His Beloved Treasure

”Why did you come over? Weren’t we supposed to watch a movie tonight?”

”I didn’t want you driving all the way there again!”

Mu Yichen said as he turned around, leaning half-seated on the edge of the table.

Qin Mu tilted her head, still gazing at him: ”Oh!”

”But the plan has changed last-minute!”

”Hmm?”

”I’ve got something I want to do, but of course, I need your support.”

Mu Yichen spoke with a slightly serious tone, glancing down at her.

Qin Mu sensed that this might actually be something serious, so she lifted her eyes slightly: ”Tell me!”

”Tonight, I want to set up a little scheme—invite Zhiyuan and Zhao Huai to drink together!”

”So we’re skipping the movie for this boys-only drinking party?”

Qin Mu looked confused; what did this have to do with her?

”No, it’s not just that! You need to call Secretary Xi and get her to come over too, and you need to be present as well.”

Mu Yichen said with seriousness.

Qin Mu...

Later, Mu Yichen gathered everyone except for Qiao Yi and Secretary Xi at the office first. The men were quick to agree and exclaimed that they’d been wanting to do this for ages.

However, An Nan and Qin Mu didn’t appear to be very supportive, furrowing their brows at the men as they cooked up these sleazy plans.

”This isn’t fair to Secretary Xi.”

An Nan couldn’t just let them go through with it like this—someone needed to persuade her to willingly take part in the setup.

”If she’s unwilling later, just prepare an electric baton for Xi Meng. One hit, and he’ll be done for!”

Jing Feng and Helian Hao arrived after work to join in the fun, coincidentally walking in as An Nan raised objections. Jing Feng casually dropped this comment as he entered.

An Nan: ”...”

Helian Hao: ”I think Jing Feng’s idea is spot on. They’ve been at each other like this for so long, and it’s getting nowhere. If Xi Meng really marries someone else out of spite, she’d regret it in the future, and Qiao Yi would regret it to the point of heartbreak. So tonight, why don’t we mess with them properly? Later, if they end up together, we’ll all have played a major part, and they won’t hold this against us.”

Qin Mu was stunned. As Helian Hao approached her, she was dumbstruck, thinking: Is this really the Helian Hao I know?

Helian Hao gracefully smiled at her: ”What’s wrong, little sister? Did I scare you?”

”Certainly!”

Qin Mu felt a little guilty but admitted it.

She couldn’t help but think: won’t there come a day when you scheme against me like this?

No wonder people always say never to underestimate women who usually seem so soft and gentle—they can be ruthless when they rebel!

Sure enough, ruthless is an understatement!

”Alright then, it’s decided! Xiaomu, hurry up and call Secretary Xi; only you can convince her to come.”

”Actually, Mu can do it too!”

Qin Mu thought it over. Carrying this burden was truly exhausting!

So she wanted Mu Yichen to handle it. As the boss, a single call from him would get Secretary Xi to jump through hoops, and immediately at that.

”Mrs. Mu, please take this seriously—it’s a dinner invitation, not a work order.”

Mu Yichen gave her a look, one that seemed to ask, ”You really think it’s appropriate for me to do this?”

Qin Mu thought it was perfectly appropriate but still fished out her phone.

Indeed, among everyone in the room, she was undoubtedly the closest to Xi Meng, though she still believed this whole setup was more than a little unethical.

”Pairing Xi Meng with Qiao Yi is unequivocally a loss!”

She said before dialing.

”Why don’t we thoroughly interrogate Mr. Qiao for Secretary Xi’s sake?”

An Nan agreed, even though she’d only met Xi Meng once.

Thus, the room full of people spent the entire evening scheming.

Qiao Yi parked his car directly in the hotel underground garage, while Secretary Xi, knowing there would be drinking involved, opted to take a cab.

Yet when Xi Meng got into the elevator from the first floor, she immediately saw Qiao Yi upon entering.

The sight left Qiao Yi momentarily stunned, his piercing glare fixed on her as though silently asking: ”Why are you here too? This time, it wasn’t me seeking you out.”

Xi Meng, on the other hand, seemed entirely indifferent. She merely turned her head away, now facing the elevator door, quietly waiting.

When she noticed that Qiao Yi was headed to the same floor as her, she couldn’t help but feel slightly strained in her breathing.

Qin Mu’s invitation to dinner had puzzled her—while they were friends, their bond hadn’t seemed close enough to warrant such a casual dinner plan.

After stepping out of the elevator, Xi Meng instinctively stepped aside. When Qiao Yi emerged from behind her, she simply said: ”You go first!”

Qiao Yi glanced at her. Though he felt her thoughts ran deep, he held his tongue and lowered his head, walking ahead.

Lately, both of their expressions often carried traces of exhaustion.

Each time they met, there was so much to be said, but each encounter left their words lodged in their throats, the only thing that surfaced being their mutual frustration.

This wasn’t what love ought to be.

Xi Meng watched as he walked ahead, avoiding following him toward the same destination. She remained in place until he stopped in front of a private room.

Xi Meng held her breath and hesitated.

Qiao Yi stood at the doorway and turned back to look at the woman still lingering at the elevator entrance. Xi Meng stared back briefly before turning away, heading in an entirely different direction.

She wanted to act as though her destination wasn’t the same one as his. Qiao Yi felt a hint of disappointment but still pushed open the door and went inside.

”Xi Meng!”

Xi Meng had walked far enough away but heard a voice calling her from behind—someone was shouting her name from farther away.

She turned to see Qin Mu at the door of the room that Qiao Yi had entered.

”Come over! Where do you think you’re going?”

Xi Meng: ”...”

Xi Meng had never felt such a short distance could feel like she had taken centuries to traverse.

Qin Mu stood by the door waiting for her. As Xi Meng approached, looking slightly nervous, she confessed: ”I just saw Qiao Yi walk into that room!”

”He did go in!”

Qin Mu replied with a serious tone, her expression equally solemn.

Just as An Nan said earlier, they couldn’t make decisions for Xi Meng or Qiao Yi—they could only assist.

”Then I...”

Xi Meng lowered her head, remembering the argument earlier that afternoon.

”Whether or not you go in is entirely up to you! All I can say is there’s quite a performance waiting inside, about you and Qiao Yi. If you’re willing, take that step... ”

Qin Mu finished with a faint sigh of resignation, then looked intensely at Xi Meng.

”Although we’re not sisters, I truly believe that you and Qiao Yi being together means he prayed good karma in a past life. So if you decide to turn back now, that’s OK too!”

Qin Mu smirked a little, but her gaze remained utterly focused on Xi Meng.

Xi Meng looked back at her while faint noise from inside seemed to prod her to enter.