1049 [Bonus chapter] Why Not Me?
Yue Yue touched Mu Chenyan’s face and Mu Chenyan snapped back to reality. And only then did she notice that she seemed to have shed a tear unknowingly.
‘You’re crying?’ mouthed Yue Yue with a baffled expression. She did not think there was anything to cry about around here. Was it? Did she miss out on something?
Mu Chenyan cleared her throat and chuckled, “No, no. It was just too spicy.”
Yue Yue looked down at what Mu Chenyan was eating and mouthed, ‘Plain rice is spicy? Are you okay?’
Mu Chenyan looked down at her bowl and realized she had been eating only rice without taking any other dishes. She coughed unnaturally, “I mean it’s so bland that it brought me to tears.”
‘Then have the side dishes.’
“Today, I saw a documentary on how poor the world is,” said Mu Chenyan. “Remembering how those little kids didn’t even have anything to eat while my table was full of delicacies from mountains, seas, sky, and all, I can’t bring myself to swallow it.”
Yue Yue’s lips twitched at Mu Chenyan’s dramatic performance.
“Then just donate and make sure those hungry kids are well-fed,” came Raelle’s voice.
.....
Both Mu Chenyan and Yue Yue looked over to see Raelle placing down her chopsticks as she looked back at them.
Mu Chenyan smiled, “That’s right. Why am I feeling so sad? Crying and pitying won’t help. I should do something about this hunger. As always, my Elle is the one with the best ideas.”
After lunch, Mu Chenyan watched Xiang Weimin take Justin to his garden. She walked to the sunroom and sat down on the bay window from where she could see them clearly. She took out her phone and dialed a number, “Ge!”
“Chenchen? What is it? Why do you sound so upset? Who wronged you? Tell Ge, I’ll deal with that person. Did that Xia Zhao annoy you again?”
Mu Chenyan smiled to herself, “It’s more like I annoy him more than he annoys me.”
“That’s true,” Xiang Hulin couldn’t go against his conscience and say that the one suffering was Mu Chenyan when he knew it was always Xia Zhao taking the shorter end of the stick between them. “Then what is it?”
“I have something to ask you,” said Mu Chenyan. “I don’t know where to begin. So, I decided to start with you. Do you know if Weimin had a girlfriend?”
Xiang Hulin took a moment to think before replying, “None that I know of. You know how our family is not good at sharing feelings? So, he never told me. But I never heard that he was dating. In school, he spent his time studying. And after school, he would come to the barracks. Then right after school, he joined the army. It was even more difficult since he chose Air Force. The number of women around him had been pitifully few. So, if you said that he had a boyfriend, I’d be more willing to believe.”
“As a father, how can you even say that?”
“Did I say anything wrong?”
Mu Chenyan’s lips parted but she couldn’t say what he said wrong. Even she had a big doubt about her nephew’s sexuality for a long time. After all, everything that Xiang Hulin said was what she knew about Xiang Weimin as well. That’s why she said that he lived a very clean life!
“Ge, you’re not helpful at all!”
Xiang Hulin smiled at that, “Oh, Ge is really useless. Sorry for that, Chenchen.”
“It’s okay. Since you’re my favorite person in the world, I’ll reluctantly forgive you.”
Xiang Hulin said dotingly, “Chenchen, stop tiring yourself with your nephew’s matters. He is old enough to handle his own life. You pay attention to yourself.”
“I can’t help it,” said Mu Chenyan. “Ge, when are you coming?”
“I’ll come whenever you want me to,” replied Xiang Hulin patiently.
“Then come back soon,” said Mu Chenyan. “Wrap up your work and get here. I miss you!”
Mu Chenyan was saying goodbye to her brother when Raelle came to sit with her and looked at her in silence. Mu Chenyan also didn’t say anything and looked out the window. She looked at Xiang Weimin and Justin close together giggling and her lips curved up.
“Stop, you look creepy!”
Mu Chenyan’s smile dropped. Her lips twitched. She thought she had a goofy smile. Why did her Elle have to attack her with words like ‘creepy’?
“Elle, you don’t love me anymore.”
“How is that possible?”
Mu Chenyan suddenly hit her head and asked, “Right, who is Justin’s mother?”
“Tang Hebe,” answered Raelle.
“Oh, her?” Mu Chenyan fell silent for a moment and started muttering to herself. “Apart from being a little naive and slow, there aren’t that many flaws in her. Still acceptable. At least, she isn’t insidious or scheming. Her falling into schemes is more likely than her scheming anything. Hmm...”
“What are you up to?” asked Raelle. “Justin is her adopted son.”
“Then who is the real mother?” asked Mu Chenyan.
Raelle took a moment and finally decided to tell Mu Chenyan everything she knew so far. Mu Chenyan listened attentively and nodded. She silently analyzed the whole situation before asking, “You really have no impression of her?”
“You’re doubting my memory?”
“I can never,” said Mu Chenyan. “Anna didn’t find anything useful about this woman either?”
“No,” replied Raelle. “The only useful thing until now is that your nephew seems to be associated with her.”
Mu Chenyan looked up at her.
“Xiang Weimin,” added Raelle. “He seems to know her but isn’t willing to talk about it for whatever reason.”
“Why didn’t you tell me all this?” asked Mu Chenyan. “I’m a better person to look for when you want to find people. I have an extensive network! Did I waste my life making so many connections when you’re not even gonna use me?”
“You already had a lot on your plate, I didn’t want to add more to it.”
“How can you say that?” Mu Chenyan was displeased. “For my Elle, I always have time. Why do you keep forgetting that?”
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