novelraw Chapter 269 - 157. It is longing that penetrates the bones.
Chapter 269 - 157. It is longing that penetrates the bones.
Jia Shu was more tactful, not speaking, but in the end, he still nodded, silently agreeing.Nan Wan, "..."
Mu Jin Huan glanced at the straightforward girl, his handsome face calm, voice indifferent, "After eating, go to bed early. You are not allowed to oversleep tomorrow morning."
Hearing this, Mu Qingqing’s eyes lit up instantly, asking with a smile, "Uncle, are you taking me to the amusement park?"
Without waiting for Mu Jin Huan to reply, she started dreaming about a wonderful tomorrow, "I want to go on the roller coaster, the carousel, the Ferris wheel, and also..."
She almost listed all the attractions in the amusement park.
Even Jia Shu was infected by her excitement, with anticipation in his eyes too.
Mu Jin Huan put down his teacup and slowly said four words, "Take you home."
Mu Qingqing’s smiling face instantly collapsed, "Annoying!" Her face was full of displeasure, and she embraced her chubby arms like a small adult, "Auntie, don’t forgive Uncle today. A man lacking in romance should be given a lesson."
Nan Wan, "..."
————
After finishing his work in the study, Mu Jin Huan returned to the master bedroom. It was already eleven thirty.
After turning on the light, the room was empty, not even a dog was there.
His eyes grew darker.
Turning around, he walked to the side bedroom, and after opening the door, only turned on a small wall lamp.
The Golden Retriever lying on the carpet opened its eyes upon hearing the noise but didn’t move. The two small figures and one large figure sleeping in the bed seemed not to notice anything; both small ones were sprawled out, sleeping soundly.
And... the larger one was lying on his side, back to the door, with nothing visible but seaweed-like long hair for him to explore further.
Mu Jin Huan stood at the door, his deep black eyes locked onto the woman’s back, seeming to be filled with endless depth.
He stared for a full two minutes before taking a step forward.
Lifting the bedding, he picked up the woman who appeared to be asleep. She remained with her eyes closed even when they returned to the master bedroom, with no trace of displeasure or irritation on her delicate face from being disturbed.
Her sleep was actually not good, unless exhausted from too much of his company at night, she would usually be in a waking-sleeping state most of the time.
Even when he returned late from overtime and opened the door quietly, she would wake up. How could she still be asleep being carried from one room to another?
His tall and slender body stood beside the bed with slightly closed black eyes, his shadow stretching long on the ground.
After a long while, he took pajamas from the wardrobe and went into the bathroom.
The sound of water trickling began, and Nan Wan opened her eyes, her gaze lightly passing through the half-drawn sheer curtain and landing on the endless night outside.
Her heart felt like it was stung by a bee, at first just a slight numbness, turning into a bee sting-like pain—it didn’t kill, but lingered.
Existing but not disappearing for a long time.
It was a while before her body was drawn into an embrace holding wetness, the voice close to her ear low and husky, "Wanwan, be angry if you want, but don’t ignore me, okay?"
There was gentleness, there was helplessness, and also... grievance.
Was this really the true and cold Mr. Mu?
Nan Wan was as quiet and peaceful as if he hadn’t gone to take a shower.
Mu Jin Huan waited for any response, focusing on the woman’s clean and beautiful brows, his eyes darkened a bit more.
From the moment she sat in his car to now, she hadn’t spoken a word to him or even glanced his way, not a single sidelong look.
Like now, she didn’t even step down when he extended a metaphorical olive branch.
The rough pad of his finger grazed her rounded shoulder gently as he asked, "If I’m indifferent, wouldn’t that be more problematic?"
Nan Wan opened her eyes, her gaze flat and calm as she replied, "They said it was a wedding gift. If I don’t accept it, wouldn’t that be more problematic?"
Indeed, she was always straightforward—it would be questionable not to accept.
Mu Jin Huan was silent for a moment before saying, "Since you have accepted it, keep it, but you are not allowed to wear it."
Dominant and authoritative.
Nan Wan’s expression remained unchanged, her tone very calm, "I will wear it if I want, and not wear it if I don’t want, it’s none of your business."
Mu Jin Huan’s face hardened, "I am your husband; am I unqualified or lack the standing to care?"
The heartache had seemingly dissipated more than half without a sound, Nan Wan turned over, "Oh, I have one on my neck and one on my finger. Do you want one more on my wrist? Sorry, I don’t do such low-level flaunting."
The necklace on her neck was his birthday present, the ring on her finger was a wedding ring.
Mu Jin Huan curled his lips, the darkness between his brows fading completely, his deep gaze fixating on her proud back, slowly filling with enduring amusement.
After a while, his arm reached to the bedside and turned off the light, pulling her into a hug, calling her name, "Wanwan."
The voice was soft and lingering, as if the person in his arms was his most intimate lover.
Wanwan, Wanwan...
Every time he called her like this, it was the most mesmerizing allure.
Her fingers unknowingly tightened around the bedding, Nan Wan took a long time to make her voice sound the same as usual, "What else do you want to say?"
Moonlight filled the room, and the darkness wasn’t too deep.
Mu Jin Huan kissed the forehead of the person in his arms, his voice soft and profoundly warm as he said, "Good night."
————
After Shen Zhimei got off the plane, she took a cab to North Shore Villa, feeling more drained by her inner loneliness than her physical exhaustion.
Her good friend being sent home by a ’unromantic man’, Jia Shu only had a Golden Retriever; upon seeing Shen Zhimei, he almost pounced into her arms.
His soft voice carrying a hint of tears, "Mom, I missed you so much, why were you gone so long?"
Shen Zhimei’s heart melted, she knelt down and gently patted her son’s back, "Sorry, baby, things came up and I was delayed for two days. But Mommy came straight to pick you up from the airport. Can you forgive Mommy, please?"
Jia Shu clung to his mother’s neck, refusing to say a word.
Warm tears fell on her skin, Shen Zhimei’s nose tingled, pulling her child out from her embrace, she touched his face with a smile, asking, "Oh dear, how did my son get so thin, did Aunt bully you?"
Jia Shu lowered his head, wiping tears with the back of his hand, saying two muffled words, "... No."
Shen Zhimei’s feet went numb from squatting, she cooperatively acted as if she hadn’t seen her son crying, stood up, and rubbed his head, "Go play with Barton a bit longer, Mommy will talk with Aunt and then take you home."
Jia Shu obediently replied with a sound.
After Aunt Zhou made tea, she went upstairs to pack Jia Shu’s things.
Nan Wan sat on the sofa flipping through magazines, but in fact, she didn’t see any words or pictures, with her eyes lowered as if hiding emotions she didn’t want to be discovered.
Only when Jia Shu ran away did she speak up, "How did it go?"
Shen Zhimei’s expression was unchanged, her body too exhausted from the long journey to contemplate much, she answered faintly, "Not well, I couldn’t convince him."
Upon hearing this, Nan Wan’s hands paused, and it took a long while to push the words from her throat, "Why?"
After asking these three words, she felt a bit amused by herself, mumbling the answer aloud, "What else could it be?"
Although Nan Huaiyu’s reach couldn’t extend that far, but... Ye Junyan could.
Shen Zhimei bowed her head, her long hair covering her face, concealing an expression seemingly burdened with all sadness and helplessness.
Her voice was hoarse, low and slow, "Wanwan, I’ve got no other way. Could you please ask Mu Jin Huan for help on my behalf, okay?"