However, everything she had seemed to be given by him. Qin Mu moved slightly upward, her eyes level with his, gently gazing at him as he slept.
It was the year she turned eight when he suddenly left for Paris.
It was then that she realized how important he was to her.
Her hand couldn’t resist tracing his lips softly, outlining the curve of his mouth as memories surged in her heart.
Several days after stealing her first kiss, he said, "From now on, no flirting with other boys, got it? Otherwise, I’ll kiss you again."
Back then, she was truly scared, yet somewhat expectant.
But afterwards, he seldom said such things, and she gradually assumed he had shifted his affections; after all, boys his age easily fell in love and quickly moved on to someone else.
And she, still too young at the time and also preoccupied with her parents’ affairs, simply hoped to keep him by her side a little longer, not daring to ask for more.
Yet one day, he wickedly took her away.
But one day, so crudely, he took her to the civil affairs bureau.
From Qin Mu to Mrs. Mu, it happened in such a brief time.
It felt unreal to her, like the wind in her hand that flew away before she could even grasp it.
So she kept her palm open, afraid to clench it.
He stirred in his sleep, and his hand conveniently wrapped around her waist.
Just as Qin Mu thought to withdraw her hand, he suddenly kissed her fingers and asked in a low voice, "Aren’t you sleeping yet?"
She lay against his chest, listening quietly to his heartbeat and gradually drifted off to sleep.
Early in the morning, the Mu Family home was already bustling. Qin Mu woke up early, saw Feng Fanghua on the sofa giving Huanhuan a drink, and went downstairs: "Auntie, good morning! Huanhuan, good morning!"
"Mommy, good morning!"
Huanhuan asked after finishing a sip of water, holding her cup, while Feng Fanghua paid her no attention.
Qin Mu had long become accustomed to Feng Fanghua’s expression, so she took a seat next to them without another thought, saw Feng Fanghua holding the cup for Huanhuan, and offered help: "Let me do that."
"You’d better check how breakfast is coming along in the kitchen," Feng Fanghua said, gently pushing away Qin Mu’s helping hand and continuing to hold the cup for her granddaughter, signaling her to go elsewhere.
Facing such rejection, Qin Mu felt somewhat sad but obediently went to the kitchen.
The auntie greeted her as she entered: "Good morning, young madam!"
"Good morning to you! Uncle Zhang, good morning!"
The cook, who was busy preparing breakfast, smiled broadly when he saw her: "Good morning, young madam. Breakfast will take a while; the corn cakes are still being cooked."
"Hmm, smells delicious!"
Qin Mu nodded in response and was about to leave when she hesitated, worrying that Feng Fanghua would comment on her being too early, so she asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"
"I heard you grew up abroad. How could you possibly cook our Chinese cuisine? We’re happy as long as you don’t find it hard to stomach."
"I think what you make is very delicious."
Seeing there was nothing to help with, Qin Mu stepped out the door.
After breakfast, she drove to the studio, picked up a male colleague and Xiaomei, and went with them to the garment factory. The three of them had a long discussion with the designer, who presented his ideas before asking for theirs. The male colleague had been involved in planning a fashion factory in Paris, so he essentially took care of the situation.
At noon, they all had lunch together and Qin Mu received a call from Mu Yichen.
"What are your plans for the hotel advertisement?"
"As long as Mr. Mu is willing to provide it, I certainly won’t refuse."
"Come to the hotel this afternoon. Director Chen will be waiting for you there."
In the afternoon, Qin Mu didn’t go to the factory but left the car for Xiaomei and her colleague. She called a taxi and headed straight back to the city, to AM.
On the way, the driver asked her, "Miss, do you work at AM?"
Qin Mu answered with a smile.
"Then, do you live here? It must be expensive to stay for a night, right?"
"Actually, the regular rooms are not that expensive."
Qin Mu unconsciously felt like advertising for Mu Yichen.
"Even so, it’s not something we can afford. What’s your job, miss?"
"Designer? As in architectural or interior design?"
The two chatted all the way to AM, where a staff member had been waiting for her at the door. As soon as the taxi stopped, the staff promptly opened the door for her.
"Miss Qin, Director Chen has been waiting inside for you."
Qin Mu agreed while still looking for her wallet.
The staff immediately took out two red notes and put them in the taxi: "Please go ahead, Miss Qin."
Qin Mu, holding her bag and tilting her head, said goodbye to the driver inside the taxi, who smiled back at her before driving away. She then turned and entered.
The feeling of having her taxi paid for by someone she barely knew, with whom she had no real association...
Felt strange to Qin Mu. After reaching the private room, the manager left, and not wanting to address him directly, she placed the money on the serving tray of a waiter who just happened to bring coffee: "Please give this two hundred yuan to the manager who was just here."
The waiter gave her a strange look, pocketed the money, and then opened the door for her.
As soon as the door opened, Qin Mu heard a familiar voice, and then she understood why the waiter had given her such a strange look.