Chapter 9 Call Her Sister-in-Law

Sheng Jiao seemed to have said something, but Mu Jingyan gave no reaction. She pouted in complaint and then, turning her head, locked eyes with Tong Tong.

Almost instantly, Tong Tong clearly saw the shock in Sheng Jiao's eyes.

Xiaoxun looked over and, recognizing Tong Tong, quickly ordered someone to prepare a meal for her.

"Madam, please sit over here."

At the address "Madam," the expression on Sheng Jiao's face was almost uncontrollable.

"What did you just call her?!"

She asked Xiaoxun incredulously.

Unaware of any problem, Xiaoxun introduced her, "Miss Sheng Jiao, this is Tong Tong, Mr. Mu's wife."

Sheng Jiao looked at Tong Tong, and jealousy and anger almost set her ablaze inside.

The new wife Mu Jingyan married was her?!

Thinking about how Tong Tong was just someone she bullied at school, and now she had married the man Sheng Jiao most wanted to marry, Sheng Jiao wished she could just chase Tong Tong out then and there.

"Brother Jingyan, how could you marry someone like her?! A woman who's been kept by some old man—don't be fooled. Maybe she was abandoned by her keeper and that's why she schemed to get close to you!"

Hearing this, Tong Tong instinctively looked towards Mu Jingyan, wanting to explain.

The man's face was cold and expressionless, as calm as if watching a farce.

Seeing Mu Jingyan's lack of reaction, Sheng Jiao angrily grabbed a bag from a servant's hand and threw it at Tong Tong's face.

"People like you are just after money, right? This bag is certainly not cheaper than that old man's belt—take it and get the hell out of here!"

The buckle chain on the bag struck Tong Tong's face, causing not only physical pain but also a deeper, more hidden agony stemming from her wounded self-esteem.

The bag fell, and she caught it with her hand.

She recognized the logo; even the cheapest one was over half a million. She wanted to hurl the bag back violently, but tightening her grip, she instead handed it gently to the servant beside her.

She still had her grandmother to care for, and the bag was too expensive. If it got damaged, she could never afford it.

Tong Tong, with her head down, said, "Those things are not true; I've never done them."

After speaking, she bowed to Mu Jingyan, "Uncle, thank you for taking me in. I…"

Sheng Jiao held a special place in the Mu Family. Although Tong Tong had signed a contract with Mu Jingyan before, now, between Sheng Jiao and herself, Mu Jingyan would undoubtedly side with Sheng Jiao.

Instead of waiting for Uncle to speak, it might be better for her to take the initiative and leave.

Her voice choked up, and before she could finish, she suddenly felt a warm, large hand gently resting on the top of her head.

"Sheng Jiao, call her sister-in-law."

A simple sentence stunned them both.

Sheng Jiao looked at Mu Jingyan in disbelief, "Brother Jingyan, you must be mistaken!"

Tong Tong was equally incredulous; she abruptly looked up at Mu Jingyan, her large, watery eyes full of shock.

Sheng Jiao refused to call Tong Tong sister-in-law, finding it more embarrassing than being slapped in public.

She didn't utter it, and Mu Jingyan didn't urge her. He lowered his eyes to meet Tong Tong's gaze. Tong Tong had a beautiful face—a beauty that was dazzling at first glance, but it could also make one sink in deeper upon further inspection.

If born in ancient times, she truly deserved the title of a peerless beauty.

Beautiful as she was, her character was sensitive and reserved due to the hardships of life, making her unremarkable.

Mu Jingyan withdrew his gaze; he was uninterested in those who were only beautiful on the outside.

He glanced at the bag in a servant's hand, the same bag Sheng Jiao had used to hit Tong Tong's face hard.

Mu Jingyan told Tong Tong to sit properly at the spot, and the servant quickly served the meal.

"Take this bag away. Since she doesn't like it, there's no need to buy it anymore."

Sheng Jiao was taken aback. What did that mean?

"Brother Jingyan…"

Mu Jingyan didn't speak, but that only made Sheng Jiao more anxious.

She wasn't Mu Jingyan's biological sister, but because her father had a debt of gratitude towards Mu Jingyan, she was sent to be raised by his side.

Today, after Mu Jingyan had said those words, it meant that if she wanted to buy a bag in the future, the Mu Family really wouldn't spend a penny on her.

She gritted her teeth, not understanding what tricks Tong Tong, that vixen, had used to make Mu Jingyan, who disliked women, speak up for her.

Sheng Jiao took a deep breath and, despite how reluctant she was, she didn't want to become disliked by Mu Jingyan because of Tong Tong.

"Sister-in-law."

Tong Tong blinked, and to her surprise, Sheng Jiao actually called her that.

Mu Jingyan: "Focus on eating your meal."

Tong Tong let out a hum and started to eat in small, delicate bites.

Sheng Jiao was seething inside and couldn't eat her breakfast, so she got up to leave.

"Brother Jingyan, I'm going to school now," she said, glancing at Tong Tong and deliberately added, "Do you want to go with me?"

Before Tong Tong could say anything, she continued, "Oh, I forgot, you've been suspended from school, so what's the point of going, right? It was stupid of me to ask."

After saying that, she turned away, satisfied.

Now that Mu Jingyan knew about Tong Tong's indecent behavior, she wanted to see how Tong Tong would explain herself.

Tong Tong sat in her seat, somewhat awkward.

However, Mu Jingyan seemed as if he hadn't heard the exchange at all and, after finishing breakfast, left without inquiring about Tong Tong's affairs.

Xiaoxun followed into the study and, thinking of what Sheng Jiao had said, couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Mu, do you need me to investigate the madam's matters?"

"No need," Mu Jingyan said, his face devoid of much expression.

Xiaoxun didn't understand why Mu Jingyan had helped Tong Tong just now, but now seemed uninterested in her affairs.

In fact, Tong Tong's private matters weren't important to Mu Jingyan at all; he simply found her to be well-behaved and obedient.

Plus, interacting with her didn't give him a strong feeling of aversion, which made it more convenient for him to deal with his grandmother's nagging about marriage.

After breakfast, Tong Tong was about to go upstairs to her room, but she found that Sheng Jiao, who should have already left, was sitting on the couch, her arms crossed, eyeing her with malice.

The servants around had disappeared, leaving the whole living room suddenly empty, with just the two of them.

"You really are capable," Sheng Jiao stood up and stepped toward her.

"What means did you use to cling to Brother Jingyan? This is the Mu Family, not a place for trash like you!"

Tong Tong stood still, "Sheng Jiao, I've always wanted to ask you, why are you always targeting me? I have never provoked you."

She genuinely didn't understand why she, who had no conflict with Sheng Jiao, was constantly targeted by her.

Seeing the puzzled look on Tong Tong's face made Sheng Jiao even angrier.

She valued her status as the campus belle so much and had even gone to lengths to promote herself; after the humiliating defeat and the long period of embarrassment that followed, it turned out that Tong Tong didn't even remember it!

"Tong Tong, let me tell you! This is the Mu Family, and as long as I'm here, you can forget about staying!"

After Sheng Jiao finished speaking and noticed footsteps approaching the door, she curled her lips into a smile and suddenly picked up a vase from the side and smashed it to the ground.

Her action of smashing the vase was too quick for Tong Tong to stop, so she immediately stepped back several paces swiftly.

A bang resounded as the vase shattered on the floor.

Footsteps neared from the doorway, and without looking back, Sheng Jiao sat down on the ground, her face showing a bullied expression as she called out, "Brother Jingyan, help me! She wants to kill me!"

She had already ordered the servants not to come here, so the only person who could come was Mu Jingyan.