She shot to her feet. "Sister, what is your problem? Is a little discomfort too much for you? Do you really have to fight me for a first-class seat? Don't you forget why we're on this flight—it's for *my* awards ceremony!" "Don't worry," Mu Xia said coolly. "I have no intention of fighting you for a seat." Situ Qingshan frowned. "Then what are you doing here?" Situ Hai, equally displeased, chimed in. "Mu Xia, what are you trying to do? I thought you were a well-behaved girl. Was I wrong?" Before Mu Xia could respond, the man beside her spoke up. "You've all misunderstood. Ms. Mu isn't here for first class. I'm here to escort her to her private jet. See? The one right next to us." "What?!" Situ Qingshan stared out the window in disbelief. Parked right beside them was an incredibly luxurious private jet, with the character 'Ye' emblazoned on its fuselage. That was the Ye family's private jet! Situ Qingshan whipped her head back to face Mu Xia, the jealousy practically spilling from her eyes. Mu Xinyue’s expression was just as unsettled, her hands clenched into tight fists. Only Situ Hai, after a brief moment of shock, recovered enough to address the man. "Sir," he said, "I'm Shanshan's father. We're a family. Could we perhaps join her?" The man's expression remained impassive. "My apologies, but the Chairman invited only Ms. Mu. Besides, the three of you upgraded your seats, leaving Ms. Mu alone in economy. Is that how a family behaves?" Situ Hai's face flushed with shame, a wave of regret washing over him. If he had just upgraded Mu Xia's ticket as well, would he now be boarding Ye Sijue's private jet? The man paid Situ Hai's thoughts no mind, turning to Mu Xia with the utmost respect. "Ms. Mu, if you please." Mu Xia nodded. "We'll meet up after we land," she said to Situ Hai. With that, she lifted her chin, not sparing Situ Qingshan a single glance as she followed the man off the plane. She boarded the luxurious private jet under the burning, envious stares of Situ Qingshan and Mu Xinyue. As soon as she was on board, Mu Xia saw Ye Sijue, his head bent over a contract. The man who had escorted her spoke. "Mr. Ye, Ms. Mu is here." Ye Sijue murmured a faint "Mm" without even lifting his gaze. Mu Xia felt a prickle of discomfort. Fortunately, the man behind her offered a way out. "Mr. Ye is busy. Perhaps you'd be more comfortable in the inner cabin." "Alright." Mu Xia nodded, walked past Ye Sijue, and entered the cabin beyond. The moment she stepped inside, her face lit up. "Evans?" A blond, blue-eyed man looked up, his own expression mirroring her surprise. "SAN? I can't believe I'm seeing you here. You're back in the country?" "Yes, just got back not long ago." Evans gestured to the seat beside him. "Sit with me." After Mu Xia sat down, Evans excitedly asked about her recent life, then extended an invitation. "I'm heading to Nanshi for the academy's awards ceremony. You're our founder—if you have the time, would you mind attending?" Evans was the president of the Royal Coffee Academy and one of the world's top baristas. She and Evans had planned the academy's establishment together. Their original vision was to create a place where anyone passionate about coffee could come to learn and train. They hadn't expected it to morph into a popular finishing school for socialites to burnish their credentials, which was why Evans had limited the advanced barista certification to just ten spots, reserving them for those with genuine talent. Hearing that Evans was on his way to present Situ Qingshan with her certificate, a small smile played on Mu Xia's lips. "What a coincidence. I happen to be going there myself…" When Evans heard Mu Xia would be there, his face lit up. "That's wonderful! The students will be thrilled to know they're meeting the founder!" "No." Mu Xia shook her head. "Actually, I was hoping you could keep my identity a secret." "But why?" Evans asked, puzzled. "I have my reasons." "Well, alright. I'm just happy you'll be there." Mu Xia offered a faint smile, saying nothing more. ... After a two-hour flight, the plane touched down at Nanshi Airport. When Mu Xia deplaned, Ye Sijue was already gone. She said her goodbyes to Evans and went to find Situ Hai and the others. They had agreed to meet after landing, but when she reached the arrivals hall, there was no sign of them. Mu Xia waited quietly. She still had value to Situ Hai; he wouldn't just abandon her. Just then, a phalanx of bodyguards in black suits escorted a man in her direction. It was Ye Sijue. Even surrounded by his towering security detail, his height still made him stand out. Passersby caught sight of him, their faces lighting up with awe as they began to buzz about his appearance. "He's so handsome, is he a celebrity?" "No way. If he were a celebrity with looks like that, he'd own the entire entertainment industry. None of these current pop idols would stand a chance." In contrast to the crowd's excitement, Mu Xia's reaction was utterly placid. She spared him only a fleeting glance before looking away, dialing Situ Hai's number. The call was immediately rejected. She didn't have to guess who was behind it—Situ Qingshan. Mu Xinyue, for all her malice, wasn't foolish enough to pull such a transparently petty trick. Situ Qingshan just wanted to see her get flustered and angry from waiting. Fine. She would wait. Mu Xia spotted a small airport lounge pantry nearby and, clutching her water bottle, walked over. But she never expected that the moment she stepped inside, before she could even fill her bottle, the door to the pantry would slam shut with a bang. Mu Xia spun around instinctively, but as she did, she was pinned against the wall by a tall, male figure. Her instincts kicked in, and she was about to execute a shoulder throw when she saw the man's face, and her hands froze. "Mr. Ye?" She blinked in astonishment. "You... what are you..." "Why did you pretend not to know me?" Ye Sijue cut her off, his voice low and dangerous. Mu Xia stared into his eyes, confused. His gaze was like that of a ferocious lion, and it was clear the king of the jungle was enraged. Was he angry because she hadn't greeted him when he walked past? That meant he *did* recognize her. Then why had he acted like a stranger at the airport and ignored her on the plane? A mix of amusement and exasperation washed over Mu Xia. "You're the one who pretended not to know me first," she retorted. "A man as busy as Mr. Ye... how could I dare to bother you?" Mu Xia genuinely had no idea what he was thinking. He remembered her, yet he pretended not to. And if he was going to pretend, why not stick with it? Why suddenly corner her and demand to know why *she* was the one pretending?