When the sales associate came out again, the smile on her face was countless times brighter than when Mu Yanxi had first started her crazy shopping spree.
She very respectfully and carefully packaged all of Mu Yanxi’s new purchases, patiently asking if she needed them delivered to her home.
Beside them, Chi An’s face was flushed with anger. She found it hard to believe that Mu Yanxi’s VIP card was real and valid, and couldn’t believe Mu Yanxi had actually bought over a million yuan worth of clothes.
But as if that wasn’t enough, Mu Yanxi pointed directly at the display case next to Chi An and bought all the accessories in it, enraging Chi An to the point where she wanted to get physical.
Mu Yanxi had been watching Chi An’s movements. Back on set, Chi An had a habit of bullying and hitting her young assistant, but Mu Yanxi wasn’t so good-tempered as to let someone lay a hand on her.
But just as Chi An raised her hand, she was pulled into an embrace by Guan Zhou, who was standing beside her.
Guan Zhou looked at Mu Yanxi with an apologetic expression, but he had to admit, he felt a sense of relief when Mu Yanxi snatched up the items Chi An had her eye on.
If he had really spent nearly two million on Chi An today, the heartache might have made him want to break up.
He gently comforted Chi An, “An’an, let’s just drop it. How about we go look at other stores?”
“How can we just drop it?” Chi An immediately turned on Guan Zhou. “You’re taking her side like this, who’s your girlfriend, anyway? What, did you fall for her while filming? If you like her, why did you go public with me?”
It was unclear what nerve had been struck, but after her tirade, Chi An ran off without bothering to argue with Mu Yanxi any further.
Guan Zhou looked at Mu Yanxi awkwardly, then at the row of gift bags the sales associate was packing. A flicker of doubt about Mu Yanxi’s finances crossed his mind.
But he had something more important to ask at the moment, so he didn’t dwell on it. He took two steps forward and asked in a low voice, “Did you block me on WeChat?”
Having known Guan Zhou for a year and filmed with him for over three months, Mu Yanxi still couldn’t get used to the breathy, “bubble-like” tone he used when he lowered his voice.
This kind of vocal fry seemed to be very popular on Weibo. Even in You Are Like the Boundless Stars, Guan Zhou’s original voice was used, charming a whole host of young female fans.
But for Mu Yanxi, it just gave her goosebumps all over.
“If I didn’t block you, was I supposed to keep you around for summer vacation?” Mu Yanxi gave Guan Zhou no face at all, just wanting to end the conversation quickly.
“After being so publicly humiliated by you two lovebirds, I’ve been smeared as the new generation’s homewrecking fox spirit. Do you think I’m some great philanthropist with no temper?
If you want to maintain your lovey-dovey public image and not get caught by the paparazzi with ‘cheating’ evidence right after going public, I advise you to stay far away from me. It’s better for you, better for me, and better for Chi An.”
“No, I just wanted to apologize to you,” Guan Zhou said hurriedly. “Even if I’m in a relationship, there’s no need for us to cut off contact, right?”
Just then, the clerk came over to have Mu Yanxi fill out the delivery address. After quickly writing it down, Mu Yanxi sized up Guan Zhou for a few moments and sneered:
“But I don’t need a machine to check in with ‘good morning’ and ‘good night,’ much less an alarm clock to remind me to eat. Instead of wasting your time on me, why don’t you go after your heartbroken girlfriend?”
Guan Zhou’s expression froze. He opened his mouth but couldn’t say another word.
After saying “Thank you for your trouble” to the sales associate, Mu Yanxi left without a backward glance.
During the filming of You Are Like the Boundless Stars, Chi An had constantly bought paid articles to slander her, creating an image of a pure, innocent, and delicate flower.
Although that was all in her past life and felt distant to the current Mu Yanxi, she had always been one to hold a grudge.
She had to admit, seeing that little green tea run off in a huff was incredibly satisfying.
The anger from being smeared on Weibo as the third wheel in their relationship was also vented.
However… Mu Yanxi’s steps faltered slightly. Since people were already calling her a fox spirit, wouldn’t it be a shame not to act like one?
She thoughtfully twirled her phone in her hand, opened WeChat, and switched to her chat with Yi Wulan: 【Elder Sister～ Good afternoon (puppywaggingtail.jpg)】
【Are you busy at work? How about I bring you some afternoon tea?】
In meeting room number three of the Rongjia Group, Yi Wulan had just finished a meeting when her phone screen lit up.
When she saw the familiar profile picture, a trace of helplessness flickered across her face.
Bringing something was, of course, just an excuse. The other party clearly wanted to see her.
Since their marriage, she had brought up their contractual agreement several times, expressing her unwillingness to hold the other back. But every time she did, Mu Yanxi would either sulk pitifully or intensify her flirtations.
She had never been in a relationship and didn’t know how other couples interacted. She only felt that her own little wife was so enthusiastic that she found it hard to handle.
Yi Wulan rubbed the space between her eyebrows. She then recalled what the bodyguard had said about Mu Yanxi loving her from afar but being unable to have her, thus using Yi Jingming as a substitute.
Thinking of this, her heart softened a little.
Mu Yanxi was so delicate; if she got sick from anger, Yi Wulan would be the one who had to coax her.
It would be better to… just agree to her request.
Yi Wulan deleted the “No need” she had typed in the input field and changed it to: 【Okay. I’ll have my assistant pick you up when you arrive.】
【Location: Rongjia Group】
Half an hour later, Mu Yanxi appeared at the Rongjia headquarters. To avoid being seen, the assistant Yi Wulan had arranged was already waiting for her at the designated side entrance. Upon seeing Mu Yanxi, the assistant enthusiastically led her to a direct elevator.
The Rongjia headquarters was located in the priceless central business district. From the floor-to-ceiling windows of Yi Wulan’s office, one could take in the entirety of Yuncheng’s most prosperous area.
When Mu Yanxi arrived, Yi Wulan was sitting behind a large desk, on an international call. Her fluent French and captivating voice made Mu Yanxi stop in her tracks involuntarily.
The assistant had already slipped out quietly. It wasn’t until a few minutes later, when Yi Wulan hung up the phone, that she noticed Mu Yanxi had arrived.
She paused for a moment, then pointed and said, “Find a place to sit anywhere in the office. If you’re tired, there’s a lounge over there.”
Mu Yanxi had little interest in touring the office. After all, she was used to seeing Mu Yanqing’s office and didn’t find anything particularly new about Yi Wulan’s.
It was just that the color scheme of the decor was slightly darker than Mu Yanqing’s, making it seem more serious.
She walked straight over, placed the take-out bag in her hand on Yi Wulan’s desk, and laid out the small cakes and desserts from inside one by one.
“Are you done with work? Have something to ea—” Before she could finish, Mu Yanxi’s gaze inadvertently fell on a document placed in the center of the desk.
The large characters for “Shuilin Fang Land Bidding” caught her eye.
Mu Yanxi’s eyes glazed over for a moment as memories from her past life suddenly flooded in.
Shuilin Fang was a newly developed wetland scenic area. Due to its remote location, the initial investment was enormous. The original owner had been forced to sell it precisely because their capital chain had broken and they were mired in a debt crisis.
This type of project wasn’t part of Rongjia’s core business. In her past life, Yi Wulan hadn’t participated, casually assigning it to someone else in the company. In the end, the dark horse Yi Jingming had managed to secure it.
As for the funds needed for the subsequent construction of the Shuilin Fang project, they were all obtained through loans from Xinyu Bank.
Afterward, the project seemed to be blessed by fate, perfectly aligning with Yuncheng’s policies and receiving strong government support. From this project onward, Yi Jingming began his meteoric rise.
Perhaps because Mu Yanxi had been lost in thought for too long, Yi Wulan’s gaze also fell on the bidding document. “Are you interested?”
Mu Yanxi had also received an elite education since childhood. Although she didn’t need to worry about things at Xinyu, she still understood a bit about business.
Over the past few days in the hospital, whenever Yi Wulan took a call and mentioned a project, Mu Yanxi would casually comment based on her past life’s experience.
Her way of answering sounded flippant, as if she were just joking around, but sometimes it happened to provide Yi Wulan with a new line of thought.
This time, Mu Yanxi naturally couldn’t just say that this was a gold mine, that it was the protagonist Yi Jingming’s biggest cheat code at this stage.
She changed her approach, feigning regret. “Is that the Shuilin Fang on the west side of the city? I heard the scenery there is beautiful. I wanted to bid on it during the first round, but my elder sister said I was a spendthrift and wouldn’t give me the money.”
She said it as if it weren’t a resort with a massive investment, but just a piece of clothing.
Yi Wulan said thoughtfully, “So, it’s you who likes it.”
“I do like it a lot.” Mu Yanxi, not yet sensing the deeper meaning in Yi Wulan’s words, leaned to one side and sat directly on the desk, propping herself up with her hands behind her. “The air there is so fresh, it’s perfect for a date.”
“Perfect for a date?” Yi Wulan glanced at the document, her voice turning a few degrees colder. “It seems Miss Mu is very experienced?”
Mu Yanxi belatedly realized something was off. Following Yi Wulan’s gaze, she looked at the document again.
This time, she saw the small characters at the very bottom of the bidding document: ‘Person in Charge: Yi Jingming.’
So, the person in charge had already been designated as Yi Jingming?
Then… could it be that Yi Wulan thought Yi Jingming was bidding on it for her?
But Mu Yanxi had always been thick-skinned and felt no embarrassment at being ‘caught in the act.’ She playfully nudged Yi Wulan with the tip of her foot. “Yeah, I do like it. Don’t you want to go?”
Yi Wulan looked up, her expression serious. “You like the idea of going with me, and not with my brother?”
“I’ve never even gone out with him, let alone on a date.”
Yi Wulan studied Mu Yanxi, as if searching for a flaw in her expression.
But unfortunately for her, Mu Yanxi’s face was completely open and frank, making her very convincing.
In truth, Mu Yanxi wasn’t just putting on an act; she genuinely had a clear conscience.
Even in her past life, she and Yi Jingming had never done anything intimate. Their relationship was limited to her single-mindedly running around for his career, providing him with loans, and helping him rise to power.
Since Yi Wulan was asking this, she must have investigated something.
Did that mean her efforts during this time hadn’t been in vain, that they had made at least some impression on Yi Wulan?
Mu Yanxi suppressed a smile, but her face remained nonchalant. “Yi Wulan, you didn’t happen to secretly investigate me on purpose, did you?”
She deliberately emphasized the words ‘on purpose’ and ‘secretly.’ Though phrased as a question, her tone was certain.
Yi Wulan turned her head away, avoiding Mu Yanxi’s focused gaze.
Seeing this, Mu Yanxi sat up a little straighter, her fingertips reaching for Yi Wulan’s collar, not wanting to let her look away.
But unexpectedly, in the next second, her hand was caught by Yi Wulan.
Mu Yanxi’s hair was casually disheveled. With her hand held fast, even while restrained like this, she remained languid, not even wanting to resist.
“What’s wrong? You look so fierce.” She leaned in with a light laugh, her tongue tracing the roof of her mouth. “…Like you’re going to eat me.”
“You… really have nothing to do with Yi Jingming?” Yi Wulan put on a magnanimous air, but as she spoke, her eyes shifted away. “When we got married, I said I wouldn’t restrict you. If you like him, I can grant you your wish.”
“Don’t mention him. I’m not interested in him.” Mu Yanxi shook her captured wrist at Yi Wulan and suddenly gave a suggestive wink.
“Yi Wulan, don’t you think this pose is a little inappropriate for your office? If someone were to walk in, they might think we’re doing something not suitable for children.”
Yi Wulan quickly released Mu Yanxi’s wrist, only to have her other hand caught, forcing her to remain in the original position.
Mu Yanxi sighed, looking aggrieved. “It’s broad daylight, the sun hasn’t even set. I don’t really mind, but for the sake of your reputation, shouldn’t we at least go to the lounge to do it?”
Yi Wulan: …
Yi Wulan stared at Mu Yanxi in disbelief, never expecting her to twist the topic in such a way.
She admitted to herself that she couldn’t out-talk Mu Yanxi and had no desire to argue. She said coldly, “Let go. I… I still have documents to handle.”
Mu Yanxi met Yi Wulan’s gaze, tilting her head to study her for a few seconds.
Suddenly, she said, “Are you jealous?”
Looking at Mu Yanxi’s dazzlingly beautiful face, Yi Wulan felt an uncontrollable urge to escape.
Seeing her silence, Mu Yanxi’s hands crept gently onto Yi Wulan’s shoulders. She leaned close to Yi Wulan’s ear and whispered with a low laugh, “You really are jealous.”
The warm, moist breath made Yi Wulan’s hands clench. If not for her legs, she probably would have fled the next instant. “Don’t talk nonsense.”
Mu Yanxi found Yi Wulan’s appearance of wanting to hide but being unable to do so quite novel. Just as she was about to tease her further, Yi Wulan pressed a button on her wheelchair’s control panel and slid back a distance of two meters.
Mu Yanxi hopped off the desk, her high heels making a crisp sound as they hit the floor. She walked over to Yi Wulan in a few steps, leaned down, and pursued her with a beaming smile. “Yi Wulan…”
She had just called out her name when Yi Wulan’s right hand suddenly shot up and slapped over Mu Yanxi’s mouth.
Mu Yanxi: …
Mu Yanxi blinked. “Mmph?”
Yi Wulan had been around Mu Yanxi for some time now; how could she not guess what Mu Yanxi was about to say?
She pressed her hand more firmly.
Seeing that she wouldn’t listen, Mu Yanxi’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her feathery lashes, like the tail of a phoenix, trembled, and a mischievous smile appeared in her flowing gaze.
Seeing this, Yi Wulan suddenly had a bad premonition.
Sure enough, the next second, Yi Wulan felt a damp warmth in the palm of her right hand—Mu Yanxi had actually parted her lips and licked her palm with the tip of her tongue.
Yi Wulan: …
As if scalded by boiling water, Yi Wulan snatched her hand back and couldn’t help but scold, “You… you… shameless!”
