The next morning, Wang Hui and the others rushed over from the Mu Residence early in the morning. Mu Yuchen and Xi Xiaye were still in bed. They only woke up when they heard sounds from the yard below. When they went downstairs after washing up, Wang Hui had already prepared breakfast for them.

Mu Yinan came with Wang Hui. When Xi Xiaye came down, Mu Yinan was reading the newspapers on the sofa.

"Good morning, Grandfather, Grandmother!" Xi Xiaye greeted politely.

"Xiaye, you're awake! Your grandmother said you guys are going to be flying today. She dragged me over to instruct you two about some of the traditions, and also to take a look at the guest list and see if anyone got left out. Let me know if you forgot anybody. I'll send the person an invitation right away," Mu Yinan said kindly as he picked the list in front of him up and handed to Xi Xiaye.

Xi Xiaye took it from him with a smile. After looking through it, she asked, "This is the guest list? There weren't so many yesterday. Why...?"

Mu Yinan put on a gentle smile when he saw Xi Xiaye's slight frown. "It's been a long time since the Mu family had a celebration. Of course, we're going to make it a big one. Don't worry about it. I'll handle this for you. Just go abroad, finish your wedding ceremony and enjoy your honeymoon. The banquet is on the 9th anyway, which is ten days later. Take it as a holiday for yourself. You guys have been working really hard lately."

"Your grandfather is right. Where's Chen Er? Is he still asleep?"

Wang Hui handed Xi Xiaye a glass of warm water, pleased with this granddaughter-in-law of hers because she was easygoing, and most importantly, she could make her grandson happy, that was all they wanted to see.

"He's in the shower. He went drinking with Su Chen and Zhou Zimo last night. Although he took some pills to cure his hangover, he was still feeling a little dizzy this morning. It's probably just some after-effects of drinking."

Xi Xiaye thanked her and then accepted the water. "It'd be better to have a simpler wedding dinner. The guest list yesterday seemed fine," she could not help but comment.

"It's alright. We're done preparing it, so you guys don't have to worry about it. You two will just walk around and greet some people then. Your grandfather wants you to meet more people as well. Moreover, the elders from the Su and the Zhou families hope they can find a girl for Su Chen and Zhou Zimo." Wang Hui smiled.

"Right, look at Su Chen. He's a year older than Ah Chen. When I sent the invitation over yesterday, he had time to be fussy and bicker like, 'Aren't you good at matchmaking? Why don't you find one for Su Chen?'

"What do you mean by that? It took me so many years to find Xiaye for Chen Er. Otherwise, we'd still be worried right now. Okay, let's not talk about this. Xiaye, you can have breakfast first. I have something to talk to you about later."

Xi Xiaye smiled and gave her a nod, then she went over to the table for breakfast.

"Have you two had breakfast?"

"We've had it earlier. Go ahead and enjoy yours. Don't mind us," Wang Hui replied briefly and then continued her conversation with Mu Yinan about the invitations.

Mu Yuchen appeared at the staircase after Xi Xiaye had a few bites.

"Morning, Grandfather, Grandmother." He sat down by the dining table after a brief greeting while Xi Xiaye poured him some milk.

"Morning!"

Wang Hui and Mu Yinan traded glances at each other as they watched the two of them have breakfast. Suddenly, they spoke quietly, "Did you notice that Chen Er has been feeling much better lately? That's a rare smile early in the morning right there."

"I bet he's happy thinking about something pleasant," Mu Yinan replied with a smile.

He took the glass of milk from her and said, "I'm done packing. Take a look and see what else you need. We'll only be back at night on the 8th. Don't bother packing clothes. We have it over there."

"Aren't we taking the flight at 11 a.m.?"

"Mmm, Li Si will come and pick us up later."

She glanced at the clock. "It's not even nine yet. It's still pretty early. I'll give Father a call before boarding the plane. You tell him about it. I should've visited him yesterday as well."

"It's already too late for you to remember this. I visited him two days ago. He'll be heading over with my parents, so don't worry."

Mu Yuchen looked at this little woman with a peculiar expression. She had been hesitating whether to call Xi Mushan over when she was at the Shen Residence yesterday, but she gave up when she thought about Shen Yue.

"What should we do about Mother's eyes?"

"I know a doctor who specializes in the optics-related field. Coincidentally, he's in City C now. I've contacted him and he'll come over in two days. Grandfather knows about it, so don't worry."

"I just feel a little regretful that Mother won't be able to witness the moment of our marriage, and she can't see me in a wedding dress." She sighed.

"If it makes you feel better, I don't mind doing it again after her eyes have recovered."

She glanced at him. "Marriage is not a game. Doing it once is more than enough."

...

After breakfast, Wang Hui began to list down the things Xi Xiaye should look out for. There were many mundane matters, but luckily, Wang Hui listed them all out on a piece of paper.

It was 10 a.m. when Li Si arrived. The distance from Maple Residence to the airport was not that far, so they were not in a rush.

Li Si looked at Mu Yuchen who was still reading casually on the sofa and asked, "Master, I've put all the luggage into the car. Are we going now? It's about time."

Mu Yuchen averted his gaze from the book and looked over at the staircase to see Xi Xiaye coming down with her handbag. He then closed his book and stood up slowly.

"Be careful with the tasks I've given you. Report to me if anything happens and be sure to keep a close eye on Yueying," Mu Yuchen said quietly.

Li Si nodded, "I will, Master!"

They reached the airport just in time. The husband and wife walked hand in hand through the VIP lane and waited for a short while in the VIP waiting room before they boarded the plane directly.

The plane was flying toward a certain city in West America.

The two of them were seated in the first-class cabin. The plane had taken off for a short while before Xi Xiaye started to feel sleepy. She looked through narrowed eyes at the man beside her and saw that he was leisurely flipping through a magazine. The side profile of his handsome face looked very still.

Noticing her gaze, Mu Yuchen looked up at her too. His soft and gentle voice brushed past her ear. "What is it? If you're feeling bored, you can sleep first. I know that you didn't sleep too well last night either."

As he said this, he had already helped her adjust her seat as he took the blanket from the side and handed it to her.

Xi Xiaye looked at him, then pulled the blanket and slowly lay down. "I'll sleep for a while then."

"Mmm, sleep. I'm right beside you," he said and lifted a hand to massage her head. When he saw that she had closed her eyes, he averted his gaze.

"Mu Yuchen..." She suddenly called out his name softly.

His gaze remained on the magazine, yet he answered calmly, "Hmm? What is it?"

She shut her eyes gently, and her pink lips moved. After a while, she blurted out, "I feel a little nervous. When we got our marriage certificates, I wasn't even this nervous." Her long eyelashes fluttered a little.

When he heard this, he suddenly turned to look at her. His handsome face flashed with a heartwarming smile while his soft and gentle tone was colored with a hint of happiness. "Why are you nervous? What is there to be nervous about? You're just marrying me."

"I'm just nervous, alright? I suddenly feel like all of this seems too surreal. I'm afraid that if I wake up, it'll just be another dream."

She did not open her eyes to look at him, yet you could hear how gentle she sounded from her clear voice.

His relaxed and warm hand reached over as it gently held her hand that lay by her side. "All of this is real, so there's no need to be nervous. Just calmly welcome this happiness. That'll be enough."

She did not speak anymore and silently fell asleep while he quietly watched her for a long while without letting go of her hand.

...

The flight was quite long. When they reached the destination, it was already close to the evening at destination time.

They had just stepped out at the arrival hall when they saw Ah Mo and Mu Lingshi waiting for them.

"Bro, Sis-in-law!"

Mu Lingshi had already changed into a fresh look. Her low-waisted denim shorts were paired with an oversized light-colored blouse. She also wore black stockings and flat canvas shoes. With her sunglasses, she also had a hat tilted on her head, looking quite like a Western cowgirl.

Standing by her side, Ah Mo had also changed from his usual black suit. He was currently wearing casual clothes. His tall figure towering over Mu Lingshi's side made her look petite, but they looked quite matching.

"Master, Missus!" When they saw Mu Yuchen and Xi Xiaye, the two tall and muscular bodyguards behind Ah Mo walked up as well, they helped them get their things.

Mu Yuchen held Xi Xiaye's hand as he looked to them and nodded. "Have you waited for long?"

"Not that long. The plane arrived on time, so we didn't have to wait too long. You've taken such a long flight. You must be tired. Everything's been prepared at the manor. Let's go!" Mu Lingshi said with a grin. "By the looks of Sis-in-law's weariness, the meals on the plane must've been horrible. We'll go back and rest for a while. Tonight we'll bring you to visit the night market. Even though their town over here isn't very huge, it's very lively at night and now that it's May, it's no longer the travel peak season so it won't be that crowded. Also, there's a lot of good food!"

When she finished, she had already reached out to hook Xi Xiaye's arm.

"Really? I've always admired this place, especially at such a time. It feels very relaxing and makes one yearn for it, but I never had the chance to come. Fortunately, I could make it this time."

Xi Xiaye's beautiful face brimmed with a faint smile as her twinkling eyes were filled with anticipation. "Su Nan and Ruan Heng did come over once and they liked the place as well as all the very unique delicacies."

"In the few days that I've been here, I've almost walked all around the nearby places which are quite lovely. I know all the delicious places, bro. You have to thank me for being your vanguard. Next up, I can bring you to have fun around here. You two will definitely have a sweet and memorable honeymoon and wedding." As Mu Lingshi said this, she subconsciously pulled down her sunglasses and wiggled her eyebrows at Ah Mo.

"Foodie! Great! Now, you can accompany your sis-in-law!"

Mu Lingshi shot Xi Xiaye and Mu Lingshi a glance, then chuckled before he continued to walk ahead with her in hand. "Let's go back and have a good shower. After we rest for a while, we'll talk about this."

Mu Lingshi shrugged as she put her sunglasses on again and followed them.

The car was parked right outside the airport, and it drove over the moment they stepped out.

Xi Xiaye could not distinguish where place this was anymore. When she sat in the car and looked out at the roads, although she felt the people and culture in this city were very different from the one she lived in, it did feel quite relaxing to take in all of this new sceneries.

The car drove straight for the suburbs. Because she slept for quite a long on the plane, she was not quite affected by the difference in the timezone. Along the journey, she admired all her surroundings.

The car went on the road for a while. Xi Xiaye only knew that after the car left the periphery of the city, it started to turn onto a straight, wide road towards the savanna. A lot of local country music blared from the speakers, which was quite fitting for the scenery.

Xi Xiaye felt rarely entirely free from worries. The car window next to her was wound down, and she just leaned against the window frame, leisurely admiring the scenery along the way.

Along the vast, dark green field, once in a while, you could still see some people riding bicycles. Ahead of them was the straight and boundless road. There was a snaking brook that crossed the road from the meadows. From time to time, they could see umbrellas, and underneath the umbrellas might be a soft and simple recliner or a little stool. On it would be some old man in gaudy, short-sleeved shirts leisurely reading newspapers or fishing.

At this moment, the sun had long set and the world was slowly sinking into a grayness. The people underneath umbrellas had mostly cleared out. Along the way, they could still see many people walking on foot.

Compared to the bustling City Z, this place seemed much more relaxed as it did not have the fast pace that felt suffocating. Perhaps this was the difference between a tourist city and a city that was a business hub.

When the car slowly rolled through the vast savanna and passed by a quiet and beautiful town, the sky was already gray. As they passed through the streets, Xi Xiaye could already hear the joyous sounds of drums from both sides or some music played by the wandering country band from afar. It sounded very energetic and put one in a festive mood.

Mu Lingshi was leisurely clapping along to the beats behind. You could tell that she was in high spirits.

After a while, they passed through the lively streets. The car drove into a quiet and beautiful manor and they soon stopped in front of a neat and pretty residence.

"Master, Missus, we're here!" The car was just parked when the black-clothed bodyguards that had waited for a long time before the entrance immediately walked up to open the car door for them.

"We're here! Sis-in-law, get down and take a look. Doesn't it look amazing?"

Before Xi Xiaye could get down, Mu Lingshi had already come up to her and stand by Xi Xiaye's side. She looked up unhurriedly at the house before them and smiled.

Xi Xiaye steadied her feet on the ground before she slowly gazed up, following Mu Lingshi's gaze and looking calmly at the residence in front of them.

It was a classic wooden villa engulfed by the warm yellow streetlights. In front of it was a pleasing little fountain while both sides were covered in blooming unnamed flowers. Some were purple while some were red, and they were surrounded by a short, white fence. The whole scenery looked extremely beautiful. ( NovelFull )

"There's even a swimming pool at the back! The savanna lies on the other side and there's also a horse range over there too! And the sea's over there..." Mu Lingshi introduced.

Xi Xiaye nodded gladly. She was very satisfied. "It's quite nice. Thank you both."

As she said this, she turned to look at Mu Yuchen. He just smiled at her, then picked up his pace to stroll inside.

"Let's go in."

...

The residence was huge. There were two floors in total, and there were many rooms too. There were more than 20 rooms on both floors. It was a private vacation manor which was enough to house Wang Hui and the rest who would be coming over in a few days.

Mu Yuchen and Xi Xiaye's room was on the side near the sea so they could see the sea across them while standing on the balcony. The wind brought the faint taste of the sea breeze with it, and they could hear the faint sounds of the waves crashing.

After dinner, Xi Xiaye wanted to have fun at the night market with Mu Lingshi, yet the man stopped her. "Rest well tonight and fix the jetlag. I'll bring you out tomorrow. Have a shower right now and rest earlier."

Xi Xiaye was about to leave the house with her handbag enthusiastically when Mu Yuchen handed her a sleeping gown instead.

She frowned and shot him a glance. "Ah Shi and I have decided on going out tonight."

"Be good for just one night and rest well. You'll still have time in the next few days. I've already told Lingshi and Ah Mo to rest earlier. If you're not worried about losing your way when returning, you can go ahead." He did not allow any dissent as he stuffed the clothes in her arms.

Xiaye then unhappily glared at him. "Why are you like this?"

"Like what? I'm worried about you, yet the way you look at me... Does anyone else worry this much about you?" Mu Yuchen squinted at her as he took the handbag from her. "Such a merciless woman!"

"What do you mean what look? It's a look of condescension!" Xiaye glared unhappily at him and rolled her eyes, then walked to the bathroom.

Mu Yuchen watched as her figure gradually vanished into the bathroom before he chuckled helplessly to himself as he shook his head. Then, he turned around to close the door.

...

It was currently late in the night in this small town, yet it was still very lively outside. The manor that Mu Yuchen and the rest stayed at was not very far from the small town so they could see the waning lights from the streets from their second-floor balcony. They could also hear the joyous din from below.

Mu Lingshi wore a light pair of shorts and a t-shirt as she stood on the balcony and watched the flickering lights from there. She was also leisurely holding a glass of red wine.

"It's already so late. Why aren't you asleep yet?" Suddenly, a clear and melodious voice came from behind her. Mu Lingshi subconsciously turned to look. She was not sure when Mu Yuchen had stood behind her, but he looked at her composedly. The light in his eyes looked unusually deep.

Mu Lingshi was a little shocked to see Mu Yuchen all relaxed and calm. She called out softly to him, "Bro!"

"Has Sis-in-law fallen sleep? You're quite worn out today. Why don't you rest earlier?"

"She's still in the bath. I came over to see you."

Mu Yuchen walked to Mu Lingshi's side, following her gaze and peering downward. His deep voice sounded a little distant. "How is it? You've been here with Ah Mo for quite a few days now. I can see that he's in quite a good mood."

When she heard this, Mu Lingshi just raised her brows and took a sip of her wine. "He's happy because of you and Sis-in-law's wedding. He keeps running over to Los Angeles these past few days. Sometimes, I can't even find him when I want to."

Mu Yuchen quietly looked at the gently swaying shadows in front of him as he said calmly, "As long as you two are getting along happily, that's awesome. I hope that the two of you can settle your matters soon. That way, everyone can be at ease."

"I know, but I'm older now. You guys don't have to be so concerned. Don't worry. I've thought a lot about it recently. There are some things that I need to let go of, to let myself live better, so I will try. Bro, you don't have to worry about me. I won't stay stagnant and refuse to move on."

Mu Lingshi's clear gaze looked at Mu Yuchen. The long scar on her face remained. One could not see it clearly with the faint reflection of the streetlights, yet Mu Yuchen understood that this scar had long been imprinted into Mu Lingshi's memory. Even as time passed, it still could not be erased completely.