However, Huo Shiqing wouldn't let her run away. He gently asked, "Didn't you tell Xie Lin that the person you married is me?"
Mu Beiyin had no choice but to explain awkwardly, "I-I haven't had the chance yet…"
Xie Lin seemed to choke on something and couldn't speak for a long time. He couldn't help but recall what Mu Beiyin had just said.
She mentioned her husband cooked for her, picked her up from school, and was clingy?
Was that really Huo Shiqing?
Mu Beiyin swallowed hard and decided to flee while Xie Lin was still confused. "Mr. Xie, thank you for your help. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
With that, she bolted away faster than a rabbit, leaving only a gust of wind behind her.
Huo Shiqing interrupted Xie Lin's daze. "Mu Beiyin is that friend you said owes you a favor?"
Xie Lin snapped back to reality. "Yes, I didn't expect such a coincidence. But Miss Mu's design skills are top-notch—I'm not qualified to be her teacher."
Huo Shiqing raised an eyebrow.
High-level design skills? If she could earn such praise from Xie Lin, then it seemed Mrs. Huo's so-called 'interest' in design was far from just a hobby.
Xie Lin, having weathered many storms in life, calmed down and accepted it. "I really didn't expect Miss Mu would marry you. She always said that if she ever got married, it would only be to…"
He paused.
Wait a second. Didn't Mu Beiyin say she would only marry someone from the Song family? But Huo Shiqing isn't from the Song family. Could it be he has another way to help her reclaim her inheritance?
After pondering it, Xie Lin could think of no other possibility. "Beiyin has had a tough time over the years. If you can help her get Su Xingling's inheritance back soon, she won't have to struggle so much."
Huo Shiqing narrowed his eyes. Inheritance?
Mu Beiyin had never mentioned any inheritance to him. Why did Xie Lin speak with such certainty, as if he was the one who could help her get it back?
…
Mu Beiyin fled the studio like she was escaping for her life, nearly out of breath.
She must not have checked the almanac before leaving the house today!
After five minutes of calming down, her phone suddenly rang. It was a director from the Mu Group calling:
"Beiyin, I heard Xie Lin will be at headquarters tomorrow. Song Lingqian sent someone to ask him, and he agreed to accept Mu Qianrou's invitation."
Mu Beiyin narrowed her eyes slightly. "What are people in the company saying?"
The director quickly replied, "Everyone's full of praise, saying Mu Qianrou is thinking of the company's best interests. As for you… well, not exactly good things. That mother-daughter duo is practically over the moon."
Mu Beiyin chuckled lightly. "Aunt Qi, are you sure the person Xie Lin agreed to was Mu Qianrou?"
Director Qi hesitated for a moment. "Yes… that's what Song Lingqian said. If Mu Qianrou didn't secure the project, why would she be so happy?"
Mu Beiyin let out a cold laugh, her tone meaningful. "Because… she's stupid."
After hanging up, she sent Xie Lin a thank-you text, then headed to An University to attend two classes. That evening, she went to bed early.
The next morning, she received a reply from Xie Lin: [Beiyin, I'm heading out now.]
Mu Beiyin got up right away to wash up.
After finishing breakfast at the restaurant and just about to head out, a car suddenly stopped in front of her.
Huo Shiqing rolled down the window, the beauty mark at the corner of his eye softening his sharp aura. "I'll drive you."
Mu Beiyin was stunned for a second. "I'm going to the Mu Group. It's not the same direction as the HuoShen Financial Tower."
Huo Shiqing replied in a low voice, "I heard about it from Xie Lin."
"You specifically came to drive me?" Mu Beiyin was genuinely touched. The two companies were at opposite ends of the city—if Huo Shiqing wanted to take her, he'd have to go out of his way.
She had just sat in the passenger seat and hadn't even fastened her seatbelt when she heard Huo Shiqing say slowly:
"After all, yesterday you told Xie Lin that I wake you up every morning, cook for you, care for you in every way, and even personally pick you up and drop you off. Waking you up and cooking might be a stretch, but driving you? That I can do."
"No—no, that's not it!" Mu Beiyin nearly blacked out. She hadn't expected Huo Shiqing to remember what she said yesterday!
"Mr. Huo, don't misunderstand. I was just talking nonsense."
Huo Shiqing chuckled softly. His large hand covered hers, sending a tingling numbness through her fingers until she could hardly feel them. The next second, the seatbelt clicked into place with a soft ka-cha.
With a husky voice, he said, "Mrs. Huo, you're trembling. What are you so nervous about?"
Mu Beiyin felt like even if she jumped into the Yellow River, she wouldn't be able to wash herself clean. She slumped into the seat, defeated. "I—I'm not nervous."
Huo Shiqing's lips curled in amusement.
Of all of Mrs. Huo's parts, only her mouth was stubborn.
Soon, the car arrived at the Mu Corporation building.
Mu Beiyin jumped out of the car. After glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she quickly said, "Mr. Huo, thank you for the ride. You should head back now."
Huo Shiqing looked at her with a half-smile, "Mrs. Huo, do you know what we look like right now?"
Mu Beiyin didn't get it. "What do we look like?"
He chuckled and leaned in, whispering two words into her ear.
Mu Beiyin's face instantly turned crimson. Only after the car drove away did she quickly cover her cheeks with both hands and tightly shut her eyes.
…Who's having an affair! She only wanted him to leave quickly! How does this look like an affair?
That cold, elegant Huo Shiqing could say something like that? He must've been corrupted by Xie Lin!
——
At the Mu Corporation building.
The news that Mu Qianrou had invited Xie Lin as a designer had spread through every department. The entire company was on high alert, preparing to welcome him.
Mu Yaohui and Lin Ru had also arrived at the company early.
Just as Mu Beiyin reached the entrance, a manager-looking man stepped in front of her.
"Well, well, look who it is. Isn't this our dear young lady? Miss, the whole company is busy receiving an important guest today. We don't have time for you. Please leave."
Mu Beiyin glanced at the man—it was Manager Zhang from the Sales Department.
She ignored him and walked straight in.
Manager Zhang immediately fumed. Just a discarded young lady from the Mu family—how dare she act all high and mighty with him?
"Stop right there! Who said you could come here? Do you know how important today is?! Someone, get her out of here!"
The security guards stepped forward. Mu Beiyin swiftly dodged and raised her eyes coldly.
"You just called me 'young lady.' Why wouldn't I be allowed in my own company?"
Manager Zhang's eyes flickered. Knowing Mu Qianrou didn't like Mu Beiyin, he deliberately made things difficult:
"Miss, you should know your place. Yes, you're a Mu daughter, but you're more trouble than you're worth. There's no place for you in Mu Corporation."
Mu Beiyin laughed dismissively, "Those who know you might say you're a department manager. Those who don't might think the company changed hands and you, an outsider, are suddenly in charge."
Manager Zhang's face darkened. "You—!"
"What's going on here?" Just then, Mu Qianrou hurried over from the entrance, feigning concern.
"Manager Zhang, are you alright? My sister tends to have a temper—please don't take it personally."
Mu Beiyin nearly laughed. Mu Qianrou, right in front of everyone, shifted the blame onto her with that one sentence.
While pretending to apologize, she was only reinforcing the idea in everyone's mind—that Mu Beiyin was here to stir up trouble.