Chapter 04
Whatever was said in the living room afterward, Yun Chu had already automatically tuned it out. Mu Zeâs words kept looping in her mind: I only want Yun Chu.
What did he mean by that? Was it pity for her plight? Or did he just find her suitable to act with him?
Yun Chu sat at the edge of the bed, her mind a chaotic mess. Outside the window, the cicadas chirped in waves, making her feel even more restless.
This was the first time Mu Yantao had ever seen his son defend someone like this. Not wanting to reject Mu Zeâs choice, he compromised. “I can let her enter the Mu Residence, but there will be a three-month probation period. We will only officially register the marriage if her character passes scrutiny. However, if she chooses to leave on her own, then my hands are tied.”
Mu Ze knew this was the biggest concession his father could make. The Mu Group behind the family was constantly eyed by predatory rivals; any misstep by the Mu Residence could become ammunition for people to attack the corporation.
He promised expressionlessly, “I will keep an eye on her and ensure she brings no trouble to the family.”
An hour or so passed. Yun Chu, who was usually a light sleeper, had somehow drifted off. She was lying across the foot of the bed, her slender legs dangling over the edge.
Mu Ze sat in his wheelchair, observing her for a long time without her noticing.
“You’re only behaves yourself when you’re asleep.”
She had a striking appearance with sharply defined features. He had seen many women with beautiful bone structures, but she was the first to look this vivid and sharp.
Staring at her closed eyes, he murmured softly, “Why did you intentionally assault someone?”
Yun Chu felt as though a fly was buzzing in her ear. Annoyed, she rolled over, leaving half her body hanging off the edge of the bed. She was just a second away from falling.
The sensation startled her awake. She scrambled to sit up, but her hand slipped.
“Ah!” she cried out instinctively.
Wait. It didn’t seem to hurt?
When she opened her eyes, she found herself safely caught in Mu Zeâs arms. The two of them were leaning against each other in an extremely intimate posture. The man’s body heat radiated through her thin clothing, searingly hot.
Yun Chuâs eyes darted between herself and him, her earlobes instantly burning bright red. “You… put me down.”
Mu Ze set her down. “Don’t you think a ‘thank you’ is in order?”
She awkwardly turned her head away. “You’re welcome.”
What an ungrateful, stubborn little thing.
Yun Chu walked to the head of the bed, picked up her phone, and checked the time. It was almost midnight; she had actually slept for over an hour. Turning back to look at Mu Ze, her expression was calm and unbothered. “I’m going back to the Yun family tomorrow.”
Mu Ze raised an eyebrow with a faint smile. “Not mentioning the annulment this time?”
“…”
Yun Chu climbed into bed, pulled up the blanket, and closed her eyes to go back to sleep. His words flashed through her mind again: I only want Yun Chu.
Damn it, was she brainwashed by that sentence?
After a few minutes, she spoke softly, “I just hope my future days can be a bit easier, Uncle. I don’t want to get involved in any of your messy business.”
No matter how thick her armor was, it couldn’t withstand constant wear and tear. She just wanted to live a better life, leave the Yun family, and live peacefully on her own. Was that really so hard?
Though her tone was steady and devoid of emotion, to Mu Zeâs ears, it sounded like a plea for help. It was like a hedgehog raising all its sharp quills just to keep others at a distance.
At that moment, Mu Zeâs chest tightened, feeling a suffocating heaviness.
Receiving no response, Yun Chu rolled over to face away from him.
The next morning, the sky was bright.
Yun Chu called a cab to the Yun family estate. She had once experienced familial affection here and had been the apple of Yun Hangshanâs eye. When did it all change… Was it the day he divorced her mother? Or the day he flagrantly brought his mistress into the house?
It didn’t matter anymore. There had long been no place for Yun Chu in the Yun family.
In the dining room, the family of three was enjoying breakfast with total peace of mind. Yun Hangshan was reading the morning paper as usual.
The scene stung Yun Chu’s heart. If she had retained any shred of affection for this father before, it was now completely obliterated by him.
Controlling her emotions, she walked in with a cold face and heavy strides. “You’d better finish eating quickly. I’m afraid you won’t have an appetite in a moment.”
Yun Hangshan looked up in surprise. He hadn’t expected her to return today. Maintaining his usual facade, he asked with feigned concern, “Have you had breakfast?”
Hypocrite. He had sold her to the Mu family for five million, and now he had the nerve to ask if she had eaten. No wonder her mother wanted to leave this man.
Yun Chu stood at the other end of the dining table, locking eyes with Yun Hangshan. The mother and daughter sitting beside him remained silent in collusion.
“Is the cooperation between the Yun family and the Mu family very important?”
Knowing this couldn’t be hidden for long, Yun Hangshan put down his newspaper and nodded. “Yes. You wouldn’t want to see your father’s life’s work ruined, right?”
Ha! Still trying to play the sympathy card even now.
Yun Xiaoxiao stood up, pulling out the chair next to her to invite Yun Chu to sit, showing an exceptionally pleasant attitude. “Sister, I know you’ve been wronged. You can come back whenever you want in the future.”
Xu Peizhi, who had been silent, chimed in, “Yes, we will always keep your room ready for you.”
Yun Chu shot them a chilling glare that made their skin crawl. Did they want her to come back just to watch how harmonious their family of three was?
“I have already proposed an annulment to the Mu family. So, regarding the cooperation between the Yun and Mu families, you should go yourself, little sister!” She sneered. “After all, you wouldn’t want to see Father’s life’s work ruined, right?”
The mockery in her words felt like slaps across Yun Hangshan’s face.
“What?!” Yun Hangshan stood up furiously and walked over to Yun Chu. “Go back to the Mu Residence right now and apologize!”
“Why should I?!” Yun Chu yelled back.
Had she not sacrificed enough for the Yun family? Now they wanted her to throw away her entire marriage too! She couldn’t do it.
Slap!
A crisp slap landed squarely on Yun Chu’s face. Instantly, five red finger marks appeared on her fair skin. Compared to the burning pain on her cheek, the disappointment in her heart was far more agonizing.
Yun Hangshan pointed a shaking finger at her, hissing through gritted teeth, “I’m telling you, Yun Chu! I spent over twenty years raising you. You have no right to act wild in front of me!”
He did raise her for over twenty years, but she would rather have died the day her mother left the Yun family. Dragging around this mentally tortured shell of a body now, how was she any different from being dead?
Holding her stinging cheek, Yun Chu unleashed years of bottled-up grievance and resentment all at once. “Then have the guts to beat me to death today and take back the life you spent twenty years raising! I will not marry into the Mu family!”
Hearing this, Yun Hangshan raised his palm into the air again.
“President Yun sure is domineering! Even when beating a dog, one must look at its master. Striking my fiancĂŠe directlyâare you looking down on the Mu family?!”
A cold reprimand cut through the air, breaking the argument in the living room.
At the entrance, Mu Ze sat in his wheelchair as his assistant pushed him into the house. He exuded an aura of supreme, frigid authority. Even sitting in a wheelchair, his personal charisma was not diminished in the slightest.
Yun Xiaoxiao had been watching coldly from the side until her attention was completely captured by the man who had just entered. So this was Mu Ze… She had met many wealthy heirs, but none could match the innate nobility and elegance that Mu Ze possessed. He truly lived up to his reputation as the man every socialite in the city once dreamed of marrying.
Then, Yun Xiaoxiaoâs gaze lingered on his vacant amber eyes. What a pity… he was a cripple. At that thought, her eyes dimmed, and her interest instantly vanished.
Yun Hangshan quickly stepped forward, putting on the flattering face of a sycophantic businessman. “Young Master Mu, what brings you here? I was just teaching my daughter a lesson, it’s a minor matter.”
Beating his own daughter was a minor matter?
Mu Zeâs gaze remained blank, staring straight ahead, completely ignoring the groveling man beside him. “Yun Chu, come here.” He raised his hand, leaving it open in the air.
What was he doing here? Yun Chu couldn’t read this man, but she still walked over obediently. “What is it?”
Mu Ze curled his fingers slightly. “Give me your hand.”
“…”
Yun Chu didn’t know why, but she always found herself instinctively listening to him. The moment her palm touched his, he gripped it firmly. The man’s body temperature was on the warmer side, sending a wave of heat straight to her heart. A strange emotion welled up in her chest, bringing a subtle sense of peace.
“Does it hurt?” he asked.
It took Yun Chu a few seconds to react, and she shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt.” She forced her emotions down. When a person was on the verge of tears, the thing they feared most was sudden kindness.
“Liar,” Mu Ze turned his head slightly toward his assistant behind him. “Give them the documents.”
The assistant stepped forward. “President Yun, the cooperation with the Mu Group ends here. Arranging a substitute marriage means you breached the contract first. Furthermore, Yun Chu belongs to the Mu family now. Consider your own strength before you raise a hand against her again.”
Looking at the termination contract in his hands, Yun Hangshan stumbled backward weakly. If he hadn’t leaned against the dining table, he would have collapsed to the floor.
Was Mu Ze here to back her up? At that realization, Yun Chuâs hand unconsciously tightened its grip.
He knitted his brows, suddenly blurting out, “Gentle, you’re going to break my hand.”
Yun Chu snapped out of it and immediately let go. “Ah, sorry.”
As the warmth in his palm vanished, Mu Ze actually felt a trace of disappointment. “Come back with me, and stop throwing tantrums.”
After sending the two away, Yun Hangshan sank helplessly onto the sofa, his head dropping in defeat. “The Yun family… is completely finished.” He had thought he could keep the secret until they registered the marriage. Now that they had offended the Mu family, there would be no place for them to survive in the capital.
On the way back to the Mu Residence, Yun Chu sat next to Mu Ze, looking as if she wanted to say something but kept hesitating.
He wore black sunglasses that obscured his eyes, but his focus was gradually sharpening behind them. “Weren’t you quite bold normally? Are you scared now, or did you go mute?”
“Thank you for today, but the annulment still stands.” She didn’t want to carelessly throw her marriage to an unfamiliar man, let alone one who was clearly full of secrets.
“Sure. You were sold to the Mu family by Yun Hangshan for five million. Therefore, dissolving the contract means there is a five-million-dollar penalty for breach of contract. You have to pay it back.”
“That’s extortion!” Yun Chu cried out. Even if she hadn’t requested it, the Mu family would have terminated the contract anyway once they discovered the Yun family’s daughter didn’t match the rumors. She was just a catalyst, and more importantly, a victim. Five million? Why didn’t he just rob a bank!
Mu Ze admitted it without a hint of shame. “Yes, it is extortion. So wouldn’t you be fine if you just cooperate with me?”
He looked entirely justified while doing something bad, which was incredibly infuriating.
Yun Chuâs chest heaved with anger. “The one who made the deal with you was Yun Hangshan. It has nothing to do with me, I won’t pay a cent!” She refused to take the blame for everything. Once she accepted it once, countless more scapegoating attempts would follow. This was a lesson she had learned from experience.
That afternoon, after having lunch at the Mu house, Yun Chu went out.
She had scheduled a few interviews through a job-seeking app. There were still more than two months before the university semester started, so she could find an internship to keep herself busy. She wore a light-colored short dress with her hair tied in a ponytail, looking lively and full of youth.
She walked into a media company. It wasn’t large, with only about a dozen employees. Given that the job posting accepted a high school diploma, it shouldn’t be a problem for her.
Yun Chu followed the interviewer into the conference room and sat down. The interviewer handed her a form to fill out. After about three or four minutes, the interviewerâs phone suddenly rang, and they stepped out to answer it. Yun Chu didn’t think much of it and continued filling out the form.
When the interviewer returned, they snatched the incomplete form out of Yun Chuâs hands without explanation. “Apologies, you don’t quite meet our requirements. I wish you the best in your job hunt.”
“…”
Wait, they hadn’t even started talking yet, and suddenly she didn’t meet the requirements?
The same thing happened at her second and third interviews. As long as the interviewer took a phone call, they would immediately turn around and claim she wasn’t fit for the job. If they had put even a little effort into acting, she might not have suspected foul play.
Having endured a whole afternoon of frustration, Yun Chu finally lost her temper. She snatched the interviewer’s phone right out of their hand. “I don’t want to make things difficult for you. Tell me, who made that call?”
