chapter 10

A small leak could sink a great ship, much less a business enterprise like Mu Corporation, which had been exposed for having shady practices.

Mu Nuannuan had a bad feeling that things were not over yet for Mu Corporation. Instead, it would be the beginning of an implosion. The company may have gained investment and deals, but at the end of the day, it was the consumers who would make or break it when the products were on the shelf. In the Internet age, one should not underestimate the influence of social media. If anything were to happen to Mu Corporation again, however small it might be, people would rake up the dirt and a boycott could ensue. With so many rivals out there, consumers had choices, and Mu Corporation was nothing.

Realizing what Moo Tingxiao was up to now, Mu Nuannuan felt a chill run up her spine. On the surface, it appeared like Moo Tingxiao was helping Mu Corporation, but his ultimate aim was to destroy it.

…

As soon as the car arrived before the mansion, Mu Nuannuan immediately got out. It was in the middle of winter, and the temperature kept plummeting. Mu Nuannuan was shivering in the chilly wind, her face as pale as a sheet of paper. Upon stepping into the living room, she did not see Moo Tingxiao there.

“Mrs. Moo, the young master is in the study room upstairs,” a bodyguard with a keen eye said. Mu Nuannuan went straight to see Moo Tingxiao.

Moo Tingxiao just got home too and still had his overcoat on. He was running his hand over some books on the shelf when he heard the door open. He looked back and saw Mu Nuannuan, breaking into a faint smile.

“You’re back.” He then continued to search for some books on the shelf.

Mu Nuannuan went up to him and held his arm so that she could see him face to face. Looking him straight in the eye, she spoke very slowly, word by word, “What do you want? What grudge do you hold against Mu Corporation?”

“Your hands are so cold.” Moo Tingxiao had retracted his hand, now holding hers. His large hands were warm—so warm that Mu Nuannuan just wanted to keep it that way and enjoy their warmth. A man like Moo Tingxiao could easily win any woman’s heart with just his words when he let go of his ego.

She cut away from the thought, pulling her hands back and repeating her question, “What grudge do you hold against Mu Corporation?”

“Are you questioning me?” Moo Tingxiao looked at his hands, his expression turning sullen.

“You know what I mean.”

Moo Tingxiao turned around and sank into his chair. “I thought you didn’t care about Mu Corporation anymore since you tipped off a paparazzo to expose the shady practices of their factory.”

She looked at him, shocked beyond words because he apparently knew everything. Moo Tingxiao was pleased with her reaction, his dark eyes looking at her but revealing none of his own emotions.

A long moment later, she heard him speaking in a grim voice, “I can find out everything about you if I want to.”

That meant she was transparent before him. He knew everything she did. It was as if he was threatening her now.

“Is this important to you at all? Is monitoring my every move giving you a sense of accomplishment?”

She raised her voice slightly. In her eyes, Moo Tingxiao was probably a madman. He was treating her like his pet in a cage, monitoring her every action.

“I’m just concerned about you.” He seemed to ignore her stirred emotions as he continued, “If not, how do you think I managed to arrive in time to save you from the kidnappers when Mu Liyan and Mu Wanqi set you up?”

Although Mu Nuannuan was mentally prepared for this, she was struck dumb by what he said. He really knew everything. She felt naked in front of him. He may not have had any ill intent in mind, but he was too possessive.

“Don’t look at me like that. I don’t like it.” Moo Tingxiao suddenly got to his feet. Covering her eyes with his hand, he kissed her on the lips lightly, then said in a voice that was as mellow as old wine, “Just be my good girl and everything will be fine.”

His lips were just as warm as his hands, but they still sent shivers down her spine.

Moo Tingxiao drew her into his arms and ran his large hand through her cascading hair. His voice was hoarse but affectionate. “Don’t worry, I won’t treat you the way I treat them. You’re the one I’m spending my life with. I couldn’t love you more…”

Mu Nuannuan’s body froze, but every cell in her body was screaming to get away from him. After a while, she finally found her voice. “Mu Corporation—”

“Mu Corporation will be fine. Isn’t Mu Sr. still there?”

Moo Tingxiao let go of her, sorting out the messy bangs dangling over her forehead. “Let’s have dinner.”

Mu Sr.? Mu Nuannuan followed Moo Tingxiao down the stairs. Her hand was in his, but her mind had gone elsewhere.

If what Shen Liang told her about the arranged marriage between the Mus and the Moos was anything to go by, Mu Sr. must be a key figure in the entire affair. Mu Sr. had never returned to the country since he moved abroad. Mu Nuannuan had not seen Mu Sr. for over ten years. She had nearly forgotten about her grandfather, remembering only because people kept mentioning him, and Moo Tingxiao just mentioned Mu Sr. So, his purpose was…

When the penny dropped, Mu Nuannuan stopped dead in her tracks, looking at Moo Tingxiao. “You want to use My Corporation to force my grandpa to return to the country?”

“Clever girl.” He looked back at her, pleased with her wittiness.

“What’s your purpose for doing that?”

Was there something behind the arranged marriage between the two families, and this something was important to Moo Tingxiao? Since Moo Tingxiao escaped the kidnapping years ago, he had been staying under the radar. Why? Too many things were unexplained. The more she thought of them, the more confused she became.

Moo Jiachen had been waiting in the dining room, but he did not touch his food before Moo Tingxiao and Mu Nuannuan came. When the two finally entered, hand in hand, he curled his lips, mumbling, “She deserves better.”

While Moo Tingxiao pulled out a chair for Mu Nuannuan, he said to Moo Jiachen without looking at him, “Your teacher told me you’ve been falling behind in your studies. I’ll start sending you to tuition classes.” What a weasel.

“No!” Moo Jiachen’s face changed, and he had to eat his own words. “You two are a perfect match.”

He would rather die than go to tuition classes. He secretly glared at Moo Tingxiao, then turned to look at Mu Nuannuan, all smiles as he fetched her food. “Nuannuan, please eat more of this.”

“Thank you.”

Holding out her bowl to receive the dish from him, she now found herself in the same boat as Moo Jiachen.