"Aunt will arrive a bit later. Let's head over first." Mu Side straightened up and opened the car door for them.
After He Sixin got into the car, Shu Lanzhou didn't move right away.
She turned to look at Mu Side, her face suddenly lighting up with joy.
"What are you smiling at?" Mu Side raised his hand to pinch her cheek.
Instead of dodging, Shu Lanzhou leaned into his palm, rubbing against it. "Nothing… I'm just happy to see you, big brother."
She was like a gentle, affectionate cat, deliberately pressing closer for a pet.
Mu Side froze, his palm growing warm, his heartbeat thudding uncontrollably.
Before he could react, the mischievous little girl had already slipped into the car, leaving him standing there.
Mu Side couldn't help but laugh—this girl was really something else!
The seminar was being held at a large venue in the city center. When they arrived, they spotted Lin Jiayi and Lin Muyao getting out of their car.
Despite the chilly weather, Lin Muyao insisted on wearing a dress. Though she had a coat draped over her shoulders, her legs were bare, and a gust of wind made her shiver visibly—adding an almost tragic, fragile beauty to her image.
Shu Lanzhou remembered that in her previous life, Lin Muyao had leveraged this very appearance to charm plenty of people, each one becoming another rung on her climb upward.
Clearly, mother and daughter hadn't given up on using that same shortcut now.
"Come on, let's head inside." He Sixin tugged Shu Lanzhou toward the entrance.
The three of them trailed behind the Lin women. At the door, Mu Side handed over their invitation.
"Shu Lanzhou?"
A familiar voice called out before they could step inside.
It was Luo Jialin.
"What are you doing here?" Luo Jialin's expression twisted in disbelief. "Do you even know what kind of people are in there? This isn't a place you belong."
He instinctively tried to steer her away.
"I'm telling you, everyone here has an official invitation. There's no way you got one. You must've snuck in, right?"
"Come with me. I'll take you out before someone catches you and humiliates you!"
Shu Lanzhou shook off his hand. "And even if I get embarrassed, it's not your face that's on the line. Why are you so worried?"
"I'm doing this for your own good! Stop being stubborn. Let's go—" Luo Jialin looked genuinely anxious, as if truly afraid she'd be exposed.
Mu Side stepped between them, blocking Luo Jialin's path. "Where exactly do you plan on taking her?"
"Mu Side?" Luo Jialin's eyes narrowed, nearly sparking with anger. "You were invited to something like this?"
Mu Side gave a lazy smirk. "What, didn't you know? The Mu family gets an invitation every year. Just because I never came before doesn't mean I don't qualify."
With that, he took Shu Lanzhou's hand and led her inside. "Come on, let me introduce you to some people."
"You brought Shu Lanzhou here?" Luo Jialin followed, fuming. "Have you even thought about the consequences? She doesn't have the credentials to be here. Aren't you afraid they'll kick her out?"
"The organizers only care about invitations," Mu Side said coolly. "They don't vet résumés at the door. What's wrong, Luo—planning to tattle? Gonna run and tell them to throw Shu Lanzhou out?"
"I'm not tattling!" Luo Jialin's jaw clenched. "I just don't want her to embarrass herself."
"As long as you keep your mouth shut, nothing will happen to me." Shu Lanzhou frowned impatiently. "Seriously, don't you have better things to do than stalk me? What's your problem? Why can't you just leave me alone?"
Her words drained the color from Luo Jialin's face, leaving him staring at her like she'd just slapped him.
"I thought… I thought maybe I'd misjudged you," he said stiffly. "I thought you were smarter than this. I was even going to speak to Professor Han on your behalf, try to help you rejoin the team. But clearly, you don't need my help."
He assumed that saying this would make Shu Lanzhou soften, that she'd come to her senses—surely she'd want to return, no matter how stubborn she acted.
"You're wrong," Shu Lanzhou said with a small smile. "It's not that I don't need it now—I've never needed it, not from the very beginning."
"Luo Jialin, don't flatter yourself. I've been pretty clear all along. Why is it you and Du Yifan never seem to understand plain language?"
"Do you honestly regret me leaving?"
His face flushed, caught off guard. "Who's regretting? I just… I'm not as heartless as you. We're from the same school. I didn't want you making a mistake you'd regret later."
"I won't regret it." With that, Shu Lanzhou tugged Mu Side along, walking away without another glance.
She wasn't here to waste time arguing. She had more important things to do.
Some people were truly baffling. They had plenty of chances to talk properly in the past, but they wasted them. Now that she didn't want to speak, they kept chasing her down, refusing to let go.
It was exhausting.
Luo Jialin clenched his fists, seething. Why was she still being so stubborn? Did she really have no intention of coming back?
Could the Mu family's medical practice truly compare to Professor Han's prestigious program?
She had to be insane!
"Brother Jialin?" Lin Muyao had been lingering nearby, watching the whole interaction. She was both angry and resentful.
"Was that Shu Lanzhou you were talking to? I think I saw her earlier too. I don't know how she got an invitation… unless the Mu family really values her that much?"
Hearing that made Luo Jialin's chest tighten uncomfortably. "Why would the Mu family care about a country girl?"
"When did you get here?"
"Just a few minutes ago." Lin Muyao gestured behind her. "My mom introduced me to the director of the research institute. I overheard them discussing how our project and Professor He's project are both competing for lab space."
"She's been negotiating with the director all morning because she really believes in you and Professor Han's team. She doesn't want your work to go to waste."
Luo Jialin's expression softened a little. "Thank her for me. Your mom's done so much for us."
"She really has," Lin Muyao said, linking arms with him. "But what can she do? Professor He's group won't budge. I heard they're short-staffed—lots of researchers don't want to join them. No wonder they're clinging to Shu Lanzhou; it's not easy to find people willing to specialize in traditional medicine."
"Unlike Professor Han's program—it's a top field. Every year people fight tooth and nail to get in."
Something clicked in Luo Jialin's mind. So that's why the Mu family seemed so invested in Shu Lanzhou. They were just afraid she might return to Professor Han's team.
Of course. There was no way the Mu family actually cared about a girl from the countryside.
She must've been tricked into staying with them.
No, he had to talk to her. He couldn't let her be fooled like this!
Lin Muyao had intended to downplay Shu Lanzhou's importance, but instead, she'd inadvertently convinced Luo Jialin even more.
As Luo Jialin turned to search for Shu Lanzhou again, a sudden commotion erupted from the second floor.
Shu Lanzhou hadn't expected Elder Long's attack to happen so soon. Her palms were already damp with sweat.
But she knew—this was their chance. If they missed it now, who knew when the next opportunity would come?