Chapter 32: The Gentlest Moments Are When We Lower Our Heads

“What’s the matter?”

Xiao Yu looked puzzled upon seeing Mu Qingwu’s flushed face directed at him. She was the kind of woman he didn’t dare to defile even in bed, even in thought. But her current gaze seemed like she had some designs on him.

As a young man out in the world on his own, it was crucial to safeguard oneself. The key point was to not don’t become the object of a woman’s craving.

“It’s nothing.”

Suppressing the turmoil within, Mu Qingwu’s demeanor was cool, her tone detached, but her slightly faltered speech gave her away, “You should rest.”

With that, she stood up and headed towards the bedroom on the villa’s second floor.

‘What’s her deal? It doesn’t seem like her usual self,’ Xiao Yu frowned, sensing an odd shift in Mu Qingwu’s mood.

Following her upstairs, he asked, “Sister, where should I sleep tonight?”

The last time he had drunkenly shared a bed with Mu Qingwu, circumstances were different. Now that they were sober, he doubted she would entertain the idea again, even if he was open to it.

“There are many rooms.”

Mu Qingwu, her heart pounding erratically, struggled to mask her turbulent emotions. Her typically composed and aloof visage betrayed intense inner conflict, “You can use my room to wash up first.”

“Oh.”

Without overthinking, Xiao Yu returned to the master bedroom with Mu Qingwu and entered the en-suite bathroom.

The sound of water from the bathroom sent Mu Qingwu into a flurry of panic and confusion, her cheeks flushing. She stood up and retrieved the men’s pajamas she had bought during a shopping trip with her mother and mother-in-law that day.

Approaching the bathroom door, she hesitated, debating whether to knock.

Then…

“Sister, I don’t seem to have any clothes to change.”

Hearing Xiao Yu’s voice, Mu Qingwu let out a sigh of relief, “I’ve bought you some.”

“Thanks.”

The door opened, and Xiao Yu reached out to take the pajamas. The bath washed away much of his fatigue.

Stepping out of the bathroom, he saw Mu Qingwu leaning against the headboard, browsing on her tablet. Casually, Xiao Yu asked, “What are you looking at?”

“Company report,” Mu Qingwu laid down the tablet.

“I’m off to sleep,” Xiao Yu announced, leaving the room.

Watching his retreating figure, Mu Qingwu exhaled in relief. She had feared Xiao Yu insisting on staying to sleep, unsure how she would react. Yet, once the immediate anxiety subsided, a whisper of loneliness and disappointment crept into her heart.

‘What’s happening to me?’ Mu Qingwu pondered, lost in thought.

Xiao Yu, having settled into a guest room, prepared for a night’s rest, oblivious to the dramas unfolding within Mu Qingwu’s heart. Drained, he fell asleep quickly, awakening only with the morning’s first light.

Upon opening his eyes, the bedroom was bathed in the soft glow of dawn. Each morning, Xiao Yu felt a deep sense of gratitude for another beautiful day granted to him, cherishing every day since his transmigration.

Faced with the mundane dilemma of the morning shower routine, Xiao Yu found himself at a minor impasse. Exiting his room with a slight headache, he hesitated outside the master bedroom before deciding to enter.

Coincidentally, Mu Qingwu was just waking up. Lazily stretching, her thick blanket slid off, revealing her in a light nightgown that hugged her figure, accentuating the graceful curve of her neck. Her disheveled hair framed her exquisite features, and she yawned, covering her mouth with a dainty hand.

Xiao Yu watched, captivated by Mu Qingwu’s effortless charm. 

Girls are inherently delicate, blossoming into radiant beauty with age.

Mu Qingwu’s gaze towards Xiao Yu was icy, her stunning visage veiled in coldness and anger, the type not easily appeased.

“Uh!” Xiao Yu let out an awkward chuckle, “Sister, I just needed to freshen up.”

“Oh.” Mu Qingwu nodded, her face shifting from clouded to clear, “Go ahead.”

She realized she had misunderstood and recognized that her brother wasn’t there to spy.

Once Xiao Yu had finished freshening up and walked out, Mu Qingwu considered the need to purchase a set of personal toiletries for him, realizing the current arrangement was impractical.

In the hall, Xiao Yu noticed there was still time before work started and, feeling a bit hungry, decided to prepare a simple breakfast in the kitchen–porridge, eggs, and a couple of appetizing side dishes. As he served the meal, Mu Qingwu coincidentally arrived in the hall.

“Breakfast’s ready,” Xiao Yu gestured to Mu Qingwu to join him.

Mu Qingwu approached and glanced at the modest breakfast laid out on the table. Ever since she took over her father’s business, mornings without breakfast had become her norm.

The unassuming meal felt comforting, warming her from the inside. A gentle light gleamed in her eyes, unconsciously softening her gaze.

Catching her brother’s look, Mu Qingwu also glanced his way before shyly lowering her gaze.

The most tender moments are often found in such simple gestures, akin to a water lotus trembling shyly in the cool breeze.

As Xiao Yu stepped out of the villa, his mind was filled with questions. Since last night, he sensed a change in Mu Qingwu’s demeanor. She seemed less aloof.

How should one describe it? 

It was as though she suddenly transformed into a docile lamb. But it’s well-known that the seemingly meek lamb is often the most dangerous.

***

Xiao Yu took a taxi directly to the Criminal Investigation Detachment. There was no need for him to check in with his team since his temporary transfer to the special task force was common knowledge.

Upon arriving at the detachment, Niu Peng and the rest gradually showed up. The team immediately headed to the community where the victim lived, focusing their investigation on the three newly identified suspects.

The young woman was quickly cleared of suspicion. The middle-aged man was next to be cleared. Finally, the groundskeeper, after thorough interrogation and investigation, was also found to have no ties to the crime.

This meant the crime was committed by an individual. But how were the murder tools smuggled in?

Sitting in the victim’s house that afternoon, Xiao Yu fixated on the gruesome painting on the wall. 

‘Why must you force me to resort to unconventional methods to defeat you?’

Lifting his gaze, Xiao Yu’s handsome features turned frosty, his eyes gleaming with a bone-chilling brilliance. His mind shifted into high gear.

‘What… I was the murderer?’