After rebirth, I rejected the rich yandere lady-Chapter 793 - 331: The Distraught Young Girl, Eager to Undermine. (Second update!)

"Xiao Mai," are you... also fond of him?"

Zhu Yulan's statement momentarily distracted the usually stoic Zhao Lianmai.

The frying pan clattered against the stove, sending sparks flying.

She silently turned her gaze to Zhu Yulan and, after a brief eye contact, her delicate cheeks moved slightly. Yet she eventually replied with a hint of resignation, "Fondness… what does fondness really count for? I am well aware of my own limitations."

Zhao Lianmai's words were calm, but the very act of speaking them was itself an answer.

Indeed, feelings like fondness are intangible and fleeting, akin to a dream.

Fondness, liking, love...

Three stages, each vastly different from the other in essence.

Without a doubt, Zhao Lianmai was indeed fond of Xu Musen.

Or, if one were to view it from her perspective;

In her life of poverty where every penny had to be split in two, with a father who abandoned his wife and daughter, a mother severely ill at home, a sister forced to drop out of school out of necessity...

Each weight on its own was crushing, yet all had converged on the fragile shoulders of this young girl at the same time.

Burdened and stuck in the mire, it was Xu Musen who had appeared before her, the man who changed her entire life.

Xu Musen provided her with a job, abundant respect, and the rare dignity of not having to scramble for tuition fees anymore. Her mother finally received the lifesaving money needed, her sister could resume school, and their leaky home could at last be renovated...

For Zhao Lianmai, Xu Musen was truly like an angel, bringing a drastically different life into her world.

How could she not feel fondness for him?

Zhao Lianmai's expression remained serene,

"Xiao Mai, your hand!"

But Zhu Yulan cried out in alarm. Only then did Zhao Lianmai feel a pain in her finger. Looking down, she saw that it had brushed against the edge of the frying pan, and now a red welt had formed on her finger.

"Quick, rinse it under water!"

Zhu Yulan turned off the burner and then quickly grabbed Zhao Lianmai's hand, turned on the tap, and started to rinse it with cold water.

Zhao Lianmai just silently watched her burned finger.

Zhu Yulan, too, was watching her, inwardly sighing. Clearly, Zhao Lianmai's heart was far from the calm she displayed on the surface.

That line about knowing her own worth perhaps carried a bitterness only she could understand.

In youth, one should not meet someone too astonishing, or they might find themselves trapped for a lifetime.

"You just said 'also'... How about you? How do you feel about him?"

Zhao Lianmai suddenly asked.

Zhu Yulan had used the word 'also' regarding her fondness.

But it had been apparent for some time that this Missy's world was increasingly filled with the name Xu Musen.

"I..."

Zhu Yulan was lost in thought, her mind rushing with memories of her experiences with Xu Musen.

He was the first to dare mock her, the first to treat her not as a Missy, the first to take her to KFC, the first stranger to stand up for her...

Of course, what attracted her the most was Xu Musen's consistently hopeful and tender nature.

No matter the magnitude of the issue, he always saved a gentle, hopeful demeanor for those around him.

In a blink, a year had passed.

Even the smallest buds ought to have sprouted by now.

Yet she felt she wasn't as forthright as Zhao Lianmai.

She shook her head: "To be honest, I don't even know my own worth currently..."

Zhu Yulan revealed a complicated smile. If, if Xu Musen didn't have a girlfriend, perhaps she could muster the courage.

But now...

Although her second sister said in family matters a woman has plenty of choices, and it's the same for men—until there's a marriage, anyone has the right to pursue.

Even if it means stealing someone else's partner... After all, for the family, it's interests first.

Xu Musen's capabilities were now valued by many prominent families. If they could get him as a son-in-law, it would be great.

If Zhu Yulan decided to make a move, her family would surely support her.

Her older sister was indifferent to family interests, but she wished for her younger sister's happiness, by any means necessary.

A forcibly twisted melon isn't sweet, but it can quench thirst.

Yet only Zhu Yulan herself was uncertain...

She wanted to advance further, but each time she saw An Nuannuan, she felt a pang of guilt.

She knew An Nuannuan didn't care that much about her but she, on the other hand, wanted to encroach on her territory.

Yet if she were asked to step back, deep inside, Zhu Yulan couldn't bear the thought.

Especially lately, she could sense that a subtle change was happening among the trio of Yao Mingyue, Xu Musen, and An Nuannuan.

If Yao Mingyue could, why couldn't she?

But such thoughts were fleeting.

The two were silent for a long time.

By unspoken agreement, they avoided the subject.

One watched the other's troubled eyes, and one watched the other's burned finger.

The unrequited lovers understood each other's unspoken thoughts.

"Jerk..."

"Achoo!"

Just then, the kitchen door opened, and Xu Musen walked in, muttering about who was talking behind his back again.

"What's wrong... You got burned?"

Xu Musen noticed their actions and saw Zhao Lianmai's burned finger, and immediately came over.

"It's a minor injury... It's nothing."

Zhao Lianmai became a bit flustered when she saw him all of a sudden.

"You should be careful, burns need to be treated immediately or they might scar. Wait here for me."

Xu Musen hurried to fetch the first aid kit; the villa was well-stocked with emergency supplies.

"Give me your hand."

Xu Musen took out burn ointment and reached out to her.

Zhao Lianmai hesitated for a moment, looking at Xu Musen's outstretched hand, almost stage-frightened.

But Zhu Yulan held her hand and directly passed it to Xu Musen.

The warmth from his palm made Zhao Lianmai remain completely still, like a statue.

Xu Musen carefully applied the ointment and gently wrapped a bandage around it.

"There, it's not too bad; it should be fine in a couple of days. You probably can't touch seawater, though."

Xu Musen offered comfort and gently released her hand.

"Thank you..."

Zhao Lianmai looked at her carefully bandaged hand, still seeming to retain a trace of warmth.

"The dish, it burned."

She pointed at the scorched pot of food next to her.

"It's just a burnt dish, your hand is what helps me make big money, you must take good care of it, otherwise I'll be at a big loss in the future."

Xu Musen emphasized seriously.

His tone, seemingly indifferent to the person, actually made one feel even warmer inside.

"Alright, you two go rest, I'll just add a couple more dishes and it will be fine, the main thing to eat at the beach is seafood anyway."

Xu Musen waved them off before putting on an apron and starting to scrub the pot and cook again.

Zhu Yulan watched him, this kind of emotionally stable and warmhearted personality was truly both endearing and maddening...

Zhao Lianmai also pursed her lips and nodded, then turned and left the kitchen.

Dinner time.

Everyone was very concerned about Zhao Lianmai's scalding incident, and because of this, everyone was able to open up and chat freely.

The girls chattered nonstop.

They drank quite a bit of fruit wine, especially Zhu Yulan, who seemed particularly emotional today, continuously drinking, and getting herself a bit drunk on the fruit wine.

After dinner ended.

They each returned to their rooms to sleep.

Yao Mingyue still loved to sleep with An Nannan.

To Xu Musen's surprise, An Nannan even took her little pillow and went to sleep with Yao Mingyue eagerly.

"When did you two become so close?"

"Humph, secret!"

An Nannan stuck out her tongue at him and ran into the room.

Yao Mingyue also looked at him with a bit of schadenfreude, snorted, and went into her room as well.

Well, Xu Musen seriously wondered if Yao Mingyue, this little sickly cutie, was adopting a strategy of encircling the city from the rural areas.

First to turn the younger aunt to her side, and then ready to replace Nuannuan at any moment?

But that was impossible. Xu Musen hugged his warm and soft sweetheart and returned to his room.

Zhu Yulan and Zhao Lianmai also went to their separate rooms across the hall.

The villa had this advantage, the more rooms, the livelier it became with more people.

Deep into the night.

Holding An Nuannuan, Xu Musen felt a bit contemplative, "I didn't expect Zhao Lianmai to come, it seems her change is not small, and with her personality, she can even get along with Zhu Yulan, a young lady from a rich family."

Xu Musen always had a good impression of Zhao Lianmai, of course only as friends.

A young girl, supporting a broken home by herself.

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Hardworking and principled at work.

A really good friend.

With her in the company, Xu Musen had much less to worry about.

"They changed because of you, and who ends up with whom... it's all unpredictable."

An Nuannuan lay in his arms, her tone somewhat teasing, yet perhaps a hint of jealousy.

But the last sentence was definitely said on purpose.

Girls, even if they seem harmless, always have a bit of insecurity.

Xu Musen pinched her cheek, "They might have changed because of me, but I definitely changed because of you, so in the end, it's still our boss lady An who's the most awesome!

And besides, didn't we agree? No matter what happens in the future, I want to be the best with you."

Hearing this, An Nuannuan became even softer in his arms, snuggling comfortably and emitting a satisfied noise like a cute little bunny.

"Hehe..."

She took the initiative to raise her head and gave Xu Musen a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"Xu Musen, I love you so much..."

"Then let's do something that people in love do!"

Xu Musen chuckled and turned off the bedside lamp.

"Ah..."

The night grew later.

A gentle sea breeze blew outside the yard.

The waves, rhythmic and regular, left white foam traces on the pristine beach.

This was the breath of the ocean, nurturing and enveloping countless lives.

At that moment on the beach, a solitary figure wandered quietly.

Zhao Lianmai sat on a rock, quietly watching the still night far away.

The ocean, for someone like her who was born at the foot of a mountain in the Central Plains, seemed more like an escape from a mental shackle.

This was her first real encounter with the sea, and also the first time today she felt a bit troubled...

She looked at her bandaged fingertips, and the words Zhu Yulan said to her today were vivid in her mind.

Actually, Zhao Lianmai never craved for much.

She knew well that she and Xu Musen could be good friends, classmates, colleagues, but never that kind of relationship.

To put it plainly, they were not from the same world.

This sense of disparity is not something you can catch up with by making money later on.

Moreover, Zhao Lianmai looked down at the sea water; the night sea didn't reflect anything.

She reached out her other hand and gently touched the water.

It was very cold, seemingly heavier than fresh water, and waves washed over her fingers as if echoing her restless heart.

She slowly pulled back her hand, the seawater-coated fingers gently touched her mouth, tasting salty... with a hint of the sea.

But in Zhao Lianmai's heart, this represented the first step of moving past her previous gloom; if she had the chance, she wanted to bring her mother and sister to see this different world with their own eyes.

She had already received a lot and shouldn't be greedy for more.

Forget it, thinking about this now was meaningless...

She gazed at the distant sea, the farther her eyes roamed, the deeper the blackness became, as if it could drown out all emotions.

She was lost in thought for a long time.

Until she felt a shadow fall over her, cast by the moonlight.

"Xiao Mai, enjoying the solitude here..."

Xu Musen appeared behind her without her noticing, holding two bottles of fruit wine and shaking them at her.