dmims Page 88
Page 88
"Huh? How come so many houses have suddenly appeared here? They're all hanging with red lanterns, so beautiful..."
A continuous stretch of green tiles and white walls spread out on the snow, with bright red lanterns hanging under the eaves.
The lantern tassels swayed gently in the wind, and the warm light shone through the lampshade onto the snow, making even the cold snow feel warmer.
She tightened her arms around Mu Qinghan's neck, the outer robe she wore still warm from his body.
His collar brushed against her cheek, carrying the faint scent of ink and the pine resin after the snow, making her unable to resist pressing herself closer to his back.
Feeling warm inside, she gently shook her fox ears contentedly.
Mu Qinghan frowned and stopped in his tracks.
He gazed at the festive decorations and lanterns adorning the gates of the Mu Mansion.
Not only were lanterns hung on the gate, but two rows of candlesticks were also placed at the base of the courtyard wall, and brand-new red silk was pasted on the lintel.
This is no "slight preparation" at all, it's practically like a wedding celebration!
He twitched the corner of his mouth, his mind filled with doubt.
What are Dad and Mom doing?
"Huh? There are words on this."
Tu Shan Ya Ya suddenly pointed to the vermilion gate in front of her. Because it was far away, she squinted her eyes slightly, brought her nose close to Mu Qing Han's ear, and read it word by word.
“The Shepherd's... Residence…”
As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly realized what she was doing, her fox ears perked up, and her voice rose several decibels.
"Oh...this is the Mu residence...the Mu residence, the Mu residence!"
"You...you took me back to your house?!"
Mu Qinghan glanced at the girl with her hair standing on end on his back, and asked calmly, "What's wrong?"
"Then, are your parents at home?"
Tu Shan Ya Ya's voice instantly weakened, her previous excitement vanished without a trace, and her fingers nervously gripped his clothes.
"Yes, I've been busy since early this morning."
“Ahhhhh——!”
Tu Shan Ya Ya suddenly screamed, pushing Mu Qing Han's shoulders with both hands, her voice full of panic.
"Ice Block, let's go! Please, let's go..."
Mu Qinghan raised an eyebrow and deliberately slowed his pace.
"Oh? Why are you leaving?"
Tu Shan Ya Ya buried her face in the crook of his neck, her voice soft and tinged with grievance.
"I...I'm scared...it's the first time I'm meeting your parents..."
Tu Shan Ya Ya buried her face even deeper, her voice muffled in the crook of Mu Qing Han's neck, slightly damp, and trembling as she spoke.
"What's there to be afraid of?"
Mu Qinghan stopped and turned his head to gently rub the top of her head, his tone full of comfort.
"Didn't you say before that it was only a matter of time before our affair became public, and that we couldn't avoid it?"
"That's different!"
Tu Shan Ya Ya suddenly raised her head, her nose wrinkled up, and listed her "crimes".
"But I didn't draw my eyebrows or put on any lipstick today, and I don't even have any makeup on my face."
"I didn't sleep well last night, and I still have dark circles under my eyes..."
"And, and I didn't brush my teeth properly this morning, I ate some sweet cake on the way here and didn't rinse my mouth, I didn't scrub my back properly when I showered yesterday, and..."
"Alright, alright, you idiot."
Mu Qinghan interrupted her with a helpless smile, reaching out to pinch her burning cheeks, his voice soft and gentle.
"You are beautiful even without these things. You smell wonderful and are very clean. I've been captivated by you for a long time."
“My parents aren’t picky people, they’ll definitely like you.”
"But... what if they don't like me..."
Tu Shan Ya Ya's voice lowered again, her fingers gripping his clothes tightly.
"What if they can't accept that I'm a fox demon?"
"What if they think I'm too impulsive and not suitable to be a shepherd's wife, and they want us to separate?"
She became more and more flustered as she spoke, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I...I'm really scared...I don't want you to be caught in the middle and put in a difficult position."
"But I can't live without you. I can't even imagine what life would be like without you."
"So...so...I...I want to wait a bit longer, until I'm ready before going in, okay..."
Mu Qinghan looked at the reddened eyes and wrinkled nose of the person in his arms, and his heart sank.
He didn't think it through.
All he wanted to do was bring his sweetheart home so his parents could see her.
But they forgot that Ya Ya, despite her seemingly carefree nature, actually lacked a sense of security.
It's natural to feel flustered when meeting elders for the first time.
The smile on his lips faded slightly, replaced by a hint of heartache. He gently brushed away the stray hairs from her cheek, then bent down and steadily pulled her into his arms from his back.
He supported her knees with his palm and protected her back with his other hand.
He gently brushed his nose against her slightly cool forehead. "Okay, okay, it's my fault for not discussing it with you beforehand. Well then..."
"Oh! Young master, you're finally back!"
Before he could finish speaking, a loud voice suddenly burst out from the door, accompanied by the creak of the door opening.
A shepherd's servant boy came running over, holding a hand towel, his face beaming with joy.
"Why are you standing at the door and not going in? Madam and Master are getting impatient—wait, what…this is…holy crap?!"
His voice suddenly rose, his eyes widened as he stared at Tu Shan Ya Ya in Mu Qing Han's arms, and the cloth in his hand fell to the snow with a "thud".
In all his life, this was the first time he had ever seen a young master hold a girl in his arms.
His posture was so careful, even his breathing was light, where was there any trace of his usual aloofness?
What the heck is going on?!
Mu Qinghan sighed helplessly and looked down at Tu Shan Ya Ya, who was curled up in her arms.
Her little face was buried in his clothes, her fox ears pressed tightly against the top of her head, with only half of her reddish earlobes showing.
He gently patted her back, a smile spreading across his eyes.
It seems there's no escaping this hurdle.
Grandma Mu was standing on tiptoe, looking towards the door. She tugged at Grandpa Mu's sleeve and whispered her instructions.
"Husband, let me tell you, when Qinghan brings the girl in later, no matter if she's pretty or plain, or if her cultivation or talent is high or low, we can't show the slightest dissatisfaction. We can't spoil the child's fun!"
"Even if there are things you're really unhappy about, we have to wait until Qinghan sends the girl back, then we can talk about it behind closed doors, understand?"
Old Man Mu glanced toward the kitchen, where chicken soup was still simmering in a pot.
He scratched his head and waved his hand dismissively.
"Hey, don't you know me? I'm the most outgoing person. As long as Qinghan likes someone, even if she's a woman, I can accept it!"
"Well, it doesn't have to be this shameless."
Grandma Mu patted him with a smile, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up, and her eyes were practically overflowing with light.
"Never mind, just wait and see, hehehe, my beautiful daughter-in-law is coming soon!"
Old Man Mu suddenly raised an eyebrow, "What if... what if she's not my daughter-in-law, but Qinghan's friend?"
Grandma Mu's smile froze for a moment. After thinking for a while, she muttered something with a hint of reluctance.
"Then... then let's just accept it obediently! Even if she's not our daughter-in-law, someone Qinghan specifically told us to 'prepare' is still a close friend of our son, so we still have to take it seriously!"
"Okay, it's up to you."
Old Man Mu nodded with a smile, but his gaze couldn't help but drift towards the doorway.
My heart was pounding; I was even more nervous than when I got married.
Oh my god, I didn't wash my hair. I hope my daughter-in-law won't mind.
Chapter 107 Recognizing the Door
"You...you put me down..."
The warm, soft jade in his arms suddenly stirred. Tu Shan Ya Ya's drooping eyelashes trembled, and the two tufts of snow-white fox fur on her ears also shook.
Her weak voice carried a hint of timidity as she gently patted Mu Qinghan's chest with her fingers.
Mu Qinghan paused slightly and looked down at the person in his arms.
The girl's cheeks were still flushed, and the tip of her nose was slightly red. Only her clear eyes held a hint of stubbornness.
He let out a low chuckle, raised an eyebrow, and spoke with a hint of mockery.
"What? You were so scared just now that you were clutching my clothes and wouldn't let go, but you're not scared anymore?"
"I'm afraid...but..."
Tu Shan Ya Ya bit her lower lip, her voice barely audible, "Seeing your parents still hiding in your arms, that's so...so rude..."
Mu Qinghan drawled out the last syllable, his smile deepening, "So... you finally decided to come in with me?"
Tu Shan Ya Ya slumped her shoulders dejectedly, her ears drooping halfway down. "Your family has already seen us, there's no escaping it now."
"okay."