It must be said that the way this little brat spends money so recklessly seems to be a family tradition.
Although it’s unclear whether her sister Mu Xia is the same, Lu Qing feels that even wealthy families shouldn’t just hand over their money so directly to others...
The closest example around him is Old Li.
Old Li is very wealthy and extremely generous to his friends.
If you ask him for a loan, as long as your reason is legitimate, he’ll lend it to you without hesitation. He’s the type who would go through fire and water for his friends, and he means it.
But he’s never seen Old Li “sprinkle money” on those around him,
or spend without considering the amount, buying things on a whim.
Even when buying soap at the supermarket, he’ll hesitate a bit, debating whether Comfort Home or Eagle Brand is better.
Lin Mu, however, is different.
Lin Mu seems to have no concept of money. Whether she’s buying equipment or giving gifts, her behavior suggests a mindset of “I buy whatever I want” and “I give whatever I have.”
But considering that she seems to have a “fountain of wealth” constantly replenishing her funds, Lu Qing isn’t too surprised.
When someone’s savings are fixed at tens or hundreds of thousands, and no matter how much they spend, it’s always refilled... doesn’t that indirectly mean the money is endless?
[No, next time I have to talk to her about this. After all, her sister’s money isn’t something to be wasted so casually. I need to make her understand that only money earned through one’s own hands can be spent with peace of mind.]
Although Lin Mu is still a child, she’s already had a falling out with her family and has prematurely entered society.
For now, she’s being cared for, but if she’s ever abandoned and left truly alone, cut off from her financial resources—
how will she survive?
Can she continue living at this level of consumption?
Lu Qing doesn’t have the obligation to provide Lin Mu with a proper education, but driven by a sense of guilt, he wants to keep her within his sight, observing and protecting her in secret.
At times, Lin Mu feels more like a younger sister in need of care compared to Su Ling.
Su Ling isn’t easily fooled; she has exceptional looks and a sharp, albeit stubborn, mindset. She knows how to protect herself, but even so, she still relies on Lu Qing.
Lin Mu, on the other hand, without a solid financial foundation, would likely go bankrupt within a month if dropped into “Twilight Café” with zero starting capital.
If Su Ling has no one to turn to, she knows to seek out her brother immediately.
If Lin Mu has no one to turn to, she might end up being taken advantage of by someone.
“Anyway, I’ll just have to face this head-on.”
Lu Qing chooses to confront the storm directly.
...
...
Time quickly moves to Saturday.
Today is the agreed-upon day.
Inside the black Rolls-Royce, Gao Ban, dressed in a chauffeur’s uniform and wearing white gloves, drives with a serious expression.
In the backseat, a young lady dressed in high-end custom casual wear sits in the main seat.
Today, Mu Xia is dressed to the nines—
Her long, black hair is smooth and silky, reaching down to her waist;
A silver-white moonlit necklace, delicate and translucent, hangs around her neck;
A black off-the-shoulder dress with white butterfly patterns covers her thighs, allowing for easy movement;
Her legs are wrapped in 80D matte velvet stockings, extending all the way to her toes.
Her shoes are princess heels with white pearl straps;
Her handbag is a luxury brand, limited edition.
She deliberately chose not to wear a long dress today, thinking that casual wear would be more comfortable for an outing.
Rarely invited by her younger sister to spend an afternoon together, Mu Xia is naturally very attentive, even bringing seven boxes of gifts...
“Miss, is it appropriate to cancel your afternoon masterclass?”
Gao Ban asks with some concern as she drives.
“Hmm, the teacher won’t blame me. I’ve already finished her assignments, and my sister is more important to me. I think she understands that.”
“...”
Hearing Mu Xia speak about the dispensability of a world-class piano masterclass as casually as if she were commenting on the weather... Gao Ban feels that even though it’s expected, it’s still a bit too much.
“You know, if I don’t cancel something from my schedule, I’ll never have time to do what I want,” Mu Xia says lightly.
“...Right. But what about the master...”
“Let’s not talk about him outside. I don’t want to ruin this good mood with family matters.”
“Understood, Miss.”
Gao Ban respects Mu Xia’s wishes, though she’s well aware of the recent major disagreements between Mu Xia and the family head.
To be specific, it’s the same old, deeply rooted issue—
Mu Xianchun wanted Mu Xia to pursue her master’s degree in Canada, but she firmly refused, even threatening to halt all her endorsement activities for “Mosse” if pressured further, which temporarily stifled the family head’s plans.
“It was the same in middle school, high school, and university. He always wants me to live according to his predetermined path, leaving me no room to breathe. Does he really not understand that people need their own thoughts and space? Was he also strangled by his grandfather’s demands when he was young?”
Mu Xia mutters to herself.
Gao Ban almost wants to whisper, “He was,”...
but she can’t, and she doesn’t dare.
She knows all too well how absurdly strict Mu Xianchun’s demands on Mu Xia are, having planned her life down to the smallest detail since kindergarten.
This has shaped Mu Xia’s way of handling things, making her want to arrange everything for her younger sister, Lin Mu, as well.
But how long can this cycle continue?
Though an outsider to the family, Gao Ban can’t just watch the two Mu sisters sink deeper into this predicament.
From a practical standpoint, as a long-term maid of the Mu family, she can’t afford to see the family business decline, risking her job or a pay cut;
From an emotional standpoint, the young lady is quite pitiful. Her twisted personality is entirely the result of pressure, and she’s already driven several therapists to quit...
If nothing is done to help her soon, it’ll be too late.
So, this trip to Twilight Café to see her younger sister is also a good way to “decompress.”
“Miss, I remember in middle school, you went against the master’s wishes and didn’t attend the elite bilingual school,” she changes the subject.
“Yes.”
Mu Xia nods, gazing at the pedestrians outside the car window:
“Our family has a house in the city center, so I was assigned to a decent middle school, not too high or low in academic standards.
At the time, I didn’t want to go straight to a music-focused middle or high school. I wanted to experience the ‘normal life’ of a regular middle schooler, so I demanded that he not transfer me, or else I’d stop eating.
He was afraid I’d really harm myself, so he agreed to my not-so-unreasonable request on the condition that I attend Senyue High School.”
At this point, Mu Xia takes a deep breath,
“Gao Ban, do you know? Those three years of middle school were the most comfortable years of my student life.”
“Why?”
Clearly, Mu Xia hasn’t shared this period of her life with Gao Ban before.
She smiles, reminiscing:
“Back then, I was the president of the school’s music club. Every afternoon, I could go to the music hall’s backstage to practice the piano.
I’d practice for three or four hours at a time.
I did this for two whole years, carefree and without worries.
Since I could live on campus, I didn’t feel the pressure from home.
But in my third year, I had to spend a lot of time outside school attending masterclasses and preparing for competitions, so I needed to find a successor to take over my nearly empty club.”
“Oh?”
Gao Ban eases off the accelerator, deliberately slowing the car to listen more intently.
“You know, Gao Ban, there was a junior in my club, a year below me.”
Mu Xia laughs as she continues,
“During the last club meeting, I gathered everyone and asked who could take over as president. No one raised their hand.
Everyone was focused on exams and didn’t have time to be president like I was, skipping every afternoon study session to practice in the music hall and organize daily performances during breaks.”
“...”
“Only that junior of mine hesitantly raised his hand and said he’d just started learning the guitar and wasn’t very good yet, but he asked if he could try being president.”
"I asked him why he wanted to do it, but he stammered and couldn't give a clear answer, his little face turning red, which was absolutely adorable."
"..."
"Then, I had him play two pieces in front of me. He obediently played through them, and I listened attentively.
To be honest, for a beginner, his skill level was quite impressive. He went straight for fingerstyle, diving into solo pieces that blended folk and classical elements."
Mu Xia smiled, her joy evident,
"Then I asked him, 'Do you plan to apply to a music conservatory in the future? Do you want to become a music major since you love playing so much?'
I thought, if he wanted to pursue music, I could pass the role of club president to him, letting him take over from me and carry on the legacy of the club. That way, the grand piano in the main hall could be filled with performances and music every afternoon for those 20 minutes.
But if he didn’t, I couldn’t burden him with that responsibility. I didn’t want him to sacrifice his regular studies for club activities, risking a poor performance in the high school entrance exams and ending up at a less-than-ideal school."
"Miss Mu Xia. What happened next?"
Gao Ban was fully engrossed, slowing the car down to 20 mph.
"Then, he lied to me."
Mu Xia smiled softly, as if reminiscing about a precious memory—
"He said yes, he did want to apply to a music conservatory.
But I could tell from his eyes that he was lying."
"Eh?"
"Because he looked so nervous when he lied. He would avert his gaze to the ground and hide his hands behind his back, clenching his thumbs into his palms."
"..."
"Still, I handed over the position of president of the music club to him—a role that came with the freedom to manage his own time. After mentoring him for two weeks, I stepped back, informed the school administration, and let him take full responsibility, completely replacing me and gaining all my privileges."
"This..."
Gao Ban sensed something unusual and cautiously asked,
"Miss Mu Xia, why? Was there something special about that junior? He was just an ordinary student, right?"
"Mm-hmm."
Indeed, the smile on Mu Xia’s face now was entirely different from the polite, practiced one she usually showed in public—
She tucked a silky strand of hair behind her ear, tilted her head slightly, and gazed into the distance,
as if recalling a childhood memory,
before slowly answering:
"Because, I could see it."
"He was my opposite."
"He... he just wanted to play the piano."
……
……