She is mine!

"S-Second... Second Master!"

"Second Brother? Why are you here?"

The two people in the side parlor looked toward the doorway simultaneously.

One wore a look of terror, while the other let out an obvious sigh of relief.

Mu Qing smiled without a word.

He walked straight over to Mu Qingcheng, bent down, and brought his eyes level with hers.

As if examining a piece of art, he looked at her for a long while before speaking with a hint of surprise, "Qingcheng, it's only been a few days, but you seem to have improved a lot."

"Really?"

Mu Qingcheng blinked her eyes, looking surprised and completely unaware.

Only she knew the truth in her heart right now—she hadn't recovered particularly well; it was simply because...

The poison had been cleared.

"Mhm, you really have recovered quite well. Second Brother can finally rest easy. Remember to let Eldest Brother know when you have time; he was quite worried about you before he left."

"Okay, I got it."

Mu Qingcheng nodded obediently, looking like an irresistibly cute little kitten.

It was a far cry from the cold demeanor she had just shown Qin Beichu.

In truth, she didn't utterly despise Qin Beichu.

It was simply that when you clearly knew what someone's intentions were toward you, and you yourself had no intention of reciprocating whatsoever, you must never drag things out.

A crisp, clean rejection and keeping your distance was the greatest respect you could show the other person.

Mu Qingcheng simply hadn't expected Qin Beichu to be so stubbornly persistent.

At this moment, she had no inkling of the real reason why Qin Beichu could continue to approach her with such "boundless confidence"...

What on earth it actually was.

Meanwhile, Mu Qing sat down to the side, and the atmosphere instantly turned gloomy.

Mu Qingcheng didn't mind at all. Like a lazy cat draped over the arm of the sofa, she listlessly played with the tassel hanging from the throw pillow.

Qin Beichu, however, was sitting on pins and needles.

This was not only because the two siblings of the Mu family were "unfriendly" toward him, but also because of the time he had bumped into Mu Qing previously...

Word had it that Mu Qing had checked into the hospital bright and early the very next day.

Qin Beichu wasn't sure if this incident had anything to do with him, but he was certain he didn't have the courage to ask.

The Second Master's health was notoriously delicate; he had no idea what madness had possessed him that day to do something so terrifying.

If Mu Qing had suffered any mishap at that time, he probably wouldn't even have been able to walk out... of the Mu family's front gates.

However, just as Qin Beichu was racking his brains and finally thought of a topic to converse with Mu Qingcheng, a maid suddenly appeared at the doorway of the side parlor.

Looking in this direction, she respectfully said, "Fifth Miss, a young lady named Chu Bai is here to see you. Would you... like to see her?"

"Chu Bai?"

Mu Qingcheng couldn't imagine what business she could possibly have coming to see her, though she suddenly recalled the last time Chu Bai had sought her out...

It had been to inform her that Si Qingchen was injured.

*Could it be related to him again...*

"Where is she?"

"Outside the door, Miss Chu didn't come in."

"I'll go with you."

"Alright."

The maid nodded and stepped aside to wait.

After exchanging pleasantries with the two men, Mu Qingcheng stood up and walked toward the entrance.

...

On the other side.

After Mu Qingcheng left, Mu Qing's expression suddenly turned icy.

He looked at the young man sitting across from him and said, trying to keep his tone as gentle as possible, "Young Master Qin, Qingcheng has no romantic interest in you. Let her go."

Yet, to Mu Qing's absolute astonishment, the moment those words left his mouth, the once gentle and suave top campus hunk Qin also abruptly changed his expression.

His icy gaze inched bit by bit onto Mu Qing's face, staring intently. After locking eyes with him for a long moment, he finally spoke.

He tried his best to lower his volume, yet he could not mask the hint of madness leaking from his bones.

"She is mine. None of you can take her away. The woman I have set my sights on can only belong to me alone."

With that, Qin Beichu suddenly stood up and walked out without looking back.

Leaving Mu Qing sitting there all by himself.

At that moment, when he recalled the momentary flash of expression on the young man's face, an uncontrollable layer of cold sweat broke out across his back.