Chapter 593: The Mission Is Most Important

Nanran passed the envelope over, "I have no class today; I thought Teacher Lin's class is here, so I'll bring you something on the way."

"I'm going to B Shi next week to attend a fabric exhibition, and I'll also pick out some new fabrics for my cousin; she said you mentioned wanting that color last time, so I'll bring it for you to see."

Mu Youyu took it, opened the seal, and inside were a few color swatches.

She lightly pinched one with her fingertips, "This color is lovely; did you pick it, elder sister-in-law?"

"Yes." Nanran chuckled, "My cousin guessed you'd like this."

She then pulled a beautifully printed folder from her bag and handed it to Mu Youyu, "Also this, the official invitation for next month's Young Artists Joint Exhibition—I brought it for you."

Mu Youyu opened the invitation; the exhibitor list contained several familiar names, and Nanran was among them.

She put the invitation away, "Thanks, I'll go then."

"I'm off then; I have another appointment there." Nanran waved cheerfully, "See you at the joint exhibition."

Watching her silhouette disappear down the hall, Mu Youyu lowered her head and flipped through the invitation again, her fingertips brushing over the familiar names on the exhibitor list, the corners of her mouth lifting.

She didn't linger, turning to push open the door of the painting studio.

Because the midterm exam period took over the final exam, after the exams they specially approved a five-day make-up leave.

Because the Mu Family side, Mu Nian and Yan Yuejiu went on their honeymoon.

Mu Xi usually stays at the conglomerate; Mu Xin worries that this brother who once managed the company can't keep up, so she often follows him, returning home relatively late.

Mu Youyu planned to stay at the Jiang Family for this vacation, not going out for the first two days.

The sky outside had already turned dark.

Mu Youyu sat cross-legged on the bay window of the bedroom the Jiang Family had reserved for her, a tablet resting on her knees, stylus lightly tracing the line draft on the screen.

On the small table beside her sat a cup of honey water that had gone cold; she forgot to drink it, her full attention on the direction of the folds of the dress on the canvas.

When Jiang Liangjin pushed the door open and entered, he held a plate of sliced strawberries.

Seeing she still held the posture he had left half an hour ago, he silently placed the strawberries on the table and gently pulled the pen from her hand from behind, "Take a break, don't strain your eyes?"

"I'm just a little short." Mu Youyu reached out to grab it, but he pulled her and the tablet back together.

"If I keep drawing I'll get cross-eyed; tomorrow at the business banquet, others might think my fiancée is practicing some new skill."

He bent over, placed the tablet on a cabinet at a safe distance, then handed her the fruit plate from his hand, "How about eating some fruit first?"

"It's not that exaggerated, cross-eyed…" Mu Youyu speared a strawberry and brought it to her lips, "Are you done with work?"

Recently Jiang Liangjin still has quite a few overseas meetings.

"Right." Jiang Liangjin sat down beside her, "Your outfit for tomorrow is already hanging in your wardrobe."

"What time are we leaving tomorrow?" Mu Youyu shifted toward him, moving the fruit plate to the space between them.

Tomorrow, inside the West City of C Shi, the nation's four major conglomerates jointly host an annual international-level business banquet; she plans to go join the fun.

"Four in the afternoon; we'll arrive early and can first meet with the organizers."

He paused, then asked, "Does your female cousin also need to go?"

"Yes." Mu Youyu lifted her head, "Have you been in contact with her?"

"No." Jiang Liangjin shook his head, "Sui Ge said he's also there, so we can just meet up."

"That's good." Mu Youyu set the fruit plate aside, stood up again, picked up the tablet, "You go ahead and get busy; I'll finish this part and come over."

Jiang Liangjin didn't stand up; instead he turned to face her again.

"What are you staring at me for?" Mu Youyu lifted her eyelids.

"I'm supervising you to eat on time." He pointed to the clock on the wall, "It's 6:40 now; at most another twenty minutes of drawing, then we'll go downstairs to eat. I've already told them to delay dinner a bit."

Mu Youyu was doubtful, "Has Aunt Shen finished eating?"

"She said, whenever you finish drawing and whenever we start eating, she can just watch two more episodes of the show she's following."

Jiang Liangjin raised his brows slightly, "She also asked me to tell you: don't starve yourself; tonight's soup she made especially for you, you need to drink two bowls."

"Two bowls? I don't even eat glutinous rice." Mu Youyu said, her pen already moving.

Aunt Shen has been practicing for years; she discovered her cooking skills haven't improved at all.

Jiang Liangjin didn't respond, just leaned back in his chair and quietly watched her paint for a while.

After a moment, he smiled and suddenly said, "At tomorrow's banquet, if you go, many people will come trying to ingratiate themselves with you; you don't have to overly accommodate them."

"I know, my task is just to wear a beautiful dress, stand by your side, smile at people, and then eat something at the right moment."

Mu Youyu smiled faintly, "The rest can be left to Director Jiang to worry about."

Jiang Liangjin laughed at her self-positioning, "Right, Ah Yu's task is the most important."

"Definitely." Mu Youyu raised her chin, "Twenty minutes, right? I'll try."

Jiang Liangjin didn't urge her further, sat quietly aside, pulled out his phone to reply to a few work messages, most of the time his attention remained on her.

Mu Youyu's pen wandered across the screen, moving faster than before.

At 6:58, Mu Youyu put down her pen, locked the tablet, "All right, let's go."

Jiang Liangjin stood up, "Two minutes faster than expected; I declare Ah Yu the winner today."

"So I don't have to drink the soup tonight?"

"No, today's soup was specially boiled for you."

Mu Youyu stepped down from the bay window, slipped into her slippers, and as she passed him she picked up the plate of strawberries, "If it's not tasty I'll swap bowls with you."

The two went downstairs, one after the other.

Shen Ningmu was still sitting in the living room, the TV on, playing the latest drama.

Hearing the movement on the stairs, she paused the screen, turned her head, "Finished? I thought we'd have to wait until eight."

Mu Youyu placed the fruit dish on the table, "Almost done, just a bit more, Aunt Shen, I'm not late, am I?"

Several people walked together toward the dining room; Shen Ningmu smiled and ladled a bowl of soup into her bowl, "Your Uncle Jiang said he has something to attend to and will come back later, so let's eat first, no need to wait for him."

Mu Youyu took the soup bowl, lowered her head and silently smelled it; it was a light, nourishing broth without too many complex medicinal ingredients, "Wow, today's soup smells wonderful."

Shen Ningmu was delighted by her praise, "If you like it, I'll make another pot for you tomorrow morning."

Indeed, this is the concentrated soup stock that the nanny specially froze in the fridge this morning; she just added some water and stewed it.

"Aunt Shen is too good to me!" Mu Youyu said, fawning, and silently credited the nanny with a merit in her heart.

Shen Ningmu was overjoyed.

Jiang Liangjin sat down silently beside her, placed a piece of spare rib in her bowl, and said, "Eat first."