 Chapter 25: Meeting part 1
Ning Yunyi looked at the unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar name in the notes, feeling both puzzled and unsurprised at the same time.
The reason for the confusion was that the name Mu Jiayi had appeared only a handful of times in the past twenty years of his predecessor’s life.
The lack of surprise came from recalling that unforgettable look in Mu Jiayiâs eyes. Now that he thought about it, it was not unexpected that the other party could pull off something like this.
The predecessor had only met Mu Jiayi a few times, and two encounters stood out vividly.
The first was during the welcome event when the predecessor entered the Federation Military Academy of First Star as the top student in his field.
As the freshman representative, the predecessor gave a speech on stage. That year, the second-ranked freshman in the same major was Mu Jiayi.
Mu Jiayi sat in the front row, eyes lowered throughout the event. He only looked up when the predecessor stepped off the stage.
The predecessor sensed the gaze and looked over, just in time to meet his eyes.
The second time was during the second semester of freshman year, when the heir of the Zong family, one of the three major families of First Star, stopped the predecessor to confess his feelings.
After politely declining, the predecessor was about to leave when he looked up and saw someone staring expressionlessly from a distance.
At that moment, the predecessor recognized Mu Jiayi.
Mu Jiayi left without hesitation, but for some reason, the way he had looked at the predecessor made the latter feel extremely uncomfortable, and the unease lingered for several days.
He couldnât quite explain what kind of look it wasâjust that it made him very uncomfortable.
Now, looking back at the predecessorâs memories from Ning Yunyiâs perspective, the gaze that the predecessor couldnât understand was crystal clear to Ning Yunyi.
It was the look of someone staring at a dead person. In other words, when Mu Jiayi looked at the predecessor, it was as though he were looking at a corpse.
Or, even if the predecessor wasnât dead, he would soon be.
The predecessor never saw Mu Jiayi again, nor did he hear the name mentioned.
Not long after, the predecessor had an accident and quickly withdrew from school.
Ning Yunyiâs eyes darkened further. The fact that Mu Jiayi appeared so briefly, and that several years had passed, meant that even though the gaze had left a deep impression, the name wasnât prominent in the predecessorâs memory unless it was brought up.
Now that the name had resurfaced, and Mu Jiayi was the mastermind behind the plot to have Ning Yunyi die a miserable death, the brief interactions from that year warranted a fresh look.
After the predecessor was confessed to by the heir of the Zong family and subsequently dropped out, Mu Jiayi hadnât made any overt moves. But was that because he hadnât acted, or because he did, and no one realized it was his doing?
Could it be that no one suspected that incident would have been his handiwork?
Ning Yunyi thought about Ning Xiaomiao, whose fatherâs identity was unknown. What kind of role had Mu Jiayi played in those coincidental events from back then?
If Mu Jiayi was indeed the one behind the predecessorâs downfall, with the power of the Mu family, it was no surprise that Second Uncle Ning would unhesitatingly choose to sacrifice the predecessor to align himself with them.
The Mu family was not just one of the three major families of First Star but ranked among the top tier of aristocratic families.
Mu Jiayi was one of the most promising younger members of the family, already an S-ranked Healer at a young age.
With proper training, his future was boundless.
Although the predecessor lacked mental strength, he was highly skilled in his field and had inherited his fatherâs talent for research. His top ranking in his major had been well-earned.
However, even though the Ning family consisted of four capable members, and Ning Yunyiâs mother was of royal descent, both parents were too low-key. They were entirely focused on their research and cared little about external matters or titles, so the Ning family was considered a third-tier aristocratic family on First Star.
Now that Second Uncle Ning had latched onto the Mu family, he wasnât going to let the opportunity slip by.
Ning Yunyi stored all the contents of Ji Haoâs wristband separately, then immediately destroyed the wristband itself, ensuring that even if Mu Jiayi discovered Ji Haoâs disappearance, he would have no way to trace it.
Ning Yunyi piloted the ship in a loop before landing behind the artificial forest. He then disembarked, walking toward the villa with the water-skin stone held by a small robot.
On the steps of the villaâs front hall, a large figure and a small one were waiting, both eagerly staring in the direction of the door.
The big cat was curled up in a sunny spot, its two front paws crossed, its large head resting on top, eyes half-closed in a lazy, drowsy state.
The little kitten sat on a small stool, tightly gripping a feather with a miniature player embedded in it. At this moment, the player was repeating Ning Yunyiâs departing words for the 101st time:
âBe good, Iâll be back before dark.â
The big cat sighed silently with its eyes closed. It admitted that Ning Yunyiâs voice was pleasant, but the little one didnât need to play it over a hundred times. Its ears were about to grow calluses.
With just thirteen words, it could have recited them by heart by now.
The little kitten clutched the feather tightly. After hearing the message, and confirming there was no more sound, it sighed softly: âCat-cat, when is Father coming back?â
The big cat flicked its tail. Although the little one had asked this dozens of times, it patiently shook its head again.
The little kitten brought the feather closer to the big catâs ear: âCat-cat, why isnât it making any sound?â
The big catâs tail gently hooked around the kittenâs wrist in a comforting gesture: *Thatâs because youâve drained the battery dry from listening to it so much.*
Ning Yunyi probably hadnât expected that the little one would listen to a single sentence over a hundred times and had only charged the device with a bit of power.
The little kitten hugged the big catâs neck. Suddenly, as if thinking of something, its bright green eyes lit up: âCat-cat, did you hear? Father called me âgood kidâ! What does Father call you? Cat-cat or big cat-cat?â
The big catâs tail flicked several times, and it shook its head.
The little kitten looked puzzled: âYou… donât have a father?â
The big cat finally opened its beast-like eyes: *Little one, where are your manners?*
It had once felt a bit sorry for the little guy who couldnât speak at the age of three, but it never expected that once the little one started talking, he would be such a chatterbox.
There was no need to swing from one extreme to the other.
The little kitten, feeling guilty, hugged the big cat. Not knowing what it had imagined, it patted its little chest and said: âCat-cat, donât be sad. Iâm very generous. Iâll lend you my father. From now on, you can call me âFatherâ too.â
The big cat froze in place: *?? He really doesnât need to be *that* generous.*
The next moment, it seemed to sense something. Its beastly eyes widened in excitement, and for the first time, it eagerly awaited Ning Yunyiâs return.
The little kitten also realized something and immediately stood up, clenching its small hands in anticipation and staring ahead.
âIs it our Father coming back? Is it, Cat-cat?â
The big cat: “…”
When Ning Yunyi opened the door, he saw a large figure and a small one rushing toward him with unprecedented enthusiasm.
Even the big cat couldnât help but circle around him several times, its grayish eyes shining brightly, as if it wanted to throw a welcome party.
Ning Yunyi raised an eyebrow: *I was only gone for an afternoon, not a year, right?*
He understood why the little one might be clingy, but what was wrong with the big cat?
The big cat: *It was afraid that if Ning Yunyi didnât come back soon, its seniority would be further reduced.*
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