Chapter 109: Underlying Turmoil (Second Update)

“You barely ate anything during the meal; it’s no wonder you’re hungry,” Gu Nianxi said, holding her phone as she leisurely walked over to Jiang Muwen and then plopped down beside him. “There should be some food downstairs. Do you want to go find something to eat?”

Upon hearing that there was food downstairs, Jiang Muwen cast a curious glance her way.

“I was worried I’d get hungry tonight, so I brought some instant noodles with me. You?”

Hearing this, Jiang Muwen slowly stood up. “I’ll go look.”

As she spoke, she took her phone and headed downstairs.

Night deepened, and it seemed no one had much interest in going out; everyone was resting quietly in their own rooms. The first floor of the villa was eerily silent, even the lights in the hall were off. Only the pale moonlight filtered softly through the vast floor-to-ceiling windows, gently casting down onto the polished wooden floor.

Jiang Muwen’s night vision wasn’t very good. She held onto the stair railing, groping her way toward the patch of light.

Suddenly, a rustling sound reached her ears, causing her to shudder. She was timid by nature, and in such a vast, unfamiliar villa, fear was inevitable.

Summoning courage, she looked toward the sound’s source. She had already come down; she couldn’t very well scurry back in embarrassment.

In the darkness, she spotted a dim yellow glow, thankfully not too bright or harsh to the eyes. Squinting, she caught sight of a familiar silhouette.

It was a man's back. He stood calmly in the kitchen, the moonlight falling gently upon his tall frame. At that moment, all the sharp edges of his figure seemed softened by the moonlight, leaving behind a rare, tender aura.

“Brother Gu Niancun,” Jiang Muwen whispered uncertainly.

Hearing his name, the man lifted his head, and when his gaze landed on Jiang Muwen, a faint, almost smirking smile tugged at his lips. He looked at her without responding.

Finding a companion in this vast, dimly lit villa, the fear in Jiang Muwen’s heart faded. She looked at Gu Niancun and slowly took a couple of steps toward him. “What are you doing here?”

In response, Gu Niancun offered only two simple words: “Cooking noodles.”

Jiang Muwen approached, the tempting aroma of instant noodles reaching her nostrils—a scent uniquely alluring. It stirred her long-dormant taste buds, and soon her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl.

Finally, she stood not far from Gu Niancun, watching his skilled chopsticks lifting noodles. She instinctively assumed the noodles were for him. “I didn’t expect you to eat this kind of junk food.”

At her words, Gu Niancun paused. A flicker of surprise crossed his deep eyes, but it quickly gave way to a smile. He chuckled softly and said leisurely, “Not for me.”

His voice was low and husky, tinged with fatigue.

Jiang Muwen looked at him, puzzled, unsure what he meant.

Gu Niancun seemed unfazed by her confusion. He shifted the remaining noodles in the pot into the bowl and casually asked, “If you don’t like seafood, why didn’t you tell me?”

The sudden question left Jiang Muwen speechless. She stared at him blankly, unsure how to respond.

After she fell silent, Gu Niancun glanced at her. The moonlight shimmered in his deep eyes like a constellation. He smiled wryly, then placed the bowl on a nearby table. Jiang Muwen didn’t respond, so he didn’t press further. “Come eat.”

His invitation startled her again. She stood awkwardly, “Ah…”

“These noodles are for you,” Gu Niancun said, then turned to switch on a nearby light. “Since you came down, I won’t take them back upstairs.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Jiang Muwen said, sitting at the table and gently holding the warm bowl, feeling both surprised and cherished.

“Take your time. I have some documents to handle. I’m going back up now,” Gu Niancun said calmly, his tone devoid of hesitation. Yet just as he turned and had taken a few steps, he paused, glancing back at the small figure sitting there. A fleeting, indescribable emotion crossed his eyes.

After a brief moment of lingering, he turned away but collided with a gaze—Wen Yichen had come down silently, unnoticed by either Gu Niancun or Jiang Muwen.

Gu Niancun stopped and stood quietly, their eyes meeting without a hint of avoidance.

Like most young men, Wen Yichen’s gaze was resolute, the moonlight reflecting in his clear eyes like morning stars. Beneath his determination lay a trace of caution.

The meeting of these two icy presences seemed to chill the villa’s atmosphere by several degrees.

Wen Yichen had intended to come down to find something for Jiang Muwen to eat, but unexpectedly, Gu Niancun had beaten him to it.

They locked eyes for a few seconds, but no one broke the silence.

Gu Niancun tilted his head slightly, casting a glance at Jiang Muwen quietly eating the noodles. A subtle, intriguing smile curved his lips before he withdrew his gaze, looked at Wen Yichen once more, then leisurely ascended the stairs.

Everything proceeded quietly. Jiang Muwen sat at the table, completely unaware of the tense undercurrents behind her.

She looked down at the noodles, slowly twirling them with her chopsticks and gently blowing on them.

Before she could bring the noodles to her mouth, the chair beside her scraped against the floor.

The sudden sound startled Jiang Muwen, her heart leaping.

She instinctively glanced to the side and saw Wen Yichen.

“Why are you here?” Seeing him, the knot in her chest loosened. Holding her chopsticks, her eyes still held a hint of surprise.

“I…” Wen Yichen looked at Jiang Muwen, hesitating. So many things he wanted to say to this girl, yet all words caught in his throat. He stared at the noodles in her bowl, half-opened his mouth, as if waiting to be fed. “Ah…”