Chapter 80: Chapter 80: A Piece of My Heart Feels Empty, Sour, and Bitter
Sheng Xueqin stared at Mu Lan incredulously. Had she gone mad? Standing up for a mere bodyguard?
“Are you trying to make a mountain out of a molehill, using the bodyguard as an excuse to make things difficult for me?”
“Apologize to her, does she even deserve it?”
Yun Xi had not planned to pay attention to Sheng Xueqin’s rude remarks, but the woman was too noisy and it was irritating.
She quickly made her move, pulling down on Sheng Xueqin’s jaw. By the time Sheng Xueqin realized what had happened, her mouth hung open dumbly, her eyes wide with shock, still unable to comprehend what had occurred.
Mu Lan was shocked; she hadn’t expected Yun Xi to act so ruthlessly.
...
“Yun Xi!”
“It’s nothing.”
That simple phrase somehow filled Mu Lan with an inexplicable sense of trust towards Yun Xi.
Sheng Xueqin’s jaw was dislocated; she could barely speak clearly.
“Ah…”
Seeing the way the aristocratic young lady desperately did not want others to see her in this disgraceful state, yet attempted to ask Yun Xi to fix her jaw, Mu Lan felt no sympathy at all.
People like Sheng Xueqin, accustomed to arrogance, had grown used to ordering others around. No matter what happened, they would always look for faults in others first, never considering themselves to be in the wrong.
Mu Lan watched her coldly; her eyes sharp as knives, with not a hint of pleading for Sheng Xueqin.
Sheng Xueqin panicked; she had not expected Mu Lan to be so cold and heartless, and was even more surprised that she dared to be so brazen!
Was she not afraid of offending the Sheng Family? Was she not afraid…
Her gaze suddenly shifted to a familiar Rolls-Royce not far away, a calculating gleam flickering across Sheng Xueqin’s eyes.
Her originally sharp gaze immediately softened, filled with pitiful vulnerability.
Mu Lan raised an eyebrow. What was this? Playing tough didn’t work, so now she was playing weak? She really had found the wrong person, as there was absolutely no way Mu Lan would feel any sympathy for such a woman.
Sheng Xueqin suddenly grabbed Mu Lan’s wrist; Yun Xi instinctively intervened, causing Sheng Xueqin to lose her balance and fall to the ground.
The scene made it look as though they were both bullying Sheng Xueqin. Mu Lan glanced around; curious eyes were already cast their way.
Tears came as soon as Sheng Xueqin called for them, and Mu Lan finally realized it was all intentional!
She glanced back instinctively and, indeed, saw Huo Tingxiao not far away. That’s why her demeanor had switched so suddenly; she wanted Huo Tingxiao to see her looking pitiful, as if she were being bullied by Mu Lan.
Mu Lan called out Huo Tingxiao’s name.
“Huo Tingxiao…”
Huo Tingxiao approached but did not look at Mu Lan; instead, he immediately helped Sheng Xueqin up from the ground.
Mu Lan was stunned, taking a long moment before turning around.
The bitterness in her heart made her eyes feel hot.
What did this mean? Did he believe Sheng Xueqin?
Sheng Xueqin clung tightly to Huo Tingxiao’s arm, trying to say something but could only awkwardly open her mouth.
Huo Tingxiao still did not speak but reached out to put Sheng Xueqin’s jaw back into place.
There was a “click”.
Tears were in Sheng Xueqin’s eyes, but when she spoke, it was not to express angry embarrassment or to loudly scold; instead, she began speaking well of Mu Lan.
“Tingxiao, please don’t blame Mu Lan.
It was my fault, I just wanted to talk to Mu Lan, and her bodyguard misunderstood, so… please don’t blame Mu Lan.”
Mu Lan could almost admire Sheng Xueqin’s acting skills.
She spoke as though it were all true!
“Let’s go to the hospital.”
“I’m fine, it’s just a bit of pain in my ankle, probably a sprain… but it’s nothing serious. I still need to meet Vincent later, I can’t…”
“I said we’re going to the hospital. He Jin, take Miss Sheng to the hospital.”
Sheng Xueqin bit her lip, cautiously clutching Huo Tingxiao’s sleeve.
“Tingxiao…”
Mu Lan watched their interaction, held her breath in her chest. She had been so righteous just before, demanding that she and Lin Yize maintain their distance, so what was he doing now?
Of course, that wasn’t the coldest part of it all.
Huo Tingxiao hadn’t listened to her explanation first but instead had immediately sided with Sheng Xueqin.
Suddenly, Mu Lan felt somewhat grateful, grateful that she had never taken this man’s affection seriously.
Only… she didn’t know why, despite not taking it seriously, it still felt so painful inside.
It was as if a piece of her heart was missing, sour and astringent.
“Mr. Huo…”
Yun Xi tried to explain but was stopped by Mu Lan.
What was there to explain? If he really believed Sheng Xueqin, it was no wonder—they had been childhood friends for over a decade.
Besides, who was she? Just a wife in name whom he had neglected for seven years, and now she even had amnesia. Not wanting to be a door mat anymore probably made her even more annoying.
When a person is angry, they’re bound to lose reason, stubbornly sticking to their point.
He Jin took Sheng Xueqin away, and only then did Huo Tingxiao look towards Mu Lan.
She didn’t wait for him to speak first and took the initiative, saying:
“What, are you seeking justice for your little childhood friend?”
Huo Tingxiao remained silent, which Mu Lan took as an affirmation.
“So what do you want to do? Injure my foot as well? Or use some other method to return the favor?”
Mu Lan was about to explode in anger, saying everything unpleasant she could think of.
Since he had already condemned her in his heart, why bother wasting words making herself more disliked?
Huo Tingxiao looked at Mu Lan, eyes blazing, and finally spoke in a vague tone:
“Do you think I’ve decided you hurt Sheng Xueqin?”
Mu Lan sneered, feeling the question was utterly hypocritical. If he hadn’t thought that way, why would he have hurried to tend to Sheng Xueqin?
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Mr. Huo, I was the one who struck her. It has nothing to do with Mrs. Huo.”
Yun Xi’s voice was mechanical, devoid of emotion, but a slight flicker in her eyes betrayed her feelings.
Mu Lan had just protected her so fiercely. Yun Xi generally disliked becoming overly involved with others and hated owing anyone anything.
“So ultimately, it’s because of me, right? If you hadn’t wanted to protect me, you wouldn’t have acted. How is it not my fault then?”
Mu Lan took on an attitude as if to say, I’m resigning myself to whatever you can do to me.
Huo Tingxiao was surprised to see this back-and-forth between the two, each wanting to take the blame.
Yunzhan had said that Yun Xi was as cold as ice, very unsociable, like an unemotional AI.
Yet now, it seemed it wasn’t entirely true.
She could have said nothing, and when she had spoken just now, she clearly had been concerned for Mu Lan.
“So have you two decided whose fault this really is?”
“Me”
“Me”
Both said in unison.
Mu Lan, with her feisty temper, immediately posed as the boss.
“I’m the boss, what I say goes, and I say it’s me.”
Yun Xi’s response was even more infuriating.
“The boss is Mr. Huo, I’m the one who acted.”
Mu Lan glared, underestimating this icy beauty, feeling stung by her sharp words.
“Huo Tingxiao, look at this bodyguard you’ve found. Can’t stand not taking the blame, can she?”