Chapter 685: Extra: Mu Nian 5

Extra: Mu Nian 5

After about ten seconds, Yan Yuejiu continued to gaze gently at the person before her.

Mu Nian rose from the chair, knelt on one knee, slowed his speech, and tried to keep his voice steady: "We've known each other for many years; every part of you attracts me. I've delayed saying I like you for too long."

But I don't want to approach you under the pretense of friendship anymore, nor do I want you to think I'm speaking for some other reason.

These years you've been abroad, I often used business trips as an excuse to see you, yet I didn't want to disturb you too much; I just wanted you to pursue your passion in peace, while I also settled myself here.

Now that you've been back and developing for almost a year, I also have enough confidence; for me, there's nothing left we need to wait for between us.

His gaze was sincere and fervent; he reached out, picked up the bouquet already prepared on the side chair, took out a gift box, and lightly opened the lid to reveal a diamond ring.

"Ah Jiu, if you feel even a little moved by me, could you give me a chance to stay by your side?"

Yan Yuejiu drawled, "Being by my side? Friends can do that too…… but, given your sincerity, I agree."

At that moment the lights happened to turn on, and she elegantly extended her right hand.

After Mu Nian reacted, he picked up the ring and carefully slipped it onto her ring finger, his movements somewhat mechanical.

Yan Yuejiu lowered her eyes to look at his lowered brows, reached out and lightly pressed his head, saying, "Get up."

Mu Nian stood, picked up the bouquet again and handed it to her, then sat back in his seat.

His words seemed to have been said already in that confession; now he just silently watched her, his lips never dropping from a smile.

Yan Yuejiu gave a light cough, "Is there anything else you want to say?"

Mu Nian replied warmly, "Yes, happy New Year, this time in another identity."

Yan Yuejiu was amused by his oddly earnest tone, "Okay, happy New Year, Niannian, in the new year, please guide me."

After confirming their relationship, for a whole month the way they interacted didn't change much, only some details differed from before.

Before, Mu Nian would invite her to meals mostly under the pretense of discussing work; now it turned into calling her every few days to ask what she wanted to eat.

Before, his gaze when looking at her was somewhat restrained; now he often stares at her for a long time, and even if noticed he doesn't look away.

Who would have thought that Mu Nian, outside, is a decisive and firm-headed head of the conglomerate?

Yan Yuejiu loves his contrast.

She's busy with her studio work, he's busy with company affairs; they meet about four or five times a week, not overly clingy.

On Saturday, Yan Yuejiu went to Mu Nian's company to deliver a custom clothing service contract.

The people of the Mu Clan Conglomerate already knew her; seeing her arrive, they let her through directly.

Yan Yuejiu pushed open the office door; Mu Nian was on the phone, his side profile facing her, his expression the usual one he has when working, brows lowered.

Catching a glimpse of the figure at the doorway in his peripheral vision, he didn't change his speech pace, said into the phone, "Let's leave it at that," and hung up.

"Put the contract on the table." He walked over, took the document bag from her hand, his tone light and gentle, "What would you like to drink?"

"Plain water is fine."

Mu Nian went to the tea room to pour water; when he returned, she was already seated on the sofa opposite his desk, legs crossed.

He placed the water cup beside her hand, went around to her other side, and opened the contract to read it.

Yan Yuejiu watched his serious expression, then leaned over and asked, "Niannian, do you feel that we've been dating for a month and yet it seems no different from before?"

Mu Nian raised his brows, seeming puzzled, "Where is there no difference?"

"Well..." Yan Yuejiu propped her chin, "I heard from my friends that people in love usually do some more intimate things, but you don't seem to do much."

Mu Nian's expression suddenly became solemn; he spoke earnestly: "We haven't even married—how can we kiss?"

Hearing this unexpected, unbelievable remark, Yan Yuejiu stared at his expression in bewilderment, "... Ah?"

Seeing her expression, Mu Nian's lips twitched up slightly, "I was just joking."

Just as Yan Yuejiu was about to say something, he had already stood, walked around the desk to stand before her, bent down, placed one hand on the sofa back behind her, and lowered his head to kiss her.

Their lips met; Yan Yuejiu was caught off guard, her heartbeat skipped a beat, then she raised a hand to press against his shoulder and push him away, "We haven't married, you're a grown man, getting handsy—aren't you embarrassed?"

Mu Nian hadn't used much force; pushed back half a step, he pursed his lips, his tone extremely gentle: "Sorry, I was wrong."

Yan Yuejiu was both annoyed and amused by his apologetic attitude.

She kept her seated posture, reached out, hooked his tie, and pulled it toward herself.

Mu Nian, unprepared, lowered his head following her pull; she directly kissed him, a longer, more lingering kiss than the earlier hurried intimacy.

After a moment of intimacy, Yan Yuejiu loosened his tie, patted his shoulder, "All right, keep looking at the contract; I'm heading out now."

"I'll see you out."

"Okay."

Hand in hand they left the company; Mu Nian saw her to the downstairs, watched her get into the car, then turned back.

Yan Yuejiu sat in the car, lowered her gaze to the ring on her finger, and lifted the corners of her mouth.

After half a year of dating, their interactions gradually grew into an unspoken understanding.

They tacitly agreed not to tell their families about this.

One reason is that they've only just gotten together, so there's no need to alarm the elders yet.

On the other hand, Yan Yuejiu feels that once her family learns she's dating Mu Nian, surely the next day a crowd will start asking about the wedding date.

As for Mu Nian's family elders, needless to say—he's twenty-five this year, and the pressure at home to settle down has been constant.

May.

Mu Nian, who rarely had free time, rubbed his forehead, unlocked his phone, and opened the thirteen-person group chat that had no sister.

Everyone in the group was discussing how the dear sister and Jiang Liangjin had reconciled.

Several brothers up front had discussed it at length, and some brothers directly started arguing with the other party in the group.

Later, most people began sending expressions.

【Base of Family Harmony and Prosperity】

【Song Yusui: scattering flowers 【animated expression】】

Song Huaixian: "Pretty good, after all the twists and turns we're still each other, it's complete."

Song Huaiyu: ".........."

Song LuXiao: "【sad】 So what should we do? Now how should this group of us express our stance?"

Song Lujing: "【dizzy】 I also have no way."

Lu Yuchu: "【silly】 Difficult."

Song Huaixian: "Treat it as a matter to be handled!"

Song Huaiyu: "Don't speak........."

Song Yan: "【fear】 Can only turn to my sister first."

Mu Xin sent a polite: "【smile】"

Mu Xi patted Mu Xin.

Mu Yichi patted Mu Xin.

Mu Yichen patted Mu Xin.

Mu Xianqi patted Mu Xin.

Mu Nian recalled how upset his sister had been then, feeling uneasy, so he also tapped the screen twice and patted Mu Xin.

Time entered June, the weather gradually heated up.

Mu Nian and Yan Yuejiu were eating out when Yan Yuejiu received a call from her grandmother, asking if she had time to go home this week.

Yan Yuejiu agreed, hung up, saw Mu Nian looking at her, and said, "Grandma asked you to go back?"

"Mm, said there's something at home."

When the meal was almost done, Yan Yuejiu leisurely asked, "Niannian, does your family know about our relationship?"

Mu Nian wiped his mouth, "I don't know."

"Then when do you plan to tell them?"

"I'll follow you, you decide."

Yan Yuejiu pondered a moment, then said, "Then I'll go home this weekend and first mention it to my grandmother."

Mu Nian agreed: "Sure, I'm free anytime, I'll take you back."

"No need, I can drive myself."

"Be careful on the road, send me a message when you arrive."

"Okay."

Yan Yuejiu returned alone to the Yan family's old residence.

Grandmother was trimming a pot of blooming jasmine in the courtyard; seeing her granddaughter come, she waved her over to sit.

Yan Yuejiu sat on the small stool beside her and helped pass the tools.

Grandmother trimmed a few branches, then asked her, "How have you and Niannian been lately?"

As Yan Yuejiu's fingertip paused while passing the tools, slightly surprised, she said, "Grandma, you know?"

"Do you think I can't tell? Your matching rings already showed clues; even if you tried to hide them, you didn't hide them well—news has spread all over your parents' side… If I weren't holding back, everyone would be pushing for marriage."

"This is about what she expected; Yan Yuejiu was exposed but not flustered, saying, 'We've only been dating half a year; my parents aren't afraid I'll be deceived, yet they still want to push marriage.'"

Grandmother placed the cut jasmine branches into the basket, her tone satisfied: "This child Niannian has grown up under our watch; his character is upright, he's responsible, knows his limits, treats people thoughtfully and like a gentleman—if you think he's suitable, we have no objections."

Yan Yuejiu smiled and made a gesture of receipt, saying, "Then I'll let him know and ask him to find a time to formally visit."

"Handle it as you see fit."

Returning to her room, Yan Yuejiu immediately called Mu Nian and told him about this.

On the other end of the line came the rustling of clothes being sorted; Mu Nian spoke again, his voice much more serious: "Can I go visit now?"

"Next week; next week my parents will be back."

"Okay."

One week later, Mu Nian prepared a car full of heavy gifts and solemnly went to the Yan family's door.

He has high emotional intelligence; his chats with the Yan family went smoothly, completely winning everyone's approval.

A few days later, Mu Nian again brought Yan Yuejiu to meet the Mu family elders, after which the parents of both families met and eagerly set the engagement banquet.

Afterward, the two continued with their own rhythms.

At the start of July, Mu Nian had just finished discussing an overseas cooperation, leaving a club in the suburbs; the sky had already darkened.

The other party's business is in the shadows; the talks fell through, and they turned hostile faster than flipping a page.

Not long after he got in the car, he noticed two tailing vehicles in the rearview mirror, their license plates completely covered, gripping tightly.

The Special Assistant was on leave at the time; the accompanying driver, an old man who had followed him for years, sensed something off, turned the steering wheel into a narrower side road, hoping to shake off the pursuers.

The result: the end of the side road had been blocked early on by people pretending to do roadwork; the two vehicles were front‑to‑back blocked, and a dozen or so people wielding tools jumped out of their cars and rushed straight for his car door.

Mu Nian remained calm in the crisis, not intending to fight head‑on.

His skills are not bad, but the opposition outnumbers him and clearly aims for his life; getting out to confront them head‑on would be suicide.

He locked the car door, told the driver to contact headquarters immediately, and himself dialed the first phone number.

One of the top hackers he had sponsored in his early years, named Huo Yin, specialized in information tracking and communications interception.

The phone rang once and then hung up.

The second call went through, and Mu Yichi's side successfully received it.

At that moment, Mu Yichi and Mu Yichen were overseas handling a military‑technology leak case, their location only a dozen minutes' drive away.

Mu Yichi arrived first alone, his car parked sideways at the intersection; as he jumped out, the attackers were still surrounding Mu Nian's car, trying to smash the bullet‑proof window.

He acted swiftly, taking down the front few right then; Mu Yichen arrived with local security personnel shortly after, and the rest were subdued with handguns.

In the chaos, Mu Nian accidentally got struck on the back of the head by an iron bar, and his left arm also got cut.

Mu Yichi escorted him to the back seat of the car, quickly administered emergency hemostasis, his expression solemn, saying, "My people will take you to the hospital; don't worry about the aftermath, just focus on recovering—I'll handle it."

The "we" he mentioned refers to the team he and Mu Yichen have, specialized in handling such dirty work.

Mu Nian listened to them and was resting and recovering well.

Mu Yichen and Mu Yichi acted swiftly and decisively, uprooting the line completely within two days, not missing a single person involved, and handed them over to the relevant authorities.

During Mu Nian's recovery, Huo Yin sent him an encrypted safe‑report message each day, and also chatted a few words about market conditions.

He rarely shows his face, being one of the top hackers in the tech circle; years ago, because of a cross‑border internet case, several countries simultaneously put him on the wanted list, after which he vanished without a trace, and he is also an old acquaintance of Mu Yichen and Mu Yichi.

Once Mu Nian asked him if he wanted to come out and work, he replied, "No, I'd die if exposed to light."

Afterwards, Mu Nian had someone leave a sum of money for Huo Yin, who accepted it and added, "Be careful, bro—don't get screwed over later."

At first Mu Nian hid the injury from Yan Yuejiu, but she eventually found out.

Yan Yuejiu didn't call to question him right away; she drove straight to his place, couldn't bear to scold him seeing his condition, and took care of him for several days.

……

About half a month later, Mu Nian thought it wasn't yet a good time to return to C Shi, so he handed over full authority of the headquarters' daily affairs to the Special Assistant and stayed at the branch office to hold down the fort.

During this period, his grandfather called him several times, asking when he would go to Y Guo, as they were already preparing a banquet for Mu Youyu's public identity there; just these few days, and Mu Xi and Mu Xin were there as well.

Mu Nian made an excuse saying he couldn't come, hung up, and leaned back on the sofa to rest his eyes for a while.

Earlier he had said he'd come back, but plans can't keep up with changes; this time, if he goes in that condition, he will surely be exposed to public view, exaggerated by those with ulterior motives, so he can only miss it.

Sigh, nowadays even being a CEO is not easy.

But Mu Nian sat up straight; his sister's public banquet after returning to the country is set for September, and he will not miss it.