"Alright, let's eat!"
Huo Jianye, having no interest in the petty drama of the young girls, slammed his hand on the table with a sullen expression.
Mu Qianqian, her words cut short, pouted in grievance. She glanced around the table, but seeing that no one intended to speak up for her, she had no choice but to swallow her hurt and bury her head in her food.
After the meal, wanting to salvage her image, Mu Qianqian scrambled to help with the dishes.
Cui Lirong reached out to stop her, saying in a cold, indifferent tone, "Qianqian, you are a guest here. How could we possibly let you do the dishes?"
Mu Qianqian’s instinct was to call her "mother-in-law," but the moment the words reached her lips, she remembered her current standing. She corrected herself: "Auntie, we’re all family; there’s no need to stand on ceremony. My sister cooked, so it’s only right that I handle the cleaning."
Cui Lirong continued to smile. "Oh, you child. You just called me 'Auntie,' which clearly shows that I am not your mother-in-law in any official capacity. How could I ever dream of ordering you around?"
"Besides, the Huo family has never had a rule that guests should do the dishes. Be a good girl and go sit on the sofa."
Mu Qianqian stood frozen in place. Her lips remained curved in a smile, but it looked unnervingly stiff.
Panic filled her eyes. She reflexively smoothed the hair behind her ear, trying to mask her embarrassment as she stammered, "Right. Thank you, Auntie."
Mu Qianqian sat on the sofa, feeling utterly out of place.
Old Madam Huo had retreated to her bedroom to rest after dinner, as her migraines had flared up. Being left alone in the living room made Mu Qianqian feel particularly lonely.
She gripped the fabric over her knees, feeling deeply unsettled. Cui Lirong’s words had seemed polite, but every sentence carried the same underlying message: she was an outsider, and the Huo family did not welcome her.
Mu Qianqian bit her lip, her face turning ashen.
She sat there for a while, surveying the familiar furniture of the Huo household, and memories of the abuse she suffered in her previous life flooded back.
Shuddering, Mu Qianqian realized she couldn't stay a moment longer. She took the initiative to leave, dragging Shi Feihua along with her.
"You were the one who insisted on coming this morning. See? Now you’ve made yourself a nuisance."
Shi Feihua was disgruntled. If Mu Qianqian hadn’t been constantly stirring up trouble, he could have stayed at the Huo residence longer and perhaps found a chance to see more of Mu Qingxuan.
Whenever he thought about how his cousin—a man so cold and indifferent, a man who lived only for his work—had managed to land such a beautiful wife, Shi Feihua felt like he was going insane with jealousy.
They were both bound by arranged marriages since childhood; why did he have to be saddled with the plain-looking Mu Qianqian? Shi Feihua grumbled to himself.
Upon hearing this, Mu Qianqian stopped in her tracks, her teeth gritted. "You're my husband, aren't you? My aunt gave me such a hard time back there, and you didn't even say a word in my defense. You have absolutely no backbone."
"Who are you calling spineless?" Shi Feihua roared.
Mu Qianqian was startled, only then realizing how excessive her words had been. She quickly tried to appease him. "I'm sorry, okay? I was just too angry and spoke without thinking."
Shi Feihua’s rage remained. "Don't come back to the Huo house again."
His wife, who had been quite gentle on their wedding night, seemed like a completely different person after visiting the Huo family.
"Fine. I won't."
*At least, not until Huo Changfeng is dead.*
Once that sickly weakling, Huo Changfeng, was dead, Shi Feihua wouldn't be able to keep her away even if he wanted to. Mu Qianqian’s eyes darted around; she prayed for Huo Changfeng’s swift death, and she hoped that every bit of suffering she had endured would befall Mu Qingxuan instead.
*Cui Lirong seemed so fond of you today, protecting you and speaking on your behalf. I just hope you still receive that kind of treatment after you’ve cursed Huo Changfeng to his grave...*
Mu Qianqian lowered her head and whispered to herself, a malicious gleam dancing on the half of her face hidden in the shadows.
***
At the Huo residence.
Mu Qingxuan was leafing through a medical text when Huo Changfeng walked in.
"I just spoke with Grandmother. I told her that your sister should come over less often, so she can't stir up any more trouble."
At the dinner table, it had been difficult for Huo Changfeng to interject, so he had simply signaled for Huo Jianye to put a stop to the bickering.
"You noticed?" Mu Qingxuan was slightly surprised. After all, Mu Qianqian’s facade was quite convincing; she always played the part of the weak and pitiful girl, and it was hard for anyone not to feel a shred of pity for her.
Huo Changfeng glanced at her indifferently. "I’m not blind."
Mu Qianqian’s malice toward Mu Qingxuan was practically spilling over.
Mu Qingxuan paused, then gave a helpless smile. She propped her chin on her hand and asked, looking perfectly composed, "Aren't you curious why, even though we are sisters, our relationship is so poor?"
"Do you want to talk about it?" Huo Changfeng walked over to the bed and sat down. "If you don't want to, you don't have to."
Mu Qingxuan was taken aback, feeling a flicker of emotion.
Her apricot-colored eyes trembled slightly as she watched Huo Changfeng loosen his coat, revealing a tight-fitting undershirt.
The shirt accentuated his sturdy, tall frame, and the firm outlines of his eight-pack abs were faintly visible beneath the fabric.
Huo Changfeng rose to open the wardrobe, searching for a change of clothes.
Mu Qingxuan’s gaze was fixed intently on his back. His waist was firm and powerful, without a single ounce of fat, tapering down into long, muscular legs. She couldn't help but swallow hard.
She couldn't resist. She walked over, wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, and reached around to touch his abs.
The sensation was incredible.
"You—"
Huo Changfeng stiffened, turning as rigid as stone. He didn't dare to move. A wave of heat surged from his lower abdomen, sweeping through his entire body.
Huo Changfeng’s eyes darkened. His voice was low. "What are you doing?"
Mu Qingxuan didn't answer directly. "You go wash up first. I need to go see Grandmother about something."
After getting her fill of touching his abs, she pulled away with an air of indifference.
She left Huo Changfeng standing there, his body burning, a dangerous glimmer flashing in his eyes.
Mu Qingxuan picked up her sewing kit and pushed open the door to Old Madam Huo’s room.
"Why are you here again? Didn't I just promise you that I wouldn't let the Mu girl come over anymore?"
The Old Madam was facing away from the door, rubbing her temples and complaining impatiently. "You both are always so busy with work. It’s hard enough for an old woman like me to find a sweet, obedient girl to spend time with, and now you want to shut her out. Changfeng, you..."
She turned around abruptly, but the moment she saw it was Mu Qingxuan, her expression turned icy.
"Why are you here?"
The Old Madam looked Mu Qingxuan up and down with disapproval, sneering, "You have no sense of decorum as an older sister. You only know how to bully your sister, and you don't even understand that family shame should not be aired in public."
It was clear the old woman assumed Mu Qingxuan had been the one instigating Huo Changfeng to bar Mu Qianqian from the house.
Mu Qingxuan didn't argue. She simply held up the silver needle case and said, "Grandmother, I’ve come to treat your illness."
The Old Madam’s face changed. She instinctively wanted to retort, but Mu Qingxuan’s next words rendered her completely speechless.
"Grandmother, you’ve been suffering from migraines for many years, haven't you? Every time you feel distressed, they flare up, feeling as if countless needles are piercing your brain, causing you such pain that you cannot sleep for nights on end."