Incurable Chapter 25 Part 2

Chapter 25 (2/2)

Mu Wan did not stay under the sun any longer. She flagged down a taxi and made a call.

“Liu Qianxiu, I’m done filming. Can I come over for lunch?”

When she reached Liu Qianxiu’s place by taxi, she stood outside and rang the bell.

The door opened not long after.

There he was in a long shirt and trousers again, standing quietly in the doorway, looking at her.

“You didn’t go to work?” Mu Wan asked with a smile, giving him a quick once-over as she stepped inside.

The shirt and trousers he wore at home were always loose and relaxed. After spending so much time around him, she had already more or less figured out his habits. His work clothes were more fitted and precise. At home, he dressed for comfort and freedom, like some wandering Taoist immortal.

As she bent to change into slippers, her long calves curving slightly, Liu Qianxiu closed the door behind her.

“I just got back.”

The air-conditioning inside scattered the heat that had clung to her outside.

Once she changed shoes and stepped inside, the three little ones came toddling out from the cat room on their short legs.

“I haven’t fed them yet,” Liu Qianxiu said.

Mu Wan had become quite casual by now.

She went straight to the cat room doorway, sat down on the floor, and gathered all three fluffy little bodies into her arms. Holding them, she looked up at Liu Qianxiu and smiled.

“Then you go make lunch. I’ll feed them.”

Her face was flushed from the heat, the redness hidden beneath her fair skin in a faint, soft pink. Holding the kittens made her slight shoulders hunch. With her legs tucked up and her small body curled there, she looked rather like a cat herself.

Liu Qianxiu looked at her but did not leave.

He stood there watching her hold the kittens, her long pale fingers disappearing into their fur.

“Tomorrow I’m taking them to my friend’s place,” he said.

Her arms paused.

Mu Wan tilted her face up toward him. Long lashes swept over her eyes as she blinked.

“Didn’t you just bring them back?”

“Mm.” Liu Qianxiu nodded. “I’m going to Qingyuan Temple Wednesday afternoon. I’ll be back Monday.”

Her arms loosened slightly. The three kittens rolled out of her hold like little glutinous rice dumplings. She lowered her bent legs and pressed the soles of her feet together, making a circle with her legs to keep the three within it.

Their cries were soft and sweet, but Mu Wan did not seem to hear them.

She sat there very still, like a lonely island standing alone in the sea.

And lonely was exactly what she was.

She had no work for the next half week. With Liu Qianxiu gone, she had no idea where she would even go.

The living room was faintly scented with agarwood, mixed with the sound of little kitten cries. Under ordinary circumstances, it should have been soothing.

Instead, she remained crouched there. She did not stand up. Lowering her head, she reached out one white, slender finger and began circling it over Zhongfen’s head as the kitten wandered past.

After a moment, she said quietly,

“What if they miss you while you’re gone?”

When she finished, she looked up at Liu Qianxiu once. The light in her eyes had dimmed.

Then she lowered her head again and kept tracing slow circles on Zhongfen’s head as she added,

“What if I miss you?”

The words were so light they might have been the brush of a cat’s paw against a carpet, soft enough to disappear into the pads and leave no sound at all.

Liu Qianxiu’s lashes stirred faintly.

He looked at the back of her neck as she bent her head, pale and slender, with loose unpinned strands of hair scattered there, soft and downy.

His lips pressed together.

Then the man spoke, voice low.

“Any other questions?”

She froze.

The circling motion of her finger stopped. She tilted her face up toward him. Her shoulders had slumped. Soft fur and tiny paws brushed against her fingertips.

Her heart skipped.

Then, deciding she might as well seize the courage while it was there—after all, he was the one who had asked if she had more questions—she gathered herself and asked the one she really wanted to.

Her eyes lit up again as she looked at him, holding her breath.

“Then... can I come with you?”

“Mm.”

Liu Qianxiu gave a soft, acknowledging sound.

Looking at her eyes widening in disbelief, he said,

“You can.”

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Continue reading Incurable Chapter 25 Part 2

Incurable Chapter 25 Part 1

Chapter 25 (1/2)

When the movie ended, the two of them walked out of the screening hall.

It was already nine o’clock at night, and the cinema had quieted down considerably.

A moment ago, when they were still inside the theater, Liu Qianxiu had been walking behind her. Now he had come up beside her. Mu Wan turned her head to look at him. His expression was as calm as ever, and the fatigue that had shown in his dark eyes earlier was gone.

Back in the theater, he had slept almost the entire time.

Only when her scenes came on did he open his eyes and watch for a while.

After that, he had closed them again.

I woke up to look at you.

The sweet scent of popcorn still lingered at the tip of her nose. Biting lightly on her lower lip, Mu Wan smiled.

“How did you get here?” she asked as they walked out. The corridor split in two directions—one toward the elevator leading down to the underground parking lot, the other toward the mall exit.

Liu Qianxiu stopped and answered, “By taxi.”

That made sense. He had just come out of surgery and had been so tired that he fell asleep. He probably had not had the energy to drive.

Mu Wan tipped her head back to look at him. The tub of popcorn in her arms was already more than half empty, all eaten by her alone. Liu Qianxiu did not care much for things that had been so heavily processed. He had not touched a single piece.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you?” Mu Wan asked.

After confirming it, she glanced around the mall. This whole level of the cinema was packed with restaurants.

“Do you want to eat something? You don’t have to go home and cook tonight. You look pretty tired.”

The cinema lights flickered in the woman’s eyes.

Liu Qianxiu lowered his gaze to the popcorn bucket in her arms and asked, “Are you hungry?”

Her fingers curled slightly around the bucket.

With a stomach full of popcorn, Mu Wan looked at Liu Qianxiu and answered honestly, “Not anymore.”

“Let’s go home,” Liu Qianxiu said, refusing gently.

When someone was extremely tired, they usually had no appetite at all. All they wanted was rest. She was the same way every time she spent a whole night filming.

Thinking of that, Mu Wan nodded.

“Then I’ll take you home.”

This time, Liu Qianxiu did not refuse.

Mu Wan followed him, and the two of them walked out of the mall together. Once they had gotten a taxi outside, Mu Wan gave the driver the destination. When she turned back, Liu Qianxiu had already closed his eyes again.

After seeing Liu Qianxiu off, he went straight to his bedroom.

Mu Wan fed the three little ones, filled Zhouyi’s food bowl, and finished tidying up. After that, she did not linger and went home.

It was just as well that yesterday’s shoot had been canceled. Otherwise, she would have been filming through the night. Her next shoot was scheduled for the early hours of the morning, so she got up at dawn and headed to set.

The heavy rain two days ago had thoroughly beaten the damp heat out of the air, but after only one day, the humidity had come roaring back. Even before sunrise, it was already hot and oppressive.

Today Mu Wan was filming a historical drama.

After years of supporting roles, her typecasting was more or less fixed. Because she had a slim, graceful figure and moved cleanly and sharply, in costume dramas she usually played women of action—either the heroine’s loyal sidekick if the role was bigger, or a female assassin sent to kill the heroine if the role was smaller. In modern dramas, she usually played the male lead’s pure first love, like the role she had played in yesterday’s film.

Relatively speaking, Mu Wan preferred modern dramas in the summer.

In period action roles, she had to wear fitted black costumes made of synthetic fabric, sealed tight at the wrists, ankles, and neck, with no ventilation. They made her sweat all over. The only good thing about costume dramas was that the hair was easier—she could wear it up in a high ponytail.

By all rights, her scene today should have started shooting before dawn.

But after arriving at set, changing, and getting through hair and makeup, she waited and waited—until ten in the morning.

The sun had become vicious. Even standing in the shade in a full black costume, Mu Wan felt as though she were being roasted alive.

She looked over the set. Three different shooting areas, all busy as hell.

Gao Mei was away filming out of town, so there was no one to talk to. Mu Wan opened another round of Plants vs. Zombies.

She waited another hour.

It was nearly noon.

Mu Wan put away her phone and decided she was done waiting. Being a supporting actress meant waiting around was normal enough. But today still felt unusual. If they were still shooting her scene, she could keep waiting. If they were not, she needed to head off to find Liu Qianxiu for lunch.

Most of Mu Wan’s scenes were filmed by the assistant director. Only when she had scenes with the leads did the main director step in.

She moved through the crowd and stood beneath the blazing sun, waiting until one of the group scenes had wrapped before calling out to the assistant director.

The assistant director on this production was a fat man, and summer did him no favors. He had rolled his T-shirt sleeves all the way up until they looked like tank tops, and the whole thing was drenched with sweat.

When Mu Wan came over to ask, his thick brows knotted, and the flesh on his face shifted with the movement. He glanced at the assistant nearby and demanded, “What happened? Her scenes got cut and nobody told her?”

Mu Wan pressed her lips together.

She understood enough already.

The assistant glanced nervously at the director, then at Mu Wan, and hurried to explain, “I went to look for her at the time, but I couldn’t find her. There were too many actors around.”

She had been sitting in that black costume for most of the morning. Saying they could not find her was nothing but an excuse.

Mu Wan smiled and looked at the assistant.

“So there’s nothing left for me this morning?”

Seizing the chance to step down from the issue, the assistant nodded quickly.

“No. Everything’s been cut.”

In that case, Mu Wan had nothing else to say.

She greeted the assistant director politely.

“Then I’ll head out, Director.”

The assistant director gave her a once-over from head to toe, then waved her away. Mu Wan turned and left the set.

She had been acting for years. Studio life was usually stable, uneventful. She had waited for scenes before. She had been forgotten by assistant directors before, too.

But today felt different.

And once again, she thought of Mu Qing.

Mu Wan’s brows drew together. She went to change out of her costume.

Since her scenes had been cut, she had no filming today. Once out of the black costume, she was drenched in sweat. Even her pale skin had flushed red from the trapped heat. She rubbed at her arms lightly, washed her face in the restroom, and started toward the studio exit.

When she passed the filming area of some modern drama, Mu Wan stopped.

Under a sunshade, a woman sat drinking iced water.

Mu Wan pressed her lips together, then changed direction and walked over.

Mi Yu noticed her first.

She was wearing sunglasses and a sun hat. Even under the umbrella in the shade, with the sun this brutal, she clearly did not trust it would be enough to block UV rays. A female celebrity’s face was her brand. She could not afford to age or tan. Her sun protection was meticulous. She rarely saw anyone like Mu Wan walking around under the full sun in a tank top and shorts.

Still, it looked good on her.

Slender, tall, with long pale skin exposed, fine-boned, and eye-catching. She had just washed her face, and her eyes looked washed too—dark and bright. Seeing Mi Yu looking at her, Mu Wan smiled faintly, her lips like they had been tipped with honey.

“Sister Yu. Boss.”

After greeting Mi Yu, Mu Wan turned to Li Nan, who was seated to one side, marking up a script.

Mu Wan was a Buddhist-style actress through and through. After signing with the company, she kept very little contact with the other performers. She only showed up at group events when necessary, and even then, she was not particularly close to anyone.

That included her agent.

Most of her communication with Li Nan was through WeChat. He told her where to go act, and she went. Mu Wan acted well, never picked roles, and always had enough work. Even if they were all supporting parts, her earning ability was still decent enough. Aside from having no ambition, there was not much to criticize.

For her to come looking for him in person meant something was wrong.

Li Nan lifted his eyes from the script and gave her the news before she even had to ask.

“The production team just told me your scenes for tomorrow and the day after have also been cut. No need to come in either day.”

Mu Wan was not surprised.

She did a little math in her head and said, “So I have no jobs at all this week.”

The way she put it finally made Li Nan sense that something was off, though his thoughts had not yet gone too far. Mu Wan was a small supporting actress. She had never blocked anyone’s path. Her roles were minor, and she did not outshine anyone. There should have been no reason for someone to target her. Besides, she was not the kind of person who caused trouble, and she was smart enough to handle social relationships well. At the very least, even someone as difficult as Mi Yu had managed to coexist peacefully with her.

“Then take this week off,” Li Nan said. “Think of it as a vacation.”

Then, in the most official tone possible, he added, “Don’t worry about the rest. There’ll definitely be jobs next week. Since you signed with our company, the company isn’t about to stop finding resources for you.”

Mu Wan had only come to confirm things.

Of Li Nan’s explanation, she only half listened.

Nearby, they were filming a water scene. The heroine had just been shoved into the water and climbed back out, only to be told she needed to do another take. Her face was already dark with anger.

Mu Wan had filmed plenty of water scenes herself.

She had been shoved into freezing water, shivering all over, only to be made to do it again because the lead had not performed well enough.

Drawing her mind back, Mu Wan looked at Li Nan and smiled.

“Got it. Thank you, sir.”

Li Nan said nothing else.

Mu Wan turned to leave. Before going, she said goodbye to both Li Nan and Mi Yu.

She had only just finished when Mi Yu, still drinking iced water, spoke.

“You probably ran into an enemy.”

Mi Yu had also had a dawn shoot today. That morning, she had seen Mu Wan heading toward another production. If Mu Wan had come to look for Li Nan now, it probably meant she had waited there half the day only to be told her scenes were gone.

Mi Yu had been through that herself back when she was still nobody. These tricks were old, and the entertainment industry kept using the same ones over and over.

Not only Mu Wan, but Li Nan, too, turned to look at Mi Yu.

Mu Wan watched her expression and waited quietly for her to continue.

“Three straight days of scenes getting cut? There’s no way that’s coincidence,” Mi Yu said, almost as though she were speaking to herself, though it was clearly meant for Mu Wan too. “In this industry, you have to get your attitude straight. We’re all slaves to capital. If you have talent but no backing, crushing you is as easy as crushing an ant. A person can have backbone—but you need to be able to eat first.”

The words were blunt and efficient. Harsh, practical, and not without a trace of advice.

After listening, Mu Wan smiled.

“Understood. Thank you, Sister Yu.”

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Continue reading Incurable Chapter 25 Part 1

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 315

~ IT’S THE MOON AGAIN ~ 

Su You She couldn’t help being stunned. She had always thought that she was a burden that belonged to her parents. Thus, she had only wished that she could leave this place as soon as possible, saving them the worries that they had every single day. But now, after hearing Mu Yunyao’s words, she felt her eyes become sore, and tears welled up in her eyes, wanting to flow out. “Hope? Even if you get sick like me, it’s a long way to go to be able to go through a day counts. Are they looking forward to it, too?”

“Of course!” Mu Yunyao said with a firm tone, “How can parents not look forward to their children?” Otherwise, her mother wouldn’t have died for her in her previous life…

Su You’s fingers gradually tightened as tears dripped onto the scripture she was holding. She had always felt that she did not have much time left. She feared that her parents would send her away with the black-haired man. It’s better to be alienated and sharp. In this way, when she really leaves, her parents wouldn’t feel too much heartache.

Mu Yunyao had a faint smile on her face as she stretched out her hand to take out the scripture she had copied. “Look at you, I originally already had enough to copy, but you’ve come here to make trouble.”

Su You’s eyes widened as she looked at Mu Yunyao indignantly, “I’m already so sad, won’t you going to comfort me?”

Mu Yunyao slightly raised her brows. “The fruits that you promised me to help you eat haven’t been sent over, yet you’re still coming here to let me comfort you. How can you be this reasonable?”

After being interrupted like this, her previous sadness cut off now, and the tears stopped at this moment. She said, “Can’t you say something nicer? Your temper is even more perverse than mine.”

“If you want to hear something nice, then quickly go back and find Second Aunt. She will always coax you. A few days ago, she came here to play and even told my mother about the interesting things about you when you were young.”

Su You’s eyes widened even wider. It was unknown if it was anticipation or shyness, but her cheeks blushed slightly. “What did my mother say?”

“She said that you had the calmest personality and had excellent patience when you were young. It was unknown where you picked up a strand of hair, yet you wanted to use it to tie the pearl in the box. In the end, you actually tied the pearl. When she asked what you were doing, you said you wanted to tie a chain to your mother. When you see a pearl fall, you will squat down on the ground and slowly tie it back up. It is so fun.”

“How can a pearl be tied with hair? I’m not that stupid. You must be lying to me!”

“If you don’t believe me, then go and ask Second Aunt. Why should I fool you?” Mu Yunyao replied with a smile.

Su You hurriedly stood up and wanted to walk out, but after taking two steps, she walked back and snatched the Buddhist scripture from Mu Yunyao’s hands, “Since I broke it, then I’ll give you another one tomorrow. I... I’ll be leaving first.”

Seeing Su You leaving in such a hurry, Mu Yunyao couldn’t help but laugh. She sat behind the table and continued copying the Buddhist scriptures.

Not long after, Su Qing walked in with a tremella and lotus seed soup in her hand. “I heard Su You was coming. Why didn’t you let her play for a while?”

“The child’s character is unstable. After staying here for a while, she said that she missed Second Aunt, so she immediately turned around and left directly.”

“You must have said something, right?” Su Qing couldn’t help but smile, “Your temper may seem easy to get close to, but the things that can really put in your you feel it aren’t much, and once you put it in your heart, you will definitely be able to plan things out for the other party. I think that your treatment of Su You is very well.”

Mu Yunyao stood up and leaned on Su Qing’s side. Her tone carried a trace of emotion, “Let Mother find out. I don’t know what happened. Every time I see Su You, I feel like I can’t bear it. Besides, her personality is also simple, and she doesn’t have any bad intentions towards me. If it weren’t for this, no matter how pitiful she was, I wouldn’t take another look.”

Su Qing caressed Mu Yunyao’s hair, “Mother thinks that’s good, you don’t only have a mother, there should also be many people by your side. Now that you’ve accepted your adoptive father and mother. You also very kind generous to Jin Lan, Jin Qiao, and the others, but this is far from enough. You must have friends and partners who can support each other. In the future, there should be a husband who will take care of you and accompany you until white hair … … In short, Mother wishes for you to become better and better, better than anyone else in the world.”

When she heard Su Qing say the word husband’, Mu Yunyao’s mind suddenly recalled the image of Yue Wang that appeared under the Cinnabar Osmanthusand last night, and then she froze in place. Why did she think of him?

After Su Qing finished speaking, she didn’t wait for Mu Yunyao’s reply. She couldn’t help but turn her head and see her blushing face. “Yao’er, what did you think of?”

“I …” Mu Yunyao suddenly came back to her senses and hurriedly shook her head. “I didn’t think of anything. I just thought that what Mother said was reasonable.”

“You’re really not thinking about anything at all?”

“Truly, I would naturally not deceive Mother.” It was definitely because Yue Wang appeared too suddenly yesterday. Furthermore, the beautiful moonlight that night had disturbed her thoughts. If it were not for that, she would not have let her thoughts run wild.

Looking at her appearance, Su Qing laughed and didn’t continue to ask. “I heard from Jin Lan that you need to copy a lot of Buddhist scriptures. Mother doesn’t know many words and can’t help you with anything, so I can only cook some delicious food. If there’s anything you need, you tell me in time, do you understand?”

“Mm. Mother, don’t worry. I’ll remember it.”

On the other side, Su You hurriedly returned to the West Courtyard. As soon as she entered, she saw Second Madam welcoming her, “Daughter, why did you leave in such a hurry? Your forehead is already sweating, and your face is so pale. Do you need Mother to call the doctor to take a look for you?”

Su You shook he read, bit her lower lip, and looked extremely uncomfortable, “Mother... Did I tie pearls with my hair when I was a child?”

The Second Madam was stunned and could not help but smile. “Who did you hear this from?”

“It was Mu Yunyao who told me. She said that last time you talked with Aunt about my childhood. She said that I was extremely patient when I was young and would use my hair to tie the pearl.”

The Second Madam’s smile deepened. “Yes, you did. When I came in, I saw you holding a string of pearls in your hand, and I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. You brought that string of pearls to my mother’s side, saying that you wanted her to wear it. I was so happy that I didn’t know what to say at that time...”

Su You’s expression turned even more awkward. “Mother, do you think I’m troublesome?”

The Second Madam was thinking about the past and laughing. However, when she heard those words, she quickly returned to her senses and shook her head. “I love you so much. Why would I think that you’re troublesome?” It wasn’t easy for her to give birth to this child, so it wasn’t enough to treat her as an eye ache. Even if she was worried and suffering every day, she was still happy.

Su You’s eyes reddened, thinking back to the words Mu Yunyao had said before. Suppressing the uneasiness in her heart, she stepped forward and held Second Madam’s arm, “Mu Yunyao’s Mother can make things for her. I also want to eat something made by Mother.”

The Second Madam was stunned. Her heart suddenly turned sour, and her eyes immediately turned red. “Fine. What do you want to eat? Mother will make it for you!”

In the past few years, Su You’s illness became more serious, and her personality became more and more rebellious and stubborn. Even when facing her mother, she would always get angry, as if her entire body was covered in thorns. No matter who is close to her, it will make others bleed. She has not seen such a soft appearance for many years.

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Continue reading Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 315

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 314

~ THERE ARE TOO MANY BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES TO COPY ~ 

It didn’t take long before the Eldest Madam sent someone to send over a thick stack of 20 scrolls of the Buddhist scriptures she has to copy.

Jin Lan and Jin Qiao then carried the scriptures back to the hall. “Miss, isn’t the Eldest Madam bullying others? Each scroll of Buddhist scriptures is so thick, how could Miss able to finish copying it?”

Today was August 16th. There were still eight days until Old Master Su’s death date. Copied these Buddhist scriptures could last longer than half a month, not to mention sending them to Baohua Temple two days earlier. Wasn’t this blatantly forcing people?

Mu Yunyao walked over to the table and lightly brushed the Buddhist scripture surface with her finger. Her white fingertips instantly stained with a speck of dust, “Eldest Aunt really put in a lot of effort by helping me prepare ink and brush. By the way, she should prepare more candlelight. With so many Buddhist scriptures, I’m afraid we’ll have to work hard for a few days.”

“Miss, are you sure you want to copy it?” Jin Qiao was so surprised. If she finished copying it in a few days, wouldn’t her hands be exhausted?

“What should be copied naturally needs to be copied.” Mu Yunyao had a light smile on her face as if she didn’t care about these things at all.

Jin Qiao felt considerably unfair. “The Eldest Madam has made it clear that she is s trying to make things difficult for you, Miss. In just a few days, you have to copy twenty scrolls of the Buddhist scripture. If you can’t finish copying it, the Eldest Madam will say that you have no filial piety.”

Mu Yunyao raised her eyes and looked over. “It seems like we’re really training people here. It’s only been a short period of time, but jin Qiao has grown quite a bit.”

Jin Qiao blushed slightly. “Miss actually dared to tease me. Although it hasn’t been long, this servant has understood quite a lot of things.”

Mu Yunyao’s interest piqued, “Then tell me, what did you understand?”

Jin Qiao looked around and found that there were no other outsiders. She then said, “Although this servant’s words are a bit displeasing to the ears, they are all what this servant’s thoughts in her heart. If I’m wrong, please forgive me.”

“If I told you to say it, then you can say it boldly.”

“This servant feels that the Su family is always treating Miss with unkind and no good intentions.” Jin Qiao was indignant. “It was clearly the Su family brought Madam and Miss over first, but after they did, not only did they not care, they even thought of ways to make things difficult for us. Just now, if it wasn’t for the fact that Miss intimidated Wang Mama’s son when she went out, who knows how that Wang Mama’s son will blame Miss for this matter, and people outside will think wildly. You just came to the Capital, and you’re not familiar with anything, yet the Eldest Madam pushed you out. It’s obviously a matter of bad conscience.”

Mu Yunyao couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “You’re quite smart.”

“This servant merely doesn’t understand. Aren’t we all family? Even if the Su family didn’t like Miss, they shouldn’t have made things difficult like this. Could it be that Madam just picked it up?”

Jin Qiao’s unintentional words made Mu Yunyao stunned.

Jin Lan couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, what’s the matter with you?”

Mu Yunyao returned to her senses, “It’s nothing. I merely feel that there’s a bit of truth in Jin Qiao’s words. Do you see any similarities between my mother and the Su family?”

Jin Lan and Jin Qiao carefully thought back and shook their heads. “If Miss didn’t say, this servants didn’t notice. If you think carefully, there are really not many similarities. Miss, could it be that you suspect the Su family has found the wrong person?”

Mu Yunyao shook her head slightly, “Let’s talk about this matter slowly. The Su family shouldn’t be able to find the wrong people……”

She subconsciously felt that something was amiss, but she couldn’t figure out what exactly was amiss. She raised her head and saw the Buddhist scripture on the side, then reached out to grab a scroll and placed it on the table. It didn’t matter if there was a conspiracy or a scheme behind it, but the Su family would never succeed this time.

The twenty scrolls that the Eldest Madam sent over were exceptionally long, and it was hard for her to find anything within a short time. Mu Yunyao carefully wrote down page after page and gradually calming her heart down.

Jin Lan helped to grind on one side, and Jin Qiao helped spread the paper. At the start, the two were resentful towards the Eldest Madam’s actions. But when they saw Mu Yunyao’s tranquil expression as she copied the Buddhist scriptures, they couldn’t help but be influenced by her and gradually become indifferent. For a moment, only the sound of pages turning in the room.

Su You walked in with her people and saw Mu Yunyao’s figure sitting upright behind the table. Her slender white fingers were holding the brush. Her breath was steady and quickly copying on the paper. Her lips had a gentle smile, and her eyes were clear and calm. The afterglow of the sunset shone on half of her body through the window grill, making her smile tinged with a golden halo of light, which made her feel some majestic and solemn feeling.

Mu Yunyao heard the sound of footsteps. She finished copying and put down her brush, then raised her head, “Elder Sister Su You, why do you come here?”

Su You immediately turned her head and ordered the servants that followed to wait outside the door. She walked next to Mu Yunyao and looked at the Buddhist scriptures that were copied on her table, “Are you stupid? With so many, if you can’t get all of them done, wouldn’t you be criticized?”

“Don’t worry. Since I’ve started, I’m confident that I’ll be able to finish it. If I can’t finish it, would Elder Sister Su You be willing to help me?”

“My handwriting is different from yours. Otherwise, I would really be able to write a little for you.” Looking at Mu Yunyao with a gentle expression on her face, Su You unconsciously retracted the thorns in her body.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to prick or injure people all the time, but that she had gradually forgotten how to get along with others after spending so much time by herself.

“I’m kidding. It’s just twenty scrolls of Buddhist scriptures. Back then, when Ni Yun Fang was opening, I’m in a hurry to make a lot of clothes and embroidered Ni Yun Beauty Booklet. At that time, it was so busy, but in the end, we are all survived.”

“Is it fun to open a shop? I know that there is an elegant workshop, a teahouse, a restaurant, and a bookstore in this world. But no matter where it is, I don’t have a chance to see it...” Su You took out a Buddhist scripture that Mu Yunyao had written. As she stroked it, she sat down on a nearby chair and read out the contents that she had copied, “Buddha said, there are eight sufferings in life, birth, old age, illness, death, love, and separation. I wish for a long time, can not beg, can not let go... Do you think my parents owed me in my previous life, and that’s why I came to torture them in this life?”

Mu Yunyao waved her hand, indicating for Jin Lan and Jin Qiao to withdraw. She stood up and stretched her wrist, poured a cup of warm water, and placed it on Su You’s hand, “I don’t think so.”

Su You raised her head, her eyes were slightly red, but no tears were falling, only full of thick bitterness feeling, “Isn’t it so?”

“There is a saying in the Buddhist language that when the origin of the cause came, it would gather, and when it came to an end, it would scatter. You can be born as the child of Second Uncle and Second Aunt can’t be said that it’s the fate of several generations. They have been looking forward to your coming, looking forward to your birth, hoping that you would grow up safe and sound, hoping that you would have a carefree life… Even though your health is not good, and they have to worry a lot about you, with you here, their hopes will not be shattered. Therefore, even if it’s for the many expectations in their hearts, you should still cherish whatever is in front of you.”

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Continue reading Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 314

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 313

~ MU YUNYAO WHO KNEW HOW TO READ ONE’S EYES ~ 

 

When the Eldest Madam heard her say these words, her expression became especially gloomy. Mu Yunyao stated that she was righteous and strict, but she picked herself clean. She had a clear conscience, and the consequences are not the Su family’s responsibility?

“The sky is unpredictable. People have misfortunes and blessings. Anything can happen, but we can’t say for sure,” the Eldest Madam said as she looked at Wang Mama’s son.

Wang Mama’s son looked at the Eldest Madam with a bad-eyed look. He just wanted to lie on the ground and kneel to beg for forgiveness. He had always been a person who bullied the weak and feared the strong. Right now, he was already at a loss in his heart, but he knew that even if he were to kowtow and beg for mercy, it would be difficult to understand the situation. He might as well grit his teeth, persist until the end to cheat some silver first, and then talk about it later.

“Madam is kind. This little one is the son of Wang Mama. This little one doesn’t dare to go against the Su family, but because I feel that my mother wronged when she died. She’s fine and talking well when something suddenly happened, and so is Aunt Liu, who kicked out of the house with her, also gone. I only feel that it’s too coincidental …”

The Eldest Madam frowned. Since they had already reached this point, what could they do to stop them: “If that’s the case, then call the doctor over to investigate. However, if he is unable to find anything, then all of you must give the Su family an explanation!”

“What do you mean, Madam? We just said it like this because we don’t have silvers to bury them, so we came to the Su family to see if we could get a little something out of the way and let our mother’s funeral done respectfully. If Madam doesn’t want to care about that kind of favor, then forget it. My mother and Aunt Liu are servants of Su’s family. They have served the master of Su’s family conscientiously for more than ten years. We are also grateful to the Su family, so how can we betray our master? We are leaving now, and we will never cause the Su family any more trouble!”

Upon listening to these words, the Eldest Madam’s face suddenly turned pale. She was angry just now. When she heard what Mu Yunyao had said just now, she did not think twice before directly saying those words. She did not expect that Wang Mama’s son would be the one to stop her from saying those words, and he blocked it directly after a lot of mischiefs.

The Eldest Madam wanted to say something, but she saw Mu Yunyao walk in front of her with an uneasy expression on her face, “Eldest Aunt, don’t worry. I know that you must be thinking about the master and servant relationship from the past. After all, you have been very kind to your servants for so many years. Mo Yu, go and get two hundred taels of silver, and each family will give them one hundred taels so that they can properly arrange for the funeral of Wang Mama and Liu Mama. After all, the dead are the most important, so there is no need to continue tormenting them.”

Mo Yu raised her head to look at the Eldest Madam’s face. She hesitated and didn’t know what to do. Si Qin took out two hundred taels of silver from her sleeves and handed them over to Mo Yu. She pushed her down the stairs, “Young Miss has ordered you. Why aren’t you going?”

Wang Mama’s son had bright eyes. A hundred taels of silver was an enormous sum of money to him. Not only was it enough for him to pay off his gambling debts, but it could also allow him to live a carefree life of a few years. He immediately stopped crying and kowtowed to the Su family. “Thank you very much … …”

Mu Yunyao smiled and said, “It’s all because of my Eldest Aunt who is thinking about her past affection. Thus, I won’t argue with you guys. Quickly go back and arrange your mother’s affairs.”

“Yes, yes, thank you, Madam!”

With that, he called for his wife and children, carried the corpses, and walked away quickly.

The Eldest Madam was so angry that she could barely contain the anger in her eyes. She wanted to stop the man, but the man holding the banknotes left without looking back.

Mu Yunyao seemed to heave a sigh of relief. “Eldest Aunt, the matter has been resolved. Let’s hurry back to the residence. Today is a good day, and we shouldn’t disturb the celebration in residence for the sake of these people.”

The Eldest Madam snapped her hand open. If it weren’t for the fact that there were so many commoners watching from a distance, she would have slapped Mu Yunyao’s face with her palm. After returning to the front courtyard, she could no longer suppress the anger in her heart, “Yunyao, why did you do this?”

“Aunt, why are you so angry? I followed your instructions to deal with the people who come to make trouble at the house entrance. Could it be that I’ve done something wrong?”

Looking at Mu Yunyao’s innocent expression, the Eldest Madam sneered, “Don’t think that I didn’t see through your naughty thoughts. You should know that you just directly sent him away with silver. Who knows, there might be a big problem in the future.”

“Eldest Aunt’s words are strange. Didn’t you say that you should appease him as soon as you arrived? Didn’t these words mean that you want to turn a big matter into a small matter? Two hundred silver taels are nothing to me. If Aunt doesn’t want to go into the public accounts, then it’s all on my account.”

“You …” The Eldest Madam didn’t know whether Mu Yunyao was really dull or just pretending to be stupid, but no matter what, there were still more important things to be done. She had to think of a way quickly to restore Yuyi’s reputation. As for the people who make trouble in residence today, they can have them clean up at any time. “In two days, it will be your grandfather’s death day. At this time of the year, the young ladies in residence had to copy the Buddhist scriptures and pray for blessings. Then, they will send it to the Baohua Temple for enshrinement. Since you are here in the Su family’s residence now, shouldn’t you make a few copies of the Buddhist scriptures to express your filial piety towards your grandfather?”

Mu Yunyao smiled as she nodded and replied, “Yes. Although I’ve never seen Grandfather, since the elder sisters and brothers in residence have copied them, I naturally have to copy them as well.”

“That’s good. I’ll get someone to send you the Buddhist scripture that should be copied later.”

“Then I’ll have to trouble Eldest Aunt.” Mu Yunyao curtsied and bowed.

The Eldest Madam’s cold gaze swept across Mu Yunyao’s face, then she turned and strode away.

Mu Yunyao straightened her body and slowly walked back to Jiyue Pavilion. She turned around to look at Mo Yu. “Mo Yu, do you feel that following me wronged you?”

Mo Yu’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly kneeled down. “Mo Yu wouldn’t dare.”

Mu Yunyao chuckled, “You say you don’t dare, instead of nothing. Then you really feel wronged?”

The voice that entered her ears was very gentle, even carrying a faint smile. However, when Mo Yu heard the voice, she shuddered for no reason. “Miss, this servant doesn’t feel wronged. Please look into it clearly.”

“That’s all right. After all, you’ve been waiting at the Old Madam’s side. If you follow this lowly Young Miss Biao, you might not be willing to give up, but there are tens of thousands of paths in this world, and if you do not reach the end, no one will know which path will lead to the cliff. Mo Yu, what do you think?”

“Miss, this servant is stupid and only knows how to serve the master. I don’t dare to think about anything else.”

Mu Yunyao smiled, “As long as the master you are talking about is me, I would rather you be stupid. Alright, you can leave now.”

Mo Yu could only feel cold sweat dripping down her body. She raised her head and met Mu Yunyao’s eyes. She felt as if those eyes could pierce through people’s hearts, causing her to feel a chill run down her spine. “Yes …”

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Continue reading Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 313

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 312

~ MU YUNYAO WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE ~ 

Liu Mama’s son on one side was so scared that he couldn’t speak. He had come this time because of Wang Mama’s son’s instigation and because of his wife’s encouragement. Now that he heard Wang Mama’s son’s words, he suddenly realized that things were not that simple.

Mu Yunyao creased her brows, her tone filled with an unprecedented seriousness, “What do you mean by this?”

Wang Mama’s son fiercely took two steps forward and kowtowed, his forehead heavily touching the steps of the Su family. After a short two moves, he was already bleeding, and blood flowed from his forehead down his eyes and face, causing people to be shocked. He ate, drank, and gambled for a long time, so he naturally knew what to do to his advantage.

“Miss mu, I didn’t mean anything. I just came to ask about it. If it really had nothing to do with the Su family, I would let the Su family deal with it. But my mother’s reputation for honesty is well known. A good person died without knowing it. As a son, I don’t know why she passed away, but I am really ashamed of it. I might as well die here, and it could eliminate the guilt in my heart.”

Mu Yunyao’s brows tightly creased, “Based on what you said, do you think that your mother died in injustice?”

He pulled back the bow. There was no turning back, and he could only use all his strength to fight now!

Wang Mama’s son clenched his teeth: “I don’t dare to say that. I only hope that the Su family will give me a bit of silver for my mother’s many years of being a slave in the Su family and let me and the Liu brothers bury the two old people.” Many people were watching the entrance to the street. He purposefully raised his voice to show so that they could hear what he said clearly.

Mu Yunyao looked at the two sides of the street and saw that there were already many people secretly discussing among themselves. Currently, the Su family was at the height of its popularity. Besides, the two servants who were kicked out of the house died suddenly and inexplicably at the same time. Wang Mama’s son was so ambiguous with his words, how could they not guess?

Zhou Mama, who had been observing the situation from the side, suddenly felt that something was wrong. She hurriedly ran to the East District to report to the Eldest Madam.

The Eldest Madam was quickly arranging her troops, hoping to contain the rumors in the Capital. Before she could find a suitable candidate to replace the Moon Fairy from the Moon Palace, she saw Zhou Mama running over in a flustered manner.

“Eldest Madam, there’s a disturbance in the residence’s gate. Hurry up and go take a look.”

“Didn’t you ask Yunyao to go? The ones who died were two old maids. It’s fine if you give them some silver coins to appease them. What’s the point of making a fuss about it?”

Zhou Mama quickly shook her head. “Madam, things aren’t so simple. Young Miss Biao … Young Miss Biao was a straightforward person. It was hard to avoid the sharp edge in her words when she faced someone coming to make trouble. As a result, the son of the old Wang Mama had said many things that were very unpleasant to hear. This servant taking a look from afar, that person’s aura seems to be full of cunning. If things go on like this, I’m afraid it will implicate the Su family …”

The Eldest Madam suddenly frowned. “What? What did you say?”

“That Wang Mama’s son said that after Old Wang Mama and Old Liu Mama were driven out of the residence, they both died suddenly and at the same time. The cause of death was unclear …”

“He’s got a nerve! What kind of place was this to allow him to spout such nonsense? Wasn’t he afraid of his tongue being cut off? How did Mu Yunyao reply to him?”

“When this servant heard this, I hurriedly came back to report to you. I didn’t have the time to listen to Young Miss Biao’s reply.”

“Trash!” The Eldest Madam was so angry that her chest ached. The Eldest Madam wanted to help Yuyi become famous with her arrangements. She thought it would come naturally, but she failed. Now two servants had died, and they dared to splash dirty water on the Su family’s door. It’s so bold for them. “Go and have a look.”

She had initially wanted to push Mu Yunyao out to deal with this matter. After all, she was the one who had hit them, so since the two women’s families had come to cause trouble, they would definitely recognize Mu Yunyaoas a source of hatred. It would be best if they could use this opportunity to ruin her reputation so that she wouldn’t be an eyesore. But she didn’t expect that the fire would actually burn the Su family.

At the entrance to the residence, Mu Yunyao’s expression was silent as she stood, “The Su family does not disregard relationship. Old Wang Mama and Old Liu Mama have indeed been servants in the Su family. Now that the two of them have passed away, I will give you some silver coins so that you can take care of the funeral. It’s not impossible the money can be given, but I don’t think the Su family will take responsibility for the scandal. It is better to find someone to investigate the cause of death of the two women first.”

Initially, Wang Mama’s son was so happy when he heard that Mu Yunyao would give him money. However, when he heard that she wanted someone to investigate the cause of his mother’s and Aunt Liu’s death, he immediately became a bit anxious, “Since people already dead, I don’t want to pursue the matter any further. I only hope that my mother can be buried safely as soon as possible. I also asked Young Miss Mu not to disturb the peace of the dead.”

Mu Yunyao laughed coldly, “You’re a son of a bitch. It’s funny. If you want your mother to settle down quickly, you can merely find a plot of land and bury her. Why bring her corpse to the Su family’s doorstep? When I said that I would give you money, and you talked about getting into the soil for peace. Are you come here just wanted y to make trouble for silver? If it’s really like this, not only will I not give you a penny, I will also have someone send you to the government. You don’t even look what kind of place the Su Family is. How can you all act so presumptuously here!”

“No, we didn’t want to cause any trouble, and we were willing to let someone investigate the cause of death of my mother and Aunt Liu.” Wang’s son quickly replied. He had asked before, and the time of his mother and Aunt Liu’s death was almost the same. This incident is full of weirdness, and it is absolutely impossible to be a coincidence.

“Alright, then go and invite a doctor.”

“Wait!” The Eldest Madam had just walked to the residence’s entrance when she heard Mu Yunyao instructing someone to call a doctor over. She hurriedly shouted, “Yunyao, what has caused such a ruckus?” Hearing the Eldest Madam’s voice, Mu Yunyao turned to pay her respects, a hint of pity flashing through her heart. If the Eldest Madam had come a little later, perhaps she would have been able to give the Su Family a reputation of killing people. Although she did not expect that it would have been an extensive blow to the Su Family, at least it would have added more weight. She will feel happy at least by adding more blocks. “Greetings, Eldest Aunt.”

The Eldest Madam’s expression was particularly stiff. Her precious daughter’s reputation had been damaged, which made her even unable to maintain the smile on her face, “Yunyao, didn’t I tell you to come out to have a look? Do you appease the ones that should be soothed? Why are you calling a doctor again?”

Mu Yunyao’s expression did not change: “Eldest Aunt, Old Wang Mama’s son is still unclear, and the hidden meaning behind his words is that there is a difference in the cause of death between Old Wang Mama and Old Liu Mama. Now that they are in front of the Su family. If we do not investigate this matter clearly, wouldn’t this dirty water be poured onto our Su family? Back then, I was the one who ordered to beat up two old maids. Furthermore, looking at how old they were and the fact that they were both seniors in residence, I only ordered my maids to punish them ten planks. Those ten planks are still done by my two maids, and their strength is very slight. Furthermore, I was afraid that they would not be able to take it.”

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Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 311

~ THE SU FAMILY IS INNOCENT ~ 

Mu Yunyao had just finished eating with Su Qing when she saw Qi Mama, who delivered the message. After hearing it, she couldn’t help but slightly raise the corners of her lips, “Does Eldest Aunt mean to tell me to deal with the people causing trouble in front of the house?”

Qi Mama nodded her head. “Yes. After all, the one who ordered the beating of Old Liu Mama and Old Wang Mama was Young Miss Biao. Although we can’t be sure about the reason, a master should come forward to inquire about it. In order to avoid causing more trouble and tarnish the Su family’s reputation.”

Mu Yunyao lowered her eyes and smiled, then happily nodded. “Since that’s the case, then I’ll go take a look.”

“Yes, then this servant went to reply to the Eldest Madam first.”

“Thank you for specially making a trip, Qi Mama.”

“... This servant does not dare to accept it.”

When Qi Mama left, Su Qing couldn’t help but frown. “Yao’er, back then, you only beat them with ten planks, and the ones that did it were Si Qin and Si Qi. Their strength was very light, and so many people in the Su family have seen it. Do they still want to rely on you?”

“Mother, there is no need to worry. Since something has happened, I’ll go and have a look.”

“Mm, be careful. Although we didn’t hurt anyone, we can’t guard against anyone who wants to harm us.” After entering the Su family for just a short time, Su Qing felt that her heart had become much colder. However, there was nothing she could do. She would rather be cold-hearted to guard against others than let her daughter fall into danger because of her own weakness.

Mu Yunyao nodded, then looked towards Si Qin and Si Qi, “The two of you were the ones who made a move at that time. Come with me and have a look. Also, call Mo Yu over as well.”

“Yes, Miss.” Si Qin and Si Qi didn’t panic in the slightest. After being called out, they directly followed behind Mu Yunyao and walked towards the residence’s entrance.

Before they even reached the manor gates, they heard bursts of weeping. The guards at both sides of the gates acted like they didn’t see the person crying on the ground.

Mu Yunyao slowly walked out of the door. She coldly looked at the two couples and several children kneeling on the ground. “Who gave you the courage to come and frame the Su Family?”

The crying and howling at the door suddenly stopped. “We did not frame the Su family. It’s just that my mother died without reason. My family was poor and did not have any money to bury her, so ….”

Mu Yunyao didn’t wait for him to finish and directly interrupted him. “Since you’re not here to frame me, then are you here to scam me?”

“We didn’t mean it that way. No matter what, my mother has been a servant of the Su family for so many years. In the end, we still have our relationship …”

“Your mother has been a servant in the Su family for so many years. As her son, not only did you not take her out for filial piety, now that something happened, you did not let her rest in peace. Instead, you brought her corpse to the front door of the Su family. Are you not afraid of your mother’s uneasiness and come out to settle accounts with you in the middle of the night?”

The one who replied was Wang Mama’s son, Wang Zhu. When he heard Mu Yunyao’s words, he immediately shivered, feeling a chill down his spine, but had to muster up the courage to reply, “From the looks of your clothes, you are probably Young Miss of the Su family.”

“I am the Su family’s Young Miss Biao, Mu Yunyao. Back then, I was the one who ordered Wang Mama and Liu Mama to be reprimanded and then chased out of the residence. I didn’t receive the attentiveness of these two people. On the contrary, I had beaten twice by them a few days ago. I don’t have any relationship with them. You can tell me what your purpose is. You don’t have to pretend to be pitiful and win sympathy here.”

“You … You …” Wang Mama’s son couldn’t help, but his face turned blue. He was initially a drifter, and all these years, he had relied on his mother. Wang Mama, who worked in the Su family’s house, has supported him to get married and have children all the time.

A few days ago, Wang Mama was suddenly driven home, and the family lost the source of money. Wang Zhu had been very uncomfortable these past few days. He ran out of money to drink, so he wanted to go to the gambling house to try his luck, but instead, he owed a large number of gambling debts. Initially, Wang Zhu wanted to go home and make a ruckus to see if his mother had any private money. He didn’t expect that Wang Mama suddenly fainted and passed away soon after he went back. Wang Zhu was merely thinking about how he should handle the funeral when he heard that Aunt Liu, who had been kicked out with his mother, had also suddenly died, and he could not help thinking a little more.

After his mother came back, she secretly muttered to herself that the Su family’s Miss Biao was heartless, that the Su family’s Old Madam did not care about an old relationship. She had done things for the Old Madam, and not only did she not receive any compensation, but she was also even beaten and chased out of the Su family residence.

After hearing so much about it, and he always felt that this matter was unusual. In addition to the fact that Aunt Liu had passed away as well, it made him think a little more: Could it be that his mother had done something for the Old Madam of the Su family? In the end, it didn’t work out. Instead, she was kicked out of the house. Because of that, the Old Madam of the Su family wanted to kill her and silence her?

When he thought of it, he had a few more thoughts: If the Su family really did kill people, would it be possible for them to come and extort a large sum of money? He knew that it would be too dangerous if he acted rashly. Who knew, perhaps the Su family would also try to kill him. Thus, he dragged Aunt Liu’s son along with him. He even cried and howled along the way to blow up the matter. Thinking about it, the Su family would definitely be afraid of him and wouldn’t dare to do anything to him.

But now, when he noticed Mu Yunyao’s righteous and confident appearance, his heart started pounding once again.

“Miss Mu, your status is honorable. But you don’t put human lives in your eyes. My mother and Aunt Liu’s deaths would have been in vain if we didn’t come today!” Wang Mama’s son indignantly said, looking very aggrieved.

This street was the place where the officials resided. Ordinary citizens would usually take a detour, but because of such a big commotion today, there were already many commoners watching from the far corner of the street. After all, the rumor had just spread that the young miss of the Su family was the Moon Fairy of the Moon Palace, and quite several people wanted to come here to try their luck and see if they can see the fairy’s face.

“Stop right there!” Mu Yunyao stopped the person to talked, “Since you dare to bring someone here, it means that you have doubts in your heart. Our Su family is innocent and won’t allow anyone to throw dirty water in front of our doors. Back then, the two maids standing behind me were the ones who beat the two Mama. They used the court stick that was usually prepared in the house of officials and beat them ten times. Furthermore, this event happened ten days ago. All of you can verify the things I have said, and there was not a word of partiality about it.”

Wang Mama’s son was more and more flustered. He had already been a guilty conscience from the start, but now that he saw Mu Yunyao’s confident words, he felt even more uncertain. The two seemingly delicate maids, not to mention the ten court sticks, even twenty or fifty court sticks, wouldn’t have caused any deaths. Could it be that he had guessed wrongly? But if he left just like that, he would feel unreconciled in his heart. He would already be in debt, and in a short while, the debt collectors would come knocking on his door. Even if the Su family did not kill him, those debt collectors would definitely take his life.

“Miss Mu, I didn’t want to say it in the first place. After all, my mother and Aunt Liu had served in the Su family for a long time, and they have a favor to owe. But since your words are like this, I must say some things.”

A ray of light flashed across Mu Yunyao’s eyes. “Tell me.”

“You’re right. The court sticks really can’t kill a person. But right now, my mother and Aunt Liu are both dead, and it’s still unclear how they died. If we were to say they died suddenly, could they make an arrangement to die together?”

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Incurable Chapter 24 Part 2

Chapter 24 (2/2)

Mu Wan watched him go. It felt as though all the warmth in the house had been pulled away, together with him, leaving the place suddenly cold.

Just like her own apartment.

She finished the sandwich, cleaned up the kitchen, and did not linger any longer than that before leaving as well.

There was a morning meeting. In the afternoon, Liu Qianxiu went straight into surgery.

Once he began, it lasted eight full hours.

By the time it was over, his fingers curled involuntarily with numbness and stiffness. The anesthesiologist stopped the anesthesia, the assistant stripped off his surgical gown, and Liu Qianxiu sat down on the bench in the restroom, quietly flexing his hand.

Xiao Tan had been waiting for the operation to end so he could find him. He was initially told that Liu Qianxiu was in the restroom, so he went there.

The man on the bench still sat upright as always. His eyes were lowered, his expression calm, but tiredness showed faintly beneath it. Understandably so—an eight-hour surgery would exhaust anyone.

“Your hands are probably too numb to drive,” Xiao Tan said as he looked at Liu Qianxiu’s fingers, still almost unusable. “I’ll take you home.”

Liu Qianxiu lifted his eyes to him once, then opened and closed his hand again. His long fingers flexed, the joints distinct and elegant.

“No need. What time is it?”

Xiao Tan checked his watch and answered immediately.

“Seven-thirty.”

At the time, something in the man’s gaze shifted.

He stood quietly and began taking off his white coat. Without it, what remained underneath was a pale brown shirt and cream trousers. On his tall, long-limbed frame, even a simple cotton-linen outfit looked unusually refined. His sleeves were rolled to the forearms, revealing the clean lines of his wrist bones and the faint veins beneath cold white skin.

Liu Qianxiu gave people a very understated impression, but in truth, he was meticulous in every way—from his face to his temperament.

No wonder women liked him.

Thinking of that, Xiao Tan asked, “How come that Miss Mu hasn’t come looking for you lately?”

After hanging his white coat up, Liu Qianxiu fastened his watch. His tone stayed neutral.

“I’m going to look for her.”

“Huh?”

Xiao Tan looked at him, openly startled. He wanted to ask more. “Wait, are you two now—”

Liu Qianxiu clearly had no intention of elaborating.

“Wednesday afternoon, I’m taking leave,” he said instead. “I’ll be back Monday.”

Understanding the signal to stop digging, Xiao Tan let the subject go and followed the new thread instead.

“Going to Qingyuan Temple?”

“Mm.”

Liu Qianxiu answered and left.

Eight o’clock was peak hour at the cinema.

By the time Liu Qianxiu arrived, the lobby was full of people coming and going, all waiting to watch their movies. His gaze swept through the crowd and settled on Mu Wan, seated in the waiting area.

Her hair was braided into a fishtail braid over her left shoulder, with loose wisps around her hairline, making her look soft and a little fluffy. She wore a tiny floral camisole, her shoulders narrow and straight, her collarbones neat. Both hands were draped over the back of the chair, her chin resting on top. Under her white shorts, her legs stretched long and fair, relaxed and lazy.

Her beautiful eyes kept drifting toward the theater entrance.

Like a cat curled up behind the chair, waiting for the master who was certain to come take her home.

When her gaze swept over the entrance one more time, it did not move on.

It stopped on a tall, lean figure.

At once, her eyes lit up.

Like a puppy spotting its favorite treat, she sprang to her feet from behind the chair and came running toward him, bouncing as she went.

“You came.”

She ran through the crowd until she reached his side, then tipped her face up to him, eyes full of stars.

“Mm.” Liu Qianxiu lowered his gaze to her and said, “I’m sorry. I’m late.”

“You’re not.” Mu Wan shook her head. She smiled and said, “My scenes don’t come until later anyway. Come on.”

The two of them went into the screening hall.

Mu Wan had chosen seats in the middle of the back rows, where the view was open and clear. After sitting down, she glanced over at Liu Qianxiu. His attention was already on the screen.

City of Prayer was a modern romantic comedy.

Mu Wan played the male lead’s first love from high school, a pure white moonlight type. Her scenes only appeared later, once the male and female leads’ relationship had begun to deepen and the male lead started recalling the past.

Mu Wan had read the script. She already knew the general outline.

A truly good director could make a film far more compelling than the script alone. But the director of this one was only middling—good enough to tell a coherent story, nothing more.

She watched for a while, then turned to look at Liu Qianxiu.

The light from the screen shifted constantly over his face, outlining him in alternating bands of brightness and shadow.

He was leaning back in his seat.

His eyes were closed.

The light from the film carved his features into deeper angles, and between his brows Mu Wan saw a trace of fatigue.

The way she bit into the popcorn in her mouth slowed.

Even her heartbeat seemed to quiet down.

He had fallen asleep.

This morning, he had told her he had surgery tonight and that he might be late. At the entrance, she had only been happy that he came—she had not looked carefully enough. He must have been exhausted, but she had not noticed.

Thinking that, Mu Wan’s brows drew together slightly.

Suddenly, the screen brightened, and a low ripple of admiration passed through the audience.

Liu Qianxiu opened his eyes.

He looked at the screen.

There, on it, a woman in a white dress stood beneath cherry blossoms, smiling beautifully and cleanly.

The scent of popcorn spread in Mu Wan’s mouth. Looking at Liu Qianxiu’s sharply defined profile, she asked softly,

“Why did you wake up?”

Liu Qianxiu turned his head and looked at her.

She was leaning against the chair back, a huge tub of popcorn in her lap, looking up at him. The light from the screen dimmed gradually, shadows covering her features like a thin black veil.

“Mm,” Liu Qianxiu answered quietly.

Then he turned his eyes back to the Mu Wan on the screen and said,

“I woke up to look at you.”

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Continue reading Incurable Chapter 24 Part 2

Incurable Chapter 24 Part 1

Chapter 24 (1/2)

The woman in his arms did not answer.

Accompanied by the soft rush of rain, her breathing grew slower and more even, as though she had already drifted off again. Liu Qianxiu lowered his eyes, looked at her once, opened the door to the second bedroom, and lay her down on the bed.

No one had ever slept in that room before, but it had always been kept complete and spotless.

Liu Qianxiu switched on the small bedside lamp, then turned and left. The instant the door closed, it shut the faint glow of the living room out with it.

The woman on the bed opened her eyes.

She listened carefully to the footsteps outside. When she finally heard another door close somewhere farther away, she shut her eyes again, hugged the thin blanket, and curled herself tighter and tighter—then suddenly kicked both legs out hard.

Once she finished kicking, she let out the breath she had been holding and sprawled on the bed in the shape of a starfish, breathing great, delighted gulps of air.

Liu Qianxiu carried her in his arms like a princess.

He had agreed to let her stay at his place.

He had even said she could do whatever she wanted.

And most importantly of all—tomorrow morning, the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes would be him.

The woman wriggled in tiny, private excitement, hugging the blanket and rolling back and forth twice before burying her face and giggling to herself.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the rain whispered on and on, carrying all the happiness she could not hide.

Mu Wan had no idea how late she had stayed awake in her excitement the night before.

Very late, apparently.

Because when Li Nan’s phone call woke her the next morning, she had a little morning temper.

She sat up in bed, spent three seconds remembering where she was, and then her annoyance disappeared on the spot.

“Hello, Boss.”

She glanced at the time. It was not even seven yet.

Li Nan was an agent. He usually followed Mi Yu around on set, and his own schedule was wildly unstable. If Mi Yu shot all night, he stayed up all night with her.

“The premiere for City of Prayer is tonight at seven,” Li Nan said. “Go show your face.”

Mu Wan specialized in supporting roles. Events like this rarely landed on her. Usually, Li Nan only sent her when Mi Yu had no time, and he needed someone to stand in for appearance’s sake.

Showing face as a supporting actress meant little more than standing on stage for a while. The host would never ask her anything important. But after the stage event was over, she would get to watch the premiere screening.

Mu Wan actually liked these jobs. To her, it was basically a free movie.

But she could not go tonight—she was scheduled to shoot at seven. Li Nan might focus most of his attention on Mi Yu, but he was not careless enough to forget her schedule.

“I have filming at seven tonight. Snowstorm,” Mu Wan reminded him.

“Ah.” Li Nan made a sound of realization. “I was just about to tell you. That job got canceled.”

She had never played an important character. Scenes got cut all the time until her role nearly disappeared, so cancellation was hardly surprising. But the moment Li Nan said it, Mu Wan remembered what Aunt Wu had asked her yesterday morning.

Her eyes lowered as she looked at the little embroidered daisies on the blanket.

“What about tomorrow’s work?” she asked.

“Tomorrow is still normal.” Mu Wan had never been particularly ambitious about her career, and she rarely asked follow-up questions this carefully. Li Nan added, “The screenwriter trimmed some scenes. It’s nothing serious.”

“Got it.” Mu Wan relaxed and smiled. “Thank you, Boss.”

After hanging up, she was fully awake.

Leaning back against the headboard, she looked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. The curtains were drawn except for a slim gap, through which a single shaft of light slipped in. It was impossible to tell from there whether the day outside was cloudy or bright.

She climbed out of bed barefoot and pulled the curtains open.

The room filled instantly with midsummer sunlight.

It brightened her whole mood.

Mu Wan stretched lazily, slipped on her slippers, and went to wash up.

Liu Qianxiu had let her stay for the night. That made her all the more determined to wake early and cause him no trouble.

After freshening up, Mu Wan opened the door and stepped outside.

The living room was quiet. A faint scent of agarwood lingered in the air, grounding and calming. The door to Liu Qianxiu’s bedroom was shut, and she could not tell whether he was awake yet.

Just then, she heard a few meows.

They were coming from the cat room.

Mu Wan turned toward the sound and walked over. Zhouyi was sitting neatly at the entrance, licking one raised paw when she arrived. Mu Wan lifted her eyes into the room, and her lashes quivered.

Liu Qianxiu was already up.

He was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, a feeding bottle in hand, feeding the three little ones. Three kittens, one bottle of milk. He fed them in turn, and all three heads followed the movement of the bottle in perfect unison, swiveling from one side to the other.

The curtains in the cat room were wide open, and sunlight spilled in. The fine down on the kittens’ bodies shimmered almost transparent under the light. The man in a long shirt and trousers sat cross-legged on the carpet, his clean-boned fingers wrapped around a nearly empty bottle. The sunlight shone through his fingers, outlining them with a thin glow.

Standing in the doorway, Mu Wan saw him notice her at once. He glanced sideways, his features still cool and pale, but the lingering softness at the corners of his eyes had not quite faded yet.

Mu Wan’s heartbeat sped up in an even, steady way.

“Good morning,” she said, drawing her thoughts back in. She lowered her eyes briefly to the carpet, the tips of her ears warming, then walked in and sat down beside him. “You’re up early.”

“They were hungry,” Liu Qianxiu replied in a low voice, eyes lowered to the kittens again.

Kittens were hard to raise, not only because they were fragile, but because they demanded constant attention and effort. They had to be fed every few hours. The fact that the three little ones had grown this much already had everything to do with Liu Qianxiu’s care.

Thinking of that, Mu Wan remembered Li Nan’s phone call from earlier. She lifted her face and looked at Liu Qianxiu.

“Liu Qianxiu, let me take you to a movie.”

He looked up.

Mu Wan smiled, bracing both hands behind her as she sat.

“It’s a movie I’m in. Just a tiny supporting role. The premiere’s tonight, and I have to attend the opening ceremony. We can watch it together.”

She kept her eyes on him as she spoke. The hope on her small face was impossible to hide, and her eyes were bright.

Liu Qianxiu withdrew his gaze and asked, “What time?”

“Seven-thirty.”

Mu Wan felt immediately that she had already succeeded halfway.

She answered quickly.

In truth, she knew very little about Liu Qianxiu. But what about him? He could not know much about her either. Today’s movie could count as time alone together—and a chance for him to know her better. Though, really, there was not all that much to know. She was only a small-time actress with no father and no mother. Liu Qianxiu could probably guess most of it already.

“I have surgery tonight,” Liu Qianxiu said evenly. “I may be late.”

“It’s okay.” Mu Wan smiled again, already certain that his answer meant yes. “No need to rush. Just come. I’ll wait for you.”

Knowing he had agreed, she lowered her head and looked at the kittens.

“Let me do it. They’ve grown this much and I still haven’t fed them breakfast once.”

She lifted both hands from the carpet and stretched them out toward him, posture full of determination.

There was only about a third of the milk left anyway, so the feeding would be over soon. Liu Qianxiu did not refuse. He passed her the bottle.

Mu Wan tried to lure the kittens over, but none of them followed the bottle. Instead, they looked up and mewed toward Liu Qianxiu.

She came to see them often, and they were affectionate with her too, but whenever both she and Liu Qianxiu were present, the three of them always chose him first.

In the end, Liu Qianxiu simply picked the kittens up and settled them into her arms one by one.

With the bottle there to soothe them, they stopped crying.

Mu Wan poked Zhongfen’s little ear with one finger. The downy softness under her fingertip was addictive. She looked up at Liu Qianxiu, who had already stood, and joked,

“They’re so attached to you now. When they grow up and I take them away, what if they can’t bear to leave you?”

Then she answered herself, tapping a finger against her own chest.

“If they can’t leave you... can I stay too?”

In the shaft of sunlight, Liu Qianxiu stood there, the light passing through his pale brown shirt so that the line of his waist was faintly visible beneath it. He lowered his eyes to her, lashes casting a ring of shadow. His voice, when it came, was low and clear as spring water in the mountains.

“What do you want for breakfast?”

The smile on Mu Wan’s face paused.

Looking at his clear, transparent features, she felt her heart miss one beat.

“Sandwiches and orange juice,” she said.

“Okay.”

Liu Qianxiu answered and left the cat room.

Mu Wan watched his back and then laughed again.

Sandwiches were quick to make.

By the time Mu Wan finished feeding the three little ones and went into the kitchen, breakfast was already done. Liu Qianxiu was standing by the dining table, taking a call.

“Yes. I’ll be there right away.”

Mu Wan had only caught the end of it, but she understood immediately that he had to leave soon. Instead of sitting down, she looked at him and said, “You’re leaving? Then I’ll go too.”

“No need.” Liu Qianxiu put away his phone and looked at Mu Wan, who was clearly preparing to leave with him. His lips pressed together once before he said, “Stay here. Eat first, then go.”

There was breakfast laid out on the table, along with a glass of orange juice.

He must have known he would need to go out, because he had made only one portion.

Mu Wan’s lashes trembled. She looked at his back and followed him a few more steps.

The sunlight in the living room was gentle. From the cat room came the high, healthy cries of the three kittens, milky and bright.

Liu Qianxiu turned to look at her.

She was standing there stiffly, alone, her eyes fixed on him.

He paused, then confirmed, “The movie starts at seven-thirty?”

“Mm?”

Mu Wan snapped back to herself and smiled, nodding. “Yes. It’s okay if you come late.”

“Got it.”

After saying that, Liu Qianxiu opened the door and left.

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Continue reading Incurable Chapter 24 Part 1

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 310

~ THERE’S A LOT OF TROUBLE ~ 

“What did you say?” The Old Madam sat up straight in bed. “Everything is fine. Nothing happened. How could it ruin the reputation?”

“No one knew whether it was a coincidence or not, but yesterday, a high platform had been built in front of Huan Cai Pavillion. A dancer was flying in the air on the platform, which attracted countless people’s attention. Later, the dancer disappeared, and the men in the Capital rushed to inquire about her whereabouts. Some scholars had many things to do with her. They drew a beautiful picture of the dancer, her dancing posture and manner...like the Eldest Miss.”

The Old Madam’s heart skipped a beat as a sharp glint flashed across her eyes. “How can there be so many coincidences in this world? How are the rumors spreading now?”

Wen Mama’s expression became even more unsightly. “Originally, the Eldest Madam had someone take action, wanting to spread Eldest Miss’s reputation even further, but who would have thought that this would happen? That dancer was called the Moon Fairy of the Moon Palace by the bystanders, and the reputation that Eldest Miss spread was Moon Worshipping Fairy…As a result, the rumors and spreading were a bit confused. Many people said that the dancer who danced on the high platform of the Huan Cai Pavilion that day...was the Eldest Miss...”

“Nonsense! Yuyi is the legitimate daughter of the Su family residence. How could she appear in a place as unclean as Huan Cai Pavilion? “

“Don’t be angry, Madam. We understand that, but some ignorant commoners are only interested in watching the show. Why would they bother thinking about whether it’s reasonable or not? At the moment, we should first stabilize the rumors. No matter what, Eldest Miss’s reputation is more important. “

“Quick, call Meng Yunxiang over!”

“Yes.”

The Eldest Madam had just led out the Mudan Pavilion, and the stage was bustling with noise and excitement. When she saw Wen Mama walk over with a solemn expression on her face, she couldn’t help but frown. “Why isn’t Wen Mama staying by mother’s side?”

“Return to the Eldest Madam. The Old Madam would like you to come over.”

“But what’s the urgent matter with Mother?”

Wen Mama nodded slightly. “Eldest Madam will know once she gets there.”

The Eldest Madam’s eyes became serious as she felt a bad premonition in her heart. She turned around and instructed Su Yuyi, “Mother is going to visit the Old Madam. You can continue listening to the play here.”

Wen Mama raised her eyes. “This play has been noisy for the entire morning. Why don’t we rest here?”

The Eldest Madam’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t bother to talk to Su Yuyi anymore and quickly walked to the Old Madam’s Ning He Garden.

As soon as the door curtain was lifted, the Old Madam slammed a teacup over and almost hit the Eldest Madam’s feet. “Look at what you’ve done!”

The Eldest Madam quickly walked in and curtsied, “Mother, what have I done that makes you unhappy? How can you be so angry for no reason at all? If your daughter-in-law isn’t considerate, please do not hesitate to punish her. Don’t lose your body just because of this.”

The Old Madam’s heart filled with anger, but she did not hold back when she said it, “I passed the Su family to you, and for you to personally train Yuyi, it was all for the sake of making Yuyi even more promising, but who would have known that you would almost destroy her!”

The Eldest Madam’s heart skipped a beat as she hurriedly raised her head: “Mother, where did this come? Yuyi is my biological daughter. I held her in my palm and held her in my mouth. If that’s not enough, how could I destroy her?”

“Wen Mama, tell her the rumors in the Capital.”

“Yes, Madam. Today, many people are searching for the Moon Fairy from the Moon Palace in the Capital for nothing … “ Wen Mama quickly recounted what had happened today. Halfway through her words, the Eldest Madam’s face had already turned deathly pale. By the time she had finished listening, her back was thoroughly drenched in a cold sweat.

“How could this be? Where did this Moon Fairy of the Moon Palace come? What’s up with the Huan Cai Pavilion?” A girl’s reputation was the most important thing. Even if she wanted to make a name for herself, she still had to be extremely careful. She was afraid that she might lose control of the situation. She had planned to help Su Yuyi spread her fame for a long time, just waiting to make her a blockbuster today, but who would have thought that a Moon Fairy of the Moon Palace was born halfway through, and she was born in a lowly place like Huan Cai Pavilion!

In this way, even if she could explain everything clearly, she still couldn’t escape being a laughingstock in the Capital. She had spent a lot of energy and time making Su Yuyi even more famous, even secretly used many people’s money. Now, she wants to collect it, returning it is not something that can be done in a moment...

Thinking of this, the Eldest Madam could only feel a buzzing in her head and a splitting headache. “Mother, please help me control the situation. We can’t let Yuyi’s reputation be ruined like this!”

The Old Madam took a deep breath. “Does this mean you can control this matter just because you want to? We didn’t notice it earlier, but now we realize it, the news has spread far and wide…”

“We can’t just let it go just like that … Mother. You also hold Yuyi in high regard. She is the legitimate daughter of the Su Family. If her reputation and future are ruined, it would be very disadvantageous to You’er, Yaxian, and the rest in the future. It is related to our Su family’s face, and we must find a way to save it anyway.”

The Old Madam thought for a moment and suddenly opened her eyes, “Our Su family can’t come forward on this matter. The more the water gets washed, the dirtier the ink, the darker the ink, the more anxious we are, and the easier it is to make things worse. We might as well ignore it.”

“But if we don’t explain, what should we do if the people outside continue misunderstanding Yuyi?”

“Aren’t those people in the Capital trying to find the Moon Fairy from the Moon Palace? Then find a Moon Fairy for them. As long as they can find someone to confirm that it’s not Yuyi, the rumors would definitely be shattered.”

After the Eldest Madam heard this, she nodded her head and said, “That’s right, Mother has thought it through.” As long as they could find the real Moon Fairy from the Moon Palace, those people would naturally not place their gazes on Su Yuyi. However, by doing so, most of their plans to spread their reputation would be ruined, and it would still have an impact on Yu Yi, which really made her feel resentful.

The Old Madam could see the unhappiness in the first wife’s heart. She couldn’t help but remind her, “Right now, the most important thing for you is to get Yuyi out first. As for that reputation, you can slowly think of a plan later.”

The Eldest Madam quickly retracted her thoughts. “Yes, Mother, please be at ease. Your daughter-in-law knows what to do.”

“That would be the best.”

As soon as she stepped out of Ning He Garden, the Eldest Madam was anxious to arrange her instructions. Suddenly, she saw Qi Mama rushing over in a panic. The Eldest Madam, who was already in a bad mood, could not help but add a little more anger: “What’s the matter. Is it burning?”

It was so rare for the Eldest Madam to have such a vile tone and act. Usually, she was so merciful and generous that when she suddenly saw her expression, Qi Mama was so shocked that she immediately kneeled down. “Reporting to Eldest Madam, there’s a commotion at the door saying that Wang Mama and Liu Mama have died …”

“What did you say? What do we have to do with who Wang and Liu are and whether they will die or not? “

“Madam, Old Wang Mama, and Old Liu Mama were the people who had been ordered to beat up Miss Mu at Small Lu Yi Pavilion before. Afterward, they were ordered by Miss Mu to punish them, and they were chased out of the Su family residence.”

The Eldest Madam stared at her with wide eyes. “Those two … Afterwards, even when we punished them, we only lightly hit them ten times. Several days have passed since then, and why only now have there been any problems?”

“The ones causing trouble were the two women’s families. They were kneeling at the door and crying. They didn’t say how the two of them died. They only said that their families were poor and that they didn’t have any money to spend. They come here...”

“The one who ordered us to beat up those two women was Mu Yunyao. Now that there are people killed, she should naturally come forward and explain everything. Go to the Jiyue Pavilion and tell Su Qing and Yunyao that the trouble they’ve caused will be taken care of by them.” The Eldest Madam raised her eyebrows. The matter with Su Yuyi had already made her anxious. Now that she heard that someone had come to cause more trouble. Her anger isn’t even better. After that, she leaves directly.

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Continue reading Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 310