Yet, Mu Xia’s expression remained placid, as if none of it mattered. And in truth, it didn’t. The rest of the Situ family might be desperate to curry favor with the Yes, but she wasn’t. She didn’t need to be. So whether Ye Sijue remembered her or not was of no consequence. Situ Qingshan scoffed at Mu Xia’s lack of reaction. *Just keep pretending,* she thought. *I bet her heart is breaking. Serves her right.* *As if Ye Sijue would ever look twice at some girl from the countryside!* But none of the four noticed Ye Sijue’s gaze lingering on Mu Xia’s retreating figure, a deep, inscrutable light flickering in his eyes. Only after Mu Xia had boarded the plane did Ye Sijue retract his gaze, a low, amused chuckle escaping his lips. His assistant, standing beside him, was utterly stunned to see it. What was happening? The perpetually stone-faced, ice-cold Young Master Ye was actually smiling? And he was certain it wasn't a sneer, but a genuine, heartfelt smile. How long had it been since he’d seen Ye Sijue smile like that? While the assistant was still reeling from shock, Ye Sijue suddenly spoke. “Don’t you think she’s completely different from the rest of her family?” Who was “she”? Having worked for Ye Sijue for several years, the assistant knew better than to ask directly. He quickly ran through the possibilities and concluded that only Mu Xia’s attire set her apart from the other three. He hesitated before answering. “She is different, yes. The other three are dressed in designer labels, but that young lady… her clothes aren’t branded at all. They look like something you’d pick up from a street stall.” However— Ye Sijue shook his head. The assistant’s heart leaped into his throat. He had guessed wrong. Was Ye Sijue not talking about that girl after all? Just as panic began to set in, Ye Sijue’s deep voice rumbled, “I wasn’t talking about her clothes.” The assistant breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he’d identified the right person. “Not her clothes? Then what is it?” he asked, confused. Ye Sijue’s face reverted to its usual cold mask. “Nothing. Continue.” The assistant immediately dropped the subject and resumed his report. On the plane. The four of them were seated in the same row. From the moment he sat down, Situ Hai treated Mu Xia with disdain, ordering her around—stow the luggage, fold the jackets, find the charger. To any onlooker, she looked less like a daughter and more like the family’s hired help. Yet through it all, Mu Xia complied without a single word of complaint, tirelessly doing as she was told. In the end, it was Situ Hai who broke the silence. “That’s enough. Come here.” Mu Xia took the seat beside him, and he immediately launched his interrogation. “Didn’t you say you helped Young Master Ye? Why didn’t he remember you at all?” Mu Xia shook her head. “I only did him a small favor. It’s perfectly normal that he wouldn’t remember.” “But you still should have…” Situ Hai trailed off, his words catching in his throat. He glanced at Mu Xia’s impassive expression, thinking that being too simple wasn’t necessarily a good thing. If it had been Situ Qingshan, she would have instantly understood his meaning and used the opportunity to get closer to Ye Sijue. He sighed, his voice laced with disappointment. “Forget it. We’ll talk about this later. You still have a lot to learn!” “Yes,” Mu Xia replied meekly, nodding as if she had no idea what she had done wrong. Just then, a flight attendant approached. “Mr. Situ, good day. Based on your flight mileage, we are pleased to offer a complimentary upgrade to first class for you and your family.” Situ Hai had chosen economy not just because he was frugal, but because he knew this free upgrade was a possibility. He stood up, smiling. “Thank you. Please, lead the way.” Situ Qingshan and Mu Xinyue immediately rose to their feet. The flight attendant’s eyes landed on Mu Xia, the last to stand, and she said apologetically, “I’m very sorry, but we only have three complimentary upgrades available. What would you like to do?” “Three?” Situ Hai was torn. Should he give the seat to Situ Qingshan or to Mu Xia? Sensing his indecision, Mu Xinyue chimed in. “You’ve seen for yourself, that girl Mu Xia is a bit… simple. She’s not much help, really. And this trip is for Qingshan’s award ceremony. Doesn’t it make more sense to give the seat to her?” After a moment’s thought, Situ Hai agreed. He turned to Mu Xia to explain. “There are only three seats, so my hands are tied. But we’ll meet up as soon as we land, so it’s all the same.” Mu Xia looked at him, a deep, unreadable expression in her eyes. It would be a lie to say she wasn't disappointed, but she couldn't show it, not when it would give Mu Xinyue and Situ Qingshan the satisfaction. Mu Xia forced a smile. “It’s fine.” “I’m sorry you have to go through this,” Situ Hai said before turning and leading Mu Xinyue and Situ Qingshan toward the first-class cabin. Situ Qingshan seized her chance, lagging a step behind to whisper to Mu Xia, “Looks like Father loves me more after all, *older sister*. You’ll just have to try harder, won't you? Well, I’m off to first class. You have a nice rest back here in economy. It’s no big deal, really—just wider seats and better service. Don’t you be too upset now.” Mu Xia looked at Situ Qingshan as one might look at a frantic little insect. She smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. “You’d better hurry, *little sister*. If you keep dawdling, what if Father changes his mind and sends me instead?” Staring into Mu Xia’s eyes, which shone brighter than stars, Situ Qingshan felt a flicker of panic. Not daring to waste another second, she clutched her handbag and hurried toward first class, terrified that Mu Xia might snatch her seat away. The three of them settled comfortably into their first-class seats, and Situ Qingshan even ordered a complimentary glass of red wine. … Back in economy. The moment they were gone, Mu Xia closed her eyes. She was only human. Of course she was hurt. But she couldn’t let it show. She couldn’t afford to appear vulnerable. She had to fool even herself. Her peace, however, was short-lived. “Excuse me… miss, are you alone? May I sit next to you?” A refined-looking man was staring at her, his expression one of pure astonishment. Though his question was polite on the surface, his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “That won’t be possible,” Mu Xia said, her tone frosty. “My family will be back.” The man left, disappointed. A woman like this was clearly out of his league. He wondered what kind of man it would take to conquer such a rare beauty. Not long after he departed, another man approached. “Excuse me, miss…” Mu Xia looked up, her patience wearing thin, but her expression froze in the next instant. Wasn’t this the man from the airport, the one reporting to Ye Sijue? He introduced himself. “I’m Young Master Ye’s assistant. He would like to invite you to his private jet. I’ve already cleared it with the flight crew, so you can come with me now.” Mu Xia hesitated for only a moment before nodding. The commercial flight was crowded, and she’d already been hit on once. She didn’t want any more disturbances. “Alright.” “I’ll escort you now,” the man said, making a polite “this way” gesture. To deplane, they had to pass through the first-class cabin. As Mu Xia walked by, Situ Qingshan was the first to notice her.