Chapter 361 – Your family’s plum blossom is lost again (38)
What Mu Ci used to take for granted unexpectedly transformed into a sense of satisfaction.
Then, a quiet hope began to take root in his heart—wishing that this little girl would always remain the same, that there would be no need for anyone else in her eyes, that no one else would intrude into their world.
Was this the possessiveness he had once read about in books?
Mu Ci lowered his gaze slightly, the corners of his lips curling up.
His identity was special, and even he wasn’t sure if he possessed the emotions of an ordinary person. But toward her, he felt a genuine yearning.
And once he became aware of it, that yearning seemed to ferment, expanding endlessly within his heart.
Just seeing her made it difficult to suppress.
He wasn’t even sure what he wanted to do—just that he wanted to get closer, to be near her.
And come to think of it, even before he had realized anything, even in his busiest, most chaotic moments, he would still find himself gravitating toward her—teasing her, watching her throw little tantrums. The weight in his heart would always feel a little lighter afterward.
As for the fluffiness…
Mu Ci’s gaze fell on Yan Luo’s freshly washed hair, now drying and turning slightly fluffy. He pursed his lips slightly.
She really was adorably fluffy. And he liked fluffy things.
Something crossed his mind, and his gaze suddenly darkened.
Then, he heard the girl beside him speak.
“But even so, I should follow Grandpa’s advice and work hard to overcome it. I can’t always rely on Grandpa or you, Xiao Gege. One day, you won’t be able to shield me anymore, we’ll all have our own lives.”
Mu Ci : Our own lives???
His movement halted for a moment, his breath catching slightly. Just as he registered the unsettling meaning in her words, she continued.
“I can’t always depend on my family. I need to learn to be independent.” She clenched her fist in determination as she spoke to Mu Ci with conviction.
Mu Ci : Family???
…Had he not made himself clear enough lately?
Right now, he had no intention of living separate lives. And as for just being family? That was definitely not what he wanted.
Before he could say anything, Yan Luo went on, “And besides, like Grandpa said, I can’t keep shutting myself off in my own world. If I stay like this, sometimes even you might get annoyed with me, right?”
Her voice was light, tinged with a faint self-reproach.
It was as if she had realized something. But Mu Ci had a feeling that whatever she had realized was not in his favor. And that realization sent an unfamiliar panic creeping into his chest.
He instinctively wanted to reach out and stop her.
But before he could, she quickly finished the custard bun in her hands, got up, and swept away her earlier emotions in an instant. Her smile was as sweet as ever.
“Xiao Gege, I need to catch up on what I missed yesterday, so I’m heading to school now. See you later!”
And just like that, she turned and left without the slightest hesitation.
For the first time, Mu Ci dumbly watched the little girl—who had always followed him around—walk away in the opposite direction.
He didn’t know what love was, nor did he fully understand these emotions.
But having been spoiled by Yan Luo for so long, this was the first time she had treated him like this.
His eyes widened slightly, his fingers still hovering midair, not yet able to reach out. A flicker of frustration crossed his gaze before he finally withdrew his hand.