Mu Yanci wore a perfectly tailored black suit, his tall figure exuding elegance. His sharp and handsome features were complemented by a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his prominent nose.

“Just landed. Thought I’d stop by and see where you’re living,” he said.

Mu Wan, unable to contain herself after not seeing her brother for so long, rushed forward and hugged him tightly, her nose tingling.
“Gege, I missed you so much.”

Including her past life, it had been half a year since she last saw Mu Yanci. His work often took him across the globe, and even when he returned to the country, he seldom stayed for long. Yet, every time he came home, he brought back a variety of local specialties for the family.

Her parents would always claim they weren’t used to the taste, but the joy on their faces told a different story. Those gifts weren’t just souvenirs—they were proof that her brother always had his family in mind.

In her previous life, after Mu Wan’s tragic death in the kidnapping incident, her brother never left S City again. He used all his resources to track down her killers, driving the kidnappers—hidden away in a basement with wealth they couldn’t spend—nearly insane.

Mu Yanci’s cold expression softened as he teased, “Ran out of pocket money?”

The tears that had been about to fall instantly retreated. Mu Wan punched him lightly on the shoulder.
“Can’t I just miss you without a reason?”

Mu Yanci chuckled faintly, his gaze sweeping around the apartment.
“This is Kuang Ye’s place?”

Mu Wan nodded, then explained, “He doesn’t live here. He stays with his team to train.”

Mu Yanci’s expression darkened slightly.
“I know. But if you dare to live together before marriage, I’ll break Kuang Ye’s legs.”

Mu Wan pouted. “I’m an adult now.”

He stared at her steadily.
“So, are you living together?”

Afraid of implicating Kuang Ye, Mu Wan quickly surrendered.
“No, no, we’re not!”

Then she muttered under her breath, “Xingran was right—you’re such a sis-con.”

Hearing Kuang Xingran’s name, Mu Yanci’s gaze flickered, but he quickly regained his composure.
“Go get changed. We’re having dinner at home today. My car is downstairs.”

“Okay!”

—

This was the first time since her rebirth that Mu Wan had dinner with her entire family.

Sitting at the table with her stern father, gentle mother, and dashing brother, Mu Wan thought, It feels so good to be alive.

After dinner, Mu Wan didn’t return to her apartment but stayed at the family villa. Her room had been regularly cleaned by the household staff.

—

The next morning, as she groggily got out of bed, her eyes landed on the calendar on her dressing table. A red circle marked a date—only a month away. It was her mother’s birthday.

She vaguely remembered what she had gifted her mother in her past life—a set of jewelry, if she wasn’t mistaken.

Her eyes sparkled with an idea.
This time, I want to give her something different.

—

That Saturday was the second round of the violin competition.

Kuang Ye arrived early to pick up Mu Wan for the concert hall. For good luck, he brought her a fried dough stick and two eggs.

Mu Wan bit into the dough stick and teased, “It’s not like the violin competition scores are out of 100.”

Kuang Ye had an answer ready.
“It’s not 100; it’s 001. Wishing you first place and a championship title!”

Mu Wan: “…”
You and your pick up lines!

As expected, Mu Wan advanced to the next round without any surprises. But what did surprise her was what happened after the competition.

A music agent approached her.
“Ms. Mu, I’m Jiang Fan, a classical music agent. Here’s my card.”

Mu Wan understood his intentions and politely declined.
“Thank you, but I’m not planning to sign with an agency or join an orchestra for now.”

Just like actors and singers have agencies, classical musicians also have dedicated classical music agencies. These agencies help musicians secure performance opportunities and earn compensation.

For instance, renowned symphony orchestras, much like pop stars hosting concerts, often go on worldwide tours, earning revenue through ticket sales.

However, Mu Wan’s current goal was clear: win a world championship first.

Jiang Fan looked a bit disappointed. “Ms. Mu, please think it over. If you change your mind, feel free to give me a call.”

Mu Wan responded politely, “Sure.”

After Jiang Fan left, she picked up the business card, intending to toss it in the trash. However, her eyes unintentionally landed on the company’s name: “Zhuo Xing.”

She blinked, feeling that the name sounded somewhat familiar. Instead of discarding the card, she slipped it into her bag, deciding to look it up later.

—

To celebrate her advancement in the competition, Kuang Ye treated Mu Wan to a lavish meal.

Afterward, Mu Wan asked him if he had plans for the afternoon.

Kuang Ye shook his head. “Anywhere you want to go?”

Since the autumn tournament hadn’t started yet, his team’s training schedule was routine, and he wasn’t busy—plus, it was Saturday.

Mu Wan nodded. “My mom’s birthday is next month. I want to make her a qipao.”

Kuang Ye looked surprised. “You’ll make it yourself?”

Mu Wan gave a soft hum and then explained her reasoning.
“Last year, my cousin made my aunt a scarf, and she showed it off proudly during the New Year celebration. I want my mom to have her moment too.”

Actually, it wasn’t last year but this year. That darn scarf even overshadowed her emperor-purple necklace worth several million. Could she let that slide? Of course not!