"You silly girl!" Mu Side reached out and gave Shu Lanzhou a light tap on the head.
"A company's success can't rely on just one aspect. I'm not so incompetent that I can't even hold onto my own company! Don't put so much pressure on yourself."
"Although I'm happy that you care so much, it's not your responsibility."
Then why, in my past life…? Shu Lanzhou blinked, confused.
"Unless, of course, I choose not to protect it." A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Mu Side's lips.
"Did you know? Grandpa always thought my second uncle never got married because he was too busy with the company, had no time for anything else. For a while, he kept trying to persuade me to return to my parents."
"He knew clearly—no one in the Mu family had ever truly given up on Mu Family Medicine. Everyone looked cheerful on the surface, but deep down, every single one of them was hoping to see our medical legacy restored to its former glory."
"He gave me an ultimatum. If I graduated from my master's program, and my aunt still hadn't found a suitable disciple, and my second uncle still refused to marry, then I had to give up on the Mu Group and leave Shen City."
"After Grandpa passed away, I spent a long time pondering what to do... I didn't know what choice to make."
Mu Side fixed his intense gaze on Shu Lanzhou. "Thankfully, you came along."
"Shu Lanzhou, you're like an angel, appearing in my life so unexpectedly. Because of you, my aunt found a disciple she's satisfied with."
"Because of you again, you saved Elder Long and eased the tension between the Long and Mu families. Now, my little uncle can finally see his first love again. I bet once I find out the reason they broke up back then, it's only a matter of time before they get back together!"
"Wait!" Shu Lanzhou's eyes widened in shock. "You're saying... the woman who broke up with your uncle and went abroad after the Mu family's scandal—she's Elder Long's youngest daughter?"
All the clues matched: she'd gone abroad, never married, and was around the same age as Mu Side's uncle. It wasn't hard to guess!
Shu Lanzhou let out a soft sigh of wonder.
"See? You are clever!" Mu Side looked delighted.
"You see now? Thanks to you, both of the things Grandpa worried about have been resolved. That means—I have no reason to give up on the Mu Group anymore!"
So in her past life, Mu Side had willingly let go of the Mu Group?
Shu Lanzhou looked up at him, unsure of what to say. Mu Side reached out and held her hand.
"I believe that as long as we keep working hard, Mu Family Medicine will return to its former glory. Shu Lanzhou, would you be willing to—"
"Shu Lanzhou! It really is you!" Mu Side's words were interrupted by a cheerful voice.
Dong Anlan rushed up and wrapped herself around Shu Lanzhou's arm. "I thought I was seeing things! I can't believe it's really you! Running into you here is the best surprise ever!"
She looked like she'd been holding back too much and had finally found someone to talk to.
Shu Lanzhou felt a twinge of guilt. She had promised to look for Dong Anlan, but had been delayed over and over again. Instead, it was Anlan who found her first.
"I came here just for you!" Shu Lanzhou grabbed her hand. "Are you okay? Did Luo Jialin do anything to you? What did he say or do?"
Dong Anlan was visibly touched. "Wait, are you telling me you came all the way here just to make sure I wasn't being bullied by him?"
"It was Ke Beichen who was worried about you and asked me to check in," Mu Side explained with a smile, clearly enjoying the opportunity to score points with a friend. "And I figured bringing Shu Lanzhou along would be even better."
"Yes, yes! With Shu Lanzhou here, I feel so much better!" Dong Anlan beamed and pulled her toward the food table.
"You look absolutely gorgeous today—like a little princess!"
Shu Lanzhou blushed. "You look beautiful too. I've never been to a banquet like this before. My outfit... my senior picked it out for me."
"He's got excellent taste," Dong Anlan said with a wink.
Shu Lanzhou blushed even more. "It's not what you think."
"What am I thinking?" Dong Anlan's grin turned mischievous.
Afraid Mu Side might overhear them, Shu Lanzhou reached out and pinched Dong Anlan's waist. "Anlan! I was so worried about you—I rushed over as fast as I could, and now you're teasing me like this!"
"Haha... this isn't teasing!" Dong Anlan winked again. "I'm helping you seize the moment. Mu Side is a rare catch, you know."
"Stop it…" Shu Lanzhou was so embarrassed she didn't dare look back at Mu Side. Her heart was already fluttering, and she didn't want anyone to notice.
...
The two girls stood by the dessert table, sampling pastries and giggling in low voices.
Not far away, Luo Jialin's hand tightened around his wine glass. His usually gentle eyes now carried a thin layer of frost.
Why was Shu Lanzhou at this kind of event?
"Who is that woman? Shows up out of nowhere—and at such a major business banquet! And the Mu family just casually brings along some random woman? Outrageous!"
Third Master Luo yanked at his tie and downed a glass of champagne in one go.
"Third Uncle, are you upset because you don't think she's pretty enough?" Luo Jialin said with a wry smile.
Everyone knew Third Master Luo was a notorious flirt, always trying to charm high-society heiresses.
Given the stir Shu Lanzhou caused when she entered, there's no way he wouldn't be tempted. The fact that he was acting like this meant—he'd already tried and failed with her.
Luo Jialin recalled how Shu Lanzhou had shut people down with that cold little face of hers and couldn't help but smirk.
That junior of theirs really did surprise him more and more each day.
"Don't gloat," Third Master Luo snapped. "I just overheard Mu Side say she's his junior. You must know her too—tell me, what's her background?"
Luo Jialin's eyes flashed with disdain as he remembered her file from when she joined their team.
"She's a nobody. An orphan. Worked hard enough to get into the medical university, got lucky and joined Han Weicheng's team, then got kicked out. Ended up as Mu Yanning's student."
"Judging by how things look now, the Mu family probably plans to formally take her in and make her the successor to Mu Family Medicine."
The Mu family's attitude toward her genuinely surprised Luo Jialin.
He really hadn't expected them to value an orphan. But then again, it made sense—only an orphan would be easy to control.
Only someone as naive as Shu Lanzhou would actually believe she could make a name for herself in the medical world through acupuncture. Such wild dreams.
She'd only just achieved a little, and the Mu family was already eager to parade her around. The Mu family must've been suppressed for too long—they were desperate to reclaim the spotlight. But with their past reputation? Did they really deserve it?
Luo Jialin's gaze darkened.
Shu Lanzhou, you really are disobedient. With your background, what gives you the right to appear at events like this? To step into my world?
"So it is her. Looks like the Mu family is dead set on reviving their acupuncture legacy. What nerve!" Third Master Luo fumed.
"Jialin, I heard you recently picked a new project—it's tied to Han Weicheng, isn't it? If I remember right, Han and the Mu family never got along. Can you…"
"Uncle," Luo Jialin interrupted with a slight frown. "Investments always come with risks. You can't pin all your hopes on me. Right now, Mu Family Hospital only has one location."
"But once their acupuncture spreads and gains acceptance, it's hard to say—maybe their hospitals will start popping up like mushrooms after rain."
"I heard from my grandfather that back in Mu Medicine's prime, they had hundreds of hospitals nationwide. No one even knew about our Luo family hospitals back then."
"But don't worry too much. Building a hospital isn't something you can do overnight. In the short term, Mu Family's clinic isn't a real threat to you."
With a half-smile, Luo Jialin cast a sideways glance at his uncle before turning and walking toward Dong Anlan…