Chapter  5

Meng Mingxuan sat on the sofa, the gauze on her wrist, soaked with blood, had been replaced.
Although she held the remote control, flipping through movie channels, her gaze unconsciously followed the man’s movements.
As for where the remote had switched the channel to, she didn’t pay attention at all.

Yan Mojiu placed the medical kit down, throwing the alcohol wipe he had used into the trash, and glanced faintly toward Meng Mingxuan.
Mingxuan was staring at him.
Wherever he went, her gaze followed.
She seemed… so insecure.

This reminded Yan Mojiu of when 6-year-old Meng Mingxuan first arrived at the Yan family. She had been just as cautious and anxious.
At night, she would cry in her bed from nightmares, curled up, calling for her mom, dad, and sister…
It had been heartbreaking.
He had spent three months earning her trust, making her his little shadow.
Later, it took him over ten years to truly help her integrate into the Yan family.
She had become confident and radiant, and he had spoiled her so much she had become a little pampered.
In Lincheng’s social circle, people affectionately referred to her as the “Lincheng Little Princess.”

Unexpectedly, Yin Ting had, in just two years, easily shattered all of his efforts from the past years.

Yan Mojiu squeezed a bottle of orange juice, poured it into a glass, and turned back to Meng Mingxuan.
“Planning to watch cartoons?”
He gently placed the orange juice in front of her, raising his eyebrows slightly as he glanced at the TV screen.

Meng Mingxuan shifted her gaze to the screen and only then realized that, in her distracted state, she had switched to a children’s educational cartoon channel.
Her face turned bright red as she quickly fumbled with the remote to switch to another program.
But… what should she watch?

Suddenly, Meng Mingxuan remembered how she had watched horror movies before, when Yan Mojiu had told her she was both childish and loved to play.
Her mind sparked, and she selected a newly released suspense horror movie.
That way, she could sit close to Brother Jiu without question!

“Mingxuan, are you sure you want to watch this?”
Yan Mojiu raised an eyebrow when he saw the name of the new movie.
It had received a lot of attention and was produced by Nie Ziyang.
Nie Ziyang had made a fortune.
The plot was complex and thrilling, but also very scary.
It wasn’t quite suitable for Mingxuan—she had always been afraid of such things.
Because… she had witnessed her parents’ tragic car accident when she was a child.

“Yes!”
Meng Mingxuan nodded vigorously. She was determined to watch this.
Otherwise, how could she have the chance to stay close to Brother?

“Aren’t you afraid?”
“No, I’m not afraid!”
After all, he was there.
If she got really scared, she could just bury herself in his arms.
Meng Mingxuan secretly thought to herself.

Looking at the girl’s innocent, bright eyes, Yan Mojiu’s expression suddenly turned cold.
It was Yin Ting who had changed her.
He guessed that Yin Ting had taken her to watch these kinds of movies often.

Yan Mojiu didn’t speak further and sat down at the armrest of the sofa.
There was a distance of one person between him and Meng Mingxuan.
It had always been Meng Mingxuan who took the initiative to close the distance.
If she didn’t, Yan Mojiu would stay far away.
He feared that she might discover his vulnerable side.

Meng Mingxuan didn’t understand Yan Mojiu’s restraint.
She glanced at the man who was radiating coldness, wondering what had made him upset this time.
She didn’t care anymore.
She would try to comfort him.
But… from her memories of her past life, she knew that she had already been separated from Yan Mojiu for many years, and acting spoiled would feel awkward.

Just as Meng Mingxuan was thinking about how to cheer the man up, the horror movie started, and the opening scene was a big shock—a bloody face suddenly appeared on the screen.
“Ah!”
Meng Mingxuan screamed and, without thinking, threw herself toward Yan Mojiu.

As soon as Yan Mojiu heard her scream, he immediately reached out his arm.
She threw herself at him, landing right in his arms.
Yan Mojiu looked down at the fluffy head in his arms, his thin lips curling into a faint smile.

So, she was still afraid.

“Is it over? Is it over?”
Meng Mingxuan’s heart was pounding wildly, and her voice trembled uncontrollably.

Yan Mojiu glanced at the movie, which was just starting to unfold, and spoke coldly:
“No.”

As soon as Meng Mingxuan heard this, she burrowed even further into his arms.
“Tell me when it’s over!”

“Mm.”
Yan Mojiu replied indifferently, his arm tightening around the girl in his embrace.
The faint scent of her shower gel, fresh and delicate, drifted from her slightly opened collar.

It was refreshing and intoxicating.
But in Yan Mojiu’s pitch-black eyes, there was a trace of self-loathing.
He knew very well that she loved someone else, and that her turning to him was only because he was the family she depended on…
Yet he despicably wanted to possess her.
Not just her body.
But also… her heart.

If she knew that he had harbored such thoughts since she was a teenager, she would probably find it disgusting.
Yan Mojiu curled his lips in self-mockery.
He couldn’t deceive her for long.
He was afraid the girl in his arms would find out.

So, he gently rested his chin on Meng Mingxuan’s head, lightly rubbing it a couple of times, and then said in a low voice, “It’s over.”
However, Meng Mingxuan didn’t get up.
She mumbled something under her breath and stayed curled up in Yan Mojiu’s arms.

Yan Mojiu’s dark eyes flashed with surprise.
Was she… asleep?
In his arms?

He loosened his hold on Meng Mingxuan a little, adjusted her position in his arms, and then looked down.
The girl curled up in his arms had long, thick lashes that gently covered her eyelids.
Her usually lively and bright eyes were obediently closed.
Her shallow, even breathing showed that she had indeed fallen asleep.
Only her uninjured little hand was still tightly gripping the hem of his shirt, as if afraid he might leave.

This feeling of being trusted and needed by her softened Yan Mojiu’s hard heart.
He picked up the remote control that had fallen on the sofa and turned off the TV sound.
Then, he quietly watched the little “rose” in his arms, moving from light sleep to deep sleep.
After a long time, he lowered his head slightly and placed a very light kiss on her white forehead.

Meng Mingxuan didn’t wake up.
The physical exhaustion of the day, the psychological shock of her rebirth, and the long-missed, comforting familiar scent of Yan Mojiu helped her relax completely.
In her past life, she had suffered from insomnia for a long time.

Meng Mingxuan slept deeply until midnight.
In her sleep, she tried to turn over but couldn’t, which made her slowly open her sleepy eyes.
But as soon as she opened them, she saw Yan Mojiu’s overly handsome and stern face.
The dream-like feeling made her eyes instantly fill with tears.

“Brother Jiu…”
She weakly lifted her hand to touch the man’s face.
“I already know I was wrong. Why are you still ignoring me?”
She had sent him so many apology messages.
But he hadn’t replied to a single one.
He didn’t want her anymore.

Yan Mojiu looked at Meng Mingxuan, whose eyes were quickly filling with tears, her hurt and insecurity so obvious that he couldn’t ignore it even if he tried.
What exactly was she afraid of?
Or perhaps… what had she gone through?

“Brother Jiu hasn’t been ignoring Mingxuan.”
Yan Mojiu raised his hand, gently holding her soft fingers, and said in a hoarse voice,
“Brother Jiu will never ignore Mingxuan.”
Unless, of course, he was dead.