Chapter Sixty: Jealousy

At this moment, listening to the girl’s soft and sweet voice, he could hardly restrain himself. He wanted to fly to her side right away, to see her, to hold her, to confess, and to pour out the overflowing feelings he had kept hidden deep within his heart.

The girl on the other side of the call had no idea what he was thinking. She was simply surprised at how long it took to film the show—it had only just wrapped up. During that time, she’d already prepared herself for Mu Zichen’s visit to City B; she’d been ready long before now. With a graceful arch of her eyebrow, she seemed more captivating than any leading actress, though she wasn’t one herself—her gesture carried a subtle, enchanting allure that was more stirring than that of any star.

“Wow, Brother Zichen, that’s amazing! You’re incredible!” The girl clapped her hands in delight, but her enthusiasm faded a little as she continued, “But it must have been exhausting to be busy for so long. You must have lost weight, haven’t you? Come on, hurry over, Jiujiu will take you out for something delicious.” The last sentence was tinged with urgency, her eagerness impossible to hide.

Sensing the shift in her mood, Mu Zichen felt a warm current rush through his heart, making his eyes sting. People only ever saw his glamorous exterior; few realized he hadn’t relied on his family, but had reached his current status as a film emperor on his own merit. His parents had said similar things to him, but their concern never hit him as deeply as the little girl’s.

He still remembered those times after filming, when he was utterly exhausted, she would snuggle into his arms, her small, soft hands patting his head, her voice trembling as she asked, “Brother Zichen, are you very tired?” Her delicate face would wrinkle with worry, her eyes shimmering with tears, full of pain and care for him. After he explained his lofty dreams, she would nod with a seriousness that seemed to understand, gazing at him earnestly: “I know, you’re working hard for your dreams. If you work this hard, they’ll definitely come true. Jiujiu will always support you!” What an endearing girl, her ways a little clumsy, but her kindness melted straight into his heart.

How could he not love such a wonderful girl?

“All right, I’ll be waiting for my Jiujiu to take me out for something good.” His voice, unlike its usual gentle warmth, now trembled slightly, sending tingles through the girl’s heart.

—Ah, he likes me so much too. The girl beamed at the window, though her gaze was unfocused.

Their conversation didn’t last long, since Mu Zichen was hurriedly called away—probably to join the crew in celebrating the end of filming.

After hanging up, the girl lay quietly on her bed, her mind whirring. Lately, her attention had been mostly on Cheng Yanran and Mu Tingye; her contact with Mu Zichen had been limited to phone calls, which could never be as effective as meeting in person. She resolved to spend more time with him while he was in City B, but first, she had to watch his latest drama. Having something in common to talk about was always an essential catalyst, especially since he cared so much about this project.

That’s why, when Mu Tingye returned home that evening, he didn’t see her waiting by the door as usual. There was no soft call of greeting, no expectant little hand reaching for his. Most disturbingly, there wasn’t even a trace of her to be seen. He was taken aback—what had happened? Had something gone wrong?

Worried that something had happened to her, he hurried toward the villa, his hawk-like gaze searching everywhere for her. At last, he found her, curled up in front of the television, nestled against the big dog, utterly absorbed in a drama, her face occasionally blossoming into a lovesick smile.

The man frowned. What kind of drama was she watching that she didn’t even notice he’d come home? His gaze shifted upward, and the moment the actor appeared on screen, his expression grew stormy, his eyes dark and brooding, an odd tension filling the room as he asked in a chilling voice, “Jiujiu, what are you watching that makes you so happy?”

Hearing the familiar voice, the girl turned and smiled sweetly, “Uncle Tingye, you’re back,” then turned back to the screen. When Mu Zichen, dressed in ancient costume, reappeared on the LCD, her slender hand pointed excitedly, “Uncle Tingye, Brother Zichen’s drama just finished filming, and I’m watching it.”

Of course Mu Tingye, who’d secretly had his assistant investigate Mu Zichen, knew the show had wrapped. A flash of mockery crossed his eyes. So, he’d been to see Jiujiu again, had he? Now that filming was over, he must have nothing to do—well, he’d be sure to find something for him to occupy his time.

As a result, Mu Zichen wasn’t able to come to City B after all. The culprit was now sitting in front of him with an innocent face, asking, “Uncle Tingye, what’s wrong?”

His eyes, fathomless and dark, fixed on her, his voice low and deep: “Is it good?”

Hmm? The show?

“Of course it’s good! And Brother Zichen’s acting is amazing. If I were the female lead, I couldn’t bear to hurt him.” Stroking the dog’s head, the girl’s face was all innocence, her tone calm, completely unaware of the storm her words had stirred in the man’s heart.

A tempest gathered in Mu Tingye’s eyes, his face darkening sharply. He gave her a long, searching look, then turned and went upstairs without a word, leaving the girl staring after him in confusion.

Was he… jealous?

To outsiders, Mu Tingye now resembled a lion provoked to anger, ready to tear you apart in the next instant. But the girl found his jealousy rather adorable.

She hadn’t expected that simply watching a drama could stir up Mu Tingye’s possessiveness. She glanced at the big dog licking her fingers, reached out to stroke its fur, and a knowing smile curved her lips.

You think so too, don’t you, Bai Bai?

Guessing that someone was probably quite upset tonight, she decided to cook dinner herself, hoping that after tasting her food, he’d be less sour.

She went straight to the kitchen and told Aunt He that she’d be cooking tonight. Aunt He’s face broke into a knowing smile, and she quickly made way for her, leaving the kitchen with a cheerful grin and deepening crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes.

No wonder Miss had wanted to learn to cook—she wanted to make a meal for the master. How wonderful! Watching their relationship grow sweeter than any romance on TV.

The girl shot her a helpless look. Ah, Aunt He’s imagination was running wild again.

Ignoring her, she surveyed the cabinets and drawers—excellent, they had everything. This was a true kitchen of a wealthy household!

After admiring it, she wondered what to cook. Western food? Uncle Tingye was probably tired of that. Better to make Chinese cuisine—how about braised pork, cola chicken wings, lettuce with oyster sauce, and kung pao chicken?

It seemed Mu Tingye wasn’t a picky eater. Once she’d made up her mind, she got to work, skillfully slicing meat and washing vegetables. As the pork simmered, she pan-fried the cleaned chicken wings to a golden brown, added scallions, ginger, seasonings, and cola, and soon the sauce was thick and fragrant. The aroma filled the kitchen, promising deliciousness even without a taste. The girl smiled in satisfaction—this was her first time cooking, and she couldn’t wait to see Uncle Tingye’s reaction.