The relationship between Ye Moxuan and Ye Linhan had long since broken down. The days when they would still occasionally greet each other were now all in the past.
After Ye Moxuan said that out loud, the expressions of people around them changed. Did they have a grudge?
Mr. Potbelly’s wife’s eyes widened as she heard what he said. “I didn’t expect him to have such an overbearing character. His reply was impressive. But… they were brothers?”
She looked at Ye Linhan, curious to see how he would respond after getting humiliated in public that way.
Just then, Ye Linhan had also finished paying. He kept his card as he walked forward. His face did not show any signs of fury or exasperation from being humiliated; it was just the same gentleness and calm as before.
He said casually, “Do you still blame me for what happened? It wasn’t my intention. I didn’t want to do it either.”
Ye Moxuan snickered, not willing to hear him out. When he followed Ye Linhan’s gaze from behind those glasses to his and Han Muzi’s hands, he tightened his grip on her soft hand before locking their fingers together.
“Wasn’t your intention? Then did you do it for someone else?” Ye Linhan looked at him. As their gazes met in mid air, their eyes blazed with fire and a silent battle began.
Han Muzi knew the both of them had never gotten along, but she did not know that their relationship had already shattered completely. Ye Moxuan’s desire to show off his dominance in front of Ye Linhan had been so strong that his grip on her hand was tighter than it had ever been before.
Moreover, she had sensed something from Ye Moxuan since Ye Linhan appeared.
That… was fear.
However, she assumed that she had been mistaken as she could no longer feel it now. Moreover, it did not seem right to have felt that from Ye Moxuan.
How could the sight of Ye Linhan instill fear in the high and mighty Ye Moxuan?
Even though Ye Linhan had registered his own company, he still could not beat the Ye Group.
So where did that fear come from?
Ye Moxuan was not interested in talking to Ye Linhan. He took the hand that was in his and headed out of the entrance. Han Muzi watched his sturdy back as she followed from behind him—one hand in hers and the other holding the bag of groceries they just bought. At that moment, he looked like the husband who had brought her to the supermarket.
Sadly…
Han Muzi lowered her head and her eyes darkened.
While he watched this scene unfold before him, Ye Linhan silently suppressed the cold and sharp look in his eyes. Then, he carried his bag of groceries and left too.
Mr. Potbelly, who had witnessed the whole thing, sighed. “The human heart is impossible to understand. I feel bad for his older brother. After being treated so harshly, he still responded in such a kind way.”
“This is why we say men are shallow. That was his strategy to gain the upper hand in their fight, yet you thought he was being kind?”
“Huh?” Mr. Potbelly rubbed his head. “Gain the upper hand?”
“You say you’re not ignorant but you probably can’t understand this, right? If he starts a fight with his rival in front of the woman he loves, then wouldn’t he lose his credibility? Don’t take him lightly just because of his looks. There could be a lot going on in his mind.”
“In his mind? How would you know? Can you tell just by looking at someone?”
“Of course not. Besides, we had only met for the first time. I would be overestimating myself if I said I was sure. I was just saying that he might look easy-going, but he could also be a deep thinker. It’s just a possibility, but it’s not unlikely either!”
As she finished speaking, Mr. Potbelly’s wife turned around and gave his head a smack.
Mr. Potbelly rubbed his head. “Oh, I got it.”
“However…” Mr. Potbelly’s wife crossed her arms and watched Ye Linhan’s back in the distance. Her eyes narrowed. “Even if he isn’t the kind of deep thinker that I think he might be, there is definitely nothing ordinary about that man.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Ugh. Let’s just go home.”
Mr. Potbelly quickly ran after her.
…
Han Muzi was dragged by Ye Moxuan along the way home. However, she just followed and did not say a word because she knew he was in a bad mood, which made her uneasy.
But then his strides were too far apart and she was getting exhausted. Alas, she said, “Can you walk a bit slower?”
Ye Moxuan paused when he heard her. He turned back to find her out of breath, then realized what he had been doing.
His eyes flashed, and he stopped walking.
“Are you tired?”
“What do you think?” She glared at him with spite in her eyes.
She was not just tired. After getting tormented by him, her legs were already sore. She had spent half the day out and about, and now he was walking so quickly. Was he not tormenting her?
Han Muzi was slightly aghast as she clutched onto her waist and huffed.
He looked around and did not see a place where they could rest. Then, he kneeled down, bending his back forward, and said, “Get on.”
“What?” she replied.
She looked at him in disbelief. If she didn’t read it wrongly, Ye Moxuan wanted to piggyback her?
But… they were full-grown adults. She thought that piggybacks were more for younger children.
And she…
“Why are you hesitating?” he asked when he saw her standing there staring into space. With one arm, he pulled her over and onto his back.
She did not have time to react before she was sprawled over his broad and sturdy back. As his other hand was holding the grocery bag, he only had one free hand to support her backside. “You better hold on tight if you don’t want to fall,” he urged.
Then he stood up.
Everything had happened so quickly that Han Muzi instinctively reached out to hug his neck.
As soon as they touched, his lips curled up into a satisfied smile and he began walking with her on his back.
They had not been too far away from their neighborhood. But she was worried that the weight of both her and the grocery bag would be too much of a burden on him. “I think… I’ll get down and walk on my own now.”
He chuckled. “Who whined that she was tired earlier?”
Han Muzi had nothing to say.
She lowered her eyes and looked at the veins on his neck. She should not have said anything. Now it was her fault?
After they walked a bit more, she had a feeling he was tired, even though he did not sound like he was out of breath, so she adjusted herself on his back in an attempt to make herself lighter.
However, after fidgeting around, his breathing became heavy and he said in a low voice, “What are you doing moving around on my back for?”
