The usually stoic and composed man showed a rare flustered expression. His nose inhaled the fragrance of the girl’s room, a blend of light medicinal scent, causing his ears to redden involuntarily.
“Um, I heard you were sick, so I came to check on you.”
He lowered his gaze, unable to meet her eyes. The bronze mirror on the dressing table reflected half of his body.
The awkwardness hung heavy in the air, leaving everyone speechless, except for the loud chirping of the red-headed cricket.
A Liu stood at the doorway, unable to step inside, staring at his toes.
Shan Cha covered her mouth, giggling. Even though A Liu was tall, he was still quite naive.
“Um, we should go now.”
Zhan Qiyu turned to leave. Mu Jiaojiao lifted the quilt to see them off, but at that moment, a man’s voice interrupted.
Mu Huan, the cricket enthusiast, possessed an acute sensitivity to cricket sounds. The tiny chirping drew him to his sister’s room. He couldn’t miss it.
The four people in the room froze. Why was he here now?!
“Jiaojiao! Are you asleep? Big brother wants to chat with you!”
Chat your head!
Mu Jiaojiao thought her brother was crazy. Why was he here now?!
To catch crickets?!
Her brows furrowed as she remembered the red-headed cricket in her room.
Seeing no response, Mu Huan didn’t leave; instead, he started to push the door open.
“Big brother, don’t come in! I have a cold and will infect you!”
Her voice was urgent as she subtly signaled Shan Cha to hide them.
Shan Cha, thinking quickly, shoved A Liu under the bed, but what about Young Master Zhan?
Where could she hide him?
“Miss, what should we do?” Shan Cha was flustered as Mu Huan grew impatient.
He was also worried about his cricket getting sick; the chirping was driving him mad.
“It’s okay, Jiaojiao, big brother isn’t afraid. I just want to chat!”
Then came the sound of the door pushing open.
Zhan Qiyu considered grabbing a vase to knock him unconscious to avoid further complications.
But before he could act, a soft hand grabbed his, pulling him onto the bed.
“Brother Zhan, hide here for a moment.”
His already reddened ears turned crimson. The soft touch of her hand was as smooth as he imagined.
He no longer cared about propriety and let her pull him onto the ornate bed.
Shan Cha’s jaw dropped, and A Liu under the bed was equally amazed. What was going on?
His master was on the bed, and he was stuck under it?
However, Mu Huan acted swiftly, pushing open the door and stepping inside.
Mu Jiaojiao quickly pulled her benefactor under the covers, curling her legs to cover him completely.
The quilt pressed down on Zhan Qiyu, temporarily obscuring his vision, but his other senses intensified. The warmth of her body and the intoxicating scent left him breathless.
Although this situation was far from proper, he relished this warmth.
He finally understood the historical accounts of kings who had become tyrannical for a woman.
Mu Huan entered and clearly heard the cricket’s chirp—a powerful one!
He trembled with excitement. He’d finally found his champion.
“Big brother, just stand there. What do you want to talk about?”
Mu Jiaojiao felt herself burning up, not from her cold but from embarrassment.
In two lifetimes, this was her first time sharing a bed with a man, even if it was forced, there was a man under her covers.
She felt like she was in a kiln, burning up.
“Hehehe, little sister, I heard a cricket chirping. Are you hiding something from your brother?”
This celestial young man was the epitome of a frivolous dandy. Even at marriageable age, he still acted like this.
Even she was a little angry.
The beautiful girl shook the grass cage in her hand. “Big brother, come with me somewhere tomorrow, and I’ll give you this!”
The cricket-obsessed man watched his beloved cricket, his heart stirred.
“Okay, okay, big brother will go, even if it’s a mountain of knives and a sea of fire.”
He anxiously added, “Take good care of it, little sister. I’ll tell you how to care for it.”
Mu Huan began rambling about his cricket-keeping experience, making Shan Cha and Mu Jiaojiao anxious.
Especially Mu Jiaojiao. Her delicate face was flushed, worried about overheating her benefactor while fearing her brother’s discovery. She was utterly tormented.
Zhan Qiyu was indeed burning up. He was lying on her abdomen, and her every breath sent shivers down his spine.
It was torturous.
For the first time, he thought marriage was a good thing.
Once he achieved success, he would settle his marriage.
Even the most verbose person eventually finishes speaking. Mu Huan reluctantly looked at the grass cage.
Mu Jiaojiao practically squeezed out the words: “Big brother, if you don’t leave, I’ll give it to mother.”
This was like a death sentence. Once, Mrs. Mu, trying to reform her eldest son, made him a plate of fried crickets, nearly making him cry.
So many champion crickets, even a fight would be good, but they died untimely deaths.
For three days and nights, he didn’t eat or drink, finally making Mrs. Mu give up. After that, she turned a blind eye and let her eldest son be.
Mu Jiaojiao’s words made Mu Huan obediently leave.
Shan Cha saw him out. “Eldest Master, go back. You should sleep, the cricket should sleep, and our Miss needs to sleep.”
She closed the door efficiently.
Mu Huan, outside, still peeked through the window. “Jiaojiao, remember big brother’s words!”
Mu Jiaojiao rolled her eyes and hastily lifted the covers, afraid of suffocating her benefactor.
The handsome man only closed his eyes, relieved at the rush of fresh air.
Mu Jiaojiao didn’t have time for formalities. “Brother Zhan, are you alright?”
Both were flushed, as if they’d just taken a bath together.
Zhan Qiyu got up and quickly got off the bed, his lips pursed, his expression unreadable, causing the girl some worry.
“Are you unhappy?”
She guessed it was because of her brother, so she quickly apologized.
“My brother just has a hobby; he meant no harm.”
But Zhan Qiyu thought she should cherish her body more, not just her brother’s happiness.
Shan Cha quickly explained: “Miss has her reasons; she’s doing it for the Mu family.”
Ultimately, Zhan Qiyu only cared about Mu Jiaojiao. He didn’t care about the Mu family; he was angry that she didn’t care for her own health.
However, he finally instructed, “Tell me or A Liu about such things next time.”
Then he left.
After they left, Mu Jiaojiao had Shan Cha see them off, fearing they might encounter someone.
Only when Shan Cha confirmed their return to the Zhan residence did Mu Jiaojiao’s racing heart calm down.
“That was so dangerous, Miss! I think my heart almost jumped out!”
Shan Cha wiped her sweat.
Mu Jiaojiao felt the same. She had been the most anxious; thankfully, her brother only cared about crickets and didn’t suspect anything. If her mother had come in, she would have been doomed.
After chatting and planning for tomorrow, Mu Jiaojiao finally fell asleep soundly.
Perhaps due to sweating that night, her cold was completely gone the next day.
Early in the morning, Shan Cha went to the eldest master to deliver the message, inviting him to lunch at Fengxian Residence.
Mu Huan readily agreed, repeatedly asking about his champion cricket.
This cricket-obsessed master was utterly hopeless, leaving Shan Cha speechless.
After confirming the time, Mu Jiaojiao changed back into men’s clothing.
She was addicted to men’s clothes lately—clean, practical, and fun.
When she arrived at the Zhan residence, she found Zhan Qiyu home.
“Brother Zhan, aren’t you supposed to be at Master Guan’s today?”
She inadvertently wiped some mud on her face, adding to her charm.
Zhan Qiyu’s gaze darkened slightly, not looking at her. “Yes, I’m resting today.”
He didn’t say he took a day off, because he was worried about what she was up to and wanted to go with her.
He didn’t tell her because he planned to follow secretly.
Mu Jiaojiao didn’t think much of it, simply greeted her aunt, said she was feeling better, and left with Shan Cha.
After they left, A Liu and his master followed.
At Fengxian Residence, Shan Cha and Mu Jiaojiao went to the third floor, while A Liu and Zhan Qiyu sat at a stall on the first floor.
They wanted to know what this Miss Mu was up to.
Everything was set, waiting for the bait to be taken.
Mu Huan arrived and stared intently at his red-headed cricket.
“Big brother, I’ll show you your future sister-in-law today.”
She had someone investigate; today, Mrs. Mao would be out shopping, and she might see her master, and her brother would oppose it.
It was a gamble.
But Mu Huan wasn’t interested. “As long as she doesn’t interfere with my cricket fighting, I don’t care what she’s like!”
Mu Jiaojiao rolled her eyes. Hehe, she would tie him and his cricket together. This brother was too much trouble.
At noon, Mrs. Mao appeared, wearing red; her short jacket revealed a slender waist.
She was indeed attractive, but her romantic life was quite active.
“Big brother, look, that’s the wife mother picked for you,” she patted her brother, then exclaimed, “She’s with a man!”
Mu Huan lazily looked over, then both he and Mu Jiaojiao were stunned.
