Lin Xiaxia immediately reacted, anger surging within her. "What are you doing here? Are you stalking Young Master Song? Shameless!"
Song Lingqian furrowed his brows. "This isn't a place you should be."
Mu Beiyin replied leisurely, "Why can't I be here? Does this place have your names on it?"
Song Lingqian instinctively responded with displeasure, "You..."
"Sister, are you also here to see Designer Xie Lin?" Mu Qianrou hesitated. "But he has a peculiar temperament; he doesn't meet just anyone."
Song Lingqian immediately understood, expressing his disdain, "So, you're trying to see Xie Lin by following us? Give up. I won't take you to meet him. Qianrou is handling that project; you'd better not interfere."
Mu Beiyin blinked, thinking how confident they were.
She feigned confusion, asking, "Are you sure Mu Qianrou can get Xie Lin to agree?"
Mu Qianrou's face turned pale, as if deeply wronged.
Song Lingqian grew more displeased with Mu Beiyin. "If Qianrou can't, do you think you can? Just leave and stop causing trouble!"
Lin Xiaxia smugly added, "You probably don't know, but Xie Lin never meets strangers. Young Master Song's uncle knows him, so we could get in. I suggest you leave now before you're thrown out and embarrassed."
Mu Beiyin clicked her tongue. Too bad, Song Lingqian's uncle was her husband. If Mu Qianrou could meet Xie Lin through that connection, then she certainly could.
Moreover, she had other ties with Xie Lin.
Seeing Mu Beiyin still standing there, the others' expressions grew increasingly unpleasant.
Especially Song Lingqian, who was filled with anger and frustration. "Mu Bei—"
"Lingqian, don't be angry. I'll go talk to my sister."
Mu Qianrou stepped forward helplessly, walking to a corner. Out of Song Lingqian's sight, her gentle expression turned cold.
"Do you think coming here changes anything? The family has already decided that I'll handle this project. You're just a clown."
Mu Beiyin raised an eyebrow. "Dropping the act, are we?"
Mu Qianrou's eyes were venomous. "You're here for that project too? With what qualifications?"
Mu Beiyin replied nonchalantly, "Yes, with my own."
Mu Qianrou looked her up and down with disdain. "Xie Lin is a designer who appreciates beauty. Look at that scar on your neck—it's hideous."
"Do you know why Dad and Grandpa don't want to see you? It's because of that scar. What kind of heiress has such a long scar on her neck? You look like a monster!"
Mu Beiyin narrowed her eyes.
Mu Qianrou continued, increasingly vicious, "And do you know what Lingqian says? He says you're a burden, that your scar is an embarrassment. Why didn't you just die at the hands of those kidnappers—"
Slap!
Without a word, Mu Beiyin raised her hand and slapped Mu Qianrou, cutting her off.
Mu Qianrou clutched her face, tears streaming down as she trembled, feigning innocence. "Sister, what... what are you doing?"
"Mu Beiyin!" Song Lingqian roared, rushing over to shield Mu Qianrou, furious. "Who gave you the right to hit her?! Don't you know Xie Lin hates people causing trouble in his studio? Must you be so unreasonable?!"
Mu Beiyin finally understood why Mu Qianrou provoked her—it was to make a scene in front of Xie Lin.
She calmly looked up. "Mu Qianrou mocked the scar on my neck. Song Lingqian, do you think my scar was there from birth?"
The air grew tense. Song Lingqian's face showed embarrassment. "You—Qianrou didn't mean it. Besides, it's been so long; why bring it up now?"
"Don't use your so-called gratitude to hold it over me. Qianrou already said it's just a scar, not like you died. Regardless, hitting someone is wrong!"
Mu Beiyin raised an eyebrow. "Sister, I must admit, your tactics are far beyond mine."
A scar, and nothing more. She hadn't died, after all? So all these years, Mu Qianrou had been brainwashing Song Lingqian like this.
That's why Song Lingqian believed that her nearly dying to save him was what she deserved.
Mu Qianrou's face turned pale, and she instinctively threw herself into Song Lingqian's arms, speaking weakly, "Brother Lingqian, I'm so scared…"
Song Lingqian's heart ached, and he grew even angrier. "Mu Beiyin, look at what you've done. Yes, you saved me, and then what? You're still alive, aren't you? It wasn't even that serious. Why do you insist on bringing it up!"
That scar was a reminder that everything he had was given to him by Mu Beiyin.
He was a man—Mu Beiyin had never considered his pride. This so-called life-saving grace, this so-called mentor's favor, once it spread out, it would only become fodder for gossip!
People would just say he was a useless man who rose by relying on a woman. It was Qianrou who told him that the debt of gratitude was a thing of the past, helping him slowly regain his confidence.
Mu Beiyin gave a cold, mocking laugh. "To save you, I was left with a scar. And your dear fiancée mocks me for how ugly it is, while you say it wasn't a big deal? Song Lingqian, how about you and Mu Qianrou get your stories straight?"
Song Lingqian's face turned bright red, unable to retort, as if someone had pierced through his defenses, leaving him furious out of shame.
"Enough! Shut your mouth! There's business to attend to today—I don't have time to mess around with you!"
He took a deep breath and forced a smile as he looked at the assistant running down from the second floor. "Assistant Fang, hello, I'm Song Lingqian, and this is my fiancée Mu Qianrou. We had an appointment yesterday."
Mu Qianrou also gave a gentle smile. No matter what, the assistant must've seen Mu Beiyin hit someone earlier...
Lin Xiaxia glanced at Mu Beiyin and couldn't help but sneer. "Stop using that life-saving favor to mooch off Young Master Song. See that? The person he cares about the most now is my cousin. No one else gets to see Xie Lin—only Sister Qianrou does. Jealous much?"
The assistant looked at Mu Qianrou, then at Mu Beiyin, and finally frowned. "I'm sorry, Young Master Song. Mr. Xie has another appointment today. Please leave."
Everyone's expressions stiffened at once.
Mu Beiyin clapped her hands to the side. "Didn't Young Master Song say he could definitely help his dear sister meet Mr. Xie today? Such confidence."
"You—! I'll deal with you later!"
Song Lingqian forcibly suppressed his anger, putting on a smile for the assistant. "Since Mr. Xie is unavailable today, we'll come back another time. Qianrou, let's go."
Mu Qianrou needed something from Xie Lin, so she couldn't afford to offend him. She had no choice but to follow Song Lingqian out the door.
Just as the three reached the entrance, Song Lingqian snapped in disgust, "Mu Beiyin, I told you Mr. Xie has a guest this morning. Why are you still hanging around?!"
As soon as he said that, the assistant paused for a moment.
He looked at Song Lingqian in confusion and replied as if it were obvious, "Because Miss Beiyin is our guest."
Miss Beiyin is our guest...
Their faces instantly went pale, and they all jerked their heads up in shock!