Before his words even faded, Mu Yaohui suddenly turned around and slapped Lin Ru hard across the face!
"Beiyin, I helped you teach this woman a lesson. Don't throw a tantrum now—come home, okay?"
Lin Ru was stunned by the slap, eyes wide in shock. "Why are you letting that little bitch come back home—"
Before Mu Yaohui could lash out again, Mu Beiyin spoke up, "Dad, just listen to how Ms. Lin keeps calling me that. She clearly doesn't welcome me. Why should I come back? I'd better leave."
"No—no way!" Mu Yaohui quickly grabbed Mu Beiyin and snapped at Lin Ru, "What are you standing there for? Apologize!"
Fuming, Lin Ru shrieked, "You hit me, and now you want me to apologize to that little bastard?!"
"Shut up! Do you still want Qianrou to marry into the Song family or not?!" Mu Yaohui threatened.
Mu Beiyin watched the two of them turn on each other like dogs fighting, finding the scene amusing—she would have liked to enjoy it a while longer.
Unfortunately, Lin Ru soon came back to her senses. She forced down her rage and unwillingly said:
"Beiyin, you're such a difficult child. Always pushing my buttons. If you didn't provoke me, I wouldn't have driven you out!"
Mu Yaohui quickly followed up, "See? Your Aunt Lin already apologized. We're all family. Don't hold a grudge, okay?"
Mu Beiyin shrugged. "Alright. If Dad says I shouldn't hold a grudge, then I won't."
Mu Yaohui looked past her and suddenly his face changed. "Wait… where's Xie Lin? Didn't he come back with you?!"
Was she lying to him?
Mu Beiyin tilted her head and asked innocently, dragging out her words:
"Mr. Xie said he'd be here in two hours. If you don't believe me, you can call and ask. But… Dad, your attitude is strange. Just because Xie Lin didn't come, I'm not allowed in the house?"
Mu Yaohui gritted his teeth. "Of course not! This is your home. You're always welcome here!"
Mu Beiyin looked satisfied and went to sit back down on the sofa.
Mu Yaohui gave Lin Ru and Mu Qianrou a look. "Beiyin, your Aunt Lin and Qianrou know they were wrong about last time. They were just playing a joke on you. They didn't realize you'd take it so seriously."
"Now Xie Lin has the wrong idea, and it's bad for our family's reputation. Can you explain to him, maybe say a few kind words for us?"
Mu Beiyin paused.
"Last time? Which one are you referring to, Dad? Was it when Ms. Lin deliberately tried to give me to Director Huang? Or when Mu Qianrou spread rumors about me at school? Or maybe when you all stole my mother's keepsakes together? There were so many, I've lost track."
Mu Yaohui's face grew darker by the second. In the end, he swallowed his anger and lowered his voice:
"Beiyin, those were all misunderstandings! … Xie Lin saying we treated you badly—it's just nonsense, right? Everyone at home loves you. You know that."
A cold smile rose on Mu Beiyin's lips.
Her family treated her well? Mu Yaohui really dared to say that?
But she quite enjoyed seeing him swallow his pride and still try to please her.
"But what Ms. Lin did is a fact. How exactly should I explain that to Mr. Xie? Am I supposed to tell him I was willing to sleep with Director Huang?"
She turned to Lin Ru in mock surprise. "Ms. Lin, are you really that shameless?"
All the servants lowered their heads.
Indeed, it was Lin Ru who made the young lady unwelcome at home, who made her lose her fiancé, who nearly pushed her into an old man's bed. And now, they still expected her to endure the humiliation and speak up for the mistress of the house?
A mistress that shameless—what else could she be?
Lin Ru was so furious she couldn't even speak. She felt like this little bitch would be the death of her.
Mu Yaohui couldn't take it anymore. "You… Even if Lin Ru did that, didn't you turn out just fine?!"
Mu Beiyin looked even more surprised. "So, because nothing happened to me, I should forgive the person responsible? Dad, have you ever been to Paris?"
Mu Yaohui didn't understand what she meant.
He then heard Mu Beiyin speak with heartfelt emotion, "I thought you came from Notre-Dame. You're such a saint."
The servants all lowered their heads, stifling laughter. "…"
Mu Yaohui felt his blood pressure spike. "Then what do you want before you'll speak up for the family?!"
Mu Beiyin blinked innocently. "Why are you asking me? Shouldn't you be asking yourself that?"
"No one at home ever cared about me. I don't even have a room of my own. I used to stay in the attic—that was fine. But the moment I left, Ms. Lin turned the attic into a storage space. Mr. Xie took one look and saw how unloved I was. How am I supposed to plead on your behalf?"
"Even if I did, Mr. Xie would probably think you forced me to. If things backfire, don't blame me."
Mu Yaohui nearly coughed up blood.
He had already swallowed his pride to beg this wretched girl, and now she was pushing her luck even further?!
Gritting his teeth, Mu Yaohui said, "Beiyin, letting you live in the attic before was my mistake! Now Qianrou has arranged a much better room for you, which is why the attic was turned into storage. Don't get the wrong idea!"
Mu Beiyin feigned delight. "Really? Then how about my little sister takes me to have a look?"
Mu Qianrou barely held back her fury. "Sister, don't worry. I've decorated the room myself. I'm sure you'll love it."
Mu Beiyin replied bluntly, "Oh? What if I don't?"
Mu Qianrou nearly exploded. She wanted nothing more than to charge over and kill Mu Beiyin on the spot.
Mu Yaohui took a deep breath. "If you're not satisfied, we'll change it!"
Xie Lin would be here soon—nothing could go wrong now.
Mu Beiyin's eyes sparkled, and she gave a gentle smile. "Alright then, lead the way, little sister."
At the Huo Corporation office.
Huo Shiqing didn't even look up. "Weren't you going to the Mu house today?"
Xie Lin nodded. "Yeah, but it's not time yet."
Huo Shiqing's eyes flashed. "Time?"
Xie Lin suddenly remembered something and leaned in. "At first, I just wanted to help Beiyin since she's Madam Xingling's daughter. When I heard the Mus were mistreating her, of course I couldn't stand by. I immediately took some action against their business."
"But now I've realized—Miss Mu doesn't need my help at all. She alone is enough to turn the Mu family upside down."
Huo Shiqing narrowed his eyes. "So?"
Xie Lin clicked his tongue. "You can't guess what I'm trying to say? I know you're still investigating the hacker from five years ago. I've known Beiyin longer than you—I know things you don't. Are you really not going to look deeper into her?"
He hadn't noticed it before, but upon hearing that the hacker once lived in Baishui Town, he couldn't help linking that figure to Mu Beiyin.
If Mu Beiyin really was that person… wouldn't this couple end up turning against each other?
Although he cared deeply for Madam Xingling's daughter, Huo Shiqing was his closest friend—he couldn't just stand by and let another tragedy like the one five years ago repeat itself.
That's why he offered this warning.
Huo Shiqing's hand paused slightly, eyes darkening. "Beiyin sees you as a friend. If she is that person, then you're betraying her right now."
He wanted to uncover Mu Beiyin's secrets on his own—not by having them handed to him by her friend.
Xie Lin broke into a cold sweat under Huo Shiqing's gaze. "I'm trying to help you!"
Huo Shiqing looked at him. "In Beiyin's eyes, you're someone she can trust and confide in. That trust is not something you should betray—not even for me. Xie Lin, I despise betrayal."