"Are you concerned about me?" Mu Feng's smile vanished, his fingers tapping on the desk.
Unbeknownst to him, this was the same question he wanted to ask Su Nianxue: why had she disappeared so suddenly seven years ago? Why had she avoided him when he went looking for her in the storm?
"You still know I care about you?" Su Nianxue slammed her hand on the table, slapped Mu Feng across the face, and roared, "I thought you were dead, and I vowed never to marry again."
"And yet you're alive and well. For seven years, why haven't you contacted me?"
As she spoke, tears welled up in Su Nianxue's eyes, filled with resentment.
Mu Feng's heart gave a slight tremor. He hadn't expected Nianxue to be so loyal to him. So, back then?
"Nianxue, I came to your house back then, but you refused to see me. Why?" Mu Feng asked directly.
Back then?
Caught off guard by the question, Su Nianxue finally realized what was happening. Her grandfather had insisted on sending her abroad overnight. Since she was only a teenager, she couldn't resist.
Shortly after arriving abroad, she learned about the tragedy that befell the Mu family.
Could it be?
"I was sent abroad overnight and wasn't home. I only learned about the Mu family's affairs later," Su Nianxue's body gradually softened. It turned out Mu Feng wasn't heartless, but her grandfather and two others had played a huge trick on them.
So that was it!
Mu Feng felt a pang of guilt. He had resented her for so many years, and now this.
"How did you join the Flying Eagle organization?" Su Nianxue was very curious, wanting to know everything about Mu Feng.
"Nianxue, there are some things I can't tell you right now. I'll explain everything to you later, okay?"
Mu Feng looked at her with deep affection, taking Su Nianxue's hand.
For the first time in years, she felt that gentleness again. Su Nianxue couldn't control her emotions for a moment, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Mu Feng, do you know how much I've missed you all these years?"
Seeing her tear-streaked face, Mu Feng pulled her into his arms and comforted her, "I know. I let you down, and I will compensate you for the rest of my life."
They wept in each other's arms, having suffered for each other for a full seven years.
After a moment of tender embrace, Mu Feng picked up a tissue and gently wiped away her tears.
"By the way, I'd like to take half a day off. I have some personal matters to attend to."
Mu Feng said softly.
"Where are you going?" Su Nianxue tightly gripped Mu Feng's hand, her former pride completely gone, her self-preservation instincts shattered.
"Today is my maternal grandfather's 70th birthday."
"I'll go with you," Su Nianxue said, picking up her bag, ready to leave.
"No need. I've been gone for seven years, and there are many uncertainties. I'll take you with me when there's an opportunity," Mu Feng said, planting a fleeting kiss on her forehead before turning to leave.
Wanxia Road, Qinghai City!
Looking at the noisy surroundings, Mu Feng frowned. How had the once-renowned Mu family relatives fallen to living in such a place?
Had they all been implicated?
"Mu Feng, is that you?"
When his third aunt opened the door and saw the long-unseen Mu Feng, she almost fainted. She grabbed Mu Feng and asked, "Why haven't you contacted us all these years?"
"Quick, come and see who's back!"
It was Mu Feng's maternal grandfather's birthday, and the whole family was gathered at home, preparing to celebrate when they heard a knock on the door, realizing it was him.
"Third Aunt, it's me." Mu Feng stood in place, showing a warm smile. He was invited inside and found that all his maternal relatives were present.
Since the Mu family had few remaining relatives, on his mother's side, there were still many relatives in Qinghai City.
Back then, they were all exceptional individuals, but now they had all become ordinary citizens.
"Mu Feng?" When his eldest aunt saw him, she was surprised at first, then spoke maliciously, "So you're not dead! I thought the entire Mu family had perished."
"Exactly! Being related to the Mu family brought no benefits and almost got us killed. Just as we were starting to live better, you show up again. Do you want to harm us now that we're doing well?"
"All of you, be quiet."
At this moment, with two coughs, Mu Feng's maternal grandfather, Old Master Wang, emerged from within. His face was aged and frail. Upon seeing his grandson, tears welled in his eyes.
"Xiao Feng, is that you?"
"Grandfather, it's me." Mu Feng quickened his steps, embraced his grandfather, and murmured, "How have you been, Elder?"
"Good, good, good. I've held on this long just to see you."
"Where are your parents? Why haven't they returned?" Old Master Wang looked behind him, seeing only Mu Feng.
Mu Feng didn't know how to answer. He didn't want to upset the old man again.
"Father, haven't you suffered enough from them?"
"That's right, the entire Mu family are troublemakers."
Hearing the sarcastic remarks from his relatives, Mu Feng could no longer tolerate it. He suddenly turned around and shouted, "Say that again?"
His gaze was like a sharp sword, capable of piercing one with a thousand arrows with a single glance. This terrified his eldest aunt and the others, causing them to retreat.
"Mu Feng, how can you speak to your elders like that?" Seeing that Mu Feng made no further move, his eldest aunt, Wang Guiqin, yelled at him.
"Elders? What right do you have to be anyone's elder?"
"You?" Wang Guiqin was so enraged she didn't know what to say.
"What's so great about you? Still think you're the young master of the Mu family from back then?" Wang Guiqin sarcastically retorted, "There's no more Mu family in Qinghai City. You're just a stray dog."
Mu Feng never expected his own aunt to say such things. He clenched his fists. If not for his grandfather's sake, Wang Guiqin would have already been beaten into a meat patty.
Among the assembled relatives, apart from his grandfather and third aunt, everyone else looked at Mu Feng with extreme disdain.
"Hello, excuse me, who is Mr. Mu?"
Just as the situation became tense, a beautiful woman entered from outside and asked.
"I am," Mu Feng replied.
The woman smiled and walked over, followed closely by two attendants carrying valuable nutritional supplements.
"Hello, Mr. Mu. Miss Chu asked me to deliver these. Please accept them."
Upon receiving the items, he saw they were all exquisite delicacies like shark's fin and abalone. It seemed Chu Rou knew he would be visiting his grandfather and had specially sent gifts.
"Thank you for your trouble."
"You're too kind. It's my duty. I won't disturb Mr. Mu any further." With that, the woman turned and left.
"Excuse me, is Mr. Mu Feng here?"
After the woman left, a man soon arrived, carrying many gifts.
"I am."
"Hello, Mr. Mu. Officer Qi heard that your maternal grandfather is celebrating his 70th birthday and specially sent me to deliver some small gifts. Please accept them."
"Excuse me, is Mr. Mu here?"
"Hello, I'm from Hongyuan Group, sent by President Wu. These are the celebratory gifts personally selected by President Wu."
One after another, people kept arriving to deliver gifts to Mu Feng.
Moreover, all the gifts were extremely valuable, ranging from nutritional supplements to golden ornaments, covering all sorts.
The Mu Feng's relatives present were all stunned. They watched the priceless gifts, which quickly filled the already small room.
Many of the gifts were beyond mere monetary value.
Even the gift-givers, when they heard the names, most found them familiar; several were important figures who often appeared on television.
Not only them, but even Mu Feng didn't understand how those people knew about his grandfather's 70th birthday.
"Grandfather, since they are all gifts for you, please accept them. I came in a hurry and forgot to bring a gift." Mu Feng said, taking out a bank card from his pocket and placing it in his grandfather's hand, saying, "Please keep this card for any unforeseen needs."
In fact, Mu Feng hadn't forgotten to bring a gift. He had intended to give his grandfather a sum of money to guarantee his later years. What he hadn't expected was that Chu Rou had not only investigated his grandfather's address but had also made a grand gesture of sending gifts.
"Xiao Feng, I absolutely cannot accept this money. You are not yet married; keep it for your wedding." Old Master Wang had always been good to Mu Feng. He had saved some money back then, waiting to give it to his grandson for his wedding.
There was no reason for him to take his grandson's money.
"Grandfather, please don't be polite with me. I'm not short of money now." Mu Feng directly put the bank card into his grandfather's pocket and then said, "I've booked a table at Yixiang Tower. We haven't seen each other for years; let's go out for a good meal."
Looking at their living conditions, Mu Feng knew his grandfather hadn't had an easy time over the past seven years.
"Good, good, then we'll all go. It'll be a welcome feast for you," Old Master Wang was in high spirits. He thought he would never see his grandson again.
Mu Feng nodded.
"Father, are you senile? What kind of place is Yixiang Tower? Can he afford it? Don't tell us we have to pay later." Wang Guiqin, seeing the mountain of gifts, didn't believe Mu Feng had such powerful friends.
She thought he was showing off, using hired actors to trick them.
"We may not have the time to attend a welcome feast for someone who harmed us."
"If you don't have time, you don't have to go."
Mu Feng, hearing that she didn't want to go, was exactly as he wished. He said directly.
"You..."