156. It Was All Realized Too Late

Because she did not want to attract unnecessary attention, Mu Qing restrained the urge to rush upstairs and look for her.

Seeing the displeasure written all over Mu Jingchi’s face, Mu Qing sighed helplessly and casually ordered, “Bring Third Master some tea.”

“I’m not drinking any.”

Mu Jingchi refused without a second thought.

His tone was not only irritable; he even sprang to his feet from the sofa in agitation and questioned Mu Qing directly, “Second Brother, tell me the truth. Where exactly did you get that medicine?”

Seeing that there was no way to keep the matter hidden, Mu Qing stopped concealing it.

“You may all leave. We don’t need you here anymore.”

“Yes.”

Only after the servants had been dismissed did Mu Qing walk over to Mu Jingchi’s side and pat the sofa.

“Sit down first.”

Mu Jingchi glared at him in frustration, but obediently sat down all the same.

After pushing a glass of warm water toward him, Mu Qing said calmly, “Can you rein in that temper of yours? You’re a company president, after all. How can you afford to be this hotheaded?”

“Don’t change the subject. Hurry up and tell me—what exactly is going on with that medicine?”

“Mm. It’s exactly what you think.”

“...”

Mu Jingchi froze.

He stared blankly at Mu Qing for several seconds before finally coming to his senses in astonishment.

“It was really given to you by Si Qingchen?”

“Yes, it was.”

Mu Qing nodded, his expression as tranquil as still water.

“How can you believe anything that man says?”

Mu Jingchi immediately rose to his feet again. Not only was his face filled with displeasure, but an intense rejection seemed to radiate from every inch of him.

Mu Qing frowned slightly and asked, one word at a time, “Then tell me—why shouldn’t I believe him?”

“...”

When Mu Jingchi failed to answer, Mu Qing stood as well. He gave his shoulder a firm pat and spoke bluntly.

“Jingchi, you know perfectly well what Si Qingchen feels toward Fifth Sister.”

“But Grandfather said they weren’t suitable for each other.”

“And you said it yourself—that was only what Grandfather said.”

At that moment, Mu Qing stood beside Mu Jingchi, looking at his defeated expression. He felt helpless, yet had no idea how to comfort him.

In the end, he could only expose the truth and force him to face it.

His thoughts still lingering on the little one upstairs, Mu Qing walked around Mu Jingchi and came to the other side of the sofa.

Then he said, “Even if Grandfather truly succeeds in stopping them, Qingcheng will marry someone eventually. Jingchi, you need to understand this: she is your sister... and nothing more than your sister.”

After saying that, Mu Qing disappeared through the entrance to the hall.

...

Mu Jingchi returned to the Mu residence in a daze.

With Qingcheng there, he would naturally keep watch over her, never leaving her side.

At that moment, he stood outside Qingcheng’s bedroom. Recalling the day Si Qingchen had held her in his arms, and how docile and obedient she had been, he felt as though a train were grinding over his heart.

A tearing, unbearable pain soon spread through his entire body.

In the end, Mu Jingchi did not dare disturb Mu Qingcheng. After standing outside her door for a long while, he lowered his head in defeat, turned around, and returned to his own room.

Meanwhile, inside the room—

Mu Qingcheng, whose condition had gradually improved, had not yet gone to sleep.

She was sitting against the headboard with a communications device tucked into her ear, handling all the matters that had accumulated recently with Ye Zi.

Because of the succession of upheavals, Mu Qingcheng had temporarily recalled all the members of No Trace. Everyone was keeping a cautious watch from the various branches scattered throughout the world, making no major moves.

At that moment, Ye Zi sorted through the documents in his hands and reported, “Boss, Xu Maoyan was taken away by Dark Shadow. It seems... he won’t be coming back.”

“Taken away? When did that happen?”

“Two days ago. What should we do now? Should we go and... get him out?”

Mu Qingcheng fell silent for a moment.

Ye Zi still did not know that Si Qingchen was the person who had kidnapped him last time, and she had never dared tell him.

After weighing the matter, Mu Qingcheng decided that instead of openly intercepting Xu Maoyan, it would be better to find an opportunity to ask Si Qingchen directly.

More than ten seconds later, she replied in a low voice, “Don’t make a move yet. Let’s wait and see.”

“What about the Xu family, then? You’re not going after them?”

“Ah, I’ll first—”

“Wait, that’s not right!”

As he spoke, Ye Zi seemed to suddenly remember something and raised his voice.

Mu Qingcheng’s heart jolted. Sure enough, she heard the suspicion in Ye Zi’s voice as he slowly asked, “Boss, don’t you remember? The Xu family gave you two Myriad Things Pills before. They said the pills could neutralize a hundred poisons and cure a hundred ailments. If you took one, wouldn’t that poison of yours be cured?”

Mu Qingcheng: “...”

****

At the same time, at Mu Qing’s villa—

The matter Mu Qing had been faintly worried about had finally happened.

On the second floor, Mu Qing stared at the empty, unlit room, understanding the truth in his heart...

That girl Xia Wan had disappeared again!