So, it was just the three of them at home.
Huanhuan happily ate the breakfast her dad had cooked, and Mu Yichen came out of the kitchen with the last plate, gently setting it down with a smile directed at his daughter.
Qin Mu actually thought this man was elegant, though he wasn’t the type to be considered elegant. He seemed more like a major demon, the kind that’s dark, unyielding, and overbearing.
But now, he had prepared breakfast for her and her daughter and was serving them so attentively.
After breakfast, he took Huanhuan back to the Mu Family, and she went to work, then received an email.
She didn’t open her phone to read it carefully until she had arrived at the office. As she sat down, she saw it was from Mu Yichen.
The few lines above were splendid and succinct, fully conveying his message.
"The ring was originally non-refundable and non-exchangeable, but if you want to return it, you can."
"My daughter stays with me, and from now on, you are not allowed to see her, not even once!"
"If you can do that, come to my office in the morning to sign the agreement, and remember to bring the ring."
"If you can’t, please move back to the Mu Family immediately. Your man isn’t used to staying out all the time."
After reading, Qin Mu’s brows involuntarily furrowed. What did he mean by this?
Oh, his intentions were clear enough!
She burst into laughter out of frustration. He wasn’t agreeing to her returning the ring; he was clearly forcing her to move back to the Mu Family.
But the Mu Family didn’t want her.
So she logged into her email and sent him a reply.
"Mr. Mu, first, Huanhuan is my daughter, not yours! Second, I do not accept any ultimatums."
She clicked send, then began working!
Mu Yichen was about to go to a meeting when his phone beeped. He looked down to open the email and saw her reply. The few words weren’t very satisfying, but still he couldn’t help but let out a laugh,
The sky was a brilliant blue, everything in this city so wonderful and vivid.
"The ultimatum officially begins!"
Qin Mu was afraid of his threats, because his were not like anyone else’s.
Jian Yan finally returned from Beijing, and was lucky enough to hear Xiaomei chatter about her experiences in Austria.
"Those people were all so pretentious, but then... hehe!"
"What happened next?"
Jian Yan asked curiously, involuntarily glancing at Qin Mu.
"Why do you ask Qinqin and not me, Master?" Xiaomei was hurt.
"You were the one talking all along," Jian Yan responded helplessly.
"It’s best if she tells this story, but Xiaomei, are you sure you want to talk about this kind of matter with the master?"
Xiaomei then remembered that it really might not be appropriate to talk about.
But in the end, she still told Jian Yan about it, though he seemed somewhat displeased: "Next time, I won’t be involving you two girls in such matters."
"Actually, it’s not that bad, they were just open-minded about sex, very friendly, it wasn’t coercion," she explained.
Jian Yan was still worried, and then subconsciously looked at Qin Mu: "Come to my office with me."
Qin Mu was sitting on the couch, staring dumbfounded at the email when she heard Jian Yan call her. She thought she’d heard wrong and instinctively turned to Xiaomei, whispering, "What did Master say?"
"He wants you to go to his office with him," Xiaomei said gloomily before sitting down on the couch, looking aggrieved.
When Qin Mu closed the door to the office and saw Jian Yan standing by the window lighting a cigarette, she immediately had a bad feeling.
He smoked only when he was very confused.
"What’s wrong, Master?"
"What’s going on between you and Mu Yi?"
After hearing this, Qin Mu immediately lowered her head, not knowing how to answer.
"Is it because the Jing Family is pressuring you?"
Seeing that she didn’t respond, Jian Yan took another drag on his cigarette, his forehead creasing as his thumb pressed hard against the center of his brows.
"I’ve been regretting it lately, wondering if I should have asked you to come back to China?"
He lowered his head, speaking solemnly.
His almond-shaped eyes, usually so calm, seemed to ripple like a stone had been thrown into a still pond, but they soon settled back to their characteristic tranquility.
"Master, this has nothing to do with you, it’s my own issue."
"But if I hadn’t encouraged you to return, to be with him—Qin Mu, if you’re really unhappy here, let’s go back to Paris."
She unconsciously asked herself, did she still want to go back to Paris?
"I’ll go back soon, think it over for yourself. As for the studio here, I can send someone else to take over, or I can just shut it down."
He always spoke as if he had thought everything through, composed and logical. She was used to following his wishes, but this time, her heart was rebelliously disinclined to comply.
Latter, Jian Yan went to his new office, the one everyone had set up for him recently. Qin Mu stood in front of the glass screen, gazing out at the distant mountains and waters through the window.