Yuan Shishi was furious when she saw Mu Beiyin had bought the piano. She stormed over, raising her hand to slap her.
"You bitch! You set me up!"
Mu Beiyin sidestepped and sneered, raising an eyebrow. "Miss Yuan, done pretending to be a white lotus?"
Yuan Shishi's face twisted. "You're just a country bumpkin—how dare you buy a piano? Can you even play?!"
Mu Beiyin blinked innocently. "Is there a rule that says you can't buy a piano if you don't know how to play? Miss Yuan, you seem very upset. You must've really wanted this piano, huh? But unfortunately, you ran out of money and had to watch a poor girl like me take it away~"
Every word sounded like mockery. Yuan Shishi's face contorted with rage as she screamed:
"You… Just you wait! You deliberately pissed me off yesterday and made me faint—I haven't even settled that score with you!"
People nearby started to look over in surprise.
Seeing she had an audience, Yuan Shishi instantly puffed up with confidence. "Apologize to me! Then give me the piano, and I'll pretend this never happened."
Mu Beiyin replied calmly, "Miss Yuan, you really dare bring up yesterday? So, when you were seducing my husband, I should've just backed off gracefully to make you happy?"
The onlookers immediately understood and looked at Yuan Shishi with disgust.
So that's what this is—she tried to seduce the man, failed, and now she's taking it out on the wife.
Yuan Shishi was livid. "Y-You're talking nonsense! You're so jealous and arrogant. How could you ever be worthy of Brother Shiqing?!"
Mu Beiyin turned to her coldly. "It was Huo Shiqing who rejected you. You didn't dare make a scene with him, so you came to me? Do I look that easy to bully?"
She smiled. "Miss Yuan, go ahead and try to snatch it. There's surveillance in the store. Once word gets out that the dignified Miss Yuan tried to steal what she couldn't afford, it'll be quite the scandal."
Yuan Shishi's face went deathly pale. If this got out, the Yuan family would never let her off!
She began wailing, "Mu Beiyin! So what if you set me up? Brother Shiqing hates scheming women the most! You lowlife from the countryside—it's all your fault! Aaaah!"
Mu Beiyin's tone dripped with sarcasm. "Countryside? Well, where I'm from, we don't go around seducing married men, and when that fails, try to steal their stuff. The Yuan family's 'manners' are truly eye-opening."
"You, you…" Yuan Shishi clutched her chest and screamed at the bodyguards, "What are you standing there for?! Get her for me!"
A group of bodyguards surged forward and grabbed Mu Beiyin's wrist.
Yuan Shishi finally looked smug and growled, "Aren't you good with words? Let's see what you can do now. Take her away!"
Mu Beiyin calmly glanced at Yuan Shishi, then twisted the guard's arm, ready to fight back—
But at that moment, a loud bang rang out nearby!
Bai Ji had kicked a bodyguard away and instantly moved to Mu Beiyin's side.
Time seemed to freeze. Everyone turned toward the entrance.
Huo Shiqing stood outside, his expression icy, as he spoke slowly:
"Miss Yuan, have I never told you what happens when someone crosses me?"
His voice was cold and emotionless, sending chills down Yuan Shishi's spine.
"B-Brother Shiqing…" She shrank back slightly but quickly remembered—she was the victim here! Why should she be afraid? Mu Beiyin was the one in the wrong!
So she started sobbing softly. "Brother Shiqing, Mu Beiyin spent over three million just to buy a piano. I was being kind—I told her not to be so extravagant."
Huo Shiqing's gaze fell on Yuan Shishi.
Seeing that, Yuan Shishi was delighted and rushed to speak faster.
"After all, Miss Mu just married you and is already spending your money so recklessly—it's really inappropriate. I said a few words, and who knew she would... wuwu…"
Mu Beiyin: "…"
Yuan Shishi was clearly trying to take what Mu Beiyin had wanted, and now she twisted the story to make it seem like Mu Beiyin was the one recklessly spending?
Words really are an art form.
Huo Shiqing looked at Mu Beiyin. "You spent three million on a piano?"
Mu Beiyin was just about to explain that the money was her own.
Then she heard Huo Shiqing chuckle lightly.
"You're interested in a three-million piano? I told you to bring the black card when you go out—buy a better one."
He shoved a black card into Mu Beiyin's hand, leaving her stunned and speechless.
He gave her his black card? Was he still acting?
Yuan Shishi watched in horror, her face twisted with rage.
She screamed, "Brother Shiqing! How can you spoil Mu Beiyin like this?! She's vain and greedy! She tricked me into wasting ten million for nothing!"
Huo Shiqing asked calmly, "Didn't you try to snatch her flute first?"
Yuan Shishi choked. "I..."
"You're just an adopted daughter of the Yuan family, yet you could spend ten million at will. Now you're calling my wife extravagant for spending three million?"
His voice was even and slow, but carried undeniable pressure. "Seems like the Yuan family has been living too comfortably, and Miss Yuan has forgotten her place."
The store went quiet for a few seconds. Yuan Shishi nearly lost her mind and screamed like a madwoman:
"Brother Shiqing! How can you compare me to that bitch?! Do you know who I am? Even if I'm adopted, I'm still nobler than a country girl like her!"
"Wuwu… I'm your little sister! Why are you siding with Mu Beiyin?! What's so great about her?!"
Mu Beiyin blinked at Yuan Shishi's tantrum and suddenly felt pleased.
Her eyes sparkled mischievously. To make things even worse for Yuan Shishi, she quickly clung to Huo Shiqing's arm and said shyly:
"Even though I'm just a country bumpkin, uneducated and inexperienced, Shiqing still loves me so much. I guess it's because I'm pretty?"
"Miss Yuan, your looks… really don't compare. Maybe try some cosmetic surgery? See if there's still hope?"
Huo Shiqing gave Mu Beiyin a calm look.
Well done. His wife's acting skills were improving.
Yuan Shishi couldn't take it anymore and burst into tears. "Brother Shiqing, I've loved you for so many years—how could you let this bitch trample all over me?!"
"You've loved me for many years?"
Huo Shiqing responded lazily, "If that's true, why did Miss Yuan never say anything before? Why wait until after I'm married? With this kind of scheming, you're making me think the Yuan family's upbringing really does encourage mistresses. Even adopted daughters are trained to be one."
Yuan Shishi's face froze as if she'd seen a ghost. "You, you…"
Mu Beiyin let out a little "huh?"
The Yuan family's upbringing? Adopted daughters raised to be mistresses?
But Huo Shiqing was part of the Yuan family himself—and wasn't his mother also an adopted daughter?
Why would he say that?
Yuan Shishi tried to speak again, but Mu Beiyin sighed and suddenly added sweetly:
"Miss Yuan, just give up already. You're still young—there's no shortage of men in the world. Why cling to my husband? Is being a homewrecker really that thrilling?"