But Mu Xing stopped, only handing her one cup, then tilted his head back and downed the other cup in his hand in one gulp, before letting out a satisfied sigh: "Ah..."
"This wine is truly excellent; how come I never noticed it before?" She then looked at Bai Yan, "Why aren't you drinking?"
Seeing Mu Xing's dazed expression, Bai Yan quickly put the wine on the table and poured him a cup of tea: "Young Master Mu, you're drunk, have some tea first... Ah!"
Mu Xing suddenly grabbed her outstretched hand, nearly knocking over the teacup. Before she could react, Mu Xing was already right in front of her.
That's already a very dangerous distance.
A sense of loss welled up inside her for some unknown reason. Bai Yan closed her eyes, preparing to accept whatever might happen.
But nothing happened.
After waiting a while, she opened her eyes hesitantly.
Mu Xing, who had been staring intently at her, suddenly laughed: "So it's a mole... I thought it was just some dust..."
Blinking slowly, Bai Yan belatedly realized that Mu Xing was referring to the mole under her right eyebrow. She usually made sure to cover it up with thick foundation, but now, perhaps because she hadn't touched up her makeup in a while, the mole was showing.
She felt a little embarrassed and wanted to cover the mole with her hand, but Mu Xing was still gently holding her hand. In a moment of hesitation, she didn't pull her hand away.
Sensing her intention, Mu Xing turned her head slightly and looked at her with a puzzled expression: "Why are you covering up this mole?"
She pursed her lips and explained, "Everyone says my mole is ugly."
"No, I think it looks great." Squinting her eyes, Mu Xing repeated as if to confirm, "I think it looks great."
This was the third time today, and Bai Yan didn't know how to respond to Mu Xing's words.
It's really not her fault. No one would ever notice that she was wearing orange blossom perfume, no one would assume that someone would choose her, and no one would compliment her looks so innocently.
Except for that person.
Even that lord did not see her, but rather another person through her.
No one had ever seen her existence so intently before.
Fortunately, Mu Xing didn't expect any response from her. She reached into her pocket, took out a sandalwood box, and slipped the contents onto Bai Yan's hand.
"Yeah, I knew you could definitely fit into this size." Releasing Bai Yan's hand, Mu Xing said to herself, "It looks better on you, and it matches your clothes perfectly."
The music grew increasingly intense, blasting around the two of them and sweeping away the silence into a frenzy of revelry.
"I'll give you what's not meant for me," Mu Xing said.
"What?" Not having heard what Mu Xing said, Bai Yan withdrew her hand and saw that a jade bracelet had been put on her wrist.
This bracelet looks very valuable.
Mu Xing leaned closer to her again. Her flushed face made her look less gentle and more adorable. The flashing lights illuminated her eyes, making them shine like stars in the sky.
Slightly drunk, she shouted to Bai Yan, "I said, this is the token of our love that I gave you!"
"I will come and marry you someday!"
Huge fireworks exploded on the dance floor, their sound echoing through the sky. Looking at the bright, sparkling eyes of the person in front of her, Bai Yan was stunned and speechless.
Young Master Mu must have gone mad.
She could only, and dared only, think that way.
Chapter Seventeen
By the end of the party, Mu Xing didn't even know how she got back to the Mu residence. When she woke up with a splitting headache, it was already noon the next day.
Her head ached as if Dr. Mu was testing her needles. She sat up with a frown on her face and looked up to see her mother's cold face.
Mu Xing immediately covered her face and tried to lie back down: "Ouch, my head hurts so much, let me lie down again..."
"What are you lying down for?" Madam Mu saw through her clumsy acting at a glance. "Now you know it hurts? Why didn't it hurt when you were drinking last night? You were brought back reeking of alcohol by the young master of the Tang family, what a sight!"
"I was just playing around, and before I knew it..." Mu Xing shrank back under the covers, feigning weakness. After listening to Mrs. Mu grumble for a while, she tentatively asked, "My dad...?"
"Your dad? Ha, so you're afraid of your dad?" Madam Mu glared at her, but seeing that she really looked pitiful, she calmed down a bit. "Your dad went to bed early last night. I was playing cards with your aunt, that's why your dad didn't find out. If he had, he would have made a huge scene!"
She continued muttering to herself for a while until Mu Xing swore he would never do it again, at which point Madam Mu stopped using her supernatural powers.
After having someone bring in some hangover soup, Madam Mu said, "I've discussed it with your Aunt Song. We'll get together at Pingjin Restaurant tomorrow to discuss your marriage with Youcheng. Don't go to the clinic today. Stay home and rest. Don't go to see your mother-in-law looking so disheveled tomorrow."
Mu Xing buried her face in the bowl and pouted.
What's there to be afraid of? Even if she goes dressed in her finest clothes, once she tells Song Youcheng about it, all her beauty will be for naught. Going there disheveled might even earn her some sympathy.
Madam Mu then brought up the wedding arrangements: "Your father, uncles, aunts, and I have all discussed it. After you get married, the Changping cloth shop will be transferred to your name. Neither you nor Youcheng are good with money, so you don't need to manage the accounts; you can just take your share..."
"...We've also discussed the restaurant. You young people naturally prefer Western style, but you'll also want to try Chinese style. I've already found a wedding dress shop, just waiting for you..."
As Mu Xing listened to his mother recount each matter one by one, he couldn't help but feel guilty.
If Song Youcheng found out that he was keeping a mistress, they would be furious...
To be honest, she had intended to discuss the annulment of the engagement with Song Youcheng yesterday, but Tang Gongzi interrupted her, and she was delayed. Now that things have come to this, she must arrange to meet him today to talk. She no longer needs to consider how to proceed; her only worry is that she will upset her elders and betray such careful planning.
As Mu Xing was thinking, Madam Mu said again, "Oh right, I almost forgot. I received a call from the second young master of the Tang family this morning. He said you must call him back, it seems to be about some bracelet."
Bracelet? What bracelet?
Mu Xing nodded in confusion, indicating that she understood. It wasn't until after Madam Mu left, when she had finished washing and dressing and sat down at her dressing table, that she suddenly remembered that last night, she seemed to have given the engagement bracelet that Aunt Song had given her to Miss Bai!
She carefully recalled what had happened last night. She didn't remember much else, but she was certain that she had put the bracelet on Miss Bai's wrist herself.
After thinking for a while, Mu Xing angrily slumped onto the table and couldn't help but bang her head against it.
Good heavens, what has she done? That bracelet, as a token of engagement, must be returned!
Drinking leads to trouble, damn it! Should we make her go to Miss Bai right now to get the bracelet back? What about her reputation?!
But there's no other way... How about buying some other jewelry as compensation, just to get that bracelet back?
Mu Xing slumped onto the table in frustration and thought for a while. It seemed that this was the only way that wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings.
Time waits for no one. She was about to get up and change her clothes when she suddenly remembered that Miss Bai seemed very happy when she received the bracelet last night.
"Ah... drinking leads to trouble..." Mu Xing slumped back onto the table, troubled and unsure of what to do.
She simply couldn't bring herself to get it back like that!
Just as she was getting annoyed, Fu Guang knocked on the door: "Miss, Young Master Song is calling."
With a sigh, Mu Xing got up and walked out.
If all else fails, we'll have to apologize to the Song family. Perhaps we should take this opportunity to give Song Youcheng a heads-up…
Before she could even speak, Song Youcheng on the other end of the line asked urgently, "Ah Xuan, did you give away the bracelet we got for our engagement?"
Mu Xing: "...Are you a tapeworm in my stomach?"
"What roundworms?" Song Youcheng sounded very anxious. "Let's meet, right now?"
Mu Xing was getting impatient with him: "Alright, alright."
It wasn't until they were seated at the agreed-upon coffee shop that Mu Xing belatedly realized what was happening.
How did Song Youcheng know about the bracelet?
Also, this morning my mother said that Young Master Tang also called to talk about the bracelet... Is that bracelet some kind of extraordinary treasure that so many people are suddenly interested in it?
Fortunately, Song Youcheng arrived soon after.
"Ah Xuan, you don't look well. Didn't you get enough rest?" Before she even sat down, Song Youcheng looked at her worriedly several times.
Having no time for small talk, Mu Xing went straight to the point: "How did you know about the bracelet?"
Song Youcheng looked at her with concern: "Ah Xuan, tell me first, why did you go drinking with Young Master Tang and the others? Is it because of the engagement? I know you're heartbroken, but you really don't need to hurt yourself like this..."
Mu Xing raised an eyebrow: "Am I that kind of person?"
Song Youcheng quickly shook his head: "No!" He then said, "But I'm really worried about why you're doing this..."
Worried? If you're worried, then why did you do those things?
"Just for fun, okay?" Mu Xing refrained from saying anything too harsh.
Having quickly accepted this reason, Song Youcheng handed over a newspaper: "Take a look."
Mu Xing took the newspaper, puzzled.
The newspaper was called "Wenjiang Fanhua Bao". At first glance, it was no different from an ordinary newspaper. Each section had a clear division of labor. The headline was sensational: Shocking! The son who returned from abroad was caught in a love affair. The advisor's adopted daughter was happy to receive a token of love. Comment: The glory of the nation's beauty!
Mu Xing was baffled: "What, 'National Beauty'... wait?!" She quickly flipped back to the headline section and scanned it at a glance.
"This," she looked at Song Youcheng in surprise, "is this me?"
The newspaper reported that a certain Mr. M, the third son of a certain family, was so engrossed in a life of pleasure that he offered an exorbitantly priced jade bracelet just to make Bai Yan, the adopted daughter of a military advisor, smile.
Although the facts are true, the ambiguous and intimate wording makes it seem as if she has become some kind of lewd demon.
Song Youcheng sighed: "This newspaper is Wenjiang's entertainment newspaper, which specializes in reporting gossip about brothels and digging into the private affairs of famous courtesans and celebrities. On the one hand, it amuses readers, and on the other hand, it can also help famous courtesans raise their own value."
His last sentence was very blunt, and Mu Xing frowned: "Are you saying that Miss Bai used me as a stepping stone?"
Song Youcheng shook his head: "It's hard to say." But it's obvious who the beneficiary is.
Mu Xing did not respond.
Song Youcheng looked at her and said, "But that's not the point. You're using a fake identity, and the newspaper didn't mention your name, so there's no need to worry about it affecting your reputation. I was in such a hurry just now because I was worried that you went there because of me..."
"Stop, stop." Mu Xing looked up and stopped him. "I'm perfectly fine."
Song Youcheng obediently shut up.
After hesitating for a moment, Mu Xing said, "Let's talk about the bracelet. If we want to break off the engagement, do I have to return the engagement bracelet to you?"
Song Youcheng nodded: "Yes."
Mu Xing shrugged somewhat awkwardly: "But now...?"
“I thought about this on the way here. It’s impossible to ask Miss Bai to return the bracelet,” Song Youcheng said, and Mu Xing nodded in full support.
“This bracelet is not actually unique. I know a jade collector who has seen the same one. I can buy it from her and then you can return it to my grandmother.”
"Very good." Mu Xing was very satisfied.
Song Youcheng suddenly looked troubled again: "But... that lady isn't in Wenjiang right now, and it'll probably be more than a month before she returns..."