Xu Mu felt his chances were fairly good—he already knew Miao He and even understood some of her quirks.
"Will the Mourning-Love Family's third boss be attending the Chai family's gathering?" he asked.
"He should," Miao He replied. "I got word he arrived in Jiangbei this morning."
"You two don't get along. Want me to help?" Xu Mu smiled. "You seem all right to me—I can lend you a hand."
"Your real goal is to go to the Chai estate, isn't it?" Miao He folded her arms, easily seeing through him.
Since the Chai family was targeting Xu Mu's people, of course he'd want to go and find out what they were planning.
"You're pretty smart." Xu Mu gave her a thumbs-up.
"But I'm not taking you."
Miao He flipped her silver hair, expression calm. "You and I have nothing to do with each other. Why should I help you?"
"We're potential partners." Xu Mu looked straight at her. "Do you really think you can handle an ancient ruin alone and still get the treasures?"
"Potential means not yet partners," she said coldly, chin slightly raised.
"Fine, I'll cooperate with you."
Xu Mu didn't mind. If they found something valuable, he could always stash it in his storage space, then share a few of the lesser treasures.
"Oh, how high-class of you—just saying it makes it true? Where's my pride in that?" Miao He smirked. "Beg me."
Slap!
Seeing no one around, Xu Mu gave her a sharp smack on the butt. "You looking for trouble?"
[Favorability +10]
"You—! You bastard! You dare hit me?"
Her icy façade instantly melted into a mix of shame and fury. But as she felt the faint sting, a strange thrill rippled through her—and she didn't understand why it excited her.
It disgusted her, that feeling. She swore she'd never let anyone know.
Xu Mu snorted. "So what if I hit you? Working with me is a blessing. In a place that dangerous, you think you're the one protecting me?"
Miao He puffed her cheeks slightly. "Get in the car. I'll do your disguise."
"That's better." Xu Mu grinned and took the front passenger seat of her Wuling Hongguang van.
Miao He, behind the wheel, pulled out a yellow wig and handed it to him. "Put this on."
Xu Mu did as told, then checked his phone camera—he looked like Iori Yagami, hair covering half his face.
Miao He opened a makeup kit and began working on him—eyeliner, smoky eyes, and finally, a black teardrop painted beneath one eye.
"All done." She packed away the kit.
Xu Mu checked his reflection and was stunned—his whole aura had changed. Makeup and hairstyle really could transform a person; he barely recognized himself.
"The black teardrop under your eye—that's drawn on too, right?" he asked.
"Of course. If I actually tattooed that, my dad would break my legs."
She made a U-turn, driving toward the Chai estate.
"Your dad? So you ran away from home, huh?" Xu Mu guessed.
"Yep," Miao He said flatly. "I joined the Mourning-Love Family on my own. I became Second Boss after defeating Qingshang."
"So that's why you two are enemies." Xu Mu smiled slightly. He could already guess the roots of her quirks.
People developed personalities like hers for a few reasons, but it usually boiled down to two.
One: low self-esteem—a person who feels undeserving of respect, who finds value through submission or punishment.
Miao He clearly wasn't that type—otherwise, she couldn't have become Second Boss and command subordinates.
The other: a life that's too easy.
Someone born noble, used to obedience from others, never once disrespected. Such people grow lonely—surrounded by servants, but no equals.
They secretly crave someone who'll treat them like a normal person—someone who can tease or even discipline them.
Perhaps those two slaps from Xu Mu had awakened something new in her.
After all, she'd never been hit in her life.
The sensation of being struck and subdued felt novel—almost exhilarating.
"So what if we're enemies?" Miao He snorted. "He's no match for me—just plays dirty tricks."
She slammed the accelerator.
The Chai Family Estate
Nestled beside a mountain outside Yang City.
When Xu Mu got out of the car, he saw the courtyard packed with luxury vehicles—all with Yang City plates, none from Jiang City.
That alone made the Chai family's intentions clear:
they were rallying Yang City's enterprises to close the gap left by the Feng family's downfall—shutting out the Xu family entirely.
Miao He led Xu Mu inside the manor.
Normally, the guards would've stopped anyone dressed like a punk, but not today.
Chai Wang had given orders in advance: Anyone looking like that gets in—no questions asked.
As Miao He entered the inner courtyard, several punk-styled subordinates rushed up.
"Second Boss!" they greeted respectfully, heads bowed.
"Has Third Boss arrived?" Miao He asked coolly, hands behind her back.
"Not yet, ma'am—but his men are here," a red-haired one replied.
She nodded and walked with Xu Mu toward a distant round table.
No sooner had they sat down than Xu Mu spotted Fang Chu.
Typical protagonist—he could smell plot relevance from a mile away.
Fang Chu was chatting with others across the courtyard, but the moment Miao He entered, his gaze snapped to her.
Under the sunlight, her long legs gleamed ivory white, her figure and face both flawless.
He instantly decided: if this woman cleaned herself up, she'd be a goddess.
"Miss, you must be one of the higher-ups of the Mourning-Love Family, yes?" Fang Chu said with a friendly smile, taking a seat beside her, glass of red wine in hand.
"Who are you?" Miao He asked blandly.
"Haha, nobody important. Just a friend of Mr. Chai Wang's, here to attend the banquet," Fang Chu said smoothly, his gaze lingering on her face.
Compared to students like Lu Xueyao or Zhao Yingying, this woman was on another level entirely.
"What are you looking at?" Miao He frowned slightly.
"Haha, forgive me—Miss is so beautiful, I couldn't help it," Fang Chu chuckled, sipping his wine.
Xu Mu immediately noticed the hint of disgust in Miao He's eyes.
As expected—real relationships never start at first sight. Something would happen later to make her attitude change.
But Xu Mu had no intention of letting it reach that point.
"You're the eighth person today to tell our lady she's beautiful," Xu Mu said smoothly, altering his tone with his new Language Certificate skill.
"Huh? The eighth? Seems everyone agrees she's stunning," Fang Chu replied, amused.
"Exactly—you're Number Eight," Xu Mu said flatly.