Chapter Forty-One: Grave Trouble (Bonus Chapter!)

After Wen Yixin finished speaking, he shot Wen Yichen an indescribable look, then thoughtfully closed the door for them, leaving Wen Yichen alone in a bewildered mess.

It seemed Wen Yixin had not only misunderstood them, but had done so spectacularly…

Wen Yichen lowered his gaze, glancing at Jiang Muwen, who was sound asleep beside him. He quietly turned down the volume of the movie and watched alone in silence.

He didn’t know how much time had passed; eventually, weariness crept over him as well. The tablet slipped from his hand, and his eyes slowly closed. Leaning against each other, he and Jiang Muwen drifted into dreams.

The room was hushed, only their steady breathing filled the air. Sunlight poured in lazily, warming their bodies; even without a blanket, the afternoon sun’s gentle warmth was unmistakable.

Yet, as time passed, the sunlight gradually moved away. Jiang Muwen, sensing a chill, slowly opened her eyes. She was still drowsy, her mind not quite clear, but she faintly felt warmth brushing across her forehead—soft and gentle, like a feather lightly stroking her skin, tickling her slightly.

Her gaze instinctively swept around, finally landing on Wen Yichen beside her.

In the next moment, her consciousness fully snapped awake—wait, had she just been… sleeping on Wen Yichen’s shoulder? And he had been leaning against her as well?

Her heart began to race. Embarrassed, she tried to slip away quietly while Wen Yichen slept, but after several attempts, she gave up—he was leaning on her, and she truly didn’t know what to do.

Since she couldn’t escape, she decided not to. Pretending to be asleep and ignorant of everything, she carefully wrapped her small hand around Wen Yichen’s arm, adjusted to a more comfortable position, and closed her eyes again, content to bask in her lingering sleepiness.

Truth be told, holding Wen Yichen felt much warmer, as if he were a pillow—one with its own heating feature.

A faint scent drifted into her nose, a mix of laundry detergent and a lingering trace of milky sweetness.

But soon Wen Yichen awoke. Seeing Jiang Muwen holding him like this, his heart softened. She looked just like a clingy little kitten, quietly wrapped around him, neither noisy nor restless.

After a moment, her head unconsciously nuzzled his arm, making his heart tighten with an indescribable feeling. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, but he knew—this was trouble. Remembering Wen Yixin’s reaction when he’d opened the door earlier, Wen Yichen’s cheeks flushed with an unmistakable blush.

His feelings for the girl beside him seemed to have surpassed the ordinary affection of childhood friends, yet he wasn’t entirely sure what that meant.

What he was certain about was that he couldn’t let Jiang Muwen keep nuzzling his arm, or the consequences might be as overwhelming as when she’d hugged him from behind that other day.

Thinking this, Wen Yichen carefully withdrew his arm. As he did, Jiang Muwen stirred awake as well.

“Hmm?” Jiang Muwen opened her sleepy eyes again, letting out a soft, kitten-like sound, as if stretching with tiny paws.

“Did I wake you?” Wen Yichen asked, his voice still rough from sleep, a tone with a strange magic that made one want to hear it again.

Jiang Muwen looked up, and their eyes met. His gaze was clear and bright, like a deep pool, making her feel a little shy. She straightened up, deliberately keeping some distance from Wen Yichen. “No…”

No sooner had she spoken than Wen Yichen slowly got up, slipped on his slippers, and headed for the door.

Seeing him moving, Jiang Muwen felt awkward sitting there, so she quickly jumped down, put on her slippers, and hurried to his side. “Are you going out?”

Seeing her so eager, Wen Yichen didn’t feel awkward at all. “Yes, I’m going to get a glass of water.”

“Your back isn’t good—I’ll get it for you!” With that, Jiang Muwen dashed out first and brought him a cup of hot water.

And so, Jiang Muwen began to care for Wen Yichen in every possible way. If he was thirsty, she’d bring him water; if it was too hot, she’d fetch another cup; if he wanted his phone, she’d get up and bring it to him; if he was hungry, she’d fetch snacks.

This attentive care made Wen Yixin watch from the side, filled with envy—and even a hint of jealousy.

At first, he had teased his brother about his strained back, but his delight gradually turned to envy. For a fleeting moment, he even wished he could strain his back—just to enjoy the same treatment Wen Yichen received.

But reality was harsh, and dreams were full: even if his back were strained like Wen Yichen’s, he’d still have to fetch his own water, his own phone, his own snacks—undaunted and self-reliant.

After playing on his phone for a while on the sofa, Wen Yichen set it aside and slowly got up. He picked up a few clothes and wandered leisurely toward the bathroom.

Jiang Muwen saw him standing and quickly followed.

To be honest, having a little tail trailing behind him felt strange to Wen Yichen. He slowed his steps, looked down at Jiang Muwen in confusion. “Why are you following me?”

“Your back isn’t good—I’m worried it’ll be inconvenient, so I’m here to take care of you,” Jiang Muwen replied earnestly.

Wen Yichen was momentarily at a loss for words. He knew she meant well, but what he was about to do—she probably couldn’t help with.

Seeing his silence, Jiang Muwen spoke again: “What are you going to do? I’ll help you!”

Her words caught him off guard. He stopped, turned sideways, lowered his gaze, and looked straight at Jiang Muwen.

A mischievous glint flashed at the corner of his eye. He pursed his lips, and on his usually gentle face appeared a charm Jiang Muwen had never seen before. “I’m going to take a shower. Would you like to help me?”