Chapter 120: Chapter 118: The Disappeared Male Lead

Seeing Lu Xiao’s sudden arrival, Su Tang reached out and tugged at him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to bring a certain someone lunch, only to hear she was already being treated to a meal.”

There was a tinge of jealousy in Lu Xiao’s voice, and Su Tang couldn’t help but smile. She then turned to Grandpa Mu and Mu Tianrui to explain.

“Grandpa Mu, this is my husband.”

“Hello, Old Commander. My name is Lu Xiao.”

Lu Xiao clearly recognized Grandpa Mu, who was sitting across from them. They recognized each other the moment they met.

“Isn’t this Xiao Lu? Well, what a small world!”

After he spoke, Grandpa Mu enthusiastically invited Lu Xiao to sit down.

“Doctor Su is pregnant! This is wonderful news! Congratulations, congratulations! Xiao Lu, congratulations to you both!”

He clapped Lu Xiao hard on the shoulder, and it was clear he was genuinely happy.

“This calls for a double celebration! We absolutely have to have this meal today. We need to celebrate properly.”

The smile on Mu Tianrui’s face seemed to freeze. The stiffness was so fleeting it was almost an illusion, but Su Tang still saw it.

His knuckles turned white as he gripped the wine bottle. After a moment, his suave and gentle smile returned, as if he had only been startled by the good news.

“Congratulations to you both.”

Mu Tianrui’s voice was still gentle. He put down the wine bottle, picked up a pitcher of hot water, and poured a cup for Su Tang, handing it to her.

“Doctor Su, please have some hot water. You have to be extra careful when you’re pregnant. That was my oversight; I was nearly impolite just now.”

He glanced at Su Tang’s still-flat stomach, his expression complex—a mix of surprise, scrutiny, and a flicker of darkness so fleeting it was impossible to grasp.

Lu Xiao sat down beside Su Tang and draped his arm over the back of her chair in an intimate and protective gesture.

He looked at Mu Tianrui. His smile was polite, but his eyes were sharp. “You’re too kind, Mr. Mu. We didn’t go into detail on the phone. I never imagined you were Old Commander Mu’s grandson, much less that we’d run into each other so coincidentally here.”

He stressed the word “coincidentally,” his probing gaze sweeping over Mu Tianrui.

“It certainly is a coincidence.”

Mu Tianrui met Lu Xiao’s gaze, his smile unwavering.

“My grandfather has been eager to thank Doctor Su for saving his life. I brought him for a check-up today and just happened to run into her. A doctor like Doctor Su is a rare talent, no matter where she is.”

His tone was sincere, as if he were simply praising Su Tang’s medical skills.

“You flatter me.”

Su Tang picked up her water cup and rested a hand on her stomach.

“So, Xiao Lu, what’s your new post in the Northwest?”

Grandpa Mu was clearly quite interested in Lu Xiao and began asking about his current situation.

Lu Xiao politely answered the Old Commander’s questions, and the two of them began to chat about the armed forces and development in the Northwest.

Su Tang listened quietly, occasionally chiming in.

Mu Tianrui played the part of a dutiful grandson, refilling Grandpa Mu’s tea from time to time and occasionally joining the conversation.

He spoke eloquently, his insights were unique, and he seemed to be a man of both good breeding and capability.

“In a little while, our Tianrui is planning to go to Xiangjiang. A young man has to go out and make his own way in the world, after all.”

As they were speaking, Grandpa Mu suddenly brought up Xiangjiang, and a ripple of unease went through Su Tang.

Her gaze fell on a faint old scar on Mu Tianrui’s wrist.

The book had mentioned that the original male lead was unruly in his youth, had gotten into a knife fight, and was left with a scar on his wrist.

’But as I recall, the original male lead’s surname wasn’t Mu.’

’Could Mu Tianrui be the original male lead from the book?’

’The man who would one day become a titan of the business world—cold, ruthless, and hopelessly entangled with Su Xinyao?’

The moment the thought surfaced, it was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over Su Tang. A chill shot through her heart, and her fingers wrapped around her cup felt cold.

“What’s wrong, Tangtang? Are you feeling unwell?”

Lu Xiao noticed something was off right away. He asked in a low, concerned voice, his large, warm hand covering the back of her cool one.

“I’m fine.”

Su Tang forced a smile, but her heart sank.

“Maybe… I just feel a little stuffy from sitting for so long. I’m going to the restroom.”

She needed some space to process this shock.

“Want me to go with you?” Lu Xiao asked immediately.

“No, it’s okay. It’s just by the door. I’ll be right back.”

Su Tang gently shook her head and stood up.

As she turned and walked toward the restroom at the back of the restaurant, she could clearly feel two pairs of eyes on her back.

One pair belonged to Lu Xiao, and the other… to Mu Tianrui.

His gaze was probing, as if trying to see right through her. It made her deeply uncomfortable, and she quickened her pace.

In the cramped restroom, Su Tang splashed her face with cold water and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

She had never considered this possibility when Mu Tianrui first appeared.

For one, their names were completely different, so the thought had never crossed her mind. For another, Mu Tianrui’s personality was worlds apart from the male lead she had read about in the book.

When she first met Mu Tianrui, she’d thought he was a little goofy.

But seeing him today, his entire aura felt so similar that it was impossible for her to remain calm.

Mu Tianrui’s sudden appearance, his background matching the book’s descriptions so closely… her life had only just found a measure of peace and happiness. ’If Mu Tianrui is really the original male lead from the book, what does his appearance mean? Is it just a coincidence, or something more? The man who threw everyone’s life into turmoil in the book is now right in front of me.’

’Will he destroy the peaceful life I’ve worked so hard to build?’

Her reflection’s gaze slowly shifted from confusion to determination.

’No matter who Mu Tianrui is or what he’s planning, I won’t let anyone destroy the life I have now.’

’For Lu Xiao, and for the baby in my belly, I have to be on my guard.’

She took a deep breath and composed her expression.

’No matter what, I can’t let anyone see that something’s wrong. Especially Lu Xiao. I can’t make him worry.’

Su Tang pushed open the restroom door. As she was about to head back to the table, she saw Mu Tianrui standing not far away, apparently having just finished a phone call.

He turned just in time to meet her eyes.

“Doctor Su,”

Mu Tianrui began with a smile, his voice still gentle. “Feeling better? Grandpa and Deputy Commander Lu were both quite worried about you.”

“Much better. I’m fine.”

Su Tang smiled, and Mu Tianrui’s expression seemed to relax.

“Doctor Su, do you have some sort of issue with me? At the table just now, the way you were looking at me seemed…”

“No, I was looking at someone behind you. We’ve only met twice, why would I have an issue with you?”

She maintained a perfect smile, as if to convince Mu Tianrui that everything was normal.

“I am indeed going to Xiangjiang soon. Is there anything you’d like, Doctor Su? I can bring it back for you.”

Mu Tianrui asked again. Su Tang shook her head. “No, thank you.”

’If he really was the male lead, she wouldn’t dare accept anything from him.’

’The book said the male lead was the type to seek revenge for the slightest grievance, a man who would demand repayment tenfold for any debt.’

Although she didn’t know how the gentle Mu Tianrui before her was connected to the male lead in the book, Su Tang’s heart was indeed in turmoil.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep