“Nothing,” answered Han Muzi. After being lost in her thoughts for a moment, she shook her head firmly before looking down at the folders on her desk.
This should not be happening.
I should have already been at peace with myself. Even if I bumped into him, I should have been able to treat him like a total stranger.
Han Muzi shut her eyes, but she soon realized her heart and mind were in a mess.
“Something must have happened!” Yan had been living with her for the past five years, so she knew Han Muzi well. Yan could immediately sense if something was bothering Han Muzi. Hence, she squinted at Han Muzi and bent slightly forward while approaching her. “Didn’t you say you were meeting Lin Qingqing? Why are you back so fast? Tell me; did Lin Qingqing bully you?”
Han Muzi looked up at Yan when she heard that, and she saw Yan’s fierce expression, as if she was gearing up for a fight.
Han Muzi teased her with a smile, “What would you do if I said yes?”
Yan immediately started cracking her knuckles and announced, “If Lin Qingqing bullied you, I will beat her up right now. I am a woman after all, and no one would dare say anything if I hit another woman.”
Han Muzi was stunned before she replied helplessly, “Please, the society is regulated by the law. You will be subjected to sanctions for beating people up.”
Yan burst out laughing before asking her, “What, now? Can’t I resolve my personal issues in private? Besides, I will only injure her; it’s not like I’d beat her to death.”
“I am dropping the joke. Nothing happened, honestly. I got back early because our client, Miss Lin, had something to attend to at the last minute; that was why I came back early.”
“But your facial expression is telling a different story,” insisted Yan while propping her chin up, as if processing her thoughts. “Quick, tell me. What else happened aside from that?”
Han Muzi inhaled deeply when she heard that before she smiled helplessly. “Why are you such a busybody? What else could there be?”
“In that case, why were you spacing out at your desk for such a long time?”
“That’s because I was wondering what kind of design Miss Lin wants.”
Yan had no choice but to trust her for now. “Fine. But you have to tell me if something crops up. Don’t keep everything to yourself, alright?”
“Mm-hmm,” Han Muzi answered.
Han Muzi let out a sigh of relief once Yan left her office.
That girl is too… sensitive and intuitive.
However, I have no one to blame but myself, since I couldn’t keep my emotions hidden.
Even Yan feels that I wasn’t myself; in that case, wouldn’t Ye Moxuan have seen through me as well?
That can’t happen…
Five years ago, I lost my dignity; I begged him to meet me, and I even abandoned my self-respect to beg him. However, in the end, he threw those divorce papers at me anyway.
I must not lose myself in front of him, and I have to tread a fine line to maintain my integrity.
I have to be at peace with myself.
That man is nothing more than a stranger to me.
Ding—
Her phone vibrated, and it was a WeChat text from Lin Qingqing.
Lin Qingqing sent a text saying, ‘I’m so sorry about today, Shelly. I feel so bad to have wasted your time. Why don’t we reschedule our appointment to tonight? Let’s meet at the same restaurant, and it shall be my treat this time.’
Tonight? Han Muzi pondered before tapping away swiftly across her phone screen with her fair and slender fingers.
Han Muzi: ‘I am so sorry, Miss Lin. I have to work overtime tonight, and I am afraid I can’t make it.’
Lin Qingqing: ‘In that case, it’s fine. Let’s meet again when you’re free.’
Han Muzi: ‘Tonight aside, where I have to work overtime, I can suit your schedule anytime, Miss Lin. I’m so sorry about tonight.’
Lin Qingqing: ‘No worries. I should be the one apologizing. If I had scheduled well, you wouldn’t have wasted your time. By the way, Miss Shelly, isn’t your company newly established?’
Han Muzi: ‘Yup.’
Lin Qingqing: ‘I forwarded your business card to Moxuan. I believe he will send businesses your way. In the future, I will also recommend more friends and family to your company.’
She forwarded my WeChat business card to Ye Moxuan?
In that instant, Han Muzi felt her heart plummet, but she snapped back to her senses swiftly.
Han Muzi: ‘Thank you so much.’
After that, Han Muzi placed her phone on the desk before leaning backward against her chair while massaging between her brows in exhaustion.
When it was 5PM, Han Muzi was just about to have her meal in the canteen when Yan walked through the door with a solemn expression. “Muzi, we have a problem.”
Han Muzi cocked her brow in surprise when she saw Yan’s stern expression. “What happened?”
“Xiao Yiyi came to me and informed me that Lin Zheng is in trouble. After that, she left crying. I have no idea what is going on, but she left in anguish. Should we do something?”
Lin Zheng is in trouble?
Han Muzi recalled the cold and detached youth before stating, “Check Lin Zheng’s folder and find out his address. We’ll go ahead and pay him a visit.”
“Sure!” Yan nodded immediately before she went to search for Lin Zheng’s address.
She returned with a folder in her hands while announcing, “I’ve found it! This is his address.”
“Let’s go.”
Han Muzi left the company with Yan. Han Muzi drove to work this morning, but since she wasn’t familiar with the area stated in Lin Zheng’s address, the two of them had no choice but to hail a cab.
Once they got into the cab, the driver couldn’t help but glance several times at them from the rearview mirror. He finally asked them, “Why are you two young ladies headed to the slum?”
“Slum?” Yan asked in confusion.
The cab driver glanced at her before answering with a nod. “Didn’t you know? That is an infamous slum, and safety isn’t what they’re known for. Besides, there are always aggressive criminals lurking around; if the two of you aren’t from that area, I would suggest you avoid that place. It’s too dangerous for two young ladies to go there alone.”
Upon hearing that, Yan couldn’t help but glance at Han Muzi.
Han Muzi smiled faintly and answered the driver, “Sir, we are headed there to look for someone. I don’t suppose that would be a problem, would it?”
“Uh, it depends on your luck because I can’t guarantee what might happen there. However, I’ve always heard that people around that area are very aggressive and dangerous.”
Yan was worried immediately, and she bit her lower lip before asking Han Muzi, “Well… why don’t we get a few more people to go with us?”
“There’s no time because we will most probably waste more time if we were to gather more people.” Han Muzi lowered her eyes while pondering for a while. “Sir, is the slum you were referring to under demolition?”
“Umm, I don’t think so,” answered the driver while scratching his head. “To be honest, there shouldn’t be a slum in such an advanced and rich city like North City. However, that piece of land is rather secluded. Furthermore, the people there are rather vicious and dangerous. Residents from that area refused to evict their homes to facilitate the demolition, and since both parties have been in a stalemate, the slum has existed till now.”
After listening to his explanation, Han Muzi got the general idea of the situation now.
“I understand now. Thank you.”
At the same time, she knew that she could only go with Yan, and that she could not bring more people there.
If I were to bring others, we would… most probably be beaten up and chased out of the place.
