The man's lips curved into a faint smile, his narrow eyes behind gold-rimmed glasses squinting slightly as their gazes met in the air.
Mu Beiyin: "..."
Suddenly, her throat tightened, and she felt a bit flustered.
How did Huo Shiqing get here?! Wait, how much did he hear?
Swallowing nervously, Mu Beiyin hurried forward. "Mr. Huo, when did you arrive?"
"Just now." Huo Shiqing glanced at her lazily and replied in a relaxed tone.
Just now? That's a relief, Mu Beiyin thought, letting out a breath. He probably didn't see anything.
"Since Miss Mu kicked someone, I've been watching the whole thing," Huo Shiqing added slowly, finishing his sentence.
Mu Beiyin's relief immediately turned to tension!
He saw her kick someone—how could that be "just now"?
Huo Shiqing seemed to enjoy seeing her flustered expression. He smiled lightly, like ice melting and spring returning.
He stepped closer, slightly bending down, his eyes narrowing. "I just saw Song Lingqian grabbing your hand. Miss Mu, what were you saying to him?"
Mu Beiyin was thrown off by his sudden approach.
The man's warm breath enveloped her, and his Adam's apple moved slightly as he spoke.
She noticed for the first time the small moles on Huo Shiqing's Adam's apple and at the corner of his eye, adding an indescribable charm—gentle but tinged with danger.
What a pity... such a man turned out to be useless. Truly a waste.
Mu Beiyin sighed inwardly. What were she and Song Lingqian talking about? She couldn't just tell Huo Shiqing, "Your nephew said you're useless."
But if she said nothing, she couldn't swallow the grievance.
Her eyes darted, then she let out a faint laugh. "Nothing much. Song Lingqian was just being rude—he came over and said a bunch of nonsense, trying to sow discord between us as husband and wife."
After saying this, she glanced down at the man's lower body, then immediately looked away as if burned.
Huo Shiqing caught that subtle detail and suddenly narrowed his eyes.
"Sowing discord between our marital relationship? Hmph…"
Mu Beiyin shivered all over. Damn it! She felt Huo Shiqing knew!
She wished she could sew her eyes shut. Why did she have to look there? That just rubbed salt in the wound—after all, a high-status man like Huo Shiqing having such a hidden ailment must feel awful.
Mu Beiyin instinctively shifted the blame back to Song Lingqian:
"Song Lingqian insisted I apologize to Mu Qianrou. Mr. Huo, how is that reasonable? I was so angry I couldn't hold back and kicked him."
"Miss Mu sounds so aggrieved…" Huo Shiqing smiled gently, "Are you hoping I'll help you get even?"
Mu Beiyin immediately nodded, then felt a bit too shameless and lowered her head.
"I just feel that someone like Song Lingqian needs to be taught a lesson."
After all, as Song Lingqian's elder, it's only right for Mr. Huo to reprimand him, isn't it?
Huo Shiqing nodded softly with meaning: "Alright."
Assistant Bai Ji standing beside them thought silently: Song Lingqian really messed up this time—he was kicked twice by his wife and now faces a 'lesson' from Mr. Huo.
Everyone knew Mr. Huo's lessons were not something just anyone could endure.
Half an hour later, the car arrived at Yujing Garden.
Mu Beiyin got out first, followed by Huo Shiqing.
Bai Ji clearly saw all traces of Huo Shiqing's gentle demeanor vanish; his gaze sharpened, filled with deadly intent. Although the corner of his lips curled up, his words sent chills down one's spine.
"That insignificant Song Lingqian dares to slander me? Let him learn the consequences of reckless speech."
Huo Shiqing said calmly, as if it was nothing, "Go chop him up."
Bai Ji didn't dare to ask which part of Song Lingqian the master wanted chopped off. "...Yes, sir."
...
Meanwhile, Mu Beiyin walked into the villa alone.
Just as she entered, she suddenly heard a sarcastic voice.
"Madam Lu, our matriarch only recognizes Miss Lu as her granddaughter-in-law. Don't worry, I'll definitely drive that fox spirit away today. The matriarch said: if she's not accepted, she will never enter the Huo family."
Then, another arrogant female voice rang out, "How dare she steal my daughter Mu's position? She deserves a lesson. My daughter and Shiqing grew up as childhood sweethearts. Who does this Mu Beiyin think she is, calling herself Madam Huo?"
Mu Beiyin understood the situation now. When she and Huo Shiqing married suddenly, she saw a crazy woman being dragged away — that must have been Miss Lu.
Tsk... Huo Shiqing, this useless man, is actually quite popular.
Steward Chen's eyes flickered as he happened to see Mu Beiyin at the door, his gaze full of contempt.
"Oh, so Miss Mu has returned. Then I won't hold back. The matriarch has ordered you to divorce the young master today. Miss Mu, you'd better prepare yourself."
Mu Beiyin raised an eyebrow.
Madam Lu, seeing Mu Beiyin refuse, instantly flew into a rage, sneering with disgust.
"I think you'd better initiate the divorce yourself! Otherwise, if Shiqing rejects you later, won't that be embarrassing? I'm embarrassed on your behalf!"
Mu Beiyin sneered. These two acted all high and mighty, yet the so-called steward's eyes showed pure disdain, treating her like she wasn't even human.
"Embarrassing? That's nonsense. If divorcing Huo Shiqing is embarrassing, then what does that make Madam Lu's daughter?"
After all, the premise of divorce is having been married. That Miss Lu was desperately trying to marry Huo Shiqing but failed. So who is really more embarrassing?
"You… really are a motherless bastard!"
Madam Lu was provoked by this and, without thinking, slapped Mu Beiyin across the face!
"How can you be so shameless! My daughter is a hundred, even a thousand times nobler than you! You and your short-lived mother deserve to die! Get out of my sight… Ah!"
Mu Beiyin's eyes turned cold. Seeing the slap coming, she sidestepped and mercilessly slapped back!
Smack! Silence fell around them.
Madam Lu was stunned for two seconds, then grew even more furious.
"You hit me? You really are a motherless bastard! You stole my daughter's husband, and you still dare to hit me! That's outrageous! The mistress hits someone!"
Mu Beiyin spoke coldly, "Madam Lu, at your age, you still don't know how to speak properly? I don't mind teaching your ancestors a lesson for you! Not only will I hit you, I'll also make you leave! Bai Ji!"
Bai Ji immediately bowed respectfully, "Madam Lu, please."
Madam Lu's eyes widened, gnashing her teeth in fury, "My daughter is the future Madam Huo! You, that lowlife, have no right to drive me out!"
Mu Beiyin smiled faintly, "Future Madam Huo? Too bad, I'm the current Madam Huo. So tell me, do I have the right or not?"
Madam Lu screamed, raising her hand to slap again. She was used to a life of luxury; other noblewomen treated her with respect because her daughter might become Madam Mu.
But now, suddenly, Mu Beiyin appeared to challenge her authority!
"Mu Beiyin! Just wait, I'll make you regret this! I tell you, Shiqing can only marry my daughter—"
Before she finished, a faint creak of a door opening sounded not far away.
The next moment, a cold and indifferent male voice echoed behind them—
"Madam Lu, since when did the Lu family have the right to meddle in my marriage?"