অধ্যায় ১৬১: এমন কী আছে যা তুমি করতে সাহস করো না?

“র’m I dare?”

Just a few words, and Chi Mo had no intention of saying more, but his tone was laced with distinct sarcasm.

Chi’s father was genuinely infuriated. Gritting his back teeth, he demanded, “What is there that you wouldn't dare do?”

Chi Mo raised an eyebrow and remained silent.

Chi’s mother had already finished reading through all the documents, and she couldn't help praising, “As expected of my daughter-in-law, she is truly exceptional!”

Chi’s father was still burning with anger, but upon hearing this, his attention was immediately diverted. He looked at his wife in utter bafflement.

Seeing that she was still holding her phone and staring at something on the screen, a realization suddenly struck him—the documents about that young woman must be right there on the phone!

Not caring about anything else, he lunged forward and snatched the phone from Chi’s mother's hand. Sure enough, he saw the documents, and even a photograph of the young woman.

“This? This girl…” Chi’s father looked at Chi Mo with some astonishment, but without speaking, his gaze conveyed everything.

*Have we seen this girl before?*

Chi Mo raised his eyebrow once more, offering no response.

Chi’s father was slightly irritated, but figuring he could surely glean something from the documents, he didn't waste any time and immediately flipped back to the very top to start reading.

“So, what do you plan to do next?” Chi’s mother had no mood to wait for Chi’s father to finish reading; instead, she looked at her son with a sense of eager anticipation.

This time, Chi Mo did not try to keep them in suspense. He replied quite calmly, “I recently started a collaboration with her, and we’ll gradually get to know each other more from now on. You can’t rush these things, and besides, she is probably completely unaware of her own background.”

Chi’s mother looked at her son with a gossipy glint in her eyes, asking with great interest, “Then right now, is your sense of responsibility heavier, or do you genuinely think this girl is wonderful? From what I see, this young lady is not only exceptional and gorgeous, but she also has a great figure. She is the literal definition of what people call a goddess.”

Chi Mo: “……”

The corner of his mouth twitched, and he chose not to reply.

By this time, Chi’s father had also nearly finished reading the documents.

While reading, he had kept his ears perked, unwilling to miss a single word they said.

It wasn't until he had gone through every single document that he finally raised his head to look at Chi Mo.

“Do you even need to ask what to do next? Quickly notify her parents about this! If Old Shu finds out, he’ll probably go crazy with joy. I’m calling them right this second.”

Seeing that Chi’s father was genuinely about to take out his phone, Chi Mo immediately intervened, “Wait, not yet.”

“Why?”

……

Back in the country.

At this moment, Mu Yinyin and Wan Yu were sitting opposite each other inside a cafe.

They were seated in a private booth, which made talking quite convenient.

Wan Yu sized up the person in front of her. Seeing that a faint trace of worry still lingered in her eyes, Wan Yu frowned slightly and said, “Even though things haven't completely reached your expected timeline yet, at the very least, everything is going smoothly. You can’t rush things when it comes to Nan Shiqing.”

Mu Yinyin snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head with a smile, “Naturally, I know that. I’m not feeling down because of this. If they were dealt a crushing blow too quickly, it wouldn't bring the true pleasure of revenge. It’s always better to let them live in a state of constant panic.”

Wan Yu raised an eyebrow, perplexed, “Since it’s not because of that, why do you still look so full of worry?”

“Do I?” Mu Yinyin couldn't help but chuckle, “I was just thinking about some things a moment ago. It’s not like anything is going wrong. Wan Jie, you really don't need to worry about me.”

“I do worry. How can I not worry about you?” As she spoke, Wan Yu couldn't help letting out a sigh. She picked up her coffee, took a sip, looked at the woman before her, and said helplessly, “Look at you, the way you are right now simply won't do. You’re always by yourself, and I just can't find it in me to let go and stop worrying. Look at Lu Sinian, he’s quite good, and he still constantly has you on his mind. Why don't you consider him?”

By the end of her sentence, the matchmaking intent in Wan Yu's eyes could no longer be contained—she was definitely not joking.

Mu Yinyin felt a sudden urge to cry without tears, “I just got a divorce, and I haven't even fully crawled out of my last graveyard yet. Are you sure you want to push me into a second one?”

“How could a second one possibly be a graveyard? It’s a path to victory.” Wan Yu frowned in disagreement. Seeing that Mu Yinyin was about to say something else, she immediately cut in again, “I genuinely investigated Lu Sinian. He isn't as terrifying as you imagine, nor are all wealthy and powerful people cold-blooded like Fu Siyye. He’s only cold-blooded toward people he doesn't care about. Lu Sinian’s character is truly trustworthy. Trust me, Jie’s eye for people has always been accurate. Surely you aren't doubting that?”

Mu Yinyin helplessly shook her head, “How could I ever doubt you? It’s just that I simply cannot bring myself to consider a second relationship anymore.”

Wan Yu’s intuition had always been exceptionally sharp; most of the time, she only needed a single glance to figure out what kind of person someone was.

Back then.

When Mu Yinyin was determined to marry Fu Siyye, Wan Yu had exerted a tremendous amount of effort to try and stop her, but… in the end, it was all for naught.

Mu Yinyin still married him.

However, after the marriage, Wan Yu wasn't the type to constantly pour cold water on her; instead, she helped her brainstorm ways to make Fu Siyye fall in love with her. But ultimately…

It all came to nothing.

At the time, Wan Yu had actually foreseen this outcome, but she didn't want Mu Yinyin to fall into utter despair. Moreover, a dead heart can only truly heal through Mu Yinyin herself—after all, they were already married, and she couldn't very well urge her to get a divorce right away.

If.

What if she had actually misjudged the situation? Wan Yu had clung to that thought back then, but alas…

Wan Yu let out a sigh and said, “There's truly no need to use the past as a reference point for the future, because people are different. You have to admit that much, right?”

Mu Yinyin smiled faintly, “I know that people are different. It’s just that I don't want to invest my experiences into relationships anymore. Love is fundamentally a high-stakes gamble; if you lose, you end up bruised and battered all over. I’m just too tired.”

Wan Yu furrowed her brow slightly, and just as she was about to retort, Mu Yinyin spoke up again, “Besides, I’m already a divorcee. If I were to remarry, I’d be entering a second marriage. Lu Sinian has never been married before—wouldn't I just be dragging him down and taking advantage of an innocent man?”

“What are you afraid of? Even if it’s a second marriage, your chastity remains completely intact.” Wan Yu shrugged indifferently, “Besides, so what if you're a divorcee? You’re a good woman. It was Fu Siyye who didn't know how to cherish you. Why should that mistake be held against you?”

Mu Yinyin: “……”

For a moment, she genuinely had no idea how to refute Wan Yu.

Ever since her divorce, whenever the two of them chatted, Wan Yu would bring this up, leaving her both amused and exasperated.

Wan Yu helplessly set down her coffee cup, looking at Mu Yinyin with a mixture of exasperation and high expectations as she said, “Look at you, just look at you—how can you be so dense? Didn't you already tell Lu Sinian about it? Doesn't he not mind? If he doesn't mind at all, what on earth are you minding?”

Mu Yinyin twitched the corner of her lips, “It’s different. Besides, who can guarantee what the future holds? If this becomes a barrier between us later on and I end up getting divorced a second time, then I’d truly be better off never marrying at all.”