This was the most satisfying meal Mu Deyi had eaten since the troubles in his family began.
When he set down his chopsticks, he still felt a lingering reluctance to stop—the three plates before him had been completely cleaned out, even the sauce wiped up with rice.
Mu Yongnian, ever the dutiful one, began clearing the dishes without being asked.
Mu Deyi glanced at him, wanting to say something, but ultimately shifted his gaze to Mu Shi'an instead.
"Walk me out."
"Alright." Mu Shi'an stood up.
Song Nianchu watched them with slight confusion. It was clear Mu Deyi had something he wanted to say to Mu Shi'an in private.
Was he trying to persuade Mu Shi'an to divorce her again?
Song Nianchu briefly considered sneaking after them to eavesdrop, but the moment the thought crossed her mind, Mu Deyi turned his sharp eyes on her.
"Don’t even think about following us to listen in!"
Song Nianchu startled—had he developed mind-reading powers?
Hmph.
Mu Deyi snorted. No, he hadn’t gained any supernatural abilities; he just knew Song Nianchu was crafty enough to try something like that, so he made sure to warn her outright.
"I’ll be back soon," Mu Shi'an reassured her gently.
"Okay." Song Nianchu nodded, though she couldn’t help but watch wistfully as the two men walked toward the courtyard gate.
Since Mu Deyi had made his stance so clear, following them now would be shameless.
So she lingered by the kitchen door, staring longingly in the direction they’d gone.
Once outside, Mu Deyi was about to speak when he suddenly sensed a pair of eyes on him. He turned and met Song Nianchu’s unwavering gaze.
Mu Deyi: "…"
"Close the gate," he ordered gruffly.
Mu Shi'an instinctively looked back and spotted Song Nianchu still watching from the doorway. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Dad, she can’t hear us from this distance."
"I know she can’t hear. I just don’t like her staring at me like that," Mu Deyi grumbled.
"Fine." Mu Shi'an chuckled helplessly, flashing Song Nianchu one last amused look before shutting the gate.
His father became oddly stubborn whenever it came to Song Nianchu—like a child throwing a tantrum.
Song Nianchu: "…"
So petty!
What could I possibly hear from way over here?
You won’t even let me look? Well, tonight I’ll still be sharing a bed with your son—what are you gonna do, drag him off by the feet?
She muttered under her breath, sulking.
Outside, now shielded from Song Nianchu’s scrutiny, Mu Deyi finally relaxed his expression.
"Shi'an, do you plan on having Haoxuan and Yongnian stay here permanently?" he asked solemnly.
Mu Shi'an had expected another lecture about his marriage, so the question caught him off guard.
"Yes," he answered after a pause. "Our house only has two rooms. Haoxuan and Yongnian are getting older—it’s not appropriate for them to keep sharing a room with Jingmei."
"But isn’t it inconvenient for you to live in someone else’s home like this?" Mu Deyi frowned.
"Dad, Nianchu and I already agreed—I’ll pay rent for Haoxuan and Yongnian and cover their food expenses," Mu Shi'an explained.
Hearing this, Mu Deyi’s stern expression softened slightly.
He studied his son carefully before speaking again.
"Whatever’s between you and that girl is your business. But remember: your family is separate from hers. Don’t take advantage just because she has no one else to stand up for her," he said firmly.
"Dad, I thought you didn’t like Nianchu. Why are you defending her now?" Mu Shi'an teased.
"I’m not defending her! I’m reminding you to act like a proper man—no bullying women!" Mu Deyi’s voice rose defensively.
"Got it. I won’t bully Nianchu," Mu Shi'an replied with an amused nod.
"Good. Now go back inside. I’ll head home alone." Satisfied, Mu Deyi turned and walked away.
Mu Shi'an stood quietly, watching his father’s figure grow smaller and smaller in the distance.
"What did your dad say?" A hushed voice suddenly whispered beside him.
Mu Shi'an nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around to find Song Nianchu standing right next to him, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
"He told me not to bully you," Mu Shi'an admitted with a laugh.
Song Nianchu narrowed her eyes skeptically.
"Even if you’re trying to make me feel better, that’s a terrible lie. Did he pressure you to divorce me again?"
"No."
"Then did he want Haoxuan and Yongnian to move back home?"
"No."
"So… he actually cares about me?" she asked, stunned.
"Mm-hmm."
Song Nianchu’s face lit up. She’d always known food was the quickest way to win someone over.
Just one meal had softened Mu Deyi’s heart—a few more, and she’d have him wrapped around her finger.
"Let’s go home!" she declared triumphantly, striding back into the courtyard with her head held high.
Mu Shi'an followed, smiling.
"Big Sis, Big Bro, the kitchen’s all cleaned up, and the water should be hot now. Who wants to bathe first?" Mu Yongnian called out as soon as they stepped inside.
"I’ll go first," Song Nianchu decided. She wanted to review the budget notes Mu Deyi had left her—he’d given her plenty of suggestions to consider.
"Okay!" Mu Yongnian agreed cheerfully.
After her bath, Song Nianchu hurried to her room to study Mu Deyi’s notebook.
Meanwhile, Mu Deyi had already returned home.
The moment he entered, he spotted Mu's mother and Mu Jingmei waiting at the dinner table.
"Dear, you’re back," Mu's mother said, rising to greet him.
"Mn."
"Let’s eat, then."
Mu Jingmei finally perked up—she’d been starving, forced to wait for her father before they could start.
"I already ate. You two go ahead." With that, Mu Deyi retreated to his room.
"Already ate? But you went to see Shi'an earlier… Did you eat at his place?" Mu's mother murmured in confusion.
Mu Jingmei wasted no time digging in.
"Mom, I told you we shouldn’t have waited. See? Dad’s already full, and we’re stuck here starving," she complained, scooping the entire plate of scrambled eggs into her bowl.
When her father ate with them, she had to share the eggs—now she could have them all.
Mu's mother opened her mouth to scold her, but the words died when she saw Mu Jingmei’s eager movements.
"Mom… did you want some too?" Mu Jingmei asked sheepishly.
Did she want some? The eggs were the only proper dish—the rest were just potatoes and sweet potatoes.
A strange, indescribable feeling settled in Mu's mother’s chest.
"I was just really hungry, so I took too much. Here, have some." Sensing her mother’s mood, Mu Jingmei reluctantly forked a portion back.
