“Everyone knows that we don’t get along. They watch us like we’re entertainment and they think that I dote on Donglin and not you.” Mu Che choked and his voice became almost a whisper. “But they don’t seem to realize that you both are my sons.”
Mu Xichen looked at his father with a calm and expressionless face.
Mu Che took off his glasses and wiped the corners of his eyes. He instructed the butler, “Mu Yun, shut the door.”
“Yes.” Mu Yun had been standing guard at the door and quickly shut it before leaving.
“Sit down, Xichen. We need to have a good chat.” Mu Che turned around decisively and was about to make his way to the sofa, but immediately, as if afraid that Mu Xichen would disagree, he asked, “Would that be okay?”
Perhaps because she was now aware that Mu Che’s days were numbered, Li Beinian suddenly felt sorry for the man.
Mu Xichen looked at Mu Che for a brief moment, then led Li Beinian to a seat opposite the elderly man.
Mu Che heaved a sigh of relief when he saw this and said, “Have some tea. Mu Yun, get someone to refresh the tea.”
“There’s no need.” Mu Xichen reached out to touch the teacup that the servant girl had just served up. “The temperature’s about right.”
As he spoke, he picked up the teacup and handed it to Li Beinian. “You said you were thirsty.”
She reached for the cup and took a sip. Then, she looked at Mu Che in silence.
The elderly man gave her a long stare and said ambiguously, “Miss Li you have great charm indeed. I have only two sons, and you’ve managed to get them both entangled.”
“What have you been diagnosed with?” Mu Xichen asked. His expression, which had softened slightly earlier on, had now turned cold again. “If we’re here just so that you can criticize my wife, then I won’t waste my time with you.”
Mu Che paused and suppressed his anger. Trying to calm himself down, he continued, “I just feel uncomfortable. Xichen, you’ve always been a simple person. Don’t be fooled by her.”
Li Beinian felt somewhat indignant. She held her tea cup up and silently drank her tea.
Mu Xichen?
Simple?
He might as well claim that Mu Xichen was a naive man!
Indeed, the father-and-son were estranged from each other. Anyone who knew Mu Xichen would never use the words simple and naive in association with him.
Would someone like Mu Xichen be taken for a ride by her?
Tsk!
Li Beinian was full of disdain, but she was also very astute.
She left this to her man to deal with.
Mu Xichen sneered when he heard Mu Che’s words. “Mu Donglin’s engagement was called off because he failed as a person. As a father, shouldn’t you know better than anyone what he did that night? Isn’t it a little too late to try to make him out to be innocent?”
Mu Che was furious. “You’re my son too!”
Mu Xichen said coldly, “I do have your blood coursing through my veins.”
He was the man’s son.
However, Mu Xichen had always felt shameful to be born his son!
Mu Che was so angry that he clutched his hurting chest as he turned a deep red.
Observing this, Li Beinian frowned and reached out to tug at Mu Xichen’s shirt sleeve. “Stop arguing. Your father is not in good health.”
Mu Xichen kept silent. There was a sort of realization in his expression before his hostile demeanor faded somewhat.
Mu Che regained his composure and said, “I don’t wish to argue with you today. It’s your brother’s wedding. No matter what, you’re the Second Young Master of the Mu Family. There are some things that you necessarily have to inherit. I called you here today because I wish to hand you your inheritance and responsibilities.”