Chapter Five Warmth

Looking at the small figure of the girl sunk into the mattress, dressed in a princess dress with her eyes tightly closed, her tiny mouth, soft rosy cheeks, and fair skin, her black, silky hair draped over the pillow—she looked exactly like the exquisite black-haired doll placed at the head of the bed. Her hand itched to reach out and touch, but she stopped herself at once—she mustn’t disturb her good little girl’s sleep. Smiling, she quietly left the room.

The moment she left, the girl opened her eyes, clear and bright, as if the exhaustion just now had been nothing but pretense. In truth, she had been very sleepy, but with someone sitting beside her, she simply couldn’t fall into a real slumber.

She looked around the room: pink wallpaper, a grand princess canopy, a pink mosquito net, a bed covered with dolls, a protective guardrail all around, and a thick wool rug on the floor. The whole space was clean and cozy, evidently arranged with love and care—just like in her previous life.

She picked up the doll beside her. The doll was cute and well-behaved, deserving of gentle treatment. Lying down, she slowly closed her eyes.

These past few days, Mr. and Mrs. Mu had been purposefully drawing closer to her—taking her out to buy daily necessities and pretty dresses, sitting together for meals and lively conversations, even baking cookies and enjoying afternoon tea together, telling her bedtime stories in the evenings, treating her as their own daughter. The girl longed for and reveled in such affection.

In her past life, when she had first been brought into the Mu family, they had also treated her with great kindness. But she was wrapped in her own inferiority, wallowing in self-pity, timid and withdrawn, always unable to truly draw near to them. So when Uncle Mu passed away, Aunt Mu left for a foreign country alone, chasing after beautiful memories of her husband and leaving her behind. Brother Zichen, though gentle, was always distant. In the end, she could only watch as he and Uncle Mu Tingye were both wounded by Lin Yuexin’s schemes.

This life, things would be different. She would win everyone’s love—everyone’s!

It was a radiant afternoon. Sunlight slanted through the window, casting golden threads on the girl as she sat in a comfortable wicker chair, her chin resting in one hand, gentle eyes watching her mother arrange flowers. The water glimmered, clear as a spring, and she let a sweet smile play at her lips.

“Jiujiu, do you think Auntie’s flower arrangement is pretty?” Mu Qin turned and asked gently.

The girl withdrew her gaze, turned toward her, and tilted her head, regarding Mu Qin with earnest seriousness. “Auntie’s arrangement is the most beautiful of all,” she said, her eyes round and bright, so sincere that it was impossible not to believe her.

Mu Qin chuckled, amused and touched, lovingly tapping the girl’s little nose. “Jiujiu has such a sweet mouth!”

But then, the girl’s face clouded with regret. “But Brother Zichen didn’t see it…”

Her spirits lifted as she turned to Mu Qin and said excitedly, “Auntie, I want to bring these flowers to Brother Zichen’s room. His room is so plain—it could use a bit of color. Is that okay?” She tugged playfully at Mu Qin’s sleeve, acting coquettish.

Mu Qin gazed at her with satisfaction, thinking, The two of them get along so well—she even knows how to care about her brother now. To be honest, she didn’t know whom her own son took after. He was at an age meant for innocence, yet he was impossibly composed, always alone in his room reading books or playing games when tired. He spoke gently to others, but she could see the coolness in his eyes, always so tidy and calm—reassuring, yet lacking in vitality. Only since Jiujiu’s arrival had he improved, smiling more often.

“All right, all right, our Jiujiu is so thoughtful.”

“Auntie is the best!” the girl exclaimed, and grabbing the vase, she skipped off to find Mu Zichen, her happiness overflowing.

Knock, knock, knock. “Brother Zichen~” Though brimming with excitement, she was still polite enough to knock and wait for permission before entering.

Mu Zichen knew immediately who it was at the door. A smile unconsciously appeared on his lips as he hurried to open it. “Jiujiu, what is it?”

“Brother Zichen, look! Auntie arranged these flowers. They’re for you!” She held the vase up, eager to show him her treasure. Fearing she might drop it, the boy quickly took it from her and turned to let his little sister in.

“Brother Zichen, let’s put them on your desk, okay? You work so hard studying every day—when you’re tired, you can look at the flowers.” She gazed up at him, her obsidian eyes moist and sparkling, impossible to look away from.

Since little sister Jiujiu had arrived in their home, something in Mu Zichen’s heart had softened and warmed. To him, she was his little sweet fruit—just looking at her filled him with sweetness. He couldn’t help but bend down and scoop her up, surprised by how soft and fragrant she was, with a faint milky scent that nearly melted his heart.

As soon as she was in his arms, the little girl instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly and resting obediently against him. Seeing he hadn’t answered her, she continued to look at him, puzzled—her clear eyes reflecting his face, pure and bright, her cheeks plump and rosy.

Mu Zichen, almost without thinking, bent down and kissed her on the cheek. Her skin was so soft and warm—it made his heart utterly tender. “All right, we’ll do as Jiujiu says.”

That evening, when Mu Junze came home from work, the first thing he did was scoop up the beautiful little girl like a blossom, sitting her on his lap and making her laugh.

The girl sat happily on her uncle’s knees, giggling at his jokes. Seeing the lively glow in his eyes, she felt her efforts hadn’t been in vain. Ever since coming to the Mu family, she had secretly added medicine to her father’s water to heal his body. By now, it should be working.

But just then, Mu Junze suddenly clutched his chest in pain, gasping for breath, curling up in agony. The girl hadn’t expected this and called urgently for Mu Qin, while inwardly summoning the system:

Jiujiu: System, what’s wrong with Uncle Mu? Does the medicine have side effects?
System: No, don’t worry. The medicine takes effect after accumulating over time—this is normal. He’s almost recovered.

Hearing this, the girl relaxed. She had been afraid something bad would happen to Uncle Mu because of her.

Everyone rushed Mu Junze to the hospital, but after they arrived, he woke up on his own, his complexion healthy and glowing. Even the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong. Mu Qin was stunned—she knew her husband’s condition and had already prepared herself for the possibility of losing him in a few years. Now, such a miracle left her dazed and overwhelmed.

Mu Zichen himself hadn’t quite recovered from the shock. His mother, not wanting him to worry, had never explained his father’s true condition in detail, but from his careful observation, he had known the illness was far more serious than she let on.

So he had forced himself to mature, to shoulder the burden of the family, because his mother needed someone to care for her.

Yet now…his father was better.

So young, he couldn’t fully hide his emotions; his eyes filled with tears of excitement.

“Auntie…” the girl tugged at her mother’s sleeve, afraid she might be too overwhelmed.

Mu Qin, pulled back by the girl’s touch, slowly came to herself. She crouched down and hugged the girl tightly, her body trembling. The girl knew these were tears of joy and, like a little adult, patted her mother’s hair, offering warmth.

When Mu Qin had cried her fill, she looked up and smiled, “Auntie actually cried—Jiujiu, you mustn’t learn from Auntie.” After letting it all out, she was left with nothing but happiness, her smile never fading.