Just a Doctor
When Mu Wan returned to the private room, it was still lively.
Almost everyone’s attention and body language seemed angled toward Shen Cheng and Mu Qing.
Mu Wan sat back down and leaned toward Mi Yu, who was looking at her phone.
“Sister Yu, I’m going to leave first.”
Tang Qin’s Weibo page was still open on Mi Yu’s screen.
Mi Yu put away her phone and glanced at Mu Wan.
She leaned back in her chair, picked up a stemmed glass, and took a sip of water.
Her gaze moved once toward Mu Qing and Shen Cheng.
Then she nodded.
“All right. Go ahead.”
Mi Yu was one of the main cast, so she had to remain until the dinner ended.
Mu Wan was only a minor supporting actress.
No one would care whether she stayed.
She thanked Mi Yu, stood, and left.
Beside Mu Qing, Shen Cheng handed her a glass of water.
Mu Qing lowered her eyes and took a sip.
Her gaze drifted toward the doorway just as Mu Wan’s slender figure disappeared beyond it.
The corner of her mouth curved.
She turned to Shen Cheng with a smile.
“Thank you.”
Mu Wan took a taxi home from Qinghu Business Club.
She had left on Thursday.
It was only Saturday.
Yet after two days, her apartment already felt damp and stale.
It smelled nothing like the sandalwood at Qingyuan Temple.
Once she got home, Mu Wan opened the windows to air the place out.
Even after rain, the wind in Xia City was nowhere near as cool as the mountain breeze.
It remained warm and humid.
She had spent the entire day rushing around and was covered in sweat.
Mu Wan undressed and went into the bathroom.
Water struck the shower floor.
After washing her hair and tying it up, she stood beneath the spray and let the cool water wash over her.
She had left Qingyuan Temple in a hurry today.
Her suitcase was still there.
Tomorrow, she would have to ask Liu Qianxiu to bring it back with him.
At the thought, Mu Wan tilted her neck slightly.
Water gathered in the hollow of her shoulder before spilling over with a clear splash.
She wondered what time he would come back tomorrow.
After showering, Mu Wan changed into pajamas.
She closed the windows, dried her hair, and climbed into bed.
The bedroom light was off.
Only the distant glow from nearby buildings filtered inside.
The room was so quiet that it felt lonely.
Mu Wan rolled over.
She could not fall asleep.
She missed Liu Qianxiu terribly.
If she had known Mu Qing would interfere with this drama too, she never would have come back.
She would still be at the temple.
Even sitting beside Liu Qianxiu while he read would be better than lying alone in this empty room.
Thinking about what had happened tonight, Mu Wan raised one arm over her head.
Her thoughts gradually settled.
Mu Qing had blocked every path in front of her.
All she wanted was for Mu Wan to beg.
To lower her head and satisfy Mu Qing’s vanity.
Mu Qing could afford to wait.
From what Auntie Wu had said, she would probably marry Shen Cheng eventually.
Mu Wan could not.
Acting was how she made a living.
She had no accumulated experience in another profession.
Nothing else came as naturally.
And nothing else paid as well.
Having someone grip the most vulnerable part of her life and squeeze whenever they wanted was suffocating.
But Mu Wan was not completely helpless.
If Mu Qing truly pushed her to the edge, then they could simply destroy each other.
Mu Qing was still too young.
She only cared about the satisfaction in front of her.
Yan Mei had probably warned her before not to provoke Mu Wan too far.
Because if Mu Wan revealed the truth about her own identity, the Mu family would lose the face they had spent half a lifetime protecting.
It might even affect Mu Qing’s chances of marrying into the Shen family.
Of course, it would also damage Mu Wan’s mother’s reputation.
But Mu Wan could live with that.
Her mother was already gone.
Mu Wan still had to survive.
Exhausted from the day, she lay there thinking for a while.
Eventually, she drifted to sleep.
The next morning, Mu Wan woke to Auntie Wu knocking on the door.
She climbed out of bed and opened it.
Auntie Wu came inside carrying ingredients for breakfast.
Seeing Mu Wan still half asleep, she smiled.
“Just woke up?”
Mu Wan nodded.
She moved aside to let her in, then followed her into the kitchen.
Auntie Wu began preparing the ingredients with practiced efficiency.
Mu Wan asked,
“Have you not been busy lately?”
Auntie Wu usually came only once a month.
Even with Mu Wan’s mother’s death anniversary approaching, she had been visiting unusually often.
The Mu family disliked Mu Wan.
If Auntie Wu came too frequently, Mu Wan worried they might blame her for it.
“Not really.”
Auntie Wu continued working.
“Mu Qing is away filming. It’s only Sir and Madam at home.”
Then she asked,
“What do you want for breakfast?”
Mu Wan looked over the ingredients.
She pursed her lips.
“Yangchun noodles.”
Auntie Wu’s eyes shifted toward her with mild surprise.
“You never used to like noodles much.”
She smiled.
“This is already the second time you’ve asked for Yangchun noodles.”
In the past, Mu Wan rarely requested specific dishes.
Whatever Auntie Wu cooked, she ate.
Even simple porridge and side dishes made at home were healthier and tastier than most restaurant food.
Why had she suddenly learned to ask for things?
Obviously because someone had spoiled her.
Now that her relationship with Liu Qianxiu had reached this point, Mu Wan could look back at everything that happened before they became a couple.
From the very beginning, he had treated her differently.
Sometimes she wanted to ask exactly when Liu Qianxiu had started liking her.
Then she would decide the question was too sentimental.
Whenever it happened did not really matter.
They were together now.
That was enough.
As Mu Wan thought about it, her eyes gradually brightened.
A smile gathered at their corners.
Auntie Wu was still watching her expectantly.
Mu Wan restrained her smile.
“My boyfriend made them for me once.”
Her lips curved again.
“I got addicted.”
“Boyfriend?”
Auntie Wu immediately caught the important part.
Her entire expression brightened.
“Mm.”
Mu Wan smiled and nodded.
Auntie Wu looked delighted.
But she did not look particularly surprised.
Mu Wan raised one brow.
“Did you already guess?”
“Not exactly.”
Auntie Wu smiled.
“I overheard Mu Qing talking to Madam. She said you might have a boyfriend.”
Mu Wan poured herself some water.
Her expression did not change.
“Oh.”
She took a sip.
“They’re quite concerned about me.”
“They are not.”
Auntie Wu exposed them mercilessly.
“They’re just worried you’ll find someone better than Mu Qing’s boyfriend and go back to outshine them.”
She clicked her tongue.
“Far too vain.”
Mu Wan’s lips curved.
“He really is better than Mu Qing’s.”
Auntie Wu’s eyes immediately lit up as though she had activated a cheat code.
“Really?”
She leaned closer.
“Which family’s young master?”
“I said he’s a better person.”
Mu Wan corrected her.
“He treats me well too.”
Then she reminded her,
“Weren’t you the one who said I only needed to find someone who would sit down and eat with me?”
“Well, yes…”
Auntie Wu muttered.
That was what she had said.
But she still hoped Mu Wan could find someone with an even better family background than Shen Cheng.
Then perhaps the Mu family would never dare bully her again.
“What does he do?” Auntie Wu asked instead.
“He’s a surgeon.”
Mu Wan did not mention Liu Qianxiu’s Daoist cultivation.
Outsiders tended to treat Daoists and Buddhist monks as though they were the same thing.
They were not.
Daoists were far freer.
They could marry.
They could date.
They could live much like ordinary people.
“That’s good.”
Auntie Wu relaxed a little.
Being a doctor was a respectable profession.
At least their life should be stable and comfortable.
But after a moment, Auntie Wu looked at Mu Wan again.
Some unwillingness remained in her expression.
“Just a doctor?”
The little older woman stood there with expectation shining in her eyes, as if hoping Mu Wan might still reveal some hidden treasure.
Mu Wan set down her glass.
She laughed.
Then nodded, crushing that hope completely.
“Yes.”
“Just a doctor.”
— To be continued in Part 2 —
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Ah, Yan Mei and MQ really have bully mentality, huh? They would be content if they didn't bully MW (and her mother). And they would feel threatened if she shows any small potential that she could fight them back.
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