"So that adopted daughter doesn't try every means to steal the music score from me. Shiqing, if that woman dares to threaten you again in the name of being your mother, tell her to come talk to me."
"In the past, I was in a coma and couldn't stop your grandfather from letting that woman take my daughter's place. I had no control over that adopted daughter."
"But now that I'm awake, no one can bully you!"
Madam Yuan's tone was sharp, echoing the presence of a formidable woman who once held great power.
However, Mu Beiyin was focused on something else entirely.
…From Madam Yuan's words, it sounded like the Yuan patriarch's adopted daughter was actually Huo Shiqing's biological mother?
Would Grandpa Song really marry an adopted daughter just because of her background?
Mu Beiyin's mind was in a whirl. Just then, Madam Yuan waved her hand dismissively."Shiqing, take Beiyin and head back. Grandma is tired."
The butler stood and escorted them out, his eyes brimming with tears."Madam's illness is getting worse. She's rarely lucid these days and spends most of her time resting—that's why that adopted daughter has become even more arrogant and reckless."
"Shiqing, Madam asked me to pass on a message: The Yuan family owes you a great debt. But don't blame her—she's done everything she could."
Huo Shiqing gave a hoarse nod. "I understand."
Leaving the Yuan residence, Mu Beiyin had a stomach full of questions, but didn't know where to begin.
It was clear Madam Yuan was seriously ill, and the Yuan family was far from peaceful.
Huo Shiqing had helped her so much. If she, just to find out whether he was part of the Song family, stabbed him in the heart regardless of his feelings—she'd be no better than a monster.
…Forget it. Better to wait for another chance.
Mu Beiyin was startled by her own thoughts. She froze in place.
Since when had she started thinking about others' feelings?
She actually cared how Huo Shiqing felt—didn't want him to be hurt, didn't want him to be sad.
It was such a strange feeling.
At the Yuan family's reception room:
Madam Yuan IV looked dark-faced, while Master Yuan IV was pacing back and forth in anger.
Yuan Shishi had been their only bargaining chip, and they hadn't expected Huo Shiqing to reject her!
Even though she was adopted, she'd been raised meticulously. Now seeing her faint from anger because of Mu Beiyin only made the couple look even worse.
Yuan Shishi slowly regained consciousness, eyes full of tears."Dad, Mom, I'm fine. Maybe it's because I'm just an adopted daughter… so Brother Shiqing doesn't like me…"
Madam Yuan IV was furious. "So what if you're adopted? Isn't the most successful person in the Yuan family also an adopted daughter? Huo Shiqing's mother is adopted, yet she's sitting firmly in the seat of Madam Huo. Why would he look down on you!"
Master Yuan IV sighed. "Shishi, Madam Yuan is awake now. You need to find a way to win her favor. I'll give you the money—go buy a piano. She loves younger generations who can play the piano."
Madam Yuan IV snapped angrily,"She only likes piano music because of that wretched girl who died. She's gone already, and she still keeps her in her heart!"
"Alright, Shishi. Practice the piano more these days. Best case, try to get some shares from Madam Yuan. As for Shiqing…"
Madam Yuan IV snorted coldly."I don't believe any man can resist temptation. Don't worry, that bumpkin Mu Beiyin who only knows how to cause trouble—Shiqing will get bored of her soon enough!"
On the other side, Mu Beiyin returned home and started studying the music score, but unfortunately, there was no piano at Yujing Garden.
Early the next morning, she went straight to the largest musical instrument store in the city.
Last night, she had done some brief research on the Yuan family.
There were four children in Madam Yuan's generation. The eldest daughter had passed away, the third daughter was adopted, and the second and fourth sons were both born from the patriarch's mistresses.
The only child Madam Yuan had given birth to was the deceased eldest daughter.
As for the relationship between the Yuan and Song families… Mu Beiyin clicked her tongue—she really couldn't find anything.
It was as if some hidden force was preventing her from digging deeper.
As she was thinking, the music store appeared before her.
Mu Beiyin picked out a piano, but her gaze was suddenly drawn to a white jade flute.
She glanced at the price tag and decisively paid for it.
But before the flute could be handed to her, a woman's voice rang out beside her:"I want that flute."
Mu Beiyin narrowed her eyes and turned around—Yuan Shishi was walking toward her, surrounded by bodyguards like the center of a galaxy.
A staff member stepped forward awkwardly."Sorry, there's only one white jade flute, and a customer has already purchased it."
Yuan Shishi's eyes were full of provocation and disdain."She bought it? Do you even know who I am? You'd rather sell it to some country bumpkin than to me?"
The bodyguards rudely forced the staff to hand over the flute.
Yuan Shishi took it proudly and sneered,"Miss Mu, what a coincidence. We've set our eyes on the same flute—but in the end, it belongs to me."
Mu Beiyin could easily tell Yuan Shishi was doing this on purpose.
Trying to snatch her things? Fine.
Mu Beiyin walked away calmly. Soon, she took a liking to a violin priced at half a million yuan.
Yuan Shishi blurted, "I'll take it!"
Then Mu Beiyin turned to a guzheng marked at 800,000.
Yuan Shishi challengingly had her bodyguards grab it."Sorry, I like this one too!"
Then Mu Beiyin looked at a pipa.
Before the staff could even speak, Yuan Shishi waved her hand."Wrap it up!"
Anything Mu Beiyin looked at, Yuan Shishi took.
Without even realizing it, Yuan Shishi had already spent around ten million.
She lifted her chin smugly."Mu Beiyin, don't tell me you're too poor to afford any of these instruments? If you're broke, stop pretending to be refined!"
Mu Beiyin wasn't fazed. She pointed to a grand piano in the corner and said to the staff,"I'd like to buy that piano."
Yuan Shishi immediately declared, "I'll take it!"
Mu Beiyin chuckled lightly and blinked."Oh? Miss Yuan likes that piano too?"
Yuan Shishi had come specifically to buy a piano to win over Madam Yuan, so she scoffed haughtily."Of course. Do you think I can't aff—"
"But," Mu Beiyin tilted her head and asked innocently,"Do you still have any money?"
Yuan Shishi's expression froze instantly!
Mu Beiyin said casually,"Just now, Miss Yuan spent at least ten million. Even if the Yuan family is rich, how far can an adopted daughter stretch her budget in a single day?"
"But that piano costs three million… Miss Yuan, do you have enough left to pay for it?"
Yuan Shishi's face turned deathly pale. Cold sweat rolled down her back—because Mu Beiyin was right. She was out of money!
She had originally come with enough to buy a grand piano, but in her frenzy to compete with Mu Beiyin, she'd blown it all!
"Oh dear, looks like Miss Yuan's out of cash." Mu Beiyin calmly tucked her hair behind her ear and said coolly:"For someone who spends money so recklessly, I assumed Miss Yuan must have huge savings."
Yuan Shishi's mind went blank. She gritted her teeth."Useless instruments?"
Those were clearly the ones Mu Beiyin had wanted! How were they useless?!
But the next second, Mu Beiyin spoke in a tone that could kill without spilling blood, a sly smile on her lips:"I was just browsing. Didn't really like any of those. But Miss Yuan was so bold—buying everything I looked at without a second thought. I really admire you."
Yuan Shishi finally realized what had happened—and nearly coughed up blood from anger.
Mu Beiyin had never wanted those instruments in the first place—she'd only pretended to want them to lure Yuan Shishi into a spending spree, wasting ten million for nothing!