Into Mu's home

  On a fine and sunny day, Qin Xiao took Mu Chenyuan's arm and openly entered the Mu residence.

  From then on, he moved into the Mu family mansion.

  After many years of underground work, I can finally see the sunlight. What a qualitative leap! Indeed, one must pay attention to the accumulation of quantity, and the change in quantity leads to a change in quality.

  That day, Qin Xiao wore a cloud-patterned brocade coat, which was specially handmade. Normally she didn't wear this fabric because the elegant and noble air it gave off wasn't suitable for her yet. Mainly because Mu Chenhui said that the older women in their household all liked this fabric. In the past, she liked wearing clothes with clear lines, looking neat and capable. Now, she couldn't wear those anymore.

  Who would have thought that as soon as I entered the door, I bumped into someone similar.

  "Hey, Chenyin, is this woman really carrying your child? How can our Mu family allow a woman like her to enter our home?"

  Hmph. Qin Xiao wasn't annoyed; aren't all the ladies of wealthy families like this? A bit sharp-tongued, a bit venomous. Men dislike women like this the most.

  "Auntie, you know the phrase 'entering the hall and entering the house', which means that learning progresses from shallow to deep, step by step, to reach a higher level. Although I graduated from a famous foreign university, but in this mansion's learning, there is indeed room for further improvement. When the time comes, please don't hesitate to teach me!"

  Qin Xiao had a smile on his face and respectfully said to the woman.

  The woman's name was Xu Tingxia. She was Mu Chenyuan's aunt and the stepmother of Mu Chenyuan's elder brother, Mu Chenzhe.

  Xu Tingxia is not a lady from a good family, nor is she a cultured woman. She was matched with Mu Chenzhe's father for a period of time and was an honest and down-to-earth person. So she thought she could rely on luck to marry into a wealthy family.

  After all, as one gets older, they just want to find something stable and secure.

  Qin Xiao's words were like a slap in her face, hitting exactly where it hurt.

  "You—" Xǔ Tíngxiá was unhappy now, just about to say something, saw someone coming, and quickly shut up. She was extremely afraid of this person.

  The newcomer was Mu Chen Zhe: "Chen Yi, is this your younger sister?" Then he stretched out his hand: "Hello."

  Qin Xiao reached out and shook hands: "I've long admired General Mu's great name."

  Mu Chenzhe gives people a feeling of being very steady, with a moderate pace. This is quite different from Mu Chenxuan, who has a strong aura and the kind of uninhibitedness that comes with youth.

  It can be said that Mu Chen Zhe is more suitable for the officialdom, smooth and steady. While Mu Chen Hui is more suitable for business, bold and decisive.

  Someone said: "Everyone sit down, don't stand."

  Only after everyone had sat down did Qin Xiao dare to sit down. This was the rule of thumb for such gatherings, and since his own status was unclear, it was better to be more cautious.

  "A cough." A muffled cough came from somewhere, and Qin Xiao slightly searched for the source of the sound.

  He was an old man with a head full of white hair. His body had become very thin, and he sat in a wheelchair. But his eyes were still sharp and fierce.

  This is probably the most important corner of the Mu family - Old Man Mu.

  This man had been in the hall for a long time, and yet Qin Xiao didn't notice Mr. Mu's presence despite the large room. It seems that he also took those words to heart just now.

  This is not quite right. Since he agreed to let his eldest son marry that penniless, background-less and uncultured Xu Xiating, he should not dislike her. What Qin Xiao just said was practically a veiled insult.

  "Grandpa Mu is well." Qin Xiao asked respectfully.

  People's first impressions are deeply rooted. If what happened earlier left a bad impression on him, then Qin Xiao could only try his best to make up for it.

  Mr. Mu remained silent, but Wen Yun smiled and said, "The old master has arrived."

  Then everyone followed suit and asked after the old man.

  Mu Chenzhe walked to his wheelchair: "Grandpa looks more spirited lately." Mu Chenzhe had taken over the old man's work long ago, and the prosperity of the Mu Department Store in recent years was all thanks to him.

  Mu Chenhui also walked over: "How's Grandpa been lately?"

  "Before you ask me, Chenyuan, I'll ask you first. Is this girl your wife?" said Mu Lao, pointing at Qin Xiao.

  "Yes, grandfather. She is still pregnant with your little great-grandchild."

  Upon hearing this, Old Man Mu carefully sized up Qin Xiao.

  As people age, especially those with good material conditions, they become more spiritually lonely and want to find someone to accompany them. The younger generation they worked hard to raise for most of their lives becomes the biggest source of worry, hoping they are doing well and staying healthy.

  If Qin Xiaosheng has this child, the Mu family will become four generations under one roof. Originally, the marriage problems of these two grandchildren were already a headache for him.

  "Girl, come with me to the study."

  Qin Xiao immediately responded to Old Master Mu's summons, which was an imperial decree. Then he walked to his wheelchair and proactively pushed the old master's wheelchair.

  Following the old man's instructions, I arrived at the study.

  The people in the living room were shocked, as Old Master's study was usually off-limits to others and it was impossible for someone unimportant like him to be seen. Xu Xiating was furious, her teeth itching with rage, while Wen Yun remained smiling but silent.

  "Wen Yun, you really are going to let this woman into our family's door." Xu Xiating whispered a sentence in Wen Yun's ear.

  "Sister-in-law, why not? This is my most favorite daughter-in-law." Wen Yun raised an eyebrow, she had always been disdainful of Xu Xiating who fawned on her every day and never looked up to her.

  "Ke Chen Huan said a few years ago..."

  Before she could say anything, Wen Yun stopped her: "Sister-in-law, if you mention that matter again, you'll have to bear the consequences." Then she stood up, didn't even glance at Xu Xiatian, and left directly.

  ——————————————————————————————————

  The old man's legs and feet are inconvenient, so his family specially vacated a study on the first floor for him. The rest of the people's studies are all on the second floor.

  Qin Xiao closed the door of the study and took a look around the room.

  "Ah, Ah-ying, what's gotten into you?" The old man spoke in a surprisingly gentle tone.

  "It seems that this study, apart from you, is rarely accessible to anyone."

  Just now, the old master told Qin Xiao to enter the study room. Everyone's expression changed obviously. Especially Xu Xiating's look, it was really enough. The most important thing is that Mu Chenhui and Mu Chenzhe also flashed their eyes.

  "It's my great honor that you allowed me to come in today."

  "Alright, let's get straight to the point. This Mu family, even if you join now, you'll eventually leave in the future." The old man went directly to the topic.

  "Then let's just enter your Mu family for now. First, deal with the things in front of us, as for what happens later, there are too many variables, who can decide? I hope you don't mind me saying this." Qin Xiao actually knew that she couldn't stay at the Mu family for long, after all, she and Mu Chenyuan were only tied together by a child, and the Mu family was willing to give her face because of this child. However, if she could get Mu Chenyuan's love, maybe she could stay a little longer.

  "Don't think that Chenyuan's child will fall in love with you."

  The old man spoke as if he could see through Qin Xiao's thoughts at this moment.

  "Maybe, but who knows for sure. Still, I'd like to ask you why?"

  "Because your surname is Qin, you're called Qin Xiao."

  Qin Xiao heard this ambiguous answer, smiled and didn't say anything. Old Master Mu didn't seem like the kind of person who liked to joke around, so these seemingly absurd words were probably the most important reason.

  After the conversation ended, Qin Xiao left the study and saw Mu Chenhui in the living room, also forgetting to greet him.

  She has been thinking about those words all this time:

  Is it because I'm surnamed Qin and called Qin Xiao?

  What a good reason, years later, she even more so nodded in approval of this remark.