Pain and happiness intertwined.
While some enjoy a cigarette after a meal, he opts for a bowl of goji berries.
Pushing open the door, a middle-aged man with unsteady steps emerged from the bedroom.
The man braced himself against the wall, rubbing his waist incessantly. Thinking of his fierce and passionate wife, he couldn’t help but sigh.
How was he supposed to handle this in the future?
“Brother Chang～”
A sweet, soft call came from the bedroom.
Upon hearing it, the middle-aged man’s back instantly broke out in a cold sweat, his face paling. He couldn’t afford to rest, and hurriedly dashed upstairs.
He couldn’t stop, not even for a moment—if he did, today, Murong Chang, the richest man in Zhongzhou City, would die right there in bed.
“Brother Chang, wait for me!”
Murong Chang dared not linger; his pace quickened even more.
Zhao Rongrong watched that panicked, fleeing figure vanish around the stairwell corner, pursing her lips in dissatisfaction.
A pink tongue traced her lips as she smiled, “Running so fast, it seems your energy is still abundant.”
Penguin
At this moment, Mu Qingxue was focused on listening to reports from the squad leaders and above in Snowmist Pavilion, completely unaware of the fierce battle that had just erupted below.
Yu Tian: Guild Leader, everything’s settled. We can declare war on Peerless Tower whenever.
Mu Qingxue: Any news from Divine Land and the Hall of Reincarnation?
Zhenwu Junior Sister: Boss, Hall of Reincarnation says they won’t participate and will stay neutral, Divine Land agreed.
Mu Qingxue: What about Sword Pavilion?
Yu Tian: The Sword Pavilion Guild Leader, Dao Ji Shi Kong, also said he’s fine with anything, just waiting for us at Snowmist Pavilion to make the first move.
Zhenwu Junior Sister: Haha, let’s beat those scumbags from Peerless Tower!
Zhenwu Junior Sister: Last time I even begged for mercy and they still wouldn’t let me go.
Yu Tian: Guild Leader, there’s one more thing—Peerless Tower is making moves too. Seems like they already know we’re coming for them.
Mu Qingxue: That’s to be expected, I never planned to keep it a secret.
Mu Qingxue: Keep an eye on Divine Land, I don’t trust that fence-sitter. If they suddenly switch sides midway, it may not do much harm, but it’s still annoying!
Yu Tian, Zhenwu Junior Sister: Got it.
Mu Qingxue: By the way, what’s the deputy guild leader doing now?
Zhenwu Junior Sister: Sister Xiaoyan? When I logged off, I saw her still running dungeons with the Sword Pavilion Players.
Mu Qingxue: Still grinding?
Zhenwu Junior Sister: Yep, it’s been hours straight.
Yu Tian: Sigh, Sister Xiaoyan really works hard for the Snowmist Pavilion’s growth.
Mu Qingxue: If you’re online, tell her to take a break. Let her know not to overdo it.
Zhenwu Junior Sister: Hehe, I’ll go right away.
Mu Qingxue: Yu Tian, later you and Junior Sister should check which members haven’t joined the guild Penguin group—this is about the gathering the day after tomorrow.
Yu Tian: Alright, alright, more overtime again.
The plan was to start preparations tomorrow, but tomorrow was the day of the Mountains-and-Rivers Competition, causing a time conflict.
Plus, with over a thousand guild members, the checks weren’t finished yet.
So, Mu Qingxue simply set the party for the day after tomorrow.
“Knock, knock, knock～”
Suddenly, a crisp knocking sounded at the door.
Mu Qingxue didn’t think much of it and got up from the sofa to open the door.
In this villa, apart from the servants, only her parents were around—always so lovey-dovey.
“Dad?” Opening the door, Mu Qingxue saw Murong Chang in a panic.
Murong Chang leaned against the wall, casting a wary glance toward the stairwell. When he saw that graceful silhouette hadn’t appeared, he finally let out a breath.
“Dad, you…”
“Shh～” Murong Chang quickly gestured for her to keep quiet.
He looked back several times to confirm that Zhao Rongrong hadn’t followed, then shut the door.
The moment the door closed, the trembling little lamb instantly turned into a fierce tiger descending the mountain.
Striding to the sofa, he plopped down, his face stern.
“What’s going on with you?”
“What could be going on with me?” Mu Qingxue sat on the sofa opposite her father, somewhat puzzled.
“You know your mother can’t have children anymore.”
“So?”
“So, the future of the Mu family depends on you.”
Mu Qingxue said nothing, quietly waiting for Murong Chang to continue.
“Everyone dies eventually. If decades later you’re gone too, what happens to the Mu family?”
Mu Qingxue’s face darkened; she already sensed he was here to interrogate her.
Looks like Lingling told them about her and Xiaoyan.
“You already know?”
“You didn’t plan to hide it either.”
Mu Qingxue smiled at the corner of her lips. That was true; she’d never planned to hide Xiaoyan’s existence.
This gathering wasn’t just to meet her, but also to introduce her to her parents.
Lingling—full name Qin Lingling—seemed to be working for Mu Qingxue on the surface, but in truth, she was her father’s person.
Always had been.
But Mu Qingxue didn’t mind.
Whether Zhao Rongrong or Murong Chang, they were her closest family. Their people were her people; there was no difference.
Father and daughter sat in silence.
You look at me, I look at you, both waiting for the other to speak first.
Mu Qingxue also knew her father was waiting for her explanation.
“Xiaoyan is a very special person.”
Talking about Chen Xiaoyan, she couldn’t help but smile.
“………” Murong Chang frowned deeply.
Seeing his daughter like this, it was clearly much more serious than he’d imagined.
“The first time I met her, I didn’t feel anything in particular, just thought her skills were amazing—she was the Giant Panda Healer in the game.”
“If anything changed, it was in the first dungeon. Xiaoyan used a very strange skill—a Pink Rope tied me up. At that moment, my heart fluttered a bit, but I didn’t think much of it.”
“Until, after the dungeon ended, she gave another woman a Ring. It was then I finally understood what jealousy meant.”
At these words, Murong Chang flew into a rage, slapping his thigh.
“What? That girl is playing both sides?”
“Damn it, being liked by my daughter, shouldn’t she be grateful, even honored? And yet she dares to…”
“Dad!!!” Mu Qingxue rolled her eyes helplessly.
“What? Did I say anything wrong?”
“Xiaoyan doesn’t seem to like women. I’ve hinted and outright confessed so many times, but she never responded.”
Murong Chang froze on the spot.
He didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad.
Forget it, sadness was all that remained.
Even if this girl Xiaoyan and his daughter didn’t end up together, there’d still be other Xias.
After Xiao Xue fell ill, he should have known all along.
Normal romantic love between a man and a woman was only a kind of torment to her.
A kind of torment that reminded her of childhood shadows.
Thinking of this, Murong Chang fell into despair.
It’s over, it’s over.
My Mu family has no future.
“Dad, if I lose Xiaoyan, I can’t imagine what life would be like. I’d probably break down.”
Mu Qingxue lay sideways on the sofa, silky black hair falling over her lips, her eyes dull and lifeless—looking utterly miserable.
Seeing this, Murong Chang felt a stab of pain in his heart.
He seemed to see again the little girl rescued from that accident, utterly lifeless.
“Then don’t lose her. Hold onto her tightly. Right, what’s that girl’s background?”
“Ordinary family.”
Murong Chang jumped up, “You’ve got to be kidding me—an ordinary girl stumped the Mu family’s eldest miss?”
“You’re throwing a party, aren’t you? Take this chance to win her over completely.”
“But the future of the Mu family…”
Before Mu Qingxue could finish, Murong Chang cut her off.
“What future? At worst, I’ll donate all the Mu family assets to charity. More than money, I want my daughter to be happy.”
“Dad～” Mu Qingxue was so moved she almost cried.
Murong Chang smugly curled his lips and opened his arms, expecting his darling daughter to give him a grateful hug.
She got up.
She ran over.
She opened her arms.
Ten years.
Has old Mu finally gotten to hug his precious daughter?
“Mom～”
Who could have guessed, Mu Qingxue dove straight into Zhao Rongrong’s embrace behind him.
A certain empty-nester father stared dumbfounded, turning mechanically, a tear of frustration sliding down his cheek.
Zhao Rongrong had just arrived, seeing her daughter weeping in her arms.
Her first reaction was that Murong Chang had bullied her.
Rage surged instantly from the bottom of her heart.
She shouted, “Murong Chang, if you have guts, come at me! What kind of man bullies Xue’er?”
“Huh?” Murong Chang was dumbstruck.
Mu Qingxue: “(σ≧∀≦)σ”
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