Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Unable To Forget Her

While Mu Xia was deep in thought, a few socialites approached her in a friendly manner.

"Young Miss Mu, you look like a really nice person. Shall we be friends?"

"Young Miss Mu, you have such a good figure. Do you mind sharing some tips to keep fit?"

"We should exchange contacts. Since you're now back to Kyoto, we should keep in touch more often."

Those women appeared to look really friendly and seemed to be truly interested in befriending Mu Xia. However, Mu Xia could easily see through their real intentions.

However, she pretended to be ignorant and nodded with an innocent expression. "Sure… I would love to make some friends here."

While the socialites gathered around Mu Xia and chatting with her enthusiastically, Situ Qingshan, who was upstairs, finally woke up.

She saw Mu Xinyue, who was holding her hand tightly, with a worried expression, while Situ Hai looked distracted as if he was not concerned about her at all.

Situ Qingshan's resentment festered at once.

「It's all because of that bitch, Xia, that my dad doesn't love me anymore!」

Feeling aggrieved and frustrated, tears streamed down the woman's face. "Mom… "

"Darling, you've finally woken up! Don't cry, don't cry…" Mu Xinyue comforted her daughter and could feel her heart aching.

After seeing that Situ Qingshan was fine, Situ Hai told the two women that he was going to head back downstairs.

"There are still a lot of guests downstairs. I'll go and entertain them first," the man said.

Before the mother-daughter pair could reply, Situ Hai had already turned around and left.

After the door was shut, Situ Qingshan could no longer contain her frustration and threw a pillow against the door.

"Mom! Just look at dad! I can't stand it anymore! I want Xia to disappear right away!"

Mu Xinyue was also burning with anger. It was supposed to be her darling daughter's birthday party. However, Mu Xia had stolen all the attention instead.

Mu Xinyue took a deep inhale to calm herself down and tried to comfort her daughter instead, "Darling, let's not rush it first. If something bad happens to her right after she returned to the country, your dad would definitely suspect us. As you know, your dad is really chauvinistic and hates it when people don't listen to him. So, you have to be patient and don't act rashly yeah!"

"So what should we do now?" Situ Qingshan covered her face with her hands and started bawling her eyes out. "My birthday party is ruined! Everyone will start making fun of me. Those women's favorite activity is gossiping behind other people's backs!"

Just when Mu Xinyue was about to reply, Nanny Zhenn knocked and entered the room. Holding an envelope in her hand, the nanny exclaimed in delight, "I have great news! Madam Situ, Young Miss Situ, there's another joyous occasion to celebrate!"

Situ Qingshan was not interested in knowing what it was at all and looked away.

"There's absolutely nothing to celebrate, everything is so screwed up! Today is the worst day ever in my entire life!"

「Not to mention that Xia was the center of attention throughout the party, and Qingshan had even fainted in front of everyone! Who knew what those socialites would gossip about?」

Meanwhile, Mu Xinyue remained composed and asked Nanny Zhenn, "What's the good news about? What's that in your hands?"

Nanny Zhenn walked towards them excitedly and explained, "I have just received a document for Young Miss Situ. It has the emblem of the Crown Coffee Academy on it."

"Really?" Mu Xinyue immediately took over the envelope from the nanny.

After opening the envelope and looking at its contents, she tugged on Situ Qingshan's hand excitedly and exclaimed, "Shanshan, it's really good news! You've been the top one in the Socialite Coffee Competition!"

The Socialite Coffee Competition was a competition organized by the top baristas around the world. The winner of the competition would become the ambassador of Midnight Coffee Café, which belonged to the Ye Group.

To be able to take part in the competition was already not easy. Mu Xinyue was over the moon that her daughter had emerged as a contestant of the competition! To her, it was indeed a great honor.

Sharing her mother's excitement, Situ Qingshan had also looked through the document a few times.

Apart from the usual congratulatory words, it was also stated on the document that she had to attend the awarding ceremony held at the International Hotel at Nanshi the following week.

According to tradition, Ye Sijue would also be at the competition to personally announce the new ambassador of Midnight Coffee Café, as well as to give out the awards.

Situ Qingshan suddenly felt energized at that thought.

Mu Xinyue was smiling from ear to ear as she said, "I'm sure you've made an impression on Young Master Ye at the birthday party. When you turn up as the at the competition, I'm sure he will be surprised and see you in a different light."

Situ Qingshan clenched the paper tightly and replied in excitement, "Exactly! Young Master Ye will definitely remember me well. After I officially become the ambassador, those gossipy socialites will naturally have to shut their mouths!"

Not only could she become the center of attention again, but Situ Qingshan was also hoping that she would leave an unforgettable impression on Ye Sijue.

"It's a joyous occasion worthy of celebration indeed!"

Mu Xinyue removed the jade bangle on her wrist and gave it to Nanny Zhenn while saying, "This is your reward for bringing us such great news."

However, Nanny Zhenn refused the gift instinctively. "Madam Situ, I can't take this! All I did was receive the document… This bangle must be worth at least a few hundred thousand?"

Mu Xinyue forced the bangle back into the nanny's hands and said, "Well, this is worth way more than a few hundred thousand! Just take it to any random shop and they will quote a price of at least a million. Of course, other than this being your reward, I'll need your help in something else as well."

A hint of greed flashed across Nanny Zhenn's eyes. Tempted by the offer, she kept the bangle and asked, "What is it that I can help with? Just tell me, Madam Situ, I'll do my best!"

"Help me keep an eye on Xia and report to me whenever you notice any unusual activities on her end!"

"Understood! I'll definitely keep a close watch on that hoyden from the countryside!"

There was a trace of sorrow in Mu Xinyue's eyes when she heard the nanny's words.

「Is Xia really from the countryside?」

Mu Xinyue could not help but wonder as there was no news from the men she had sent and they were still not back yet.

Besides, the address provided by Mu Xia was at South Island, which was certainly not the countryside.

When Mu Xia stated her address, Mu Xinyue did not think much about it. She thought that Mu Xia might have gone to work at South Island as it had been so many years after all.

However, judging by the current circumstances, Mu Xinyue felt that she should investigate in detail what Mu Xia had been up to and where she had been to during these past ten years.

It did not seem possible for a girl who grew up in the countryside to have such a classy demeanor.

At that thought, Mu Xinyue could not help but remind her daughter, "Shanshan, mom thinks that Xia is not as simple as she seems. Before I come up with a plan, don't do anything rash yeah? We should lie low and avoid any complications for the time being."

"I know, I know."

Even though Situ Qingshan agreed, she did not think that her mom's concerns were warranted.

「Apart from inheriting her mom's good looks, she's probably just a countryside bumpkin. How threatening can she be?

She can't possibly have also inherited her mom's intelligence?」

To Situ Qingshan, intelligence and talents were a result of nurture and not nature.

Situ Qingshan was good at arts and had a good reputation in the socialite's circle. Besides, her achievements so far were attained after spending huge amounts of money on various classes and training.

As such, the woman found it ridiculous at the notion that she had to be cautious of a countryside bumpkin.

What happened was just the result of a one-off miscalculation on her part.

"Mom, I have an idea. I want to invite Xia to attend the competition with me so that she would realize that we are worlds apart and feel bad about herself."

After giving it some thought, Mu Xinyue agreed that it might be a good idea.

"Sure. Let's ask both Xia and your dad to go. That will make your dad see that you are the more valuable daughter between you and Xia!"

The mother-daughter pair were getting excited at the thought of Mu Xia being utterly humiliated at the competition.

After all, looks alone would not be sufficient for a countryside bumpkin to gain a foothold in Kyoto.