"Mr. Huo, the car in which the accident occurred, we found a mobile phone and... a damaged document folder.
Inside... it seems to be divorce papers."
The words of Assistant He made Huo Tingxiao's gaze towards Mu Lan suddenly turn sharp.
Mu Lan felt inexplicably uneasy under his gaze and subconsciously hugged the pillow in her arms tighter.
What did his menacing look mean? Could the phone have something to do with her?
"Mr. Huo?"
After no response for a while, Assistant He spoke again, very cautiously.
Having worked alongside Huo Tingxiao for many years, he wouldn't claim to fully understand his boss, but he could guess a bit of his thoughts.
Assistant He had seen how much Mu Lan valued this marriage and how afraid she was of losing Huo Tingxiao.
If it truly came down to ending their marriage, it should have been Huo Tingxiao who initiated it, at least, that's what his boss would think.
"Bring it here now."
Huo Tingxiao hung up the phone but continued to gaze directly at Mu Lan, like a wolf eyeing a little fox.
Although Mu Lan didn't know what had happened, she sensed danger.
It wasn't wise to stay, it was better to leave!
"You have business matters to discuss, I won't disturb you.
I've arranged to have dinner with Xiaoman, so... I'll be going now."
With that, she threw down the pillow she was holding and, as if her feet were on wheels, fled from Maple Forest Garden.
Huo Tingxiao watched her slender figure slip away, very calm.
The monk can run but the temple can't run, she might be Sun Wukong, but she couldn't escape from his Five Finger Mountain.
------------
Every time Mu Lan thought of Huo Tingxiao's earlier expression, she felt extremely nervous. Although she was very curious about the content of that phone call, she also understood that curiosity could kill a cat.
Now the Mu Family was facing troubles, it was better to stay out of trouble.
She withdrew some cash using the bank card Gu Xiaoman gave her.
Mu Lan had not felt a real sense of her amnesia until she went shopping. The salespeople would tentatively ask if they could add her on WeChat, and she responded with a blank look.
As she observed the promotional posters in the brand stores, the faces of the endorsers were all fresh and unfamiliar to her.
Also, when purchasing a new phone, facing its many new features was utterly bewildering.
A series of these uncomfortable adaptations made her feel a complex mix of emotions brewing inside, partly fear and partly excitement.
Unnoticed, Mu Lan walked into a Dior menswear store.
"Mrs. Huo has arrived, the new men's collection for this season has already been reserved for you."
The salesperson came out to greet her enthusiastically, which made Mu Lan feel somewhat perplexed.
She mechanically followed inside and was placed in the VIP area; before long, several jackets and shirts she had pre-ordered a few days earlier were brought over.
"These items are the new models you reserved a few days ago. Mr. Huo is really fortunate to have such a considerate wife, you two are truly a virtuous couple."
Mu Lan looked at the clothes and couldn't help but picture someone's figure that seemed tailor-made for any attire.
Truth be told, Huo Tingxiao could make even a burlap sack look stylish.
"Okay, wrap them all up."
Mu Lan spoke smoothly as if she had said these words countless times before.
By the time she realized what she had done, her card had already been charged.
Just as she was annoyed with herself that even amnesia couldn't escape Huo Tingxiao's spell, a tall professional-looking woman, who appeared to be about the same age as Mu Lan, entered the store.
The moment the woman saw Mu Lan, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.
But she quickly adjusted her mood and came over with a smile to greet her.
"Mrs. Huo."
Mu Lan froze, her heart beginning to pound, and she blurted out unintentionally.
"Who might you be?"
The beautiful woman was stunned, her expression turning ugly, clearly thinking that Mu Lan was asking this on purpose.
"I am Mr. Huo's secretary, Mi Xue.
Mrs. Huo, you don't remember?"
Tsk tsk, such obvious hostility, constantly calling me Mrs. Huo, yet her gaze and expression clearly showed she did not regard me at all.
"Is there a problem with not remembering? There's too much that I don't remember."
This was indeed the truth, but Mi Xue felt as if Mu Lan was deliberately insulting someone.
She was quite upset, but since Mu Lan was indeed the president's wife, she couldn't very well tear her face off in front of others; she still had to maintain appearances.
"Mrs. Huo has never been involved in the company's affairs, unlike me, who always has to be by Mr. Huo's side, solving problems for him.
It's quite normal not to remember having met. I really envy Mrs. Huo, being able to manage her time so freely. Ah, being a housewife must be so nice..."
Wow, where did this ultimate white lotus come from to play palace drama in front of me?
Oh, that's right, Gu Xiaoman mentioned earlier that there had been some unpleasantness due to the secretary, it seems that it was indeed this Mi Xue in front of me.
Bad luck for her, to have provoked the amnesic me.
"Housewives aren't idle, you know. Everything about Mr. Huo, from top to bottom, from inside to out, requires my personal attention.
Otherwise, with his pickiness, who could satisfy him?"
This bold attitude immediately diminished Mi Xue, who glanced at the shopping bag in Mu Lan's hand, feeling quite bitter inside.
Having worked by Huo Tingxiao's side for three years, Mi Xue really couldn't understand what qualifications a woman like Mu Lan had to be Mrs. Huo.
Buying clothes, such a trivial task, even a maid could do it. What's so great about that?
For a top-notch man like Huo Tingxiao, only a capable, beautiful woman like herself deserved him.
Mu Lan had merely relied on a better family background, after all.
"Mr. Huo is just a perfectionist."
This explanation almost made Mu Lan laugh out loud.
How infatuated with Huo Tingxiao she must be, how thick must her filters be?
"It appears you hold a high opinion of my husband."
"Mrs. Huo, please don't misunderstand, I'm just..."
With a look that seemed fearful of being misunderstood, Mi Xue's subtle flirtation was clearly an attempt to inform Mu Lan that her high regard for Huo Tingxiao was more than just professional admiration.
The hidden agenda was clearly to provoke Mu Lan into jealousy and making some rash actions.
But apparently, Mu Lan was not only unjealous but also silently pitied the situation, thinking such a beautiful girl to be utterly blind.
Huo Tingxiao, with his poker face, what was there to like?
"No need to be nervous, we're just chatting casually. Why do you seem so afraid as if I caught you in some misconduct.
It's getting late; perhaps next time we can have coffee together, Secretary Mi. This time, I will definitely remember you."
Saying so, Mu Lan patted Mi Xue on the shoulder, laughing cheerily as she left the shop.
Did something happen? Why did she feel that this woman was different than before?
Reflecting on those words again, the smile disappeared from Mi Xue's face.
She pulled out her phone, carefully crafting a text, as if every word weighed heavily with meaning.
After meticulously checking it several times, she finally sent it.
And the recipient was none other than Huo Tingxiao.