I Am Her Secret Beauty - Chapter 63

Nan Xi wondered if she was still dreaming.

But she couldn’t possibly conjure up such an enthralling dream herself.

What in the world was all that? Though it did convey affection and perfectly described their relationship…

No matter how she thought about it, it felt incredibly strange, just too bizarre.

She had never heard such sweet talk before.

Nan Xi raised her hand and patted her cheek, clearly feeling the sting travel through her skin to her brain, confirming she wasn’t dreaming.

Which meant that Mu Xi had been waiting for her to wake up, eagerly wanting to tell her that line of sweet talk, her eyes brimming with pride as if hoping for Nan Xi’s praise.

Nan Xi stared at her, and she kept smiling.

In the silent atmosphere of their locked gazes, Nan Xi slowly moved her hand to the corner of her eye, making sure there were no unsightly secretions there.

Then came the crucial next step.

Nan Xi felt she should also take some courses on topics like family relationships; otherwise, it might be a bit difficult to accurately convey her appreciation to Mu Xi in such a situation.

…Forget it, she really wasn’t good at this.

Nan Xi: “Thank you?”

Her stunned reaction from being ambushed by such bizarre sweet talk the moment she opened her eyes was interpreted by Mu Xi as being deeply moved by her affection.

What a shy, innocent, subconscious response, her eyes were almost welling up with tears. If it wasn’t moved, no other word could describe her state.

It definitely wasn’t drowsiness.

“How long did you think about it? When did you wake up?” Nan Xi followed up.

“I haven’t slept yet,” Mu Xi told her earnestly and shyly. “After coming up with it, I didn’t want to sleep anymore. I wanted to tell you as soon as possible.”

…What?

She hadn’t slept all night?

Hearing this, Nan Xi was first shocked, then quickly turned to self-reproach.

If that was the case, then her earlier, almost dismissive reaction was completely unworthy of Mu Xi’s all-night sincerity.

Before Mu Xi could notice anything amiss, Nan Xi exaggeratedly stretched both arms out from under the covers, cupped Mu Xi’s cheeks, and lifted her own face to plant a firm kiss on Mu Xi’s lips.

She cooed sweetly, “You thought about it for so long! No wonder it came out so perfectly, I really love you, Mu Xi!”

Mu Xi’s face quickly flushed red, but the joy from Nan Xi’s praise was unmistakable in her eyes.

She swung her long legs as if to get out of bed, startling Nan Xi, who immediately grabbed her:

“Where are you going?”

“The bathroom,” Mu Xi replied, puzzled. “I’ll go freshen up first. Aren’t you getting up too?”

“No, no, no, no, you lie down.” Nan Xi had to wriggle out from under the covers to push Mu Xi back onto the bed.

For the first time, Nan Xi was pushing Mu Xi down onto the bed with entirely pure intentions.

Her movements were even exceptionally gentle, carefully watching Mu Xi’s every move, afraid she might bump or hurt herself.

“You haven’t slept all night, and you still want to get up?” Nan Xi couldn’t bring herself to scold her loudly, so she muttered softly, “Hurry up and sleep. You must be exhausted. We don’t have anything to do today anyway, you definitely need to catch up on sleep.”

Mu Xi obediently slipped under the covers, her eyes peeking out, blinking at Nan Xi. “But I’m not tired. The process of thinking was really joyful too.”

Nan Xi smiled as she tucked the blanket around her, then got out of bed to wash up.

She believed Mu Xi wasn’t tired.

But she also believed that sleep was especially important for someone whose brain wasn’t in the best condition.

Since it was a short trip, Nan Xi hadn’t brought many skincare products. After about ten minutes of running water, she stepped out of the bathroom and returned to the room, only to find Mu Xi still lying in bed with her eyes wide open.

The curtains were drawn tightly, blocking out even a sliver of light, and Mu Xi’s eyes were the brightest presence in the darkness.

Nan Xi sighed helplessly and walked over to her. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

“I can’t sleep.”

That was what Mu Xi told her, her gaze fixed on Nan Xi without so much as a blink.

She couldn’t quite explain it herself, whether it was because yesterday’s events had left too deep an impression or because being with Nan Xi made her too happy. But whenever she closed her eyes, her mind remained clear and alert, with not a trace of drowsiness.

Nan Xi had already ordered breakfast from the hotel, but now it seemed she could ask them to deliver it a little later.

She needed to coax Mu Xi to sleep before she could leave the room for breakfast.

She lifted the blanket and noticed Mu Xi’s hands, hidden beneath it, tightly clasped together, a clear sign of her restlessness.

Nan Xi lay down beside Mu Xi, tucked the blanket around her once more, gently separated her intertwined hands, and held one of them in her own:

“I’ll stay with you. Sleep now.”

Mu Xi looked up at her. “Actually, I’m not very good at sweet talk, am I?”

“Silly,” Nan Xi closed her eyes and softly chided her. “I don’t like smooth-talking experts. I prefer someone like you, who’s awkward with words.”

Mu Xi turned her head to look at her, noticing that Nan Xi had already closed her eyes as if ready to sleep, so she closed her own eyes as well.

With someone beside her, Mu Xi soon felt drowsiness wash over her. After such an exhausting day of travel and emotional turmoil, it was no surprise she was tired. She fell asleep quickly, proving that her earlier claim of sleeplessness wasn’t entirely true. Perhaps she had just wanted Nan Xi to stay with her.

Half an hour later, Nan Xi carefully tried to withdraw her hand from Mu Xi’s grasp.

The attempt went smoothly, Mu Xi was already fast asleep.

Relieved, Nan Xi got up from the bed and stood by the bedside, gazing at Mu Xi. Waves of boundless affection surged in her heart and mind, eventually culminating in a light, sincere kiss on Mu Xi’s forehead, gentle as a dragonfly skimming the water, yet filled with genuine emotion.

Nan Xi threw on her coat and stepped out of the bedroom.

The timing should be just about right.

Just then, a soft murmur of voices reached her ears. Nan Xi had specifically instructed the hotel staff not to ring the doorbell or knock, but to quietly notify her at the door instead.

She opened the door to find a round-faced staff member pushing a small breakfast cart, delivering Nan Xi’s meal to the entrance.

Nan Xi took the breakfast from her but didn’t rush to let her leave. Instead, she asked lazily:

“Last night, it was quite noisy outside. What happened?”

Since she didn’t dare ask Nan Lian directly, she decided to probe for information elsewhere.

The round-faced staff member’s expression tightened, and she immediately lowered her head. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we’re not at liberty to disclose guests’ privacy.”

“Oh, come now, how could that be considered privacy?” Nan Xi pulled out her wallet, estimated a sum, and slipped a stack of bills into the other’s hand. “What happened in a public space? surely, as a guest, I have the right to know? Otherwise, it’s hard to feel completely at ease with your hotel.”

The staff member remained silent and didn’t react to the money, seemingly hesitating.

Nan Xi suppressed her inner unease and feigned the impatience of a seasoned guest, tapping her foot twice. “Weren’t there loud noises last night? Right in the hallway, probably not far from our room? I just need to confirm it has nothing to do with me and won’t endanger our safety.”

“…Of course, ma’am.” The attendant cautiously glanced toward a certain door. “There’s no need to worry too much. Last night, some guests were just… handling matters. The troublemaker has already been taken to the hospital, and the bloodstains were cleaned overnight. It won’t affect your stay.”

“Blood?”

Assuming Nan Xi was merely curious rather than frightened, the attendant nodded. “Yes, perhaps someone fell during a scuffle. Nothing violent occurred, so please rest assured.”

After saying this, she tucked the money into her uniform pocket and quickly wheeled the cart away, as if unwilling to linger even a second longer.

Left alone at the doorway, Nan Xi fell into thought.

Did I just waste that bribe?

The more I ask, the murkier it gets.

Last night, I only heard my sister’s anger but it turns out there was bloodshed?

Of course, it couldn’t have been Nan Lian’s blood. Probably someone who crossed her, and even after being sent to the hospital, they’re unlikely to fare well.

The hotel’s soundproofing was excellent; at least, Nan Xi hadn’t heard any further noises from Nan Lian’s side afterward. But those sounds last night had been so loud…

Carrying her breakfast, Nan Xi stepped back into the room and sat at the table to eat.

The thought of Mu Xi sleeping peacefully in the room brought her some comfort. No matter how turbulent things were outside, at least Mu Xi was still here with her.

Though thinking this way seems to lump my sister in with “the outside.”

She had ordered pan-fried shrimp and broccoli for breakfast, along with a glass of milk.

Good thing I didn’t order red meat… otherwise, after what the attendant said, I might’ve lost my appetite.