C11 Her True Appearance

Moo Nuannuan never sleepwalked. Even when she was but a child, she usually slept in just one position. Her parents would buy her an incredibly small bed, so moving around would only grant more discomfort to her than comfort. Because of it, she had developed the habit of staying still, and that had followed her through adulthood. Sleepwalking was definitely a no-no, so why was she here?

There was only one reason. Her fingernails dug into her palm before she slowly looked up at him. "You carried me here, didn't you?" Her feeble voice became hardened and accusatory, and her glassy eyes had narrowed dangerously. There was just no way she'd climb up right beside him, and the bed wouldn't even allow them to fit in together if they don't actually squeeze in under the sheets.

"How do you think I carried you?" Mu Tingxiao snorted, motioning to the gauze strapped across his abdomen. "If it escaped your mind, I'm currently injured."

Injured...so could it be that she had really crawled up to his bedside? He leaned in closer, and she caught a whiff of aftershave and mint. Normally, if it were any man, she would've slapped them senseless for even drawing far nearer than her comfort zone, but his hypnotizing aura silenced her. It was the very same atmosphere that had made her completely lost all confidence.

Pursing her lips nervously, she pushed the blankets to the side and stepped off the bed. However, just as she was about to hurry into the bathroom, his cold hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Why are your hands so white and your face so...yellow?" He blinked.

"I..." Moo Nuannuan immediately pulled her hand back, looking as if she had just been electrocuted. Her bright eyes widened in alert, and she stumbled back, almost fearing for her life. "I was born like this."

Not allowing any room for questions, she scuttled into the bathroom like a scared cat.

Mu Tingxiao stared after her, his eyes filled with interest. She was hiding something, and he was keen in finding out just what she was hiding.

In the bathroom.

Moo Nuannuan stared at herself in the mirror. Her yellow face blurred the reflection, and the dull look in her eyes could scare any man in his sleep. Her nose was pinched, revealing a few dark spots on the bridge. Unlike Moo Wanqi, her face was far from favorable, and it certainly didn't attract any suitors. But only because she had wanted it to be that way.

Taking the make-up remover toner from the cabinet under the sink, she sighed. Within a few minutes, she grabbed a bunch of cotton from the glass container and began her work, scrubbing the yellow debris from every inch and corner of her face. Tanned yellow hues were spotted all over the white cotton as she rubbed it against her face. Her movements were quick and simple as if she had done this multiple times.

A few minutes later, a beautiful woman with fair skin and bright eyes appeared in the mirror. Her nose was tall and arched so elegantly down her face, and her thick hair framed her high cheekbones so elegantly. Nobody would've recognized her if she had walked out of the apartment looking like this. Because who would expect that such a beautiful girl would hide under so much concealer?

If not for the fact that she had rented a house outside and removed her makeup everyday, she would've forgotten her true appearance.

Any mother would've been happy if her daughter was beautiful.

But Xiao Chuhee was different. Instead of praising her child for her beauty, she'd always accuse her of stealing Moo Wanqi's limelight. The older woman would refuse to buy her any new clothes to accentuate her beauty. Instead, she'd give her all ragged hand-me-downs, all torn and filthy. Even then, her efforts weren't enough to conceal Moo Nuannuan's pretty features, which pissed her off even more.

Back when she had adored her mother, Moo Nuannuan had put in lots of effort in dabbing her face in thick concealer to make her happy. She had thought that if she looked ugly, that if she had stayed on the sidelines like her mother had ordered her to, Xiao Chuhee would finally love her as she did with her step-siblings. Maybe then, she'd finally be accepted.

From then on, she had been degraded from the school belle to the school loser–all in one day. She had stood by this decision no matter how many sticks they had thrown at her or how many hurtful words were screamed at her back. No matter how many times they've egged her on, she stood tall and proud, wearing the yellow mask in hopes of fulfilling her only dream.

Yet no matter what she did, Xiao Chuhee didn't bother looking her way.

A part of her didn't believe that a mother wouldn't love her child, but another part of her had accepted that fact long ago.

With a sigh, she finally disguised herself once again and left the bathroom. For now, she continued and persisted either way.

Mu Tingxiao leaned against his bed. He didn't even glance her way as he held his phone to his face, seemingly distracted. Although he was caught off-guard, there was something in his expression that seemed all the more alluring. Truly, the man looked like he had descended from the heavens, and even then, he still couldn't give a damn.

Glancing his way, she said, "I'm going out. Call someone to pick you up, okay?"

He didn't say anything in response.

She took that as a form of agreement. Without another word, she grabbed her bag and walked out the front door. She couldn't be bothered with him any longer; after all, she had already done her job in taking care of him.

The last job Moo Nuannuan had taken didn't last long. It was because Xiao Chuhee had ordered her to go home and get married to the man she had never met! That was another form of betrayal that had struck deep into her soul, yet it seemed she could do nothing about it now. The only thing she could be thankful for was the fact that Mu Tingxiao didn't seem to bother with her as she had expected him to.

Glancing at all the other stores, she tried looking for a job opening. Although she was well-taken care of at the Moo household, she still had to find the means of supporting herself one way or the other. Besides, her schedule was free either way. She might as well use this time to be a little bit more productive.

Soon enough, the morning had passed, and it was already approaching sundown. The warm breeze turned slightly cool as she walked down the streets.

Upon seeing the bus stop not far away, Moo Nuannuan decided to wait for the bus there instead. There weren't many people surrounding her as it still wasn't rush hour yet. She brought out her phone from her pockets, checking it from time to time to see if there were any updates.

Suddenly, a black car stopped in front of her. Although it didn't have a sleek and eye-catching finish like the cars that Mu Tingxiao had, she could easily tell that the driver was also incredibly well-off. There were a few bystanders who gaped at the sight, wanting to see who the man in the car was. She crossed her arms and appeared indifferent by it all.

The tinted windows slid down, and a gentleman poked his head out of the opening. His hands were on the wheel, and the stray strands of his hair fell to his face. Somehow, a wave of confidence crashed over her like a tidal wave. He was similar to Mu Jiachen in that aspect, but instead of being received by a blast of frostbite, there was a certain warmth to his features. "Nuannuan," he called out. "Where are you heading?"

Her eyes lit up in excitement. Perhaps there was one good thing that had come out of this day after all. "Shen Chuhan? Why are you here?"

"Get in the car first." He unlocked the passenger seat. "We can't park here too long or the authorities would be pissed."

Nodding, Moo Nuannuan got in the car and closed the door behind her. A shot of cool air conditioning doused all over her, and she found herself relaxing against the leather seat. "About why I'm here," he continued. "I just asked your sister out for dinner, but now that you're here, we can all eat together!" It seemed that she had spoken too soon.

He asked Moo Wanqi out on a date?

Although her heart thumped painfully in her chest, she wasn't surprised.

After all, there were plenty of people who had stated how well-suited Moo Wanqi and Shen Chuhan were for each other. With her seemingly sweet personality and Chuhan's confident and cute outlook, the two may as well be a pair created for the heavens above. No matter how bitter she was, she couldn't find a flaw in that fact.

But even then, Shen Chuhan had never expressed any interest in her sister, and he had always been so nice to her. Moo Nuannuan's grip on her bag tightened. Back then, she had thought that there may be a flicker of chance that he had liked her, but it seemed that the fates hated her as it was. Nevertheless, she couldn't let her feelings show.

Forcing a smile into her lips, she said, "I still have other things to get done. I won't be able to eat with you guys."

"Oh c'mon, Nuannuan, we haven't eaten out in forever," he insisted. "It's just for dinner then you can go home and do whatever you need to do."

"Fine." How could she say no to him? All these years, Shen Chuhan had been nothing but kind to her, and he was the only friend that she ever had the pleasure of having throughout her life in the Moo Household. Besides, he also wasn't wrong with the fact that they hadn't hung out in a while. With a sigh, she conceded, and they soon arrived at the restaurant.

Moo Wanqi was already sitting at the corner of the restaurant, waiting for him to arrive. She was already dressed elegantly, and her dark hair was pulled back–revealing her heart-shaped face and soft gaze. A few men around the block couldn't help but peer her way, but she paid no heed to them. When she saw Shen Chuhan walking over, her face lit up, but it soon turned cold as soon as she saw Moo Nuannuan walking right behind him.

"I met Nuannuan on the way here, so I brought her over for dinner, " he said easily, not noticing a thing. "You don't mind, do you?"

She smiled softly. "She's my sister. Of course not!"

"I'll just head to the washroom for a couple of secs. You could catch up." With one last smile, he walked to the other side of the restaurant. And just like that, the atmosphere had turned freezing once again. Moo Nuannuan resisted the urge to shiver as she stared into Moo Wanqi's monstrous expression. She looked like a wildcat ready to strike.

"What are you on to now?" She sneered. "The cripple from the Mu family couldn't satisfy you any longer, so you decided to hook up with Chuhan instead?"