A male voice echoed through every corner of the auditorium via the microphone.
Everyone instantly turned around.
The person in charge of the calligraphy and painting competition rushed onto the stage. "Miss Mu, I'm sorry, but the award presenter has been changed. Please step down."
Mu Qianrou's expression froze, but she quickly softened her tone. "I've always been the presenter for this event. Was there some kind of mistake?"
"There's no mistake! Someone important requested the change. Ah, Mu Qianrou, stop stalling—come down with me!"
Mu Qianrou's face turned ugly. Impossible—replace her?
Song Lingqian strode forward, frowning and rebuking, "Without my permission, let me see who dares to make changes! This isn't a place for petty scheming. The presenter has already been confirmed and cannot be changed!"
The coordinator wiped his sweat nervously. "No, this slot was originally—"
Song Lingqian interrupted sternly, "I made the decision about this role! Do you even know who I am—"
The coordinator panicked and raised his voice, "I know you're Young Master Song, but the order to change presenters came from Master Song himself!"
The room instantly fell silent. Mu Qianrou's face went pale.
Song Lingqian's eyes widened as if he'd misheard. "That's impossible! Don't think that just because—"
"Why is it impossible?!"
Before he could finish, a loud, firm voice suddenly came from backstage.
An elderly man, around seventy years old, walked out leaning on a cane, his face full of fury. "I'm the one who decided to replace Mu Qianrou. What, do you have a problem with that?!"
Everyone was stunned. Wasn't this the head of the Song family—Master Song himself?
Song Lingqian visibly panicked, his voice shrinking, "Grandfather, why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"If I didn't come, I wouldn't have known how much Beiyin has been wronged!" Master Song took a deep breath. "Beiyin, come here."
Mu Beiyin stood frozen in shock. She hadn't expected Grandfather Song to come. Wait—Huo Shiqing had made a phone call earlier...
She turned to look at Huo Shiqing, who gave her a small smile and leaned down to say in a low voice, "The old master is calling you. Go on."
Mu Beiyin didn't want to keep Master Song waiting and walked over.
Mu Qianrou's eyes reddened. "Lingqian-gege…"
Song Lingqian scolded impatiently, "Mu Beiyin, what did you say to Grandpa again? Do you have any idea how important this ceremony is? Could you stop causing trouble?!"
"Shut up!" Unexpectedly, before Mu Beiyin could even respond, Master Song roared even louder.
"Beiyin is the one causing trouble? You gave her role as award presenter to Mu Qianrou, and that's not causing trouble?!"
The audience collectively gasped. Oh my god—Master Song meant that Mu Beiyin was the original award presenter!
And Mu Qianrou had just been bragging to her? How shameless!
Song Lingqian's momentum faltered. "Grandpa, you don't understand… Qianrou has also suffered a lot…"
"Suffered? You drove a luxury car to bring her to An University today and made sure she had all the attention! But Beiyin has been your fiancée for over a decade—have you ever done that for her?!"
Master Song's eyes were full of disappointment. "You're only worried about Mu Qianrou being wronged, but what about Beiyin?"
Everyone in the audience now looked at Song Lingqian with disdain.
This is simply outrageous... After all, Mu Beiyin is his fiancée, yet before the engagement was even annulled, he got involved with Mu Qianrou and took away Mu Beiyin's spot.
Mu Qianrou, too—pretending to be a pure goddess, yet she's a scheming mistress who climbed her way up.
"Enough! I'll present the awards myself. You stay and apologize to Beiyin. As for you..."
Old Master Song slowly turned to Mu Qianrou.
"You disgraceful thing, get back to where you came from!"
Mu Qianrou's face twisted with rage, her nails digging deep into her flesh.
How dare this old man speak to her like that! If she left now, she'd become a laughingstock! No, no...
Suddenly, Mu Qianrou clutched her chest and staggered.
"Qianrou!" Song Lingqian rushed to support her.
"Grandfather, Qianrou has a heart condition. I'll take her to the infirmary!"
With that, he hurriedly left through the back door without even apologizing to Mu Beiyin.
Disappointment deepened in Old Master Song's eyes...
The grandson he once held in high regard now couldn't distinguish right from wrong for a woman, even disregarding the family's reputation!
"Beiyin, come, join me on stage."
Old Master Song took the trophy, instructed the host and the winning students to come up, and together with Mu Beiyin, presented the awards.
Half an hour later, Mu Beiyin helped Old Master Song back to the backstage area.
The old man looked weary.
"Beiyin, such a significant matter, and I was the last to know... Cough, cough! You've suffered, don't blame me."
Mu Beiyin felt a pang in her heart.
"There's no possibility between me and Song Lingqian. I don't want you to worry."
One major reason she had willingly agreed to marry that useless man, Song Lingqian, was because of Old Master Song.
Despite his poor health, he insisted on fulfilling the old engagement and genuinely cared for her, giving her the familial warmth she never felt in the Mu family.
Old Master Song shook his head.
"Calling off the engagement is good. That unfilial grandson doesn't deserve you. He lacks vision. Next time, I'll introduce my younger son to you."
Old Master Song's younger son—the true heir of the Song family—was handsome, wealthy, and one of the most sought-after bachelors in Ancheng.
However, Mu Beiyin's expression froze, and she blinked.
Wait, wasn't it Huo Shiqing who had invited Old Master Song?
Since Huo Shiqing had asked him to come, Old Master Song should know about their acquaintance. Why would he say, "introduce him to you"?
She felt a bit awkward.
"Your... your younger son is here, isn't he? Haven't you seen him?"
Old Master Song responded,
"Oh, he values this calligraphy and painting event. He should be here, but he's busy, and I didn't bother to look for him. Next time, I'll have you both over for dinner."
Mu Beiyin sighed in relief.
It seemed fine, but something still felt off.
She hesitated, gathering courage to ask if the Song family's heir was named Huo Shiqing, when—
Old Master Song suddenly clutched his chest and began coughing violently!
Medical staff quickly surrounded him.
Old Master Song shook his head regretfully.
"This old ailment is acting up again. You should go back. Visit me another day."
Watching Old Master Song get into the car, Mu Beiyin realized it wasn't the right time to ask questions.
Concerned about his health, she wanted to message a friend, but her phone rang.
Mu Beiyin answered, and on the other end, Elder Mu's disappointed and angry voice came through.
"Beiyin, what's going on with you? How can you cause trouble even at school? Do you know how many eyes are on Qianrou now? For the sake of the Mu family, what's a little grievance to you? Qianrou is your sister!"
Listening to the reprimand, Mu Beiyin found it laughable.
Someone else's grandfather was empathetic to her plight, standing up for her; yet her own grandfather was questioning why she couldn't swallow her grievances.
Mu Beiyin's gaze turned cold.
"Are you really my grandfather? Do you even consider me family?"
Elder Mu was furious.
"Beiyin, when did you become so unreasonable? You..."
Beep, beep.
Suddenly, someone snatched her phone away.
Huo Shiqing decisively ended the call.
The man's cool eyes glanced over, his tone calm.
"Miss Mu, you don't need to speak with those who don't care about you, because those who do care don't want to see you upset."