"How can you work with an attitude like that? I think you're better off staying at home and be a brainless spoilt brat," Mu Huaisheng mocked. "Even though it is our family's company, you are still an employee here. So why don't you have the decency to at least ask for leave? You just left all of your work there without notifying anyone, slowing down the whole company's progress. Do you have any idea how much was delayed because of you?"

"That's enough, Mu Huaisheng. I don't want to quarrel with you right now. The company can do fine without me as I'm only a petty assistant designer. What important job do I have that will bring losses to the company? It is my family's company, so what could possibly happen if I skip work for a day to attend to my affairs? It was Xu Chang that told you, right? That snitch! She's merely an employee of the Mu family. She shouldn't be the design director. Also, how dare she snitch on me! Did she forget my position in the company? Ah, she must be out of her mind!"

"I think you're the one who's out of your mind!" Mu Huaisheng was getting a headache as he dealt with Mu Sisi. His thumb and middle finger massaged his temple. "Don't bother coming in tomorrow! You're not needed even as an assistant designer. Besides, I don't need you spoiling the company name and holding everyone in your team back."

"I dare you to do that!" Mu Sisi was unfazed. "The Mu family isn't yours yet. Dad only sent you to develop the market here. He never said that he's putting you in charge! Dad gave me my job personally, so you have no right to fire me! If you do it, I'll call Mom and Dad. You're firing me for something as trivial as not attending work for one day. Do you think Mom and Dad will agree with you? I am the precious daughter of the Mu family. I have the fortunate fate to be born into such a family, doesn't that mean I deserve special privileges? Since this is my family's company, I have the right to do whatever I want! I will do as I please. Anyone who isn't happy with it or is jealous of me can only blame it on their fate."

Mu Huaisheng was at a loss of words. What he wanted the most was to send her back to America.

"If you want to fire me, you can wait until Dad resigns, and you take over the Mu family. Then we can talk! Nonetheless, by then, half of the company will be mine, so you can't lay a finger on me," Mu Sisi said delightfully, as she raised her eyebrows.

Mu Huaisheng was so exasperated that he started to laugh. He stood up and walked toward the panoramic windows and stared at the rows and columns of high-rise buildings and the cars stuck in a traffic jam on the streets. "That is not the only reason I called. You took Lawyer Wu out."

"He is our family's lawyer. As a member of the Mu family, don't I have the right to have him do things for me?" Mu Sisi said coldly.

"He is the company's lawyer. You are using the company's resources, and I am the general manager of MU. and not to mention, the director in Greater China. Don't you think you should inform me before utilizing the company's resources?" Mu Huaisheng said over the phone.

Mu Sisi froze. She took a deep breath and switched her phone to her left hand. "I'm just helping a friend out. It has nothing to do with the company. I hired Lawyer Wu under my name, so I will cover his fees. Even though he is the company's lawyer, he can take up private cases as long as it doesn't go against his contract. The matter has no connections to the company, so let's just pretend I looked for a lawyer randomly and ended up hiring Lawyer Wu by chance. So, I wouldn't need to inform you of anything."

"Friend?" Mu Huaisheng laughed scornfully. "Since when was Jian Yi your friend?"

"Lawyer Wu told you? What happened to his professional conduct as a lawyer? How could he leak information about his client like that?" Mu Sisi squinted her eyes and clenched her teeth.

"Stop dragging everyone else's names through the dirt and take some time to look at yourself," Mu Huaisheng advised with frustration. "This has nothing to do with Lawyer Wu. He is very professional. After you've done so many despicable things, don't you think I have learned my lesson? I have eyes on you every second of the day."

"You!" Mu Sisi's heart pounded with rage. "Mu Huaisheng, can you mind your own business? I don't need you to interfere with every trifling matter in my life!"

Jian Yi's divorce was big news, so Mu Huaisheng knew Jian Yi had some connections with Song Yu. "Do you think I like to monitor you like this? If you would stop causing so much trouble, then I wouldn't have to! My hands are already full with the company's matters, yet I still have to keep an eye on you. Do you think I want to? Let me warn you, do not cause any trouble with Song Yu. Do you remember the last time you bothered her? In the end, you're the one left in shambles. If you do anything stupid again, Qi Chengzhi will never forgive you."

"Don't worry. Me helping Jian Yi has nothing to do with Song Yu," Mu Sisi said before she hung up and threw her phone aside.

She thought about it for a while and then decided to switch off her phone. Only then did she drove off.

…

…

Mu Sisi drove to Qilin. After she parked the car, she looked into the mirror and checked her makeup.

She took her bag and headed into Qilin. Without stopping at the reception, she marched straight to the elevator but her way was blocked.

Mu Sisi bit her lip. She thought she could escape the receptionist.

"I'm here to see your director, Qi Chengzhi," Mu Sisi told the receptionist with annoyance in her voice. The receptionist at the desk was a tall lady. Mu Sisi only reached her nose, but with her arrogant personality, even when she had to raise her head to look at someone, her eyes were filled with disdain.

The receptionist suppressed her anger. She wondered what kind of haughty psychopath the cat had dragged in for the day. With a forced smile, she asked, "Miss, may I have your surname? Do you have an appointment?"

"No, just tell him that Mu Sisi wants to see him," Mu Sisi growled.

Those words felt like deja vu to the receptionist. She felt like a woman who had done the exact same thing before. She had announced her name so confidently and thought that the director would surely attend to her.

The receptionist smiled at her courteously. She made a call to Cheng Dongge, and then said, "Miss Mu, my apologies, but the director is busy, so he can't see you now."

Mu Sisi snatched the phone from her hand. "Cheng Dongge, right? Tell Brother Chengzhi this is regarding the Song family's bankruptcy. If he doesn't see me, I'll go to Song Yu."

Mu Sisi then tossed the handset back to the receptionist, and it hit her in the chest. She winced in pain.

Mu Sisi declared, "I can go up now. If you don't believe me, ask him yourself."

The receptionist placed the handset to her ear and listened to Cheng Dongge's instructions. Then she turned her gaze to Mu Sisi.

Mu Sisi snickered. She turned away and headed to the elevators.

"Who the hell is that! What a horrible attitude!" A colleague scowled as she glared at Mu Sisi's back.

"It seems like another woman has fallen for our director. An idiot like her shouldn't even think about getting our director. Even ordinary men wouldn't like her," the receptionist sneered as she slammed the phone down.

…

…

Mu Sisi entered the elevator. On the way up, the door suddenly opened on a different floor. Both Mu Sisi and the people outside the elevator were shocked.

"What are you doing here?" Qi Chengyue entered the elevator, as she glared at Mu Sisi. "My brother has told you that he doesn't like you. He's even married now. How much thicker can your skin get?"

Mu Sisi's face twisted with rage. She stared at Qi Chengyue and snorted, "This has nothing to do with you, so why are you so agitated? Oh, I remember now! Your ex-husband had a child with his mistress and divorced you. Do I remind you of the pain you suffered?"

"Not at all." Qi Chengyue looked down at Mu Sisi. Compared to her, Mu Sisi was very short. Every member of the Qi family had a tall figure. Even though Qi Chengyue could not compete with her 190cm-tall brothers, she was still 168cm in height. She was not as tall as the models but she was exceptionally tall when compared to normal women. With heels on, she appeared even more towering.

Even though Mu Sisi also wore heels, she only reached Qi Chengyue's chin.

Qi Chengyue looked down at Mu Sisi with scorn. She was not the receptionist, and she was the precious daughter of the Qi family. She walked around with an air of superiority, and the aura she emitted dominated Mu Sisi's.

"You went to America when you were a child, so I don't blame you for not comprehending Mandarin well. Let me explain it to you. First of all, a mistress is someone who forcefully wedges herself into other people's marriage and tears their family apart. In the man's eye, a mistress is more attractive than his wife. A mistress threatens the wife's position and therefore threatens her, and a mistress is someone who can make her husband not go home for days. Even if the mistress cannot force the man into a divorce, she still holds a special place in his heart."

"As for you, Song Yu doesn't even give a d*mn about you. She doesn't even see you as a worthy rival. Also, my big brother won't even glance at you. No matter how big a fuss you make, you're just making yourself look like a clown. You do not affect either of them. Even though you're part of the 'mistress team,' you don't even get the chance to appear on stage. You know, it's the first time I've heard anyone call herself a mistress," Qi Chengyue snickered.

"Even so, looking at your situation, you don't even qualify as a mistress. So what are you bragging about? Oh, I know! You're bragging about how much failure and humiliation you have brought upon yourself. You stripped naked in front of my big brother, but he wasn't the least bit charmed. Rather, he thinks you're more disgusting than ever. Oh, or are you bragging about how much effort you put in? Or how you can't let go of things? Your unrelenting determination?"

"You—" Mu Sisi clenched her teeth and glared furiously at Qi Chengyue. Her bright and playful red lips appeared hostile and ferocious.

"You think you've hit a sore spot? Too bad, because I don't care who my ex-husband sleeps with. I now have a man who loves me, values me and pampers me, so why should I care about the insignificant people and things?" Qi Chengyue scoffed. "I'm not like you to run around all day to steal someone who doesn't even belong to you! Even after humiliating yourself, you've gained nothing out of it."

After she said that, the elevator door opened. Qi Chengyue turned and took her exit.

Due to her experience, Qi Chengyue could empathize with Song Yu. She despised such shameless mistresses.

Furthermore, Song Yu lent her a hand when she dealt with Guan Xiaolin. Thus, she did not hold back against Mu Sisi at all.

Mu Sisi exited the elevator behind Qi Chengyue but strode quickly to surpass her. Qi Chengyue shot a glance at her in contempt. She watched as Mu Sisi marched into Qi Chengzhi's office without even bothered to knock.

"Why is she here? Big brother even allowed her to come up to his office?" Qi Chengyue walked up to Cheng Dongge, and raised her head to look at his face.

"I don't know, but Young Master Cheng must have his reasons. Don't worry," Cheng Dongge assured her as he tidied his stuff. "Do you not trust him?"

"Of course, I trust him, but I don't trust Mu Sisi. Ah, why is she causing so much trouble? Should I inform Song Yu?" Qi Chengyue mumbled.

Cheng Dongge smiled. As he leaned against the table, he pulled Qi Chengyue closer to him by her waist. She stood between his legs, almost leaned against his chest. "It's not anything important. She's at work now. Do you want her to come all the way from Chengshi just for this? By the time she reaches here, Mu Sisi would have already left. Young Master Cheng knows not to let things go too far. He won't let Mu Sisi do as she pleases."

Cheng Dongge's body emitted a refreshing smell of men's cologne. The aroma was addictive. It was as if it could stimulate the hormones in women, as it allured and aroused them.

When held in his arms, her gaze fixed on his dashing suit and the strong, firm chest underneath it. Drunk in the scent of his cologne, her face turned red, and before she knew it, her body flushed too.

Cheng Dongge looked down to see her glowing cheeks. She seemed submissive with her doll-like face, and her fragrance made his heart pound faster.

He swallowed. Unable to hold himself back, he leaned down and landed a kiss on her bright pink cheek. As he felt her soft, hot skin on his lips, he could not help but parted his lips and extended his tongue toward her skin, and licked it gently.

His action sent shivers down her spine. She quickly pushed him away with both hands. "Someone might see us."

Cheng Dongge grinned. His hands slid off her waist and grabbed her hands instead. "Let's go for lunch first."

…

…

As Mu Sisi closed the office door, she saw Qi Chengzhi sitting behind his desk. His face was still as charming as ever. Even after ten years, he did not look a day older than he was in her memory. In fact, he had only looked more mature, and that made him seem even more handsome than she remembered.

It was as if he was a man favored by God, so he was perfect in every aspect.

Mu Huaisheng repeatedly asked her to let him go, as Qi Chengzhi was married and he had no interest in her. He advised her to stop making enemies with them.

However, every time she saw Qi Chengzhi, her feelings for him in the past ten years just gushed out of her heart. How could she let go of such a perfect man so easily? Once she saw his handsome face, she was captivated. All she wanted was to stare at him for the rest of her life.

She believed that even if he had grown old, he would maintain his charms.

If she gave up, she would feel that her ten years of effort were all for nothing. How could his place in her heart, her determination to fight for him, and the love she had for him vanish into thin air like a cloud of mist?

She could let go, but who would compensate for her ten years?

Mu Sisi was entranced by Qi Chengzhi. She stared at him tenderly and wondered how such a perfect man exist? Every move he made was as elegant as a swan, and every word he said was captivated and beguiled her. She could stare into his deep, soulful eyes all day long and would never find the bottom of it.

Still entranced, she sauntered toward him. She stopped in front of his desk and smiled at him softly. "Brother Chengzhi, you haven't had lunch, have you? Since it's lunchtime, let's grab a bite together."

Qi Chengzhi did not stand up, and he merely glimpsed at her from where he sat. "Aren't you here to talk about the Song family's bankruptcy? Go ahead."

"I'm not in a rush. Besides, we can't discuss something on an empty stomach, right?" Mu Sisi smiled as she went around the table and stood beside Qi Chengzhi. She purposely moved her long, fair leg toward him until it touched his arm. "Brother Chengzhi, how do I look today?"

"Hideous," Qi Chengzhi declared harshly in a monotonous voice. "I've never thought that you were pretty, but now, you're so hideous it's disgusting."

Qi Chengzhi pulled his arm away so that she could not touch him. He stood up and extended his arm to the side of the table while his other hand pulled out a sheet of tissue from a tissue box and wiped the area that Mu Sisi touched.

"Have lunch with you? The mere sight of you is revolting. How can I have any appetite for food?" Qi Chengzhi rolled the tissue into a ball and violently threw it onto the desk. His stern expression was terrifying. His face was filled with hatred and disgust.

The color drained from Mu Sisi's face. Her jaw trembled and her eyes welled with tears.

"Brother Chengzhi, do you have to say such awful things? I love you so much. Why would you treat me like this?" When she saw Qi Chengzhi's expression, Mu Sisi's heart crumbled into a million pieces.

A man she adored dearly glared at her with such contempt and disgust, it was as if she was a maggot that squirmed on the floor.

Mu Sisi despised that feeling. Her body tremored. "I'm not asking for much. I just want you to treat me with some dignity. I just want a place in your heart, and yet, you wouldn't give me any of that. Why can't you just treat me a little better? You treat Song Yu like a treasure. You're always so gentle with her. What does she have that I don't? What makes me unworthy of your kindness? She loves you, and I do too. I've loved you for ten years. My love for you is no less than hers, so why do you have to trample over my feelings like this?"

Tears flowed from her eyes. "I put in so much effort to look pretty for you, but not only do you not care, but you spit out such horrible words. Why?"

"Whatever you know, just say it. If you're only here to say these things that I've heard a thousand times before, then you can just leave," Qi Chengzhi warned exasperatedly.

Mu Sisi sniffled. With a face full of tears, her lips unexpectedly curled into a smile. She moved closer to Qi Chengzhi, and with her head held up high, she whispered, "Then tell me, do I look pretty today? I'll talk about business once I'm satisfied with your answer. Brother Chengzhi, how do I look?"

"Are you insane?" Qi Chengzhi seized her arm and dragged her toward the door. "If you're not going to tell me, then leave. I don't have time for your nonsense."

"Let go of me! I'll talk! You only let me come up because of this, right? Fine, I'll tell you!" Qi Chengzhi had already dragged her to the door and if she still refused to talk, she knew that he would have thrown her out.

Only then did Qi Chengzhi stop. Furiously, he let go of her arm. "Talk."

Mu Sisi did not know if it was from rage or tiredness but she was panting. She looked down and pulled at her clothes, an attempt to tidy her looks.

Then, she smoothened her disheveled hair and finally began to talk. "I think you're afraid. Otherwise, you would never have let me come up here."

She chuckled mockingly and took out the document file from her bag before she handed it to Qi Chengzhi. "I know everything now. You are the one behind the Song family's bankruptcy."

Qi Chengzhi opened the file and flipped through the documents inside. They looked familiar, just like what Jian Yi had shown to him before.

He stared at Mu Sisi nonchalantly and asked, "What's your purpose of showing me this?"

"To let you know that I know everything. Your marriage with Song Yu had always been on thin ice. Once Song Yu finds out that you destroyed the Song family, I bet that she would hate your guts now, won't she? You are her family's archenemy. Not only did she marry her family's enemy, but she also fell in love with him. I bet that she would hate herself more than she despises you. Oh, Brother Chengzhi, you must really love Song Yu to be able to push her into a dilemma like that." Mu Sisi chuckled. She sat down on the sofa's armrest with her hand against the sofa back.

Qi Chengzhi pouted. He tossed the documents onto the floor. With a dark expression, he said, "I'm asking, what's your purpose in telling me this?"