“Mo Jie, do you think this company is crazy? Why do they insist on holding it outdoors? Don’t their guests mind the cold?”

“Exactly, I’m freezing to death. Just thinking about having to wear a short-sleeve skirt and go on stage makes me want to back out!”

“Ma Ge said earlier that a big shot is coming today. Apparently, a lot of people are here for this person, so they had to move the event outdoors because the venue inside couldn’t fit everyone. I wonder who this important guest is.”

“I think Ma Ge mentioned it was someone from the Shao family.”

“The Shao family from the Capital?”

“Who else? No other Shao family could attract so much attention. I heard that the daughter of this company is close to the Shao family’s eldest daughter, so through connections, they invited Shao Yi, the current head of the Shao family. He’s the owner of the Empire Wang Hotel, the young and accomplished man, tall and handsome…”

Su Mo listened half-heartedly as they discussed, her eyes lifting to glance at the young girl who, though new to the group, seemed to know every detail about the capital’s prestigious families. The girl’s name was Yu Chuxin, wasn’t it?

“Alright, enough gossiping, girls. Let’s stretch and get moving, or you’ll risk getting hurt later.”

As she tried to get the excited girls to settle down, Su Mo unconsciously frowned. A sharp pain had begun to tug at her lower abdomen, a familiar ache. After being a woman for so many years, she knew exactly what it meant.

She sighed inwardly, praying her period could wait just another half an hour. But right after her prayer, she felt a rush of warmth—her worst fear confirmed.

Su Mo looked back with a frustrated gaze at Ma Wenlong, who was leisurely munching on sunflower seeds.

Ma Wenlong, clearly no longer as anxious as he had been last night at the Lu Group’s grand 100th anniversary celebration, now seemed indifferent. Compared to last night’s extravagant event, today’s gathering felt like nothing, and after all, with Su Mo handling everything so well, he didn’t have to lift a finger.

But when their eyes met and Su Mo gave him a reproachful look, he froze for a moment.

“What’s wrong? Stomach pain again? Here, eat some seeds first to settle your stomach. Do you need medicine? I’ll get you some hot water.”

Su Mo shook her head, her face pale. “No, Lao Ma, could you get me a pack of sanitary pads?”

Ma Wenlong…

“I refuse!”

“Then I’m not performing!”

Ma Wenlong glared at her, gritting his teeth. “Fine, you win.” With a stomp of his foot, he turned and left.

A moment later, he returned with not only a pack of sanitary pads but also two heating pads and a cup of steaming brown sugar water.

“The event today isn’t too important, just wear that long dress and put these on inside, so you won’t suffer too much later.”

Su Mo smiled and nodded. “Lao Ma, you’re such a friend to women, love you!”

Ma Wenlong gave her a disdainful look. “I don’t like women, so keep your distance!”

Su Mo: “What a coincidence, I like men, so don’t worry.”

Ma Wenlong: “…”

“Su Mo, you bastard! Why am I not a man!”

After quickly cleaning up in the bathroom and applying the heating pads Ma Wenlong brought, Su Mo finally felt a bit more comfortable.

She was about to step out when she suddenly overheard the sound of two women talking.

“Siya, did the thing I asked you to do go well?”

Though Su Mo couldn’t see them, as soon as she heard that voice, her body froze in place.

Jian Ruyun.

Why was Jian Ruyun here? Was she attending the opening ceremony?

It made sense. Though the Liu family wasn’t one of the wealthiest in the capital, they were certainly upper-middle class. It wasn’t unusual for them to attend the opening of a company.

Su Mo stood frozen, biting her lip, her hands tightly clenched.

The conversation outside continued.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered. I’ll give you the information on Boss Huang tonight. You’ll be satisfied.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Don’t mention it. But… Ruyun, why are you looking for someone like him? Are you looking for a benefactor for someone?”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Haha.” The woman on the other side seemed to get the hint and quickly changed the topic. “By the way, has Yiyi’s wedding date been set?”

“Yes, it’s set for the 26th of the twelfth month. I’ll send you an invitation, and you have to come!” Jian Ruyun’s voice was filled with unmistakable pride.

“Of course, of course. Wow, Yiyi really has done well, hasn’t she? She’s really marrying into the Lu family, I’m so envious.”

The two women whispered something more, but Su Mo didn’t catch it. The sound of their heels tapping the floor grew faint, and her phone suddenly rang, snapping her back to reality.

“Ancestor! Are you bleeding to death or what? Why aren’t you coming out? The show is about to start!” Ma Wenlong’s voice came urgently from the phone.

Su Mo suppressed all her emotions, put the phone away, and stepped out.

After dressing, she chose a veil and draped it over her face.

The long dress with the veil made her look more ethereal, adding a touch of mystery to her appearance.

“Not bad!” Ma Wenlong clapped his hands. “Our Mo Mo is such a talented, beautiful girl, truly unbeatable…”

Su Mo didn’t bother listening to his nonsense and walked straight to the stage.

The entire performance was nerve-wracking, but fortunately, after five years, and with her veil on, Jian Ruyun didn’t recognize her.

As she came off the stage, there was a commotion outside. It seemed the important guest had arrived.

Sure enough, the young girls who had been complaining about the cold just moments ago now crowded by the door, even forgetting to change out of their outfits.

“Wow, is that the eldest daughter of the Shao family? Her aura is amazing, she could give Mo Jie a run for her money.”

“Yeah, she’s not only graceful and beautiful, but her dress is just stunning. I wish I had one like it!”

“Hey, where’s Shao Yi? Didn’t he come?” Yu Chuxin muttered softly in the crowd. Su Mo overheard her, turning to look at her. She noticed that Yu Chuxin’s face showed clear disappointment.

Su Mo frowned slightly, but before she could think much more, she quickly gathered her things and changed her clothes.

“Lao Ma, I’m leaving now.”

Lao Ma, amidst a crowd of gossiping girls, nodded absentmindedly. “Okay, go rest. By the way, Wei Xuan’s birthday is today. We’re meeting up at Yue Se later. Are you coming?”

Su Mo looked over at Wei Xuan, a teenage girl looking expectantly at her.

“I’ll go. Send me the private room number later.”

As Su Mo left the venue, standing at the bus stop, she felt sharp pains in her abdomen, almost making it hard for her to breathe.

Wearing such light clothes in this weather, no amount of heating pads could help.

“I can’t take it, I need to find somewhere warm and get something hot to drink.” Su Mo murmured, looking across the street to a café.

Just as she was about to cross, she saw two figures walking out of the café.

One of them was Jian Ruyun, and the other was the woman who had been with her in the bathroom earlier.

Su Mo frowned, the pain intensifying. The only place nearby was that café, but… Jian Ruyun was standing there with that woman.

At that moment, as if sensing something, Jian Ruyun looked up and spotted Su Mo.

Su Mo was startled and quickly turned away, but whether it was because she turned too fast or if the pain had simply gotten worse, a sharp ache hit her abdomen. She felt her strength drain, and the world spun around her.