Chapter 337 – Your family’s plum blossom is lost again (14)
The sound of a violent cough suddenly echoed. Yan Luo coughed painfully, her eyes welling up with tears from the strain. Those big, watery eyes carried a look of grievance.
The sight made the person who just came chuckle softly, the low, slightly hoarse sound brushing against her ears like a gentle tickle.
A large hand reached over, gently patting her back, while the other took the milk carton she had been holding and set it aside.
The person who just came appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen, but he was a full two heads taller than Yan Luo. With a smooth motion, he guided her into his embrace as he soothed her back, making her seem all the more petite and delicate.
There was a faint scent of smoke and alcohol on him. He wore a white shirt with the collar casually undone. The hand holding the milk carton was fair and slender, and a pricey black watch adorned his wrist.
The lighting in the room was dim, the warm yellow glow casting soft shadows over the boy’s delicate features, making the smile in his eyes even more mesmerizing.
Yan Luo coughed for quite a while before finally recovering, clutching her chest as she panted slightly, her pink lips pursed in a pout. “Xiao Gege, why did you scare me?”
Mu Ci straightened up, looking innocent. “I just saw someone in the kitchen and casually asked a question. How was that meant to scare you?”
Yan Luo sniffled, leaning a little closer to Mu Ci. She blinked and tilted her head slightly before glancing at the clock with a frown. “Did you just get back? Where did you go earlier? The review sheets the teacher assigned, I brought them back for you, and I even marked the key points.”
[*Ding*! Mu Ci’s blackening value +1]
Yan Luo’s words came to an abrupt halt, a flicker of irritation flashing through her eyes. See? It was always like this. The moment she did something nice for him, it was as if she had some hidden agenda, causing his blackening value to increase again. She was almost numb to it by now.
And he was just too good at pretending. Even when he secretly increased his blackening value against her, nothing ever showed on his face. If it weren’t for the system, she might have actually believed he genuinely cared for her.
As for his reputation as an academic underachiever, it was unclear whether it was real or just an act. He never paid attention in class, and Yan Luo couldn’t tell if he was pretending to be clueless or if he truly struggled.
If he was faking it, then he was remarkably convincing, needing only a different approach or a second or third explanation to understand concepts just like any normal person. But if he was genuine… then his ability to act so naturally while adding to his blackening value made her doubt everything.
She frowned in frustration.
Mu Ci lowered his gaze slightly, watching her.
“Where exactly did you go? And why do you smell like smoke?” The girl was undeniably adorable. She tilted her head and leaned in closer, sniffing here and there, her lips still dusted with a faint ring of milk.
It made her look a little silly and endearing.
Mu Ci glanced at her, his lips curling slightly, though his eyes remained unreadable.
Before Yan Luo could react, he reached out and gently straightened her face, wiping away the milk at the corner of her lips. His voice was indulgent. “Little kitten.”
Mu Ci clearly saw how the previously stern and inquisitive look in Yan Luo’s eyes wavered. She blinked, her eyes widening as a blush slowly spread across her cheeks.
As expected, she quickly forgot about her questioning. She took two steps back, her long lashes fluttering like little fans. Her voice carried a hint of embarrassment, with a faint trace of the childish softness she used to have.
“Alright, it’s getting late. We have class tomorrow. Let’s go rest early.”