Mu Xia nudged Ye Sijue. "Look, whatever this is... let me go. We can't be seen like this." But Ye Sijue seemed not to hear her, his gaze lowered, studying her eyes intently. Her eyes, clear as a mountain stream, yet as unreadable as the deep sea. In them, he found no fear, no flattery—only genuine confusion. She treated him as if he were just anyone. Just anyone... How long had it been since he'd been treated like that? "Are you angry? Because I didn't recognize you at the airport?" Mu Xia scoffed. "I'm not angry." *Why would I be?* Her answer, however, was met with silence from Ye Sijue. He couldn't quite pinpoint the emotion churning within him. After a moment of tense quiet, Ye Sijue abruptly released her and took a step back. "Why are you in Nanshi? Are you following me? Because I haven't given you my answer yet?" "Stalk you? Please, I don't have that kind of time. I could get a lot done in the time it would take to follow you around. And what answer do I need from you?" Mu Xia pursed her lips, and then, a second later, she remembered what Ye Sijue had said at the end of her birthday party. Her eyes widened, and she wrapped her arms around herself. "You can't still be thinking about that joke I made, can you?" "I told you, jokes often hide the truth. I'm still considering it. Don't be impatient." "Ha?" Mu Xia tilted her head, a smirk playing on her lips. "I seriously want to crack your head open and see if you've got anything but mush for brains." Ye Sijue's expression remained flat. "I should be saying that to you." "What on earth are you talking about..." Just then, Mu Xia's phone rang. She answered it, and Situ Hai's voice boomed through the receiver. "Mu Xia, where in the world did you go? You've kept your sister waiting for so long!" *Waiting?* She hadn't seen hide nor hair of Situ Qingshan. Mu Xia’s voice instantly shifted, laced with a feigned grievance. "It's my first time on a plane... I got a little turned around. I'm so sorry, Dad. Where are you? I'll come find you." "Find an airport employee. We're at the information desk." "Okay, Dad, I'll be right there." Mu Xia hung up, the meek act vanishing the moment she ended the call. She waved her phone at Ye Sijue. "That was my dad. I have to go. And one last time, it was a joke! You don't need to 'consider' anything!" With that, Mu Xia turned and started to walk away. She had only taken two steps, however, when Ye Sijue's questioning voice came from behind her. "What is your relationship with your family?" Mu Xia didn't understand the question. She turned back. "Family is... family." "I don't think they see you as family," Ye Sijue stated, his face unreadable. "What makes you say that?" "My assistant told me. After boarding, you were the only one not in first class." "Oh, that..." Mu Xia laughed. "My relationship with them is a bit complicated. I was lost ten years ago and was only recently reunited with them. Besides, I don't care about first class or any of that." Ye Sijue opened his mouth as if to say more, but then seemed to think better of it. Instead, he simply held out a gold-stamped business card. "If you need anything, call me. Or, bring this card to the Ye Corporation and ask for me." "That's not necessary..." Mu Xia raised a hand to refuse, but Ye Sijue forcefully pressed the card into her palm, then turned and left the lounge without another word. Mu Xia glanced down at the card. Emblazoned on it were the words "President, Ye Corporation." *Was he showing off?* The company Mu Xia had started abroad wasn't as massive as the Ye Corporation, but it was well-respected in its own right. She raised her hand to toss the card, but stopped halfway. Just as Ye Sijue had said, what if she really did need his help? After all, Jingdu wasn't her turf yet. With that thought, Mu Xia slipped the card into her pocket and walked out of the lounge. When she reached the information desk, Situ Hai's expression was bordering on fury. He was clearly tired of waiting. "Don't you dare make your sister late for her ceremony," he snapped. "You can't afford the consequences!" Beside him, Mu Xinyue spoke in a gentle tone. "There's still plenty of time, we won't be late for the ceremony. I was just worried you'd get lost, Mu Xia, being in an unfamiliar place. Look at your sister, she was so worried when she couldn't find you at the exit that she started crying." Mu Xia looked at Situ Qingshan and, sure enough, her eyes were red and shimmering with tears. "It's okay... sister," she sobbed. "I'm just glad you're back." Mu Xia’s gaze dropped, catching the red, angry marks on Situ Qingshan's thigh, just below the hem of her dress. Marks that looked suspiciously like they'd been pinched. *To get a rise out of Situ Hai, my dear sister isn't afraid to hurt herself.* Sensing Mu Xia’s stare, Situ Qingshan instinctively pulled her hand down to cover her leg. Mu Xia looked away as if she'd seen nothing. Without a word of defense, she turned to Situ Hai, her face a mask of self-reproach. "I'm so sorry, Dad. I made you worry. From now on, I'll make sure to sit with you all, so this doesn't happen again." At her words, Situ Hai was reminded that his whole family had been upgraded to first class, leaving Mu Xia to sit alone in economy. "Ahem..." He cleared his throat, the anger draining out of him. "Fine, let's just go. If we don't leave now, we really will be late." "Okay," Mu Xia said, her head bowed. She looked remarkably meek and obedient, even proactively helping Mu Xinyue and the others with their luggage. Situ Hai's temper quickly subsided. But the incident solidified a thought in his mind: his newly returned eldest daughter was indeed a bit unpresentable. Perhaps he should continue to focus his attention on Situ Qingshan. Soon enough, Situ Qingshan was back in her father's good graces. Situ Hai booked a hotel near the ceremony venue and gave the only suite he had reserved to her. Inside the room, Situ Qingshan was beaming as she spoke to Mu Xinyue. "My plan worked perfectly, didn't it, Mom?" Mu Xinyue's expression, however, remained strained. "I told you not to do things behind my back!" she said, her brow furrowed. Seeing her mother was genuinely upset, Situ Qingshan took her hand and coaxed, "Oh, Mom, don't be angry... It all worked out for the best, didn't it?" Mu Xinyue thought of how Situ Hai had relegated Mu Xia to the cheapest room in the hotel, and her expression softened slightly. She tapped Situ Qingshan on the nose. "You cunning little thing. Next time, you tell me before you pull any stunts." "Don't worry, Mom. Besides, I don't think Mu Xia is nearly as tough as you made her out to be. I bet she's stewing in her room right now, feeling completely miserable!" Mu Xinyue, however, fell silent. Anyone else framed like that would have raised hell. But Mu Xia hadn't said a word. She'd taken the blame and immediately tried to smooth things over. That meant one thing— Mu Xia was patient. And the more patient someone is, the more devastating their retaliation. "Listen to me, sweetie," Mu Xinyue said, her tone serious. "I've been thinking. Today, all you need to do is accept your award gracefully. Don't say anything else. We can wait until we understand her completely before we make another move." "I know, Mom," Situ Qingshan agreed obediently, though inwardly, she wasn't concerned at all.