Chapter 6

Gu Shisheng pursed his lips, gave a slight nod, and signaled his agreement.

His gaze lingered on Xia Chuwei, and he said seriously,
“If I can’t make you like me, then that’s my failing — it means I haven’t done well enough.”

Then he went on,
“Chuwei, my promise to you has always been the same.”

“As long as you need me, I’ll protect you without hesitation.”
His voice was low and gentle — the very words he’d told her back when she first left.

Xia Chuwei looked at Gu Shisheng in front of the car. After a moment, she slowly spoke in a soft voice,
“Thank you.”

Gu Shisheng shook his head, lifted his chin slightly, and gestured for Xia Chuwei to head back first.

Xia Chuwei nodded and walked forward, not letting him escort her to the door.

Only when he saw her go inside did Gu Shisheng get back in his car and drive away.

As soon as she stepped inside, Xia Chuwei saw Uncle and Aunt Mu sitting in the living room.

She changed into her slippers and walked in.

When Aunt Mu saw her come back, her face lit up with a delighted smile, and she quickly stood.

However, when she noticed that Xia Chuwei had returned alone, the smile instantly vanished, replaced by a look of displeasure.

Aunt Mu frowned and questioned,
“Chuwei, why did you come back by yourself?”

“Where’s Beichen? He didn’t bring you back and just let you come alone?”

Her tone carried obvious blame and dissatisfaction, leaving Xia Chuwei no chance to explain.

Uncle Mu, hearing her words, put down his newspaper and looked toward Xia Chuwei, a trace of guilt flashing in his eyes.

“If I’d known that boy was so unreliable, we should have waited and come back together with Chuwei,” Uncle Mu said, glancing at his wife with some reproach and regret.

Aunt Mu also felt a little guilty. She sighed helplessly.
“How was I supposed to know Beichen would be so careless, letting Chuwei come back on her own?”

Uncle Mu’s brows remained tightly knitted, clearly unhappy with his eldest son’s behavior.

At that moment, Aunt Mu noticed Xia Chuwei’s silence. She quickly took her hand with concern and asked,
“Chuwei, you barely ate before, right? Over at Beichen’s place, did you eat anything?”

“Was there anything you liked? If not, I can make you something — there are still vegetables in the fridge.”

Xia Chuwei smiled faintly and shook her head.
“No need, Auntie, I’m already full. Besides, I brought some pastries — let’s have them together.”

As she spoke, she placed the pastries on the table and opened the box.

“Auntie, Beichen did bring me back, but he has surgery early tomorrow morning, so he went straight back to the dorm. It’s closer to the hospital from there.”

Aunt Mu listened, then asked,
“He really brought you back?” — as if still doubtful.

Xia Chuwei smiled at her and nodded gently, but her hand unconsciously tightened around the fabric of her clothes.

Aunt Mu’s smile froze for a moment, but she quickly returned to a natural expression and patted Xia Chuwei’s hand as if nothing had happened.

When she saw that the bag contained the very pastries Xia Chuwei liked, Aunt Mu felt a weight lift off her heart.

Xia Chuwei would never splurge on those expensive pastries herself, so the only possibility was that Beichen had bought them for her.

With that thought, her displeasure lessened somewhat, and she decided to let Beichen off this time.

However, Uncle Mu was still quite unhappy about Beichen not even stepping inside the house.

He gave a cold laugh and mocked,
“My son’s really something — trying to imitate Yu the Great, passing his own doorstep three times without going in!”

Aunt Mu immediately glared at him and said in exasperation,
“Enough, stop talking!”

She knew very well — this wasn’t some ‘passing the doorstep’ situation. That boy hadn’t come back at all.

But with Xia Chuwei there, she couldn’t lose her temper, so she had to swallow her irritation.

“Mom, you’ve figured it out, haven’t you?”

Mu Beiwang descended slowly from upstairs, a trace of teasing in his smile. His gaze landed on Xia Chuwei as if he had already seen through her lie.

Being stared at like that made Xia Chuwei uneasy. She tried to keep her expression calm, but her eyes involuntarily shifted away.

Mu Beiwang chuckled, sat down on the sofa opposite her, picked up a piece of hibiscus cake, took a bite, and looked at her with a half-smile.
“Xia Chuwei, lying isn’t something a good girl should do.”

A flicker of guilt flashed in Xia Chuwei’s eyes, but she forced herself to sound calm.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Mu Beiwang raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? Is that so? Then tell me — was it really my busy-as-ever big brother who brought you back?”

Uncle Mu, still not understanding, glared at Beiwang and barked,
“Beiwang, is that any way to talk to Chuwei? You think she’s lying to us? You’re nothing but trouble all day long.”

Mu Beiwang pouted at the rebuke.
“I’m not wrong — she is lying.”

Aunt Mu, watching father and son, shook her head helplessly. They were all just as impossible to deal with.

She turned to Xia Chuwei and said gently,
“Chuwei, don’t mind him. Go rest.”

Xia Chuwei felt like she’d been granted amnesty. She gratefully nodded and stood up.

But Mu Beiwang clearly wasn’t about to let her go so easily.
“Hold on, we’re not done yet.”

“Xia Chuwei, I saw everything from upstairs just now. Are you going to say it yourself, or should I say it for you? Otherwise, Dad’s going to think I’m lying again and scold me.”

Mu Beiwang looked at her blankly, with a trace of helplessness in his tone.

Xia Chuwei lowered her head even more, not daring to meet his eyes, nor to answer.

“What, you want me to take the blame for you? You’re really okay with watching me get scolded by Dad?” he pressed.

At that moment, Uncle Mu, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.
“What do you mean? Wasn’t it Beichen who brought Chuwei back?”

His eyes shifted between Xia Chuwei and Mu Beiwang, as if trying to read the truth from their expressions.

Seeing Xia Chuwei’s body tremble slightly and her hands clutching her clothes in unease, while Mu Beiwang met his gaze calmly, Uncle Mu understood.

His face darkened.
“So that brat Beichen just let you come back alone?”

His voice carried clear anger.
“Today’s your birthday — he didn’t show up, didn’t go to get the marriage license, and now he didn’t even bring you home. Does he even want to get married?”

Seeing Uncle Mu angry, Xia Chuwei grew worried and hurried to explain,
“Uncle, please don’t be mad. It was my idea to come back alone — it’s not Beichen’s fault.”

“Beichen’s a doctor, he’s really busy with work. I didn’t want to tire him out, so I told him to go back and rest early.”

“I’m a grown woman, I can get back just fine on my own — he didn’t need to go out of his way to bring me.” She continued to explain, hoping to calm him down.

She added guiltily,
“And I’m sorry, Uncle — I shouldn’t have lied to you just now.”

Aunt Mu, seeing how frightened Xia Chuwei looked, felt a pang of pity. She glared at her husband and muttered,
“Honestly, can’t you speak a little softer? You’ve scared the poor girl.”

Uncle Mu actually regretted it too — he’d only lost his temper because of Beichen.

Mu Beiwang gave a cold snort.
“Oh please, stop defending big brother.”

“My classmates told me you were crying outside the restaurant, and it was Brother Gu who comforted you and took you to a western restaurant.”

“And you didn’t come back on your own — it was Gu Shisheng who drove you back.”

“My dear big brother didn’t even call home, let alone come to comfort you. He clearly doesn’t care about you.” His tone was cool, as if he had little faith in their relationship.

Mu Beiwang looked at her with a trace of disappointment.
“Even a stranger will comfort you when you’re crying and buy you your favorite pastries. But my brother can’t even spare one word of concern. Xia Chuwei, do you really still want to marry him?”