged himself tightly, feeling innocent—after all, it was Mu Zichen who had chosen the script, and the timing was off. Why blame him?

Upon hearing this, the girl was so happy she could almost fly, but she still had to feign disappointment.

Seeing her expression, Mu Zichen felt even more guilty. He had promised to see her off, yet now… But the director was insistent, and he had no choice.

"Jiujiu, I'm sorry. I'll come find you in City B after!"

"It’s fine, Zichen, work is important. Besides, I’m grown up now—I can manage on my own," she replied sincerely, her words full of genuine care for him.

Though he was the one who broke his promise, the little girl was so kind, not blaming him but comforting him instead.

How could she be so good, so gentle?

Overcome by emotion, he pulled her into his arms, kissed her forehead, and whispered, "Alright."

How could he not want to see his girl? How could he bear it?

But he would win the Best Actor award from this project, bring it home to her, and then confess his feelings!

With this resolve, he no longer hesitated, boarding his car with confidence.

The girl stood outside the villa, quietly watching the car drive away, her heart astonishingly calm.

Goodbye, Zichen.

When she heard Mu Zichen was leaving for City C, she was so happy she hadn’t thought much else. Now, calculating the timeline, Mu Zichen would likely win Best Actor for this role, then become a huge star. After meeting Lin Yuexin, he’d spend extravagantly to promote her to the top, even though he’d only ever be her backup.

How ridiculous…

To be so devoted—no wonder he was only a backup.

But if he met Lin Yuexin now, he probably wouldn’t be interested in her; his attention was all on herself. She was confident in that.

As for becoming a top actress, she had no interest. Though she studied acting, it wasn’t to enter show business but to hone her skills, so she could compete with Lin Yuexin and see who was better at playing the role.

She turned to go back inside, wondering how to avoid getting sunburned.

That evening, she dined with the Mu family.

At the table, Mu Junze wiped his mouth and said, "Jiujiu, you're leaving for City B the day after tomorrow. Are your things packed?"

She looked up and smiled softly. "Almost."

"Good," Mu Junze nodded. He trusted her; she was thorough and composed.

"Jiujiu, no need to bring too much. You can buy things there," Mu Qin reminded.

"I know, thank you, Uncle and Aunt," she replied gratefully, smiling at the couple.

After dinner, she excused herself to her room under the pretense of packing.

There wasn’t much to pack; she was simply tired, unwilling to keep up the facade, wanting to lie down and clear her mind, and perhaps consider how to win over Uncle Mu Tingye and the campus star, Cheng Yanran.

Today, she felt Mu Tingye treated her differently, but wasn’t sure. After all, she was nowhere near skilled enough to see through such a powerful man…

No matter, she’d just take things as they came.

She glanced at the clock—it was already 10:30 p.m. Feeling thirsty, she decided to go downstairs for a drink.

It was so late, everyone was probably asleep. She didn’t bother with a robe, just went down in her camisole nightdress.

The living room was quiet, almost pitch black, illuminated only by a sliver of moonlight.

She slipped downstairs in slippers, her footsteps echoing loudly in the silence, disturbing someone at the bar. He turned, his dark eyes sharp as blades, but when he saw the delicate girl, his gaze softened slightly. He remained silent, sipping his wine.

As she descended, she sensed someone watching her, but couldn’t guess who. She quietly asked the system.

[System, who’s looking at me?]

[Mu Tingye.]

[Hmm? He hasn’t left?] Was he staying with the Mu family? She hadn’t known.

[He’s been staying here these days, until he takes you away. Mu Junze kept him, and since he comes and goes at odd hours, you wouldn’t see him. They didn’t think it necessary to tell you.]

Oh, so that’s how it is.

Her expression unchanged, she pretended not to notice anyone, went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk. Halfway through drinking, she acted as if she’d heard something, slowly moving toward the bar, peeking through the moonlight, cautiously advancing with the cup held tightly, ready to strike if she encountered a thief.

Mu Tingye watched her maneuver in the darkness, a faint smile on his lips. He sipped his wine, quietly observing as she approached.

Just as she spotted a shadow and was about to scream, the man swiftly covered her mouth with his hand, his other hand firmly restraining her from striking him with the cup. Their bodies pressed close, not a sliver of space, not even moonlight could slip between them.

"Don’t scream—it’s me," his voice was low, husky with the hint of wine, dangerously attractive.

"Uncle Tingye?" Her voice trembled, tinged with tears, as if truly frightened.

Her soft lips moved under his palm, again and again, stirring something deep within.

Mu Tingye withdrew his hand, his tone cold. "Yes."

"Uncle Tingye, you scared me—I thought there was a burglar…" Hearing his familiar, comforting voice, she could no longer hold back. She threw herself into his arms, wrapping her hands tightly around his lean waist.

Feeling her soft body press against him, Mu Tingye instinctively caught her, holding her slender waist, savoring the scent of milk and another subtle fragrance—probably her own.

A faint sound of crying rose from his arms, like a kitten’s whimper. He gently patted her back, soothing her. "There, there. Don’t be afraid."

Hearing this, she took a deep breath of his unique cool scent, stopped crying, and suddenly realized she was embracing her uncle. She hurriedly let go, stepped back, her eyes filled with anxiety and confusion.