Chapter 48: Are You Afraid?

Chapter 48: Are You Afraid?

"Yun Mu, are you afraid?" The man's voice was deep, laced with an underlying sense of peril.

The sudden sensation of weightlessness almost made Yun Mu cry out. She instinctively wrapped her arms around Huo Tingcheng's neck.

Their skin touching, she could hear the strong and steady beat of his heart, and feel the heat of his breath against her.

"Huo Tingcheng, please put me down first. I have something for you," Yun Mu hurriedly said.

With a subtle lift of his sword-like eyebrows, Hao Tingcheng released his grip.

Yun Mu hastily leaped off him and rushed toward the dressing table.

Huo Tingcheng's gaze followed Yun Mu's figure closely. With nonchalant elegance, he settled onto the sofa and casually unfastened a few buttons on his shirt.

Yun Mu's glance inadvertently met his slightly intense gaze, causing her heart to skip a beat.

A man with elongated legs crossed, his attire in disarray... A well-groomed villain!

Yun Mu swallowed hard...

"For you."

Approaching, Yun Mu opened the exquisite box.

Inside lay a fine purple jade pendant, intricately carved with mysterious and enigmatic patterns.

Huo Tingcheng's gaze sharpened.

Reaching out to take it, he felt a warmth emanating from it – it was a warm jade pendant.

"Did you carve this design?"

Yun Mu raised an eyebrow. "Of course. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful."

As Huo Tingcheng rubbed the purple jade, memories of the pendant he had taken off the girl's neck on the train came flooding back. Although the patterns were different, the carving techniques held a subtle resemblance.

Is it a coincidence, or is there more to this than meets the eye?

Unaware of his peculiar behavior, Yun Mu said with enthusiasm, "Appearance aside, this jade is hollow, and I've placed a special fragrance inside. Wearing it consistently can help detoxify the poison in your body. Put it on now."

It was rather awkward.

This was the first time the Female War God had personally made something for someone...

Huo Tingcheng chuckled with a deep, magnetic voice, "Let me have you put it on me."

"Paranoid much!" Yun Mu rolled her eyes at him but still obediently took the purple jade. She stood on tiptoe to place it around his neck.

As their bodies drew close, a subtle fragrance filled the air.

Yun Mu tried to withdraw her hand, but Huo Tingcheng quickly pulled her, causing her to fall directly into his embrace.

"You're sneaky! You don't abide by the code of chivalry!"

The man's voice was husky and alluring, "What chivalry? We're lawfully wedded spouses!"

His burning lips were about to descend.

"We're just contract spouses, it's different!"

Yun Mu's cheeks flushed slightly as she pushed him away, fleeing like a startled rabbit.

Huo Tingcheng rubbed the purple jade around his neck, a slight curve forming at the corner of his lips.

...

On the weekend's second day, Yun Mu woke up to find Hao Tingcheng already gone.

At that moment, the cellphone rang.

"Little sister-in-law, are you free?" came Lu Nansen's voice.

Yun Mu furrowed her brow. "Could it be that Aunt Zhang's condition has worsened?"

Lu Nansen hurriedly clarified, "No, it's me who has a matter to discuss with you. Are you at home now? Should I come over for a detailed conversation?"

Yun Mu, "Sure."

Thirty minutes later, Lu Nansen pulled up in a flashy red supercar at the old Huo family residence.

Yun Mu glanced at it with a hint of disdain before getting in and fastening her seatbelt.

"Shouldn't doctors typically be more composed?"

"Little Sister-in-law, you're judging by appearances here. I might be a bit of a playboy, but when it comes to medicine, I'm as steady as they come," Lu Nansen replied.

"Cut to the chase then. What did you need to see me about?" Yun Mu paused before answering her own question, "Is it about Huo Tingcheng's condition?"

Lu Nansen chuckled. "Yes, I'll be straightforward. Whether Tingcheng makes it through or not depends on this month. Yesterday, he called and told me to leave his treatment entirely in your hands. Did you cast some kind of spell on him?"

After all, he had grown up with Huo Tingcheng, and now the latter was entrusting his life to a woman he had just met!

Yun Mu curved her lips. "Even a fool would know who to choose between us, right?"

"You're being unfair with that statement. But I do acknowledge your medical skills. As a good friend of Tingcheng's, however, I have to say a few words. Regardless of why you married Tingcheng, I hope you'll do your best for his life or death."

"Nonsense, he's my nominal husband, I won't let him die."

Lu Nansen lifted his gaze. "Just nominal? You two haven't...?"

Yun Mu gave him a sidelong glance.

Lu Nansen cleared his throat. "Seeing how you've given him your token of affection, I thought..."

"Token of affection?"

"Yes, didn't you give him a purple jade yesterday and boast about it for ages? I'd say he's fallen hard for you," Lu Nansen commented.

"What love trap are you talking about? Don't be ridiculous," Yun Mu frowned.

Lu Nansen was taken aback. "You can't tell me you haven't noticed Ting Cheng's feelings for you."

Yun Mu's heart stirred slightly. "You noticed?"

"Holy crap! Didn't you?" Lu Nansen pounded the steering wheel. "When that punk Jinzhou touched you last time, he almost took Jinzhou's life!"

Yun Mu's body tensed, yet her heart leaped with excitement.

Yet, she couldn't help but refute him.

"But I've heard that he's been searching for a mysterious woman all this time?"

"What mysterious woman? For over two decades, you've been the only woman by his side!"

"Didn't you know? Seems like your relationship isn't that great after all." Yun Mu scoffed softly.

Lu Nansen's heart ached. "...."

After a brief silence, Lu Nansen spoke again, "Although I don't know about any mysterious woman, I'm very clear about Ting Cheng. If he didn't have feelings for you, there's no way he'd entrust his life to you. As for this so-called mysterious woman you mentioned... Since even Ting Cheng can't find her, it's probably safe to say she doesn't exist."

Yun Mu narrowed her eyes, unsure if she had taken his words to heart.

Lu Nansen parked the car. "We're here. This is my research institute. Take a look inside and see if there are any herbs or equipment you need."

This suited Yun Mu perfectly. She opened the door and got out, smiling. "Thanks."

Exiting the Lu Nansen Research Institute, Yun Shuiyao's call came in.

"Hello."

Yun Shuiyao's voice was as clear as a mountain spring, melodious and enchanting enough to send shivers down one's spine. "Sis, it's me."

Yun Mu's lips curled nonchalantly. "Spit it out if you have something to say."

Yun Shuiyao chuckled softly on the other end. "I'm sure you've met Fourth Brother today. Since he rarely comes back to the country, he wants to invite you to the racing club tomorrow."

Invite her to play? Were they such benevolent siblings all of a sudden?

Yun Mu scoffed. "Yun Shuiyao, are you trying to court death again?"

"What is Sis talking about? I don't understand. Could it be that Sis is afraid because no matter how hard you try, you can never win against me? Our brothers dote on me, their little sister, the most," Yun Shuiyao cooed, concealing her smugness behind her sweet voice.

Yun Mu gazed at the sunset outside the window. Though magnificent, it couldn't hide the inevitable descent into darkness.

She slowly curved her lips. "Yun Shuiyao, you've already been pushed into the mud. Are you desperate to struggle? Go ahead and struggle, because very soon, I'll plunge you into an abyss!"

Yun Shuiyao's breath hitched on the other end of the line, and after a moment of silence, she hung up the call.

Yun Mu put down her phone, ran her fingers through her hair, and, with a shuffle of her slippers, started bustling around.

A racing club?

That was Yun Muze's territory. It seemed that he was determined to make her life miserable this time.

Yun Family's fourth child, huh!