Chapter 500

Mu Youyu tilted her head, "Qing An, older brother, have you still been researching my painting?"

These few pieces were indeed painted when she was fourteen or fifteen.

Qing An gave a light cough, "No, it's what A Ding said, yes, A Ding and Xiao Xi said it together!"

Mu Youyu didn't call him out, turned her head and pulled Jiang Liangjin from behind to keep looking at the paintings.

Jiang Liangjin noticed her expression was much more relaxed than a few days ago, probably because the air in M Guo indeed nourishes people.

Ruo Ya came downstairs from upstairs, wearing a light-colored house dress, "You're up this early?"

She stepped close, lightly pressing her fingertips to Mu Youyu's scalp, carefully examining her complexion: "Your complexion is much better than last time; you haven't been staying up late, have you?"

Mu Youyu shook her head, "No."

Ruo Ya understood at a glance, sighed, turned to Jiang Liangjin, "You should also look after her; staying up late is bad for your health."

Jiang Liangjin was lowering his head to look at his phone; hearing that, he raised his head, "Okay, it won't happen next time."

Ruo Ya shook her head, said nothing more, turned and sat beside Mu Youyu, casually grabbing a cushion to place behind her waist, "I've been busy lately and haven't had a chance to ask—how long are you planning to stay this time?"

Mu Youyu: "About half a month; I'll go back a week before school starts."

Ruo Ya nodded, "That's enough; I happen to have a charity banquet next week—will you two come with me?"

Mu Youyu glanced at Jiang Liangjin, who gave a slight nod, then she replied, "Okay."

Qing An interjected from the side: "I'm going too."

Ruo Ya sighed helplessly: "You want to go too? Last time you went, you scared the organizers stiff."

Qing An protested: "It's just that they're timid; what's it to me? Don't believe me—ask my brother!"

Ruo Ya didn't respond, merely lifted the tea cup before her, took a sip, her posture graceful, wearing an expression that said, "You know it yourself."

Qing An gulped down a big mouthful of juice, slammed the cup on the table, stood, and headed upstairs: "I'm going to shut myself in, you guys chat."

"How old are you all, still acting like kids..."

"If you like someone like Xun Li·Si'erwen, then hurry up and fly to Y Guo."

Ruo Ya looked innocent: "I wasn't talking about you, don't be mad."

Mu Youyu took it in stride, after all, Qing An's reputation in M Guo wasn't for nothing.

Seeing Qing An leave with only an annoyed back view, Ruo Ya shook her head, sensibly not staying longer: "I'll go check on him, you guys enjoy yourselves."

The two figures disappeared one after another into the main hall; inside, aside from the palace staff, only she and Jiang Liangjin remained.

She naturally leaned against the sofa arm, drew her legs in, turned sideways to face him, and unconsciously traced circles on the armrest with her fingers.

Jiang Liangjin put down his phone, turned his head to look at her, "Still thinking about those painting matters? It's all in the past."

Mu Youyu shook her head, then nodded, finally burying her face in the pillow with a muffled voice: "No."

Jiang Liangjin gazed at her soft hair, the corner of his mouth lifting, picked a grape from the fruit plate on the table, peeled it, and handed it to her: "Eat."

Mu Youyu lifted her face from the pillow and opened her mouth to take it.

The two lingered like that for a while, when suddenly footsteps sounded inside the hall, drawing nearer.

Mu Youyu instinctively sat up straight, and Jiang Liangjin also slightly turned his head, looking toward the hall door.

An attendant entered, bowed respectfully, and said in a respectful tone: "Princess Mingxi, there are two guests outside seeking an audience, saying they are old acquaintances of yours."

Mu Youyu was slightly surprised, she glanced at Jiang Liangjin, who gave a slight shake of his head, indicating he didn't know either.

"Let them come in." She said, casually tossing the pillow aside, shifting her posture from relaxed to a more proper one.

The attendant withdrew after receiving the order; moments later, two people entered through the hall door.

The young man leading the way was slender, holding a gift bag; as he entered, he slightly lifted his head, his gaze sweeping the hall and landing precisely on Mu Youyu.

Zhu Zhou

Mu Youyu's expression visibly relaxed, the corners of her lips lifting as she was about to call out, but out of the corner of her eye she noticed another person following behind him.

That young man was a little over half a head taller than Zhu Zhou, and he looked neat and clean.

Ah, I've seen him before too.

Shang You stood half a step behind Zhu Zhou, his gaze landing on Mu Youyu's face, then quickly shifting elsewhere, then back again.

He also held a gift bag, the same style as the one Zhu Zhou carried, only a different color.

Mu Youyu's gaze lingered on Shang You's face for a moment; she understood everything in her heart, but showed nothing on her face, only curling her lips as she looked at Zhu Zhou: "Little Zhou, how did you come? You didn't even give me a heads-up so I could have someone pick you up."

Zhu Zhou walked up to her, placed the gift bag on the coffee table, and said: "Brother Su said Sister Yu and her brother have come to M Guo, so he asked me to come see you. I bought these on the way; I don't know if you like them."

Jiang Liangjin knew he didn't have any, and couldn't be bothered to ask.

Mu Youyu opened it and took a look; inside were several boxes of sweets, clearly from some popular online shop.

She closed the box, set it aside, and said: "I like it; I like everything Xiao Zhou buys."

"As long as Sister Yu likes it." Zhu Zhou's smile blossomed from his eyes, then he stepped half a step to the side, revealing Shang You, who had been silent behind him.

Shang You met Mu Youyu's gaze, instinctively straightened his back, and spoke in a voice a few degrees lower than usual: "Greetings, Sister Yu. I am Shang You—Shang of Shang You, You of Shang You—a friend of Zhu Zhou."

As he said this, his eyes darted about, not daring to look directly at Mu Youyu, yet not daring to avoid her gaze entirely, making him seem frozen in place.

Zhu Zhou: ……What a strange introduction.

So his name is Shang You.

Mu Youyu suddenly laughed: "Shang You? What a nice name."

Shang You maintained that shy, cute "nice to meet you, please take care of me" expression, and said: "Thank you, Sister Yu."