Upon Her Lips - Chapter 34

Chapter 34

You Ran lifted her face, still damp with tears, her dark eyes glistening as she gazed straight into that abyss of dark crimson.

Under the moonlight, Lady Mu Fei’s face appeared even paler, her eyes a deep, haunting red—unlike their usual shade. Yet, You Ran felt no fear. She stared back with a heart full of sincerity.

“N-not afraid,” You Ran whispered.

Mu Fei let out a soft huff of amusement. As always, this little thing’s response was entirely unexpected.

“Your voice is so small; you’re clearly still scared,” Mu Fei said, holding her. She spoke the opposite of what she felt, finding a strange urge to tease the girl after seeing that tear-stained face.

For a centuries-old noble, she lacked any sense of “adult” dignity. Daolei followed a few paces behind, eyes averted and ears metaphorically covered, pretending he saw and heard nothing.

You Ran immediately balled her tiny fists and summoned all her strength. “You Ran… is not afraid, Lady!”

Though she tried to sound fierce, it came out as a soft, brittle chirp. Mu Fei dramatically covered her ears, and You Ran instantly dropped her head, thinking she had offended her. “You Ran… was wrong.”

However, she soon felt the familiar, gentle ruffling of her hair. Mu Fei wasn’t angry. You Ran looked up again, watching the Lady’s profile as her eyes slowly faded back to their usual golden-brown.

Was the Lady a god? Or was she the “man-eating devil” Han Sheng had used to scare her? It didn’t matter. To You Ran, the Lady was a celestial being. She was simply too beautiful.

“Did Auntie Dai not teach you not to stare so openly?” Mu Fei asked without looking. She didn’t need to see the girl to feel that burning, undisguised gaze.

Unlike the gaze of Campbell Ci, which felt like a predatory assessment, being looked at by You Ran felt… comfortable. Almost fun. That look of pure, hopeful devotion was something Mu Fei found fascinating.

You Ran quickly lowered her head, mumble-whispering, “So… sorry.”

Daolei followed them, watching his mistress indulge her “wicked” hobby of teasing the child. He couldn’t help but smile. The weather had shifted; the biting wind had died down, replaced by a soft, cool night breeze. Seeing that Mu Fei didn’t seem to mind carrying the girl at all, he didn’t offer to take over.

Even in high heels, Mu Fei’s steps were effortless. Daolei thought he saw a faint, soft glow surrounding her in the moonlight—perhaps his old eyes were playing tricks on him, but the Lady seemed exceptionally gentle tonight.

…

The Car Ride

Mu Fei carried You Ran all the way to their vehicle. The driver and the other staff stood in shock. The mistress is carrying a child? Wait, is that little You Ran? Did she get hurt? More importantly, why is she in the Lady’s arms? The Lady is a germaphobe of legendary proportions… this is impossible.

They kept their faces stoic and cold as they opened the car door, but their minds were racing. Usually, You Ran would be sent to the second car with Daolei. Mu Fei finally set the “favored” human girl down.

Deprived of the Lady’s hold, You Ran’s body shivered slightly. The Lady actually had no body heat—she was colder than the dry night air—yet You Ran had felt incredibly warm in her arms.

Having regained her ability to walk, You Ran looked at Daolei, silently asking if she should go with him. Daolei bowed to help Mu Fei into the first car, then looked at the girl.

Mu Fei did not signal for the driver, Jin, to close the door immediately. Daolei peeked through the half-open door and saw his mistress’s expressionless face. He sighed internally. Her heart is so easy to read… yet she’s too proud to say it. I suppose I have to play the part.

Aborting the plan to take You Ran with him, the “thoughtful” butler cleared his throat. “Master, I just received an urgent message from the Group. It requires my authorization, so I must head there first.”

He glanced at the driver, who looked confused. Butler, wasn’t that matter already settled? Daolei winked at the driver, then waited for Mu Fei’s response.

“And?” she asked flatly.

Daolei pushed the “little thing” toward the open car door. “I’m going on business, so taking You Ran would be inconvenient. May she ride back with you?”

Dealing with a world-class tsundere was exhausting, but as a PhD in Sociology, Daolei was a master of acting for his mistress’s benefit. He didn’t miss the microscopic twitch of her lips.

“Of course, if that’s inappropriate, I can call for another car—”

“To call a separate car just for one person? Is the manor’s fleet that idle?” Mu Fei interrupted.

“No, Master,” Daolei bowed.

Mu Fei looked at You Ran, who was standing frozen at the door with a look of immense conflict. She knew the child was anxious about dirtying the luxury vehicle. Does she have a goldfish’s memory? Does she not realize I just carried her covered in dirt all the way here?

“Get in,” Mu Fei commanded.

You Ran blinked in surprise. “If you don’t get in, I’ll stuff you in the trunk,” Mu Fei added with a slight frown.

You Ran scrambled into the car immediately. She sat on the very edge of the leather seat, using her leg muscles to keep most of her weight off the cushion, afraid to actually sit back. Mu Fei raised an eyebrow. Was sitting with her that uncomfortable? She knew for a fact that You Ran and Daolei had been laughing and chatting on the ride over.

(She only knew this because, as the head of the house, she had checked the security footage of every car. Only for safety reasons, of course.)

She felt a strange flick of annoyance. She pressed the button to close the car door.

“Master, then I shall—” Daolei began to say goodbye, but the black sedan sped away under a cloud of inexplicable low pressure before he could finish.

Daolei blinked. What did I do to offend her now?

…

The Night Market

The interior of the car was silent and smelled of a faint, pleasant perfume. You Ran sat on the edge, her heart racing. I’m sitting next to the Lady. This must be a dream.

She looked at Mu Fei’s profile. The Lady was leaning back, watching the scenery. Her lashes were so long, trembling slightly as she watched the night. What is she looking at? You Ran wondered.

“Is it not exhausting to sit like that?”

The cold voice startled her. Mu Fei hadn’t moved, but she was now looking at her with a sharp, deep gaze. You Ran turned red and tried to shuffle even further into the corner.

Before she could, a cold hand caught her by the waist and lifted her. She was placed firmly in the center of the soft, high-grade leather seat.

“La… Lady…”

Mu Fei didn’t respond. She turned back to the window. You Ran sat close to her, feeling the softness and a strange sense of peace. She wished the car would drive slower so she could stay like this forever.

But nature had other plans.

Gurgle—

You Ran’s stomach let out a loud, hungry growl. Her human biology was betraying her. She clamped her hands over her stomach, mortified by the sound in the silent car.

“Stop the car.”

At Mu Fei’s command, the sedan screeched to a halt. The driver was nervous; surely the child’s noise had annoyed the Master’s rest. You Ran squeezed her eyes shut. Please don’t throw me out.

“Get out.”

The two words made You Ran’s heart plummet. “Lady, I… I can… be…” I can be quiet!

Tears welled up as she watched the Lady step out. You Ran scrambled after her, wanting to grab her sleeve and beg not to be abandoned.

“You’re hungry, aren’t you?” Mu Fei asked, looking at her.

You Ran shook her head frantically.

“If you’re hungry, say so. I don’t like liars.” Mu Fei put on her outer coat and looked toward the busy street across the river.

It seemed to be a human festival tonight. The streets were lined with colorful lights, and even from here, they could hear the shouts of vendors selling snacks. There would be food there that You Ran could actually eat.

Visiting a human market shouldn’t be too bad, Mu Fei thought. “Jin, wait here. I’m taking her to eat something.”

The driver, Jin, was stunned, but he quickly smiled. “Yes, Master!”

The tears that You Ran had been holding back finally overflowed, but they were tears of relief. The Lady wasn’t throwing her away.

Mu Fei looked at her and sighed. Daolei said she was a “strong, resilient child.” She’s just a little thing that cries too easily.

“Let’s go,” Mu Fei called out.

“Yes!” You Ran wiped her eyes and ran to the Lady’s side, a silly, teary smile on her face.

“Is it really that exciting?” Mu Fei muttered, though she slowed her pace so the girl could keep up.

Two figures—one tall and elegant, the other small and bubbling with joy—walked across the moonlit bridge. The small figure kept darting from the left side of the Lady to the right, unable to contain her excitement until a gentle pat on her head finally calmed her down.