Cooperation

Mu Qing arrived at the Mu family residence bright and early the next morning.

His arrival caught the entire family completely off guard, evoking a mixture of curiosity and astonishment.

After all, Mu Qing had always been a man of detached temperament, accustomed to living a life of utter seclusion.

In the past, even when crises struck the Mu family, he rarely made a personal appearance.

Yet this time, he had shown such extraordinary concern for Mu Qingcheng, utterly subverting everyone's expectations and leaving them looking at him in a new light.

However...

Upon catching sight of the canister he was carrying in his hand, the expression of Elder Mu, which had initially been somewhat gratified, instantly turned frosty.

At that moment, the old man was sitting in the side parlor, sipping tea.

Glancing at Mu Qing, who sat composed and unhurried across from him, he weighed his words for a moment before finally speaking up.

"Second brother, where on earth... did you get that thing?"

"A doctor friend of mine brought it back overnight from abroad."

Mu Qing answered with practiced fluency. Although skepticism lingered in the old man's heart, he found himself unable to press the matter any further.

When it came to Mu Qing, he somehow felt he could never fully read him.

It was Mu Jingchi, sitting off to the side with a dark expression throughout the exchange, who suddenly broke the silence.

"Come on, Grandfather, aren't you just worried that thing was given by Si Qingchen? Why not just ask him directly? Why bother beating around the bush?"

"You shut your mouth!"

Ever since the incident some time ago, Elder Mu had begun relying on a cane—an accessory he had always despised using.

The old man's frame had grown somewhat stooped, finally revealing the frailty fitting of his advanced years.

At the moment, he raised his cane, pointing it at Mu Jingchi as he hurled a scolding.

Though frustration simmered within Mu Jingchi, he knew the old man's health was clearly not what it used to be, and he dared not push things too far.

Thus, he could only swallow his grievances... and shut his mouth with a sullen expression.

"Grandfather is overthinking. It's not from the Si family. It truly is..."

Mu Qing continued to explain with unruffled composure.

Before he could finish, however, Housekeeper Ji hurried in from outside, interrupting their conversation.

"Elder Mu, Young Master Si has arrived. He says he had someone bring over some medicine and wishes to have it delivered to Miss Mu."

Elder Mu, whose suspicions had not yet fully dissipated, narrowed his eyes at once. He let out a cold huff and declared,

"Does he think the Si family holds a monopoly on capability in the entire Imperial Capital? The Mu family has our own! Didn't the second brother just bring some?"

Nursing a stubborn pride in his heart, Elder Mu cast a glance at Mu Qing and gave a sweeping wave of his hand.

"Second brother, you may go on upstairs."

"Very well."

Mu Qing nodded, picked up the container, and headed up the stairs.

Meanwhile, Housekeeper Ji looked hesitantly toward Elder Mu.

After waiting a short while and seeing that the old man remained silent, he had no choice but to ask with a helpless sigh.

"Then... what about Young Master Si's side..."

"Refuse him. Tell him to go back."

"...Very well, then."

Housekeeper Ji sighed inwardly, feeling utterly powerless against the old man's persistent determination to drive the two young people apart.

Fortunately, Si Qingchen did not make things difficult.

Upon hearing that he had been turned away at the door, he simply gave a polite nod, got back into his car, and left.

...

For the three consecutive days that followed, Elder Mu used the exact same excuse to deny entry.

He stubbornly kept the young master of the Si family shut out, serving him the cold shoulder day after day.

****

Meanwhile

Thanks to Si Qingchen's "cooperation," Mu Qing successfully administered the three-dose treatment to Mu Qingcheng over the course of those three days without a hitch.

Seeing his younger sister's complexion gradually improve, Mu Qing let out an involuntary sigh of relief, his mind finally easing considerably.

Yet on the evening of the third day, upon returning home early, Mu Qing did not catch sight of the tiny figure that usually lingered by the window.

Instead, waiting for him on the living room sofa was the third young master himself—Mu Jingchi—wears an expression of profound irritation.