"Young Mistress, what's the matter?" Papa Mu's secretary was asking after Mu Tangxue.
"I'm fine. Is it done yet?"
"Almost!" The secretary replied.
Mu Tangxue thought then that she could now attend Eaton to slowly find out the truth.
She just didn't know that Eaton had suddenly suspended the arrangement, even phoning Papa Mu's office directly.
"What? My daughter can't transfer over? That's not what you said before!"
Papa Mu Was beside himself with rage. "I don't care. Weren't you asking for money? I have as much as you need."
"It's not a question of money, Mister Mu. I'm really sorry, but our places are full, and it turned out to be an issue with the administration."
"I doubt your honor as a first-class academy!"
"Sorry for causing trouble!"
In truth, Eaton's administration thought nothing of it.
Papa Mu was left embarrassed, but what could he do? Since Van Gogh was fine too, he made a call to his wife and informed her that the transfer was a failure.
Mama Mu was surprised, but she accepted the outcome and relayed the news to Mu Tangxue after returning home from her gathering. "Baby, your dad just called me. He told me that Eaton is full, so it's impossible for you to transfer."
Mu Tangxue's face fell dramatically!
That wasn't right. The secretary just told her that it was almost done—why would the transfer be canceled suddenly?
It must be Mu Qiqi! Mu Qiqi must have stopped her somehow.
"But I really want to go, Mommy."
"Your father tried your best, and Van Gogh's fine too! You're going to take your entrance exams soon, and you might have trouble adapting if you transfer schools now…"
Unable to tell her family the truth, Mu Tangxue pouted miserably and burst into tears as she returned to her room.
She wasn't feeling upset that she couldn't transfer, but because Mu Qiqi was actually attending a better school.
No… She didn't want that. She couldn't allow her disowned sister to have a better life than her own!
With that in mind, Mu Tangxue planned to meet Mu Qiqi personally.
However, since she couldn't afford to have her family find out, she sneaked out unnoticed by her mother and went to the café outside Eaton.
She would question Mu Qiqi and find out the truth!
Naturally, Mu Qiqi was herself surprised by Mu Tangxue's appearance. Troubled inside, she was barely keeping herself together.
She certainly did not want to return to the Mu family or be bullied by Mu Tangxue once again, but most importantly, she did not want to cut ties with Sheng Xiao!
She really wanted to tell Sheng Xiao how she felt, but with him busy playing the role of Huang Yao's Crown Prince, he did not have the time to care about her frivolous matters.
Even so, she really wanted to do so.
As such, she would write down her thoughts into her diary. It would at least keep her grounded inwardly, and she could think of it as having told it to Sheng Xiao.
She certainly did not know that her good sister was waiting at Eaton's main gates!
***
With the day's work done, Sheng Xiao glanced at his luxurious watch.
"Young Master," Jing Yun was beside him, listing his upcoming itinerary, "our guest from Italy is going home today, but the English earl made an appointment with you. He would be purchasing the Love of Hera as a present for her wife on their first anniversary."
However, Sheng Xiao had already closed his schedule, got up and undoing his blue striped necktie. "I'm leaving now."
"But…"
"I won't show up tomorrow if you stop me."
Jing Yun quickly and obediently shut up.
He knew his young master's temper well—Sheng Xiao would not spare anyone once he assumes his demon mode.
"Where are you going?"
"Don't follow me. Let me have a breather!"
Sheng Xiao made a beeline for the small mansion. He had Su Zipei's cooking before, which had an ordinary but comforting taste to it, and he wanted to have another helping. Mu Qiqi was at school at the time, so she didn't know.
By coincidence, the chauffeur was about to leave and bring the young lady home, and so Sheng Xiao simply got in.
"Young Master…"
"Ignore me. Go." Sheng Xiao said, settling into the back seat as he freed up a few of his shirt buttons.
Although he was a little surprised, Old Lin still kept his eyes on the road, and soon parked the sedan near Eaton's school gates. Mu Qiqi soon showed up with a few of her classmates, but as Old Lin was about to get off and receive her, another girl in a hat got in her way.
Sheng Xiao saw it too, but he stopped Old Lin. "Don't move…"
Naturally, Mu Qiqi could see Old Lin's car, as well as Mu Tangxue right in front of her face.
Her younger sister had pulled her hat low so as to not catch any attention. "Sis, come… let's talk. I've waited for you for some time."
Mu Qiqi felt as if her heart was drumming.
If it had been in the past, she would simply follow Mu Tangxue, or her sister would put up another performance at home, saying that she was bullied.
After that, Mu Qiqi would be scolded by their parents.
Mu Tangxue seemed to think that she would tamely follow her as well, because she had already turned and headed towards the café with her disowned sister in tow.
As if it was most natural!
Mu Qiqi was definitely behind her before, but when Mu Tangxue turned around after entering the café, she found that Mu Qiqi had got into a black Benz while pretending she did not exist!
Who cares?
Mu Tangxue froze. She was actually being ignored by Mu Qiqi?
And so completely!
Mu Tangxue quietly clenched her fists.
This shouldn't be happening. Where had things gone wrong?
***
Meanwhile, Mu Qiqi was stunned when she found Sheng Xiao inside the car as well, which soon turned into delight held just beneath her eye.
"Why are you here?"
"Would I have seen your impressive side if I didn't?" he replied, praising her. "That reaction just now deserves a reward!"
"Well, I'm not a part of the Mu family. It depends on my mood whether I would follow her!"
After four months-worth of refinement, Mu Qiqi's mentality had changed dramatically.
She was no longer anyone else's shadow—she was her own person!
"Finally, you look like you come from my family."
"But you wouldn't go public with me, right?" Mu Qiqi asked, staring at him. "And…"
'Until now, I don't know what I am to you, even as I received your protection and grace.
'And I'm actually the daughter of your nemesis…'
"And what?" Sheng Xiao watched her playfully, seemingly aware of everything in her mind. "Do you find your position unclear?"
"Then… What do you think of me?" Mu Qiqi suddenly asked probingly.