Chapter 114

Wang Yanyan offered an apologetic smile, gave a slight nod to the group of corporate titans, and then turned to leave the banquet hall without looking back, once again leaving the executives standing there in the lurch.

On the other side, at Fengshun Residential Complex:

"Mr. Chu, we have arrived."

Mu Xue had personally driven Chu Tianhe back.

As it was late, Yao Yao had already fallen asleep. Chu Tianhe stepped out of the car first, followed closely by Qin Xiaomeng, who was cradling the sleeping child. Before Chu Tianhe could make a move, Mu Xue stepped in ahead of him. She took off her own coat and draped it over Yao Yao, a faint smile playing on her lips as she said, "It’s late; be careful she doesn't catch a cold."

"Thank you," Chu Tianhe responded instinctively.

At that moment, Qin Xiaomeng’s gaze shifted toward Mu Xue.

The way Mu Xue had draped the coat over Yao Yao was so natural, as if it were her place to care for the child, making everything seem perfectly appropriate. This was the refined charm Mu Xue had cultivated through her years in the business world—something not everyone could possess.

Yet, this left a sting of bitterness in Qin Xiaomeng’s heart.

In her heart, she loved Chu Tianhe to the bone. If he were not her brother-in-law, she would have confessed her feelings to him without hesitation. But now, another woman—one superior to her in every way—had appeared in Chu Tianhe’s life, handling everything with such perfection and caring for Yao Yao with such meticulous attention. This undeniably diminished Qin Xiaomeng’s own presence, leaving her feeling deeply unsettled.

More importantly, they were both women.

A woman’s intuition is rarely wrong. Qin Xiaomeng could tell that Mu Xue was interested in Chu Tianhe, and that the gesture of covering Yao Yao was a subtle way of asserting her importance. The thought of such a remarkable woman becoming her rival made Qin Xiaomeng feel even worse.

"Brother-in-law, let’s go home quickly; I don’t want Yao Yao to catch a cold!"

Not wanting to linger with Mu Xue, Qin Xiaomeng urged Chu Tianhe toward the building while holding Yao Yao.

"Well then, Mr. Chu, I’ll see you tomorrow. We have already arranged for Yao Yao’s enrollment at Bocai Kindergarten and completed the paperwork; she can start tomorrow."

Mu Xue was far too shrewd not to notice Qin Xiaomeng’s mindset. She chose not to call it out, nor did she want to leave a bad impression or become an imagined enemy. She simply waved her hand and opened the car door, ready to depart.

Before getting in, Mu Xue smilingly reminded Chu Tianhe about the kindergarten, mentioning that the Mu family had taken care of it. She spoke casually and artfully, striving to ensure Chu Tianhe wouldn't feel burdened by a sense of indebtedness.

Mu Xue wanted to create a dynamic where Chu Tianhe felt that the Mu family was naturally meant to serve him—she wanted him to view the Mu family as his own people. This was of vital importance to the Mu family.

Of course, Mu Xue would not miss this opportunity; she intended to go to the kindergarten tomorrow to continue deepening her relationship with him.

"Understood."

Chu Tianhe nodded and waved back at Mu Xue. After carefully checking on the sleeping Yao Yao, he turned and headed toward the residential complex with Qin Xiaomeng.

Fengshun Residential Complex was dilapidated, and most of the streetlights were broken. Mu Xue kept her headlights on to illuminate the path for them, a display of attention to detail that was truly meticulous.

Standing still, Mu Xue watched as Chu Tianhe and Qin Xiaomeng’s figures disappeared from her sight. Only then did a complex expression cross her face, and she turned to drive away.