That sentence hit Lin Xiaxia like a thunderclap. She immediately exploded."Didn't you always pay before? Why did you bring me to the mall if you don't have any money?!"
Mu Beiyin tilted her head slightly and asked in confusion,"You said you wanted to come shopping, so I came along. Xiaxia, did you buy too much and now you can't afford it?"
People around them began casting strange glances at Lin Xiaxia.
Her face flushed red and pale alternately, then she threw a tantrum,"I don't care! You have to pay for me anyway!"
Then she turned to the store manager and snapped,"Ask her for the money! She's loaded!"
The store manager looked a bit hesitant.
Mu Beiyin put on a hurt expression."Lin Xiaxia, I treat you as a friend, and you just want me to foot the bill?"
"I'm not your mother. You're over twenty, spend money like water, and expect me to clean up your mess?"
Lin Xiaxia, now furious, shouted,"We're family! You won't even help me with something this small? If you don't pay, I'll tell your grandfather! You just wait and see!"
The bystanders started to feel that she'd gone too far.
Just then, Mu Beiyin suddenly looked down and sighed:"What kind of family are we? You're the niece of the mistress, and I'm the daughter of the legal wife. We don't share any blood relation."
"I already treat you well by calling you a friend, but now you're trying to morally blackmail me? Just because I'm the legitimate daughter of the Mu family, I have to provide for the mistress's family for free?"
Lin Xiaxia nearly choked on her breath. Mistress? All she knew was that she was broke right now, and Mu Beiyin was her cash machine!
Enraged, she smashed the coffee cup next to her, lunged forward like a shrew, and raised her hand for a slap:"You were the one who said we're friends! Who else would hang around a jinx like you?! Now you're turning your back on me?! …Ah!"
A crisp slap rang out. Mu Beiyin swiftly caught her hand and slapped her right back—hard!
"Lin Xiaxia, you call me a friend, but all you want is my mother's inheritance."
"Now that I'm married and don't want to bankroll you anymore, you resort to violence? What kind of logic is that?"
Lin Xiaxia stared at her, wide-eyed."You… you dared to hit me…"
The amount of information in Mu Beiyin's words stunned the surrounding customers and the store manager.
Then, a female voice rose from the crowd,"Isn't that the Mu family's eldest daughter? The Mu family claimed she was rude and unrefined, but she seems quite well-mannered to me."
"That Lin Xiaxia is Lin Ru's niece? The niece of a mistress dares to hit and curse the legitimate daughter? Their family drove the legal wife to her death, and now they're bullying her daughter? Shameless!"
"Lin Ru pretends to be such a kind stepmother, and Mu Qianrou always acts like a sweet sister, but behind the scenes they're disgusting—abusing the child left behind by the legal wife!"
The store manager's expression now showed open disdain."A mistress's niece dares to act all high and mighty in our store? Who gave you the guts? Get out!"
Lin Xiaxia nearly lost her mind. She was the one who got hit, yet everyone was sympathizing with Mu Beiyin?!
Just as security was about to escort her out, a commotion rose from outside the store.
Everyone turned their heads. A team of bodyguards cleared the way as a man walked toward them.
The crowd gasped.
The man had sharp, handsome features, a tall and lean figure, and an overwhelming presence.
He wore gold-rimmed glasses that softened his sharp aura just enough to make him look cultured and composed.
Mu Beiyin froze, stammering in disbelief,"H-Huo... Huo Shiqing?!"
While everyone else stood in stunned silence, a bodyguard-looking man stepped forward and said sternly,"What's going on here? How dare you harm an honored guest!"
Honored guest? Everyone looked at each other in confusion. Who was he referring to?
Although they didn't recognize the man, his imposing presence and striking features made it clear he was no ordinary person—likely one of Ancheng's elusive elites, someone far beyond their reach.
If such a figure called someone an "honored guest," that person must be truly distinguished.
Suddenly, all eyes turned to Lin Xiaxia. After all, the bodyguard had said someone dared to hurt the honored guest, and the only one who'd been slapped... was Lin Xiaxia.
So she was the honored guest?!
Lin Xiaxia seemed to realize this too. She was dazed at first, but then joy surged through her.
She didn't know who this man was, but it had to be that her beauty had won him over—and now he was here to stand up for her!
Mu Beiyin? So what if she was the Mu family's eldest daughter? Her mother was dead, her fiancé had dumped her—how could she possibly compare?
Once she latched onto this man, she'd buy out the entire store and teach Mu Beiyin a proper lesson!
With that in mind, Lin Xiaxia swayed her hips and stepped forward."Sir, thank you for standing up for me. May I have your number…"
Before she could finish, Huo Shiqing brushed past her and walked directly toward Mu Beiyin.
Lin Xiaxia hurried after him, but the bodyguard blocked her."Miss, please don't get in the way."
"You don't understand! Move aside!" Lin Xiaxia forced a flattering smile toward Huo Shiqing."Sir, this woman hit me. You must teach her a good less—"
Huo Shiqing's eyes turned cold, and his icy voice cut through her noise. His gaze landed on Mu Beiyin."Does it hurt?"
Mu Beiyin: "…?"
Who is he talking to?He must be mistaken—she was the one who hit someone, not the one who got hit!
Lin Xiaxia was also dumbfounded, then quickly burst into tears."Sir, you're asking the wrong person! Mu Beiyin hit me! She's completely unreasonable! I was just—"
"Does your hand hurt?" Huo Shiqing gently traced his fingers along Mu Beiyin's palm, frowning with displeasure."Next time you want to hit someone, just tell someone else to do it for you."
Mu Beiyin almost choked. Her eyes widened in disbelief. It took a while for her to fully realize—Huo Shiqing was talking to her.
Who even asks if the person who hit someone is hurt?! Isn't this the moment to ask if the one who got slapped is okay?!
She was about to say she wasn't hurt, but caught a glimpse of Lin Xiaxia's face contorted with rage. She blinked… and changed her mind.
"It hurts. My palm's all red. It really hurts."
Everyone around them fell silent for a whole minute.
Lin Xiaxia's face went deathly pale. She stared in disbelief."Mu Beiyin, don't you have any shame?!"
She was the one who got slapped, and yet Mu Beiyin was the one complaining?!
Mu Beiyin lowered her head."See? She's still yelling at me."
"Shut up!" Lin Xiaxia's dream of marrying into high society crumbled in an instant. She couldn't stand the thought of Mu Beiyin stepping all over her again. Desperate, she cried out:
"Sir, you don't know—Mu Beiyin is a shameless, promiscuous woman! Even her fiancé dumped her! Her mom died early, she's a cursed star—nobody—"
Smack!
Before she could finish, the bodyguard landed another hard slap across her face. Her cheeks swelled on both sides!
Huo Shiqing narrowed his eyes."Take her back to the Mu family. Let them deal with her."
Mu Beiyin raised an eyebrow. Take her back to the Mu family...Mu Yaohui and the Mu family patriarch cared deeply about appearances. Even if Lin Ru's niece, if she publicly disgraced the family, they wouldn't let it slide.
This was going to be fun to watch.