I Am Her Secret Beauty - Chapter 39

Nan Xi woke up and went to see Mu Xi after rousing. She found Mu Xi was also awake, though with eyes closed and eyelashes trembling, apparently playing dead.

Letting her gaze drift downward a bit more, beneath the veil of black hair, Mu Xi’s skin was pale as snow, with faint traces of red marks left proudly by Nan Xi herself.

Fortunately, Mu Xi usually wore suits, all covered up, so there was no fear of anything inappropriate being exposed.

Nan Xi brought her breath close to Mu Xi’s ear and whispered:

“Just a couple of licks, is that really worth being so shy about?”

“!!!”

Mu Xi abruptly leaped up from the bed and dashed into the bathroom. Nan Xi didn’t get a clear look at her expression.

But she could probably guess what it was like.

Nan Xi smiled delightedly, recalling how just a few hours earlier, Mu Xi’s hair had trembled, yet she’d stubbornly insisted on marking Nan Xi’s gland. Were those damp corners of her eyes from crying in pleasure? So adorable.

She walked over to the bathroom door where Mu Xi was hiding and called inside, “Well, I’ll head off now. If I go back too late, someone might see me. See you tonight.”

On the other side of the door, Mu Xi sat on the toilet with her face in her hands and weakly acknowledged the words.

Yes, they would indeed meet again… after all, that’s just how heat cycles were, and there wasn’t much she could do about it…

Nan Xi had woken up right on schedule, at five in the morning. Nan Nan, the only one left in the Nan household, was surely still sleeping like a log. She could return to her room and catch a little more sleep.

However, she’d been lucky both times she’d secretly met with Mu Xi that Nan Zhiya wasn’t home. Tonight, with Nan Zhiya around, they’d have to figure out how to manage things again.

Nan Xi was very mindful of her health during her heat cycle, especially since she’d relied on suppressants for the first five years. Now that she’d tasted something better, how could she easily give it up?

After waking from her extra sleep, Nan Xi finished washing up and went downstairs as usual. On the way, she saw a message from Du Sha on her phone saying she had already left the hotel.

At breakfast, Nan Zhiya and Guan Yan had returned, and along with Nan Nan, the four of them sat together at the dining table.

Of course, standing behind Nan Zhiya was Mu Xi, eyes lowered and obedient.

The moment Nan Zhiya spoke, it nearly made Nan Xi spit out the milk she’d just sipped:

“How was last night?”

Mu Xi’s eyelids twitched, while Nan Xi unhurriedly swallowed the piece of bread in her mouth and offered a tight-lipped smile to Nan Zhiya. “Not bad, Mother.”

The other two, unaware of the context, quickly grasped what was going on. Guan Yan wiped his lips with a napkin, expressionless, and Nan Nan looked at Nan Xi in surprise, but neither spoke.

Nan Zhiya was puzzled by Nan Xi’s lukewarm attitude, frowning in confusion.

She sensed a hint of hostility from her younger daughter, an emotion that made her uncomfortable and was something she had always hoped to avoid among family members.

“What’s wrong, Nan Xi?” Nan Zhiya asked directly, as she had no reason to hold back.

“Mother, I appreciate your intentions, but from now on, I’d prefer it if you didn’t interfere in my life without my consent.”

Nan Xi met her gaze, her tone remarkably calm.

She said, “This time, I happened to meet someone wonderful, so there weren’t any negative consequences. But Mother, this approach still doesn’t sit well with me. I feel disrespected, as if I’m just a puppet being manipulated by you.”

Nan Zhiya stared at her in astonishment, her pupils slightly dilated as if she hadn’t expected Nan Xi to speak to her this way.

In truth, no one had ever spoken to her like this before. Even when she had intervened in Nan Lian’s relationship years ago, ultimately leading to tragedy, Nan Lian had never uttered a single word of rebuttal.

But after that, Nan Lian had distanced herself considerably, Nan Zhiya could clearly see it.

While she firmly believed she had done the right thing, she still felt pained by Nan Lian’s withdrawal. Every time she wanted to ask about it, Nan Lian had already slipped away.

The first person in the family to defy her was Nan Xi, the weakest and most fragile among them.

Mu Xi gazed at Nan Xi from behind Nan Zhiya, her hands unconsciously curling into fists at her sides.

She feared Nan Zhiya might erupt in anger, leading to some form of punishment for Nan Xi.

After all, Nan Zhiya never showed leniency toward her subordinates, always enforcing strict control. As one of her staff, Mu Xi knew this all too well.

Most importantly… Nan Xi hadn’t mentioned anything about confronting Nan Zhiya to her beforehand. Mu Xi had no idea what she planned to say or do, leaving her anxious and unsettled.

But then again, this was truly a matter between mother and daughter. There was no need for Nan Xi to inform her in advance.

Nan Xi’s gaze didn’t meet hers; instead, she maintained a silent standoff with Nan Zhiya.

At some point, everyone at the dining table had stopped eating breakfast.

“Is that… so?” Nan Zhiya forced a slight curve of her lips, though it could hardly be called a smile. She tried to defend herself, “But Nan Xi, relying on inhibitors all the time isn’t good for your health. I just want you to understand that addressing natural physical needs is nothing to be ashamed of. If you’re unwilling, you could always talk to me…”

She softened her tone as much as possible, trying to appear approachable.

But she didn’t realize that, after years of holding a high position and giving orders, she had long grown unaccustomed to such a tone. Her words came out stiff and unnatural.

Guan Yan chimed in softly from the side, “Nan Xi, don’t upset Mom.”

“No, that’s not it. I haven’t seen any room for refusal,” Nan Xi disagreed, turning to Guan Yan. “Mom isn’t afraid of being upset, she’s afraid we don’t understand. That’s why I’m communicating with her.”

Even when facing Guan Yan, Nan Xi held her chin high without backing down, while Guan Yan averted her gaze.

She meant every word. It was because she believed Nan Zhiya loved her and was willing to listen that she decided to lay everything out clearly.

Otherwise, for someone she disliked, Nan Xi wouldn’t spare a glance or a word.

Sure enough, Nan Zhiya stroked Guan Yan’s hair soothingly and showed no sign of anger. “That’s true. Go on.”

“The pressure you put on Butler Mu ultimately falls on me,” Nan Xi’s voice was slightly deeper than usual. “I can’t refuse you, just like Butler Mu can’t refuse you. But Mom, I also can’t accept all your kindness. I didn’t make it clear before, but the truth is, I never agreed with this arrangement.”

“Is it because of that person from five years ago?”

Mu Xi’s eyelid twitched again.

Strange… she wasn’t that person, yet she felt a pang of guilt on someone else’s behalf.

“It has nothing to do with her. Whether she’s here or not, I don’t want to do this. “Nan Xi shook her head gently. “I don’t think it’s shameful to address my physical needs, I just don’t like it. I don’t like suppressants either, but I dislike unfamiliar strangers even more.”

“…”

Since she had already started, Nan Xi decided to say everything she wanted to in one go: “There are times when we don’t agree with Mom’s way of raising us, but out of respect for her, we never spoke up. In truth, we already have our own wishes. Mom doesn’t need to make decisions and take responsibility for everything. Even if we end up paying a price, we can accept it and bear the consequences.”

Nan Zhiya fell into a long silence after hearing Nan Xi’s words.

Mu Xi, standing behind her, couldn’t see Nan Zhiya’s expression, only her slightly lowered head and the sudden slump in her posture, as if her support had vanished. Mu Xi didn’t know whether something inside her was collapsing, but the prolonged silence spoke volumes.

She must be turning Nan Xi’s words over and over in her mind, if she was willing to communicate at all.

But whether those words would break her heart or bring her clarity, only she herself would know.

After a long while, Nan Zhiya finally lifted her head, but instead of speaking to Nan Xi, she turned to Nan Nan:

“Do you feel the same way?”

The usually carefree and oblivious Nan Nan sat quietly at the dining table. Knowing he had been addressed, he didn’t dare speak but nodded silently.

“…Then I know Nan Lian must feel the same way.”

Thinking of Nan Lian, Nan Zhiya closed her eyes in distress. Though they had many professional interactions, it always felt as if there was a clear boundary between them, something that wouldn’t happen without deliberate effort.

She covered her face with one hand, her voice weary and weak: “There aren’t that many endless business trips or meetings. She just doesn’t want to come home, maybe she doesn’t want to see me either.”

Nan Zhiya’s tone finally softened as she had wished, but this time, it wasn’t the result of any effort, it was simply because she was exhausted from the turmoil of unnamed emotions.

“The day’s plan is made in the morning.” Since starting work at the Nan family company, Nan Zhiya had never allowed herself to slack off in the mornings. Today was the first time.

She still covered her eyes: “I know I was wrong. I’m sorry, Nan Xi, Nan Nan. Call your sister and ask her to come home tonight. I have something to say to her too.”

“From now on, I won’t impose my own ideas on you anymore. Nan Xi, send that Alpha away.”

“Well, that’s not necessary,” Nan Xi said slowly. “I’m quite satisfied with her.”

There was no need to overcorrect.

Nan Zhiya had no energy to ponder whether there was any deeper meaning in Nan Xi’s words. She felt she might have made some grave mistakes and couldn’t face anyone at the table.

She stood up, refusing Mu Xi’s help as she left the dining table. Guan Yan quickly followed, whispering words of comfort.

Watching their retreating figures, Mu Xi thought to herself that Guan Yan had her own share of problems, it was just that Nan Zhiya’s towering presence attracted too much attention, so no one had noticed it yet.

After Nan Zhiya left, the atmosphere at the table relaxed considerably between the two remaining people. Nan Xi raised her glass and downed all the milk in one go, then called out contentedly to Mu Xi, “Butler Mu, I’d like another cup.”

Mu Xi walked over to take the glass from her hand, and Nan Xi’s pinky lightly brushed against her palm, sending a ticklish sensation through her.

Nan Nan, of course, noticed nothing.

At that moment, Nan Nan was filled with admiration for Nan Xi and had no attention to spare for anything else. His eyes practically sparkled as he looked at her. “You’re so brave.”

Nan Xi tilted her head back and laughed. “Envious?”

“Of course, I am. At the very least, I’d never dare.” This time, Nan Nan had no desire to bicker with Nan Xi. Instead, he continued eating his breakfast with genuine respect. “This is great. Our lives should be much easier from now on.”

Nan Nan was as stubborn as an iron tree that refused to bloom, and Nan Zhiya’s pressure on him was mainly focused on work. However, his mind truly wasn’t as sharp as his sisters’, and expecting him to be as capable as Nan Lian was like trying to force an iron tree to blossom.

He stretched out lazily, as if trying to shake off all his previous worries. “Yay! Well, then, you should be the one to call Sister. Since you’re doing a good deed, you might as well see it through.”

“Okay.” Nan Xi didn’t refuse. “I do have more in common with her to talk about.”

Nan Nan also finished his milk and left the table. By the time Mu Xi returned, only Nan Xi remained.

Mu Xi glanced around, no one else was there. No wonder Nan Xi was looking at her with that slightly mischievous glint in her eyes.

“How was it?”

Nan Xi lifted her face, looking at Mu Xi expectantly, seeking praise.

Mu Xi set down the milk glass and, as Nan Xi wished, began to praise her. “Very brave, and very clever.”

“Good, good, good.” Nan Xi wagged her tail proudly. “So, how will you reward me?”

Heh.

Should she say it? Mu Xi had long anticipated being teased like this.

Perhaps it was because she had spent too much time with Nan Xi, but even she had become a little less proper. Faced with such a question now, she could respond calmly, “Hmm, whatever reward you want is fine.”

“Really?” Nan Xi immediately sat up straight, grabbing the sleeve of Mu Xi’s suit jacket and babbling excitedly, “Then I’ll book a room tonight, and we can go try it out. But not the same room as yesterday, it gives me the creeps. I thought the bed in this hotel was really comfortable yesterday, and I’d love to try it out with you. You should eat plenty of nourishing food during the day to build up your strength. It’ll be tough on you.”