Mu Qianrou's mind buzzed, her face pale as if she might collapse at any moment.
Mu Beiyin... was Mr. Xie's guest today?
Did Xie Lin cancel his meeting with Song Lingqian for Mu Beiyin?
How could it be Mu Beiyin? Why her?
Song Lingqian's eyes widened, staggering back two steps.
Lin Xiaxia couldn't believe it and shouted, "Impossible! You must be mistaken! My cousin is Mu Qianrou, not Mu Beiyin!"
Song Lingqian also thought there must be a mistake. They both had the surname Mu and were sisters; perhaps...
The assistant frowned impatiently. "There's no mistake! It's Mu Beiyin. Mr. Xie was very clear. I didn't mishear! Are you questioning me or Mr. Xie? Do you think Mr. Xie needs your approval to decide whom he wants to meet?"
"You all seem to be prominent figures. Why are you making such a scene?"
Then he turned to Mu Beiyin, his attitude shifting dramatically. "Miss Beiyin, please come upstairs. Mr. Xie has been waiting for you."
Mu Beiyin brushed her hair back. "Sister, I told you not to be overconfident. Otherwise, it's quite embarrassing when you're proven wrong."
Mu Qianrou watched Mu Beiyin's departing figure, swallowing her frustration and putting on a pitiful expression.
"Brother Lingqian, I'm sorry. My sister dislikes me so much. It's my fault for dragging you into this..."
Any displeasure Song Lingqian felt toward Mu Qianrou vanished with her tears.
"Qianrou, it's not your fault. Mu Beiyin should have told us she was meeting Mr. Xie. She did this on purpose to embarrass us."
Mu Qianrou's eyes flickered, and she lowered her head sadly. "But if I can't secure this project, Grandpa will be disappointed. What should I do, Brother Lingqian?"
Song Lingqian, feeling sorry for her, gritted his teeth. "Don't worry. I'll handle it. Mr. Xie will work with you. Expect good news tomorrow."
Mu Qianrou clenched her teeth with determination. She had to get this project no matter what!
Upstairs in the office.
Xie Lin brewed a cup of tea for Mu Beiyin. "Miss Mu, we meet again."
Mu Beiyin nodded, getting straight to the point. "Are you going to be the designer for the Mu family's project?"
Xie Lin paused. "It depends. The project is significant but has many uncertainties."
Mu Beiyin blinked and suddenly smiled slyly. "Designer Xie... don't you owe me a favor?"
Xie Lin smiled. "Oh? What does Miss Mu have in mind?"
Half an hour later, after hearing Mu Beiyin's proposal, Xie Lin said meaningfully, "That's a good idea. Then, Miss Mu, let's work together."
Mu Beiyin shook his hand. "Looking forward to it."
Just then, the assistant knocked and said excitedly, "Sir, your friend is here to see you."
Xie Lin raised an eyebrow and held Mu Beiyin back. "Don't go yet. Let me introduce you to someone."
The only person he would call a 'friend' was Huo Shiqing. Although he didn't have time to meet Mrs. Huo today, he was pleased that Huo Shiqing came.
Since Mu Beiyin was here, Xie Lin said, "My friend is quite influential in Ancheng. Stay and meet him; it could open new doors for you."
Mu Beiyin had heard about Xie Lin's close friend years ago; this must be the one.
So she played along, giving face. "Thank you. Your friend must be truly outstanding."
Xie Lin chuckled softly. "He originally planned to bring his wife today to formally become my student, but I had something come up, so we didn't finalize the meeting. I didn't expect him to come on his own anyway. I've never seen him care so much about anyone."
Mu Beiyin immediately nodded. "Wow, he treats his wife so well."
Xie Lin responded with a low "Mhm." "His wife's major isn't landscape design, but she's very interested in it."
Mu Beiyin kept up the praise. "Wow, she sounds amazing."
Before long, footsteps sounded outside the door.
Xie Lin suddenly remembered something. "By the way, I heard you got married a few days ago? Weren't you supposed to marry someone from the Song family? How did it happen so fast?"
Mu Beiyin paused mid-peel with the orange in her hand, completely unconcerned. "Oh, it's fine. I've already taken care of everything."
Xie Lin assumed she had married someone else from the Song family, but thinking it over, there wasn't a single reliable man in the Song family. He couldn't help feeling worried.
"Beiyin, you can't take marriage so lightly. What's your husband's name? I'll help you check him out. If he treats you badly in the future, you can divorce him once you get your mother's inheritance."
Mu Beiyin suddenly frowned.
She had known Xie Lin for several years, and it was natural for him to be concerned.
But Huo Shiqing was powerful and influential in Ancheng. Investigating him would be too risky. She didn't want her friend to get into trouble over something so trivial.
So she half-truthed, half-lied:
"Don't worry, my husband treats me very well. I handle all the household finances. He's rich, handsome—compared to Song Lingqian, it's like heaven and earth. He's so considerate—worried that my school is far, so he drives me every day because he doesn't want me to get tired on the road."
Xie Lin clicked his tongue. "That's pretty impressive."
Mu Beiyin spoke with heartfelt sincerity, "He cooks for me every day, wakes me up gently, adds clothes for me when it's cold, always checks on me, calls me 'baby' at night, and insists on sticking by me during the day. Wherever I go, he wants to come too. I had to coax him for a long time today just so he'd let me come see you alone."
Click—the footsteps outside stopped. Someone grasped the door handle.
Huo Shiqing raised an eyebrow, eyes twinkling with amusement as he glanced at the office nameplate.
…His dear Mrs. Huo not only knew Xie Lin, but also seemed to be bragging about their marriage to him.
A faint smile curved his lips as he opened the door.
Inside the office, Xie Lin cleared his throat. "Alright, alright, enough bragging about your husband. I think my friend's—"
Before he could finish, Mu Beiyin looked up—and met eyes with Huo Shiqing.
…
…
The air instantly stilled. She jumped up from her chair, her face transforming from surprise to horror.
Wait! Why was Huo Shiqing here?!
Xie Lin's friend… was Huo Shiqing?! Oh right, Song Lingqian did say his uncle knew Xie Lin.
Then what the hell was she rambling on about just now? When did he get here? Did he… hear everything?
Mu Beiyin suddenly remembered all the nonsense she had just spouted—"my clingy husband," "cooks for me," "can't bear to let me go"… Her vision darkened, and she nearly fainted on the spot.
Xie Lin noticed something was off and looked between them. "You two know each other?"
Mu Beiyin choked, then forced a laugh to gloss over. "Well, it's a long story…"
Huo Shiqing curved his lips into a smile, warm as spring sunshine. "Mm, we know each other."
Xie Lin nodded. "Oh, that's good. I was actually going to—"
"This is the person I told you about—very gifted in design…" Huo Shiqing interrupted, paused meaningfully, and added the last three words with emphasis: "Mrs. Huo."
Xie Lin's neck stiffened. He instinctively turned to look.
Huo Shiqing's smile was subtle, and behind his gold-rimmed glasses, a glint flashed in his eyes.
"All those compliments Mrs. Huo just gave me—I heard every word."
Mu Beiyin internally screamed, I'm doomed. "…"
Her expression said she no longer wished to live. She buried her face in her hands.
Help. I just want to quietly disappear from this world.