Piano could be heard coming from the piano room in the Mu residence at night.
Ever since the Metropolis University school anniversary, Mu Xiao became the talk of the town for performing Moonlight. Reporters kept reaching out to her, and the best music academies in the world invited her to join them.
Mu Xiao turned down most of the interview requests on the grounds that she was busy studying. She also turned down the music academy offers.
She did not feel confident about doing these interviews or attending the academies. After all, she genuinely did not know the composer of the song.
However, her rejection ended up winning her even more praise.
All the local and international news media outlets kept calling her a humble piano genius.
Ever since she received such attention, Li Ming started treating her more affectionately even though he was losing interest in her.
After all, every man wanted a trophy girlfriend.
Mu Xiao enjoyed the limelight in the day, but she became very flustered at night.
The moonlight was simply brilliant.
The more she came to know of the gulf that existed between her and the composer, the more she was afraid of letting everyone know the truth.
Mu Xiao came up with a plan as she looked out into the dark skies.
Instead of waiting for people to eventually find out she did not compose the piece, she decided to actively do something about it.
She had to find the original composer of this song and pay him off. If he did not cause a scene, no problems would happen to her.
Mu Xiao called a number. “Uncle, this is Xiaoxiao. I attended a piano lesson at the department of music on the 6th of this month and lost my necklace. Can you help me ask the school to show me the surveillance footage?”
Everyone in the Mu family adored Mu Xiao, so no one said no to her requests.
After hanging up the phone, Mu Xiao held her phone tightly without a shred of gentleness in her eyes. Instead, there was a sinister look on her face.
——
Li An sat in the dining room first thing in the morning.
His eyes were swollen and he looked miserable. Li An refused to admit that he cried when Auntie Lin asked and insisted he was bitten by a mosquito.
Auntie Lin looked outside at the cold conditions and felt puzzled. Were mosquitoes so highly evolved that they were now able to withstand the cold climate?
Mu Sheng came downstairs. Li An held his bowl with this back facing Mu Sheng. He did not want her to see his swollen eyes.
Mu Sheng said nothing as the two of them had breakfast in almost complete silence.
After breakfast, Li An had to go to school. Before he left, he glanced at Mu Sheng. “Sis-in-Law, is my Big Brother coming home today?”
“Uh huh.” Mu Sheng nodded. Li Hanchen mentioned yesterday that he would come home to get the divorce papers signed.
“I see.” Li An lowered his head. “I’m off.”
The moment Li An finished his sentence, he carried his backpack and left the living room.
Li Hanchen’s car arrived at the villa shortly after Li An left.
Mu Sheng was sitting on the couch reading. She raised her head when she heard his footsteps.
Li Hanchen had not come home in three days.
Now that he was finally back, Mu Sheng felt as though it was a long-overdue reunion.
Li Hanchen was dressed in a black suit as he walked in with the sunlight beaming through from behind. His gorgeous face looked glacial, and it was impossible to read the look in his dark eyes.
“Morning.” Li Hanchen greeted Mu Sheng.
“Morning.” Mu Sheng stood up. The moment she made eye contact with Li Hanchen’s deep eyes, Mu Sheng inexplicably found them both familiar and foreign.
Li Hanchen had the same cool aura and was his same old self.
However, a part of Li Hanchen seemed foreign to Mu Sheng, and it felt as though he had concealed all his emotions.
Li Hanchen walked in and placed two sets of divorce papers on the table right away. “I have already signed the document. After you sign it, we are officially divorced.”
The divorce papers sat on the table with sunlight shining on it.
Mu Sheng automatically pursed her lips and a piece of candy appeared in front of her. She raised her head to see Li Hanchen looking at her.
“Just because we are not really a married couple, does it make us enemies after the divorce?”
Mu Sheng shook her head. “That’s not true.”
She reached her hand out and took the candy before placing it in her mouth. It melted in her mouth and tasted sweet.
Li Hanchen raised his head slightly and looked at the door. A shoe tip could be seen at the door.
“Go ahead and sign it.” Li Hanchen veered his eyes and looked at Mu Sheng
Mu Sheng nodded. She took the pen, sat on the couch, and prepared to sign in.
Just as she was about to sign it, someone took her pen.
“Don’t sign it!” Li An hid the pen behind him. The tears in his eyes trickled down uncontrollably as he looked at her with his red eyes miserably.
Li An refused to budge.
Li An broke the pen. “Sis-in-Law, didn’t you say I am the best little brother on earth? Why are you getting divorced? Did my older brother do something wrong?”
“It’s not that.” Mu Sheng shook her head.
“Then don’t get divorced, okay?” Li An looked miserable. Was he going to lose it all after finally enjoying family life for a brief period of time?
“I really don’t want you to leave,” said Li An in a stifled tone with his head lowered. He was so sad. “Other than my older brother, no one else has ever treated me as well. Why don’t you stay?”
Mu Sheng inexplicably felt upset when she saw Li An acting this way.
She looked at Li Hanchen and saw him looking at her. However, his eyes were so profound that it was impossible for her to read his mind.
“Even after the divorce, I will still be good to you.”
“That’s different!” Li An raised his head. “How could a guest be the same as a family?”
Li An suddenly struck a chord with Mu Sheng when he mentioned family.
She had long forgotten what it was like to have a family.
She thought about her life recently. Every day, someone sent her to work. There was food waiting for her when she came home, and they chatted over dinner happily when everyone got back.
A light swept across Mu Sheng’s eyes as she contemplated.
Li An detected a change in the way Mu Sheng looked and knew she felt the same way. “How about this? If you like us, why don’t you stay for half a year more? If you still want to leave in half a year after my birthday, I will not stop you.”
From Li An’s perspective, Mu Sheng had a reason to stay here as long as they did not sign the divorce papers. Even if she did not like his older brother, they would still be connected by marriage. That way, they could still live together happily as a family.
Li Hanchen finally broke his silence. “Li An, why don’t you go upstairs? I need to talk to her.”
Li An nodded with his eyes red. “Okay.”
After Li An went upstairs, Li Hanchen came over with the divorce agreement. He lowered his eyes and straightened out the document without looking at Mu Sheng. “Do you hate me?”
Mu Sheng shook her head. “Of course not.”
