thefictionvixens Page 14
Page 14
His once sallow and emaciated face now glows with a healthy rosy hue, and his eyes are surprisingly bright, full of undisguised joy and energy, with no trace of his former timidity and humility.
Upon entering the hall, Afu's gaze immediately fell upon Mu Qinghan, a fleeting look of gratitude flashing in his eyes before he respectfully nodded.
"Young Master, you're back."
In the past, he was just an insignificant servant in the Mu family mansion, not even qualified to approach the main hall, let alone speak to the young master of such noble status.
Now, however, he is the head steward of the Mu family. Although he is still a servant in the mansion, his status is vastly different. He can not only serve in the main hall, but also participate in managing the affairs of the mansion.
Ah Fu placed the chicken soup steadily on the table, his fingertips trembling slightly.
All of this was bestowed upon me by the young man before me.
In his eyes, this was something he never dared to dream of, but the young master made it happen with just a word.
He secretly glanced up at Mu Qinghan's aloof profile and made a vow in his heart.
The young master had given him a second chance at life; his life already belonged to the young master.
From now on, no matter what happens, he will do his best to protect the young master and manage the Mu family estate perfectly, never betraying this trust.
"Hmm." Mu Qinghan responded lightly, her gaze sweeping over him. Seeing that he looked great, a hint of tenderness flashed in her eyes.
Grandma Mu chuckled and joked, "Afu is becoming more and more capable. This chicken soup smells delicious."
"It's all thanks to the Madam and Young Master's kindness!"
Afu quickly bowed in reply, his smile growing even brighter.
"This chicken soup has been simmering for three hours, and some warming and nourishing medicinal herbs have been added, making it suitable for drinking when it's cold."
"Young Master, today is your birthday. Madam prepared these for you a long time ago, saying that these are your favorite foods!"
Hearing the butler's words, Mu Shenqi felt a sudden pang of sadness.
He looked at the smiling old lady Mu, his eyes instantly reddening, his voice choked with emotion.
"Waaaaah... Mom... Mom, you're so wonderful, I love you..."
As he spoke, he rushed over and gently hugged Grandma Mu's arm, like a spoiled child.
Grandma Mu patted the back of his hand and scolded him with a smile, "How old are you? Stop crying. Sit down."
"Why aren't you seated yet?"
Aoki Hime was standing in the corner, staring blankly at the lively scene before her, when suddenly she felt a figure approaching.
She was startled and looked up to meet Mu Qinghan's calm eyes.
The boy's face was very close, his warm breath gently brushing against her cheek, carrying a faint fragrance, which made her cheeks flush red instantly.
"Huh? Oh, I... I'll take a seat right away."
Aoki Yuan hurriedly agreed, taking several steps back and subconsciously lowering her head.
When she looked at Mu Qinghan again, she saw that he was already sitting in the seat next to her.
That was arranged by Old Madam Mu, who wanted him to be closer to Aoki Yuan.
It's just a seat, he doesn't care.
Chapter 19 Praise You
The table was steaming hot, with the sweet aroma of sweet and sour pork ribs, the freshness of steamed fish, and the refreshing taste of green vegetables.
Aoki Yuan tightened her grip on the bamboo chopsticks slightly, shoveling small bites of rice into her bowl, while her gaze occasionally stole glances at Mu Qinghan beside her.
But Mu Qinghan didn't look at her at all; his attention was entirely on the food in front of him.
Her movements as she picked up food were swift and decisive. Occasionally, she would glance up at Grandma Mu, Grandpa Mu, and Mu Shenqi, and smile as she exchanged a few casual words.
That slightly aloof demeanor stirred a bitter feeling in Aoki Hime's heart.
Does he... hate himself?
As the heir of the Qing family, she had been used to being flattered and fawned over since childhood.
Even her peers would treat her with exceptional politeness because of the Qing family's influence.
But Mu Qinghan was different. There was no deliberate warmth in his eyes when he looked at her. Instead, there was an almost natural distance between them, as if she were just an ordinary guest.
Of course, in Mu Qinghan's eyes, she was just an ordinary guest.
Just like in the beginning, he never took the engagement to heart.
"Do you...know about our engagement?"
Aoki took a deep breath and finally mustered the courage to speak. Her voice was so weak it was like a mosquito's buzz, and she quickly lowered her head after speaking.
"Hmm? I know."
Mu Qinghan paused in his chewing, slowly swallowed the food in his mouth, and then slowly turned his head to look at her.
His gaze was clear and direct, without the slightest hesitation, striking straight into Aoki Hiyori's eyes.
Her heart pounded suddenly, and Aoki Hime felt her cheeks burn instantly. Her hands, resting on her knees, unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt.
In the past, whenever she met his gaze, she would hurriedly look away. But this time, she bit her lower lip and forced herself to hold back, meeting his gaze and asking, "Then... what... what do you think?"
"I have no opinion." Mu Qinghan said calmly, picking up a piece of braised pork that had been stewed until tender and putting it in his mouth to chew slowly.
Just as Aoki Yuan felt a pang of disappointment, she heard him add, "You're alright looking."
"Huh? Huh?"
Aoki Hibiki suddenly looked up, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, and she almost dropped the bamboo chopsticks in her hand.
She stared blankly at Mu Qinghan, completely unprepared for his sudden remark, her mind a complete blank.
Is this... a compliment?
Mu Qinghan frowned involuntarily as he looked at her dazed expression.
Last night before going to bed, my mom specifically pulled him aside and gave him a long lecture.
He told Aoki-hime that it was her first time visiting his home, and advised him to praise her highly, make her happy, and not to neglect her.
"Mom, I'm bad at giving compliments."
"Oh, what's so difficult about this?"
"Just compliment her however you like, whether it's her looks or her demeanor, just make sure she doesn't feel neglected."
Seeing Aoki Hime's astonished expression, Mu Qinghan thought to himself: Did I not praise her enough?
My mom said I should praise her a few more times.
He pondered for a moment, stared at Aoki Hime for a few seconds, and then added seriously, "Your teeth are also very white, and you don't have a beard."
Aoki Hime: "???"
The soup that Grandma Mu had just drunk from the table almost spat out, and Grandpa Mu's hand holding the wine glass paused, his face turning red as he tried to suppress his laughter.
That's some fucking genius.
Aoki Yuan looked at Mu Qinghan's serious expression that said, "I praised him very well," and her cheeks burned so hot they could fry an egg.
Feeling both ashamed and embarrassed, she could only bury her head and pretend to be focused on eating.
Hmm? They've started eating. Looks like my praise wasn't too bad.
Mu Qinghan nodded, then continued eating by himself.
Tsk, didn't they say they wouldn't put scallions in it?
Tsk, they even added cilantro...
Tsk, and garlic too…
The first day of wanting to fire the chef...
Night falls through the windowpanes, and the hazy moonlight spills into the room.
Ya Ya lay on the bed, her fluffy fox ears drooping.
My sister went to deal with those old men again, and Rongrong was also endlessly dealing with the account books.
She puffed out her cheeks, feeling somewhat unhappy.
Her fair legs swayed on the edge of the bed, and the silver bells on her ankles jingled softly in the night breeze, making the room seem even more spacious.
She didn't have one originally. But seeing her older sister wearing a bell, she wanted to wear one too.
It looks quite nice.
The picture book in front of me was tinged with a faint yellow by the moonlight.
The pictures without words were one of the few things she could calmly look at.
Ya Ya poked at the armored prince in the painting with her fingertips, her big eyes full of impatience.
Since she had hardly read any books, the old-fashioned plot of a dragon kidnapping a princess and a prince slaying the dragon to save her was quite novel to her.
"This princess is so useless."
She scoffed, expressing her contempt for the frail princess.
"It's just a winged reptile. If it were me, I'd just smash it to pieces with one punch."
As she spoke, she clenched her small fist and waved it in the air, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes.
When she caught a glimpse of the prince's portrait, she frowned deeply.
So ugly, really so ugly.
With a disdainful purse, Ya Ya closed the picture book and tossed it onto the wooden table by the bed, the pages clattering softly.
She turned over, grabbed a soft pillow, and buried her face in it.
Her overly full breasts were pushed up slightly by the pillow, the soft touch and faint fox scent soothing her agitated mood.
Just as she was about to curl up into a ball, a mocking voice suddenly exploded in her ear.
"A vixen with huge pectoral muscles..."
Ya Ya's fur bristled instantly. She suddenly raised her head, baring her sharp teeth and flashing cold light in her eyes.