Chapter 23: An Inauspicious Beginning

At this moment, Sinan and Sibei had both fallen silent. The two men stood side by side, watching their boss, who, for the first time ever, took the initiative to greet a young lady. They were deeply shocked. Yet, with perfect tacit understanding, they both averted their eyes, not daring to watch any longer.

As a result, the man who had just been scolded by Sinan once again became the focus of their attention. They turned together, their imposing figures forming a mountainous wall. Even alone, each of them exuded a suffocating sense of oppression; together, a mere glance was enough to steal the breath from one’s lungs. Especially now, as both men glared menacingly, the man before them was instantly thrown into panic, cold sweat drenching his body, trembling so hard he couldn’t utter a single coherent word.

On the other side, Si Qingchen merely clasped Mu Qingcheng’s hand lightly, then let go almost immediately. He was disciplined, courteous, not overstepping in the slightest. He even kept his gaze restrained, not casting her a single scrutinizing or inquisitive glance. His impeccable manners, almost to the point of severity, caused Mu Qingcheng’s eyes to light up with surprise.

But soon, she forcefully suppressed that fleeting thought. Given her identity and current circumstances, a man, to her, was nothing but a luxury—and, worse still, might become a burden.

“Do not take interest in any man! Do not let your heart be moved by any man!” Mu Qingcheng swiftly collected herself, just as she heard Si Qingchen speak again.

“Miss Mu, your clothes are dirty.”

“…Hmm?” At his words, Mu Qingcheng instinctively glanced at him, only to see his eyes flick briefly to her left side as he spoke gently, “Your shoulder.”

Her gaze followed, and at last she saw three dark fingerprints clearly marked on the white riding jacket.

With a sigh, Mu Qingcheng exhaled in resignation, raising her fair fingers to brush at the marks, but it was useless. Beneath the dark-framed glasses, her brows were slightly knitted, and the firm line of her lips betrayed her displeasure.

Si Qingchen glanced impassively at her slender wrist; his fingers in his pocket rubbed together before he spoke again. “I’ll have someone send you a new set of clothes as an apology, Miss Mu.”

“Thank you, Young Master Si, but there’s no need. It’s nothing. Goodbye.”

Mu Qingcheng seemed unwilling to linger. She nodded briefly, then stepped around the tall, upright man and continued toward the center of the arena. By now, the competition was likely about to begin. She was genuinely curious about what kind of surprise that Miss Ran had prepared for her.

Meanwhile, Sinan and Sibei stopped again, dumbfounded as they watched their boss get rejected. For a moment, they didn’t know how to react. The eldest young master of the Si family, pursued and courted by the entirety of the capital—indeed, by the whole nation—had met with unexpected defeat. His first attempt to approach a young lady, and he was so easily turned away.

Even more astonishing, the girl was an obscure figure, with looks that could scarcely be called remarkable. It was almost impossible to believe, even if told as a story.

But before Sinan and Sibei could gauge their boss’s mood, Sibei’s phone suddenly rang. After ending the call, Sibei stepped forward and said, “Boss, we’ve found them.”

Si Qingchen finally looked up, his expression as imperturbable as ever. He nodded slightly. “Let’s go have a look.”

Just before they departed, he suddenly patted Sinan’s shoulder and said, “Deal with this man. And… find a new riding outfit and send it to Miss Mu.”

“…Understood, boss.”