Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
âHow can you work with an attitude like that? I think youâre better off staying at home and be a brainless spoilt brat,â Mu Huaisheng mocked. âEven though it is our familyâs company, you are still an employee here. So why donât you have the decency to at least ask for leave? You just left all of your work there without notifying anyone, slowing down the whole companyâs progress. Do you have any idea how much was delayed because of you?â
âThatâs enough, Mu Huaisheng. I donât want to quarrel with you right now. The company can do fine without me as Iâm only a petty assistant designer. What important job do I have that will bring losses to the company? It is my familyâs company, so what could possibly happen if I skip work for a day to attend to my affairs? It was Xu Chang that told you, right? That snitch! Sheâs merely an employee of the Mu family. She shouldnât be the design director. Also, how dare she snitch on me! Did she forget my position in the company? Ah, she must be out of her mind!â
âI think youâre the one whoâs out of your mind!â Mu Huaisheng was getting a headache as he dealt with Mu Sisi. His thumb and middle finger massaged his temple. âDonât bother coming in tomorrow! Youâre not needed even as an assistant designer. Besides, I donât need you spoiling the company name and holding everyone in your team back.â
âI dare you to do that!â Mu Sisi was unfazed. âThe Mu family isnât yours yet. Dad only sent you to develop the market here. He never said that heâs putting you in charge! Dad gave me my job personally, so you have no right to fire me! If you do it, Iâll call Mom and Dad. Youâre firing me for something as trivial as not attending work for one day. Do you think Mom and Dad will agree with you? I am the precious daughter of the Mu family. I have the fortunate fate to be born into such a family, doesnât that mean I deserve special privileges? Since this is my familyâs company, I have the right to do whatever I want! I will do as I please. Anyone who isnât happy with it or is jealous of me can only blame it on their fate.â
Mu Huaisheng was at a loss of words. What he wanted the most was to send her back to America.
âIf you want to fire me, you can wait until Dad resigns, and you take over the Mu family. Then we can talk! Nonetheless, by then, half of the company will be mine, so you canât lay a finger on me,â Mu Sisi said delightfully, as she raised her eyebrows.
Mu Huaisheng was so exasperated that he started to laugh. He stood up and walked toward the panoramic windows and stared at the rows and columns of high-rise buildings and the cars stuck in a traffic jam on the streets. âThat is not the only reason I called. You took Lawyer Wu out.â
âHe is our familyâs lawyer. As a member of the Mu family, donât I have the right to have him do things for me?â Mu Sisi said coldly.
âHe is the companyâs lawyer. You are using the companyâs resources, and I am the general manager of MU. and not to mention, the director in Greater China. Donât you think you should inform me before utilizing the companyâs resources?â Mu Huaisheng said over the phone.
Mu Sisi froze. She took a deep breath and switched her phone to her left hand. âIâm just helping a friend out. It has nothing to do with the company. I hired Lawyer Wu under my name, so I will cover his fees. Even though he is the companyâs lawyer, he can take up private cases as long as it doesnât go against his contract. The matter has no connections to the company, so letâs just pretend I looked for a lawyer randomly and ended up hiring Lawyer Wu by chance. So, I wouldnât need to inform you of anything.â
âFriend?â Mu Huaisheng laughed scornfully. âSince when was Jian Yi your friend?â
âLawyer Wu told you? What happened to his professional conduct as a lawyer? How could he leak information about his client like that?â Mu Sisi squinted her eyes and clenched her teeth.
âStop dragging everyone elseâs names through the dirt and take some time to look at yourself,â Mu Huaisheng advised with frustration. âThis has nothing to do with Lawyer Wu. He is very professional. After youâve done so many despicable things, donât you think I have learned my lesson? I have eyes on you every second of the day.â
âYou!â Mu Sisiâs heart pounded with rage. âMu Huaisheng, can you mind your own business? I donât need you to interfere with every trifling matter in my life!â
Jian Yiâs divorce was big news, so Mu Huaisheng knew Jian Yi had some connections with Song Yu. âDo you think I like to monitor you like this? If you would stop causing so much trouble, then I wouldnât have to! My hands are already full with the companyâs matters, yet I still have to keep an eye on you. Do you think I want to? Let me warn you, do not cause any trouble with Song Yu. Do you remember the last time you bothered her? In the end, youâre the one left in shambles. If you do anything stupid again, Qi Chengzhi will never forgive you.â
âDonât worry. Me helping Jian Yi has nothing to do with Song Yu,â Mu Sisi said before she hung up and threw her phone aside.
She thought about it for a while and then decided to switch off her phone. Only then did she drove off.
...
...
Mu Sisi drove to Qilin. After she parked the car, she looked into the mirror and checked her makeup.
She took her bag and headed into Qilin. Without stopping at the reception, she marched straight to the elevator but her way was blocked.
Mu Sisi bit her lip. She thought she could escape the receptionist.
âIâm here to see your director, Qi Chengzhi,â Mu Sisi told the receptionist with annoyance in her voice. The receptionist at the desk was a tall lady. Mu Sisi only reached her nose, but with her arrogant personality, even when she had to raise her head to look at someone, her eyes were filled with disdain.
The receptionist suppressed her anger. She wondered what kind of haughty psychopath the cat had dragged in for the day. With a forced smile, she asked, âMiss, may I have your surname? Do you have an appointment?â
âNo, just tell him that Mu Sisi wants to see him,â Mu Sisi growled.
Those words felt like deja vu to the receptionist. She felt like a woman who had done the exact same thing before. She had announced her name so confidently and thought that the director would surely attend to her.
The receptionist smiled at her courteously. She made a call to Cheng Dongge, and then said, âMiss Mu, my apologies, but the director is busy, so he canât see you now.â
Mu Sisi snatched the phone from her hand. âCheng Dongge, right? Tell Brother Chengzhi this is regarding the Song familyâs bankruptcy. If he doesnât see me, Iâll go to Song Yu.â
Mu Sisi then tossed the handset back to the receptionist, and it hit her in the chest. She winced in pain.
Mu Sisi declared, âI can go up now. If you donât believe me, ask him yourself.â
The receptionist placed the handset to her ear and listened to Cheng Donggeâs instructions. Then she turned her gaze to Mu Sisi.
Mu Sisi snickered. She turned away and headed to the elevators.
âWho the hell is that! What a horrible attitude!â A colleague scowled as she glared at Mu Sisiâs back.
âIt seems like another woman has fallen for our director. An idiot like her shouldnât even think about getting our director. Even ordinary men wouldnât like her,â the receptionist sneered as she slammed the phone down.
...
...
Mu Sisi entered the elevator. On the way up, the door suddenly opened on a different floor. Both Mu Sisi and the people outside the elevator were shocked.
âWhat are you doing here?â Qi Chengyue entered the elevator, as she glared at Mu Sisi. âMy brother has told you that he doesnât like you. Heâs even married now. How much thicker can your skin get?â
Mu Sisiâs face twisted with rage. She stared at Qi Chengyue and snorted, âThis has nothing to do with you, so why are you so agitated? Oh, I remember now! Your ex-husband had a child with his mistress and divorced you. Do I remind you of the pain you suffered?â
âNot at all.â Qi Chengyue looked down at Mu Sisi. Compared to her, Mu Sisi was very short. Every member of the Qi family had a tall figure. Even though Qi Chengyue could not compete with her 190cm-tall brothers, she was still 168cm in height. She was not as tall as the models but she was exceptionally tall when compared to normal women. With heels on, she appeared even more towering.
Even though Mu Sisi also wore heels, she only reached Qi Chengyueâs chin.
Qi Chengyue looked down at Mu Sisi with scorn. She was not the receptionist, and she was the precious daughter of the Qi family. She walked around with an air of superiority, and the aura she emitted dominated Mu Sisiâs.
âYou went to America when you were a child, so I donât blame you for not comprehending Mandarin well. Let me explain it to you. First of all, a mistress is someone who forcefully wedges herself into other peopleâs marriage and tears their family apart. In the manâs eye, a mistress is more attractive than his wife. A mistress threatens the wifeâs position and therefore threatens her, and a mistress is someone who can make her husband not go home for days. Even if the mistress cannot force the man into a divorce, she still holds a special place in his heart.â
âAs for you, Song Yu doesnât even give a d*mn about you. She doesnât even see you as a worthy rival. Also, my big brother wonât even glance at you. No matter how big a fuss you make, youâre just making yourself look like a clown. You do not affect either of them. Even though youâre part of the âmistress team,â you donât even get the chance to appear on stage. You know, itâs the first time Iâve heard anyone call herself a mistress,â Qi Chengyue snickered.
âEven so, looking at your situation, you donât even qualify as a mistress. So what are you bragging about? Oh, I know! Youâre bragging about how much failure and humiliation you have brought upon yourself. You stripped naked in front of my big brother, but he wasnât the least bit charmed. Rather, he thinks youâre more disgusting than ever. Oh, or are you bragging about how much effort you put in? Or how you canât let go of things? Your unrelenting determination?â
âYouââ Mu Sisi clenched her teeth and glared furiously at Qi Chengyue. Her bright and playful red lips appeared hostile and ferocious.
âYou think youâve hit a sore spot? Too bad, because I donât care who my ex-husband sleeps with. I now have a man who loves me, values me and pampers me, so why should I care about the insignificant people and things?â Qi Chengyue scoffed. âIâm not like you to run around all day to steal someone who doesnât even belong to you! Even after humiliating yourself, youâve gained nothing out of it.â
After she said that, the elevator door opened. Qi Chengyue turned and took her exit.
Due to her experience, Qi Chengyue could empathize with Song Yu. She despised such shameless mistresses.
Furthermore, Song Yu lent her a hand when she dealt with Guan Xiaolin. Thus, she did not hold back against Mu Sisi at all.
Mu Sisi exited the elevator behind Qi Chengyue but strode quickly to surpass her. Qi Chengyue shot a glance at her in contempt. She watched as Mu Sisi marched into Qi Chengzhiâs office without even bothered to knock.
âWhy is she here? Big brother even allowed her to come up to his office?â Qi Chengyue walked up to Cheng Dongge, and raised her head to look at his face.
âI donât know, but Young Master Cheng must have his reasons. Donât worry,â Cheng Dongge assured her as he tidied his stuff. âDo you not trust him?â
âOf course, I trust him, but I donât trust Mu Sisi. Ah, why is she causing so much trouble? Should I inform Song Yu?â Qi Chengyue mumbled.
Cheng Dongge smiled. As he leaned against the table, he pulled Qi Chengyue closer to him by her waist. She stood between his legs, almost leaned against his chest. âItâs not anything important. Sheâs at work now. Do you want her to come all the way from Chengshi just for this? By the time she reaches here, Mu Sisi would have already left. Young Master Cheng knows not to let things go too far. He wonât let Mu Sisi do as she pleases.â
Cheng Donggeâs body emitted a refreshing smell of menâs cologne. The aroma was addictive. It was as if it could stimulate the hormones in women, as it allured and aroused them.
When held in his arms, her gaze fixed on his dashing suit and the strong, firm chest underneath it. Drunk in the scent of his cologne, her face turned red, and before she knew it, her body flushed too.
Cheng Dongge looked down to see her glowing cheeks. She seemed submissive with her doll-like face, and her fragrance made his heart pound faster.
He swallowed. Unable to hold himself back, he leaned down and landed a kiss on her bright pink cheek. As he felt her soft, hot skin on his lips, he could not help but parted his lips and extended his tongue toward her skin, and licked it gently.
His action sent shivers down her spine. She quickly pushed him away with both hands. âSomeone might see us.â
Cheng Dongge grinned. His hands slid off her waist and grabbed her hands instead. âLetâs go for lunch first.â
...
...
As Mu Sisi closed the office door, she saw Qi Chengzhi sitting behind his desk. His face was still as charming as ever. Even after ten years, he did not look a day older than he was in her memory. In fact, he had only looked more mature, and that made him seem even more handsome than she remembered.
It was as if he was a man favored by God, so he was perfect in every aspect.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Mu Huaisheng repeatedly asked her to let him go, as Qi Chengzhi was married and he had no interest in her. He advised her to stop making enemies with them.
However, every time she saw Qi Chengzhi, her feelings for him in the past ten years just gushed out of her heart. How could she let go of such a perfect man so easily? Once she saw his handsome face, she was captivated. All she wanted was to stare at him for the rest of her life.
She believed that even if he had grown old, he would maintain his charms.
If she gave up, she would feel that her ten years of effort were all for nothing. How could his place in her heart, her determination to fight for him, and the love she had for him vanish into thin air like a cloud of mist?
She could let go, but who would compensate for her ten years?
Mu Sisi was entranced by Qi Chengzhi. She stared at him tenderly and wondered how such a perfect man exist? Every move he made was as elegant as a swan, and every word he said was captivated and beguiled her. She could stare into his deep, soulful eyes all day long and would never find the bottom of it.
Still entranced, she sauntered toward him. She stopped in front of his desk and smiled at him softly. âBrother Chengzhi, you havenât had lunch, have you? Since itâs lunchtime, letâs grab a bite together.â
Qi Chengzhi did not stand up, and he merely glimpsed at her from where he sat. âArenât you here to talk about the Song familyâs bankruptcy? Go ahead.â
âIâm not in a rush. Besides, we canât discuss something on an empty stomach, right?â Mu Sisi smiled as she went around the table and stood beside Qi Chengzhi. She purposely moved her long, fair leg toward him until it touched his arm. âBrother Chengzhi, how do I look today?â
âHideous,â Qi Chengzhi declared harshly in a monotonous voice. âIâve never thought that you were pretty, but now, youâre so hideous itâs disgusting.â
Qi Chengzhi pulled his arm away so that she could not touch him. He stood up and extended his arm to the side of the table while his other hand pulled out a sheet of tissue from a tissue box and wiped the area that Mu Sisi touched.
âHave lunch with you? The mere sight of you is revolting. How can I have any appetite for food?â Qi Chengzhi rolled the tissue into a ball and violently threw it onto the desk. His stern expression was terrifying. His face was filled with hatred and disgust.
The color drained from Mu Sisiâs face. Her jaw trembled and her eyes welled with tears.
âBrother Chengzhi, do you have to say such awful things? I love you so much. Why would you treat me like this?â When she saw Qi Chengzhiâs expression, Mu Sisiâs heart crumbled into a million pieces.
A man she adored dearly glared at her with such contempt and disgust, it was as if she was a maggot that squirmed on the floor.
Mu Sisi despised that feeling. Her body tremored. âIâm not asking for much. I just want you to treat me with some dignity. I just want a place in your heart, and yet, you wouldnât give me any of that. Why canât you just treat me a little better? You treat Song Yu like a treasure. Youâre always so gentle with her. What does she have that I donât? What makes me unworthy of your kindness? She loves you, and I do too. Iâve loved you for ten years. My love for you is no less than hers, so why do you have to trample over my feelings like this?â
Tears flowed from her eyes. âI put in so much effort to look pretty for you, but not only do you not care, but you spit out such horrible words. Why?â
âWhatever you know, just say it. If youâre only here to say these things that Iâve heard a thousand times before, then you can just leave,â Qi Chengzhi warned exasperatedly.
Mu Sisi sniffled. With a face full of tears, her lips unexpectedly curled into a smile. She moved closer to Qi Chengzhi, and with her head held up high, she whispered, âThen tell me, do I look pretty today? Iâll talk about business once Iâm satisfied with your answer. Brother Chengzhi, how do I look?â
âAre you insane?â Qi Chengzhi seized her arm and dragged her toward the door. âIf youâre not going to tell me, then leave. I donât have time for your nonsense.â
âLet go of me! Iâll talk! You only let me come up because of this, right? Fine, Iâll tell you!â Qi Chengzhi had already dragged her to the door and if she still refused to talk, she knew that he would have thrown her out.
Only then did Qi Chengzhi stop. Furiously, he let go of her arm. âTalk.â
Mu Sisi did not know if it was from rage or tiredness but she was panting. She looked down and pulled at her clothes, an attempt to tidy her looks.
Then, she smoothened her disheveled hair and finally began to talk. âI think youâre afraid. Otherwise, you would never have let me come up here.â
She chuckled mockingly and took out the document file from her bag before she handed it to Qi Chengzhi. âI know everything now. You are the one behind the Song familyâs bankruptcy.â
Qi Chengzhi opened the file and flipped through the documents inside. They looked familiar, just like what Jian Yi had shown to him before.
He stared at Mu Sisi nonchalantly and asked, âWhatâs your purpose of showing me this?â
âTo let you know that I know everything. Your marriage with Song Yu had always been on thin ice. Once Song Yu finds out that you destroyed the Song family, I bet that she would hate your guts now, wonât she? You are her familyâs archenemy. Not only did she marry her familyâs enemy, but she also fell in love with him. I bet that she would hate herself more than she despises you. Oh, Brother Chengzhi, you must really love Song Yu to be able to push her into a dilemma like that.â Mu Sisi chuckled. She sat down on the sofaâs armrest with her hand against the sofa back.
Qi Chengzhi pouted. He tossed the documents onto the floor. With a dark expression, he said, âIâm asking, whatâs your purpose in telling me this?â