I Am Her Secret Beauty - Chapter 15

Nan Xi was exceptionally skilled at twisting her words.

Like now, for instance. Mu Xi had merely asked about the return time even if Nan Xi genuinely stayed out all night, it certainly wouldn’t have anything to do with her.

But the way Nan Xi phrased it made it sound as though…

As though they were spending the night together.

Naturally, Mu Xi wouldn’t allow Nan Xi to casually joke about her career like this, so she quickly deflected with a tactful reinterpretation:

“Of course, dining with the professor is an important social engagement for the young miss. It absolutely cannot be considered a waste of time.”

Nan Xi frowned slightly at this, but since she knew Mu Xi had understood her meaning, she didn’t bother correcting her.

Instead, she swung her legs idly, waiting for Mu Xi to hurriedly wrap up her urgent work, just to make time to drive her to this last-minute dinner.

And Mu Xi had even promised to wait in the car the entire time.

But Nan Xi wouldn’t easily trust this liar. What if she vanished again for another five years?

So even after getting in the car, Nan Xi kept her eyes fixed on Mu Xi. Before the stare could make Mu Xi’s spine crawl, she finally spoke: “You have to stay in the car the whole time, Butler Mu. I get stomachaches easily after eating, and I’m a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. There might be all sorts of problems, you need to be on standby.”

“I understand, young miss.” Mu Xi swiftly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I’ll remain in the car, ready at any moment.”

“Mm.”

Nan Xi fell silent, turning her gaze to the bright city lights outside.

Partly because she enjoyed the view, and partly to stave off carsickness.

Their destination was about half an hour’s drive from the Nan residence. Mu Xi drove carefully the entire way, strictly obeying traffic rules.

But when the car finally stopped, Nan Xi remained seated, unmoving, still watching Mu Xi through the rearview mirror as if unaware they had arrived.

Mu Xi had no choice but to remind her: “Young miss, we’ve arrived.”

That stare was… unsettling. It wasn’t exactly possessive, but Mu Xi could sense a deep unease radiating from Nan Xi.

Nan Xi held her gaze for a while longer before slowly pulling out her phone and making a call. “Professor, it’s me. Yes, yes. Could you come downstairs to escort me up? I’m not entirely sure of the way.”

Mu Xi heard the enthusiastic agreement on the other end, the professor would come down immediately and asked Nan Xi to wait just a moment.

The two sat in silence for about two minutes.

Then, abruptly, Nan Xi spoke again: “Butler Mu, could you walk with me for a bit?”

“Young miss, are you feeling unwell?” Mu Xi tensed instantly, turning to look at her with concern. “If you’re not feeling well, there’s no need to force yourself to attend.”

Nan Xi stared at her.

Now, without the barrier of the rearview mirror, their eyes met directly. The undisguised urgency on Mu Xi’s face pleased her immensely.

She smiled. “No, it’s not that. I’m just… a little afraid of the dark.”

In truth, the streetlights outside were more than bright enough.

But if the young miss said she was afraid of the dark…

Mu Xi had no choice. She immediately stepped out of the car, opened the door for Nan Xi, and even raised a hand to shield her head as she exited.

Fortunately, she had protected her in time, and as Nan Xi got out of the car, the top of her head lightly brushed against Mu Xi’s palm. Without that hand, Nan Xi’s head would have hit the car and might have been injured.

The sensation of her fine, slightly fluffy hair transmitted through the thin layer of Mu Xi’s gloves.

Coincidentally, just as Nan Xi and Mu Xi stepped out of the car, Professor Yu Yacheng also arrived, and the three of them met outside the vehicle.

Yu Yacheng looked delighted. He took Nan Xi by the arm and immediately launched into conversation, telling her about the current status of her former classmates while walking forward.

Nan Xi gently applied some force to stop Yu Yacheng from continuing forward. “Professor, I need to say a few words to my butler.”

“Oh, so this is Nan Xi’s butler,” Yu Yacheng said, having noticed Mu Xi earlier. He had glanced at her casually and thought she looked quite impressive, but then became completely absorbed in the joy of reuniting with his student.

“That’s right.”

Nan Xi extended her other arm, the one not held by Yu Yacheng, and pulled Mu Xi slightly toward the streetlight, though not too much, to prevent her face from being obscured by shadows. “I’ll go with the professor now. Wait for me in the car.”

“Yes,” Mu Xi replied, smiling politely at Yu Yacheng before obediently returning to the car.

As the car door closed, Nan Xi and Yu Yacheng continued toward the opulent restaurant ahead.

Nan Xi spoke up, “Professor, what do you think of my butler’s appearance?”

“Appearance?” Yu Yacheng raised an eyebrow in confusion, then gave Nan Xi a knowing, teasing wink. “She’s a particularly striking young woman, elegant yet spirited, and she seems like a good person. At first, I thought she might be your girlfriend, here to drop you off.”

As she listened, Nan Xi’s smile faded slightly.

She lowered her head to hide her disappointment and quickly changed the subject, mentioning the senior classmate Yu Yacheng had just brought up. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

Yu Yacheng, still in high spirits, didn’t notice anything amiss. He led Nan Xi all the way to a large private room upstairs, where all the members of the lab were waiting.

“She’s here! Let me introduce everyone, this is Nan Xi, your junior or senior. She may be young, but she’s already a returned Ph.D. and will soon be joining our team. Let’s give her a warm welcome!”

The room erupted in applause. Most of them were warm and outgoing, immediately surrounding Nan Xi with questions and small talk. Some even directly asked if her mother was Nan Zhiya, which Yu Yacheng laughingly scolded them for.

“Alright, enough of your nonsense!” Yu Yacheng seated Nan Xi beside him. “If you’re curious, you’ll find out soon enough while working together. Don’t scare her off.”

Nan Xi smiled as she took her seat, and the others reluctantly returned to their places, though their eyes still flickered toward her and her attire, searching for clues.

Feeling somewhat bored as Yu Yacheng passionately lectured beside her, Nan Xi picked up her phone to check messages.

Then, the back of her hand was lightly touched.

A woman around her age leaned in. “Nan Xi, do you remember me?”

“Senior?” Nan Xi looked at her, eyes widening in surprise. She hadn’t expected to see Senior Xiao Tong here. “Are you also doing research with Professor Yu?”

“I’m currently a graduate student under the professor’s supervision, hehe.” Tong An’an scratched her head. “But you… I really didn’t expect to see you again. I thought you’d stay abroad or just go home to inherit the family business.”

Nan Xi shook her head.

She had no interest in the family business, nor was she particularly talented in commerce. Her older sister was clearly more suited for that role.

However, running into someone she knew, other than Yu Yacheng, lifted Nan Xi’s spirits a little.

Just a little.

Yu Yacheng had reserved a large traditional Chinese round table, and the group crowded around it noisily as the waitstaff quickly began serving dishes.

Under the pretense of welcoming Nan Xi, Yu Yacheng had also treated her graduate students to a good meal, and everyone was in high spirits.

Only Nan Xi seemed out of sorts, keeping her head down and barely touching her chopsticks, her expression distant and gloomy.

When Tong An’an asked why she wasn’t eating, Nan Xi simply said she’d already eaten at home.

In truth, she had deliberately skipped dinner earlier to prepare for this gathering with the professor.

Nan Xi was preoccupied with one thought, turning it over and over in her mind.

Why didn’t Yu Yacheng remember Mu Xi?

Back at A University, neither Nan Xi nor Mu Xi had a wide social circle, and few people knew they were together. Five years later, most of those who had known had graduated and left, but Yu Yacheng hadn’t.

Mu Xi had accompanied Nan Xi to class several times, and Yu Yacheng had seen her more than once, she should have remembered.

…Or had she really forgotten?

The thought unsettled Nan Xi. Deep down, she knew it was normal for Yu Yacheng not to remember Mu Xi, but it still felt as though she was the only one left in the world who remembered their past.

It was a terrible feeling.

As if both she and Mu Xi had been abandoned by the world.

The Nan family had never met Mu Xi. They only knew Nan Xi had been in a relationship in college and had her heart broken.

Nan Xi had stubbornly refused to reveal Mu Xi’s name, otherwise, given Nan Zhiya’s temperament, she might never have been allowed to see Mu Xi again.

Only a handful of professors and classmates from university knew they had once been in love. And now, even the professor didn’t remember.

Tong An’an watched Nan Xi with concern.

“Nan Xi, are you feeling unwell?”

Half an hour later, as Nan Xi’s face sank lower and lower, Tong An’an finally couldn’t hold back her question.

Yu Yacheng also noticed the exchange between the two. “What’s wrong? I remember Nan Xi’s health has always been a bit fragile, is something bothering you?”

Nan Xi took a deep breath and forced a smile.

“No, it’s not that.” She covered her lips with a light laugh, feigning embarrassment. “It’s just… I don’t know anyone here, so I’m not sure what to do.”

Her introverted nature and difficulty with words were something both of them knew well.

Neither suspected anything, simply reassuring her not to worry, everyone was friendly, and she’d get used to it soon.

Nan Xi nodded repeatedly and even managed to exchange a few words with the guy next to Tong An’an to put them at ease.

However, when someone suggested going out somewhere else after dinner, Yu Yacheng immediately declined on Nan Xi’s behalf.

“You all can go if you want, but Nan Xi won’t be joining.” Yu Yacheng shot the guy a glare. “She just got back from abroad and hasn’t adjusted to the time difference yet. And don’t stay out too late… if anyone oversleeps tomorrow, don’t blame me for calling you one by one to wake you up.”

Not only had Nan Xi just returned from abroad, but she had also already experienced a short trip and attended a funeral.

Yet she said nothing, merely lowering her head to hide a secret smile as she waited for it all to end so she could go downstairs to find Mu Xi.

She wasn’t about to linger and socialize, Mu Xi had been waiting for her long enough.

Nan Xi walked downstairs with Tong An’an, who insisted on seeing what kind of car the Nan family heiress drove. She followed Nan Xi to her vehicle.

Tong An’an clicked her tongue in admiration. “Looks expensive. Feels like selling ten of me wouldn’t be enough to afford it…”

Nan Xi reassured her, “You’ll get there someday.”

As they chatted, Mu Xi spotted them from inside the car.

For the hour or so that Nan Xi had been at the gathering, Mu Xi had been sitting in the car scrolling through her phone. Contrary to Nan Xi’s assumption that Mu Xi was miserable, Mu Xi actually considered this a rare opportunity for paid leisure, something to be cherished.

Having indulged to her heart’s content, Mu Xi stepped out of the car with a brighter smile and walked toward Nan Xi.

“Young Miss, you-”

The syllables had barely left her lips, not yet forming a complete sentence, when Mu Xi heard the woman beside Nan Xi let out a horrified shriek.

Tong An’an stared at Mu Xi as if she’d seen a ghost, eyes wide and unblinking for a long moment before she turned to Nan Xi in shock and asked,

“You two got back together? Since when?”