Mu Jinyu's heart thumped with trepidation upon hearing Gu Xiyan's questioning, a voice within her chastising the potential mess.
The earlier chase by Gu Xiyan was an account settling for the advantage Mu Jinyu had just taken of her.
Now, it was her reminder that made Gu Xiyan remember her actions from the previous night, beginning to clear the account of Mu Jinyu's impersonation of Soldier King Lin Feng, having deceived her trust and closeness.
Mu Jinyu's heart sank, but her eyes looked tenderly into Gu Xiyan's with a tone filled with sorrow and apology, saying,
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to deceive you. We had just met, and I was already stunned by your beauty, overwhelmed by your grace. I knew that if I didn't seize the moment, I might never get another opportunity to be close to you. Forgive my impersonation, for I didn't want to live a life of regret over a moment's hesitation."
Gu Xiyan, looking into Mu Jinyu's earnest and passionate eyes, seemed to feel his burning love as well. She quickly dodged his gaze, her pretty face blushing as she said, "Stop talking nonsense. First, clarify exactly who you are and what your name is?"
"Hmm," Mu Jinyu nodded and said, "Let's get to know each other again. My name is Mu Jinyu; 'Mu' as in admiration, and 'Jinyu' as in 'Jinyu Mantang' (a proverbial expression for a house full of gold and jade, implying wealth and prosperity). My identity is Gu Xiyan's boyfriend."
Gu Xiyan's face instantly flushed red, as red as a ripe apple. She swatted Mu Jinyu with annoyance, retorting, "What are you raving about? Who's your girlfriend?!"
Mu Jinyu paused, and then instinctively grabbed Gu Xiyan's hand. Yet his expression darkened as he spoke softly, "I'm sorry, I forgot that since our breakup last night, we're not even pretend boyfriend and girlfriend anymore..."
Gu Xiyan had always known men who were either pursuing her or not, to be courteous and humble. She had never encountered someone like Mu Jinyu and was a bit at a loss. Her intention to pull away her hand was momentarily forgotten.
While Gu Xiyan's hand was soft and tender, Mu Jinyu wasn't planning to take further advantage. He released her hand in time, his voice deep as he said, "However, having had the experience of being your boyfriend, even if it was just pretend, is enough for me. Thank you for the beautiful memory, and I wish for you to find your perfect Prince Charming soon..."
Having said that, Mu Jinyu watched Gu Xiyan's face, seeing her slightly dizzy from his words, reveling inwardly before promptly turning to leave.
Of course, the act had to be played through to the end. Even on the verge of success, he couldn't get carried away; he had to leave Gu Xiyan with an image of his desolate back.
Gu Xiyan, although a bit dizzy from Mu Jinyu's ruse, felt sad watching his retreating figure. However, she wouldn't forget the reason she came looking for him. Seeing Mu Jinyu walking away, she quickly stepped in front of him, saying, "Stop."
At Gu Xiyan's interception, Mu Jinyu's heart skipped a beat, sensing trouble.
Why hadn't she been fooled? Had he said too much? Did she really start to like him? Was she preparing to persist in badgering him?
As thoughts whirled in his head, Mu Jinyu steeled himself and looked at Gu Xiyan with feigned passion and surprise, his face breaking into a smile as he said, "Yanyan, could it be... you're actually willing to be with me for real?!"
With that, Mu Jinyu excitedly reached out to embrace Gu Xiyan.
Gu Xiyan, ever vigilant, quickly stepped back to avoid his reach, saying, "Stop fantasizing about all this nonsense. I have a question for you."
Mu Jinyu sighed lightly, his voice melancholic, "How could being with you ever be called nonsense?"
"You..." Gu Xiyan was at a loss for words.
Mu Jinyu smiled and said, "What's the question? Ask away. I'll tell you anything I can."
Internally grumbling, she wondered, 'Is she going to make me cough up the payment for yesterday's labor?'
Gu Xiyan saw that he was finally taking things seriously and secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Then, she took out from her bag the pair of Five Divine Silkworms Silk underwear that Trotsky had praised to the skies—of course, they were in a plastic bag.
After all, the underwear had been worn, and as a pure, unmarried girl, how could she have the nerve to take it out in front of Mu Jinyu, the original owner, with her bare hands?!
Mu Jinyu saw the piece of cloth that Gu Xiyan had taken out of her bag, wrapped in a transparent plastic bag, and recognized it at a glance as the pair of boxers he had changed out of the day before.
His face immediately lit up with joy. When he was about to part ways with Gu Xiyan the night before, he had planned to ask her for it back, but he couldn't explain himself at the time, and when a phone call came that could have blown his cover, he ran away without daring to ask again.
He hadn't expected that the matter Gu Xiyan mentioned was to return his clothing.
"Wow, I thought it was something serious," Mu Jinyu relaxed, as long as it wasn't about him losing money the problem wasn't too big, and said with a smile, "I thought you had thrown them away, but you've brought them all the way here. I feel really embarrassed."
As he spoke, Mu Jinyu reached out his hand to take his clothing back.
But Gu Xiyan took a step back and did not let him take it. Mu Jinyu was momentarily stunned, then Gu Xiyan stroked her hair with her hand, her pretty face slightly blushing, and asked somewhat embarrassedly, "Wait a minute, don't be hasty, let me ask you, these boxers, are they made of silkworm silk from five different kinds of what-do-you-call-it silkworms?"
"Yeah, how did you know?" Mu Jinyu said in surprise.
Now that the topic was opened up, Gu Xiyan felt less embarrassed. With a blushing face, she said, "These boxers are quite valuable, someone wants to buy them. Do you want to meet him?"
"They're valuable?!" Mu Jinyu wasn't aware that his boxers were valuable, and upon hearing this, he was quite interested, quickly asking, "How much? Who wants to buy them, a man or a woman?"
Gu Xiyan honestly replied, "I'm not sure how much, but he seems quite sincere, so the price should be substantial. It's a man."
"A man?" The expression on Mu Jinyu's face stiffened, and he asked with an odd look, "What does he want with my boxers?!"
Gu Xiyan said uncertainly, "It seems that he said your boxers are magical, that if worn for a long time, they prevent all sorts of illnesses, ward off poisons, promote strength and health, or something. He probably wants to buy them to wear himself, right?"
"Hmm?!" Mu Jinyu's eyes sharpened as his anger surged.
Damn it, some other man actually wanted to buy and wear the boxers he had worn?!
Just thinking about it made him feel incredibly disgusted.
"No, no, I won't sell them for any amount of money!"
Mu Jinyu immediately shook his head in refusal and then prepared to take back his boxers, when suddenly, he thought of something and looked at Gu Xiyan with suspicion, asking, "My boxers, they haven't been tried on by that damn pervert, have they?!"
Gu Xiyan gave an embarrassed chuckle and said, "He hasn't tried them on, just sniffed them."