Lu Xue nodded. Recognizing Mu Yuze's voice, she felt a bit more at ease.
She explained that Mu Ziyue had just rushed to the hospital due to a sudden stomachache.
Mu Yuze nodded, seemingly unsurprised.
He didn't even inquire about his sister's condition. Instead, he calmly ordered the dishes and then poured wine into the glass in front of Lu Xue.
As the red wine was poured into the transparent goblet, Mu Yuze's eyes drooped slightly, with an unspoken thought in his eyes.
It was the first time for the two of them to dine alone outside. Compared to the bustling atmosphere in the old mansion with a large group of people, they both seemed a bit ill - at ease in this dim and quiet restaurant, which was clearly a place for couples.
Lu Xue was focused on the restaurant. She craned her neck to look around, curiously observing the uniforms of the passing waiters.
After a while, Mu Yuze spoke softly across the table, "I heard that Mr. Chen's health has improved a lot recently and he will be discharged from the hospital soon. Have you set a date and place for your next meeting?"
Lu Xue shook her head. "Mr. Chen hasn't contacted me yet. Han Xiaolv and I thought we should let the old man rest more. We're not in a hurry. We've been looking for so long. Now that we've found him, we can wait a bit longer."
Mu Yuze nodded and let out an almost inaudible sigh of relief. He more or less knew that it was his sister who had forced this dinner for him and Lu Xue in a couple's restaurant.
In the past, he would have refused immediately.
But now, thinking that Lu Xue would soon move out of the old mansion and out of his life, his feelings of reluctance and melancholy grew stronger.
In the dim light, he could see that Lu Xue looked different from usual.
Tonight, Lu Xue had a delicate makeup on, her charming long hair cascading down her shoulders. She was wearing a strapless aqua - blue dress.
When she picked up the food, the silver bracelet on her wrist jingled gently, making her fingernails look shiny and pink.
It was fair to say that Lu Xue was extremely charming tonight, almost irresistible to Mu Yuze.
They ate in silence. There was no conversation during the meal. The only sounds on the table were the crisp clinks of plates and bowls.
Their table was in a secluded corner, surrounded by green plants, completely isolating them from the noise of the other diners.
The waiters coming and going were highly professional, making almost no sound with their footsteps.
The whole meal was extremely quiet. One could probably hear a pin drop.
After the meal, Mu Yuze politely offered to drive Lu Xue home. Lu Xue stood up and followed him out.
From behind, they looked like a handsome man and a beautiful woman, making many diners around them envious.
But when they walked side by side, they kept a proper distance.
If someone didn't know them, they would think they were just passers - by who happened to be on the same path.
When they reached the outside of the restaurant, Lu Xue got into Mu Yuze's car. Mu Yuze leaned over, pulled the seatbelt from Lu Xue's side, and carefully fastened it for her.
As he lowered his head, he could smell the faint rose scent from Lu Xue's hair.
At this moment, the question he had been holding back for so long finally blurted out.
In the small and quiet car, Mu Yuze lowered his eyes and asked calmly, "Have you ever thought about not leaving?"
Lu Xue was a bit confused. She let out an "ah" sound and then asked after a moment, "Do you mean about Mr. Chen?"
Mu Yuze said, "This has nothing to do with Mr. Chen."
He originally just wanted to hint at it without saying too much, but after holding it back for so long, he couldn't help it anymore.
"I don't care about your agreements or the people you're going to meet. Even if you've met Mr. Chen, you can still stay here. I don't know why you only see your time here as a transition period, but I really hope you..."
Half - way through his sentence, he suddenly stopped.
What did he hope Lu Xue to do? Did he hope she would stay in the old mansion forever, or did he hope she would accept the identity of Mrs. Mu?
Mu Yuze sighed melancholy, feeling all kinds of emotions tangled in his heart.
After a moment, he tapped on the steering wheel and said calmly, "It's nothing. Let's go home."
Then he started the car, and it drove towards the Mu Mansion.
Neither of them spoke on the way. Lu Xue was wondering why Mu Yuze had seemed angry and recalled if she had done something wrong at the company that might have offended him.
Mu Yuze, on the other hand, was turning the steering wheel while thinking about why he was so angry about this matter.