Xiu Mumo cast a sidelong glance at him and smiled, "I would prefer not to be."
"Also, once we get out of the car, change how you address me. 'Officer' is not a title you want to be throwing around loosely in Shangjing."
She issued a warning. Her old man had sent her to Shangjing to blow off some steam, not to stir up trouble. Although, she suspected that there wasn't a drop of honest medicine in her father's gourd. That old fox—who knew what he was plotting?
"Understood! Then how about I call you Boss?"
Bie Yuan spoke with complete solemnity, bowed his head toward Xiu Mumo, and called out, "Boss!"
Xiu Mumo: "..."
Why did that sound like something out of a gang movie? Who on earth had reassigned this guard to her?
"Boss, we've arrived."
The man in the driver's seat took a glance at the rearview mirror and spoke with a hint of deference.
Xiu Mumo: "Mm."
Never mind. It was all the same.
She gripped the door handle and stepped out. Before her eyes stretched a red carpet over ten meters long. Men and women were filing in one after another—men with female companions, women with male escorts—a scene of pure elegance and affectation.
"Boss, are you sure? We’re entering like this?"
Bie Yuan had just stepped out of the car when it sped off into the distance. He stood staring at the women in evening gowns and the men in crisp suits on the red carpet, completely dumbfounded.
He was wearing black athletic gear and white sneakers, with a faint, barely noticeable bloodstain on the back of his sweatpants. His shaven buzz cut glimmered under the lights; anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was here to start a brawl.
"What else?"
Xiu Mumo was irritable with exhaustion and shot Bie Yuan a look. She was wearing a windbreaker and tactical military pants, looking completely out of place at a so-called banquet. "I had just boarded the plane when they told me before I powered down my phone that this banquet was happening and insisted I come straight over after landing. So, is there a problem with that?"
Bie Yuan shook his head violently: "None at all."
If he dared to say there was, the Boss would likely toss him out.
"Then let's go."
Xiu Mumo walked along the red carpet with effortless composure, feeling not the slightest pressure. Bie Yuan straightened his back as much as he could, following behind her like a bodyguard.
People passing by occasionally glanced at the pair with surprise, whispering to each other. When they reached the entrance, the attendant took one look at the two of them and let them pass.
"Huh?"
Bie Yuan was taken aback. We’re just in? Was it really that simple?
Inside, the crowd bustled, people moving everywhere. Some saw Xiu Mumo and Bie Yuan and couldn't help but steer clear, unsure if this pair, dressed as they were, had come looking for someone.
Xiu Mumo walked to a corner and popped a small cupcake into her mouth.
"Boss, aren't you the guest of honor?"
Bie Yuan watched his Boss secretly eating cupcakes and felt even more confused.
"The guest of honor is the eldest daughter of the Xue family, not me."
Xiu Mumo raised an eyebrow, her tone meaningful.
"Ah?"
Bie Yuan was even more baffled; he didn't understand what she meant.
"Just wait and see."
Xiu Mumo leaned back and ate a couple more cupcakes. "Eat first; later on, we might not get the chance."
"Oh."
Bie Yuan also silently grabbed a cupcake and stuffed it into his mouth. He had to admit, the cupcakes from this grand hotel were delicious—sweet, soft, and not cloying. He finished one and couldn't help but grab a second, then a third.
As the two were busy devouring cake, in a corner diagonally opposite, a couple stood with looks of indignation on their faces.
"Where is she? What time is it already? As expected of someone raised in the countryside—no manners."
The middle-aged woman’s chest heaved with anger, and the furrows in her knitted brows made her look several years older.
Beside her, the middle-aged man patted her hand. "Don't be impatient, dear. Since she said she would come, she’ll certainly be here. Who knows, she might already be in the hotel? She doesn't recognize us, after all. Let’s wait a few more minutes before we go up; perhaps she’ll show herself."
These two were none other than the current heads of the Xue family, Xue Yihai, and his wife, Liang Tong.
"That's right, Mom, don't be angry. Maybe big sister has already arrived."
Standing to their side was a pure and pretty girl, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. She blinked her eyes at Liang Tong and leaned affectionately against her shoulder.
"You're the only one who believes your father's words," Liang Tong said sharply.
Xue Anyan couldn't help but giggle. "Dad, Mom, it wouldn't be polite if we don't go on stage soon. We can just introduce her once we're up there. I believe sister must have arrived already, she just hasn't found us. After all, with Mom and Dad being so welcoming, how could she not have come?"
"Exactly, sister is right. Big sister might have already arrived."
A young man walked over from the kitchen area. He smiled at the three of them. "Dad, Mom, you should head up."
"Alright. Yanyan, Yizheng, the old man just called me; he’s coming in through the back door. You two go and meet him."
Xue Yihai patted Xue Yizheng on the shoulder and gave Xue Anyan another reminder.
"Alright, we'll go get Grandfather now."
Xue Yizheng nodded and looked at Xue Anyan, "Sister, let's go."
"Mm."
Xue Anyan couldn't help but look at Liang Tong again, "Mom, we should be happy big sister is back."
"I know."
Liang Tong smiled.
The two siblings left from the backstage area to meet their guest at the back door. Liang Tong watched their retreating figures and sighed, "Yihai, what kind of debt did I incur to have given birth to such a troublesome daughter?"
"Alright, let's go up first."
Xue Yihai didn't respond. He took Liang Tong’s hand, exchanged greetings with a few acquaintances, and then ascended the stage.
In the corner, Xiu Mumo was earnestly devouring her cupcakes. With her keen hearing, she listened to the whispers around her; sixty percent of them were gossip about her. She listened with great interest, while Bie Yuan's expression was indescribable.
"What is all this nonsense? A 'trafficked country girl'? 'Farming in the countryside for five years'? 'Didn't graduate college'? Boss, are they sure they're talking about you?"
His eye twitched; if the Boss weren't standing right next to him, he might have actually believed it.
"Don't ask me, I don't know how this started either."
Xiu Mumo had eaten too many cupcakes and felt a bit parched, so she reached for a glass of juice and downed it in one gulp.
Bie Yuan: "..."
When the lights in the hall dimmed, Bie Yuan looked sharply toward the stage, "Boss, they're up there."
"Oh."
Xiu Mumo silently set down her cupcake and looked toward the stage.
The entire hall was illuminated only by small lights, leaving the surroundings dim, while the brightest lights were focused on the stage.
Xue Yihai and Liang Tong stood before the microphone with smiles on their faces. "Welcome everyone to the annual meeting of the Xue Group. Originally, this meeting was scheduled for the middle of next month, but because we have found the eldest daughter of the Xue family, we have, with her consent, moved the meeting to today.
I believe you have all heard the news. Twenty-seven years ago, my wife and I gave birth to a daughter named Xue Wanyan. When she was six, she was abducted."
"We were heartbroken at the time and kept in touch with the police to assist in the search. We never expected the search to last until now, but at last, we have found our daughter, Xue Wanyan.
Moving the annual meeting to today serves three purposes: first, to introduce our eldest daughter, Xue Wanyan, to all of you; second, to discuss matters of cooperation for the Xue family; and third, for the four great families to gather together..."
Xue Yihai didn't clearly state what the cooperation entailed, and the entire speech was largely devoid of substance. Yet, as the head of the Xue family, the guests applauded in a show of support, even if they had no real interest.
"Clap, clap, clap—"
Hearing the applause, Xue Yihai felt a sense of relief.
"Why do I get the feeling he’s up to no good?"
Bie Yuan took a few more looks at Xue Yihai. "The more I look at him, the less I like him. Boss, are you sure you’re really Xue Wanyan?"
He couldn't fathom how Xue Yihai and his Boss could be related in the slightest. Having been by his Boss's side for three months, he couldn't claim to know everything about her, but he knew enough to see that Xue Yihai and his Boss were nothing alike.
"What else?"
Xiu Mumo took another bite of her cupcake. "Probably, they brought me back for a marriage alliance."
"What?"
Bie Yuan's pupils constricted; he stared at Xue Yihai on the stage with wide eyes. "Is he insane?"
"Before I came, I looked into the Xue family's records. They’ve been having trouble with capital turnover. They overbid on a land auction, and since they didn't manage to secure another plot, the one they bought is now impossible to develop. Without an injection of capital, the Xue family might not go bankrupt, but they will likely fall out of the ranks of the four great families."
Xiu Mumo stroked her chin, explaining this to Bie Yuan while shifting her gaze to a figure standing in the far corner.
Why did that figure look somewhat familiar?
She was known for her photographic memory, especially when it came to physiques. She felt she had seen this silhouette before, but she hadn't been to Shangjing many times, let alone had any contact with this circle. How could that be?
She had many traits, but curiosity was chief among them.
Seeing his Boss dismiss him, Bie Yuan followed her line of sight, "Boss, what are you looking at?"
"Looking at a man."
Xiu Mumo licked her lips. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, a tight backside—the physique was quite appealing.
Bie Yuan: "..."
The Boss couldn't really be considering a marriage alliance, could she?
Not far away, Quan Xijuan rubbed his aching temples and stared at the poised and elegant Ming Luoxing before him, saying with cold detachment, "I'm sorry, I have no interest in you."
Just as he finished speaking, he felt a scorching gaze resting on him. It was a different kind of gaze than what he usually received from his pursuers. He frowned and followed the feeling, his eyes landing on a woman.
Her features and contours were completely foreign; it seemed he had never seen her before. Yet, those eyes were watching him with such keen interest, as if she were appraising a male model. A trace of displeasure clouded his eyes.
"Top-notch."
Xiu Mumo muttered to herself, licking her lips. Her old man had been pestering her to find a man to 'cool off' with, but unfortunately, none had caught her eye—until now. A man, after all, could be fun to tease and would serve to shut her father up. Why not?
She acted on impulse. She picked up a champagne flute from an attendant’s tray and walked over toward Quan Xijuan.
Bie Yuan was stunned, "Boss, where are you going?"
He hurriedly gave chase.
As the woman walked toward him, Quan Xijuan noticed she wasn't wearing an evening gown, but a slightly edgy, cool windbreaker.
It was entirely out of place in the banquet hall, yet the aura she carried had a sense of unconstrained freedom, as if she were untouched by the judgmental eyes of the world. It was strange—a peculiar lack of discordance, and a hint of familiarity. He didn't know if he had seen her somewhere before, or if...
Quan Xijuan pushed these thoughts from his mind, his brows knitting slightly as he watched the woman approach step by step.
Xiu Mumo stopped in front of him, clinked her glass against his, and smiled slightly. "Hello, care to get to know each other?"
Her tone was natural, devoid of any feigned familiarity or the nervousness of looking up to him; it was as if he were just an ordinary person. Or rather, just a man with an attractive face and build.
Quan Xijuan lowered his eyes to the red wine swaying from the impact and remained silent.
"Tsk." Xiu Mumo made a clicking sound and downed the wine in one gulp. "So standoffish."
He seemed like a cold, difficult man. A pity; she loved a challenge.
Xiu Mumo’s unique temperament, combined with the fact that Quan Xijuan was himself a magnet for attention, meant that even with the formalities still underway on stage, everyone’s focus was drawn toward them.
Especially the young women—there were countless who wished to marry Quan Xijuan, and seeing a woman who had appeared out of nowhere hitting on him in public caused them to look sour, leading to a flurry of whispers.
"Who is that? Wearing such an inappropriate outfit to the banquet and hitting on Young Master Quan in front of everyone? Who does she think she is?"
"Does she think she's nobler than Miss Ming? She doesn't even know how to read the room; I wonder what kind of household raised a creature like that."
"Who's to say? I see Miss Ming's face has darkened. This person... tsk, she’s really walking into the line of fire. Who doesn't know Miss Ming has been secretly in love with Quan Xijuan for a long time?"
"Shh, we know it, but you can't say it in public. Keep your voice down; if she hears you, you'll be in trouble."
...
The voices were neither loud nor soft, but Xiu Mumo didn't take them to heart. She had played these verbal games countless times; they were boring.
Bie Yuan couldn't help but roll his eyes, no longer caring about being uncouth. He just found it... ridiculous.
Was this what the so-called Beijing circle was? Gossiping like shrews in a petty, dysfunctional household?
Quan Xijuan frowned slightly, his eyes sweeping over the surrounding women, his expression filled with disdain and annoyance. Indeed, a banquet like this was not for him.
He finally fixed his gaze on Xiu Mumo’s face, only to find that she seemed utterly indifferent, the corners of her mouth curled into a slight smile that held a touch of mockery and weariness.
For a moment, he was stunned. He hadn't expected someone to share his exact sentiment.
Ming Luoxing's face had gone dark, her fingers tightening around her champagne flute. She maintained a composed smile, took a few steps in her heels, and stopped beside Quan Xijuan and Xiu Mumo, speaking casually, "Oh? I don't believe I've seen you in this circle before."
Her words were pointed, carrying a faint edge of hostility.
"I'm sorry, I haven't seen you either." Xiu Mumo looked Ming Luoxing up and down, a slight smile playing on her lips, one that was more aloof than anything else.
Ming Luoxing choked for a second, her expression changing, looking as if she were losing her composure.
The atmosphere around them turned tense. Xiu Mumo took another glance at Ming Luoxing and chuckled lightly, "Such hostility toward me—what’s the matter? You like him?"
A single sentence brought the surrounding whispers to a sudden standstill. Someone gasped, their eyes full of shock.
Of course, everyone in the Beijing circle knew that Ming Luoxing liked Quan Xijuan. But knowing it was one thing; Ming Luoxing, who prided herself on being the eldest daughter of the Ming family, considered it beneath her dignity to chase after him and never admitted it publicly. Was this woman a daredevil? Or was she insane?
The shift from buzzing noise to sudden silence was so stark that even the people on stage heard it. When they looked down to see it was Quan Xijuan involved, Xue Yihai merely frowned as he watched.
Ming Luoxing's face was a palette of changing colors, shifting between pale and livid. Admitting it wasn't an option, and neither was denying it.
As the eldest daughter of the Ming family, she had seen her fair share of social situations. She let out a breath and put on a smile, "Does that have anything to do with you?"
The implication: mind your own business.
"It does. I've taken a liking to this man." Xiu Mumo nodded and licked her lips. "I’m a person who values 'first come, first served.' If you say you like him, then I’ll let you chase him first. I’ll start chasing him later."
She was naturally beautiful, and her lazy posture carried a touch of rakishness, making her seem like a bandit queen from the mountains who had captured a genteel young man to take back as her husband. While the description wasn't exactly accurate, in everyone else's eyes, that was exactly what it looked like.
Quan Xijuan’s gaze lingered on Xiu Mumo’s face, his eye twitching.
Ming Luoxing's face went from blue to white. Under the public gaze, she was unwilling to lose her noble composure. She snorted coldly, "Then if you like him, go ahead and chase him. Why ask me? What does it have to do with me?"
"It has everything to do with me." Xiu Mumo stroked her chin, laughing lightly, "We are total strangers, meeting for the first time today, and you’ve shown such hostility toward me. I can’t find any reason for it other than this man."
With the two in a standoff, Quan Xijuan had inexplicably become the man being fought over. He clenched his fingers slightly.
On stage, Xue Yihai swept his gaze across the room, and he found a face that seemed familiar. The veins on his forehead throbbed. "Is that... Wanyan?"
"Based on the photos, it should be." Liang Tong looked at the chaos unfolding below and couldn't help but grit her teeth. "Look at what she’s wearing! Does she have no idea where she is?"
"I’m afraid she’s offended the Ming girl," Xue Yihai muttered under his breath.
"Ladies and gentlemen..." A smile broke across Liang Tong's face as she pulled the attention of the crowd back to the stage. "Our daughter has been found, and she is right here in the hall."
The words caused the guests to scan the room, looking for someone unfamiliar, especially a girl who might look like a country bumpkin, since they had heard she was found in the countryside.
After looking around, no one associated Xiu Mumo with that description; the contrast was simply too great.
"Wanyan, come up here and say hello." Xue Yihai turned his gaze toward Xiu Mumo, a smile on his face.
The crowd turned in unison to look where he was pointing, and their eyes fell upon Xiu Mumo.
"Her? She’s the eldest daughter of the Xue family, Xue Wanyan? Are they sure?"
A gasp of astonishment erupted from the crowd; they seemed genuinely shocked.
As every eye turned toward her, Xiu Mumo brushed her nose and walked toward the platform. People around her parted to make way. With her fair, well-maintained skin, delicate features, clean-cut short hair, and her windbreaker, she possessed a powerful aura.
Looking at her, she was a far cry from a "country bumpkin." Or rather, she was nothing like the Xue Wanyan that had been described.
Ming Luoxing’s eyes darkened with gloom; she watched Xiu Mumo’s back, her lips pressed tightly together.
Quan Xijuan’s eyes glimmered with a dark light. Xue Wanyan? She was Xue Wanyan? She was indeed quite different from what he had imagined.
Xiu Mumo didn't care at all about the eyes fixed upon her. She walked up the side stairs and stood on the stage. Standing from that height, indeed, she could see much more clearly.
She walked to the side of Xue Yihai and Liang Tong, and the crowd couldn't help but nod. She didn't look much like either of them; rather, her looks seemed to have inherited the best genetic traits of her biological parents. Her features were more refined than theirs, and the combination was stunning. She was the kind of beautiful that was striking at first glance, especially brilliant under the light of the crystal chandeliers.
Seeing her for the first time, Xue Yihai couldn't exactly put on a stern face. He just smiled as he introduced her to the crowd below, "This is my daughter, Xue Wanyan."
Liang Tong stood beside him, also wearing a smile.
"Stop!