The following morning, at Beijing South Railway Station near the Temple of Heaven Park.
Zhu Momo skipped her performance class and personally came to pick someone up, holding a sign with her aunt Mo Wuling's name written on it. Her tall stature and striking appearance quickly made her stand out amidst the crowd of arrivals. Spotting another tall and similarly eye-catching woman in the distance, she hurried forward with Jill Peckett and Zhao Annie in tow.
As they approached, Zhu Momo flashed a sweet and mischievous smile. She spread her arms wide, ready to embrace the woman in the black jacket and skinny jeans before her. However, her attempt was met with a swift rejection as the woman batted her hands away and snapped at her, "Do you know how busy I am right now with onboarding new students? Get your things together. We're heading to Tianjin first. As for whatever my sister wants to do, that's on you all."
Zhu Momo, unfazed by her aunt's sharp tone, which was clearly not a new experience, clung to her arm and pleaded, "Auntie, let me explain!"
"Explain to your mom if you've got the guts. I don't have time for your nonsense, true or false," Mo Wuling retorted. Even so, she didn't shake off her niece and glanced at the two women accompanying her, Jill Peckett and Zhao Annie.
Jill and Zhao Annie observed the woman in front of them—her one-meter-eighty height, professional demeanor, and a distinct resemblance to Zhu Momo. Jill was the first to extend a hand and greet her in Chinese, albeit with a noticeable accent. "Hello, Ms. Mo. I'm Jill, Momo's assistant."
Mo Wuling's eyes narrowed slightly with curiosity at Jill's accented introduction but extended her hand in return. "I'm Mo Wuling, Momo's aunt."
She then greeted Zhao Annie.
Their brief conversation attracted significant attention from the surrounding crowd. Two tall women, a blonde foreigner, and even Zhao Annie, whose attire and demeanor stood out from those around them—it was as if four striking white cranes had appeared among a flock of birds.
Feeling the weight of the public's gaze, Zhu Momo, though not shy, still urged quickly after the greetings, "Auntie, let's leave. The car is outside."
After a moment of hesitation, Mo Wuling didn't object. The four of them left the station and approached a waiting Mercedes S-Class, which Zhao Annie personally opened for them. Recognizing the luxury of the car, Mo Wuling's brows furrowed slightly, her curiosity growing. Once inside and out of the station's vicinity, she finally asked her niece from the back seat, "So, what's going on?"
Still clinging to her aunt's arm like a little girl, Zhu Momo explained, "I told Mom on the phone a while ago, didn't I? I have a boyfriend now. He's really rich."
"Oh," Mo Wuling replied indifferently, not giving much away. Apart from knowing that her niece had been in the US participating in the Elite Model Contest, she hadn't heard many details. She pressed further, "Then why are you back from the US, and why did you lie to your mom?"
"I… felt embarrassed," Zhu Momo replied, feigning shyness. "Last time I told her I was in training in the US. Coming back suddenly felt a bit awkward."
Sensing the inconsistencies in her niece's story, Mo Wuling directly stated, "You're lying."
Zhu Momo tried to defend herself. "I'm not—"
"I don't want to hear it," Mo Wuling interrupted her. "Today is Monday. I only took the morning off. Either I meet your so-called boyfriend, or you're coming with me to Tianjin."
In the front seats, Jill and Zhao Annie listened to the exchange. They both had the same thought: Zhu Momo's aunt must be very similar to the girl's mother, especially in personality. This level of dominance was remarkable.
Their curiosity grew. How would this formidable woman react once she learned the full story?
On the way to the courtyard house in Mao'er Hutong, Zhu Momo chattered about her recent experiences, but her aunt remained mostly silent. As they reached the narrow alleys of the hutong, the confined surroundings caused Mo Wuling to frown slightly once more.
Noticing her aunt's expression as they got out of the car, Zhu Momo couldn't help but chirp, "Auntie, don't be fooled by how cramped it looks outside. The inside is huge! This area is really famous, you know. Even Jiang Jieshi, Mao Dun, Hong Chengchou, and the last empress all lived nearby. This house, too, has an interesting history—it used to belong to a Qing Dynasty official of the first rank, and later, Feng Guozhang lived here. You know, he was—"
Seeing Zhu Momo stumble, Zhao Annie interjected, "Feng Guozhang, one of the Beiyang Trio, head of the Zhili clique, and former vice president of the Republic of China."
Zhu Momo nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, that's him!"
As they stepped inside, just past the decorative screen wall, two uniformed female guards emerged from a side room to stop them. One of them addressed Zhu Momo, "Miss Zhu, you know the rules. No one can enter without permission."
Caught off guard, Zhu Momo felt a wave of embarrassment but quickly explained, "This is my aunt."
The guard glanced at Mo Wuling but maintained her stance. "You can call Ms. Chen. Otherwise… Miss Zhu, please don't make things difficult for us."
The implication was clear: even if it were her own mother, the rules would still apply.
This again?
Recalling the scolding she'd received last night for coming home late, Zhu Momo sighed inwardly. She knew the rules but had hoped to bypass them for convenience. Resigned, she pulled out her phone to call Chen Qing.
Fortunately, Chen Qing didn't make things difficult. After a brief conversation, she gave her approval. The guard took the phone to confirm directly before stepping aside to let them through. As Zhu Momo led her aunt into the inner courtyard, Mo Wuling cast a glance back at the guard room, noting the surveillance monitors inside. Her unease deepened.
Zhu Momo, however, had already moved on from the earlier tension. Pulling her aunt into her room, she sat her down, poured tea, and eagerly said, "So, what do you think? This place is huge, right? And this is just half of it. The garden next door is the same size. Auntie, take a break first, and I'll show you around later."
Instead of responding, Mo Wuling looked at Jill and Zhao Annie. "Could you two leave us to talk privately?"
The two nodded and stepped out.
Once they were alone, Mo Wuling turned directly to her niece and bluntly asked, "Momo, are you being kept as someone's mistress?"
"Ah—"
Zhu Momo froze, nearly dropping the expensive Ru kiln porcelain teacup in her hand. This was… too direct!
Seeing her niece's reaction, Mo Wuling stood and strode to the corner of the living room, picking up the phone and dialing.
Finally snapping out of her stupor, Zhu Momo hurried over, unsure of how to intervene. "Auntie, who are you calling?"
"Your mom," Mo Wuling replied bluntly. "I can't handle this. She'll come and take you back."
"Wait, Auntie, let's just—"
Before she could finish, the call connected. Hearing her mother's faint voice on the other end, Zhu Momo felt utterly defeated, her spirit wilting like a kitten caught in the rain.
At the same time, in Xidan, Chen Qing hung up the sudden call from her daughter without much thought and returned to a meeting with Luo Qian, president of Jinshu Media, and a delegation from China Film Group. The group was in a newly completed building near the bustling Xidan Shopping Mall of the 1990s.
This was the location of Jinshu Cinema Line's first multiplex theater.
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