"Uncle, do you want some water? I see your lips are a bit dry. Let me feed you," Yong Shanling said eagerly, looking at Mu Yijie who was driving, and holding the mineral water in her hand, itching to offer it.
A hint of helplessness flashed across Mu Yijie's eyes. This was already the eighth time she had asked. He didn't want to stop for a bathroom break on the highway.
"No, thanks."
Yong Shanling wasn't discouraged. She put the water away, then took out the chips, cookies, and milk she had prepared, and asked again, "Uncle, are you hungry? Do you want some snacks?"
"I'm not hungry. You can eat them yourself."
"Okay." Yong Shanling looked at her favorite snacks with a look of pity. It seemed that Uncle was still very angry.
...
Throughout the journey, Yong Shanling kept holding all kinds of things and asking Uncle if he wanted to eat. Mu Yijie thought the little girl was afraid he was still angry and didn't even dare to eat the snacks by herself, so she could only ask so cautiously. He began to wonder if he had been too harsh.
When they got home and sent the others away, Mu Yijie finally let out a sigh of relief and leaned back on the sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Suddenly, a pair of soft little hands started massaging his temples. Mu Yijie's eyes flickered, but the next second he regained his composure.
"Don't think you can make me forgive you just like this," Mu Yijie opened his eyes and said in a very cold voice.
Yong Shanling's hands paused and then stopped. She gritted her teeth and walked in front of Mu Yijie. Bowing her head, she said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Uncle. I was wrong. I shouldn't have been so reckless to agree to join the search team, and I shouldn't have hidden it from you." Saying that, she stole a glance at him, and seeing Uncle's expressionless face, she quickly lowered her head and said in a rush, "I should always put my own safety first. I shouldn't have made you and others worry about me..."
Yong Shanling deeply reflected on her mistakes for hundreds of words. She might as well have written the three big characters "I'm wrong" on her face!
Mu Yijie just gave a non - committal "hmm".
Yong Shanling was instantly overjoyed. A response was good. It meant Uncle's attitude was softening. She whispered again, "Uncle, this is my apology gift."
Mu Yijie looked over and saw a pair of fair little hands holding a jade box uneasily and offering it to him.
Seeing that Mu Yijie didn't respond, Yong Shanling quickly said, "Uncle, after refining the Washing Spirit Pill with the Pre - Spiritual Grass, you can wash away the redundant spiritual roots and become a single lightning spiritual root. You will definitely become more powerful."
Mu Yijie looked at the box in front of him. The veins on his hand were bulging. He snatched the box from her hand. His eyes were like a brewing black storm. He squeezed out from his throat, "You joined the exploration team just for this thing?"
Yong Shanling held her hands up helplessly, her eyes full of panic. "Y - yes."
Mu Yijie suddenly stood up. He was like a mountain standing in front of the petite Yong Shanling. He picked up the jade box in his hand, his eyes bloodshot, and said, "I told you to put your own safety first. You almost lost your life for a single grass. Do I need you to risk your life to get medicine for me?!"
Spiritual energy surged in Mu Yijie's hand. He squeezed hard, and the jade box instantly turned into ashes and disappeared from his hand.
"No! That was for Uncle to wash your spiritual roots!" Yong Shanling finally came to her senses from Mu Yijie's outburst of anger. With tears streaming down her face, she reached out to grab the jade box, but it was already too late.
"Uncle, how could you do this? This was for you. How could you destroy it!" Yong Shanling sobbed and roared, glaring at the man in front of her through her tears.
Who was she doing this for? Wasn't it for him? That was a five - hundred - year - old Pre - Spiritual Grass. It might be the last one.
"Is it more important than you?" Mu Yijie said through gritted teeth, his eyes bloodshot.
Yong Shanling was instantly stunned. All her accusations vanished from her mind. All that was left was her heart beating faster and faster, "thump, thump, thump—". She felt as if she had been electrocuted. Her whole body was tingling from the inside out, making her feel intoxicated.
She looked at Uncle's well - defined face. His deep eyes seemed to have only her in them. She lowered her head nervously.
"I'm sorry, Uncle. I shouldn't have ignored your opinion and made the decision for you without permission," Yong Shanling said with a sob, and finally burst into tears.
Seeing Yong Shanling in such pain, Mu Yijie felt as if his heart was being tightly grasped. A suffocating feeling welled up in him. All he could think was: It's over. He was completely smitten with this girl.
He sighed and reached out his arms to hug the girl in front of him who had captured all his heart and was so sad.
"It's good that you know you're wrong. Will you do such a thing again in the future?" Mu Yijie's voice softened.
Yong Shanling cried even more bitterly in Mu Yijie's arms. Sniffling, she said, "I know. I won't make such a mistake again. I won't make Uncle worry about me like this again."
Mu Yijie took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped Yong Shanling's tears, from the corners of her eyes to her lips. His eyes darkened. He shifted his gaze away hoarsely.
"Look what this is?"
Yong Shanling looked at his hand with puffy eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "Pre - Spiritual Grass!"
"Uncle, you didn't destroy it?" She looked at the Pre - Spiritual Grass excitedly. The feeling of getting it back made her cherish it even more.
Mu Yijie smiled and pinched her nose, saying indulgently, "I just played a little trick, and you were deceived."
"Uncle, you're so bad. You scared me like that," Yong Shanling said proudly as if she had caught him doing something wrong. She instantly regained her usual lively look.
Seeing that Yong Shanling was no longer sad, Mu Yijie let out a sigh of relief.
"This was what you risked your life for. How could I be willing to destroy it?" Mu Yijie sighed. His eyes were full of helplessness and indulgence, as if he wanted to drown Yong Shanling in his deep eyes.
Yong Shanling snorted proudly. She knew she was still an important person to Uncle.
However—she didn't know if she was the most important one. Yong Shanling's mood suddenly became low. Just thinking that one day Uncle would be nice to another woman made her feel uncomfortable.
Mu Yijie saw Yong Shanling's mood suddenly turn low. His eyes darkened. "What's wrong?"
Yong Shanling twisted her hands together and stammered, "Uncle, will you get married in the future?"
Mu Yijie looked at the girl in front of him. There seemed to be starlight twinkling in his eyes. "Of course. I will spoil her into a happy little princess. You'll always be my little princess."
Yong Shanling pinched her palm hard. Forcing herself, she asked, "Uncle, when you have a wife, will you still be nice to me?"
"Of course. But I will be nicer to my wife," Mu Yijie hinted at her, hoping this girl would get the hint. Being my bodyguard is nothing. If you become my wife, I'll treat you better.