Chapter 34: Brother Xinxin

Lanlin Gaozhong

Mu Youyu arrived just as the morning study bell rang; the seat beside her was still empty.

Yu Ci and Gu Xingnan walked in together from the doorway and went straight to sit behind her.

Class A rang with morning study voices.

Morning study lasted forty minutes, with no teacher supervising; it was organized by the class representatives of each subject.

Mu Youyu held up her book in front of her, then placed her phone on the desk.

She opened the chat labeled "A Jin" and tapped the screen: 【A Jin, when are you coming?】

The person on the other end replied after two minutes.

A Jin: 【Youbao, something came up; I'll come around noon】

Mu Youyu guessed it was again something to do with the Jiang family.

The Jiang family is a conglomerate clan, internally complex; A Jin's father, namely Jiang Su, the head of the Jiang family, was the most outstanding among his brothers of the previous generation and inherited the Jiang family business.

Jiang Liangjin is the sole son of the Jiang family head, regarded by the Jiang family as the heir.

However, the Jiang family has relatives who are the same age as Jiang Liangjin, or the same age as the family head, all of whom want to wrest the inheritance from him.

Behind the scenes they engage in quite a few little maneuvers.

Mu Youyu had known this for a long time.

She obediently replied: 【Okay, A Jin, I'll wait for you】

A Jin: 【【animated expression】 heart】

Mu Youyu didn't chat with him any further.

She opened Liu Wanwan's chat, letting her know that once she woke up she could have the driver take her out for a stroll, or play in the manor.

Just as she exited WeChat, a video call request suddenly popped up at the top of the phone screen, the note showing "Brother".

Mu Youyu's eyes lit up, and she quickly slipped out through the back door of the classroom.

Class rep:? He probably pretended not to see.

Student sitting in the back:? What a guy, a good student still skips class?

Yu Ci, who had just sat down preparing to chat with her:?

Gu Xingnan, looking at Yu Ci's "?":?

Mu Youyu pressed the answer key only when she reached the stairwell.

After the video connected, a boy wearing a dark red T-shirt appeared on the screen.

The boy slightly lowered his head, his hair black, gazing gently at the screen, revealing a pallid white face.

The corners of his eyes drooped slightly, his pupil color light, long lashes casting a faint shadow; beneath the lashes his eyes were an extremely pale ice blue, and when he lifted his gaze he always carried a hint of nonchalant coolness.

With a tiny black tear mole beneath the outer corner of his right eye, his appearance was exquisite to the extreme; a moment's inattention and one would be captivated.

The boy on the video, aside from his blue eyes being different from Mu Youyu's, looked almost identical to her.

This person is her dragon-phoenix twin brother.

"Xinxin gege!" Mu Youyu looked at the boy on the screen, the corners of her mouth curving.

Although he is her dragon-phoenix twin brother, Mu Youyu occasionally likes to call Mu Xin "Xinxin gege".

She thinks the character "Xin" sounds particularly pleasant.

"Youbao." Mu Xin's eyes held a smile, his voice gentle.

Along with his face, it's hard to look away.

"Xinxin gege! I miss you so much." Mu Youyu went to the first floor, found a chair to sit in, her tone mixed with a coquettish nuance.

"I miss you too."

"Isn't it midnight where you are, Xinxin gege? Why aren't you resting yet?" She looked at Mu Xin on the screen, whom she hadn't seen in a long while, and asked.

Mu Xin is the young master of the Mu family, her dragon-phoenix twin brother.

From a young age he was extraordinarily gifted; at three he displayed feats unlike his peers—astonishing deeds—earning him the reputation of a prodigy encountered once in a century.

At three he was taken to Y Guo to live with his maternal grandfather.

Now fifteen, the last time he returned to the country was when she went to A City.

Although they don't live together, their relationship is extremely close.

Mu Youyu really misses him, and will occasionally take a private plane to visit him; moreover, every winter and summer vacation she goes to Y Guo to see him.

At other times, Mu Youyu and he can only stay in touch via phone.

Mu Xin is busy at International University pursuing a combined master's and doctorate.

The previous year he spent a year obtaining his master's degree; the past two years he has been busy preparing for his doctorate.

At first a year was fine, not too busy, but since last month Mu Xin started a company, the two went from video chatting every two days to once a week.

It is now 7:30 a. m.; for Mu Xin it is 12:30 a. m.

"I miss you." Mu Xin replied softly.

Having finished his work today, he checked the time, thought of his sister it being 7:30 a. m. there, and placed the video call.

Mu Youyu smiled even more happily: "Brother, how are you doing over there? Have Xiao Yi and Xiao Er been watching you eat properly? Have they been taking good care of you?"

Xiao Yi's original name is Song Ze yi; Xiao Er's original name is Song Ze'er; both are Mu Xin's personal bodyguards.

"Everything's fine." Mu Xin looked at his sister with a face full of indulgence.

Everything's fine, except that you're not by my side.

Mu Youyu looked at the back of him on the screen and asked, "How is Grandfather?"

Why don't I see Grandfather?

Mu Xin's voice unchanged: "He's handling affairs in the mansion."

Mu Youyu nodded in sudden realization.

She thought for a moment, her eyes lit up, and said, "Brother, I want to tell you……"

Mu Youyu and Mu Xin basically have no secrets between them.

They even talked about Jiang Liangjin.

Mu Xin had seen Jiang Liangjin in real life when she was three, but didn't know him well; however, she often heard her precious little sister talk about him, so at first she felt some fondness toward him.

Mu Youyu now tells him how they met and reconciled in Lan Lin.

But whenever Mu Xin thinks of this person, she remembers that the night her sister went to A City and cried while hugging him, and she and her two older brothers spent the whole night consoling her.

She no longer has a good impression of him.

Mu Xin was thinking of something else, but her voice remained gentle: "As long as Youbao is happy."

They chatted for about twenty minutes, and Mu Xin responded to every sentence.

"Brother, don't overwork yourself over there…… When are you coming back to the country? I really, really miss you." After saying this, Mu Youyu looked expectantly at the screen.

"Mm, I miss you so much too……"

Mu Xin saw her expectant gaze and softly replied, "Once I'm done with this busy period, I can come back during your sophomore year of high school."

"Good!" Mu Youyu almost jumped up on the spot.

I didn't expect it would be possible in just a few months!

She had thought it would take at least a year.

The two siblings haven't seen each other for two months.

She was afraid her brother would only come back for a few days, so she didn't dare ask, merely gazing happily at his image on the screen.

"Xinxin gege, get some rest early! Staying up late is bad for your health!" Mu Youyu said, noticing that it was almost 1 a. m. on his side.

"Okay, good night, Youbao." Mu Xin said with a smile.

"Good night, brother."

Mu Youyu ended the video call.

Just then, the bell for morning study rang.

Some boarding students have breakfast after morning study, and there is a 40‑minute break between morning study sessions.

Mu Youyu sat on a chair on the first floor of the freshman zone, swinging her legs without getting up.

It was between classes, and quite a few people had gathered around, some making noise.

"Holy shit! Who is this? So good‑looking? A freshman girl even dares to dye her hair?"

"She looks great! I, the young master, declare that she's mine!"

"Get lost, don't try to steal her from me."

"Yo, you still dare to snatch someone from Young Master Jing?"

"Exactly! She once rode in Young Master Jing's car and even sat in the passenger seat!"

"Doesn't Young Master Jing have mysophobia?"

"Oh right, there's also Young Master Xi—I've seen him picking her up and dropping her off these past few days!"

"Hiss, isn't Young Master Xi misogynistic? Doesn't he also have mysophobia?"

"She even eats meals together with Young Master Jiang, Young Master Yu, and Young Master Gu Xiao!"

"Isn't Young Master Jiang also misogynistic? He's rarely seen with any girls around Young Master Yu and Young Master Gu Xiao..."

"What's her background that she can get so close to those three?"

"So who is she, exactly?"

"She's a transfer student from Class A—come on, let's go check her out!"

"I'm scared—if you want to go, go yourself; I don't want to court death."

"……"

Mu Youyu heard the chatter, unconsciously lifted her gaze, and saw an acquaintance.