Han Muzi froze when he said that and she did not dare to move another inch. “Hm?” Ye Moxuan prompted when she did not give him a reply.
She bit her bottom lip awkwardly and said in a small voice, “I just thought carrying me like this would be uncomfortable, so I…”
He broke into a lighthearted laugh. “First, you don’t want to walk and now you’re complaining about being piggybacked? Should I just carry you home in my arms?”
“…I would rather be piggybacked.” She decided not to overthink the situation. Ye Moxuan did not lack physical strength, anyway, so giving me a piggyback might not be a burden on him at all. I should not worry too much.
At the thought of that, she just ignored him. The sky slowly grew dark. They drew the attention and admiration of people who passed by them on the streets.
Initially, Han Muzi was not used to their stares. But then… What did that have to do with her? Feeling at ease with that thought in mind, she stayed on his back and let him carry her all the way home.
They arrived in their neighborhood not too long after. She wasn’t sure if she was reading too much into things, but it was as if Ye Moxuan’s pace significantly slowed. He was also taking his time with each step.
Time passed by as he continued to move forward. Their surroundings became quieter, but for the sound of the leaves being blown in the wind and following his footsteps.
As night fell, tranquility set all around them.
Han Muzi could only hear the sound of their breathing, and it had been exceptionally clear.
“So today…” Ye Moxuan suddenly spoke, his deep voice gradually filling the night.
“What?” she asked, rather perplexed.
He remained silent for a while before he said, “Nothing.”
Then, they returned to silence again. He carried her all the way to the front of the elevator before putting her down.
When they reached the 18th floor, she followed him out of the elevator and stood quietly.
After she heard him put the passcode in and opened the door, she brought her focus back and stared at him.
“H-How did you know my passcode?”
He held her hand and walked inside. Without a change in composure, he said, “I figured it out from the times I heard you put it in.”
The truth was that he had unintentionally glanced at her passcode once. For someone with an exceptional memory, that one time was more than enough for him.
Bang!
She was still in a daze when the door slammed shut. As she slowly came to the realization, she became furious. “Did you watch me put my passcode in last time? How can you tell just by the sound of it? Do you think I’m a three-year-old child…”
The first thing Ye Moxuan did when he entered the place was drop the grocery bag down the side of the cabinet. Then he turned around and pinned both her hands up above her head, pushing her against the cold door board.
The shock from being pinned down suddenly drained the color from her face. “What do you think you’re doing?”
He leaned his body forward. His hoarse voice resonated like a cello being played slowly.
“Today, you told Mr. Potbelly’s wife that we got divorced because I was frigid?”
Shocked, Han Muzi’s expression changed. Earlier, she had been worried that Mr. Potbelly’s wife might have snitched on her to Ye Moxuan. But on the walk home, she figured Mr. Potbelly’s wife was just more open toward her but had still kept their conversation just between ladies.
She did not think that Mr. Potbelly’s wife would actually tell him.
However, when did Han Muzi say she divorced Ye Moxuan for that very reason?
Had it not just been her assumption?
She moved her lips to speak. “When did I-”
However, Ye Moxuan kissed her and stopped her from speaking. Her eyes widened automatically and pupils contracted as she moved her hands instinctively.
He grabbed a tight hold of her hands and pressed his body against hers, deepening the kiss.
Just when she thought she was about to run out of air, he broke away from her. He panted as he looked down at her forehead, covered in beads of cold sweat. “Were the past two days not enough for you? Is that why you still had the energy to spew such nonsense?”
Han Muzi was finally able to breathe again. With a frown, she said, “I didn’t…”
“You’re still denying it. Is this your way of opposing me? Am I not passionate enough?”
As she opened her mouth to speak again, Ye Moxuan pulled her chin up with his bony fingers so that she was looking straight into his eyes.
She wanted to deny his accusation but the moment she looked into his eyes, she noticed a sparkle in them.
It reminded her of what Mr. Potbelly’s wife had said to her at the supermarket earlier that day.
When you see the person you like, your eyes will light up.
She had never noticed it before, except for that one time five years ago…
She could barely remember but his eyes had glimmered with light.
Her memory had been fragmented at that time and she could not piece them together.
But today, she saw the truth.
She moved her lips and said almost as a reflex, “I- I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so?” He raised his eyebrows, then his lips curled up. “That’s what you’d like to think.”
She was speechless.
Her ears also felt slightly hot.
Ye Moxuan forced their fingers to intertwine. His eyes grew deep as he said, “In that case, I should let you experience for yourself… what passion really is.”
Then, he leaned down and crashed his lips against hers without even giving her the chance to breathe.
…
When Han Muzi woke up, she had almost wanted to lose hope in life.
With the blanket over her, she lay in bed and thought, Would the after-pill I took last time still work?
Did she have to take another one?
But I shouldn’t be taking so much medicine. She felt unsettled.
Disheartened, she flipped over and closed her eyes.
The next time she bumped into Mr. Potbelly and his wife, she would take a detour. For if a day like that were to happen again, she would not be able to handle it.
The phone hidden under her pillow vibrated. Han Muzi was dumbfounded for a moment before she took it out and looked.
She realized Han Yishu had sent her a message on WeChat.
Little Bean: ‘Mommy, are you still busy with work lately? When are you coming to get me? *cute emoji*’
When Han Muzi saw the cute emoji at the end, she could almost see through the screen at his adorable face.
During her time there, she had missed Han Yishu everyday. She wanted to go home and watch him run up to her then embrace him in her arms.
He was her baby who had spent all those years with her—he was her favorite human.
But she had to send him to Han Qing because it was the safest place he could be.
It went without saying that the Han Family was her strongest backbone.
Han Muzi smiled. She turned back around and sent a reply to Han Yishu.
‘Mommy has been thinking about you a lot. But I still have some things to take care of. So… you will have to hang in there a bit longer.’
Only heaven knew how badly she wanted to bring him home.
