Chapter 298 Before the Storm

Qin Jinhuan smiled as he whispered to her. Mu Yu was initially taken aback by his words, but then she burst into laughter.

“Who would have thought that Chief Rong would be capable of being such a romantic!”

“It’s because he truly loves her. That’s why he’s willing to rack his brains to win her over.” He then pulled her into a hug. “Just like me when it comes to you.”

Mu Yu laughed as she flicked his face. “What does this have to do with you? And I thought that our trip here today was to celebrate my escape from ‘prison’. I didn’t expect that I’d just be here for the ride.”

“Nope! The main purpose of this trip is so that you can enjoy springtime out here to celebrate your discharge from ‘prison’. Chief Rong is the one who’s actually here for the ride, what with his pursuit of Feng Rubing.”

“You gave him the idea?”

“He thought of it himself.”

“Does it mean that Madam Feng doesn’t know about this?”

“Probably not.”

“How will someone as distant as Madam Feng react then?”

“I have no idea.”

“Come on, give it some thought.”

“Not interested in that.”

Mu Yu flicked his head. “You’re no fun.”

However, Qin Jinhuan wasn’t put off by that; he simply smiled and hugged her. “You’re the only one I’m interested in.”

“You’re really… Huh? It’s raining?!” Mu Yu was shocked. “How are we going to have our picnic if it’s raining?!”

“It’s fine; it’s just a drizzle. It’ll be over in a bit.”

“You watched the weather forecast?”

“Yeah.” He took her hand. “Let’s go back for now and get out of the rain.”

When they returned to the campsite, there were already three sunshades set up there. Qin Chengxi and Shang Qi were cooking under one of the sunshades. Under the sunshade next to them was a sheet that took up nearly the entire space under the sunshade itself. There was even a low, rectangular table on top of the sheet covering that grassy patch of ground.

Mu Yu ecstatically dashed over and sat down on the sheet. Then, her hands roved over the table.

“Isn’t this table a little on the small side? There’ll be plenty of people eating together later on.”

“Mu Yu, that table isn’t the one we’re using for our meal later,” Feng Qiqi answered, having charged over and rolled onto the sheet.

Mu Yu was confused. “It isn’t? What’s this table for, then?”

“It’s for us to play cards. Do you know how to play Tractor?”

“No, I only know how to play Dou Dizhu.”

“I know that game too. Let’s play that one later.”

“Children should not participate in gambling,” Qin Jinhuan said as he handed Mu Yu a cup of hot tea.

Feng Qiqi pouted. “I never said that we’re going to bet money. Besides, can the adults even play if we’re actually betting real money on it?”

“You’re right—even us grown-ups can’t gamble. We’ve got to set a good example for you kids,” Mu Yu giggled as she answered Feng Qiqi.

“You’re the best, Mu Yu.” Feng Qiqi harrumphed at Qin Jinhuan before looking at Mu Yu with a charming smile. “You’re hungry, right? Lunch won’t be done that soon. I’ll get you some cookies instead.”

With that, she got up and walked over to the other sunshade next to them.

It was only then did Mu Yu notice that the sunshade next to them also had a sheet under it. Meanwhile, several huge bags of snacks were placed right there.

The rain grew heavier just then. All of a sudden, Mu Yu thought of Rong Jian and the others, so she immediately got up and asked, “Did we bring umbrellas?”

Qin Jinhuan nodded, having understood her thoughts. “We’ve already given them some raincoats.”

“I see.” She looked out in worry again. “What if the rain gets heavier? Won’t we have to go back down the mountain?”

“Relax. The rain won’t get any heavier, and it won’t last that long.”

“Really?”

“Yep.” Feng Qiqi happened to come back with some snacks for them. Qin Jinhuan took some snacks from her and handed them to Mu Yu, speaking as he did so. “This rain is just passing by, and it’ll stop soon. The rain is going to be mainly in An City today.”

“What? Are you saying that it’s going to rain in An City once the rain stops here?”

“That’s right.”

“How do you know all this?” Mu Yu asked in astonishment as she checked the weather forecast on her phone.

“I’m a prophet.” Qin Jinhuan’s smile was a pleased one. Yesterday, he had asked Bian Zijun about the weather for the day so that their camping trip could go as smoothly as possible.

Mu Yu was already used to him showing off, so she couldn’t be bothered to question him any further. Instead, she watched as the rain gradually drizzled to a stop while she munched on her snacks.

Soon enough, it stopped raining. The sun peeked out once again, surprising and delighting her. What surprised her more was the delicious scent of food wafting through the air, though.

Shang Qi had already finished cooking their meal by then. Meanwhile, Qin Chengxi and Feng Qiqi brought the food-laden plates over.

Upon seeing this, Mu Yu hastily walked out from the sunshade and got on her tiptoes to look around. “Why are Wenwen and the others not back yet?”

Shang Qi looked at his watch and smiled. “It’s 2.30PM already, so they should be back soon.”

Feng Qiqi immediately fished out her phone. “I’ll give them a call.”

However, Qin Chengxi didn’t look like she was in a hurry at all. She took a bowl and approached Mu Yu, smiling as he handed the bowl to her along with a pair of chopsticks. “Give Shang Qi’s cooking a try.”

Mu Yu looked at the appetizing food in the bowl. Although she hadn’t tasted anything yet, she mentally complimented the chef beforehand. Once she took a bite, she absolutely sang praises because it was indeed delicious.

After she had tasted Shang Qi’s cooking, she helped Qin Chengxi to set out the cutlery. Just as they finished setting the plates, Rong Jian and the others appeared in front of them.

“Perfect timing,” she greeted them with a smile. As she greeted Feng Rubing, she went over to support Jiang Wenwen’s weight out of concern. “Are you still all right? Do you feel tired?”

“I’m okay. I’m not tired at all because we went pretty slow,” Jiang Wenwen replied while smiling.

Seeing that Jiang Wenwen hadn’t broken a sweat and that she looked at ease, Mu Yu relaxed and led her over to the sunshade.

“Take a seat here, Wenwen.” Wen Zeyu pointed at a stool.

“Wow, you’re really thoughtful, Zeyu,” Mu Yu jested as she grinned.

Meanwhile, Jiang Wenwen eyed him bashfully and murmured, “Thanks.”

“Why are you still thanking me?” Wen Zeyu helped her to sit down before handing her a cup of hot tea. “I’ll get you some rice. Take a look at the dishes on the table and see what you like. I’ll help you get the food later.”

“All right, thank you.”

“Are you seriously thanking me again?”

Jiang Wenwen smiled with her teeth showing when she saw how Mu Yu stared at her. Once Wen Zeyu left, she said to the other woman in a low voice, “I’m just used to thanking people.” She then grinned and paused for a bit before saying, “He’s very nice to me.”

Mu Yu recalled her discussion with Qin Jinhuan earlier. To her, Jiang Wenwen’s statement couldn’t hide the obvious, but there were others around, so it wasn’t a good time to ask her about it any further. Hence, all Mu Yu could do was to keep her questions to herself and smile as she dug into her meal with everyone.

After lunch, Feng Qiqi dragged Feng Rubing away to take in the sights. Shang Qi initially wanted to take a stroll with Qin Chengxi too, but Qin Jinhuan ended up calling him over for a game of Tractor. As such, she volunteered to be their tea-pouring servant instead. When Mu Yu saw that Jiang Wenwen looked slightly tired, she accompanied the latter back to the tents to rest.

After they got into the tent, Mu Yu immediately pulled on Jiang Wenwen’s arm to ask her how Wen Zeyu had been treating her.

“He’s nice to me,” Jiang Wenwen said through her laughter, already half-lying down. Her voice was garbled with tiredness.

“How nice is nice?”

“He thinks of me whenever we do stuff, and he also remembers what I say. He’s also nice to my parents.”

“He’s met your parents already?”

“Of course.” Jiang Wenwen caressed her lower abdomen, the happiness on her face evident. “When he found out about my pregnancy, he went to meet my parents and promised them that he’d treat me well. That way, they’d be at ease with entrusting me to him.”

Her clothes were loose, so the others couldn’t actually tell that she was already pregnant.

Mu Yu took a look at Jiang Wenwen’s belly, which was currently not that obvious-looking, and asked her flatly, “Why didn’t you tell me about something as huge as this?”

Having sensed Mu Yu’s disgruntlement, Jiang Wenwen quickly pulled on her arm and grinned. “Truthfully, I only discovered that I was pregnant about 50 days or so into the pregnancy. I wanted to tell you back then, but Zeyu wouldn’t let me. He said that you had just lost your child because of someone else and that you were hurting over it. If I told you about my pregnancy, it would have certainly struck a nerve and made you sad. I felt that he had a point, so I didn’t tell you. I was going to tell you after you had calmed down, but my morning sickness has been really bad lately. I’ve been in so much discomfort that it sucks, so I kept delaying the news. It’s not too late to tell you now, right?”

Mu Yu pretended to be huffy as she rolled her eyes at Jiang Wenwen. “Too late! I’m already angry!”

“Come on, don’t be like that.” Jiang Wenwen began to swing Mu Yu’s arm. “Be good, Yu.”

“Not unless I become your kid’s godmother.”

“Okay! Sure! Definitely! All right, come on and give me a smile. Come, give the baby a smile.” Jiang Wenwen stuck her belly out. Then, she said cheerfully in a straightforward manner, “I’ll also let you name the baby. That’s enough for making amends, yeah?”

“I don’t want to name the baby. That takes up so much brain power.” Mu Yu was already laughing as she spoke, but then she expressed her worry by saying, “Do you still have morning sickness?”

“I’ve already weathered through it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come hiking along with you guys.”

“Still, you’ve got to watch yourself more and rest. Come on, let’s lie down.” With that, Mu Yu helped her to lie down.

The two of them returned to how they were during their college days, snacking while talking each others’ ears off as they lay down together.

Qin Jinhuan and the others had stopped playing cards when sunset came, but the two women still left them behind and went out to watch the sunset. When they returned, Shang Qi and the others had already cooked dinner. Since they had late lunch and also snacked a lot during the afternoon, Mu Yu and Jiang Wenwen weren’t that hungry. They picked at their food before following Qin Chengxi to prepare for their bonfire night.

The sun had been beating down on them since the drizzle earlier that afternoon. The ground was currently very dry, so they managed to light the bonfire easily. Along with Bian Zijun’s help, Feng Qiqi set up the sound system successfully and blasted some music from it, eagerly singing and dancing around the bonfire to the beat of the music.

Everyone followed Rong Jian’s plans and first played some party games around the bonfire. Once everyone was pumped up, he then brought out a bouquet of roses and a diamond ring before getting down on one knee in front of Feng Rubing to solemnly ask for her hand in marriage.

As Mu Yu expected, Feng Rubing was indeed taken aback. She stared at Rong Jian, and she was still quiet even though a long time had passed.

Meanwhile, everyone else patiently waited for her response. Feng Qiqi was the only one who couldn’t hide her impatience. She grabbed Feng Rubing’s arm and shook it a few times, reminding her to answer.

A beat later, Feng Rubing crouched down and helped Rong Jian up. “Let’s talk about this another time.”

Upon seeing this, Feng Qiqi stamped her foot in frustration. “Why wait until another time? Just answer him now! Come on, give him your answer! I’m telling you now that everyone’s patience has a limit. You’re not going to get this chance again once it’s passed!”

However, Feng Rubing still remained as tight-lipped as ever as she repeated her words. “Another time.”

Feng Qiqi was not the only one who was frustrated; everyone else was too. However, no one had expected Rong Jian, who had already gotten up, not to be frustrated. He carefully put the diamond ring away before offering the roses to Feng Rubing as he said solemnly, “I’ll keep the ring first. I’ll wait patiently until you’re willing to wear it.”

“I really have no idea what you’re thinking,” Feng Qiqi scoffed at Feng Rubing before strutting over to Mu Yu’s side to sit down. She looked like she didn’t want to talk to the woman at all.

Meanwhile, Rong Jian clapped his hands and smiled. “Let’s just treat this as a small hiccup, so let’s continue with our fun. I’ll sing something for you guys.” As he spoke, he carefully helped Feng Rubing to sit down before he launched into an acapella rendition of Faye Wong’s ‘I Do’. His voice actually wasn’t all that pleasant, but he gave his all when he sang. Mu Yu, who was sitting near Feng Rubing, could clearly see the tears glinting in the other woman’s eyes. She couldn’t quite understand it at all.

When she returned to her tent, she told Qin Jinhuan all that she saw and expressed her confusion.

“Is Madam Feng still unable to let go of her past? Hasn’t she already accepted Chief Rong’s feelings for her?”

“Maybe she thinks that while love is just something between two people, marriage isn’t exactly like that,” said Qin Jinhuan as he spread several blankets apart.

“You’re saying that Madam Feng is worried that his parents won’t accept her?”

“That’s something between them. Come, let’s hit the hay. I’ll take you to watch the sunrise tomorrow morning.”

“Do Chief Rong’s parents emphasize family status?”

“They are rather particular about their reputations.”

Mu Yu was shocked. “I thought that the incident between Li Jianyun and Madam Feng has been kept under wraps, though. Why do Chief Rong’s parents know about it?”

“Just because they don’t know now doesn’t mean they won’t find out later. If they find out about it, they will definitely oppose their relationship. Feng Rubing probably knows this very well, so that is why she’s been refusing Rong Jian’s advances.”

“She’s been refusing his advances? You’re telling me that Rong Jian has proposed to her before?”

“Yes.”

“Well, does it mean that he hasn’t told her his true feelings yet?”

“He did, but she still has other things to think about. Still, considering how determined Rong Jian is, it’s just a matter of time until he breaks down her worries. All right, it’s already midnight. Get some sleep now, or you won’t be able to wake up in time for the sunrise.”

“Okay then.” Mu Yu promptly fell back and used Qin Jinhuan’s arm as a pillow. However, she couldn’t sleep despite the complete darkness. Her mind kept fixating itself on Jiang Wenwen and Feng Rubing’s relationships. As such, she only fell asleep way later.

“Rubing! Rubing! Wake up!”

Hours later, Mu Yu was startled awake by Rong Jian’s frantic shouting. When she cracked her eyes open, she realized that the sun was up already. Qin Jinhuan was no longer by her side as well. Thinking that something had happened to Feng Rubing, Mu Yu quickly pulled on some clothes and exited the tent frantically.

“Chief, what happened to Madam Feng?” she asked Rong Jian anxiously, uncaring of her disheveled clothing.

Rong Jian had a troubled look on his face. “Nothing has happened to Rubing! But there’s been a murder in West City, though!”