Destined Hearts of Mu and Yu (GL) - Chapter 33

“No, no, it’s not sore anymore.” Qin Mu shook her head like a rattle-drum, answering again and again. She was afraid Sister Hanyu would see through her little thoughts and get angry.

“Can you eat on your own now?” Wei Hanyu raised a brow, pretending to ask with concern.

“Yes, I can.” Qin Mu obediently held her bowl, lowering her head like a child who had done something wrong. She poked at the food in her bowl, her bright black eyes peeking over the rim to watch Wei Hanyu’s expression. Seeing that Wei Hanyu didn’t seem angry, her heart finally settled. Watching Wei Hanyu eat slowly and gracefully, Qin Mu’s face flushed red. She quickly straightened her back and copied Wei Hanyu’s posture, trying to eat elegantly too. But the result was clumsy and funny.

Wei Hanyu naturally ate very little and could do so elegantly. But Qin Mu was different. Having grown up in the mountains, she could finish a whole bucket of rice in one day. At her usual pace, her stomach soon began to protest with rumbling noises. Wei Hanyu looked at her, and Qin Mu shyly lowered her head.

“Qin Mu, your stomach is strange. How can it still growl while you’re eating?”

Qin Mu pursed her lips, her face red like a monkey’s, and quickly buried her whole face in the bowl. She began gulping down her food in big bites. Graceful and refined—those were things she couldn’t manage, at least not when eating. Once she was full, Qin Mu leaned back lazily in her chair, thinking life like this was simply too comfortable. She then saw Wei Hanyu take out a brocade pouch and place it on the desk with a soft thud.

“Qin Mu, this is your pay for working in the Library Pavilion for over a month.”

The moment Qin Mu heard the word “pay,” her eyes lit up. She opened the pouch with greedy excitement. Inside—five hundred taels of silver! She quickly lifted her head and said seriously to Wei Hanyu.

“Sister Hanyu, we agreed on two hundred taels a month. This is too much. I can’t take it.”

“It’s what you deserve. Just accept it and don’t lose it.” Wei Hanyu’s eyes were soft like water as she gave Qin Mu a gentle smile.

Qin Mu didn’t refuse again. After all, she truly had no money on her. On her way back, she had seen a beautiful hairpin in the West Market that she wanted to buy for Wei Hanyu, but when she touched her pockets, they were empty. So she accepted the silver. Then she heard Wei Hanyu continue.

“If you can win first place this time, Father will grant you a Scholar’s Mansion in a prime area of the capital. That way, you’ll have a place to settle down in the city.”

When Qin Mu heard this, her eyes widened. A house in the busiest part of the capital—that was worth tens of thousands of gold taels! She’d be rich. But then the thought struck her: if she really did become the top scholar, she would lose her reason to stay here. She wouldn’t be able to live in Biyue Pavilion anymore. She wouldn’t see Wei Hanyu every day. At once, her eyes dimmed with loss.

“The results of the palace exam aren’t decided by my father alone,” Wei Hanyu went on. “There’s also Lu Youwei, Song Liao, and Wei Hai. They’ll make the choice together. When the time comes, you must speak up in the hall, argue with courage, and fight for every chance.” Seeing the worry in Qin Mu’s eyes, she thought Qin Mu was simply lacking confidence.

“Sister Hanyu, do you really want me to win first place so badly?” Qin Mu frowned slightly, staring deeply at her. A hidden sadness stirred in her heart. The truth was, she had never wanted to be an official to achieve something great in court. Her wish was simple—she just wanted to stay close to Wei Hanyu. Living in Biyue Pavilion by her side, her dream was already fulfilled. She didn’t care whether she became the top scholar or not.

“Qin Mu did you forget your promise to me? You said you’d assist Yan Han and help him become a wise ruler.” Wei Hanyu’s eyes softened, her gaze fixed deeply on Qin Mu. Of course she wanted Qin Mu to win. The higher Qin Mu stood in the palace, the harder it would be for others to hurt her.

“Alright, I understand. Don’t worry, Sister Hanyu. I’ll do my best.” Qin Mu gave a radiant smile, but behind that smile was quiet sorrow. She knew that the moment she passed as top scholar would be the moment she left Biyue Pavilion and parted from Wei Hanyu. Reluctance, longing, and emotions surged through her chest. Her nose stung, and her eyes grew red. She turned away, wiping away her tears before Wei Hanyu could notice. When she turned back, she forced another bright smile.

Late at night, the two of them lay on the bed. Wei Hanyu felt Qin Mu holding her tightly, so much that it made her a little breathless. She patted Qin Mu’s hand lightly and asked softly:

“Qin Mu, what’s the matter?” But she felt something damp against her back. Quickly turning around, she saw Qin Mu’s head buried in the blanket. When she tried to pull it away, Qin Mu resisted, not letting her see. Wei Hanyu grew more curious. Reaching under the blanket, she lifted Qin Mu’s chin. As Qin Mu raised her face, Wei Hanyu saw her eyes swollen red, her nose pink, tears staining her cheeks.

“Why are you crying?” Wei Hanyu’s heart was jolted. She raised her sleeve and gently wiped Qin Mu’s tears. But Qin Mu suddenly threw her arms around her in a rush, hugging her tightly. Wei Hanyu’s chest tightened, her body stiffened. Luckily, the candle was already out—otherwise Qin Mu would have seen her flushed face.

Feeling that Qin Mu only wanted to hold her, burying her face in her neck and sobbing, Wei Hanyu’s heart melted. She patted Qin Mu’s back to soothe her and asked gently.

“Qin Mu, have you been away from home too long? Do you miss your family?”

“No.” Qin Mu raised her head, looked at Wei Hanyu, and said.

“Then why are you crying?” Wei Hanyu brushed the tears from her eyes, stroked her hair, and asked softly.

“I don’t want to leave you.” Qin Mu bit her lip, her dark eyes staring deeply into Wei Hanyu’s.

The words struck Wei Hanyu’s heart like a heavy blow, leaving her speechless for a long time. Qin Mu pouted, looking at her with pitiful eyes, waiting for her answer. Wei Hanyu smiled faintly and said gently.

“Foolish girl, how could I ever leave you?”

“If that’s true, then good.” Qin Mu hugged her tightly again, greedily breathing in her scent, unwilling to let go.

Wei Hanyu felt her body burning under Qin Mu’s embrace. She didn’t dare resist, afraid her actions would hurt the girl’s fragile heart. For all her bold and careless ways, Qin Mu carried a heart that could shatter with a single touch.

“Sister Hanyu.” Qin Mu’s voice changed as she called her name again.

Wei Hanyu softly hummed in reply, still patting her back. She wondered what Qin Mu was about to say.

“I… I want to kiss you.” In the darkness, Qin Mu’s eyes shone like the stars as she gazed deeply at Wei Hanyu’s breathtaking face.

Wei Hanyu froze. The hand that had been patting Qin Mu’s back stopped. Her usually calm face showed rare astonishment.