Chapter 236: half-master

While waiting for midnight, they enjoyed the main dishes and desserts. The lights became dimmer, and elegant music began to play.

Shuishui's mood shifted as she listened to the music. She felt excited.

Other couples were getting intimate, but Mu Ziyu did not overdo it. He just watched Shuishui eat. "Drink some tea. Don't choke on your food."

Shuishui nodded. Her mouth was full of food, so she could not speak.

Shuishui had made the chili sauce out of the tomato dip and chili flakes. It was very delicious. It made her feel very comfortable. She realized that she had been enjoying the meal without considering Mu Ziyu. She said, "Let's eat together. Come. I've cut off this bone."

Shuishui said in a softer voice, "Ah, open your mouth."

Mu Ziyu opened his mouth very cooperatively as Shuishui let him try the food. "It's delicious," he said.

"Then have another piece." Shuishui picked up another piece and placed it into Mu Ziyu's mouth. "It'll be better if we eat together. You haven't eaten dinner, right?"

"It's fine." Ziyu felt that he had thought too much that day. He no longer thought about the matter involving Young Master Hua and Shuishui. They had nothing to do with each other, so there was no need to think about it. He felt grateful that he and Shuishui were simply happy together.

Shuishui ate very slowly, but she kept eating. By midnight, they heard the sound of firecrackers. They saw fireworks as they stared out the glass window. From where they sat, they saw the beautiful fireworks. Ziyu had chosen one of the best tables in the restaurant.

Shuishui was in a daze as she watched the fireworks display.

Mu Ziyu, on the other hand, was looking at Shuishui, who was clearly fascinated by the fireworks. The colorful fireworks reflected on her glowing skin. Ziyu had to wait for two and a half more years before Shuishui would attend university. For some reason, he really hoped that she could grow up faster.

Shuishui squinted because the fireworks were too bright. She turned around and saw Mu Ziyu looking at her. She touched her face and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

He shook his head. "No."

Shuishui smiled faintly and said, "I'm going to the bathroom."

She left her bag behind and went to the bathroom. She washed her hands and came out after a few minutes. On her way out, she saw someone she knew. It was not someone she was familiar with. It was just Young Master Hua, whom she had met a few times. They were enemies on a narrow road. She did not want to see him that day. She turned around, but Young Master Hua saw her. He went forward and said, "Shuishui, why didn't you greet me when you saw me?"

"I'm sorry. We're not familiar with each other," Shuishui said coldly.

Her head spun. The man was really haunting her.

"You're here to eat too? Which table is it?" he looked behind Shuishui.

Shuishui bluntly said, "My boyfriend and I are here. We don't want to be disturbed. All right. That's it."

She strode away from Young Master Hua and returned to her seat. She smiled at Ziyu and said, "Let's go."

Ziyu did not know what had happened. He simply answered, "Okay."

As Ziyu and Shuishui stoop up to leave, Young Master Hua looked at Mu Ziyu. Mu Ziyu felt that someone was staring at him, and he also saw Young Master Hua. He ignored him because he understood from what Shuishui said that the young man was not a threat to their relationship.

Young Master Hua touched his chin and said, "Him? Interesting."

He had never thought that Shuishui would be in a relationship with a man like Mu Ziyu. It was a little troublesome. He knew Mu Ziyu. Although they were not familiar with each other, he knew that Mu Ziyu's personality was different from how he looked.

Shuishui and Mu Ziyu walked out of the restaurant. Mu Ziyu asked, "Did you see Young Master Hua just now?"

Shuishui didn't deny it. "Uh."

"It's better not to interact with that person. I'll send you home. I'll be very busy tomorrow." Ziyu planned to take Shuishui out for dinner the next day. He told Shuishui he wouldn't be able to join her for lunch. Uncle Jiang wouldn't let Shuishui go with him anyway. Ziyu was just sad that Shuishui was leaving soon.

Mu Ziyu sent Shuishui home and left. Shuishui returned to her room. She was in a good mood and kept smiling. Suddenly, Qian Anzhi called her. She picked up the call. "Why are you calling me now?"

"Sis, I still need some money. Can you transfer some more to me?" He was a little embarrassed. He hadn't returned home yet because he had just argued over the phone with his mother. His father even told him that it wasn't his fault.

Shuishui felt that something was wrong. "Where are you?"

Qian Anzhi was guilty, and he decided to lie. "Ah, I'm at home."

Shuishui felt that he was lying. "Since you're at home, there's no need to ask for money from me. Tell me, what's the matter?"

"I argued with Mother, and I ran away. I've been sleeping in a hotel." He told her the truth, because he felt that Shuishui would find out the truth anyway if he lied again.

"Forget it. It's getting late. You rest, and I'll transfer 500 yuan to you. I'll be back tomorrow, and you can come to the apartment then." Shuishui was worried that Anzhi would make a habit out of asking for money.

"Sister, I was going to go to the apartment, but I realized that I left the key in my room. I forgot to bring it with me. Are you coming back tomorrow?" Anzhi asked excitedly.

"Yes, I'm going back. I'll be there by noon. Dad will come to pick me up. I'll go straight back. We can have lunch together."

Qian Anzhi was not happy. "Sis, Dad and I also quarreled. It would be very awkward for you."

"What are you afraid of? Why did you quarrel? It's fine as long as you were reasonable. Can't we sit down and talk about things properly?" she asked in return. Shuishui knew that if Anzhi remained stubborn, he would end up hurting himself. He had no money, entirely dependent on the family, and was still young. He was lucky that he wasn't hurt. If he were kidnapped, he would have run back to his parents.

Shuishui reprimanded Qian Anzhi. "Stop talking. Go to the apartment at noon tomorrow. You're making the family worry by running away. You're not a child anymore. Don't be so willful."

Qian Anzhi muttered, "You've run away from home more times than I have."

Shuishui didn't hear him clearly. "What?"

"Nothing. I'll go. You don't have to send me money. I still have enough for the night. When you arrive tomorrow, I'll stay in your apartment. I'm not leaving. I don't want to go back home. Besides, I'm about to take my middle school exams. I need to be in the right environment. You know how it is at home. Mom always talks a lot, and Momo likes to quarrel with me. Ever since you moved out, she has been bickering with me. She would crazily knock on my door when she doesn't get what she wants. How can I study in such an environment?" Anzhi said angrily.

"Then who are you in conflict with exactly?" Shuishui continued to ask.

"With Mom. She always wants me to give way to Momo. She always says that Eldest Sister is a girl and that I only liked to go out. She pointed out how I didn't like to study and that I would end up embarrassing the family if I don't make it to high school." As Anzhi argued with his own mother at that time, he realized what Shuishui went through.

Shuishui couldn't help but laugh. "Just don't listen to her."

"I don't want to listen either, but there's nothing I can do. Dad also said that I shouldn't contradict Mom." Anzhi really felt helpless. He felt that Shuishui would have defended him if she was there.

Children behaved that way, but Qian Anzhi was generally more mature. Shuishui said, "Don't think too much. Didn't I tell you that back then? Didn't I tell you why I moved out? You can continue to stay at my place next semester if you really feel that the atmosphere at home isn't helping you." Shuishui decided to give Anzhi a chance. Besides, the testing date of his middle school exams was fast approaching. After his middle school exams, she would send him home.

"Okay. Thank you, Second Sister. You're the best. In the past, I treated you so badly, but you didn't say anything about me." Anzhi felt a little guilty that Shuishui really treated him well. He remembered how much he had bullied her and quarreled with her in the past.

Shuishui laughed. "You don't have to say that. After all, you're my younger brother. If you were anything like Momo, I would probably have ignored you. Fortunately, you're more like Dad."

"Do I look like Dad? Dad had said before that he favors you among all of us. To him, we're not good at anything." Anzhi felt that it was easy to understand why his father favored Shuishui. She was simply amazing. In his school, no one talked ill of her. Shuishui's former teachers praised her and talked about how hardworking she was.

He didn't get to witness how good she was as a student, but he knew on the day she helped him with the math test paper that she had very high academic standards.

Shuishui began to boast. "I think I make decisions like Dad. At the office, Dad is very decisive."

Qian Anzhi found it funny, but he didn't argue with her about it. "Sis, what's the real score between you and Brother Mu?"

"Nothing much. Let's just leave it at that." Shuishui couldn't be bothered to tell Qian Anzhi about her relationship with Mu Ziyu. She felt that it would definitely be troublesome if he found out.

Anzhi knew his place and stopped asking. "Uh, uh, uh, okay. I shouldn't have asked. After all, I'm not in a relationship. Sis, go to bed early. It's New Year's Day tomorrow. Take the red packet."

Shuishui replied, "Go home first in the morning. After all, it's New Year's Day. If you don't go home, Dad might get angry."

Anzhi was still unwilling. "I don't want to go back."

Shuishui sighed. "Listen to me. Go back tomorrow morning. You're still underage. It's not safe for you to be outside. I'm very curious as to why you had the guts to go to a hotel and book a room. You're not even sixteen yet, and you don't have a guardian with you."

Shuishui felt that the hotel management was too irresponsible for letting a minor book his own room.

Qian Anzhi didn't say anything because he really couldn't argue with Shuishui over what she had just said. He was embarrassed. He said, "Sister, you should go to bed early. I'm going to bed too. I promise I'll go back home in the morning. Anyway, you'll be back tomorrow. I'll go find you."

He no longer objected to her request. He had spent enough time with Shuishui to get ti know more. Although Qian Shuishui had a gentle demeanor, he realized that she could be strict sometimes, especially when her tone dropped. It indicated that she could be a little impatient. He felt closer to Shuishui because he felt that she actually understood him.

Shuishui couldn't sleep that night. For some reason, she turned on her computer and watched animal videos the whole night.

If people knew about it, they would definitely find it weird and unusual. She felt sleepy at five in the morning and lay down to sleep.

She felt that she had only fallen asleep when someone knocked on her door.

Shuishui reluctantly got up and looked at her phone. It was only seven o'clock.

She went to open the door. She saw that it was Jiang Li. She asked, "What's wrong?"

"Sister Qian, come down in a while for breakfast. We have a guest coming." Jiang Li was so sleepy. He had basically stayed up all night playing games with Mu Zilin.

Auntie Jiang had been scolding him because he stayed up too late.

Shuishui rubbed her eyes and nodded. "Okay. I'll go down later."

Jiang Li walked away and went downstairs to help.

Shuishui took a shower and changed into the clothes that Auntie Jiang had bought for her. She had to wear them. It was all out of goodwill. Both Auntie Jiang and Auntie Mu had bought a few sets of clothes for her. Shuishui wasn't annoyed, but she was not very excited about the clothes because they were simply not her style. She didn't really have a choice. She went downstairs after she changed.

Downstairs, Jiang Yuan called her. "Shuishui, a few of my friends are coming over later. Don't be shy. They're all very nice people, and they heard that we have a visitor here, so they all want to come over and meet you."

Shuishui was surprised. She didn't understand what was so special about her being there.

"They're bringing their children over. They're about your age. I hope that when they arrive, you and Jiang Li can take good care of them. Okay?" he said with a smile.

Shuishui nodded. "Yes. Okay."

"Hurry up and eat breakfast. Today's breakfast is very sumptuous." He looked at the child and saw that she was dressed very beautifully. He realized then that Shuishui was leaving the next day. Time flew so fast. He had to prepare so that he would not forget to take her to the airport. He had bought several items like self-brewed wine and a few snacks for Shuishui to bring back home to Qian An.

Later, he would get someone to vacuum pack them so Shuishui could bring them the next day.

When Shuishui finished her breakfast, she put away her bowl and chopsticks. Just as the helper was clearing away the dining table, several guests arrived. She realized then how strange it was that she had not seen the twins for a few days already. She did not know where they were. She didn't bother asking about it because it was none of her business anyway.

Shuishui showed herself just as the guests arrived. She heard the people talking to Jiang Li. Then, Jiang Yuan approached her and brought her to the guests. He introduced her as his goddaughter. Shuishui, who was surprised by how fast everything was happening, was speechless.

A young man and lady casually entered the house. They were siblings. They were expressionless. They appeared cold and distant. Jiang Yuan asked Shuishui and Jiang Li to play with the two children, who were the same age as them. Jiang Li asked enthusiastically, "Do you guys like to play games?"

"We rarely play games. Brother Jiang Li, do you have a chess board? We can play that," the young boy said.

The girl opened her mouth and revealed a smile.

Shuishui looked at the girl and then at the boy. Their eyes met. He was looking at her. Then, Shuishui patted Jiang Li's shoulder as if nothing had happened. "Go get it. I'm not sure where it is," Shuishui said to Jiang Li.

"Okay. I'll go get it." Jiang Li ran to the warehouse to get the board.

Shuishui brought them to an empty space beside the warehouse. The floor was covered with blankets and there was a low table. They could just sit on the floor around the table .

When Jiang Li took out the gobang and chess boards, the girl suggested something. "Let's play this. Using lipstick, we will draw a pattern on the face of whoever loses. How about it? Otherwise, it'll be a boring game."

Although Jiang Li knew how to play the game, he was not proficient in it. However, he felt that he would not lose that easily because his opponents were as young as him. "Let's play chess then," he said with a hint of confidence.

The girl smiled and looked at Shuishui. "Brother, you play. I'll watch from the side. Why don't I play gobang with Little Sister?" As she gazed at Shuishui, a hint of surprise flashed across her eyes.

She realized only at that moment how beautiful Qian Shuishui was. Shuishui's temperament made the young girl believe that she was someone with a good personality.