Chapter 628: Very Brotherly

Jiang Liangjin spoke in a warm, light tone: "I'm watching Qing An brother's hard work."

Qing An gave a hum: "These flowers I specially planted for my sister; they have nothing to do with you. You've picked enough these days, don't think about picking more."

Jiang Liangjin looked at the blue roses, blinking: "Qing An brother, I really can't pick these flowers? That's too pitiful."

"……" Qing An felt it wasn't necessary to quibble over this small matter; this person is the future brother-in-law, and he's older than him.

He waved his hand, conceding: "Forget it, go ahead and pick."

"Qing An brother truly has a kind heart."

Qing An coolly retorted: "You too, you're not bad, just a bit scheming."

Mu Youyu was speaking with Mu Xin on the other side of the flowerbed, didn't hear this conversation.

Qing Wei took it all in, sighing: "Why does Qing An argue with A Jin the moment they meet today?"

Before, this person always took out his anger on others.

Ruo Ya pursed her lips and smiled: "Maybe they're just incompatible."

Having heard a bit of the truth, Mu Xianqi said: "I think it's because money-lovers are especially jealous when they meet."

Mu Xin said: "You understand Qing An better than Qing An does."

A few people stayed until around ten o'clock, then slowly walked back along the pebble path.

Mu Youyu walked ahead, holding a bouquet of blue roses, her hair ends lifted by the wind.

Jiang Liangjin and Qing An followed behind, maintaining a tacit understanding where neither would speak first.

After walking a stretch, Qing An suddenly lowered his voice to warn: "Don't talk nonsense in front of my sister."

Jiang Liangjin spoke sincerely: "I won't talk nonsense."

Mu Youyu, who had been laughing and chatting with the brothers ahead, suddenly stopped.

She turned around, thrust the bouquet of blue roses toward the two of them, and said: "You two look good together; want to take a photo?"

Jiang Liangjin and Qing An looked at each other at the same time.

"No." Qing An didn't want to take a couple photo with him.

"No." Jiang Liangjin didn't understand, but he would go along with it.

Mu Youyu put away her phone: "All right then, I'll take a photo with the brothers and Ruo Ya sister."

The two spoke up again at the same time.

"Take it."

"Sister, I'll take it, I'll take it!"

Mu Youyu looked at one, then the other, corners of her mouth turning up: "Then you two take it together, I'll help you take it."

Jiang Liangjin, Qing An: "……"

Mu Youyu had already raised her phone, adjusting the angle, urging: "Come closer, there's enough space between you two for a car to pass."

Qing An nodded: "Right! We're just going to ride the roller coaster, so sister, come stand over here?"

Mu Youyu said nothing.

Jiang Liangjin took the first few steps toward Qing An, and Qing An reluctantly shuffled half a step toward him.

The distance between them went from "could fit a person" to "could only fit a glutinous rice ball."

Mu Youyu was dissatisfied and directed again: "No, still too far, move closer."

Jiang Liangjin understood that his family's sweet, kind treasure wanted to ease their relationship, so he reached out and put his arm around Qing An's shoulders: "Is this close enough?"

Qing An stiffened for a moment from the sudden physical contact, not having time to shake it off, when his dear sister had already taken several photos in a row.

Ruo Ya, Mu Xin, and a few others gathered to look; Qing Wei's lips curled: "This shot isn't bad, very brotherly."

Qing An walked over, glanced sideways at the screen, and saw Jiang Liangjin smiling innocently.

And his expression lay between wanting to hit someone and swallowing his anger!

"... Not bad, sister's technique is really good."

Mu Youyu also thought so: "Right, looks like they just made up."

Mu Xin concluded: "This is what a family should be like."

Jiang Liangjin seized the opportunity: "We weren't even arguing; someone with a good temper like Qing An brother couldn't argue with me."

Qing An, pleased with the praise, exclaimed: "Exactly! Our relationship is really good!"

In his sister's heart, he's definitely a good brother!

For the rest of summer vacation, Mu Youyu attended a few art exhibitions and forums, and also dragged Jiang Liangjin and the brothers to stay a few days at Lin Ning's place.

After having enough fun, Mu Youyu only began to make up her vacation internship homework after returning to the country.

During this time, Mu Xi cooperated with Mu Xin to adjust the internal structure of the Mu Clan Conglomerate, reducing direct management tasks.

A few people again avoided the Mountain Villa for a few days, and in a blink it was time for C University to start the semester.

Mu Youyu returned to school a day early.

The dorm had already been cleaned, the air faintly scented with perfume.

She pushed the door open; Qiao Xin was squatting on the floor unpacking a parcel, hearing the noise she lifted her head, the tips of her hair newly dyed orange, and upon seeing her she waved a craft knife, shouting: "Goddess! Reunited after ages!"

Mu Youyu: "It's only been two months."

"Not seeing each other for a day feels like three autumns; two months equal 180 autumns, which calculates to 180 years—we've practically gone two centuries without seeing each other."

Mu Youyu put her luggage away, smiling sweetly: "Then I'll have to trouble our lovely Qiao Xin classmate to wait for me."

Qiao Xin covered her face, bashful: "No trouble, no trouble."

Mu Youyu asked her: "When did you dye your hair?"

Qiao Xin touched the ends: "Last month, looks good, right?"

Mu Youyu honestly nodded: "Looks good, really suits you."

Qiao Xin, who had been praised by the goddess, gave a hehe smile and went to unpack her bubble wrap.

After the start of school, life went on as usual.

The sophomore schedule was a bit tighter than freshman year, and the difficulty of the major courses went up half a level.

But for Mu Youyu, there was no change.

Lin Tingsong took on a new creative project this semester, so his time in the painting studio was somewhat less than last semester.

Sometimes Mu Youyu wouldn't see him all day, and she couldn't be bothered to ask; when she had free time, she went on dates with Jiang Liangjin.

Not until late September did the invitation to Gu Xingnan's coming-of-age ceremony arrive, making things a bit livelier.

On the twenty-third, Mu Youyu stood before her wardrobe picking clothes, when her fiancé asked from behind, "Baby, should we wear this series?"

Mu Youyu turned and glanced at him, her finger sliding over a row of clothes, "Any opinions?"

Jiang Liangjin pulled his hand back, "I have no opinion, baby—I'll wear whatever you choose."

Mu Youyu was surprised, "You want to wear a skirt too?"

The makeup artist behind them stifled laughter until their shoulders shook.

Jiang Liangjin replied softly, "I don't want to; I want to wear the same series as baby."

……

Finally, Mu Youyu picked an ankle-length gray princess dress, and Jiang Liangjin indeed matched it with a suit of the same color scheme.

The makeup artist did her hair up elegantly, everything was ready, and the two left arm in arm.

Inside a lakeside manor in the western district of C City, people began coming and going from two in the afternoon.

Gu Xingnan's birthday banquet was large in scale, attended only by familiar faces from their circle.

When Mu Youyu and Jiang Liangjin arrived, the entrance was already crowded with people.

Gu Xingnan wore a lustrous white formal outfit today, standing at the door to greet guests with proper bearing.

Seeing the two childhood friends, he gave a slight nod, "Come in and have a seat."

Yu Ci appeared from nowhere, standing beside Gu Xingnan, grinning, "Yo, you two are fashionably late?"

Jiang Liangjin glanced at him, "You just got here yourself, didn't you?"

Yu Ci extended his index finger and waved it, "You just don't get it—I deliberately picked the right time."