No one noticed Xue Anyan standing in the corner of the stage with her head bowed, her eyes burning with manic jealousy and resentment.
*
In the car, Xiu Mumo sat in the backseat. Bie Yuan couldn’t help but glance at her. "Boss, you did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Hm? You noticed?" Xiu Mumo raised her eyelids, a shimmering, brilliant light dancing in her pupils. "You're improving."
"That’s not it. The point is, Boss, if you were really that interested in that man, why would you say it out loud in front of everyone? Given your nature, he should already be lying in your bed by tonight, right?"
Bie Yuan scratched his head in embarrassment.
The driver: "..."
Was this really something he was allowed to hear?
Xiu Mumo nearly choked. "He’s the crown prince of the Quan family, one of the Four Nobles of Shangjing. He’s the Prince of the Beijing circle."
"So what?"
Bie Yuan curled his lip. "Boss, you don’t force yourself on people. If you do it high-class, it’s not illegal. Firstly, a strong woman forcing a man isn't rape, and secondly, it only counts as illegal detention if it exceeds 24 hours. Sleeping with someone for one night isn't a crime."
Perhaps he had grown too accustomed to speaking without filters in front of his boss; he was always this blunt.
Xiu Mumo burst into laughter: "Pfft—"
She hadn't even thought of that, yet Bie Yuan had already mapped out how to do it. He was truly worthy of being her bodyguard.
To be honest, what was Bie Yuan like before?
*Page 17: Go investigate Quan Xijuan*
How did he turn out like this after only a few months by her side?
Was she too much of a deviant?
Perhaps a little.
Back on the Silu Continent, she had once asked Bie Yuan to kidnap a handsome man with a long beard. Bie Yuan, thinking she wanted someone to warm her bed, had even washed him up and locked him in her guest bedroom. In reality, the man was the second-in-command of a terrorist organization, an expert in infiltration and intelligence gathering. It had turned into a massive joke at the time.
Perhaps, beneath Bie Yuan’s seemingly simple and kind exterior, there lay a twisted heart.
That was fine; it suited her personality perfectly. She had wondered why they would assign her such a bodyguard—it turned out it was to match her nature.
Looking dazed on the surface, but a complete psycho inside.
"Boss, what are you laughing at? If you need it, I can have him kidnapped for you tonight. As long as we let him go within 24 hours, no one will say anything. Besides, I doubt Quan Xijuan could afford the loss of face."
Bie Yuan was starting to get very familiar with the kidnapping business.
"That won't be necessary. Although I am very interested in him, for now, I just need to borrow his identity to fend off the Xue family’s marriage arrangement. After all, the Elder won't let me reveal my true identity, so this is the only way to achieve my goal through a roundabout path."
Xiu Mumo waved a hand. She didn't want to put herself directly in the spotlight of the Beijing circle; she suspected countless eyes were already on her.
"Boss, where are we going?" Bie Yuan asked.
They couldn't go back to Nantian Garden, and since her current identity was that of a long-lost Xue family daughter, she couldn't stay in the house they had bought. That left only hotels.
"Find a hotel that isn't too high-end—one where they can track my whereabouts, but where they can't easily install bugs or surveillance. That would be troublesome."
Xiu Mumo knew full well that from tonight on, she wouldn't have a moment of peace. Besides the Xue family, many others would be watching her.
The way Elder Xue had spoken at the annual meeting was a statement of intent: as long as she was willing to marry, she would receive five percent of the shares in the Xue Group. That wasn't a huge amount, but it was far from small. Everyone could see that the Xue Group’s crisis was temporary, so small families hoping to get in good with the Xue clan would definitely target her.
The Xue family wouldn't protect her; they were desperate for her to marry, provided the other side could pay up. It was essentially a daughter-selling transaction, a long-term investment.
"Understood. Let's head to a mid-range hotel under the Jing Group. It’s safer, yet still allows them to scout out my location," Bie Yuan suggested. Having been by his boss’s side for so long, he had improved quite a bit. "Boss, you can rely on Quan Xijuan to block the Xue family's proposal, but you can’t stop other families who want to latch onto the Xue family!"
"It's fine. Will I let people bully me?" Xiu Mumo clicked her tongue. "By the way, have someone run a background check on Quan Xijuan."
"Hm? Check him? Boss, are you really interested in him?" Bie Yuan’s eyes sparkled with eagerness. "Should I kidnap him for you?"
"Stop! Haven't you kidnapped enough people back on the Silu Continent? This is Shangjing, not the Silu Continent. Don't be so high-profile."
Xiu Mumo didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She really couldn't handle such a dense bodyguard at times. "You go check. I just feel like he looks a bit familiar, I don't know if it's just my imagination."
She prided herself on having a good memory; it made no sense that she would have no impression of such a handsome man. But if she had no memory of him, where did the familiarity come from?
She couldn't figure it out. Since she couldn't solve it, she would just have to investigate.
*Page 18: Hitching a ride*
"Familiar? I don't see it."
Bie Yuan was surprised, but if his boss wanted an investigation, he would do it. He immediately called others to dig into Quan Xijuan. He hadn't been in Shangjing long, so he still had to rely on the Combat Division's connections.
"Boss, are we leaving now?" the driver asked, finding a gap to interject.
"Wait a moment."
Xiu Mumo sat in the car with the window half-open. Just as she was about to leave, her peripheral vision caught two familiar figures.
One was Quan Xijuan, the man she was interested in, who had explicitly shown his disdain for her at the meeting. The other was the doctor, who was also a friend of Quan Xijuan. It seemed they felt the show was over and had just come out.
"Is that... Quan Xijuan?"
Bie Yuan followed his boss's gaze and saw Quan Xijuan's tall, elegant figure. Even in the night, his unique temperament was hard to hide. He was indeed handsome; it was no wonder the boss had her eyes on him.
"Drive over there." Xiu Mumo licked her lips and leaned back lazily, a glimmer of interest in her eyes.
"Alright." The driver followed the road and pulled up right next to the two men.
Quan Xijuan and Zhuang Minwei were just walking when they heard the car pull up. They looked over and saw it was a taxi. Before they could think much of it, they saw the woman in the backseat.
"Xiu Mumo?" Zhuang Minwei was startled. He nudged Quan Xijuan with his shoulder. "She’s really taken an interest in you. Are you sure you don't have any feelings or thoughts about her?"
"What kind of nonsense is that?" Quan Xijuan’s eye twitched. "We just met today, what thoughts could I possibly have?"
"Why couldn't you?" Zhuang Minwei curled his lip. "Your reaction to her is completely different from how you act around Ming Luoxing, you know that, right?"
Quan Xijuan: "..."
What was this nonsense? How was it different?
"Need a ride?"
Xiu Mumo’s hearing was excellent; she clicked her tongue at their conversation, raised an eyebrow, and fixed her gaze on Quan Xijuan’s face.
"No, we don't know each other," Quan Xijuan refused sternly. "We came here by car."
"And you? I don't think I caught your name yet." Xiu Mumo glanced at Zhuang Minwei.
"Zhuang Minwei." Zhuang Minwei wore a polite smile.
"Do you need a ride?" Xiu Mumo asked him.
"Where are you headed?" Zhuang Minwei asked.
Xiu Mumo pondered for a few seconds. What was the name of that hotel again?
"Dunan Grand Hotel," Bie Yuan added from the passenger seat.
"And who is this?" Zhuang Minwei had noticed him earlier and asked subconsciously.
"My little brother." Xiu Mumo almost said 'my brother,' but remembered that Bie Yuan called her 'Boss,' so she dropped it. Which brother calls his sister 'Boss'?
"Oh." Zhuang Minwei looked thoughtful. "You're going to the Dunan Grand Hotel? That’s on our way. Why don't you... give us a lift?"
"Didn't Young Master Quan say you came by car?" Xiu Mumo smiled.
Quan Xijuan choked for a second.
"We had some alcohol, so we can't drive," Zhuang Minwei hurriedly waved his hand. "We didn't bring a driver, and it would take a while to find a designated driver. Since you're heading that way, why not take us?"
"I suppose that’s fine..." Xiu Mumo’s playful, lazy eyes settled on Quan Xijuan’s face. "I just don't know what Young Master Quan thinks?"
Quan Xijuan’s jaw tightened and his Adam's apple bobbed. He lowered his gaze, met Xiu Mumo’s eyes, and stalled for a second. "Fine."
"Great, thanks."
Zhuang Minwei nodded. He glanced at Xiu Mumo, then at Quan Xijuan, and clicked his tongue inwardly.
*Page 19: So pure, I kind of want to kidnap him!*
They seemed quite harmonious.
He walked to the other side and opened the door. "A-Juan, get in."
Quan Xijuan walked over and saw Xiu Mumo sitting on the inside. He turned his head and glared at Zhuang Minwei: *You did this on purpose?*
Zhuang Minwei raised an eyebrow: *What? Is there a problem?*
Quan Xijuan twitched his lips: *Are you looking for a fight?*
Zhuang Minwei shook his head: *No, trust me, you'll thank me later.*
Quan Xijuan: *Get lost!*
"Young Master Quan, please get in!"
Zhuang Minwei smiled and gestured for him to enter.
Quan Xijuan wanted to curse, but he maintained his composure in front of others. He climbed into the car and sat right in the middle of the backseat. Zhuang Minwei sat beside him.
With three people in the back of a taxi, it was a bit cramped, especially with two grown men; physical contact was unavoidable. Quan Xijuan had never been close to women before. This was the first time he had been this close to a woman other than his mother or sister, and he felt a bit unnatural.
"I thought the rumors about you not being close to women were just rumors. I didn't expect them to be true," Xiu Mumo said, her eyes shimmering with admiration.
Clean. It fit her criteria for a partner. Especially this kind of man who looked cold on the outside but was actually a bit pure on the inside—if she tied him to a bed and trained him, it would surely... be tempting, right?
Being this close, she could even see the long, dense eyelashes of Quan Xijuan. His skin was in good condition, and his genes seemed excellent.
"Of course it's true. Aside from his mother and sister, no woman has ever been this close to him," Zhuang Minwei opened the floodgates and added.
"I see."
Xiu Mumo understood. She leaned in a little to the side. She didn't press her lips against his ear, but stayed a short distance away, her voice dropping to a low, sultry tone. "Young Master Quan, aren't you a bit too reserved?"
Quan Xijuan’s body stiffened. He felt her warm breath spraying against his ear, which felt ticklish. Her voice was lazy and enchanting, and it was deadly. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and his ears turned red and hot. He spat out two words in a magnetic, metallic tone, "No, I'm not."
"Oh?" Xiu Mumo dragged out the syllable, her expression meaningful, though a dark light flickered in her eyes.
*So pure, I kind of want to kidnap him!*
She really hadn't expected this Beijing circle crown prince, who looked so noble and cold and kept people at a distance, to be such a contrast in private.
Bie Yuan glanced at the rearview mirror and happened to see his boss's expression. His mouth fell open.
*Oh, ho!*
The Boss seems interested in this Quan Xijuan? Does that mean... she’s going to kidnap him?
He tucked his hands under his thighs and rubbed them nervously. What should he do? He was so excited! The Boss was definitely interested in Quan Xijuan!
Xiu Mumo noticed Bie Yuan’s restlessness in her peripheral vision and raised an eyebrow. As her bodyguard, she knew exactly what was going through the boy's head. Since it wasn't illegal, she would just let him be, right?
Although it seemed a bit wicked, she couldn't control it. It was, indeed, a bit... intoxicating.
Zhuang Minwei, sitting beside them, was grinning so hard his face hurt. Even he could feel A-Juan’s stiffness and disorientation, so how could someone as clever as Xiu Mumo fail to notice? And she said it wasn't special! If it wasn't special, she would have walked away long ago, right?
"Really not?" Xiu Mumo leaned closer to ask, smiling brilliantly.
"No." Quan Xijuan stayed serious, refusing to admit it.
"What do you mean 'no'? What kind of whispers are you two sharing without me?" Zhuang Minwei suddenly popped his head in from the side, curious.
"What business is it of yours?" Quan Xijuan caught his teasing eyes and reached out to push his head back.
*Page 20: Who exactly are you?*
Why was he so gossipy? He hadn't been like this before.
"Tch!" Zhuang Minwei curled his lip and leaned in closer: "And you say you have no feelings for her."
"That's enough," Quan Xijuan glared at him.
"Your Elder, your parents—they’re all urging you to find a partner. Don't you have any idea? You know everyone in the old circle, and I've never seen you get worked up over any girl. Now that a new one has arrived, shouldn't I play matchmaker?" Zhuang Minwei’s voice was very low; it wasn't like it mattered if people heard it, but he kept it quiet anyway.
"Shut up." Quan Xijuan gave him a cold look.
Zhuang Minwei shut his mouth. Anyway, they were in the car now; that was enough.
"I haven't asked yet—where are you two going?" Xiu Mumo caught the gist of the conversation and, sensing the driver’s gaze, asked out of the blue.
"We don't live in the same place. Drop me off first, then him. I live at the Ming Su Chang Tian apartments, which happens to be about a kilometer in front of the Dunan Grand Hotel. It's on the way. Just drop me off at the gate," Zhuang Minwei said, smiling at Xiu Mumo. "Thank you."
"No problem. Let’s head to Ming Su Chang Tian first."
"Alright."
The taxi pulled away. Many people were surprised; they wondered how a taxi had appeared in the parking lot there. It was dark, and the taxi vanished quickly, so no one saw who was sitting inside.
Quan Xijuan didn't speak for a long time. His body relaxed slightly; he didn't even notice that his arm was pressing against Xiu Mumo's.
Xiu Mumo quietly noticed that his burning ears had cooled down, so she decided to tease him again. She whispered, "You still haven't told me, where are you going?"
In an instant, Quan Xijuan’s body stiffened again. His spine was ramrod straight, and he stared straight ahead, eyes fixed. "I'm going to the Feng Yuan villa area. Can you drop me off? It might be a little far, I'll pay a tip."
"Of course." The driver glanced at the rearview mirror and smiled, having caught his boss's signal.
"Alright, thank you," Quan Xijuan muttered.
It was as if he were replying to Xiu Mumo, and as if he weren't.
Xiu Mumo clicked her tongue inwardly. He really did have a bit of a temper.
For the rest of the trip, no one said another word. The atmosphere was a bit cold. Thinking about the night ahead, Xiu Mumo didn't overstep, anyway, Bie Yuan would take care of things.
Zhuang Minwei sighed inwardly. How had the sparks that were just flying suddenly died out?
However, since he was finding a partner for A-Juan, he would definitely have to investigate this Xiu Mumo properly.
The taxi pulled up to the gate of Ming Su Chang Tian. The driver looked at Zhuang Minwei in the back. "Mr. Zhuang, we're here."
"Thank you." Zhuang Minwei got out, then looked at the driver. "Please be sure to drop him off, alright?"
"Don't worry." The driver nodded.
As the door closed, only two people remained in the backseat.
Bie Yuan was heartbroken. After the Boss finally found a man she liked, they shouldn't have taken a taxi. If they had taken a car with a partition, the Boss could have forced herself on him right there! Then, by the time they reached the hotel, she could have just carried him inside—it wouldn't have been this much trouble.
With them in front, even if she wanted to do something, she couldn't. He wasn't smart enough; next time, he would do better.
With the seat empty, Quan Xijuan moved to the side, no longer sitting so close, and his awkwardness vanished instantly. He looked at Xiu Mumo and said in a low voice, "Who exactly are you?"
His deep, dark eyes held a hint of sharp inquiry.
"The long-lost eldest daughter brought back by the Xue family. What else could I be?"
Xiu Mumo paused, her lazy eyes tinged with detachment.
*Page 21: I'm thinking about a son-in-law*
But a faint, imperceptible smile played on the corners of her lips.
*Interesting!*
*This is actually quite interesting!*
It was a contrast to what she had imagined. A moment ago, he’d been teased until his ears were red, and now he was calm again. She told herself that since he was the crown prince of the Beijing circle, if he were really that pure, he would have been eaten alive long ago; how could he still be 'clean'?
However, having those moments of purity was enough.
"Is that so?"
A dark light flashed in Quan Xijuan's eyes. He glanced at the driver in the front seat and narrowed his eyes. "I find that hard to believe. An ordinary girl from the countryside, knowing how to hire a driver? Or rather, is this driver actually your own man? How do you expect me to believe you’re just the daughter the Xue family brought back?"
His tone was certain; this wasn't an unfounded guess.
"Oh." Xiu Mumo only uttered a single syllable.
Then she leaned in a little closer and smiled. "I didn't expect Young Master Quan’s weakness to be this. So, your 'not being close to women' is also just this."
Quan Xijuan: "..."
He had been found out. But this woman in front of him felt a little different to him.
"I’d like to know, is Young Master Quan like this with all women?" Xiu Mumo clicked her tongue.
"What business is that of yours?" Quan Xijuan frowned unhappily and looked at Xiu Mumo.
"Just asking, Young Master Quan doesn't need to be so angry." Xiu Mumo licked her lips.
*What to do?*
This man was becoming more and more to her taste.
*I want to kidnap him back.*
He made one feel an extreme desire to conquer.
Quan Xijuan took a deep breath and leaned back. "Miss Xiu, I don't pay attention to you, so you don't need to pay excessive attention to me. We’ll stay out of each other's way. What do you think?"
"Hm?" Xiu Mumo was surprised. "Can't you tell? I want to pursue you."
"Cough, cough—" Quan Xijuan was stunned. "What did you say? Pursue me?"
*Wasn't that all an act?*
"What else?" Xiu Mumo tilted her head to look at him.
"Aren't you just trying to get me to cooperate and block the Xue family’s marriage arrangement for you?"
This was something Quan Xijuan had figured out earlier; he was just a shield.
"You can think of it that way," Xiu Mumo didn't make any other suggestive moves, just smiled. "Are you willing to help me?"
"Do you need it?" Quan Xijuan countered, his fingertips twitching slightly.
Xiu Mumo didn't answer and changed the subject. "Hungry? Let me treat you to a meal."
"Sure." Quan Xijuan didn't reject her.
He was also curious what kind of medicine this woman was selling in her gourd.
"Go to Anji Private Kitchen," Xiu Mumo said to the driver, her tone indifferent.
"Alright." The driver replied.
With that statement, it was quite obvious—the driver was indeed her man. At this level, there was no need to hide it.
The taxi drove toward the private restaurant.
"Ring, ring, ring—"
The phone rang; it was Xiu Mumo’s. She glanced at it, and the corner of her eye twitched.
It was a call from the Elder.
*Does the Elder know this quickly?*