No, no, that's impossible.
She clearly saw Song Lingqian call him "uncle"…
Right, Song Lingqian had once casually mentioned that his uncle always kept a string of red jade by his bedside. She just needed to check and she'd know for sure.
Mu Beiyin immediately pushed open the master bedroom door.
Her feet stepped on the soft carpet without making a sound as she groped her way through the darkness to the bedside.
At that moment, her hand accidentally touched something warm and delicate. In the faint breathing, there was the unique scent of a man.
—It was Huo Shiqing's lips!
Mu Beiyin was so startled she almost screamed. Didn't he say he wouldn't come back?!
She gritted her teeth and braved forward, her gaze scanning the head of the bed inch by inch, but she lost her balance and fell toward him. Just as their lips were about to touch—
Huo Shiqing opened his eyes.
He wasn't wearing his gold-rimmed glasses, and his eyes looked even sharper. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Mu Miss, didn't you say you had no ulterior motives toward me?"
Suddenly, Mu Beiyin's mind exploded.
The soft, cool lips brushed against the corner of her rosy mouth, inch by inch, bringing a burning tremble with no space left between them.
She even felt the faint moist breath between his lips.
Mu Beiyin was still bent over, her mind blank, not knowing how to react, just kissing Huo Shiqing and meeting his gaze for several seconds.
Until Huo Shiqing spoke again, his voice hoarse with a hint of unbearable emotion, "Mu Beiyin, get up."
Mu Beiyin snapped back to reality, her face flushing red in an instant, and she immediately stood up.
But unexpectedly, her hand went weak and she fell back into his arms.
Huo Shiqing curled his thin lips, letting out a magnetic, amused laugh from his throat. "So this is Mu Miss's 'no improper thoughts.' If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to seduce me."
Mu Beiyin: "..."
She suddenly felt there was no way to clear her name—even if she jumped into the Yellow River!
Flustered, Mu Beiyin scrambled to her feet. Under his oppressive gaze, her cheeks burning, she stiffened her neck and whispered, "I said it's a misunderstanding, Mr. Huo. Do you believe me?"
Huo Shiqing chuckled softly. He didn't say whether he believed her or not, but Mu Beiyin clearly sensed the teasing tone in his laughter.
What should she say now? Would Huo Shiqing suspect she was trying to seduce him? She felt so wronged!
Beep beep beep...
Just as Mu Beiyin's heart was racing, a ringtone broke the slightly ambiguous awkwardness.
"Mr. Huo, I'm taking a call!"
She instantly felt saved, grabbed her phone, and ran out, blindly pressing the answer button.
Unexpectedly, Mu Yaohui's voice exploded in her ear.
"Mu Beiyin, get your ass to the hospital right now! You shameless woman got Qianrou hospitalized and even posted about it on Weibo, causing such a scandal. You think this will just blow over?!"
Huo Shiqing's eyes narrowed sharply.
Mu Beiyin paused for a moment, no longer flustered, and lazily retorted, "Who did I get my shamelessness from? Hasn't Chairman Mu heard the saying, 'When the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam is askew'?"
"You unfilial daughter!" Mu Yaohui hissed through clenched teeth but quickly calmed down.
"Everyone knows about your affair yesterday. The Song family has decided to break off the engagement with you. Lingqian is magnanimous and won't argue with you, but you must return the engagement token between you and the Song family to Qianrou!"
"If you don't, just wait for your mother's heirlooms to be thrown into the trash! You and your mother are truly a curse!"
After saying that, the other end slammed down the phone.
Mu Beiyin's face gradually darkened.
Engagement token? Give it to Mu Qianrou?
Ridiculous. Why should she give away what her mother left her to Mu Qianrou?
Mu Beiyin copied the evidence she had found onto her phone and immediately turned to leave.
She had been too foolish before, blinded by Song Lingqian, thinking he was a man she could trust for life.
If they insisted on ruining her, she wouldn't be polite anymore!
…
Huo Shiqing watched the woman's retreating figure and clicked his tongue lightly.
One minute later, assistant Bai Ji pushed open the door. "Sir, there's trouble with the Huo family again. The matriarch is asking you to go to the hospital."
Huo Shiqing's brows tightened, danger flickering in his eyes.
After a moment, he thought of something and even showed a faint smile. "Fine, let's go."
…
Hospital.
Mu Qianrou weakly leaned against Song Lingqian, her eyes full of worry. "Brother Lingqian, are you really going to break off the engagement with sister? After all, it's because of me. Should I go apologize to sister?"
Song Lingqian frowned. "Whether I break off the engagement has nothing to do with you. She cheated and disgraced the Song family."
Mu Yaohui also said coldly, "Qianrou, this is a decision between our two families. Whether she breaks off the engagement today or not, it will be broken off!"
At that moment, Mu Qianrou lifted her tear-filled, blurry eyes, looking frightened and trembling all over. "Sister, how did you come here so quickly?"
Mu Beiyin stood not far away, watching her sister and fiancé embracing. She lazily ran her fingers through her hair and raised an eyebrow with a sneer.
"If you don't come soon, you'll miss seeing the couple cuddling together."
Mu Qianrou hurriedly broke free from Song Lingqian's embrace, her face completely drained of color, staggering unsteadily.
The moment Lin Ru saw her, fury flared up. She raised her hand, ready to slap Mu Beiyin's face, shouting sharply, "How dare you laugh?! Look at what you've done to Qianrou!"
Mu Beiyin grabbed her wrist firmly and twisted it hard.
"It's not me who became the other woman, so why shouldn't I laugh?"
Mu Yaohui was furious. "Beast! Your sister and Lingqian truly love each other. Watch your mouth!"
Mu Beiyin sized up Mu Qianrou. "An illegitimate child, and you dare call yourself my sister?"
"How dare you!"
Mu Yaohui immediately lifted a teacup to smash it at Mu Beiyin's head, but Mu Qianrou quickly spoke softly.
"Dad, please don't be angry. I know I've wronged sister. As long as sister is happy, I'm willing to step back..."
She looked as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Mu Yaohui grew even angrier, pointing at Mu Beiyin's nose and yelling,
"Look how kind Qianrou is! Even if you and Lingqian were betrothed since childhood, having Qianrou marry in your place was my decision. If you have complaints, take them out on me!"
"Besides, you cheated first! Do you even realize how much shame you brought to the Mu family yesterday? You disgrace!"
Mu Beiyin sneered coldly and opened her eyes sharply. "So Dad, you know that cheating brings shame to the Mu family."
Everyone's expressions froze suddenly.
Inside and outside the ward, an instant silence fell. Even the nurses looked at each other in surprise.
That's right — the first to cheat in the Mu family… wasn't it Mu Yaohui? He wasn't even ashamed but had the nerve to blame his daughter?
Mu Yaohui's face flushed with anger. "Shut up! Your mother couldn't control men, what does that have to do with me? Why don't you think that if your mother weren't lacking, I wouldn't be with Lin Ru!"
Bang!
Mu Beiyin grabbed a chair and slammed it hard onto the floor, producing a deafening crash. "Say that again if you dare!"