chapter 7

I didn’t go back to the hospital to see Zhou Mu.

When he asked, I only said I’d gone back to my parents’ place.

The injury on Zhou Mu’s head wasn’t serious.

In a few days, he was discharged.

It happened to be New Year’s Day when he drove over to pick me up for dinner at home.

He stood at the door, tall and slender as a bamboo stalk, and the moment he saw me, his eyes curved with a smile.

Gentle, just like before.

“Xiao Jin, you look beautiful today.”

Zhou Mu has never been stingy with his compliments.

In the past I’d feel embarrassed, but after hearing them so often, I’d slowly grown more confident.

And I liked him more and more.

I lowered my eyes to avoid his gaze.

“Let’s go.”

Zhou Mu froze for a second.

Then he politely said goodbye to my parents.

After Aunt Song’s emotions settled, she went back to being the same mild, kind elder.

She didn’t want to talk about what happened that day, and I pretended to have forgotten it as well.

She was very happy to see me and grabbed my hand.

“Xiao Jin, I bought you some necklaces and bracelets. Come try them on.”

“Let the two of them handle the kitchen.”

Zhou Mu helped me hang my coat on the rack and smiled at me. “Keep Mom company.”

The jewelry Aunt Song bought was bright and shiny, dazzling under the lights.

She helped me try them on one by one, praising each piece. “It suits you perfectly.”

When we finished with the last one, dinner was ready.

The atmosphere at the table was warm and harmonious.

But it felt like everything was coated in a thin layer of oil.

Everyone was hiding something.

The moment someone knocked on the door-

I moved faster than Zhou Mu and went to open it.

Standing outside, the unexpected guest-

was Chen Wei.