Volume One, Chapter One Hundred: The Libations

“Does Xiao Mo go to the class monitor for extra lessons every day?” Mu Cang suddenly became interested, especially since that young Mo brother was now taking care of his sister.

“Yeah, and the two of them even have dinner together every day,” Mu Qing replied with a smack of her lips.

“Is the class monitor a girl?” Mu Cang continued to ask.

“Of course,” Mu Qing said impatiently. Eating with one hand was clearly slowing her down.

“Are you jealous then?” Mu Cang pressed, his words so unexpected that Mu Qing almost spilled her drink laughing.

“You’re crazy! Jealous of what?” She hurriedly grabbed a tissue to wipe the water stains on her chest, checking around the sofa just in case. Luckily, she hadn’t sprayed it anywhere else—otherwise, that guy would nag her all the way home.

“Isn’t it normal for a woman to be jealous when her man is spending time with another woman?” Mu Cang said, growing more puzzled. Flower You had given him that book, *Heart Detective: A Hundred Tips for Conversation*, and it clearly said so.

“What man? I’m just staying at that guy’s house temporarily!” Mu Qing set down her fried chicken and cola, shouting at her phone.

“So you don’t have feelings for little Mo?” Mu Cang’s tone of sudden realization only made Mu Qing more annoyed.

“When you said you wanted to live in a single guy’s house, Dad and Bai even thought you were dating,” Mu Cang scratched his head. Honestly, even he had thought so.

“I’m just getting treated, okay!” Mu Qing was beyond speechless.

“But it’s still a man and woman living under the same roof. If word got out, it would ruin little Mo’s reputation. Then no one would want to date him,” Mu Cang said matter-of-factly, without a hint of concern for his sister’s own reputation.

“He’s just a schoolkid, you know,” Mu Qing said, mentally exhausted from the conversation.

“Aren’t you just a little girl yourself?” Mu Cang counted on his fingers. His sister hadn’t even turned twenty yet.

In Mu Cang’s eyes, Mu Qing was always that little girl trailing behind him, sucking on a popsicle.

“Thanks for the compliment on my youth!” Mu Qing snapped sarcastically, but her slow-witted brother naturally failed to catch the subtlety.

Mu Cang wanted to keep probing, but Mu Qing was fed up with his “gentle concern.”

“Mind your own business. First, you better sort out your mess with Sister Hua!” Mu Qing said, then immediately hung up.

Next time they met, she was definitely going to hide her brother’s wine flask!

Listening to the call-disconnect tone, Mu Cang was a bit puzzled. Tilting his head back, he drank the last drop from his little wine flask, savoring it with a smack of his lips.

He got up and walked toward the walnut liquor cabinet against the wall, reaching out to open the door.

“*Ahem*.” A light cough made Mu Cang’s outstretched hand quickly retract, and his attempt to get a drink smoothly turned into fixing his hair in front of the glass door.

After pretending to adjust his hair a couple of times, Mu Cang turned around and looked at the female officer in uniform standing behind him.

“You’re back pretty quickly, Ziyou. How did things go?”

Flower You averted her eyes, not wanting to witness the tall man’s clumsy acting, but she reported her work crisply.

“Qing’s application has been approved. She will serve as an assistant instructor for the first Winter Camp at the University of Abilities. She can accompany the camp members throughout and, together with other assistants, ensure the students’ safety.”

“Good work, good work. Want something to drink?” Mu Cang nodded with satisfaction. His sister rarely asked them to handle things, and now that she had spoken up, everything had to be done perfectly.

“As long as it’s not alcohol,” Flower You loosened her tie and sat down on the sofa. With the serious report finished, she no longer needed to be so formal with Mu Cang.

Picking up the wine flask on the coffee table, Flower You shook it gently and found it completely empty.

“I was only out for two hours, and you already finished today’s quota?” Flower You took the coffee cup, shaking the flask as she asked Mu Cang.

“Qing called again just now. I wasn’t paying attention during the chat and…” Mu Cang scratched his head. Usually honest to a fault, he now knew to use his sister as a shield.

“No borrowing from tomorrow’s quota. Or I’ll have to report to the matriarch,” Flower You said sharply, making it clear she wasn’t joking.

“Don’t bother Mom…” Mu Cang begged repeatedly. After all, the one-bottle-a-day drinking limit was personally imposed by their mother.

Earlier, when he accidentally took off those tea-colored sunglasses, it had caused Mu Qing to lose control in a fit of rage. Although no disaster ensued, he felt guilty and drowned his sorrows in wine every day.

Upon hearing this, the Mu family matriarch, far away, personally issued the drinking limit and assigned Mu Cang’s personal secretary, Comrade Xiao Hua, to supervise constantly.

“What’s so good about drinking anyway? Can’t you just quit?” Flower You unscrewed the flask, and a strong, pungent scent wafted out.

“Alcohol isn’t a good thing, of course, but it quenches thirst,” Mu Cang poured himself a glass of water and stood quietly behind the sofa.

“Water quenches physical thirst; wine soothes the heart.”

Flower You fell silent at this, then suddenly sniffed the strong aroma from the flask, immediately choking up with tears welling in her eyes.

The woman lowered her head to wipe away her tears, wanting to dispel both bitterness and sorrow…

—

Joy and happiness are always fleeting; suffering and torment, endless.

—

During the two-week hellish tutoring sessions, every student at Tianshui Academy felt as if each day lasted a year.

Except for Mo De, who felt it was like two years.

After being tormented all day, he still had to endure another trial at night.

Only tonight, the location changed. Since the restaurant where Mo De and Su Ziwen usually met was closed for the day.

Just as Mo De was about to cry tears of joy, ready to go home and celebrate, Su Ziwen’s three words shattered his beautiful dream.

“Come to my house.”

Through countless hardships, nothing could stop his passion for learning.

Upon entering, Mo De greeted Su’s parents. This was not his first time at Su Ziwen’s home. But this time, the Su family had a new member.

“No one can resist a cute cat. If they can, give them two.” — Li Changsheng

The moment Mo De saw the black cat, he was instantly smitten. The cat, unafraid, nestled in his arms, nudging him affectionately.

Su Ziwen was surprised; Mo De was delighted.

The black cat sniffed Mo De’s scent, its black and gold eyes flickering with a trace of silver.

This guy showed no abnormalities—shouldn’t pose any threat to little Su.

After checking, the cat confirmed no danger and entered standby mode.

In the apricot-colored room, the two sat, one speaking and the other listening, while the black cat curled up soundly asleep—a picture of harmony and warmth.

Only when Su’s mother came to call them for dinner did the cat slowly awake and trot happily toward its food bowl.

Today, little Su seemed to be in a good mood and even gave the cat an extra box of canned food.