Yuan Shishi instantly exploded like a firecracker. "Stop pretending to be the victim! Mu Beiyin, I'm going to kill you!"
Mu Beiyin sidestepped swiftly, and Yuan Shishi lunged at empty air.
With a loud bang, she crashed into the counter. The pain made it impossible for her to straighten up, her face contorted. "I swear I'll kill you sooner or later… Ahhh!"
The store manager and the other customers turned to look, sneering:
"That mistress sure is arrogant. What did that gentleman just call her? Miss Yuan? Don't tell me she's from the Yuan family?"
"A dignified young lady of the Yuan family, seducing a married man in public. Shameless."
Yuan Shishi's face turned red and white in turns. As she looked at the guests pointing fingers and whispering about her, she flew into a rage and shouted:
"Who the hell do you all think you are? I'm the eldest daughter of the Yuan family! Shut up! All of you, shut up!"
After yelling, she turned and barked at the bodyguards, "Idiots! Why are you just standing there? Help me up!"
Mu Beiyin quietly tugged Huo Shiqing's hand, retreating from the crowd, keeping her triumph to herself.
Huo Shiqing glanced at the piano. "You want to learn that piece, 'Distant Return'?"
Mu Beiyin nodded. "Yes. But there's no piano at Yujing Garden, so I came out to buy one. This one has a nice tone."
Huo Shiqing narrowed his eyes and said deliberately, "Distant Return is a very difficult piece. When it was first released, many musicians competed to play it, but few actually mastered it. Mrs. Huo, do you think you're up to it?"
Mu Beiyin felt underestimated. Puffing her cheeks, she said, "Are you looking down on me? I studied it all night yesterday. I already learned it. I'll play it for you when we get back."
Huo Shiqing chuckled softly.
Excellent. Just a few words, and he'd tested her.
It seemed Mrs. Huo was very gifted musically. To learn a piece as complex as Distant Return without even having a piano?
And that elegance embedded in her very bones—something no village girl could ever possess.
So… could Mrs. Huo be connected to the hacker he'd been tracking? What really happened during those years she was cast away to the countryside?
…
Back at Yujing Garden, Mu Beiyin couldn't wait to open the sheet music for Distant Return, her fingers dancing across the keys.
Huo Shiqing stood not far behind her, his gaze flickering as he slowly closed his eyes.
Uncle Zhang's expression changed. "Ninth Master, is this…"
"Grandmother said she was the chosen one and gave her the sheet music," Huo Shiqing said meaningfully. "That she can play Distant Return is truly surprising."
Uncle Zhang clicked his tongue. "If the eldest young lady is watching from heaven, she'd be thrilled. After so many years, someone has finally managed to play Distant Return."
There hadn't been a piano in all of Yujing Garden precisely because of the late Miss Yuan.
It was a secret neither Huo Shiqing nor the entire Yuan family ever spoke of.
Uncle Zhang couldn't help but feel: perhaps Madam really could change everything.
After the piece ended, Mu Beiyin's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Well? Isn't it beautiful? It's the most cleverly composed piece I've ever seen!"
Huo Shiqing's lips curled slightly. "Not bad. Seems Mrs. Huo has been in high spirits lately."
"Of course. I bought a piano, got the score I wanted, and haven't been bothered by the Mu family."
Mu Beiyin caressed the sheet music lovingly. It was clear how much she genuinely loved music.
Huo Shiqing's eyes flickered again. Just as he was about to speak—
Mu Beiyin's phone rang.
Seeing the name "Mu Yaohui" on the screen, her face suddenly turned cold.
But a second later, as if she remembered something, she sneered and lazily answered the call.
Mu Yaohui immediately snapped, "Why the hell did you take so long to answer? Do you even remember I'm your father?!"
The man on the other end was clearly irritated. "Get your ass home! Living outside all the time—do you have no shame?!"
Mu Beiyin raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. "You kicked me out ten years ago. Isn't it a little late to be saying this now?"
Mu Yaohui nearly choked on his anger, but thinking of the Mu family's current situation, he held it back.
"Beiyin, we're family. I'm your father, and I miss you. Last time, Xie Lin misunderstood your Aunt Lin and Qianrou. I was hoping you could invite him over for a visit."
Oh… so the Mu family was finally cracking under Xie Lin's pressure.
Mu Beiyin responded with amused interest, "Alright. Since you're being so sincere, I'll bring Xie Lin home with me."
After she hung up, Huo Shiqing narrowed his eyes. "Mrs. Huo plans to take Xie Lin to the Mu household?"
Mu Beiyin looked innocent. "Yes. I wasn't planning on bothering with them, but they insisted I come home. If I end up angering them to death, that's not really my fault, right?"
Huo Shiqing chuckled and nodded gently. "They brought it upon themselves. Of course you're not to blame. Next time, if something like this happens, I'll go with you."
Mu Beiyin didn't catch the deeper meaning behind his words. She waved her hand. "No need, no need. The Mu family isn't worth your trouble."
Huo Shiqing: "…"
Bai Ji turned away, unable to bear it. Sigh, sir, are you seriously this childish? Xie Lin's just going to help madam vent her anger, not really to visit the Mu family—do you have to compete over that?
…
Two days later, at the Mu residence.
After confirming plans with Xie Lin, Mu Beiyin walked straight into the Mu family villa.
The maids and butlers all treated her like she was invisible. Mu Beiyin didn't care and casually sat down on a couch.
"Mu Beiyin?! What are you doing back here?!"
Lin Ru had just come downstairs when she saw Mu Beiyin sitting calmly on the sofa. Instantly, she exploded in rage and stormed over.
"You little bitch! You've brought ruin to the Mu family, and you still have the nerve to come back? Get out! Get out of here!"
Mu Beiyin looked up calmly. "Ms. Lin, this villa belongs to my mother. I don't think you have the right to kick me out."
Lin Ru shrieked like a mad dog. "Your mother's dead! A dead woman can't compare to me! I'm the mistress of this house now! I told you to leave—are you deaf?!"
Last time, she had been dragged to the police station and locked up for a whole day and night before Old Master Mu bailed her out.
Afterward, he even slapped her hard across the face. Only then did she realize that because of that incident, Qianrou had lost her chance to attend the banquet at the Song family.
It was all Mu Beiyin's fault!
So today, seeing Mu Beiyin return, Lin Ru lost all reason. She didn't even bother pretending anymore.
"Well then, alright."
Unexpectedly, Mu Beiyin didn't argue. She set down the half-eaten fruit and slowly got up to leave.
"If I'm not welcome, then I'll go."
She headed toward the door without a hint of reluctance. Lin Ru felt a wave of triumph—but as she turned back, she was met with Mu Yaohui's furious glare.
"Where's Beiyin?!"
Lin Ru jumped, her eyes darting nervously. "That little bitch left—"
"Idiot!" Mu Yaohui roared, not even sparing her a scolding. He rushed outside in a panic and shouted toward the courtyard, "Beiyin, wait!"
Mu Beiyin blinked. "Oh, Daddy's here. What a pity. Ms. Lin already kicked me out. I'll just bring Xie Lin to visit next time then…"